Internationally, the most famous artists from Costa Rica are musicians, particularly the group Editus who won a Grammy for their work with Panamanian Ruben Blades. Another recognized artist is sculptor Jorge Jimenez Deredia, who in 2005 placed a work in the Vatican, a sculpture of Saint Marcellin Champagnat. The exterior niches of the basilica of Saint Peter were intended to have sculptures, but due to the death of Michelangelo, they have remained empty for almost 500 years. Deredia was the first artist commissioned by Pope John Paul II as part of his plan to fill the niches.

While the art scene is not up to European levels, you will find a surprising variety of theaters, art galleries and performances by international artists considering the size of the country and its small population. There are also numerous museums, the most popular being the National Museum, the Jade Museum, the Gold Museum and the Children's Museum.

Cuisine

Because of the high level of tourism and foreign residents, there are a great number of fantastic restaurants throughout the country. One beach town, Tamarindo, has one restaurant for every 10 permanent residents! Eating out here can be very inexpensive and you will find something good no matter what you are in the mood for. The local cuisine is fairly plain, with dishes similar to other Latin American countries and relying heavily on rice, chicken and black beans. The prototypical dish is Gallo Pinto, a mixture of rice and black beans, topped with light sour cream and traditionally eaten for breakfast with bread and fruits.

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