Quaint and charming little towns in Costa Rica have a few things in common, but there is something that tourists notice as soon as they visit them: Each community will have at least three central places for residents to enjoy and be proud of. This small town trinity will vary slightly in terms of configuration from one community to another, but it seems to be crucial in terms of happiness and quality of life.

Michael Turtle is an acclaimed Australian travel writer who is currently a guest of the National Board of Tourism (Spanish initials: ICT). He has thus far visited Manuel Antonio National Park, El Silencio, Santa Juana, the world-famous Sloth Sanctuary in the province of Limon, and the Talamanca indigenous territory. His latest sojourn took him to Bajos del Toro near El Silencio, province of Alajuela. The first thing he noticed was the small town trinity:

Every Costa Rican town – even the smallest and most remote – has the holy trinity, it’s explained to me. They each have a church, a soccer field and a bar. With these three things, the people are happy.

It doesn’t take me long to see all three of them in the small town of Bajos del Toro, high in the mountains of central Costa Rica. There are only 200 residents here and it feels that way.

Notice the configuration of the Bajos del Toro small town trinity: Church, field and bar; it is typical but by no means absolute. Many towns tuck away the bar a couple of blocks away and stick to the church, park and field trinity.

The small town trinity dates back to the mid 19^th century, and it recalls the strong Roman Catholic heritage of this country. The church has always been de rigueur; in the past, however, the priests wanted to keep a close eye on their congregation as they left Mass and headed off to engage in recreational activities. Under the watchful eye of the clergy, residents would enjoy themselves in a wholesome manner. Religious leaders believed that this practice would eventually result in happiness and quality of life in rural towns, which seems to have worked in Bajos del Toro. According to Michael Turtle:

The people in these small towns are just living their lives and enjoying what – and who – they have. It may be a new granddaughter, a lifelong partner or a collection of orchids. Whatever it is, they’re happy and they’re happy to meet you.