on the Nicoya Peninsula, centenarians are legion

In Costa Rica, cowboys are called sabaneros. Same hat, same boots, same Hollywood looks. Except that here, the cowboy is 101 years old. Every day, José Ramiro Guadamuz Chavarría rides a horse to guide his animals. “The secret is work, be active every day, from morning to afternoon“, explains the centenarian. Ramiro lives in the Nicoya Peninsula, officially referenced as a blue zone, a place where the promotion of centenarians is particularly high.

“A healthy lifestyle”

Ramiro has always been a breeder, cultivating a lifestyle regulated like clockwork. Every day, the senior drinks three coffees. Coffee and a simple food, the corn cake. The tortilla is widespread throughout Central America. Petronila López Castrillo, 100, looks beautiful every day. Heading to the day center for the elderly, she meets her friends there at her yoga class. For Renzo Rodrigues Montero, the centre’s director, Petronila’s age is almost the norm. “It’s due to their healthy lifestyle and healthy diet,” he explains.