Bad luck about the illness, a couple of my ex-students did a tour of South America, half-way they got very ill and had a difficult time and had to return. Glad to hear you recovered enough to take part, it would have been a great pity to have missed all those songs and contacts.

Apparently Costa Rica's literacy rate is even higher than the gallery owner said, according to this 2007 UN source: "37. Costa Rica (94.9") - while Cuba's literacy rate is practically 100%: "2. Cuba (99.8)"

http://hdrstats.undp.org/countries/country_fact_sheets/cty_fs_CUB.html

Maybe it's because I'm a Londoner - that I moved to Nice.