Scattered through the streets of Costa Rica, crowds of people hover around something blocking an outsider's view of the object.

There are hundreds of these groups of people throughout the city, laughing and pointing, sharing comments in languages we don't understand, and some we do. And then one pops up into our vision, around a street corner, on its hind legs.

The cow clutches a stripper pole in front of her, sporting a red-lace thong with one dollar bills taped to her garter belt. She's grinning in a half shameful, half sexy look. It takes junior Daniel Strong a couple of minutes to rummage through his suitcase before busting out his camera to capture the beauty in front of him.

Luckily the cow is made out of plaster and fiberglass and isn't going anywhere in a hurry.

Mar. 27 marked the opening day of the "Cow Parade," stampeding through Costa Rica's capitol city of San Jose as it has for hundreds of cities around the world since its debut display in Chicago of 1999.

Boasting the world's largest public art event, the "Cow Parade" consists of hundreds of plaster, life-size cows acting as a canvas for local artists. Artists paint, sculpt, and build on and around the cows to create a masterpiece for public viewing.

"My sister saw them when she was in Spain last year. She is going to be ecstatic when I tell her about this and show her my pictures," said Strong.

Walking through the city, you can observe everything from children pretending to milk the farce udders of a disco ball cow, sparkling in the reflection of flashes from cameras, to the "green" cow, wearing a gas mask and environmentally friendly slogans branded to its fiberglass hide.

S.W.A.T cows climbing up the sides of buildings, wielding military uniforms and guns that shoot milk, clown cows, devil cows, angel cows, Marilyn Monroe cows; if there is a cliché, famous actor, or an imaginative figure, someone "cowisized" them.

The parade of art occupies the city's main parks and squares for a month or more. At the end of the display, the cows are auctioned off to the highest bidder. Proceeds go to various charity groups based within the cities.

In 1999, Chicago raised an amazing $3,000,000.00 with their 140 cow art display. The following year in New York City, the highest winning bid was $80,000, for the Tiffany cow, strapped with diamonds and that classic light blue color.