Eye on Costa Rica

Chanel No.5 Perfume from a Tree? It's the Ylang Ylang from Costa Rica!

2012-01-28T11:25:00.000-08:00

The Cananga Odorata tree is considered to be the true Chanel No.5 Perfume Tree. More often referred to by it’s common name, Ylang-Ylang…(pronounced “ee-lan ee-lan), it is among the most celebrated flowering trees in the World. Commonly found throughout Costa Rica, the Ylang Ylang tree is easily one of the most popular trees grown near or around “Tico” homes, as well as almost every Costa Rican Hotel or Resort in order to take advantage of its intoxicatingly rich floral fragrance.

SPECIFICS:
A fast-growing tree of the custard-apple family, growth can exceed an amazing 6-8 ft per year, attaining an average height of around 40 ft or so, with heights of some 140ft! The Ylang Ylang is happy in full or partial sun, but prefers the acidic soil native to its normal rainforest climates, but is known to adapt quite well to other conditions. The long slender leaves are smooth and glossy, pointed with a prominent drip tip, offering subtle drooping yellow star shaped “flower” clusters that yield a highly fragrant essential oil. Specimens typically bloom two times a year, though mature specimens are known to bloom almost continuously throughout the year. Flowers are very fragrant, with a greenish yellow color at first, turning to a deep yellow to yellow brown when mature. Its clusters of black fruit are also important food items for birds, bats, monkeys, squirrels and other small mammals that frequent the rainforest readily dispersing this non-invasive species of tree. This tree is commonly planted around personal gardens, as well as most Costa Rica Hotels will plant these around their installations so visiting guests get treated to their intoxicatingly rich scent.

USES:
The ubiquitous Ylang Ylang tree offers multiple uses. The wood can be crafted or cut for canoe parts, small canoes, furniture, cooking fuel and cordage. The fragrant flowers are used to scent coconut oil, making lei and other decorative floral arrangements. The essential oil of the Ylang-Ylang is used extensively in aromatherapy, where it is believed to relieve high blood pressure, normalize sebum secretion (the secretions that regulate skin, hair and inhibit bacterial growth), improve symptoms of depression, distressed breathing, high blood pressure, anxiety, and is considered in many parts of the World to be an aphrodisiac. The oil derived from the Ylang-Ylang is widely used in perfumery for oriental and floral scented perfumes, the most famous being the wildly popular Chanel No. 5.

MEDICINAL USES:
Ylang Ylang is also used as a common ingredient in the herbal motion sickness remedy, MotionEaze. The bark is used in some South Pacific Islands to treat stomach ailments and sometimes as a laxative. It is also used as an antiseptic on bites, stings and infections, as well as a sedative and as a reproductive tonic for infertility. The dried flowers are used against malaria, and the fresh flowers are pounded into a paste to treat asthma. (Please consult your doctor before trying any of these remedies!)

DISTRIBUTION:
Native to Indo-Malaysia, this tree has been widely introduced by Polynesians, Micronesians, and early European explorers into most of the Pacific islands. It was later introduced to Tropical America (e.g., Costa Rica and surrounding countries), where the species has thrived. The Ylang-Ylang is now found from the Mariana Islands (Saipan, Rota, Guam), Nauru, Caroline Islands (Palau, Koror, Faraulep, Chuuk, Pohnpei, Puluwat Atoll), to Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, Hawai‘i , and the Cook Islands and Marquesas Islands.

PROPAGATION:
When considering growing your own Ylang-Ylang (which I highly recommend), it is most commonly propagated by seed. New trees can also be propagated by cuttings which requires a bit more luck and can result in varying degrees of success. Direct-seeding in the field is also effective in the right circumstances and conditions. The easiest method, and the one that I have personally had the most success with is to gently collect small specimens from under the existing trees and raise them in growing bags for 2–3 months before out planting the new starts. Remember to leave sufficient space for a deep taproot and tall wide growth for the mature trees.

In summary, the appearance of the flowers of the Ylang-Ylang tree are not particularly impressive, but its powerful sweet fragrance makes this a must have in your garden. An early bloomer, its fast growth means you will see flowers when the tree is still relatively young. The branches are known to be brittle and break easily so protection from strong winds is recommended when picking a planting site. The Ylang Ylang likes the heat and will grow and bloom during the warm season, but fear not, as this hearty tree can survive low temperatures and even freezing for short periods of time. The later being something I sincerely hope does not happen any time soon in tropical Costa Rica!

Author: Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

Sources:
http://toptropicals.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cananga_odorata
http://mgonline.com/articles/ylang-ylang.aspx
http://www.agroforestry.net/tti/Cananga-ylang-ylang.pdf
http://www.wildcrafted.com.au

Costa Rica….the new Culinary Vacation Destination?

2012-01-15T11:06:00.000-08:00

Recent efforts have been made to market Costa Rica as a culinary destination (see article) for your next vacation. Known for its abundance of nature and biodiversity, Costa Rica has always been considered lacking in the culinary department. The first thought that comes to mind when someone mentions this country as a valid culinary destination is…..really? Seriously though…..Costa Rica has been slowly making a name for itself in food lovers circles and thanks to our friends at Food Vacation, I’d like to share this excellent article on Costa Rican Cuisine!

Introduction:
"Costa Rican food is not especially memorable," so begins the Frommer's guidebook section on Costa Rican food & drink. Likewise, Fodor's 2004 Gold Guide quips, "Costa Rica is not known for its fine dining." First, is this reputation for being what Travel & Leisure magazine recently called a "food purgatory" deserved? In our opinion none of the Central American or most of the South American nations have anywhere near the culinary sophistication of, say, Mexico, which stands out as having one of the world's great cuisines. Chile and Argentina have inherited some excellent European culinary traditions, and had the economies necessary to support them, but otherwise most of Latin America cannot lay claim to being a culinary wonderland.

Cultural Considerations:
As suggested, there are economic reasons for this, and Costa Rica is no exception. Though richer than some of its neighbors, Costa Rica is a poor country and its native residents never had the money to elaborate a sophisticated cookery or dining tradition. To the extent that this occurred historically, Costa Rica belongs to the worldwide Creole culinary culture that encompassed not only south Louisiana, but also the Carribean, coastal and/or colonial areas of Latin America, and the sugar islands of Africa, as well as the Indian Ocean.
In our opinion, therefore, Costa Rica does not deserve to be singled out for being particularly bad in culinary terms--it is simply within the general ambit of Latin cookery stretching from Belize to the Amazon.
Second, Costa Rica does have its culinary highlights. These include a great wealth of high quality primary ingredients including seafood from two coasts, an abundance of different vegetables, a full array of culinary herbs and spices, and a treasure trove of fruit varieties. Costa Ricans are also very good farmers. Beef and other meat quality is not superior, but more than workable. Chicken is good quality and very popular, while tuna, red snapper, and mahi mahi (or their relatives) can be excellent. Needless to say, Costa Rica has some of the best coffee in the world. Due to Costa Rica's much tauted bio-diversity, its good soil, and abundant fresh water mean a full range of agricultural production as well.

As a Creole cuisine, Costa Rican cookery is a fusion of indigenous knowledge and ingredients, colonial European sensibilities (in this case mostly Spain, but also Italy), more recent U.S. influence, Afro-Caribbean techniques, distinct Chinese flourishes, and a mostly poor population with a relatively large (but still small) class of wealthy Creoles and European immigrants or their descendants who demanded some kind of fine dining.
With its cultural imperative to appear harmonious and somewhat homogenous, Costa Ricans like to sublimate the existence and strong influence of both indigenous (i.e. Native American Indian) and Afro-Caribbean slave influences. Costa Rica presents itself as out of the Central American norm in terms of not having a large indigenous or mixed indigenous-European or indigenous-African (mestizo) population, and this is simply not true. Likewise, though they still live largely in the Caribbean lowlands, there is a significant black population--descendants of plantation workers--in Costa Rica. Many of them speak Creole English. Too, the Chinese imported as slavery-level workers for the banana railroad in the late 19th century remain in Costa Rica, with their population suplemented by more recent migrants from Taiwan and mainland China. The Chinese have become fully integrated into Tico society, and their cuisine has made its mark as well. Finally, 20th century immigrants from Italy cannot be forgotten, nor can the Spanish colonial rulers and administrators, many of whom became coffee barons.
Thought of in these cultural and historical terms, Costa Rica cookery becomes a bit more interesting.

Current Culinary Happenings:
Today, the biggest culinary influence probably comes from the tourism industry and the advent of more upscale Costa Rican Hotels and inns that have brought professionally trained cooks into the country to prepare menus that may or may not have much to do with native traditions. This has the tendency to produce what we call culinary school menus, where the chef tries to reproduce what he was taught at Cordon Bleu, the Culinary Institute of America, or in a Las Vegas hotel kitchen. Thus, you have lots of "international" Costa Rican restaurants and menus with no particular attachment to time or place, except for the strictures imposed by ingredient availability.

If any treasure trove of culinary creativity exists in Costa Rica, it lies not in these hotel dining rooms or the countries many area restaurants, but in the home cooking (including the wealthy elite homes) and the Sodas (family-run roadside or market eateries). This is not to say that all Soda food is good or creative. A Casado is just a rustic worker's lunch at a cheap price, marrying together all the courses of a European meal in one place and on one plate--the salad, the starch, the main course.
Spanish influences--empanadas or brown sauces--exist alongside Indian ones--tamales--along Cantonese Rice and Chinese "chorizo" (chorizo chino) sausages and "Italian" macaronis.

Far above and beyond these cultural culinary elements, however, is the importance of Costa Rica's ingredient diversity, which is the basis for the making of any great cuisine.
Given its equatorial location and its physical geography, Costa Rica has an inordinate number of zones within which food can be grown. These includes temperate fruits and vegetables such as apples, peaches, strawberries, asparagus, peas, artichokes, cauliflower, and cabbage as well as tropical exemplaries from jack fruit and bread fruit to innumerable varieties of mango, papaya, lychee, pineapple, avacadoes, types of passion fruit (maracuya, granadilla, etc.), anona, guayaba, banana varieties, coconut, chocolate, vanilla, chayote, mangosteen, husk and tree tomatoes, cashew, macadamia, coffee, etc. If a tropical fruit exists in the world, it is probably cultivated in Costa Rica. While travelling around the country, many want to encounter "typical" cuisine and to focus on what is local. This is great if you understand that Costa Rica has been a poor country with a fairly unelaborated culinary tradition. The most famous national dish is thus black bean and rice, known as "gallo pinto." It is flavored with sweet chilies, cilantro, salt, pepper, and usually Lizano Salsa. Costa Ricans make very good empanadas (pastry stuffed with a variety of ingedients including beans, cheese, potatos, and meat, or any of them in combination) as well as tamales. Tamales are often made in the home at Christmas time, but can be purchased at sodas--small family run restaurants--at anytime of the year.
Tamales are made of a corn meal masa similar to that found in Mexico and the rest of Central America. The masa has been treated with calcium carbonate and has a distinct flavor, with stock, lard, garlic, and seasonings often being added. This forms the outer shell, which is then stuffed with beef, beans, chicken, and/or vegetables and cilantro or culantro. The tamales are then wrapped in fresh banana leaves, tied up, and boiled or steamed until firm and fully cooked. They are excellent served with a fresh tomato salsa!
Another typical Costa Rican meal is the casado or "marriage," which consists of portions of a number of different dishes served on one plate, usually as a kind of worker's lunch. Typically you can choose from beef, chicken, or fish casados, and these main ingredients will be accompanied by a combination of cabbage salad, vegetables, fried yucca, beans, rice, or other available side dishes.
Tacos al alambre, or barbed wire tacos, are another typical plato. These are not Mexican style tacos--instead it is a dish of braised chicken or beef cut into strips, usually cooked with sliced sweet chili peppers, and a mild sauce. It is served with fresh tortillas or tortilla chips and one or two sides and is delicious.

Markets:
Both the Mercado Central and Mercado Bourbon in central San Jose are very interesting from a culinary perspective, particularly to see the variety of fruits and vegetables grown in the country. However, the Central Market and particularly Bourbon are not in good neighborhoods and one should use their street smarts when in these areas.
The weekly farmer's market in San Ramon (or most any town in this country), by contrast, are considered safe and full of local farmers selling and incredible variety of products. These are generally held every Friday afternoon and Saturday morning, just ask for "la feria", or you can inquire at your hotel.

Ingredients:
Cheeses: the level of cheesemaking sophistication in Costa Rica is not high and sanitary standards could be questioned. We would personally recommend staying away from the fresh white cheeses, particularly those riddled with gas holes, unless they are cooked. An exception is Queso Palmito or any of the other pasta filata type (mozzarella type) cheeses, which have for all intents and purposes been heat treated in the production process. All cheeses made by the Monteverde co-op and by Dos Pinos are very sanitary if not particularly savory.
The cheeses made by the Dutch-style factory at Barva can be quite good.

Tropical Fruits: Costa Rica's farmers grow an astounding array of tropical fruits, from luscious golden and Creole pineapples, to passion fruit, lychee, and custard apple.

Wine: Although some European immigrants have been experimenting with wine grape cultivation in Costa Rica, no one has succeeded. The government did sponsor an experimental effort several years ago, but eventually most of the vines were ripped out.
If you see Costa Rican wine for sale, it is almost surely from imported Chilean grape juice that is then processed in Costa Rica--the quality is terrible and it is--at least so far--not worth buying except as a total novelty.

So if you find yourself in Costa Rica, or will be traveling to soon to Costa Rica, take a harder look at the cuisine. Immerse yourself in the culture by eating “comida tipica”, visiting one of the many farmer’s markets, or befriending some of the friendly “Ticos” who are famous for inviting visitors to their homes for a meal. You will find that this country actually does have some fabulous food. And if you find yourself coming to Costa Rica in August, don’t miss the “Maestro Culinario” cooking competition, featuring this countries top chefs! Buen provecho!!

Author:
Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

Sources:
http://www.foodvacation.com/id8.html

Don't be "Fooled" while in Costa Rica!

2011-12-28T08:03:00.000-08:00

Are you a fool every day, just on April fool’s Day, or surprise!.... you could be proven a fool while in Costa Rica in late December! December 28th in Costa Rica is “Dia de Los Inocentes” (Day of the Innocents), commonly considered “Fool’s Day”, which to us North Americans is customarily celebrated on April 1st, also commonly known as April Fool’s Day in the United States.

Did you fall for any pranks or jokes on December 28th? Did you get caught off guard?? Costa Rican’s love to pull off large and small pranks on their friends and family on this yearly day of tom-foolery. Everything from the simplest of jokes, to the common gesture of putting a sign on your back that might reads “kick me” or “looking for love”, to more vulgar jokes such as wrapping dog poop in toilet paper, lighting it on fire and waiting for the nearest “Innocent” to stomp out the fire, or another favorite in our humid climate, leaving a melting chocolate candy on someone’s seat so when they sit down, it later looks like they pooped in their pants when they rise. All pretty funny, as long as you are not the innocent fool!!

The history of “Dia de Los Inocentes” dates back some 2000 years. The origin of the “Day of the Innocent Saints” is very different in modern times from it’s previous inception as the day in which there was a slaughter of all male children of 2 years or younger. Ordered by King Herodes, he was voted King of the Jews by the Roman Senate, and was considered the Roman Client King of Israel. Not to be confused with his son, Herod Antipas, also of the Herodian dynasty, the elder Herod is known for his colossal building projects in Jerusalem and other parts of the ancient world, including the rebuilding of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, sometimes referred to as Herod's Temple. He was described as "a madman who murdered his own family and a great many rabbis.” Herod is reported in the Gospel of Matthew as personally ordering the Massacre of the Innocents. Most recent biographers do not actually regard this as an actual historical event, though the legend lives on and scripture has been found that could support the legend.

According to Matthew, shortly after the birth of Jesus, Magi (the three wise men) from the East visiting Herod to inquire as to the whereabouts of "the one having been born king of the Jews", as they had seen his star in the East and therefore wanted to pay him homage. Herod, who himself was considered King of the Jews, was alarmed at the prospect of a newborn king possibly usurping his rule one day. In the story, Herod assembled the chief priests and scribes of the people and asked them where the "Anointed One" was to be born. Their answer, Bethlehem. Herod then sent the Magi to Bethlehem, instructing them to search for the child and after finding him, to "report to me, so that I too may go and worship him". However, after they had found Jesus, the Magi were warned in a dream not to report back to Herod. Upon realizing that they would not communicate the exact location of the birth of Jesus, an infuriated Herodes ordered the massacre of all boys two years and under in Bethlehem and its outlying areas.

In regards to the Massacre of the Innocents, although in reality Herod was certainly guilty of many brutal acts, including the killing of his wife and two of his sons, no other known source from that period makes any references to such a massacre. Since Bethlehem was a small village, the number of male children under the age of 2, would probably not have exceeded 20 or so. This could be one of the reasons for the lack of other sources for this questionable account of history, although Herod's order in Matthew 2-16 includes those children in Bethlehem's vicinity meaning the massacre area could have measured a significantly larger amount numerically and geographically more in the area of some 14,000 children. The infants, known in the Church as the Holy Innocents, have been claimed as the first Christian martyrs.

How this turned into an annual celebration of trickery remains a mystery. It is said that during the Middle Ages, pagan rites were introduced in to the celebration that for some time came to be known as the “Celebration of the Crazy People” (“Dia de Los Locos”). It was celebrated between Christmas and New Year, a direct show of the significance of Jewish and Christian sentiments during the holy season. Out of this shift in sentiment, over time a new tradition began that combined the underlying pagan sentiment with and the light hearted Christian monks teachings, with the main purpose of the day being the moment to pull all types of pranks on unsuspecting family and friends. Pranks are known as “inocentadas” and their victims are called “inocentes”, or alternatively, the pranksters are the "inocentes" and the victims should not be angry at them, since they could not have committed any sin. It is still not understood how such a morbid historical event could be converted over the centuries to celebrate a completely opposite sentiment and will likely remain a mystery to all.

So if you find yourself in most any Latin American country on December 28th, don’t be surprised if you are the butt of someone’s joke. Be warned, the Costa Rican culture has a wonderful sense of humor, meaning no one is safe on this day FOOL!!

Author:: Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

A Costa Rican Christmas in that Special "Tico" Style!

2011-12-10T04:18:00.000-08:00

In case you haven´t noticed, Costa Rica Christmas decorations and discount sales began long before Halloween dates passed. This brings to mind some of our own special ¨Tico¨ Christmas traditions found in our beautiful tropical locale. Be it the kids that start their ¨summer¨ vacations in December, workers that receive their yearly ¨aguinaldo¨ (an automatic one month salary Christmas Bonus from their boss), or the massive preparations of the traditional Christmas Tamales……whichever it may be, ¨La Navidad¨ is just around the corner!

Will there be snow? Well that is highly unlikely since Costa Rica is located only 11° off the Equator, but Costa Ricans are fascinated by snow, since few have everseen the real thing. Many of the floats in the yearly ¨Festival de la Luz¨ scheduled for this evening at 6pm down Paseo Colon and Second Ave in San Jose, are decorated in fluffy white cotton fabrics to give the impression of snow, and many holiday participants threw white confetti at each other, also meant to simulate snow. This year, the municipality once again is put a firm hand down on the throwing of this confetti due to safety factors, as well as the high cost of clean-up afterwards. In years past, there have been many complaints from innocent bypassers walking to work who were suddenly blanketed from head to toe in the white confetti.

Costa Rica´s animal lovers wait anxiously each year for ¨El Tope Nacional¨ usually held the day after Christmas on December 26th. This parade includes marching bands, clowns and other strange characters, but is most popular for featuring some 6000 of Costa Rica´s most beautiful high stepping horses, as well as the famous colorful hand painted oxcarts. These fabulous detailed oxcarts were originally pulled by people, then by oxen, and now are rarely used in day to day work, but are considered historical works of art cherished by the Costa Rican people.

The traditional Christmas tree, more often decorated in hues of blue, gold, silver,
white and maybe a little red, is accompanied by another important decoration, the ¨Portal¨. The Portal is the representation of the birth of Jesus, with the figures of Mary, Joseph, the three wise men, the ox and the mule. The most important figure in Costa Rica is the Baby Jesus. In Costa Rica, Santa Claus doesn't bring the Christmas gifts, those are brought by Baby Jesus on Christmas Eve. Called ¨La Nochebuena", it is said that while the family is sleeping, the Baby Jesus appears at the portal and the gifts magically appear under the tree for the morning of the 25th. That is when all family members typically gather around the tree and pray, thanking Baby Jesus for all the good that has passed that year, followed by the opening of the gifts Baby Jesus has bestowed upon them.

The Christmas menu is extensive, but the focus is around the preparing and eating of typical Costa Rican "tamales". The true "tamal" base is of ground corn, which is
made into a thick dough that is later filled with small amounts of rice, small slices of potatoes, vegetables, green olives, pork or chicken, and finally wrapped in fresh plantain leaves. They are then tied with string in pairs (known as ¨Piñas¨) and boiled until cooked through and through. Making "tamales" is a cherished tradition that involves the participation of many family members and friends, as this is a slow and laborious process taught by Grandmothers from one generation to another. I am lucky enough to have many Tico friends that take pity on my lack of knowledge (or motivation!) to make the tamales and each year give me the gift of the famous Tamal!

Easily, the most chaotic and perhaps crazy activity of the holiday season is the "Zapote Bullfights", held in the town of Zapote, just outside of downtown San
Jose. It is there that they build a special ¨Redondel¨ or Bull Ring, as well as erect a yearly improvised amusement park complete with carnival rides, amusement park games and a selection of "chinamos", or improvised food stands. It´s important to note that in the Costa Rican bullfights, the bulls are never harmed, or killed, though the “bullfighters” do not always fare so well (see videos below). The most prestigious cattle ranches provide the bulls for free and it is considered an honor to have their bulls included in this event. Beyond the actual riding of the large bulls (generally done in Costa Rica with NO hands), much more frightening are the bullfighters in the ring. These consist of ¨normal¨ people dressed in all kinds of crazy outfits, that willingly get into the arena in mass without any professional preparation to ¨fight¨ or spook the bulls, encouraging them to chase them around the arena. Incredibly, very few people get hurt or gored during this event, though the activity is definitely entertaining and a big headache for the local Red Cross which voluntarily provides it's emergency services during this yearly event. It´s interesting to note that this festival year after year draws Costa Ricans from all parts of the country and crosses all social classes.

The Holiday Season then officially ends on January 6th, the day the three wise men arrived and saw Baby Jesus for the first time. That day all the neighbors gather and say a special prayer for the Baby Jesus. This prayer is based on the rosary and traditional Christmas carols. Of course after the prayer, there's the indulging in
the famous Costa Rica coffee, along with more "Tamales", "Rompope" (Costa Rican Egg Nog), "Aguadulce" (a Sweet Water like juice) and all kinds of typical baked goods and other traditional beverages. Don´t forget the grapes (no seedless ones here) and the apples, which are considered very special treats here, as they are not readily available or very affordable and kids love them!

Lastly, Costa Rican Hotels and tourism operations around the country eagerly await the arrival of December to usher in their peak tourist season when winter weary snowbirds look to bask in the warm tropical weather and waters of Costa Rica, as well as enjoy the bounty of adventure tours and the beauty of Costa Rica´s incredible natural resources. I hope if you are reading this you are lucky enough to share in our bounty this Holiday Season!

MERRY CHISTMAS OR FELIZ NAVIDAD Y PROSPERO ANO NUEVO!

Author: Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent another 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

New Quepos Costa Rica Marina Pez Vela still Struggling to Catch a Wave

2011-11-27T12:19:00.000-08:00

Quepos, Costa Rica’s Marina Pez Vela is approaching two years of operation in 2012, but where are the jobs and the growth we were promised? After a slow start, the marina’s supporters hope for a pick up in business, if only the economy would put some wind in it’s sails. Harold Lovelady, the Marina’s owner/designer originally planned this as his retirement project, but it hasn’t been all smooth sailing. For more information, read on……

The residents of the Costa Rican port “city” of Quepos, a sleepy little town located 4k North of the world famous Manuel Antonio National Park, have been eagerly awaiting the economic boom they had hoped to see when the building of the World Class Marina Pez Vela was first proposed. The dilapidated old pier, originally built by the United Fruit Company, had become an eyesore, so a new marina was not only badly needed, but was the new hope to generate tourism to our area. The original antiquated pier was designed to accommodate the exportation of bananas back in the 50’s and 60’s, with the remote Quepos town being used as a base camp for the administration of the extensive surrounding banana plantations (they have since been converted to African Palm Plantations). Unfortunately, most area residents are still waiting for the economic benefits that were promised when the Marina Pez Vela originally broke ground. Plagued by the continued slow economic climate and lower tourism numbers, the construction of the Marina has been no ride down easy street.

“Initially there was a lot of resistance, but now it’s clear sailing,” said Harry Bodaan, owner of the Mansion Inn Hotel in Manuel Antonio and president of the Quepos and Aguirre Chamber of Commerce. “Everybody recognizes the fact that a marina the size of Pez Vela is going to bring an enormous amount of business to Quepos. A lot of investors have come to Manuel Antonio because of it … The development of Pez Vela will change the face of this part of the central Pacific.”, expressed Mr. Bodaan last year.

While there has been general support of the on-going construction of the Marina by the local citizens and business owners, the expected financial and tourist boost, with the expected accompanying job opportunities it would create, have yet to be realized. At this time, only about 20 people work at the marina facility, mostly in sales and cleaning or security positions. Though not giving up all hope, the towns of Quepos and Manuel Antonio, with their many nearby Costa Rica hotels, dining establishments, souvenier shops and other small businesses lament that the project as yet to attract the added business so badly needed in this struggling tourist mecca.

The beautiful views of the fairly vacant, yet handsomely designed crescent-shaped marina beckon to those boating, yachting and water enthusiasts that flock to the area to enjoy World Class Sport Fishing, Sailing and Snorkeling tours, as well as excellent Surfing, Jet Ski Excursions, Kayaking Trips and many other adventurous or relaxing water sports. It would seem that further growth would be in inevitable, though the stalled economies around the world are surely holding up the eventual plan. Only a handful of slips are currently rented or owned, but according to the owner Mr. Harold Lovelady, inquiries about owning a slip or investing in the project have remained steady.

Harold Lovelady, is the owner and mastermind behind the Marina Pez Vela. Lovelady, originally retired from the state of Texas after a career in telecommunications, arrived to the town of Quepos some 11+ years ago, with his boat and the ex-pat dream of spending his golden years fishing in what he considers to be “the best fishing location in the world.” After only a short time, he realized the growing need for a marina in the small, but busy tourist town of Quepos; and thus…. the idea of building Marina Pez Vela was born.

Not a man to think small, Lovelady’s original idea took some 11 years to come to fruition and resulted in the soon to be World Class facility of the Marina Pez Vela. A professionally planned 55+ acre state-of-the-art marina, it officially opened it’s first phase in 2010. Located just north of the old United Fruit Company pier in downtown Quepos, this beautiful Marina is not hard to spot, as it can be found just past the main sea wall when entering the famous town of Quepos. Watching on the right side of the road, visitors will spot the thousands of short, stout breakwater plugs based on technologies utilized for the very first time in Costa Rica, these plugs are called Cofferdams. Cofferdams are natural material-filled cellular steel structures, the largest of which measures 18.5 meters in diameter and the smallest 12 meters in diameter. These unique breakwater structures are specially designed to resist the strong ocean waves of the Pacific, enabling the marina’s inner slips and docking areas to remain safe from the dangerous seasonal storms that have been known to sink dozens of expensive charter fishing boats and yachts in this area in years past.

“It started as a small project, but as more people expressed interest in a marina, we had to redesign the original plan to accommodate the potential demand,” Lovelady said. “It was evident we needed to make a larger, world-class marina. So that’s how it turned out.”

The Marina Pez Vela, which officially opened its 97 docking slips in 2010, is still in the first phase of development. In coming years, the marina plans to build a total of 303 slips, a boatyard for maintenance and repairs, a retail shopping center, condominiums and a luxury hotel, all within the confines of the marina’s currently mostly empty lot. The marina’s initial slips are being rented or have been bought by travelers from around the world to include Russia, South Africa, Europe and the USA, to name a few.

Quepos, having suffered for decades with a dilapidated third world pier with unsafe, substandard facilities that were damaging the environment, Mr. Lovelady explained that when a large yacht comes in to fill up with gas, somewhere between 10,000-50,000gallons of diesel fuel is pumped into a single boat. Something that previously caused potential safety and environmental hazards, the marina now provides a formal fuel dock, charging an environmental fee on top of the cost of fuel which is deposited into a fund just in case there is ever a need for clean up of any potential accidents or spills. Another grand potential the facility will likely provide is in terms of the marina’s boatyard. Once finished, this one-of-a-kind facility, will service and repair boats of all types and sizes and will serve as the only facility of its kind on the Pacific coastline of Central and South America. “The boatyard will have 5-ton and 200-ton travel lifts. Between the two of them, it will allow us to pull a boat out of the water up to about the length of 135-feet.” Lovelady said. “We will be able to fix anything that’s broken on anybody’s boat that comes in.”

The majority of boats coming into the Marina Pez Vela are currently tourist yachts and sport fishing charters that work in the area year round. A study in 2008 by the non-profit Billfish Foundation found that fishing tourism generated some $600 million for the Costa Rican economy, accounting for approximately 2% of the country’s GDP (gross domestic product), employing directly and indirectly an estimated 63,000 people. With numbers like that, it is obvious that this project has a huge potential to change the face and reputation of the small town of Quepos.

In addition to jobs that cater to the sport fishing and tourism industry, the Marina is expected to eventually provide work for government positions as well, as members of the Public Works and Transport Ministry and Immigration will all work out of an office near the boat entrance to Pez Vela. Government officials will be responsible to check the boats and their passengers, using the marina to monitor for illegal activity, conduct safety inspections, and ensure that the vessels carry proper documentation and licensing. With the interest to also host offices for the Costa Rican Health and Finance Ministries, the marina slips are equipped with an industrial waste water pump that transports boat waste to a treatment plant, where the waste is broken down and the grey water reused. This is an important aspect of the Marina’s ecological goal to avoid potential health and environmental hazards that a large marina facility could create when in full operation.

As more boats make the Marina their home, anticipation continues to grow in the Quepos and Manuel Antonio areas. According to Marina operators, with the completion of phase three – the hotels, condos and shopping center – an estimated 3,000 direct and indirect jobs would be created by the Marina by the year 2014.

In the meantime, Costa Rica hotel owners in the popular tourist-dependent areas of Quepos and Manuel Antonio, can only bide their time and hope that the many potential marina visitors will help fill the area’s estimated 2,000 available rooms, as well as dine in the many restaurants available in the area. Unfortunately, for now……small businesses that line the 4k road between Quepos and Manuel Antonio National Park will have to be content to limp along struggling with a stagnant economy that has been the root cause of some of the slowest years for the tourism industry in Costa Rica’s history, as well as slowing the final phases of construction on our beautiful new Marina Pez Vela.

How can you help? Send tourists to our area, as they are the biggest boost to our local economy we can hope for! Happy Sailing!!

Author:
Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

International, Universal, Costa Rican Children’s Day….Which to Celebrate?

2011-11-14T16:23:00.000-08:00

"Children’s Day", as an event worth celebrating, as the children are our future. The biggest problem is no one can decide which day to actually celebrate this important day! Celebrated on varying days and month in many countries around the world, the idea is to generate awareness and give special honor to the children. Such a great idea, but what the heck day do we celebrate this on? The answer depends on where you are at any give time!

International Children's Day
The World Conference for the Well-being of Children in Geneva, Switzerland proclaimed June 1 to be International Children's Day in 1925. It is not clear why June 1 was chosen as the International Children's Day, and some lend to the theory that the Chinese consul-general in San Francisco (USA) gathered a number of Chinese orphans to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival in 1925, which was on June 1. They had such a great time, that they proclaimed that “Children’s Day”! Upon repeating the story when attending that year, the Geneva Conference, it is said that that was what spawned the idea of a Worldwide or Universal celebration.
The holiday is celebrated on June 1st in most countries, marked mostly with charity events and speeches on children's rights and well being, showing of special children themed TV programs, celebrations with small school parties, children themed museum shows and mostly small private outings or family celebrations.
The date still varies greatly country to country though, for example Angola and Chile celebrate in August, Australia and Brazil in October, Bolivia and Columbia in April, Hungary and Japan in May and just about every month in between a different country is celebrating!

Universal Children's Day
Fast forward to Universal Children's Day, which confusingly enought takes place on November 20 each year. The Universal Children’s holiday was first celebrated worldwide in October 1953, under the sponsorship of International Union for Child Welfare in Geneva and later proclaimed official by the United Nations General Assembly in 1954. The date was established to encourage all countries to institute mutual exchange and further understanding about children and to further initiate action to benefit and promote the welfare of the world's children. November 20th is also the anniversary of the day when the United Nations General Assembly adopted the “Declaration of the Rights of the Child” in 1959. The Convention on the Rights of the Child was then signed on the same day in 1989, which has since been ratified by 191 states, making this day to be officially considered “Children’s Day”.

I’m sure this will surprise most of you, but Universal Children's Day is preceded by International Men's Day, celebrated (apparently) on November 19th. This was designed to create a 48 hour celebration of men and children respectively during which time the positive roles men play in children's lives are to be recognized. Who knew? Does anyone know anyone that has celebrated Men’s Day? I’m guessing not, as I have never heard or even been aware of this “day”. Luckily my husband is not aware of it either!

Observance in Costa Rica
In Costa Rica, this special day is celebrated on September 9th. The day is not considered a legal holiday but is widely celebrated throughout the country. Every year there are many special activities planned at Costa Rica Hotels, Restaurants, Museums, Recreation Centers, as well as private homes, all honoring the country’s children and the special meaning they have in this culture. It’s important to remember that in Costa Rica, celebrations can be much simpler affairs than we were used to in the United States, as witnessed by the following video. A true Costa Rica classic!

Confusing Children’s Day in the USA
Children's Day observations in the United States predate both Mother's and Father's Day, though a permanent annual single Children's Day observation is not made at the national level. Way behind the curve, Children & Youth Day in Hawaii started in 1994 when the Hawaii Legislature became the first to pass a law to recognize the first Sunday in October (ANOTHER date!) as "Children's Day". In 1997, the Legislature passed another landmark law designating the entire month of October as "Children and Youth Month". A whole month? Has anyone been around kids for an entire month? It’s hard to celebrate them that long!!
Then to confuse it more, Children's Day was proclaimed by President Bill Clinton to be held on October 11, in 1998, all in response to a letter written by a six year old boy inquiring if he would make a Children's Day for him. I guess it wasn’t a very busy day at the Whitehouse at that time! To keep the confusion growing, "National Child's Day" was proclaimed by President George W. Bush as June 3, in 2001 and in subsequent years it later changed to the first Sunday in June.
Just in case you weren’t confused enough, since 2009, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn has proclaimed the second Sunday in June as Children's Day as had the previous governor in 2007 and 2008, but the mayors of Aurora and Batavia, Illinois, also have issued proclamations for their own celebration dates. Children's day for calendar year 2011 was observed on June 12 and it's next observance will be on June 10, 2012.

Seriously? Who can remember all this? Apparently not many people, as I am 50 years old and have never heard, much less celebrated any of these dates!! As far as I can see, nowhere in any of the zillions of proclamations did any of the US Presidents, Governors, Mayors or other wannabes refer to the United Nations or the UN Resolution about what day is Universal Child Day. Oops!

Nonetheless, this holiday has never taken off in the USA, and the most you can get are a few feeble attempts at celebrations by kids at schools to help raise awareness. That is, unless it is sponsored by charitable organizations hoping for generous donations in the name of the children! Notice this video offers another random date as Children’s Day!

Does it really matter what day we celebrate the children? I think this is something worth celebrating everyday! The children are our future…isn’t it time we start a new tradition and celebrate all children by having an International Children’s Day that we can all agree on?
Notice at the end of this video it has even ANOTHER day to celebrate International Children’s Day!

Author:
Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

Costa Rica Mourns the Death of Tico Tarzan's "Pocho"

2011-10-30T05:48:00.001-07:00

The sudden death by natural causes of the famous tamed Crocodile "Pocho" brought tears to Costa Ricans and other fans around the world. Our deepest sympathies to Chito for the loss of his good friend. May Pocho Rest in Peace!!
See funeral procession here:

For the history of the famous Pocho and Chito, read on.....

BROUGHT BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!! At least once a month someone asks me about "Chito", better known as "Tico Tarzan", so I thought I would repeat this post!

Imagine upon moving to a foreign country one of the first persons you meet is fondly known by all as ¨Tico Tarzan¨! Officially named Gilberto Shedden, this 50 year old Costa Rica native fisherman, better known to his friends as "Chito", has gained this nickname by training and playing with his good friend “Pocho”. I know you’re thinking it’s a cute little monkey or chimp, thus the title ¨Tarzan¨, but you would be VERY mistaken. Pocho is Chito´s fully grown, pet American Crocodile! Rolling the large reptile on its back, pushing his head of razor sharp teeth under and above the water, as well as tenderly kissing Pocho right on the nose, this is no average Tarzan by any means! Even for Chito, who grew up in the jungles of Costa Rica, their games are much more than a planned tourist trap spectacle, it is a clear demonstration of an unusual friendship established over time between a normally dangerous crocodile and an anything but normal human who saw one of God’s creatures in need.

The unusual friendship with Pocho began more than 17 years ago when Chito found the then two meter American Crocodile adrift in the Parismina River. Located deep in the many miles of winding and remote natural and artificial canals of Tortuguero on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, the hapless crocodile had received a bullet in the head and was in bad shape and unlikely to live. Chito, a character that truly defies description, who is well known for the soft spot in his heart for any and all animals, took the injured crocodile into his humble home and nursed him back to health over the next several months. Feeding him small pieces of chicken and gently stroking him and doctoring his wounds, Pocho was amazingly receptive to the attention and over the next several months a special bond was created between the two.

I’ll never forget the first time we went to Chito´s house to have a few ¨cervezas¨ and Chito wanted to introduce us to his new friend. With Chito, you never knew what to expect, but nonetheless, I was a bit taken aback when he opened a door and there was Pocho! As a ¨newbie¨ to Costa Rica and this small Caribbean Village on the Atlantic side of Costa Rica, I kept thinking to myself, ¨Can this be normal?¨ Happily, it is not, but as one gets to know the eccentric Chito, it just really did not seem that odd either, as he always had a menagerie of wild animals that he was in the process of nursing back from the dead, with the hope of returning them to the wild!

Living in such a remote location, and being of humble means, a veterinarian was not in the cards for Chito or Pocho, so the entire care and recuperation of the crocodile fell on Chito himself. When it was thought Pocho had recovered sufficiently to survive on his own once again, Chito left his beloved Crocodile pet in a small nearby pond to carry out the many years he would hopefully have left in his life. But even to Chito´s surprise, the reptile chose to leave the water, following Chito back to his house and instead choosing to live in the canal in front of Chito´s property. Realizing that Pocho and he had apparently cemented a unique new friendship, daily visits and swimming sessions became part of their incredible bonding process and a source of much entertainment for the locals. Much to the dismay of family and friends, Chito continued to swim and play with the rapidly growing crocodile, teaching him a series of commands, including death rolls, tail slaps, back floats, belly rubs, swims and skims and even closing his eyes on cue!

As word spread of the crazy antics of Chito and Pocho, the entrepreneurial light bulb went off in Chito´s head. People began to naturally seek these two characters in the remote village of Barra de Parismina to see for themselves this incredible phenomenon, but this proved difficult due
to the remote location of this small village. Now relocated to a small lake on Chito´s other farm on the outskirts of the town of Siquirres, this unlikely duo attracts multitudes of people, both National and International travelers weekly to experience for themselves the ¨Tico Tarzan Show¨. Dressed only in well worn shorts and his customary sweat band in place on his forehead, Chito enters the water with absolutely no safety equipment or even ambulance drivers on call, where he leads Pocho, and at times Pocho leads Chito, through a series of acrobatic stunts and amazing tricks, including the lifting and slapping of his enormous tail with great force on the water, as visitors look on at the gigantic reptile in amazement from the safety of the railing of the ¨typical¨ style lakeside restaurant or ¨soda¨.

It is estimated that Pocho is around 50 years old, weighs approximately 990 pounds and measures in the area of 4.5 meters. The American Crocodile is a species of crocodilian found primarily in Central America. It is the most widespread of the four species of crocodiles found on the entire American Continent. Populations occur from the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of southern Mexico to South America and stretching as far as Peru and even Venezuela. There is a remnant population of about 2000 in Florida, United States. The habitat of the American crocodile consists largely of coastal areas, though they are quite common in canals and other inlets, so caution should be exercised when in these areas. The American crocodile is larger than some other crocodile species, with some males reaching lengths of 6.1 metres (20 ft) in Central and South America. Full grown adult males of this species have no natural predators and are capable of preying on virtually any animal unfortunate enough to be at the waters edge. It is estimated they can live up to 70 years in captivity, so Chito and Pocho may continue to entertain us for many years to come, barring any accidents that is!

Author: Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

Costa Rica’s answer to Brown Sugar…..Tapa de Dulce!!

2011-10-08T07:53:00.000-07:00

Most people would think that the famous Costa Rican coffee would be the obvious morning drink, but actually, the traditional breakfast drink is called Agua Dulce ("sweet water"). Made from the “typical” local ingredient “Tapa de Dulce”, these familiar (or not so familiar) molded small cakes of firm compacted brown sugar product are very similar to the North American "brown sugar" we buy in a bag.

Also known in many Costa Rican homes simply as “Bebida”, the sugary cane liquid is extracted, boiled, evaporated and eventually poured into conical molds, which are cooled, at which time the tops are cut off making them tapas ("lids"). The traditional drink of “Agua Dulce” is made by cutting or scraping off a bit of the tapa and gently dissolving it in boiling water or hot milk. Delicious!

Know by many names throughout the world, Tapa de Dulce can also be called “Panela”, “AtadoDulce”, “Raspadura”, “Rapadura”, “Chancaca”, “Papelon”, “Piloncillo”, “Panocha”, “Empanizao”, “Melaza y Cuyo” and many many other varying names depending on the region and/or country you are in at any given moment.

Consisting completely of Sugar Cane juice, to make the popular molded Tapa disks old traditions held to using oxen or sometimes donkeys or mules to run the small rural processing “plants” better known as “Trapiches”. Not being easy to extract the sugary juice from the cane stalks, the animals were much more efficient back in those days, but alas…today it is almost completely a mechanized process being much more efficient and sanitary then using the animals. Back in the early 1900’s, Costa Rica had more than 1600 Trapiches, but today they have almost completely dissappeared, and a national cry has gone out to not let this tradition completely disappear. Costa Rica Hotels and Tour Operators have projects in the works to incorporate the Trapiche Farms in to rural tourism centers, directly sharing the experience with visitors from around the world. Unfortunately, this idea is far from fruition at this point.

Not a totally empty calorie sugar product, Panela or Tapa de Dulce differenciates itself from ordinary white sugar with measurable amounts of glucose, fructose, proteins, as well as minerals such as calcium, iron, phosphorous, and trace vitamins such as absorbic acid. It’s said to have “medicinal” properties as well, but more on that below!

When preparing a cup of Agua Dulce, add a small chunk shaved off the molded Tapa de Dulce sugar block and mix with a small amount of hot water, working it until it’s the consistency of honey. Then either add hot water (“Agua Dulce”), or hot milk (“Bebida”) and enjoy! In the Atlantic region of Limón, the Agua Dulce is served cold and mixed with lemon juice and a hint of ginger. This is known as “Agua de Sapo” (Toad Water) or “Hiel” and is another refreshing way to enjoy sugar cane juice. But why stop there? Do you have a cold? Mix the Agua Dulce with lemon juice and an ounce of “Guaro” (Cane Liquor), which is said to be the best remedy in Costa Rica and sure to make your pains go away!

Colombia is the leader in the Panela industry, providing an important source of employment for that country with around 350,000 people working in approximately 20,000 Trapiches or Panela Farms.

In fact, the city of Palmira, Colombia broke the world record in 2009 for the largest and heaviest Panela, with a molded sugar cake that measured 10 feet and 20 inches and weighing some 715 kilos! This required more than 70 tons of sugar cane, and 90 people working for 28 hours consecutively to complete.

So are you ready to try this tasty little treat? To buy your own Tapa de Dulce, head to your nearest typical “soda”, Costa Rican supermarket or the Pulpería (corner store). If you aren’t lucky enough to be in Costa Rica, you can buy Tapa de Dulce online at:
http://costaricasuperstore.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1087
http://www.ticoshopping.com/Crude-Sugar-Tapa-de-dulce-21-2-oz

VIDEO FOR GRIPE (a cold):

AUTHOR:
Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

SOURCES:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Costa_Rican_cuisine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panela
http://recetasdecostarica.blogspot.com/2009/05/agua-dulce.html

Carnavales in Limon Costa Rica....an Annual Tradition!!

2011-09-29T11:08:00.000-07:00

When: October 10-16, 2011 (annual event)
Where: Limón
Cost: Free
Hours: All hours!!

If you are presently on vacation in Costa Rica, or planning to make your getaway soon, Costa Rica's port town of Limón on the Caribbean side of the country, converts to an all out party every October to celebrate “Carnaval”! Vaguely disguised around celebrating Columbus Day (October 12th) or “Dia de Las Culturas” (as we know it in Costa Rica), locals as well as every strange character you can think of join together in the overconsumption of alcohol, while dancing and parading the streets of Limon to the popular Latin beats of blaring Calypso, Reggae, Samba, Salsa and many other tropical rhythms! A good time is generally guaranteed, all in the name of history, culture and a legitimately good reason to Party!

Background of Limon:
Limon (Spanish for Lemon) is the largest “city” on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica, as well as the center for Costa Rica’s largest commercial shipping port in nearby Moin. Serving as the capital city of the Limon Province, Christopher Columbus set anchor in 1502. It is said that Limon was named after the large lemon tree that used to grow where the City Hall is now located, but that rumor has not substantiated over the years.
Also known at the Pearl of the Caribbean, Limon is an exotic province characterized by the friendly openness of its culturally diverse population, as well as the richness of its Afro-Caribbean customs.
Limon’s economy is based primarily on banana, cacao and pineapple production and exportation, as well as the raising of cattle, though the yearly cruise ship season brings a large influx of tourism to the area. Considered to have the largest population of black people in all of Costa Rica, the Afro-Caribbean culture derives from mostly Jamaican descent. Originally brought to this area as slaves to build the railway connecting the Atlantic coastline with the Central Plateau (San Jose) for the shipping of goods by land, a large Chinese immigrant population also remains from this same ambitious project.

Highlights of “Carnaval”:
The first Carnaval (that is the correct spelling for Costa Rica), was held in 1949 and was the brainchild of the late Alfred Henry King and friends, who felt it was a good opportunity to unite the Costa Rican culture (originally descendents from Spain) together with the primarily black Caribbean Culture (mostly African, Caribbean and Chinese descendents), which had suffered strained relationships throughout Costa Rican history. In just over 60 years, the Carnavales de Limon is now considered the most popular Festival in the entire country. It’s interesting that Costa Rica does not celebrate Columbus arriving to “America”; it celebrates the uniting of cultures. Pretty forward thinking!
During Carnaval, throngs of people line the streets to watch and cheer on the “beauty queens”, loud marching bands, and to see the brightly colored costumes of the “Comparsas”. Colorfully dressed and adorned coordinated dance troupes, the Comparsas wildly and skillfully shake their booties (booties of ALL ages and ALL sizes!!) to the loud tropical beats of mostly Brazilian Samba & Latin Salsa for miles and miles. It is quite a loud drum banging, hip swinging, cuchi cuchi type show, worth the 2.5 hour drive from San Jose!

My own Adventures at Carnaval:
Having lived on the Caribbean coast for 10 years, I have had the pleasure to personally attend Carnaval. Beyond the great live music throughout the 10 days of the event, one of my favorite parts (and there are many) is the Carnaval Infantil (Children’s Parade). Large macho men run around wearing large “muumuu” style dresses with HUGE handcrafted masks on their heads (see picture).
The “Mascaradas” as they are known, consist of men who play a game known as “Rass’em”. The lucky guy wearing the large mask (check out the peep hole in the picture, so they can see where they are going) chases the other men in the group, and when he is caught, the next guy has to put on the mask and dress and start parading around. A pretty amazing sight for this “macho” society, and really quite entertaining, if not a little creepy!
At night, the Limón Carnaval really comes to life! It’s like an enormous block party with everything located outside in the warm tropical air, just like a county fair, only A LOT crazier!! Rows and rows of booths (or “chinamos” as they are called here) of food, drink, handicrafts, local delicacies (more on those later), and dance floors dot the area and there are always people dancing in the streets (literally)! I personally love the Reggae music coming out of houses, offices and every corner of the city, that is my kind of music “mon”. My biggest challenge is trying to understand the Jamaican Creole dialect. I speak English and am fluent in Spanish, fortunately so are most of the inhabitants of Limon, as otherwise, I would be at a loss for much of what they are saying in their unique dialect. Whoppin? (What’s happening?) Watcha got? (What time is it?) Just a few examples that caused initial confusion on my part, but now seem a natural part of conversation!

The Food of Limon:
Visitors have not had the full Limon experience and definitely not the Carnaval experience without trying some true, authentic Caribbean style food. First and foremost, you must try the “Rice and Beans”. This is not your everyday “gallo pinto”, though it does look the part. This “rice and beans” is made with coconut milk, and if you are really lucky, has a touch of the super hot Panamanian Chilies thrown in for a surprise kick. Some other favorites of the area are the ubiquitous “Pan Bon”, similar to Christmas Fruitcake in the USA and just as nasty to me, as well as “Pati”, a wannabe tasty empanada and Patacones (double fried Plantains), everything’s better fried!! Am I right? My very favorite has to be…… (drum roll please)…..”cajeta”. A delicious coconut candy with the texture of very firm fudge, this candy can be found sold on almost every street corner, store, bus stop or “chinamo” throughout the City. (I have some stashed in my refrigerator right now.)

In Summary:
If you haven’t had the good fortune to visit the Province of Limon during your Costa Rica vacation, it’s not just about the beaches to the South, or the endangered Marine Turtles to the North! The actual City of Limon is worth a visit, and I can’t think of a better or more exciting time to visit the area then during the yearly celebration of Carnaval!

Author: Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

Sources:
http://www.whatsonwhen.com/sisp/index.htm?fx=event&event_id=166975
http://www.yourtravelmap.com/costarica/limon/index.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lim%C3%B3n_Province
http://www.crtraveler.com/articulo.php?id=100
http://www.bukisa.com/articles/28152_limn-carnaval-in-costa-rica-
http://www.insiderslimon.com/CH1Page.html (Photo & Audio credits, please support their cause!)
http://alegresmascaradas.blogspot.com/
http://www.costaricaway.net/artcaribe/pdf/gentecultura.pdf

Get out the Red,White & Blue….it’s Costa Rica Independence Day!

2011-09-10T10:47:00.000-07:00

It’s September again and in Costa Rica that means “Mes de La Patria” (Patriotic Month)! This colorful time finds the entire country in a month long celebration of their Independence from Spain with patriotic displays of their red, white and blue flag, colorful parades, thematic dances, concerts, the march of “Faroles” (more on that later) and any other number of celebrations throughout the country. Most events culminate around “Dia de Independencia” (Independence Day), which takes place on September 15th and this year will be the 190th year!!

A country rich with national pride, Costa Rica encourages its citizens from a very young age to appreciate their Independence Day traditions which are to be celebrated and passed on to future generations. Schools plan elaborate patriotic displays and lively celebrations both the night of September 14th, as well as more parties, parades and civic marches on September 15th, an official National Holiday. For the school children, this month marks the culmination of many months of patriotic preparation, social studies on the importance of the date, as well as providing a special night to show off their artistic talents with the march of the “Feroles” (elaborate homemade paper lanterns).

Although September 15th is the official date to recognize Costa Rica’s independence from Spain in 1821, unlike independence battles common to many other countries, this actually wasn't a particularly significant event for Costa Rica at the time, as the country had basically functioned independently for years from the Capitanía General of Guatemala. However, after the final Spanish defeat in the Mexican War of Independence (1810 to 1821), the authorities in Guatemala declared Independence for all of Central America. So, even though the official date of independence is in 1821, Costa Rica had basically been on it’s own for some time due to Spain's lack of economical, political and even religious interest in this very poor region.

Nonetheless, the “Ticos” take a great sense of pride in their freedom and their official festivities actually begin on September 14th when a series of runners carry the “freedom” torch from Nicaragua (stopping for Costa Rica in the city of Cartago) and continue all the way to Panama. This is meant to be a re-enactment commemorating history when an official “news” runner ran from border to border of the then Federal Republic of Central America, notifying the people of the region of their official liberation. Costa Rica did not actually get the news until October 13th, 1821!

The runners, selected from local schools throughout Central America to carry the torch an average of 500 meters each, take on their task with great honor, as the mission serves as a great source of patriotic pride throughout the region. These runners cross the Nicaraguan border into Costa Rica each year on the eve of the day of independence arriving to the (then) capital city of Cartago, where the torch is usually welcomed by the acting president of the country, presently…. Laura Chinchilla. At this same time, most of the country grinds to a halt as almost all TV and radio stations broadcast the national anthem, with most citizens singing along whether they be young or old, home or standing on a street corner, whether riding a bus or driving a car, wherever they may find themselves, their enthusiastic patriotism is both humbling and contagious.

This impressive event is soon followed in even the smallest of pueblos and including the large cities by the sound of the local fire truck sirens that announce the beginning of the “Parade of Faroles”. These often elaborate homemade paper lanterns (with candle or light source inside) are meant to symbolize the original torch run and are proudly carried throughout the streets overhead on short poles by children, with their parents generally following closely along for safety purposes. The faroles are family projects and their design and size can vary greatly from child to child. Some resemble small “Tico” houses, others look like glittering globes, and others are elaborate “typical” scenes of churches or well known national symbols found in Costa Rica. The march of the faroles is often followed by a parade of children dancing traditional dances in adorable typical costumes….a sight that should not be missed!

Another daytime community parade takes place on the morning of September 15th which now includes the adults, important town functionaries, patriotic community members, and just about anyone who chooses to march along and show their pride for Costa Rica. Folks that live along the parade route generally have their houses and yards decked out with large Costa Rican flags and banners to celebrate the big day and they enthusiastically wave their flags as the parade marchers pass by.

So if you are lucky enough to live in or be visiting Costa Rica in the month of September, you are sure to take notice of the many festive displays of Tico pride and patriotism just about everywhere you go throughout the country. Therefore, don’t forget to join in and wear your own red, white and blue in celebration of Costa Rica’s “Mes de Patria”, the Ticos will welcome you with open arms and their usual big smiles will get even larger as the whole country celebrates Independence and Democracy!!

Sing along to the Costa Rica National Anthem!

Author:
Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

Getting ¨Casado¨ in Costa Rica. No, not married….read on!

2011-08-13T10:45:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for one of the best and tasty deals to be found in Costa Rica, think about getting ¨married¨. Wait, wait, wait, no need to run screaming, ¨married¨ is the English translation for the most popular dish in all of Costa Rica…..the ¨Casado¨, where rice and beans are ¨married¨, and served with other common local ingredients.
To be perfectly honest, Costa Rican cuisine is not a show stopper, in fact it can be downright plain for those that prefer to challenge their palate, but that doesn’t mean it is not good or that you will not enjoy eating like the locals do. In Costa Rica, rice and beans are the standard ¨Tico¨ fare, and they are generally consumed in some form or another in all three daily meals, and it is a great nutritious option.
Starting with the ubiquitous ¨Gallo Pinto¨ (painted rooster) served for breakfast, this delicious and filling mix of rice and beans, chopped cilantro, sweet chili, and onion is served almost every morning with sour cream and/or the famous ¨Lizano Salsa¨, along side eggs, tortillas, and perhaps a slice of cheese, and followed later in the day by the ¨Casado¨.
Served at almost any ¨Soda¨ be it the Pacific Coast, the Caribbean Coast or everywhere in between, the ¨Casado¨ is always your best bet while visiting Costa Rica. Most commonly this popular ¨typical¨ dish consists of a chopped cabbage and tomato salad, fried sweet plantains, picadillo (a mix of chopped potatoes, carrots, green beans in a light tomato sauce), a choice of chicken, fish, or meat, often times a hard-boiled egg and/or a slice of fresh salty, slightly smelly white cheese, and of course…..don’t forget the rice and beans!
For anyone thinking this does not sound particularly appetizing, you will be pleasantly surprised, as the ¨Casado¨ is not only delicious, but it is a plate load of food worthy of two appetites. There are economic reasons for the creation of this ¨tipico¨ dish. Though richer than some of its neighbors, Costa Rica is nonetheless still considered a poor country, and its native residents never had the money to develop a sophisticated cuisine or palate as their culinary tradition evolved over the decades. Thus this cheap and nutritious marriage of rice and beans caught on as the typical ¨workman´s lunch¨.
For those of you who are worried about the safety of food in Costa Rica or their ¨Sodas¨, you needn’t be overly concerned. Costa Rica doesn’t have the risks that many other Central American countries are known for, but there are a couple of things that you should keep in mind while visiting. Pesticide control is not as

strict as the USA, so wash fruit and vegetables before eating them and if you’re eating something that’s peeled, it’s best if it was you that peeled it. Also, when deciding to eat out, the fancier restaurants are not always the cleanest, so in fact, eating where the locals eat is often the safest way to go.

So the next time you find yourself driving the back roads of Costa Rica (they all feel like back roads in Costa Rica), we highly recommend you try the ¨Casado¨ to not only fill your hungry belly, but to avoid putting a dent in your wallet, leaving more money to take home that famous Costa Rica coffee!
The other ¨married¨ you were thinking of?.......Well we’ll just leave that decision up to you!

Author:
Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

Calling all Cookie Monsters…Costa Rica’s most Famous Cookie Company!

2011-07-27T16:06:00.000-07:00

If you’ve ever traveled in Costa Rica, you likely are familiar with Pozuelo products. Perhaps you didn’t even realize it, but if you’ve eaten cookies, crackers, small cakes or other dessert treats off store shelves, then you have surely been eating products of the famous Pozuelo Group! Easily one of the most respected brands in Costa Rica, Riviana Pozuelo has been an integral part of “snacking” in Costa Rica for an amazing 95 years!!

History of the Cookie:
One of the first widely known “foods” worldwide are commonly known as “cookies”. Starting as a kind of long lived flat bread, this food item was most often distributed to crews of ships, as well as groups of soldiers whether out on the high seas or fighting on the battlefield. These days, the term “cookie” can refer to a wide range of food products consisting of a wide variety of shapes and flavors, and most often produced in private homes, bakeries or in larger industrial factory operations. The technical definition of “cookies” (also sometimes referred to as “biscuits”) states according to the Dictionary of Nutrition and Food Technology that "cookies” are products containing very little moisture, consisting of flour and being rich in fat and sugar. (Yummy!) A further reference in the Spanish Dictionary lists the “cookie” as deriving from a 1636 French word "galette" (galleta in Spanish) in which they are considered to be an unleavened bread product.

In more primitive times, the use of raw forms of flour enabled ancient tribes and nomads to prepare a hardened dough that although not particularly palatable, was travel friendly and easily stored with no refrigeration or special preservation measures. Before that, the grains had simply been finely ground and eaten by mixing with water or milk, and forming a kind of porridge. Upon the discovery of fire, “man” used this doughy mixture to form the first unleavened bread, shaping it into small cakes or round cookies, spreading it on hot flat stones, then covering them during the cooking process, resulting in what we would consider equivalent to our most basic cookies or crackers of today. Frankly, the new ability to “cook” the biscuits drastically transformed this food’s overall quality, quantity, durability and most importantly, it’s taste, forever guaranteeing the cookie’s place in food history!

Who is Riviana Pozuelo anyway?
One of the leading companies in Costa Rica, their success is the result of the extensive efforts by a well trained staff of employees whose goal is to produce daily world-class biscuits or cookies. Their human resource strategy has created a company culture based on productivity and high standards of customer service and consumer satisfaction. DCR Pozuelo Cookie Company S.A. is a subsidiary of Grupo Nacional de Chocolates S.A., focusing on the production and marketing of cookies and crackers for domestic consumption in Costa Rica and increasingly more and more for export worldwide. Located in one of the most recognized industrial zones in Costa Rica called La Uruca, folks can “smell” the company as they drive through this area located on the outskirts of the capital city of San Jose. Pozuelo also has regional warehouses located throughout the country and for many years this company has been exporting a high percentage of their production throughout Central America, Panama, the Caribbean and the Latin American communities in the United States.

Commitment to Quality:
Since the inception of this prestigious company, Pozuelo has worked to provide their customers the best cookies, crackers and snack foods, always meeting the highest standards of national and international quality. Based on this commitment, Cookie Company DCR Pozuelo, S.A. obtained the ISO-9002 : 94 quality standard in August 1999, after several years of dedicated work and production changes by it’s employees. The certification was given by INTECO (Standards Institute of Costa Rica) and AENOR (Spanish Association for Standardization), two internationally recognized entities. Subsequently, the development of the new version of ISO standards, the DCR Pozuelo Cookie Company in 2002 obtained recertification with an even higher international quality standard of ISO-9001: 2000.

Business History:
With the idea to offer a product of unparalleled flavor and texture, in the year 1919, businessman Felipe Pozuelo, a Spanish national, founded a biscuit factory in the small town of San Jose, Costa Rica. Thus was born the "Cookie & Confectionery
Factory Felipe Pozuelo and Sons Ltd". Originally only a small building located on the well known street of Paseo Colon in front of the Hospital San Juan de Dios, in 1949, due to growth and the need to meet the high demand for their products, the owners were forced to expand their infrastructure and factory machinery. To that end, acquired in 1960, land situated at the perimeter of the capital city in La Uruca, became the new home to Pozuelo Cookie & Confectionery and their offices and production factory remain in this same location to this day. In 1964, the company was sold to Grace & Co. and six years later, in 1970, was acquired by the U.S. company Riviana Foods, Inc., out of Houston, Texas. Since that adquisition, all products made by the Company are now marked with the label "Riviana Pozuelo". With that well needed cash infusion, this food company has continued to expand it’s services, product line, while working with its subsidiary, Grupo Nacional de Chocolates S.A., they continue invest in food companies based in Colombia and have expanded to become a part of the conglomerate known as Grupo Empresarial Antioquia.

Company Activities:
Riviana Pozuelo is a company which over the years has been characterized by its great interest in broadening channels of communication and relationships with its customers. To do this, Pozuelo created a series of Educational Events, with team leaders in charge of giving visitors a tour of their factory, as well as having a team of Special Events Coordinators to develop different activities in the market further engaging customers and consumers, while enabling the company to reward their customers for their loyalty and preference for their products. Some of the activities are designed as a collaboration to increase sales overall. Examples of this include the “Ruta del Sabor” and “Cookie Week”. Other events like the Tour Chiky ® and "Growing Together Cremito ®, focuses on bringing fun and learning to their valued consumers.

Educational Events:
Riviana Pozuelo invites teachers to bring their students for educational tours of the cookie and cracker factory to learn the process of production of their many delicious sweet products. This educational tour is part of an overall strategy in their Sales and Marketing department, likely forever etching the brand in the minds of all Costa Rican children, guaranteeing future sales of their sugary products! This tour is conducted in the "World of Fantasy Cookie Pozuelo ®”, a specially designed room that welcomes visitors from throughout the country, creating a fun and informative learning environment for students and their teachers.

Cookie Week:
Cookie Week consists of fun filled promotional activities inviting consumers to try the different Pozuelo products be it in store front promotions, stands at special events, or the “Caravan Parade” where clowns and other company mascots put on a show, provide free products and have an extensive give away known as "muuuucha galleta." (Lot’s of cookie.) The company also arranges performances at school events, where children enjoy the show known as “Growing Together with Cremito Pozuelo”®. So watch for Riviana Pozuelo items at your local supermarkets, where you can often find special product promotions, contests, raffles for great prizes and even win free trips!!

Route of Flavor:
The “Ruta de Sabor” is a similar activity run during a single day, a weekend or sometimes for a week, at which the company offers extraordinary activities and attractive promotions for customers. The Taste Trail serves to increase sales and strengthen the business image for their customers.

Growing Together in School Program:
The Growing Together program began more than fifteen years ago. It is designed to have contact with the elementary students at their own school, using fun-filled activities, contests and prizes, including "muuuucha galleta." (Lots of cookie!) Its main objective is to promote values important to the development of children such as respect, humility, honesty, responsibility, ethics, morality and family bonds among others. It also seeks to develop a positive mindset in the social and educational development of all children. The event brings together children, parents and teachers in positive learning environment. The Pozuelo Cookie Company also sponsors events that provide institutions an attractive medium in which to raise funds for good causes, without making any investment or outlay of cash.

Tour Chiky ®:
A complete variety show designed by the Pozuelo team for the older kids of different schools throughout the country. It seeks to motivate the adolescent mental health and enhance athletic and artistic skills in a fun filled environment with many incentives and prizes. This activity offers young people a healthy form of recreation, where teenagers release their energy and encourages positive interactions between peers and teachers, all in an environment that combines the delicious taste of cookies Chiky ® with the best music, animation and entertainment. It is important to note that these events also give schools the opportunity to raise funds for purposes that benefit the school institution.

So is that a great company, or what? Not only does Pozuelo have delicious sugary products, but they hold themselves to a high standard of quality, provide excellent customer service, as well as engaging ways to interact with their consumer base. So the next time you are in your local pulperia, supermarket, Costa Rica hotel, many restaurants in Costa Rica, or visiting friends pantry, don’t forget to look for all the great Rivana Pozuelo cookie, cake, cracker and other YUMMY products…. your taste buds will thank you forever!!

Author:
Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

Horseback Riding Tours in Costa Rica? Try Rancho Savegre and Gallop the Beach of your Dreams!

2011-07-13T14:57:00.000-07:00

There are so many great tours in the Manuel Antonio/Quepos area of Costa Rica, that I periodically like to share some of my favorites with my blogging friends. This month I have chosen to feature the horseback riding tours offered by Rancho Savegre Tours, located just North of Quepos in beautiful Esterillos, Costa Rica.

Background:
Rancho Savegre Horse Tours is owned and operated by Mr. Diego Solis, a Costa Rican businessman, skilled horseman and a bonified nature lover. Diego actually studied and worked in economics having received a University Degree in that area, but after years of trying to please his family with the 9-5 office lifestyle, Diego decided that he could be much happier pursuing his true love…….horses. Having grown up around horses on the family Costa Rican

farm, the benefit of living near a popular tourism area allowed Diego to start his own business, sharing his extensive horse skills and knowledge by offering ecologically sound horse tours along the beaches and jungles of the spectacular Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Though still actively teaching part-time classes in economics to students in Costa Rica, Diego spends most of his time tending to his own horse farm and it’s many equine (and other) inhabitants. Diego and his staff of talented equine tour guides take pride in carefully tending to every detail of your horseback riding adventure, ensuring an unforgettable vacation horse experience for visitors from around the world. Their stable of well cared for and beautiful professionally trained horses are perfectly schooled to accommodate all levels of horseback riding experience. Careful attention is given to not only the health and condition of the horses, but the riding equipment, extensive trail systems and typical Costa Rican meals offered during your customized horseback riding excursion.

The Man Behind the Horses:
Diego has actively promoted many horse, cowboy, parade and rodeo events throughout Costa Rica for many years, raising funds for numerous charitable causes, entertaining at local community events and eventually enjoying mentions in several prestigious magazines who came to recognize the high quality and uniqueness of his many horse endeavors. Having professionally trained horses for the National Iberoamerican Breed Horse Cup, Diego also promotes the Costa Rican Criollo horse breed (the most common Costa Rican Horse Breed) via his horseback riding tours, sales, breeding and general promotion of this hearty little breed of horse at the many events he attends.

Costa Rican Horses:
The Criollo is the native horse of Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay, and easily the most common breed found throughout Costa Rica. It may have the best endurance of any horse breed in the world next to the Arabian. In fact, due to the criollo's low basal metabolism, it may even be a better long-distance horse than the Arabian in prolonged

races, making it an excellent breed for endurance competitions that can last over a week in duration and allowing no supplemental feed or performance enhancing drugs during the competition. The breed is very well known for its hardiness and stamina, as well as it’s ability to live in extremely challenging conditions of harsh weather, low feed quality, lack of water and areas with common parasite and tick infestations that would negatively effect most other horse breeds. It’s resistence to harsh conditions makes it the perfect breed for the harsh tropical conditions found in Costa Rica.
The word Criollo originally referred to human and animals of pure-bred Spanish ancestry that were born in the Americas. Over time, the meaning of the word came to simply refer to all native breeds of the Americas. The Criollo in the equine world is typically a small, hardy horse with a brawny and strong body, broad chest and well-sprung ribs. They have sloping strong shoulders with muscular necks, short and strong legs with good bone structure and resistant joints, low-set hocks and sound hard feet that hold up to both marshy ground or the rocky hard ground commonly found throughout Costa Rica. The medium to large size long-muzzled head has a straight or slightly convex profile with wide-set intelligent eyes. The croup or withers are sloping, the haunches well-muscled, and the back is fairly short with strong loins. The Criollo is considered an intelligent, willing and sensible mount, averaging a meager 14.3 hands high, with a maximum height for the males of around 15 hands. Today, the horse is used mainly as a working-cow horse, but it is also considered an excellent choice for pleasure and trail horses, and they are also considered excellent for rodeo and endurance competitions.

Horseback Riding Tours:
Diego Solis welcomes you to enjoy all of Costa Rica's Nature Experiences on the Rancho Savegre Horse Tours and hopes you will choose to visit his own little piece of Paradise along the beaches and mountains of Monterey de Esterillos. Each tour is customized based on the requirements of the individual riders. Detailed riding instructions are carefully explained for each level of riders experience, and each tour offers a bilingual guide to help you enjoy your tour to the fullest. Your outing includes a delicious traditional Costa Rican meal prepared in a “typical” Costa Rica setting and prepared in the old style Costa Rican traditions. Tour sizes are purposely kept small with a maximum 10 people (usually less) assuring your safety and personal attention throughout the ride. Offering mountain rides, isolated beach tours, or a combination of both, Diego has recently added a special tour designed just for Honeymooners or those looking to have a special romantic equine adventure.

Mountain Ride:
This tour is perfect for both beginners as well as advanced riders that

want to enjoy great panoramic ocean views along safe forested trails, on healthy well trained horses. Wildlife such as toucans, deer and coati mundi are often sighted while crossing forest and cattle pastures, before arriving to the Chiris River where riders are invited to take a refreshing swim. Riding time : 2 hours, transportation, fruits and water included

Waterfall Hiking Tour:
This tour takes you to the amazing waterfalls located on the Parrita

river. Hikers enjoy a beautiful tropical forest and crossing cattle fields while learning about the flora, fauna and cattle industry in Costa Rica. It is an easy ½ mile walk. Tennis shoes or hiking boots are a must. Important: Bring a swim suit. The natural ponds are a great place to swim! Departure 11:00 am, minimum of 2 persons, transportation, fruits, water, and entrance fee to waterfalls included.

Beach Riding Adventure:
The beach tour starts with a short trail ride through the ranch on the

way to arriving at our isolated beach destination, the almost completely deserted black sand beach of Esterillos. Known for rare Scarlet Macaw sightings, this beautiful wide beach has been awarded the coveted Blue Flag, which honors Costa Rican beaches that have passed strict ecological standards. This area serves as the perfect backdrop to gallop freely along the warm waters of the Pacific shoreline. Riding time: Approx 2 hours. Lunch, transportation, fruit and water is included.

Surf & Turf:
This perfect mix of mountain and beach riding starts at Rancho

Monterey, approximately 20 minutes south of Jaco and 40 minutes North of Quepos. The ride begins crossing through cattle fields along forested back roads on wide safe trails revealing spectacular ocean and mountain views along the way and offering many opportunities to gallop for the more experienced riders. Sightings of local deer, monkeys and the colorful Scarlet Macaws are not unusual as well as other wildlife and birds. As we cross small rivers and creeks, guests come upon more impressive forested vistas and then the ride descends down the rolling hills eventually arriving at beautiful Esterillos Beach. This pristine black and white sand beach is almost always completely deserted, making galloping along the shoreline one of the highlights of this horseback riding adventure. Guests will enjoy the lush vegetation and small mangrove estuaries that line this isolated beach. The trails on this tour are easy to navigate for both beginner and advanced riders on our well trained horses. Riding time: 2 ½ -3 hours. Lunch, transportation, water and fruit are included.

Ride in Paradise "Not Just Another Tour":
For that special person or occasion, riders can arrange a private

Sunset Ride with wine and special snacks, followed by a bonfire at the beach. Below are some pictures of one such ride, the honeymooners comment was, "It is the most memorable part of our wedding and honeymoon". Discuss your plans with Diego and he will set up a custom event that you will remember for the rest of your life. Tour operates depending on season and weather conditions.

For all tours: Pictures and videos are available at the end of your ride, so your memories will last a lifetime!

Summary:
Rancho Savegre is truly one of the premier horseback riding tours available in Costa Rica, and is a very popular tour recommended by area Costa Rica Hotels. Offering quality horses, fabulous deserted beaches, lush rainforest and mountain locations all with the added benefit of being conducted by professional riders/guides in small private riding groups. As a champion horseback rider and trainer myself, I can personally highly recommend this tour to other riders no matter whether they are young or old, beginner or experienced, those who are looking to truly experience the wonders of Costa Rica while enjoying the unique companionship that horseback riding offers will love this tour. For those interested, feel free to contact Diego with any questions you may have or you can reserve by emailing ridingadventure@gmail.com or at info@costaricahorsevacation.com.
Rancho Savegre Costa Rica Horseback Tours
www.ranchosavegre.com
Costa Rica 8834-8687 or 2799-9500
USA 011-506-8834-8687 or 011-506-2779-9500
Email: ridingadventure@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/horsebackranchosavegre

DNA tells the Tale of Two Branches of the Coconut Palm

2011-06-27T15:31:00.000-07:00

(This fascinating article is a republish courtesy of the Washington University St. Louis. Original article published on June 23 online issue of the journal PLoS One.)

The “Coconut”, the fruit of the palm Cocos nucifera, is the Swiss Army knife of the plant kingdom. In one neat package it provides a high-calorie food, potable water, fiber that can be spun into rope, and a hard shell that can be turned into charcoal. What’s more, until it is needed for some other purpose it serves as a handy flotation device.

No wonder people from ancient Austronesians to Captain Bligh pitched a few coconuts aboard before setting sail. The mutiny of the "Bounty" is supposed to have been triggered by Bligh’s harsh punishment of the theft of coconuts from the ship’s store.

So extensively is the history of the coconut interwoven

with the history of people traveling that Kenneth Olsen, a plant evolutionary biologist, didn’t expect to find much geographical structure to coconut genetics when he and his colleagues set out to examine the DNA of more than 1,300 coconuts from all over the world.

“I thought it would be mostly a mish-mash,” he says, thoroughly homogenized by humans schlepping coconuts with them on their travels.

He was in for a surprise. It turned out that there are two clearly differentiated populations of coconuts, a finding that strongly suggests the coconut was brought under cultivation in two separate locations, one in the Pacific basin and the other in the Indian Ocean basin. What’s more, coconut genetics also preserve a record of prehistoric trade routes and of the colonization of the Americas.

The discoveries of the team, which included Bee Gunn, now of the Australian National University in Australia, and Luc Baudouin of the Centre

International de Recherches en Agronomie pour le Développement in Montpellier, France, as well as Olsen, associate professor of biology at Washington University in St. Louis, are described in the June 23 online issue of the journal PLoS One.

Before the DNA era, biologists recognized a domesticated plant by its morphology. In the case of grains, for example, one of the most important traits in domestication is the loss of shattering, or the tendency of seeds to break off the central grain stalk once mature.

The trouble was it was hard to translate coconut morphology into a plausible evolutionary history.

There are two distinctively different forms of the coconut fruit, known as niu kafa and niu vai, Samoan names for traditional

Polynesian varieties. The niu kafa form is triangular and oblong with a large fibrous husk. The niu vai form is rounded and contains abundant sweet coconut “water” when unripe.

“Quite often the niu vai fruit are brightly colored when they’re unripe, either bright green, or bright yellow. Sometimes they’re a beautiful gold with reddish tones,” says Olsen.

Coconuts have also been traditionally classified into tall and dwarf varieties based on the tree habit, or shape. Most coconuts are talls, but there are also dwarfs that are only several feet tall when they begin reproducing. The dwarfs account for only 5 percent of coconuts.

Dwarfs tend to be used for eating fresh, and the tall forms for coconut oil and for fiber.

“Almost all the dwarfs are self fertilizing and those three traits — being dwarf, having the rounded sweet fruit, and being self-pollinating — are thought to be the definitive domestication traits,” says Olsen.

“The traditional argument was that the niu kafa form was the wild, ancestral form that didn’t reflect human selection, in part because it was better adapted to ocean dispersal,” says Olsen. Dwarf trees with niu vai fruits were thought to be the domesticated form.

The trouble is it’s messier than that. “You almost always find coconuts

near human habitations,” says Olsen, and while the niu vai is an obvious domestication form, the niu kafa form is also heavily exploited for copra, the dried meat ground and pressed to make oil, and coir, fiber woven into rope.”

“The lack of universal domestication traits together with the long history of human interaction with coconuts, made it difficult to trace the coconut’s cultivation origins strictly by morphology,” Olsen says.

The project got started when Ms. Gunn, who had long been interested in palm evolution, and who was then at the Missouri Botanical Garden, contacted Olsen, who had the laboratory facilities needed to study palm DNA.

Together they won a National Geographic Society grant that allowed Ms. Gunn to collect coconut DNA in regions of the western Indian Ocean for which there were no data. The snippets of leaf tissue from the center of the coconut tree’s crown she sent home in zip-lock bags to be analyzed.

“We had reason to suspect that coconuts from these regions —especially Madagascar and the Comoros Islands — might show evidence of ancient gene flow events brought about by ancient Austronesians setting up migration routes and trade routes across the southern Indian Ocean,” Olsen says.

Olsen’s lab genotyped 10 microsatellite regions in each palm sample.

Microsatellites are regions of stuttering DNA where the same few nucleotide units are repeated many times. Mutations pop up and persist pretty easily in these regions because they usually don’t affect traits that are important to survival and so aren’t selected against, says Olsen. “So we can use these genetic markers to fingerprint the coconut,” he says.

The new collections were combined with a vast dataset that had been established by the French agricultural research center, using the same genetic markers. “These data were being used for things like breeding, but no one had gone through and systematically examined the genetic variation in the context of the history of the plant,” Olsen says.

The most striking finding of the new DNA analysis is that the Pacific and Indian Ocean coconuts are quite distinct genetically. “About a third of the total genetic diversity can be partitioned between two groups that correspond to the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean,” says Olsen.

“That’s a very high level of differentiation within a single species and provides pretty conclusive evidence that there were two origins of cultivation of the coconut,” he says.

In the Pacific, coconuts were likely first cultivated in island Southeast Asia, meaning the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, and perhaps the continent as well. In the Indian Ocean the likely center of cultivation was the southern periphery of India, including Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and the Laccadives.

The definitive domestication traits — the dwarf habit, self-pollination and niu vai fruits — arose only in the Pacific, however, and then only in a small subset of Pacific coconuts, which is why Olsen speaks of origins of cultivation rather than of domestication.

“At least we have it easier than scientists who study animal domestication,” he says. “So much of being a domesticated animal is being tame, and behavioral traits aren’t preserved in the archeological record.”

One exception to the general Pacific/Indian Ocean split is the western Indian Ocean, specifically Madagascar and the Comoros Islands, where Ms. Gunn had collected. The coconuts there are a genetic mixture of the Indian Ocean type and the Pacific type.

Olsen and his colleagues believe the Pacific coconuts were introduced to

the Indian Ocean a couple of thousand years ago by ancient Austronesians establishing trade routes connecting Southeast Asia to Madagascar and coastal east Africa.

Olsen points out that no genetic admixture is found in the more northerly Seychelles, which fall outside the trade route. He adds that a recent study of rice varieties found in Madagascar shows there is a similar mixing of the japonica and indica rice varieties from Southeast Asia and India.

To add to the historical shiver, the descendants of the people who brought the coconuts and rice are still living in Madagascar. The present-day inhabitants of the Madagascar highlands are descendants of the ancient Austronesians, Olsen says.

Much later the Indian Ocean coconut was transported to the New World by Europeans. The Portuguese carried coconuts from the Indian Ocean to the West Coast of Africa, Olsen says, and the plantations established there were a source of material that made it into the Caribbean and also to coastal Brazil.

So the coconuts that found today in Florida are largely the Indian Ocean type, Olsen says, which is why they tend to have the niu kafa form.

On the Pacific side of the New World tropics, however, the coconuts are Pacific Ocean coconuts. Some appear to have been transported there in pre-Columbian times by ancient Austronesians moving east rather than west.

During the colonial period, the Spanish brought coconuts to the Pacific coast of Mexico from the Philippines, which was for a time governed on behalf of the King of Spain from Mexico.

This is why, Olsen says, you find Pacific type coconuts on the Pacific coast of Central America and Indian type coconuts on the Atlantic coast.

“The big surprise was that there was so much genetic differentiation clearly correlated with geography, even though humans have been moving coconut around for so long.”

Far from being a mish-mash, coconut DNA preserves a record of human cultivation, voyages of exploration, trade and colonization.

With the above information, we now know more about the colonization around the world by just following the leads of the coconut DNA! So if you

haven’t tried the different varieties of Coconut found around the world, and more specifically, the types found here in Costa Rica, why wait any longer? Whether looking for a refreshing and healthy beverage (think “Pipa” in Costa Rica), or a tasty snack or unique flavor for whatever dish you may be preparing (think “Coco” in Costa Rica), both types are readily available on both coasts, so get your Tropical vibe on!!

Much more about coconuts in future blog posts!! It’s the fruit that keeps on giving!!

Author:
Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

Sources:
www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0021143
Bee F. Gunn1, Luc Baudouin2, Kenneth M. Olsen3*
1 Division of Evolution, Ecology and Genetics, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia, 2 Centre International de Recherches en Agronomie pour le Développement (CIRAD), Montpellier, France, 3 Biology Department, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
www.amcostarica.com
www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocos_nucifera
www.kew.org/plant-cultures/plants/coconut_history.html
www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Ocean
www.islandsbusiness.com/islands_business/index_dynamic/containerNameToReplace=MiddleMiddle/focusModuleID=19252/overideSkinName=issueArticle-full.tpl
www.cookislands.bishopmuseum.org/showarticle.asp?id=15
http://www.mobot.org/

The Tourist Tree? The Naked Indian Tree? It’s the Gumbo Limbo Tree in Costa Rica!

2011-06-11T15:00:00.000-07:00

Living in the rainforest in Costa Rica means being surrounded by an abundance of interesting trees. One of my personal favorites is the Gumbo Limbo tree! A wildly popular tropical tree, it is native to the southeastern United States, but found widely throughout the Americas, West Indies and especially prominent in Costa Rica. This tree easily adapts to a variety of both dry and moist habitats, and is a fairly salt-tolerant species, enabling this tree to be found along most coastlines including around the Hotels of Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica. Though consisting of a fairly soft wood, the Gumbo Limbo is considered a very wind-tolerant tree, making this species a good choice for hurricane or extreme weather areas.

This fast-growing canopy tree reaches heights of 50-60 feet and more, with a trunk that bears a striking color of green and red, with a thin paper like exfoliating bark. The Gumbo Limbo or Bursera Simaruba, goes by several aliases, such as the Spirit Gum, Birch Gum, Turpentine, Naked Indian, or more commonly named in popular vacation destinations…..the “Tourist Tree”, because of its red color and peeling skin!

The Gumbo-limbo is generally planted for shade and ornamental use in front or backyards, can be found along streets and highways, but it is also commonly used throughout Costa Rica as a “living fence” since it easily sprouts from cut branches that are stuck into the ground. With it’s naturally rapid growth, within no time farmers have a strong, natural, eco-friendly fence with which they can corral their livestock and mark their land.

The arils (or etable part surrounding the seed) provides an important source of food for winter migrating birds, including many migrants from North America, as well as local residents such as the Masked Tityra, Bright-rumped Attila, and Black-faced Grosbeak, the Baltimore Oriole, Dusky-capped Flycatcher and many species of Vireos. Additionally, Gumbo-limbo's rapid growth, easy and low cost of propagation, and it’s ecological versatility make this species an ideal "starter" tree for reforestation projects.

There are so many more natural benefits to this great tree, as the sticky, turpentine-scented resin has been used for centuries for making glue, varnish, liniments, as well as a water resistant coating for dugout canoes. The aromatic sap is also used as an anti-inflammatory, a treatment for gout, a form of incense, as well as the leaves are brewed to make a medicinal tea for a wide variety of ailments. The bark is also considered a treatment against rashes caused by plants such as poison ivy and poison oak. Though the actual wood of the tree is rather soft and spongy, this versatile wood is traditionally used to manufacture the colorful carousel horses you see at county fairs, and other small wood products such as matchsticks, toothpicks, charcoal, boxes, crates, and interior trim have also been made from the Gumbo-Limbo wood.

Tribal or Native Indian medicinal uses include remedies for skin infections, skin sores, ingesting a bark tea for urinary tract infections, pain, colds, flu, sun stroke, fevers and to purify the blood. A length of bark about 5 cm x 30 cm is boiled in a gallon of water for 10 minutes or so for these local remedies and then used topically or can be sipped as a tea 2-3 times per day. Not only is it touted to provide the above medicinal remedies, but it is also said to kill bacteria, stop excessive bleeding, increase urination, increase perspiration, cleanse the blood, neutralize various venoms, helpful as a cough expectorate, reducing fevers and my favorite remedy…..increasing libido!!

So when out hiking, exploring, or just taking a drive around Costa Rica, no more passing that Gumbo Limbo tree and not even giving it a second thought. Just look at how much one can do and “cure” with this beautiful and unique tree!

But my friends…..you have been warned!!!! None of these uses are FDA approved, so please do not try these remedies at home! At least not without a Shaman present!!

Author:
Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

Sources:
http://www.sfrc.ufl.edu/4h/Gumbo-limbo/gumblimb.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bursera_simaruba
http://www.regionalconservation.org/beta/nfyn/plantdetail.asp?tx=Burssima
http://www.plantcreations.com/bursera_simaruba.htm

Costa Rican Guaro! Belly up to the Bar and Party!!

2011-05-29T12:17:00.000-07:00

Popular throughout Central American countries, though not readily available in the USA, “Guaro” is a distilled liquor originating in Costa Rica. Manufactured from sugar cane juice, Guaro has a high alcohol content, clear coloring and a strong but slightly sweet flavor. Most commonly mixed with fruit juice or soda (Fresca being a favorite), few people choose to consume this liquor in straight shots. Referred to as an “aguardiente,” the words “agua” and “ardiente” when combined translate to basically mean Guaro is “burning water”. A fairly accurate description if you ask me! Once considered the “moonshine” or “chicha” of Central America, Guaro is no longer a product of homemade stills, but an almost patriotic part of Costa Rican popular culture.

History:
In an attempt to end the kitchen sink production of clandestine “Guaro”, the Costa Rican government approved the manufacturing and eventual bottling of the clear liquor by Costa Rica’s National Liquor Factory (la Fábrica Nacional de Licores or “FANAL”) back in 1851. At that time it was sold in barrels via “liquor agencies”, with the clients providing their own container. Starting in 1980, a new division was created in FANAL, with "Cacique" becoming the official Guaro brand name in Costa Rica. With it’s distinctive red label and iconic Indian Chief (that’s what “Cacique” means….Chief), Cacique quickly became the more commonly used name, since “Guaro” can often times refer to almost any distilled spirit. Easily one of Costa Rica’s most popular “beverages”, bottles of Cacique line the shelves of every Costa Rican grocery store and bar in even the most remote corner of this country, including every Costa Rican Hotel and Restaurant.

Characteristics:
FANAL originally decided to market this popular liquor in 1 liter glass bottles containing a lower alcoholic content then vodka, but with the continued growth in popularity, they later began providing consumers with the options of 750 ml glass bottles and 365 ml “pachitas”….or plastic bottles (the handy travel size!). FANAL takes great pride in producing a high quality product of licensed ethyl alcohol, guaranteeing a high purity for “safe” drinking. The brand has proven so popular, that over the years it hs expanded from only 60 proof Guaro Cacique (with the red label) to the 70 proof Cacique Superior (with the black label), the latter offering an even higher purity of “rubbing alcohol”via further filtered purification through activated carbon and increasing not only it’s purity, but perfecting it’s mostly neutral aroma. They also produce a lesser know black label, offering a whopping 80 proof and referred to as “Super Caňita” (Super Cane)!

Origin of the Name:
The present name of Guaro as “Cacique” (or “Chief”) is thought to originate from FANAL. Since several circumstances. Between 1977 and 1980 an excavation made by the Costa Rica National Museum revealed on of the largest indigenous settlements to date near the town of Grecia on land that occupied by the liquor had remained for decades as one of Costa Rica’s most enduring and popular products, indigenous societies considered their “leaders” to be their “Chiefs”, thus the name “Cacique” stuck. Often times referred to as “Cuatro Plumas” in joking reference to the Four Feathers on the chief’s headress found on the ubiquitous red labels, just saying the word “Guaro” brings smiles to almost every Tico’s face!

Guaro Recipes & Purchasing:
Over the years, Guaro’s popularity has reached international proportions. New companies have opened making their own brands of “pirated” Guaro recipes and attempting to market this “poor man’s vodka”, as the newest upscale spirit. No worries though!! With the ease of the internet you can now buy the “real” Costa Rican Guaro and not at over inflated prices! Check out the website www.guaroliquor.com for puchasing details, as well as their page dedicated to some of the best Guaro recipes I have found. (Not that I haven’t invented a few of my own over the years!)

Now, some 160 years later, Guaro continues to be as popular as ever! In fact, this liquor is such an integral part of Costa Rican culture that a recent exhibit at the Museos del Banco Central (Central Bank Museum) featured one work representing three icons of daily Costa Rican life; Cacique Guaro, a Soccer Ball and a representation of the celebrated Black Virgin!

For those of you lucky enough to be visiting beautiful Costa Rica, a little word of warning….. the pronunciation of “water” has been known to be misinterpreted as “guaro” by eager waiters not completely versed in the English language. This has led to incidences where thirsty American tourists having asked their waiter for a glass of water and the waiter, ever so happy that the tourists wanted to try his country’s famous Guaro returned from the kitchen with a glass of the clear beverage. The tourist innocently takes a generous swallow and have experienced a coughing and sputtering surprise in Costa Rican thirst-quenching!! Consider yourself warned!!

Author:
Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

Sources:
http://www.fanal.co.cr/inicio.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cacique_Guaro
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guaro_(drink)
http://www.guaroliquor.com/home/index.php

Boutique Hotels in Costa Rica? Should they be Added to the Endangered List?

2011-05-09T07:48:00.000-07:00

Walking down memory lane to the 1990’s, Costa Rica welcomed their first world class hotel chain, the Spanish firm known as Barceló. Specializing in the “All Inclusive” style of lodging, this style of travel did not take much of a foothold in this country, and the Boutique Hotel market remained the most popular choice for tourist accommodations. Now we fast forward some 20 years and Costa Rica hosts some 9 major hotel chains! Everything from Marriott, to Best Western, Intercontinental, Hilton, Choice, Wyndham, Four Seasons and the most recent group….Riu, now serve as the main players, with more jumping in each year. Does this mean the Boutique Hotel concept is ready for the endangered list in Costa Rica?

History:
The "boutique" style is said to have been created in New York back in 1984, though there are valid arguments that in 1981 both London and San Francisco boasted the first boutique sized hotels. Most likely, 1984 might be when the term “boutique hotel” actually was coined, with the term coming into more mainstream use. Entrepreneurs Ian Schrager and Steve Rubell opened the boutique Morgans New York on Madison Avenue in the heart of Manhattan, and the concept grew by leaps and bounds from there. Morgans was small, stylish and unique, unlike the big brand-name hotels that predominated the markets at that time. The actual term "boutique hotel" was said to be coined by Rubell himself, who described their new hotel venture as being like a boutique as opposed to a department store. A very succinct analogy if you ask me!

Description:
The most defining characteristics of boutique style hotels are that they are generally small properties, with less than 100 rooms and more often averaging between 3 and 50 rooms total. They take great pride in offering a super chic atmosphere, unique design and décor, contemporary styling and quite popular these days, a rich historical value or background. Most boutique hotels provide highly personalized service, with very hands-on staff, management and/or ownership, offering a genuine personality that just can’t be found in the large hotel chains. Services can be limited depending on the size and luxury level of the property or you can often find some of the most dynamic local and gourmet restaurants, world class spas, and other unique features that make them stand out from the standard hotel offering. The concept has been so successful, that most multi-national hotel corporations have begun to brand their own chains of boutique resorts in order to try to capture a share of this huge market.

Locations:
Still a popular choice for hotels in Costa Rica, the concept of “boutique”, “design” or “lifestyle” hotels, as they are often referred, has spread throughout the world, to include European & East Asian countries, appearing in such places as Indonesia, mainland China, Japan, Iceland, Turkey, India & the Middle East, just to name a few. They continue to remain popular options throughout Central and South America as well or basically anywhere that provides a desirable destination for travel. I am fairly certain that you will find some sort of boutique hotel in almost any corner of the world these days!

Target Market:
There are no longer cookie cutter molds for guests seeking the “Boutique experience”. Travelers are constantly looking for something new and different, while definitely expecting more than the simple comforts once acceptable to the average vacationista. Whether planning a business trip, destination wedding, honeymoon getaway, adults only escape, or just an overdue vacation, when planning travel, guests more often than not seek properties that are noticeably different in look and feel from the large branded hotels. Boutique hotels now even present a certain level of social branding. Those staying at these establishments are often considered as trendy, daring, fashionable, hip travelers that are quite often more ecologically minded. Since boutique facilities and their pricing can vary dramatically, there are now boutique properties designed to suit every demographic, any price range or social class, always with the idea of creating an unforgettable “guest experience” that just cannot be found in the larger hotel properties.

Competition:
Boutique hotels retain certain benefits when it comes to cost of operations and overall profitability. They often have a large customer base to work with, as well as being favored by smaller travel agencies or tour operators that are looking to sell the “experiential” concept that the boutique hotel property has to offer. Since boutique hotel owners do not have to pay a franchise fee to be part of a larger chain, the hotel can often operate with a lower overhead that adding costly amenities such as restaurants, spas and convention & meeting spaces would create. However, these added amenities can generate significant profitability and appeal to the hotel's bottom line, so more often than not you will find every sort of amenity imaginable in todays boutique hotel properties. Another benefit for boutique hotel owners is that well established small properties tend to have a higher rate of repeat and word of mouth business compared to normal industry standards, which can save on boutique sized marketing budgets rarely able to compete with the huge marketing budgets of large branded properties. Nevertheless, successful boutique hotels must continually adapt to the constantly changing trends, needs, tastes, preferences, and technology in order to remain competitive in this cut throat hotel market.

In the end, whether it's the most isolated green hotel getaway, the most unique historical location, the most private white sand beach, impeccable five-star white glove service, or you are just looking for that travel environment that loans their son’s boogey board, gives you cookies from their kitchen, offers the most incredible personalized guest services, or located in the most super chic locale, boutique hotels in every instance cater to their guests every need and whim. Who doesn’t want that kind of attention on their hard earned vacation?

So for your next Costa Rica vacation, bypass that mega chain hotel and try one of the many Costa Rican Boutique Hotels, you will be personally helping keep these unique properties off Costa Rica’s endangered list!!

If you have a favorite boutique hotel you have visited, please feel free to share it with us in the comments section!!

Author: Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

Sources:
www.independent.co.uk
www.travelandleisure.com
www.bizymoms.com
www.travels.com
www.wikipedia.org
www.ehow.com
www.wisegeek.com
www.hospitalitynet.org

Whitewater Rafting in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica! A Splash of Adrenaline!

2011-04-29T15:03:00.000-07:00

I like to periodically share with my readers some of my favorite tour companies in the Quepos & Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica areas. Therefore, as we get ready to enter our “green” season (green=more rain), this means some of the best white water rafting is just ahead on the horizon. I can’t think of a better company to share with you then the great people at Amigos del Rio (“Friends of the River”)!

Offering world class Whitewater Rafting only a short distance from the new Quepos Marina and famous Manuel Antonio Park, Amigos del Rio features challenging whitewater rafting on both the Savegre River (“Wild River”) and the Naranjo River (“Orange River”), with incredible views of rainforests, waterfalls, flora and fauna. Not limited to just rafting, Amigos del Rio guides visitors along the Manuel Antonio coastline for Ocean Kayaking, or choose the unique opportunity to explore the Damas Island Estuary Mangroves as you glide along in your Mangrove Kayak.

Safe, Unique, Reliable and Intense Water Adventures are what Amigos del Rio lives for!

Savegre River Rafting

Beyond the incredible Class II, III & IV rapids, be astounded by the awe-inspiring canyons, waterfalls, and primary rainforests that are an integral part of the beauty of Costa Rica. The Savegre River is truly a magnificent stretch of whitewater, winding through a sparsely inhabited mountain crested valley and offering some of the most exciting rapids and beautiful tropical scenery around. The full day Savegre River Rafting Excursion includes a hike to one of these majestic waterfalls, leaving time for guests to go swimming in the natural waterfall ponds.

Naranjo River Rafting

The Naranjo River drops steeply from the coastal mountain range above Quepos through a beautiful jungle gorge, and takes you on a wild ride all the way to sea level. Passing local farmlands and palm plantations, the river banks team with green jungle and meet the steep canyon walls at sharp 90 degree angles. Even for the advanced rafter, this Class II, III & IV river is an exciting and refreshing rush of adrenaline. For those beginner rafters, our well trained river guides will explain, teach, direct and inspire even the most timid of rafters will want to meet the Whitewater River challenge!

Ocean Kayak Manuel Antonio

Designed for beginner or advanced kayakers, you start with paddling along coastline of Quepos and the offshore islands by ManuelAntonio National Park. Experience the excitement of paddling a kayak in the open ocean, while observing Costa Rica's marine and coastal wonders, such as the nesting grounds of endangered sea birds like the Brown Boobie, as well as sea turtles, fish, dolphins, whales and other seasonal marine life. Sea kayaking is considerably easier than river kayaking, and most trips can be done by guests that have little or no experience, so don’t miss your chance to try this exciting sport!

Mangrove Kayak DamasIsland

This tour will show you nature's unparalleled wonders as you explore an entirely different eco-system just 10 minutes from Manuel Antonio and Quepos. Kayaking (or boating) through the mangrove canals is like a meandering ride through times gone by. Let the current carry your kayak as you observe the unique flora, fauna and wildlife found only in this biologically diverse heaven! Beginners will delight in the ease of paddling through protected inland waterways, while your guide points out and explains this unique jungle environment.

Transportation

The exclusive fleet of transportation for Amigos del Rio includes brand new Microbuses and 4x4 vehicles rarely found in Costa Rica such as the HUMMER and the UNIMOG.

Equipment

Adventure tours should only offer the best in safety and equipment, so for that reason, Amigos del Rio chooses to use high performance AIRE rafts, specially design for our favorite rivers.

Meals

Complete relaxing “Tico” style meals are provided on the tours, with refreshments and local fruits. There’s no hurry on these tours, time is on your side.

Safety First

The Amigos del Rio gear is all U.S. Coast Guard approved and operated by professionally certified guides that have past extensive safety guidelines. Amigos del Rio is a fully insured and bonded company.

Team Amigos del Rio

Their team of expert guides is all formed by locals who have grown up rafting these rivers, and know their business better than anyone!

The Amigos del Rio Promise

From the owner to the reservations personnel, they guarantee the level of safety and fun you are seeking, all supervised by the Amigos del Rio professional team of Whitewater Rafters. They love what they do and it shows!

So if you find yourself traveling to the Manuel Antonio and Quepos area of Costa Rica, and you are looking for the adrenaline rush of a lifetime, while enjoying the wonders and scenery of Costa Rica, don’t wait……sign up with Amigos del Rio, and you too will discover the fun and adventure of Whitewater Rafting!!

AUTHOR:

Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

Costa Rica’s Juan Santamaria Day! Brave Martyr or Brazen Myth?

2011-04-07T11:26:00.000-07:00

Juan Santamaría, an impoverished drummer boy, born of a single mother from the town of Alajuela, is easily the most famous martyr in Costa Rican history, and the only individual to have a National Holiday (April 11) declared in his honor. But was it really Juan Santamaria that saved the day at the Battle of Rivas, or was it more to do with Costa Rica’s need to have a national hero? Read on….

If legend is to be believed, as a result of the Battle of Rivas on April 11th, 1856, Juan Santamaria’s selfless act as his country's impromptu savior brought his eventual rise to glory, fame and martyrdom as he succeeded in saving Costa Rica against the infamous US sponsored invasion of the soldier of fortune style militia of William Walker.

William Walker, a lawyer, doctor and soldier of fortune from Tennessee, hoping to not only exploit the commercial trade route between New York and the Southern tip of Nicaragua, Walker also hoped to conquer the five Central American States with the intention to annex them, extending the new Federation of Southern States, part of the US. Walker and his “filibusteros” (soldiers of fortune) with his new post as a shaky provisional President of Nicaragua planned to instill his political and financial power over the Central American territories, with the next logical step being the invasion of nearby Costa Rica.

Fearing Walker’s growing force in Nicaragua, Costa Rican President Juan Rafael Mora supported by the backing of wealthy American businessmen who wanted their important trading routes reopened, was urged to declare war not on Nicaragua, but on Walker and his filibusters. Furious, Walker ordered the immediate invasion of Costa Rica, crossing the border into the province of Guanacaste, while the Costa Rican army mobilized full speed ahead Northward from the Central Valley. This rag tag army, led by the President’s brother Jose Joaquin Mora and brother-in-law General Jose Cañas, with their contingent of three thousand men marched towards the Walker encampment said to be assembled near the now famous Hacienda Santa Rosa, south of Nicaragua. Upon learning of their imminent arrival, Walkers men made a hasty retreat, taking the battle to Meson de Guerra in Rivas.

That is where Juan Santamaría prominently steps into the picture.

Walker's men, under the command of Colonel Louis Schlessinger, had no sentries posted in the Rivas fort, allowing Mora’s Costa Rican troops to surprise the small American militia, as Schlessinger himself retreated, leaving his troops in complete disarray. When a bloody battle ensued, the commanding Costa Rican officer asked for a volunteer to set fire to thatch roof of the El Mesón de Guerra; the filibusters' stronghold. Surely a suicide mission at best, it is said that Juan Santamaría, an impoverished mulatto drummer boy from the town of Alajuela, stepped up and with torch in hand, approached the hostel and through a hail of bullets, tossed his torch of fire onto the vulnerable thatched roof. This selfless patriotic act caused the enemy to flee, resulting in Juan Santamaria’s death, but leaving him a genuine National Hero.

The deaths of Juan Santamaría and more than a thousand other men saved Costa Ricaand Central America from a complete collapse. The Battle of Rivas put great confidence to the Costa Rican Army in the fight against Walker, who before this battle believed himself undefeatable and unstoppable, and lead to his later assassination in Honduras, during his next attempt at staging a Central American coup.

Although Costa Rica was victorious in the Battle of Rivas, the country did not return back to normal by any means. The numerous dead bodies were not buried in Rivas but were simply thrown into the wells, causing the city a huge outbreak of cholera from the contamination. The troops then carried the disease home with them to Costa Rica where it ravaged the country, killing as much as one tenth of the population. Mora was eventually blamed for the outbreak, as well as other economic problems, and was taken out of power a few years later in 1859.

This is where the dispute of the true legend of Juan Santamaria begins. Heated arguments and several investigations suggest that the well repeated history of Juan Santamaria may not be all it’s cracked up to. According to Steven Palmer, a Canadian researcher, Juan Santamaria was possibly invented by the Liberalist Costa Rican government. Palmer’s study suggests that the government in the late nineteenth
century was seeking to create a national identity in order to unify the disorganized country. Legends, heroes and battles, all helpful ingredients in the creation of a sense of national patriotism, the government set out to find something or someone that would serve its motivating purpose. Since Costa Rica lacks a history of warfare, the Liberalist government chose one of the few significant battles, the 1856 Battle of Rivas fought against William Walker. After choosing the famous battle, a brave hero was to be chosen as their new “symbol” for National unity. With this, Palmer says, Juan Santamaria was “born” or reborn after being dead and forgotten for many decades. That Juan Santamaria was a member of the lower classes, only served to inspire an even stronger sense of belonging to a nation that was coming of its own in world recognition, as Juan Santamaria showed anyone could become a National idol.

Further claims have been discovered that state Juan Santamaria actually died of cholera and not by the bullets of his enemies. Now granted, there are said to be listed four different Juan Santamarias amongst the some 9000 volunteer troops of Costa Rica, so this does open the door for some skepticism and confusion, but it is interesting to consider why Juan Santamaria lay buried for almost four decades, before being remembered and named Costa Rica’s National Hero.

Finally, other historical versions of the Battle of Rivas and the fight at the “Mesón de Guerra”, list the Lieutenant Luis Pacheco Bertora as the first to approach the fort with the idea of flushing out the enemy, but he was gravely injured by gunfire in his attempts. Lying unconscious, a Nicaraguan named Joaquín Rosales made a second attempt to burn the fort, but lost his life in the process. Finally, a third brave soldier stepped forward, the now well-known Costa Rican soldier, Juan Santamaría, who successfully set fire to the “meson” and saved the day for Costa Rica. None of these other brave soldiers have ever received the recognition due them as Juan Santamaria did, much less a National Holiday, statues or International Airports named after them, though the mystery behind the true history of these events lives on!

In the end, there is no attempt to minimize the participation of any of the soldiers involved in this battle, even less so Juan Santamaria. We only hope to give a shout out to all the valiant soldiers who gave their lives to win the liberty and sovereignty of Costa Rica, and to dispel of the rumor that Juan Santamaria was simply approaching the building, tripped and his fire torch accidentally started the fire that ended the battle.

Tell that later version out loud in Costa Rica, and you may be run out of the country even faster than William Walker was!!

Author:
Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

Sources:
Lisa Tirmenstein tirmenlb@muohio.edu.
www.Wikipedia.org
http://afehc-historia-centroamericana.org/index.php?action=fi_aff&id=1947
http://www.latindex.ucr.ac.cr/historia-51/10-Aguilar.pdf
http://wvw.nacion.com/ln_ee/2006/abril/28/opinion8.html

National Stadium Debuts in Costa Rica Today, but not without Controversy!

2011-03-26T13:47:00.000-07:00

Tens of thousands of people will be on hand for the inauguration of the new Costa Rican National Stadium today (known locally at the “Colosio” or “Coloso” or “Estadio”), the most modern stadium in all of Central America. Many more spectators will be glued to their television sets at home or visiting the nearest Sports Bar or local watering hole, to take in the day's events that begin in the afternoon and end with the highly anticipated friendly soccer match between Costa Rica and China.

The Road to the Inauguration:
In May of 2008, after some 84 years of service, the demolition ball was
brought in to remove the old national stadium and make way for the new construction in La Sabana Park, to the west of Downtown San Jose. The old stadium unceremoniously closed its doors for the last time on May 11th, with the last soccer game held between the University of Costa Rica and a favorite local team, the Brujas F.C. Fifty five days later, after the first swing of the wrecking ball, the old stadium was reduced to a pile of rubble.

The plans for the new stadium for a capacity of 35,000 to 50,000 was officially announced in October 2008, and in December the Chinese construction firm, AFEC, was given permission to take the reins in building the new stadium. Chinese workers and the first materials and equipment from China were brought in beginning February 2009.

Not without controversy, many Costa Rican labor laws were bent (or broken) to allow this new Chinese workforce to enter Costa Rica and build this fabulous stadium, all that are enforced on already established businesses within Costa Rican borders. The fact that while snubbing the strict labor laws there were more than enough “Ticos” without work at the time (remember it is/was the recession), or that the majority of the materials used to build the stadium were brought from China, meant that little of this work would immediately effect or stimulate the Costa Rican economy in any way. But then did we really think we would get this Stadium for free as announced?

But then again, NO “Tico” project has ever been able to boast an accomplishment like that of the Chinese, one that astonishes those of us that live in Costa Rica, as on November 12, 2010, only 2 short years after officially announcing the building of the new Stadium, AFEC (the Chinese Company) delivered the almost finished stadium to the hands of now Ex-President Oscar Arias. Some three months ahead of schedule!! Alelujuah to the Chinese, you have definitely won our admiration!!

During the following months, a mad scramble to complete the finishing touches to the
stadium began, as the official March opening was announced, and plans were made to host some of the world’s finest musical & sports talent, among other entertainment planned for the inaugural event. That day has finally come……..March 26th, inauguration day is here!!

As previously mentioned, the building of this stadium was not completely without controversy. Liu Hong Bin, a 37 year old Chinese worker, hit by a construction vehicle on November 21, 2010, died while working on this project. Meanwhile, perhaps even more distressing and controversial was the complete snub to the country (or Territory) of Taiwan, a generous ally to Costa Rica for many years, by the getting in bed (if you will) with China, a country that repeatedly has crushed it’s own citizens human rights, as well as year after year shipped worldwide numerous products containing banned substances such as lead, pesticides, antibiotics, melamine, just to mention a few. Downright disturbing if you ask me. (Best if you don’t ask me.)

Taiwan Who??
A cry has gone out for Costa Rica to officially rename it’s “Puente de Amistad” (Bridge of Friendship) built with an incredibly generous donation of Taiwanese money. The huge suspension bridge spanning the Río Tempisque opened in 2003, and was a “gift” from the Taiwanese Government in exchange for commercial fishing rights in Costa Rican waters. But that was then and this is now, as then came China, with it’s booming economy and it’s infighting with that rebel island of Taiwan, and Taiwan is out and China is in! To
help understand, in 2007, Costa Rica and China established formal diplomatic relations after years of Costa Rica working directly with Taiwan. Then president, Oscar Arias, promptly ditched the country's long-term monetary benefactor, Taiwan, in favor of its far wealthier and more powerful neighbor, China. The “Friendship Bridge”, as well as many other educational, infrastructure, security and other Taiwanese financed projects in Costa Rica were quickly forgotten when China promised to build Costa Rica a brand-new national multi-purpose stadium, the most modern in all of Central America. Meanwhile, locals in Costa Rica have already renamed the Taiwanese-built bridge... “Puente de la Apuñalada” (Back Stab Bridge)!

Our Efficient Chinese Friends:
The enviable pace of construction of the new stadium was something not previously seen in Costa Rica. While the majority of large (and small) construction projects in this country take indeterminable amounts of years to
construct or repair (note I didn’t use the word “finish”), such as the Caldera Highway which took 34 years to plan and create (and continues to undergo repairs & closures), the Costanera Hwy (43 years, but mostly “finished”), our National Bridges, reconstruction of the Platina Bridge, replacement of infrastucture after the Cinchona Earthquake, etc, etc, the building of the New National Stadium was an impressive example of how quickly a major project can be completed when the right work force is employed, the normal government bureaucracy is shelved, and funding isn’t an ongoing problem, with ongoing cost overruns.
It is most definitely proof of what the Chinese Culture of hard working, honest people is capable of doing! Again….impressive!!
Meanwhile, a huge Costa Rican flag waves at the National Stadium, known as the “Jewel of La Sabana,” the title given by former President Oscar Arias, but constructed by a force of entirely Chinese workers. “Thanks to the immense generosity of the nation of China, this dream will be possible in a matter of months,” Arias said during the National Stadium ground breaking ceremony on March 12, 2009. “Today we lay down the first brick of a stadium that will be proportional to the passion of our nation; a stadium that will be the heart of our country, in the middle of the lung of the city.” Time will only tell how much this stadium will truly cost us, but for now…..we’re damn glad to have it!!

The New National Stadium by the Numbers:
• $82 Million Cost of Construction (The true figure is said to be some $12 million more)
• 10 Minutes from Downtown San Jose in La Sabana Park
• 35,000 Capacity for Sports Events
• 50,000 Capacity for Concerts
• Alleged Capacity to withstand an 8.5 Earthquake on the Richter Scale
• 500 High Intensity Lights to Illuminate the Field
• 137 Digital Security Cameras
• 250 Wheel Chairs Spaces
• 1,500 Disabled Seats
• 22 Months of Construction
• 83,000 Cubic Meters of Concrete
• 500 Onsite Parking Spaces (Sad, but true!)
• 300 Additional Fuerza Publica Police Officers on Duty

Bring or More like….Don’t Bring:
Since it is a very strange list of items permitted or prohibited for the new stadium, here is a brief list of what has been published so far to help those that will be attending inaugural events:

Permitted in the new Stadium:
- Cell Phones (See details below and guess if you take yours or not)
- Cameras (Still only, no video) with no batteries or rechargeable batteries
- Flags, but without poles

Prohibited in the new Stadium:

- Smoking
- Video cameras
- Loose change (whatever!)
- Still cameras with removable batteries like AA or AAA, (again, whatever!)
- Umbrellas
- Paper confetti
- Food and beverages

Inaugural Schedule of Events:
Costa Rica’s new National Stadium inaugural events kick off Saturday with the highlight being a friendly soccer match between Costa Rica and China. Here is a detailed list of the other exciting events scheduled over the next few weeks while we enjoy….. Stadium Fever!

Official Inauguration:
Saturday, March 26, official opening ceremonies begin at around 1pm. The highlight of the inauguration will definitely be the highly anticipated friendly soccer match between Costa Rica and China. The opening event also includes official “Acts of Protocol”, with speeches by Ex-President Oscar Arias, the Chinese Delegation and current Costa Rican President, Laura Chinchilla. There will also be a ceremony for top Costa Rican athletes that will receive special recognition for outstanding performances in their fields over the years, as well as a firework show to top off the night. Teletica will be covering the inauguration live on channel 7 from 3pm to 6pm.
Costa Rica vs. Argentina
Tuesday, March 29, Costa Rica’s national soccer team faces rival Argentina in a friendly soccer match, featuring the world’s top soccer player, Lionel Messi.
Symphony Orchestra
Wednesday, March 30, is a night of classical music. The program includes: Intermediate Symphony Orchestra, Youth Symphonic Band, Youth Symphony Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, and National Symphony Chorus. The event starts at 7 pm.
World Championship Boxing Night
Thursday, March 31 brings in boxing night to include some four Exhibition Matches and three World Championship bouts. The highlight of the night will undoubtedly be Costa Rica’s own boxing queen, Hannah Gabriels, who will defend her World Championship title.
Lunada
Friday, April 1 is time to put on those dancing shoes, grab a dance partner and get to the national stadium for a night of latin dance music. Thousands of couples will show off their dancing skills in a typical open-air dance event known as a Lunada. The organizers promise an unheard of “air-conditioned” ballroom, food sales, and participation of some of this country’s most popular musical groups to include: Los Hicsos, Los Originales del Chiki, Marfil, Calle 8, Banda Chiqui, Lubin Barahona and Los Caballeros del Ritmo, as well as Son de Tikicia..
National Music Festival
Saturday, April 2 is live and loud music night with all the best musicians from Costa Rica, to include: Esteban Calderon, Le Pop, Marta Fonseca, Escats, Editus, Humberto Vargas, Maria Pretiz, Akasha, Time’s Forgotten, Dexnuke, Evolution, 424, El Parque, Ghandi, Cocofunka, Percance, Mechas, Pato Barraza, and many many more! Don’t miss it!!
Fiesta in The House
Sunday, April 3 features specially invited singers Victor Manuel, Gilberto Santa Rosa, and Don Amor performing all their greatest hits.
Live in Concert….Shakira!!
Jump forward to Sunday, April 10 is the highly anticipated Colombian Superstar Shakira live in concert! This night guarantees to be vibrant, colorful and festive event for one of Costa Rica’s most popular pop stars.

More information, including links to purchase tickets for varias events, can be found on Nacional Stadium’s new website: http://www.nuevoestadionacional.com/

WARNING TO DRIVERS:
Now, if only everyone can figure out where to park! Only 500 hundred parking spaces were written in during the planning stages, and no one thought to do anything about that until now. Now that there will be some 35,000 people planning to attend the opening events! Say what?? Yes, you read that right! So plan to pay huge fees to park in surround homes and business’ yards, lots or anywhere that will fit a car. Otherwise, plan for long walks and confusing new bus schedules to get you in there. DO NOT plan to park in no parking zones. Local “transito” officers have already promised some 300 officers will be on hand directing traffic and writing parking tickets that will cost in the area of $400 per violation! I guess I will just stay home and watch this all on TV!! Pura vida!!

Virtual Tour of the New Stadium HERE!!

Author:
Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

Sources:
http://www.insidecostarica.com/
http://www.thecostaricanews.com/ - Henriette Jacobsen
www.moon.com/blogs/cuba-costa-rica/costa-ricas-new-national-stadium-rising-phoenix

http://www.ticotimes.net/

Photo Credits:
www.skyscraperlife.com/sport-complexes/14127-new-costa-rica-national-stadium.html
www.360cities.net/image/new-national-stadium-costa-rica-central-america#114.96,-34.11,110.0
http://www.insidecostarica.com/
chfoto@gmail.com - Coleman Heckart
http://www.daylife.com/

Earth Hour in Costa Rica! Spend an Hour in the Dark and Help Save our Planet!!

2011-03-13T10:24:00.000-07:00

Earth Hour is driven by the global community’s will to protect the planet we share. Earth Hour’s exponential growth – from a single-city initiative in 2007 to a global movement across 128 countries in 2010 to now go beyond the hour in 2011 – is indicative of the growing desire for a cleaner, healthier world that is gathering momentum by the hour. Across the globe plans are underway to make Earth Hour 2011 a bigger event than ever!

At 8.30pm on Saturday 26 March 2011, Earth Hour will mark a moment of global contemplation to go beyond the hour; a collective commitment by individuals throughout the world to be the ongoing change they want to see in it.

At Hotel Makanda by the Sea, a luxury boutique hotel in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica, we too will be participating in this worldwide event. We cordially invite you to join us for our “Green Drinks” cocktail hour, followed by a special “Earth Hour” themed candlelit dinner to be held poolside at our award-winning Sunspot Bar & Grill featuring specialty dishes focusing on sustainability and our ongoing commitment to minimize our Costa Rican Hotel’s carbon footprint.

EARTH HOUR: FAQ's
1. What is Earth Hour?
Earth Hour is a global grass-roots movement encouraging individuals, businesses and governments around the world to take positive actions for the environment, and celebrating their commitment to the planet by switching off their lights for one designated hour. Earth Hour 2011 aims to show the actions that people, businesses and governments world-wide are taking to reduce their environmental impact. The highlight of Earth Hour 2011 will see the world’s most iconic landmarks go dark for one designated hour, as hundreds of millions of people transcend race, religion, culture, society, generation and geography, switching off their lights in a global celebration of their commitment to protect the one thing that unites us all – the planet.
2. When does Earth Hour take place?
Earth Hour 2011 will be held on Saturday March 26 between 8.30PM and 9.30PM in your local time zone.
3. What does Earth Hour ask people to do?
Earth Hour encourages individuals, businesses and governments to use Earth Hour as a platform to showcase to the world what measures they are taking to reduce their environmental impact. Earth Hour asks everyone to take personal accountability for their impact on the planet and make behavioural changes to facilitate a sustainable lifestyle.
4. Does this mean during Earth Hour I have to turn off everything in my home and use absolutely no electricity?
No. The main point of Earth Hour is to show the world that a solution to the world’s environmental challenges is possible if we work on them together – together our actions add up! Earth Hour only asks that you turn off non-essential lighting, safety and security lighting should remain on.
5. How long has Earth Hour been going for?
Earth Hour began in one city in 2007 when more than two million individuals and two thousand businesses in Sydney, Australia turned off their lights for one hour on Saturday 31 March 2007 to take a stand on climate change. In the space of three short years Earth Hour grew to become the greatest environmental action in history with individuals, businesses and governments across 128 countries coming together for Earth Hour 2010 to show the path to a sustainable future is a collective journey.
6. Isn't switching the lights off dangerous? What about public safety?
Earth Hour only asks people to turn off the non-essential lights for one hour - not lights that affect public safety. Earth Hour is also a celebration of the planet so it’s important to enjoy the moment in a safe environment.
7. What lights can be safely switched off?
That is a decision that has to be made individually but usually the overhead lights in rooms (whether it is your house, hotel or a business), outdoor lighting that does not impact safety, computers, decorative lights, neon signs for advertising, televisions, desk lamps, the list goes on and on…. You are encouraged to make sure you have alternative light sources handy before Earth Hour starts, like candles, torches or flashlights.
8. What candles should I use for my Earth Hour event?
If you plan on burning candles during Earth Hour please choose natural, not petroleum-based products. If you're using candles, make sure you take care. Please follow these tips:
• Candles should only be used under adult supervision.
• Candles should never be left unattended.
• Candles should be kept away from children and pets.
• Extinguish candles before going to sleep.
• Keep candles away from flammable liquids and gas-combustible materials.
• Candles should be kept clear of any combustible materials such as paper, curtains and clothing.
• Candles should not be placed in windows as they can be blown over. Blinds and curtains can also catch fire.
• Candles should be placed on a stable, dry, heat-resistant surface away from drafts.
9. What is Earth Hour's position on safety?
Earth Hour wants everyone to be absolutely safe and never to turn off any lights or power that would in any way compromise the safety of any individual in a private or public space.
10. Will my city go completely black?
Earth Hour is not a black out. It is a voluntary action by its participants to show their commitment to an act of change that benefits the planet. For many businesses in city skyscrapers or for many government buildings, the lights are turned off at the end of the business day the Friday before Earth Hour. So Earth Hour is more of a fade-out in some ways than a black-out.
11. If everyone turns their lights back on at the same time will there be a power surge?
People celebrate Earth Hour in a variety of ways for different lengths of time, with many continuing to keep their lights off well beyond the designated hour. Therefore, it is highly improbable that everyone will switch their lights back on simultaneously.
12. Is Earth Hour an annual event?
Though Earth Hour began as a public statement for action on climate change, it has come to symbolize a commitment to broader environmental solutions. Earth Hour’s ‘lights out’ campaign will continue to evolve in accordance with the environmental concerns of a growing global community driven by the pursuit of a better, healthier world. Earth Hour, is as much a celebration of the planet as it is a commitment to environmentally sustainable action, so as long as the global community wants to share a unified moment of celebration and contemplation of our planet, 8.30PM – 9.30PM on the last Saturday of March will always be Earth Hour.
13. Why is Earth Hour held on the last Saturday of March?
The last weekend of March is around the time of the Spring and Autumn equinoxes in the northern and southern hemispheres respectively, which allows for near coincidental sunset times in both hemispheres, thereby ensuring the greatest visual impact for a global ‘lights out’ event.
14. How many cities/countries/landmarks took part in Earth Hour 2010?
4616 cities, towns and municipalities took part in Earth Hour 2010 across 128 countries, including 89 national capitals and 9 of the world’s 10 most populated cities.
15. What is the criteria for registering city, town or municipality participation in Earth Hour 2011?
For a city, town or municipality to be officially recognized as a participant in Earth Hour 2011 it must meet at least one of the following three criteria:
1. Have the official support of its governing authority. (e.g. Governor or Mayor)
2. Have confirmed participation of a significant landmark or icon.
3. Have the support of an official Earth Hour ambassador.
16. What does a commitment to Earth Hour mean?
By registering to Earth Hour 2011, individuals, communities and businesses are making a commitment to turn their lights off for an hour at 8.30PM on Saturday 26 March in acknowledgement of an act they will undertake for the benefit of the planet. Participation in Earth Hour is a sign of your commitment to show leadership amongst your friends, family, colleagues and competitors in finding solutions to our environmental challenges by adopting environmentally sustainable lifestyle habits and business practices on an ongoing basis.
17. Who can participate?
Anyone! Anyone who wants to unite with the global community in a worldwide celebration of the planet; anyone who believes a solution to our environmental challenges is possible through the aggregate of our actions.
18. What energy/carbon reductions have resulted from Earth Hour in previous years?
Earth Hour does not purport to be an energy/carbon reduction exercise, it is a symbolic action. Therefore, we do not engage in the measurement of energy/carbon reduction levels.
19. How can I help with Earth Hour in more ways than just turning out my lights?

For Earth Hour 2011 we are asking people, businesses and governments to go beyond the hour, to make a commitment to an act of ongoing change that benefits the planet. There are limitless things you can do on top of switching off your lights to take Earth Hour beyond the hour. Have a look at the ‘How to…’ guides page on this website for some ideas.
20. What does Earth Hour hope to achieve?
Earth Hour aims to unite communities around environmental issues by creating a forum where individuals can discuss ecological resolutions with like-minded people, by creating a channel though which businesses can exchange sustainable practices with their competitors, by building a platform that enables governments to showcase environmental leadership, and by ultimately establishing a global network of individuals, corporations and governments who are committed to the collective resolve of tackling the world’s environmental challenges.
21. How is Earth Hour 2011 different from 2010?
Earth Hour 2010 saw individuals, communities, businesses and governments across the globe come together in a moment of unity for the planet, to show the world what can be done through collective action. Earth Hour 2011 asks participants to change by committing to an act that benefits the environment and celebrating their commitment to the planet with the people of the world by participating in Earth Hour. Earth Hour 2011 is not the culmination of a climate campaign. It’s the start of a journey of behavioural change for individuals, sustainable practice for businesses, and leadership of governments on the path to global environmental reform.
22. Aren't you using a lot of electricity and resources to promote this event?
Earth Hour operations are run in a cost effective manner and apply donors' funds according to the highest standards of accountability and sustainability. We also consider and/or incorporate other climate or environmental issues as determined by the Earth Hour team and its partners.
23. Whose idea was Earth Hour?
Earth Hour came from a think tank initiated by Earth Hour Executive Director and Co-Founder, still a degree of scepticism and denial about the issue of climate change. Earth Hour came as the inspiration to rally people to the reality of climate change and start a dialogue about what we as individuals can do to help address the greatest problem facing our planet today.
24. What is Earth Hour’s relationship with WWF? Does WWF own Earth Hour?
WWF Australia co-founded Earth Hour in Sydney in 2007, facilitating Earth Hour’s rapid worldwide growth through its connection to WWF’s global network. With a presence in more than 70 countries, WWF continues to play a valuable partner role, ensuring a solid foundation and support network on which to deliver a truly global environmental message throughout the year.
25. Who are the Earth Hour partners?
Earth Hour began as a WWF-led initiative in Australia in 2007 in partnership with brand co-owners, Fairfax Media and Leo Burnett. All three partners decided from the beginning, however, that expanding Earth Hour’s global reach would require working in partnership with any organization. Earth Hour’s message has spanned the world with the help of many global partners.
26. Do you have requirements or regulations about who can or cannot partner with Earth Hour?

Any partner must uphold and support the aims and principles of Earth Hour. These include encouraging individual and community engagement on environmental issues. Encouraging conscious decisions to change the way we live in order to affect environmental reform, without the use of scare tactics or shaming.
27. Does Earth Hour welcome the support of other NGOs (Non-Government Organisations) and NFP's (Not for Profits)?
Absolutely. In fact, the success of Earth Hour would not be possible without the support of other NGOs and NFPs. Global organizations such as the World Organization of the Scout Movement and the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts have been pivotal in spreading the Earth Hour message, while in some countries where there is no WWF presence, Earth Hour campaigns are orchestrated entirely by other NGOs and NFPs who share the same non-aggressive, guilt-free approach to addressing environmental issues taken by Earth Hour..
28. Are there any other social media outlets or forums for Earth Hour?
Yes, here is the most comprehensive list we have right now:
Current Earth Hour Global Social Media Profiles
• Facebook Group
• MySpace
• Flickr Photostream
• Twitter
More global profiles on additional networks are developing everyday.
29. What does the Earth Hour logo mean?
The standard Earth Hour '60' logo represents the 60 minutes of Earth Hour where we focus on the impact we are having on our planet and take positive action to address the environmental issues we face. For Earth Hour 2011 we have introduced the ‘60+’ logo representing a commitment to add to Earth Hour a positive act for the planet that goes beyond the hour. Please publish the logo and pass the word wherever you can and show your support for our Planet!!

20 THINGS TO DO WITH THE LIGHTS OFF!
If you are not sure how you should be celebrating Earth Hour this year, here are some helpful suggestions on what to do:

1. Invite your friends over for a earth friendly cocktail hour and candlelit dinner.
2. Get those board games out and have some game time with friends & family in the dark.
3. Lie down and star gaze. Stars are more easily seen the less lighting there is.
4. Do something "crafty" by candlelight: paint, mould, stick, knit, quilt, paint, or?
5. Got kids? Get out the camping gear! Set up a tent and tell stories of when there was no artificial lighting, how it must have been to live in that time.
6. Play a real game of hide & seek with the kids. It has to be even more of a challenge in the dark!
7. Go to sleep early! You never get enough sleep, so here is the perfect excuse to catch up on some zzz’s.
8. While the lights are off, it’s the perfect time to change any old bulbs for new energy saving ones.
9. Why not eat all the ice-cream that's sitting in your freezer? If you've turned your appliances off along with lights for Earth Hour, then it's just melting anyway!
10. Soak in a warm tub and enjoy the silence and solitude you rarely get.
11. Plant a tree to serve as the center of next year’s celebration of Earth Hour.
12. Meditate to encourage an inner peace & tranquility in your life throughout the year.
13. Exercise. You don’t need lights to workout!
14. Read a book like they did in the old days with no distractions from television.
15. Take the dog for a walk with a flashlight. You’ll both benefit from the activity.
16. Make a list of ways you and your family can carry on the commitment to be more earth friendly throughout the year.
17. Write a personal letter to a loved one. No impersonal email this time!
18. Sing around the campfire and roast some marshmallows.
19. Arrange a candlelit massage. Your eyes are closed anyway!
20. Take advantage of that dark, alone time to spend some “amorous” time with that special someone.
Or great advice is to check out your local Earth Hour site and see if there's a place near you that will get plunged into darkness at 8.30pm on March 26th and go there to celebrate!

Let us know what you will be doing during this year's Earth Hour, we’d love to know what creative ideas you have to share with us!

SUMMARY:
Be a part of Earth Hour 2011; add your voice and take action, encourage others to join the hundreds of millions across every continent who have already spoken as one on behalf of the planet. Together we can make a difference! For further details on how you can participate in Earth Hour plus take Earth Hour - "Beyond the Hour" refer to www.earthhour.org/beyondthehour or contact us at the Costa Rica Hotel Makanda by the Sea for more details on how we are committing to make a difference for our Planet!

Check out this inspiring Earth Hour 2011 video to see what our planet’s voice looks like. It’s an awesome power when we are work as one!!

EARTH HOUR 2011 OFFICIAL VIDEO

FLICKER PHOTO SHARE FOR EARTH HOUR 2011

AUTHOR:
Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

SOURCES:
www.earthhour.org
www.wwf.org
http://www.girlscouts.org/who_we_are/global/wagggs/
http://scout.org/

Dos Pinos….Setting the Dairy Standard in Costa Rica!

2011-02-27T12:03:00.000-08:00

Spend only hours in Costa Rica and you are still likely to come across the ubiquitous brand of Dos Pinos. Easily the most popular and profitable Dairy Operation in Costa Rica (and much of Central America), their milk, ice cream, yogurts, cheeses and other varied list of dairy (and other) products can be found in every Costa Rica Hotel, business, restaurant and private household in the county, crossing over all social classes.

Corporate Mission:
“To manufacture and market, ethically and professionally, products with high nutritional value for our current and potential consumers, maintaining the highest quality and level of service provided by employees committed to our values and the use of the best technology available.”

Corporate Information:
A market leader in the production of foods, consisting mainly of dairy products, Dos Pinos is committed to their consumers, clients, suppliers, producers, and employees to maintain the high standard they have set for themselves since the 1940’s. Some handy stats about the company:
• Number-one company in National sales
• Process 85% of commercial milk in Costa Rica
• Main provider of raw material for both dairy and beef cattle
• Enterprise voted as one of the Best Work Environments
• Named Costa Rica’s Top Business of the 20th century
• Awarded the nation’s Best Exporter (2004)
• One of the most outstanding dairy production businesses in Latin America, according to Nutrition Magazine, which named Dos Pinos “Central America’s Little Giant”.

Background:
The new spacious Dos Pinos facility in El Coyol de Alajuela, spreads across 21 hectares of land and is the successful culmination of an initiative started in 1947. At that time, a group of 25 milk producers decided to form the Dairy Producers Dos Pinos Cooperative, R. L., in order to avoid pricing abuses in the supply of raw materials for milk production and with the goal in supporting smaller dairy farmers. Consisting of some 1,300 affiliate producers throughout the country, Dos Pinos now employs more than 2,600 people, processing 85% of the commercial milk in the country. Equal to using around 220 million kilos a year, with more than 300 different dairy products available, specialists in the history of Costa Rican & International dairies recognize that the success of the original dairy producers initiative, was only possible thanks to the positive environment, both political and natural, of the country of Costa Rica.

As the years have passed, Dos Pinos has transcended the borders of Costa Rica, and it currently markets it’s products in Nicaragua, Honduras, San Andrés, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Mexico, Guatemala, Panama and the United States. After great effort, and by paying attention to the tastes and the cultures of possible consumers, Dos Pinos has successfully begun to dominate most of these expanding markets. In order to achieve this, the consistency of the Dos Pinos Cooperative's production has continually fulfilled the expectations of the expanded cross border market, guaranteeing their sucess. This once again has enabled Dos Pinos to be recognized in 2002 as a leader with the “Excellence in Exportation” (Mérito Exportador) award.

History:
Looking back on the history of Dos Pinos, in the first four years of operation, the new Cooperative produced only food for the country's livestock, a role it still plays today. `With 200 affiliates at this point, the Cooperative decided to acquire a lot in Barrio Luján, to buy machinery, and to build its own building, with the goal of eventually installing a processing plant for their dairy products. The mark of distinction was the name Dos Pinos (Two Pines), which was created for it’s growing number of products such as cheese and butter, which were being found more and more on the tables of Costa Ricans. Although the animal feed factory was inaugurated one year after its establishment, it was in 1952 when the first milk and butter processed and pasteurized in the company plant were sold. In 1953 the gears of the first ice cream plant started to turn. The Cooperative saw substantial growth from this point on, to include the implementation of the first processing plant for powdered milk, donated by the UNICEF, in 1955; the production of chocolate milk in 1958; and the establishment of the cheese plant in 1959.

In the 60s, four important stand out products emerged. The ever popular Pinito fortified milk, egg nog (known as Rompope), and the famous ice cream pops, Cremoletas and Chocoletas. The previous year was also a productive one, as the first yogurt was put on sale, milk was packed in cardboard cartons, and ripe cheese was put on the market. The year 1967 saw the construction of what would undoubtedly become an important stimulus to the rural economy: the Milk Receiving Center in San Carlos, while at the same time, the first refrigerated trucks begain selling Dos Pinos products outside the greater San Jose area to mark the beginning of a vast distribution channel for it’s ever widening selections of products across the Caribbean and Central American continent.

From the 1970s on, the development of the Dos Pinos Cooperative had become unstoppable. The company, now thriving on a growing profit margin, started the production of sour cream, buttermilk, dulce de leche (a type of caramel), Certomy, a cereal with powdered milk, and the ice creams Krunchy Krisp and Queque Helado (Ice Cream Cake). They then expanded slightly out of the dairy product area with the arrival of orange juice (to be followed by many other juices), enabling the expansion of additional milk-receiving centers in Tilarán, Zarcero, and the official inauguration of the San Carlos Powdered Milk Plant. This continued on through the 80’s & 90’s and continues to this day, with the ongoing modernization of all aspects of the Dos Pinos operation and the continual addition of a new and ever expanding list of products.

Environmental Management:
Dos Pinos being aware of it’s corporate footprint and the importance of preserving and taking care of the environment, has implemented a variety of programs and projects that reinforce their commitment to the environment. They are continually working on the reduction of emissions, and the use of high technology for their wastewater treatment, both serving as a part of a system of cleaner production, which has shown impressive results. Utilizing a System of Environmental Administration which allows Dos Pinos to monitor, minimize and control the impacts of its daily activities, while fulfilling national and international regulations, the company prides itself on creating a healthy and safe work environment for all employees. With their eyes on the future of the company, Dos Pinos has been working to obtain the coveted ISO 14001 certification for all of it’s production plants, reaffirming it’s Corporate environmental and quality commitment.

So……whether you live here in Paradise, are on vacation in Costa Rica, or have traveled to Central America previously and seen or tasted one of the many Dos Pinos products,
this company is one of the few in Costa Rica that year after year gains more market share and garners more awards for their consistent commitment to quality and high customer service standards. It is their ongoing commitment to quality assurance that gave rise to Dos Pinos choosing the company slogan “Always something better”, as a symbol of their ongoing efforts to improve, while encouraging each individual worker to bring these words to life each and every day.

Now? After all that, I’m hungry and you probably are too, so head to the local “Pulperia” (corner market) and buy some of that Dos Pinos ice cream now! So yummy and easily found literally ANYWHERE in Costa Rica!!

AUTHOR:
Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

Source:
www.dospinos.com

Costa Rica Classic International Billfish Tournament Returns to Quepos Costa Rica!

2011-02-18T15:16:00.000-08:00

Quepos, Costa Rica, long considered one of the top sport fishing destinations in Costa Rica, plays host to the popular Costa Rica Classic International Billfish Tournament to be held March 10-12, 2011.

The Costa Rica Classic International Billfish Tournament which in years past was hosted in Quepos, had been held

Join us for the Costa Rica Classic!!

at the Los Suenos Marina in previous years, but once again returns to our popular area. This classic match up of some of the top International and Local Anglers will take the town by storm, with proceeds set to benefit the Boomer Esiason Foundation. This World renowned event is scheduled to be held at the brand new Marina Pez Vela, Quepos’ newest tourist attraction. Many nearby Manuel Antonio Hotels, as well as Hotels in Quepos will be offering special room rates for anglers, their crews and other fishing aficionados, but don’t wait too long, as space is limited for this popular fishing event!

The Event
The welcoming Cocktail Reception will be held March 10th at Hotel Mariposa in Manuel Antonio. Fishing teams will consist of a minimum two anglers per boat with

Offshore Fishing at it's Best!!

up to six anglers per boat permitted. Individual anglers will be assigned to a team by tournament directors. This is a “Benefit Tournament” and modified IGFA rules apply. This is a Gentlemen’s tournament, and we are here to have fun, catch fish, make friends and help a great cause. THE HONOR SYSTEM APPLIES. Fishing on March 11 and 12 are lines in at 8:30am and out at 3:30pm, boats can depart the marina at 6:20am but no lines in the water until

8:30am. Boats must be back at the docks by 5:30pm. No electric reels are permitted, all rods, reels, line and leader must meet IGFA specifications. Any Billfish, Marlin, Stripe Marlin, Sailfish, Spearfish, Swordfish, regardless of size will be released in accordance with IGFA and tournament rules.

The Cause
The Boomer Esiason Foundation is a dynamic partnership of leaders in the medical and business communities joining with a committed core of volunteers to heighten awareness, education and the quality of life for those affected by cystic fibrosis,

Help us help this great cause!

while providing financial support to research aimed at finding a cure. The Boomer Esiason Foundation’s staff is comprised of individuals with expertise in cystic fibrosis and program development, event planning and fundraising, marketing and communications, and management. The Board of Directors includes leaders in the business community who generously give of their time and resources in support of BEF’s critical mission. These dedicated people may come from all walks for life, but they all agree on one thing: they’ll do whatever it takes to beat cystic fibrosis. This is more than just a fishing tournament, this could help change people’s lives!

Quepos, Costa Rica
Boasting some 17 IGFA Records, Quepos, Costa Rica is considered one of the best locations in the world for big game sportfishing. A small town some 160 km from

The town of Quepos, Costa Rica

the capital city of San Jose, Quepos can be found on Costa Rica's central Pacific Coast, only 2.5 hours driving or a quick 25 minute domestic flight from the Juan Santa Maria International Airport. Although wildly popular for it’s sport fishing, the town of Quepos is conveniently located only minutes from Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica’s most visited and popular Park. Tourists are not only afforded fantastic fishing opportunities, but a wide variety of other tours and activities are readily available only minutes from local Costa Rica Hotels, fine restaurants, spas and bars. The town

center is a 5 block square filled with many eateries, farmers markets, art galleries and souvenier shops, all situated near the new beach front sea wall. If you happen to visit here during festival times, the streets are filled with dancing, parades and local concerts.

The Marina Pez Vela
Located in one of the most spectacular fishing locations in the world, Marina Pez Vela in Quepos, Costa Rica when completed will offer all

the amenities and services you’d expect to find in a five-star marina resort. Touted to soon be the finest full service marina you will find in all of Central America, just one visit to the 55+ acres of land and water at Marina Pez Vela will exceed the expectations of even the most demanding sportfishing, boating and yachting enthusiasts. Presently under continuing construction, the 300 concrete floating dock slips will eventually accommodate boats up to 200 feet. The first 100 slips opened June 2010 and surround the perimeter of the basin which will offer complete amenities of a first class marina facility. The marina slips are available for sale (with revenue sharing when rented out) or available for short and long-term renting. From 35' up to 200', Marina Pez Vela has opened up a new opportunity for boaters to explore the finest waters in all of Central America. Once you arrive here, you will not want to leave!

How Can I Participate?
For further information about this fun and important fishing event, I invite you to check out the official Costa Rica Classic website at www.costaricaclassic.com or for further information about Cycstic Fibrosis and how you can support or donate to this worthy cause, please check out their website at www.esiason.org.

What Else??
The Quepos area will also play host to the upcoming Costa Rica Challenge,

another popular fishing tournament scheduled for March 17-20, 2011. So, if you’re busy in early March, you still have time to catch the “Big One” later that month! This will be the 3rd Annual CF & MS Fishing Tournament benefiting the Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, both important causes that desperately need your support! Join us where the Rainforest Meets the Sea for one or better yet, both of these popular fishing tournaments!

Check out some of the great action from a past tournament:

Author:
Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

Rehab & 12-Step in Costa Rica…Help & Hope for a Better Life!!

2011-01-27T10:25:00.000-08:00

The ever increasing problem of drug & alchohol abuse worldwide, as well as other addictive tendencies, has spawned a growing interest in affordable Recovery Programs and access to Self Help Groups for those seeking support with addiction and abuse issues. Costa Rica is a wonderful place to meet people and take the first “step” in becoming the person you always wanted to be, all in an active and health conscience environment! Many Costa Rica Hotels will even provide you with cheap or free transportation to attend these meetings during your vacation in Costa Rica, so there is no need to let travel interrupt your personal recovery, you can find the support you need wherever you go! These programs work if you work them, so why put this off another day? Today could be the first day of the rest of your life!

AA, 12-Step, NA, Overeaters, Gamblers Anonymous and many other such Self-Help Meetings and Recovery programs are available throughout Costa Rica, but many people don’t know where to look! This week, our special Guest Blogger: Ms. Vicki Skinner of Escazu, Costa Rica has been kind enough to share with us the information she has compiled on the subject. Beyond this valuable information, Vicki is an incredible source of many happenings throughout Costa Rica and more specifically the Escazu area. You can contact Vicki at: Vicki@CostaRicaResourceGuide.com, or better yet, follow her informative blog at: www.livinglifeincostarica.blogspot.com.

What AA is about:
Alcoholics Anonymous® is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for AA membership; it is self-supporting through it’s own contributions. AA is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy, neither endorses nor opposes any causes. The primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety. (In Costa Rica, most meetings are open to whatever substance abuse you may suffer, or they can direct you to more specific addiction meetings nearby.)

MEETINGS & SUPPORT GROUPS BY COMMUNITY IN COSTA RICA:
(Courtesy of www.costaricaAA.com. Listed in alphabetical order.)

ATENAS:
Meetings: WED 4pm Open, Reading 12/12, discussion
Location: Kay’s Gringo Postres, 60 meters west of the Red Cross (adjacent to Seguro Clinic)
Contact: Call Tom C. 2446-0664, 2446-4136

CAHUITA:
Meetings: TUE 3:3p to 4:30p
Location: 50 Meters east of police Station
Contact: Kate at 2755-0539 or 8384-4820

COBANO:
Meetings: TUE / THU / SAT 6-6:30p (longer if more people show up) AA/NA English/Spanish
Location: In front of school, on main street 50 meters left of El Monge (bigstore). There is a sign out on the street.
Contact: Ype Bolman at 2642-1201

DOMINICAL AREA:
Dominical/Uvita/Ojochal, Southern Pacific region, Puntarenas Province
Contact: Marguerite: 2770-2705 or Natalie: 8879-3347
Dominical
Meetings: SU 12p
Location: Pacific Plaza, far right corner outside under the gazebo
Uvita
Meetings: TU 11:30a
Location: Coastal Christian Fellowship – please call for directions
Ojochal
Meetings: TH 12noon
Location: Gringo Mike’s Pizza – please call for directions
Alanon: Wednesday 9am at Gringo Mike’s Pizza in Ojochal

ESCAZU:
Location: International Baptist Church, Guachipelin
Meetings: MON 12p Big Book | STARTING NOV 2010: TU 7a Meditation | WED 12p Step | THU 12p Living Sober | FRI 8am Open Discussion | FRI 7pm Speaker Discussion | SAT 9am Open
Contact: Brian 2589-0526 or cell 8314-4532

GRECIA:
Meetings: MON, WED & FRI 12noon | Mon & Fri is open discussion, Wed is a Step Study. All are closed AA meetings.
Location: Grecia Centro AA Club
Contact: Jay 2494-0578

HEREDIA:
Meetings: TU & TH 11:30am // SA 10am
Location: From Los Angeles Park at Ave. 6 and Calle 9, go south two blocks to Ave 10. Go right about 2/3 between Calle 8 to Calle 10 is the Hogar Salvando al Alcohólico..
Contact: Laura C. 2267-7466

JACO:
Meetings: TU, TH, SA 10am (TU is a Step meeting)
Location: On the main street in Jacó across from Banco Nacionál, upstairs in the building with the clock at the top of it
Contact: Nancy 8380-8259 or Stewart 8306-3552

MANUEL ANTONIO/QUEPOS AREA:
Meetings: Everyday 10am in the Tiki Hut
Location: El Mono Azul Hotel & Restaurant on road to beach, right hand side
**There are also AA meetings nightly at Hotel Gaia 6pm in Spanish (translators avail)

NOSARA ON THE NICOYA PENNINSULA:
Meetings: MON 6:30pm @ the Zen Café THUR 6pm
Location: Yoga House in Playa Guiones

PLAYA FLAMINGO:
Meetings: TU & FR 5:30pm
Location: At the Hitching Post Plaza, Office #2.
Contact: Don 2654-4902 or David 2654-9120

PLAYAS DEL COCO:
Meetings: MO, WE, FR 6pm
Location: In Playas del Coco, on the way to Playa Ocotal after 2nd bridge, left, Coco Condos at marina loft.
Contact: Max 8917-2222 or John 2672-1163, 8897-9951

TAMARINDO:
Meetings: MO 5:30pm Step / TH 6:30pm Open / SA 10:30a Open
Location: Next to the Caracola Restaurant in the Rotunda.
Contacts: Ellen 2653 0897 or 8346-7640 Steve 8377-1529 or 2653-2497

PUERTO VIEJO:
#1 Meetings: MWF 1pm
Location: Pro Niño building in Puerto Viejo center, adjacent to the soccer field
#2 Meetings: Saturday 9am
Location: Serenity on the Beach in front of the Banana Azul Hotel
Contacts: Eddie 2750-0080, 2750-0235 or 8811-3448 or Colin 2750-2035

SAN JOSE:
Meetings: SUN 9:15am | MON-SAT 12 Noon
#1 Location: Floor 2, Ave 6 y Calle 1
Contact: Dennis 8385-4035 or Jim 8815-0549
#2 Location: Calle 3 y Ave 2
Hours: M-F 1-6, SA 10-1
Contacts: 2255-4108 Spanish speaking only

ZANCUDO (NEAR GOLFITO):
Meetings: SU 4p and impromptu
Location: at Cabinas Los Cocos.
Contacts: Susan or Andrew 2776-0012

ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO DEAL WITH “ICTIONS”:
(Courtesy of Vicki Skinner www.livinglifeincostarica.blogspot.com.)

These are some amazingly successful resources that year after year are showing some really impressive results for people seeking to rid themselves and stay off their various "ictions". All services are on a completely outpatient basis:
**Eugene "Gene" McDonalds - Auriculotherapist
Auriculotherapy Tel: 8352-0661 www.AcupunctureCostaRica.com Escazu - Centro
Gene uses a very unique machine that provides amazing results! Like acupuncture, but without needles; an electric stim type contraption goes around the acupressure points inside your ears which effects the function of various important organs, etc. (This method shows incredible results and is from Chinese medicine dating back thousands of years.)
**Suzanne Noel – Certified Recovery Trainer
Contact her directly at inner_wisdoms@yahoo.com Tel: 2483-1602 or 8372-0347
A Certified Recovery Focusing Trainer, Suzanne has gotten incredible reviews from her clients regarding their success. For more information: www.InnerWisdoms.com/id4.html
**Cia Ricco - Psychotherapist/Addiction Specialist
CiaRicco@gmail.com or cia@live-life.com or micorazon@racsa.co.cr Tel: 1-518-325-7444-U.S. Cia has a variety of treatment programs at her beautiful place in Nicoya. Cia is a body-centered psychotherapist who divides her time between Costa Rica, New York City, and the East Coast of the US. She is the author of "Living As If Your Life Depended On It: Twelve Gateways for a Life That Work." For more information check out: www.live-life.com.
**Nick Russi - Interventions (World Wide)
NickRussi@OasisTropical1.com Tel: 1-415-287-0952-US# that rings to him or 2427-9952-Costa Rica Facility or 8371-1661-Nick’s cell

REHABILITATION TREATMENT CENTERS:
Here is a partial list of English speaking programs in Costa Rica from a google search, so it is woefully incomplete and pricing may not be accurate. I have no personal connection or experience with any of these centers, but hope that they will provide a starting point for those seeking help and resources for their addiction issues and they don’t know where else to turn. A more thorough search is possible by contacting IAFA. The website is in Spanish, but can be translated via Google. IAFA is the government agency responsible for licensing programs within Costa Rica.

Costa Rica Recovery Treatment for Substance Abuse Disorders
www.CostaRicaRecovery.net or CostaRicaRecovery@yahoo.com
Tel: 2220-1713 or 2291-8805 or 8895-9045-hotline Toll Free: 1-866-804-1793-U.S.
The provide 4 levels of care to include traditional Hazelden Method along with yoga, meditation, mindfulness, dialect behavioral therapy, transactional analysis, cognitive behavior, motivational enhancement & psychotherapy. They do their 12-step meetings outside of the facility to assimulate more real day-to-day situations. They also have a half-way house on "campus".
Their 4 Goal Principals are:
#1 - Abstinence
#2 - Personalized 12-step outside center
#3 - Be connected with a 12-step outside center
#4 - Improved Quality of Life.
Their focus is getting the substance abuser off the substance of choice.
LOCATION: Rohrmoser (about 1km from U.S. Embassy)
PROGRAM: $3,500/1st month, $2,600/thereafter
OWNER: Jim Dopp

Tropical Oasis
www.OasisTropical1.com or NickRussi@OasisTropical1.com
Tel: 1-415-287-0952 or 1-866-921-3778 or 2427-9952-Costa Rica Facility
Tropical Oasis offers a full spectrum of chemical dependency and co-occuring treatment services for adults; from detox and residential inpatient through day treatment and intensive outpatient services.
LOCATION: Orotina
PROGRAM:
• Detox - $300 per day
• Residential Treatment (30 days) - $7,900
• Day treatment - $200 per day
• Intensive Outpatient (20 sessions) - $3,000
OWNERS: Nick and his dad Bob Russi

New Hope
www.CostaRicaNewHope.com or info@CostaRicaNewHope.com Tel: 1-866-918-8302-U.S. or 2213-1954 in Costa Rica
This program provides all aspects of addiction elimination and recovery with a personalized program for each patient.
LOCATION: Mountains above Heredia, 30 minutes from Juan Santamaria (SJO) International Airport.
PROGRAM: $7,500/month for a single diagnosis and single occupancy
OWNERS: Bill and Dakmare Bayless

Casa Serenidad
www.Serenidad.net/en info@Serenidad.net Tel: 2273-0407 or 2273-0507 in Costa Rica or 1-310-402-2698 (US)
Highly qualified health professionals in areas such as psychiatry, medicine, psychology, personal physical conditioning, physical therapy and spiritual counseling, among others. All of them committed in promoting the patients well-being, during and after admission, by giving support in the search for the solution to their behavioral, emotional and dependency problems.
LOCATION: Cartago Area
PROGRAM: Prices are based on necessary treatments.
OWNERS: Dr. Francisco Jiménez Martén - Medical Director

IS A.A. FOR YOU?
Only you can decide whether you want to give A.A. a try —

Those who are in A.A. came because they finally gave up trying to control their drinking. They still hated to admit that they could never drink safely. Then they heard from other A.A. members that they were “sick”. They found out that many people suffered from the same feelings of guilt and loneliness and hopelessness that they did. They found out that they had these feelings because they had the disease of alcoholism. They decided to try and face up to what alcohol had done to them. Here are some of the questions they tried to answer honestly. If they answered YES to four or more questions, they were in deep trouble with their drinking and knew it was time to seek help. See how you do. Remember, there is no disgrace in facing up to the fact that you have a problem. If you would like to read more about addiction and ways to overcome this disease, please click here, as help is just around the corner and there are many people out there that want to help you help yourself!

IMPORTANT ENDING NOTE:
The most visible rehab entity you will see throughout Costa Rica are the members of Hogar Crea. Commonly seen in their yellow printed t-shirts selling pencils or other little trinkets at street corners, bus stops or other high traffic areas, the money they collect goes to support their on-going treatment costs for their many regionally run rehab centers. They depend greatly on your generosity, so please don’t ignore or avoid them. I always give them the usual 1000 colones ($2) and let them keep the pen/pencil or whatever they are selling to allow them to sell the item again. However!!! Last week they were peddling what looked like little tennis balls, but when you opened them, they expanded to little facial towels. BONUS!! They sold more than 10,000 colones worth of these trinkets in 5 minutes, as we almost never see facial towels in Costa Rica and everyone wanted one (including the tourists!). Since it is very hot and humid in our beach town of Manuel Antonio, this was the best buy yet!
So…..Go HOGAR CREA!! And for the rest of you that might be suffering from addiction or affected by someone with an addiction problem……there is an entire community out there waiting to take you into their arms, today is the day why wait??

AUTHOR:
Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

SOURCES:
www.costaricaaa.com
www.aa.org
www.livinglifeincostarica.blogspot.com

Tico Tarzan! Can we ever get enough of this Costa Rica Adventure?

2011-01-16T13:38:00.000-08:00

BROUGHT BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!! At least once a month someone asks me about "Chito", better known as "Tico Tarzan", so I thought I would repeat this post!

Imagine upon moving to a foreign country one of the first persons you meet is fondly known by all as ¨Tico Tarzan¨! Officially named Gilberto Shedden, this 50 year old Costa Rica native fisherman, better known to his friends as "Chito", has gained this nickname by training and playing with his good friend “Pocho”. I know you’re thinking it’s a cute little monkey or chimp, thus the title ¨Tarzan¨, but you would be VERY mistaken. Pocho is Chito´s fully grown, pet American Crocodile! Rolling the large reptile on its back, pushing his head of razor sharp teeth under and above the water, as well as tenderly kissing Pocho right on the nose, this is no average Tarzan by any means! Even for Chito, who grew up in the jungles of Costa Rica, their games are much more than a planned tourist trap spectacle, it is a clear demonstration of an unusual friendship established over time between a normally dangerous crocodile and an anything but normal human who saw one of God’s creatures in need.

The unusual friendship with Pocho began more than 17 years ago when Chito found the then two meter American Crocodile adrift in the Parismina River. Located deep in the many miles of winding and remote natural and artificial canals of Tortuguero on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, the hapless crocodile had received a bullet in the head and was in bad shape and unlikely to live. Chito, a character that truly defies description, who is well known for the soft spot in his heart for any and all animals, took the injured crocodile into his humble home and nursed him back to health over the next several months. Feeding him small pieces of chicken and gently stroking him and doctoring his wounds, Pocho was amazingly receptive to the attention and over the next several months a special bond was created between the two.

I’ll never forget the first time we went to Chito´s house to have a few ¨cervezas¨ and Chito wanted to introduce us to his new friend. With Chito, you never knew what to expect, but nonetheless, I was a bit taken aback when he opened a door and there was Pocho! As a ¨newbie¨ to Costa Rica and this small Caribbean Village on the Atlantic side of Costa Rica, I kept thinking to myself, ¨Can this be normal?¨ Happily, it is not, but as one gets to know the eccentric Chito, it just really did not seem that odd either, as he always had a menagerie of wild animals that he was in the process of nursing back from the dead, with the hope of returning them to the wild!

Living in such a remote location, and being of humble means, a veterinarian was not in the cards for Chito or Pocho, so the entire care and recuperation of the crocodile fell on Chito himself. When it was thought Pocho had recovered sufficiently to survive on his own once again, Chito left his beloved Crocodile pet in a small nearby pond to carry out the many years he would hopefully have left in his life. But even to Chito´s surprise, the reptile chose to leave the water, following Chito back to his house and instead choosing to live in the canal in front of Chito´s property. Realizing that Pocho and he had apparently cemented a unique new friendship, daily visits and swimming sessions became part of their incredible bonding process and a source of much entertainment for the locals. Much to the dismay of family and friends, Chito continued to swim and play with the rapidly growing crocodile, teaching him a series of commands, including death rolls, tail slaps, back floats, belly rubs, swims and skims and even closing his eyes on cue!

As word spread of the crazy antics of Chito and Pocho, the entrepreneurial light bulb went off in Chito´s head. People began to naturally seek these two characters in the remote village of Barra de Parismina to see for themselves this incredible phenomenon, but this proved difficult due
to the remote location of this small village. Now relocated to a small lake on Chito´s other farm on the outskirts of the town of Siquirres, this unlikely duo attracts multitudes of people, both National and International travelers weekly to experience for themselves the ¨Tico Tarzan Show¨. Dressed only in well worn shorts and his customary sweat band in place on his forehead, Chito enters the water with absolutely no safety equipment or even ambulance drivers on call, where he leads Pocho, and at times Pocho leads Chito, through a series of acrobatic stunts and amazing tricks, including the lifting and slapping of his enormous tail with great force on the water, as visitors look on at the gigantic reptile in amazement from the safety of the railing of the ¨typical¨ style lakeside restaurant or ¨soda¨.

It is estimated that Pocho is around 50 years old, weighs approximately 990 pounds and measures in the area of 4.5 meters. The American Crocodile is a species of crocodilian found primarily in Central America. It is the most widespread of the four species of crocodiles found on the entire American Continent. Populations occur from the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of southern Mexico to South America and stretching as far as Peru and even Venezuela. There is a remnant population of about 2000 in Florida, United States. The habitat of the American crocodile consists largely of coastal areas, though they are quite common in canals and other inlets, so caution should be exercised when in these areas. The American crocodile is larger than some other crocodile species, with some males reaching lengths of 6.1 metres (20 ft) in Central and South America. Full grown adult males of this species have no natural predators and are capable of preying on virtually any animal unfortunate enough to be at the waters edge. It is estimated they can live up to 70 years in captivity, so Chito and Pocho may continue to entertain us for many years to come, barring any accidents that is!

Author: Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

A Costa Rican Christmas in that Special "Tico" Style!!

2010-12-23T08:20:00.000-08:00

seen the real thing. Many of the floats in the yearly ¨Festival de la Luz¨, were decorated in fluffy white cotton fabrics to give the impression of snow, and many holiday participants threw white confetti at each other, also meant to simulate snow. This year, the municipality put a firm hand down on the throwing of this confetti due to safety factors, as well as the high cost of clean-up afterwards. In years past, there have been many complaints from innocent bypassers walking to work who were suddenly blanketed from head to toe in the white confetti.

Costa Rica´s animal lovers wait anxiously each year for ¨El Tope Nacional¨ usually held the day after Christmas on December 26th. This parade includes marching bands,

clowns and other strange characters, but is most popular for featuring some 6000 of Costa Rica´s most beautiful high stepping horses, as well as the famous colorful hand painted oxcarts. These fabulous detailed oxcarts were originally pulled by people, then by oxen, and now are rarely used in day to day work, but are considered historical works of art cherished by the Costa Rican people.

The traditional Christmas tree, more often decorated in hues of blue, gold, silver,

white and maybe a little red, is accompanied by another important decoration, the ¨Portal¨. The Portal is the representation of the birth of Jesus, with the figures of Mary, Joseph, the three wise men, the ox and the mule. The most important figure in Costa Rica is the Baby Jesus. In Costa Rica, Santa Claus doesn't bring the Christmas gifts, those are brought by Baby Jesus on Christmas Eve. Called ¨La Nochebuena", it is said that while the family is sleeping, the Baby Jesus appears at the portal and the gifts magically appear under the tree for the morning of the 25th. That is when all family members typically gather around the tree and pray, thanking Baby Jesus for all the good that has passed that year, followed by the opening of the gifts Baby Jesus has bestowed upon them.

The Christmas menu is extensive, but the focus is around the preparing and eating of typical Costa Rican "tamales". The true "tamal" base is of ground corn, which is

made into a thick dough that is later filled with small amounts of rice, small slices of potatoes, vegetables, green olives, pork or chicken, and finally wrapped in fresh plantain leaves. They are then tied with string in pairs (known as ¨Piñas¨) and boiled until cooked through and through. Making "tamales" is a cherished tradition that involves the participation of many family members and friends, as this is a slow and laborious process taught by Grandmothers from one generation to another. I am lucky enough to have many Tico friends that take pity on my lack of knowledge (or motivation!) to make the tamales and each year give me the gift of the famous Tamal!

Easily, the most chaotic and perhaps crazy activity of the holiday season is the "Zapote Bullfights", held in the town of Zapote, just outside of downtown San

Jose. It is there that they build a special ¨Redondel¨ or Bull Ring, as well as erect a yearly improvised amusement park complete with carnival rides, amusement park games and a selection of "chinamos", or improvised food stands. It´s important to note that in the Costa Rican bullfights, the bulls are never harmed, or killed, though the “bullfighters” do not always fare so well (see videos below). The most prestigious cattle ranches provide the bulls for free and it is considered an honor to have their bulls included in this event. Beyond the actual riding of the large bulls (generally done in Costa Rica with NO hands), much more frightening are the bullfighters in the ring. These consist of ¨normal¨ people dressed in all kinds of crazy outfits, that willingly get into the arena in mass without any professional preparation to ¨fight¨ or spook the bulls, encouraging them to chase them around the arena. Incredibly, very few people get hurt or gored during this event, though the activity is definitely entertaining and a big headache for the local Red Cross which voluntarily provides it's emergency services during this yearly event. It´s interesting to note that this festival year after year draws Costa Ricans from all parts of the country and crosses all social classes.

The Holiday Season then officially ends on January 6th, the day the three wise men arrived and saw Baby Jesus for the first time. That day all the neighbors gather and say a special prayer for the Baby Jesus. This prayer is based on the rosary and traditional Christmas carols. Of course after the prayer, there's the indulging in

the famous Costa Rica coffee, along with more "Tamales", "Rompope" (Costa Rican Egg Nog), "Aguadulce" (a Sweet Water like juice) and all kinds of typical baked goods and other traditional beverages. Don´t forget the grapes (no seedless ones here) and the apples, which are considered very special treats here, as they are not readily available or very affordable and kids love them!

Lastly, Costa Rican Hotels and tourism operations around the country eagerly await the arrival of December to usher in their peak tourist season when winter weary snowbirds look to bask in the warm tropical weather and waters of Costa Rica, as well as enjoy the bounty of adventure tours and the beauty of Costa Rica´s incredible natural resources. I hope if you are reading this you are lucky enough to share in our bounty this Holiday Season!

MERRY CHISTMAS OR FELIZ NAVIDAD Y PROSPERO ANO NUEVO!

Author: Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent another 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

“Mamon Chino” in Costa Rica. Have you tried this exotic fruit yet?

2010-12-07T09:47:00.000-08:00

The "Mamon Chino", also known as “Rambutan”, is a colorful and interesting exotic fruit found on medium-sized tropical trees producing one of the most popular convenience snacks found in Costa Rica. Thought to be native to Malaysia, this fruit is also commonly found in Indonesia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia. The Mamo Chino is closely related to several other edible tropical fruits including the Lychee, Longan, and Mamoncillo. The name rambutan came from the Malay word rambut, whose literal translation means hairy, logical when you see the distinctive “hair” that covers the skin of this small fruit.

Description:
A hearty tree growing to an average height of 30-60 feet, the flowers are small and emit a faintly sweet pleasant scent. Mature trees in fruition brim with oval shaped fruit bunches that grow in a loose hanging clusters of around 10-20 specimens. The rather thick and clean peeling skin is generally reddish, orange or yellow in color and is covered with a thick hairy texture, making this fruit easy to identify. The coveted flesh of the fruit is translucent, whitish or a very pale pink, with a sweet, slightly acidic flavor, similar to that of grapes, but with it’s own uniquely tropical flavor. Be careful not to ingest the large single seed found buried within the sweet fleshy part, as it can be mildly poisonous when raw, but can be eaten when cooked properly. (I have personally never tried that, so anyone who has, feel free to chime in on how that works!) The seed is also said to be high in certain fats and oils valuable for industrial uses, as well as the oils are used to manufacture soap products. Beyond that, the roots of the Rambutan tree, as well as the bark and leaves are touted to have various medicinal uses and have been used in the production of certain dyes and coloring compounds.

What to do with the fruit:
A mainstay at Farmer’s Markets countrywide, roadside fruit stands are another great place to find the freshest Mamon Chino. Traditionally eaten by easily peeling the fruit with your fingers (it practically peels itself into two pieces) or you can often see locals open them with a quick flick of their teeth, popping the fruit directly into their mouth. The sweet creamy pulp of the fruit is easily enjoyed by putting the whole fruit inside the mouth and sucking on the pulp, remembering not to swallow the large seed. Disposing of the seed takes a practiced spitting launch, or better educated friends discreetly discard it into their hand or the bag the fruits came in. Despite the light color of the fruit's flesh, remember to be careful, as the juice will stain a dark brown color, the reason indigenous Indians used to use Rambutan to dye cloth. Though most commonly eaten fresh in Costa Rica, you can find Mamon Chino jams and jellies, and it is now even canned in some locations. It would be important for me to mention……when using the common Costa Rican name (Mamon Chino), its important to know that the word “mamón” in some Spanish-speaking countries can be slang for a “person who sucks”, or more commonly it can refer to a “large breast”. Just giving a fair warning to my friends before you go to the Farmers Market yelling “I want Mamones”!

Production:
When CAFTA (Central American Free Trade Agreement) was in negotiations throughout the region, Costa Rica noted that this new agreement presented an excellent opportunity to expand the production of this little known fruit to International markets. Costa Rica, having little actual data on the production of this fruit within the country had the government entity known as “MAG” (Ministerio de Agricultura), launch a nationwide in-depth study to find out more about the cultivators of this crop, with the hope of bringing them the economic benefits that would result from expansion to an International marketplace. The results of this extensive study, primarily conducted in Costa Rica’s “Brunca and Atlantic Región”, was the first stage of a strategic crop development plan conducted by Ingienero Leonte Llach Cordero for the National Program of Tropical Fruits, a division of MAG. The initial results are listed below:

Results of Study (Dec 2003)
• Total Cultivators 354
• Estimated Hectares in Production-720
• Approximate Total Production per year-5.5 millon kilos
• Number of Adult Trees (over 4 yrs)-46,365
• Number of Trees under 4 yrs-49,839
• Amount of Cultivators with less than 20 Hectars-350
• Amount of Cultivators with more than 20 Hectars-4
• Most productive season-July to September
• Percentage of Local Market Production-+90%
• Estimated number of trees per Hectar-100 trees

The results of this study were extremely helpful in furthering the development of this tropical fruit to be competitive in an international market. As the Ministerio de Agricultura (MAG) began a program to distribute some 40,000 tree starts to farmers, their enthusiasm, pioneer attitude and excellent farming practices, helped to dramatically increase overall production by a whopping 20% in only 6 yrs. This impressive number converted Costa Rica to be the top producer of Mamon Chino in all of Central America. Costa Rica now exports an incredible 1800 tons of this delicious fruit yearly.

So my friends, the next time you see these hairy little fruits at your Costa Rica Hotel, the local Farmer’s Market, local “Pulperia” (market), or a roadside fruit stand…… Stop! Buy!! Eat!! Don’t be afraid of them!!! Not only are these tropical delights delicious and convenient to snack on, but they also have specific nutritional qualities, as well as ancient medicinal uses that might come in handy one day. Just please remember no yelling “I want Mamones!” while in Costa Rica when you go shopping, or you might end up with a black eye!!

Author: Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

Sources:
http://www.mag.go.cr/biblioteca_virtual_economia_desarr_sociolog/rambutan_censo.pdf
http://www.simas.org.ni/revistaenlace/articulo/1091
http://costaricahoy.info
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rambutan
http://nal.usda.gov

Christmas Season Shopping in Costa Rica? Try the Golfito Duty Free Zone!

2010-11-12T11:12:00.000-08:00

Don’t let me be the bearer of bad news, but once again, Christmas is just around the corner. For those of you that have been lucky enough to survive another year of this recession, it’s time to start thinking about Christmas shopping. If you are considering some big ticket items, the duty free zone of Golfito might be just the place for you!

A Little History:
Once a bustling banana port, from 1938 to 1985, Golfito served as the headquarters of United Fruit’s banana operations in the southernmost part of Costa Rica. Creating an economy that had previously not existed, unfortunately the mid-1980s brought declining markets, higher export taxes, worker unrest and banana diseases forcing United Fruit’s departure from the area. Though some of the plantations successfully converted to the production of African Palm Oil, this move was not enough to sustain the job loss and economic blow caused when the company departed. Attracted by the World Class fishing within the Golfo Dulce region, Sport Fishermen have helped stimulate the development of new Costa Rica Hotels & Lodges, creating a flourishing tourist industry in the area. Nonetheless, the Golfo Dulce region and more specifically, the town of Golfito, have continued to struggle for survival, even after close to 20 years of economic stimulus in the form of a Duty Free Shopping Zone.

Government Incentives:
In the 1990’s, in an attempt to boost the region’s economy, the Costa Rica government approved a duty-free facility (déposito libre) in the northern part of the Golfo Dulce zone. Just the mention of the town of Golfito, brings the image of thousands of Ticos on any given day bustling around the rows of this fairly run down mega shopping complex, giving life to an otherwise dying town while shoppers hustle and hustlers shop. Keep in mind….the duty-free shopping is for Costa Rican Nationals and legal residents only, with the most popular purchases being the bigger ticket items. Unfortunately, as you will see below, this is not like a Sunday visit to the local mall, many restrictions apply which can complicate the shopping process, so be sure to read the details.

Rules and Regulations:
The Duty Free Zone was created to help stimulate visits to the region by giving Costa Rican residents a tax free zone to shop for their purchases. To get the most out of these visitors, specific rules were established in order to legally make these tax free purchases. First, exemption from sales taxes is only valid twice a year, with a total purchase amount that cannot exceed $1000 per buyer, per trip. Second, you must stay overnight in Golfito before taking advantage of the tax-free shopping, a requirement enacted to support the area’s family owned “cabinas” and boutique hotels. Third, as a guarantee of your overnight stay, a shopping authorization card (TAC) must be requested at the Customs Offices the day prior to shopping. Hours are Tuesday-Saturday from 8am-8pm, Mondays from 1pm-8pm and shoppers are required to present their valid Costa Rican “cedula” (identification card) when applying.

Hours and Shopping Limits:
When you begin your shopping at Golfito, its recommended to get an early start. Stores open from 8am-4:30pm Tuesday-Saturday and 7am- 2pm on Sundays. Stores are closed on Mondays. When checking out, you will be required to show the store personnel your shopping authorization card, so keep that handy. Remember, one card gives you the right to make a purchase for up to $1,000, though you can combine two cards (no more) for a total of $2,000. The other card can only belong to first-degree relatives such as parents, children, siblings or spouses. Naturally, there are “gavilones” or “tipos” that hang around the area that can arrange that you have sufficient “TAC” cards from “family” to make as many purchases as you need while in the area. Of course, I don’t condone or recommend these services, though they are amazingly efficient and quite convenient:-).

Why go Duty Free?
Though Golfito is no short drive, and the entire process is not exactly convenient, keep in mind that products are not subject to most import taxes, nor the normal 13% Costa Rica sales tax, as well as most products are highly discounted, so thrifty shoppers from around the country can save up to 50% on certain items throughout the year. For those looking for smaller ticket items such as perfumes, cosmetics, liquor, cigarettes, small appliances, tires, computer items, and an assortment of household goods, you might want to save going thru some of these inconvenient restrictions and drive a little further South to the Costa Rica-Panama border. At the border crossing, shoppers can purchase duty-free goods on a mystery strip of shops located between the two borders in the town of Paso Canoas. (You enter one door on the Costa Rica side, and exit the other side of the store on the Panamanian side!) No restrictions apply in this area, and both duty free zones can provide affordable delivery of your purchases throughout the country, but be sure to negotiate the price first!

So if you are planning a shopping jaunt to the port town of Golfito, consider making a short relaxing getaway out of the trip. (You’ll need it after the Golfito zoo.) With the new Costanera Sur highway, the drive is only around three hours from Manuel Antonio/Quepos Area Hotels, and the entire area offers small marinas, yachting and boating services, excellent sport fishing,
as well as easy access to some of Costa Rica’s most beautiful National Parks and protected areas. Although much of the tourism in the Golfito area focuses on the sport fishing industry, other water sports and beach activities are also popular pastimes, with incredible surfing beaches to the south of Golfito such as Playa Pavones; best known as home to one of Zancudo, Pilon and the famous the longest left hand breaking waves in the world. The friendly people of the area, and the fabulous natural wonders that abound make Golfito and the Golfo Dulce more than just a shopping excursion, the area is truly a
beautiful and relaxing place to stop and see more of fabulous Costa Rica! Happy Shopping!

Author:
Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

Sources:
http://costarica.com
http://www.golfito-costarica.com/golfito/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golfito
http://depositodegolfito.com/dlcg/

Halloween….in Costa Rica. A Happy Holiday? or Pagan Capitalist Celebration?

2010-10-22T09:09:00.000-07:00

Well, it’s almost that time of year again, October 31st, when countries like the USA, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, France and many other countries around the world celebrate Halloween. A mostly unfamiliar tradition in Costa Rica, it’s hard to explain to another culture why we would want to teach our children to dress up in costumes, go to strangers houses demanding candy, and if they don’t give it to you you should play a trick on them. Isn’t that pretty much against everything we teach our children these days?

Nonetheless, if you grew up in my day (many moons ago, trust me) when it was much safer to walk the streets at night, when knocking on strangers doors didn’t get you kidnapped, raped or killed, when we weren’t so concerned with childhood obesity, etc, we used to count down the days until our favorite holiday arrived…….Halloween! Decked out in our costumes and carrying our largest pillow case to hold our loot, as soon as the sun set, we literally ran from house to house yelling “trick or treat” and filling that pillow case (bags weren’t big enough!) with as much candy as we could possibly collect over the next few hours. When we arrived home, we spent hours, even days, carefully sorting through our treasure trove and stuffing the sweet stuff in our mouths….our sugar high lasted for months!!

In Costa Rica, Halloween will usually be celebrated with small private parties or used as a marketing opportunity by Costa Rica Hotels, as well as local Restaurants and Bars looking to attract customers during their notoriously low tourism season. Most Costa Ricans know little of Halloween and those that do often consider the holiday a celebration of satanic beliefs and definitely find little logic in encouraging their kids to beg for candy from strangers.

What to expect on Halloween
Halloween is celebrated yearly on October 31. Its roots date back to the Celtic Harvest Festival of “Samhain”, and it is often related with the Christian celebrations of “All Saints Day” and “All Souls Day”, though today Halloween is considered more of a secular celebration with less religious connotations involved. Some of the more common Halloween activities include “Trick or Treating” dressed up
in costumes, attending costume parties (mostly adults), playing tricks on people, bobbing for apples, carving pumpkins, visiting haunted houses (usually decked out for the occasion, not just naturally haunted houses), telling ghost stories and watching scary horror movies, as well as decorating your home or office with Halloween inspired decorations for the holiday (usually scary, bloody and gory stuff).

Happy Halloween or Pagan Holiday?
Halloween is believed to have originated with the Celtic festival of Samhain, roughly meaning "summer's end" and considered part of the celebration of the Celtic New Year. The Celtic culture at the time was ruled by a government that consisted of pagan priests, called Druids. The Druids were considered to be Satanists who controlled the lives of their followers through fear and intimidation, developing a culture wrought in death, sickness, and widespread destruction. The ancient Celts believed that the line between this world and the “other side” became thin on Samhain, allowing spirits (both good and bad) to pass from one world to the other. Developing yearly rituals around this belief, family's deceased ancestors were to be honored during this time, while harmful spirits were to be warded off. It is believed that the need to ward off those harmful spirits led to the wearing of costumes and masks to scare the bad spirits away, as well as the carved and lit “pumpkins” that were placed in front of houses for this same purpose.
As the Druids made their way from house to house on the night of October 31st demanding strange foods to not only eat themselves, but to also offer later at the “festival of death” (or the house would receive a “trick”). They would carry with them a large turnip type tuber, carved hollow inside with a candle that lit the carved face found on the front of the tuber. This was meant to give the Druids more power, scare away other bad spirits, as well as it served as a lantern to light their way as they frightened villagers with their demands for “treats”. When this practice arrived to the United States in the mid 19th century, pumpkins were more readily available, not to mention easier to carve and they quickly became the recognized symbol of Halloween. “Jock” was the name the Druids had given the demonic spirit that inhabited the tuber/pumpkin warding off all other evil spirits, which in America soon took on the more common name of “Jack”, or as some folks refer to it to this day, “Jack ‘O Lantern”. The actual name of Halloween, morphed from the original Christian feast known as “All Hallowmas” which over the years came to be known as “All Hallows Eve”, then “All Hallowed Eve”, and finally known today as….. “Halloween”.
Samhain was also a time to take stock of food supplies and slaughter livestock in preparation for winter. Bonfires were a common part of the festivities, as there were many customs that went with the large fires. For example, all other village fires were doused and each family lit their home hearth from the communal bonfire, bonding the families of the village together until the next year. The bones of slaughtered livestock were cast into its flames and generally there were two bonfires built side-by-side so the town folk and their livestock (the ones not slaughtered!) could walk between the fires serving as a cleansing ritual. Obviously the focus for ancient Halloween was not on how much candy a kid could collect in a few hours!

Is Halloween Celebrated in Costa Rica?
The more popular day of celebration that time of year in Costa Rica is November 2nd. Known as “Dia de Los Muertos” (Day of the Dead) throughout most Latin American countries, this day is more of a show of respect when family members visit cemeteries to leave flowers and other offerings for their deceased loved ones. This annual celebration is generally connected with the Catholic holidays of “All Saint’s Day” (November 1) and "All Souls Day" (November 2), though it is still felt by many to hold certain pagan connotations, so many Catholics and Christians prefer to commemorate the faithful departed by celebrating in the name of “All Souls Day”.

Most Costa Ricans wisely do not choose to celebrate Halloween at all due to its history of satanic beliefs and relation with bad spirits, as well as this holiday’s promotion of unnecessary consumerism wrapped around strange values of begging and threatening strangers. It does seem quite strange when you stop and think about it!

For those of you that still enjoy the dressing up, the practical jokes, the CANDY, there are still many opportunities for festivities. Check out the link below, or your nearest Expat community where there’s sure to be some bar full of costumed partiers, or just head to your nearest market and you can just buy a sack of candy and satisfy all those sugar urges in the safety of your home!

For Halloween Celebration Information within Costa Rica, click here!

Author: Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dia_de_los_muertos
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Saints
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Souls_Day
http://www.cristinaacosta.com (photo credit)

“Ronny’s Place”; a Popular Person, a Popular Eatery in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica!

2010-10-10T11:42:00.000-07:00

I am continually asked for advice on good places to eat when visiting Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica. Easily one of my favorites is the popular “Ronny’s Place”, also know as “Mi Lugar”. The food is affordable and delicious, the views, especially for sunset, are breathtaking, but the real draw to this restaurant is the owner, Ronny Alpizar.

Overview:
"Mi Casa es su Casa" means "My House is your House" in Spanish and that is the slogan and warm feeling you will receive when dining at Ronny’s Place. The friendly staff and Ronny himself make it a point to personally attend you during your visit. Offering a true Costa Rican dining experience, the menu features specialties in both international and local cuisine. No dining experience at “Mi Lugar” is complete without trying one of their specialty drinks. Their in-house bartender boasts more than 10 years experience mastering his own custom drink mixes with
beautifully inventive presentations (see pictures), delicious and innovative combinations such as their famous “Coco Loco”, and earning a special recognition from Lonely Planet Guidebook for having the “Best in the Country” Sangria.

Background on Mi Lugar:
Boasting an enviable mountaintop location, Ronny’s Place is the only restaurant in the area where you can enjoy the fabulous Pacific Coast sunsets 365 days a year.
Weather permitting.) Inaugurated in 2003, the original name was "Mi Lugar" (My Place). A popular local Costa Rican, owner Ronny Alpizar decided after working many years at some of the area’s best hotels it was time to branch out on his own. A friendly and sociable man, Ronny is very popular among all that live in the Manuel Antonio & Quepos areas, both Ticos and Expats alike. Ronny, feeling that having his own restaurant would allow him to offer the quality and personalized level of service he felt was missing in many other local businesses, he launched his successful endeavor some 7 years ago and has never looked back. Although the plan was to always call it “My Place”, as is typical in Costa Rica, it just simply became "Ronny’s Place". This also saved a lot of misunderstandings when friends were invited to meet and have dinner at “My Place”; they no longer mistakenly showed up at the inviting party’s house ready to eat!

It’s All About Location:
Located at the top of a mountain, overlooking the Pacific Ocean in the midst of a 90 acre farm, Ronny’s Place is the only building you will find in the immediate area. Accessible by a bumpy dirt road, the short drive is worth the visit to this “typical” rancho style restaurant offering breathtaking ocean views of two magnificent private beach coves and the expansive horizon allowing you to see as far as Puntarenas on a clear day. To arrive there, take the main road towards Manuel Antonio National Park, and about 2K at the Amigos del Rio offices (Rafting and Kayaking Adventure Company with large sign), you will see the signs on the right side of the road for the entrance to the farm where Ronny’s place is located.
You will continue some 800 meters climbing the dirt road (you do not need 4wd), but don’t forget to watch for the cows, horses, chickens, pigs, sheep, goats and other farm animals that may be wandering about as you head up the road. Upon arrival, you will find the perfect place for rehearsal dinner parties, birthday celebrations, office parties, casual wedding receptions, or just the ideal spot for a casually romantic sunset dinner. Opening daily at 12pm, it’s a great place to enjoy a casual lunch as well. Keep your eye out for Ronny, I have never eaten there without his friendly greeting. Not only does he remember my name, but he knows I love his banana cake and usually sends a piece over to our table on the house. That’s our Ronny!!

Some Favorite Recommended Dishes:
Easily one of the most popular dishes at Ronny’s Place is the fresh whole Snapper. Caught right off the shores that you can see while seated at Mi Lugar, this dish could not possibly be more fresh unless you caught the fish yourself! Other popular dishes are the fresh Lobster (in season), grilled Brochettes of Beef, Chicken and Seafood, Filet Mignon with Mushroom Sauce, Nachos, Ceviche, Shrimp Cocktail, as well as a vast selection of Pasta Dishes meant to satisfy vegetarian diners, and a wonderful selection of appetizers (known as “bocas” in Costa Rica). Once again, I feel a deep obligation to remind potential diners to not forget to try Ronny’s specialty drinks served in all their elegance, such as the Pina Colada, Coco Loco and their famous Sangria. Everyone in this area has their favorite, so feel free to ask the concierge at your Vacation Rental Home, or Costa Rican Hotel in the area to find out what theirs is. I’m sure they would be happy to share their positive dining experience at Ronny’s Place, as well as direct you on how to get there!!

Author:
Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

“Carnavales” de Limon: An Annual Costa Rican Tradition!

2010-09-28T18:06:00.000-07:00

When: October 7-17, 2010 (annual event)
Where: Limón
Cost: Free
Hours: All hours!!

If you are presently on vacation in Costa Rica, or planning to make your getaway soon, Costa Rica's port town of Limón on the Caribbean side of the country, converts to an all out party every October to celebrate “Carnaval”! Vaguely disguised around celebrating Columbus Day (October 12th) or “Dia de Las Culturas” (as we know it in Costa Rica), locals as well as every strange character you can think of join together in the overconsumption of alcohol, while dancing and parading the streets of Limon to the popular Latin beats of blaring Calypso, Reggae, Samba, Salsa and many other tropical rhythms! A good time is generally guaranteed, all in the name of history, culture and a legitimately good reason to Party!

Background of Limon:
Limon (Spanish for Lemon) is the largest “city” on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica, as well as the center for Costa Rica’s largest commercial shipping port in nearby Moin. Serving as the capital city of the Limon Province, Christopher Columbus set anchor in 1502. It is said that Limon was named after the large lemon tree that used to grow where the City Hall is now located, but that rumor has not substantiated over the years.
Also known at the Pearl of the Caribbean, Limon is an exotic province characterized by the friendly openness of its culturally diverse population, as well as the richness of its Afro-Caribbean customs.
Limon’s economy is based primarily on banana, cacao and pineapple production and exportation, as well as the raising of cattle, though the yearly cruise ship season brings a large influx of tourism to the area. Considered to have the largest population of black people in all of Costa Rica, the Afro-Caribbean culture derives from mostly Jamaican descent. Originally brought to this area as slaves to build the railway connecting the Atlantic coastline with the Central Plateau (San Jose) for the shipping of goods by land, a large Chinese immigrant population also remains from this same ambitious project.

Highlights of “Carnaval”:
The first Carnaval (that is the correct spelling for Costa Rica), was held in 1949 and was the brainchild of the late Alfred Henry King and friends, who felt it was a good opportunity to unite the Costa Rican culture (originally descendents from Spain) together with the primarily black Caribbean Culture (mostly African, Caribbean and Chinese descendents), which had suffered strained relationships throughout Costa Rican history. In just over 60 years, the Carnavales de Limon is now considered the most popular Festival in the entire country. It’s interesting that Costa Rica does not celebrate Columbus arriving to “America”; it celebrates the uniting of cultures. Pretty forward thinking!
During Carnaval, throngs of people line the streets to watch and cheer on the “beauty queens”, loud marching bands, and to see the brightly colored costumes of the “Comparsas”. Colorfully dressed and adorned coordinated dance troupes, the Comparsas wildly and skillfully shake their booties (booties of ALL ages and ALL sizes!!) to the loud tropical beats of mostly Brazilian Samba & Latin Salsa for miles and miles. It is quite a loud drum banging, hip swinging, cuchi cuchi type show, worth the 2.5 hour drive from San Jose!

My own Adventures at Carnaval:
Having lived on the Caribbean coast for 10 years, I have had the pleasure to personally attend Carnaval. Beyond the great live music throughout the 10 days of the event, one of my favorite parts (and there are many) is the Carnaval Infantil (Children’s Parade). Large macho men run around wearing large “muumuu” style dresses with HUGE handcrafted masks on their heads (see picture).
The “Mascaradas” as they are known, consist of men who play a game known as “Rass’em”. The lucky guy wearing the large mask (check out the peep hole in the picture, so they can see where they are going) chases the other men in the group, and when he is caught, the next guy has to put on the mask and dress and start parading around. A pretty amazing sight for this “macho” society, and really quite entertaining, if not a little creepy!
At night, the Limón Carnaval really comes to life! It’s like an enormous block party with everything located outside in the warm tropical air, just like a county fair, only A LOT crazier!! Rows and rows of booths (or “chinamos” as they are called here) of food, drink, handicrafts, local delicacies (more on those later), and dance floors dot the area and there are always people dancing in the streets (literally)! I personally love the Reggae music coming out of houses, offices and every corner of the city, that is my kind of music “mon”. My biggest challenge is trying to understand the Jamaican Creole dialect. I speak English and am fluent in Spanish, fortunately so are most of the inhabitants of Limon, as otherwise, I would be at a loss for much of what they are saying in their unique dialect. Whoppin? (What’s happening?) Watcha got? (What time is it?) Just a few examples that caused initial confusion on my part, but now seem a natural part of conversation!

The Food of Limon:
Visitors have not had the full Limon experience and definitely not the Carnaval experience without trying some true, authentic Caribbean style food. First and foremost, you must try the “Rice and Beans”. This is not your everyday “gallo pinto”, though it does look the part. This “rice and beans” is made with coconut milk, and if you are really lucky, has a touch of the super hot Panamanian Chilies thrown in for a surprise kick. Some other favorites of the area are the ubiquitous “Pan Bon”, similar to Christmas Fruitcake in the USA and just as nasty to me, as well as “Pati”, a wannabe tasty empanada and Patacones (double fried Plantains), everything’s better fried!! Am I right? My very favorite has to be…… (drum roll please)…..”cajeta”. A delicious coconut candy with the texture of very firm fudge, this candy can be found sold on almost every street corner, store, bus stop or “chinamo” throughout the City. (I have some stashed in my refrigerator right now.)

In Summary:
If you haven’t had the good fortune to visit the Province of Limon during your Costa Rica vacation, it’s not just about the beaches to the South, or the endangered Marine Turtles to the North! The actual City of Limon is worth a visit, and I can’t think of a better or more exciting time to visit the area then during the yearly celebration of Carnaval!

Author: Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

Sources:
http://www.whatsonwhen.com/sisp/index.htm?fx=event&event_id=166975
http://www.yourtravelmap.com/costarica/limon/index.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lim%C3%B3n_Province
http://www.crtraveler.com/articulo.php?id=100
http://www.bukisa.com/articles/28152_limn-carnaval-in-costa-rica-
http://www.insiderslimon.com/CH1Page.html (Photo & Audio credits, please support their cause!)
http://alegresmascaradas.blogspot.com/
http://www.costaricaway.net/artcaribe/pdf/gentecultura.pdf

World Tourism Day: “Tourism & Biodiversity” the Costa Rica Way!

2010-09-17T14:11:00.000-07:00

“ Safeguarding biodiversity is an urgent challenge that concerns us all – the international community, governments, companies and travellers – but it is not too late to act. ”
— Taleb Rifai, UNWTO Secretary-General

About World Tourism Day
World Tourism Day (WTD) is celebrated each year on September 27th. This annual event has been held since 1980, with its primary purpose to increase awareness of the social, cultural, political and economical values of tourism. This worldwide event directly addresses the more pressing global challenges, with an emphasis on the contributions the tourism industry makes in meeting these goals.

Theme for World Tourism Day 2010
Costa Rica had the honor of hosting World Tourism Day in 2002, with its theme of: Ecotourism, the key to sustainable development
The theme for 2010 will celebrate “Tourism and Biodiversity”. The official celebration will be held in Guangzhou, Guandong Province, China, with many other special events taking place around the World.

Coinciding with the United Nations “International Year of Biodiversity”, this year’s World Tourism Day is meant to raise awareness of the vital relationship that exists between tourism development, biodiversity conservation and poverty reduction. The hope is to draw more attention to two of the most pressing global challenges: the sustainable use of the world’s limited resources and the eradication of extreme poverty.

Both of these are prominent issues in Costa Rica, which has been in a continued battle to lower it’s 16.9% poverty rate (latest data from 2006), as well as continuing to struggle with regulating sustainable development and eco-friendly tourism goals.

Biodiversity – Tourism’s Natural Asset
A direct link can be found between tourism and biodiverse areas of unique natural beauty that attract large numbers of visitors. Biodiversity is one of tourism’s greatest assets and the most fundamental reason to commit to long-term sustainable growth. According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), uncontrolled development, climate change, pollution and other reckless human activities are causing biodiversity loss at an “unsustainable” rate; one far beyond the rate of natural extinction. The importance of protecting the world’s biodiversity is more obvious when we realize that our ecosystems work to sustain us, providing food, energy & health, as well as 40 percent of the global economy. Unfortunately, the ever increasing pressure on these fragile areas create complex challenges which the tourism sector must seriously address.

The question is therefore, how can tourism contribute positively to biodiversity conservation and improving the quality of life for local populations, while minimizing negative environmental and social impact?

Sustainable Tourism – Local, National, Global
By working to establish a suitable balance between environmental, economic and socio-cultural aspects of tourism development, sustainability is key to maximizing tourism’s positive contribution to biodiversity at the local, national and global level.

Locally
A key source of economic income & employment for local communities, sustainable tourism is a strong incentive to protect biodiversity. Maintaining a healthy balance with the environment, means the ability to properly handle more tourists, in turn, generating more funds for conservation and the economic health of surrounding communities. Many areas of natural beauty and diversity are preserved thanks to the funds generated from the tourism industry, so this should be embraced and carefully expanded upon.

Punta Islita, a Costa Rica model in Local Sustainable Tourism:

Nationally
National and regional development strategies that recognize the contribution of tourism, are instrumental in protecting and maintaining these important ecologically endangered areas. The increase in environmentally-aware travel or “green travel”, has served to improve the competitiveness and marketing opportunities of national tourism destinations. This added incentive to promote eco-friendly tourism, has in turn increased investment in infrastructure (not completely happening in Costa Rica!), clean technologies, renewable energy, water management, as well as a host of other added benefits sustainable tourism can create.

Example of National Sustainability Conscience:

Globally
Finally, with millions of people travelling the globe each year, tourism is an ideal vehicle to further spread environmental awareness. The emergence of new consumption patterns is already evident in the world of tourism, with the emergence of marketing terms such as ‘responsible tourism’, ‘ecotourism’ ‘green travel’ and other marketing strategies that encourage and embrace sustainability. It has already been proven that sustainable tourism can encourage a worldwide change in travel consumption patterns.

Global Initiatives for Sustainability:

Other Important Information:

Text of the Convention on Biological Diversity:

More Information on the Sustainable Development of Tourism:

More Information on the International Year of Biodiversity:

Tourism Fighting Poverty
Lastly, one has to wonder, “How does tourism fight poverty?” The Convention of Biological Diversity noted how the world’s poor, particularly in rural areas, depend on biological resources for as much as 90% of their needs. Given this dependence on biodiversity for food, fuel, medicine, shelter and transportation, strategies that prioritize biodiversity are crucial for development and poverty alleviation. That is a primary reason the United Nations has chosen to focus on these important issues in its goal to alleviate extreme poverty through economically sound methods such as sustainable tourism.

Next Years Event
Official celebrations for 2011 World Tourism Day will be celebrated September 27th in Yemen in compliance with the UNWTO policy of rotating hemispheres each year.

You are Cordially Invited:
Hotel Makanda by the Sea invites all interested parties to take part this September 27th in the special celebrations taking place in their respective country, or better yet, why not choose the perfect model destination for this important event, Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica! Special Offers are available throughout the country in celebration of World Tourism Day 2010!

Author:
Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

Sources:
http://www.unwto.org/worldtourismday/index.php
http://www.unwto.org/worldtourismday/about/pdf/wtd_2002.pdf
http://terranostra.codigosur.net/leer.php/6715669
http://www.sustainabletourismcriteria.org/

National Park Day in Costa Rica, a cause for Celebration!

2010-08-25T13:13:00.000-07:00

Did you know that August 24th is National Park Day in Costa Rica? Just another great reason to celebrate the beauty that surrounds us in this small Central American country, known as the land of Pura Vida! Many Costa Rica hotels hold special tree planting ceremonies, as well as area restaurants often feature special dishes on their menus commemorating this important occasion, by focusing on all that is green and the abundance of natural ingredients that can be found throughout the country. School children take the day from school to learn more about protecting Costa Rica’s natural resources, and national flags, as well as the special Blue Flags representing ecologically awarded beaches and areas, fly proudly. After all, without the parks, where would Costa Rica be on the World’s sustainable tourism totem pole?

A National Park in Costa Rica is defined as a protected area that has been legally declared a National Treasure in order to protect and conserve the biodiversity it contains. These areas generally include diverse eco-systems deemed to be of National significance, generally showing minimal evidence of human impact, while offering important attractions for National and International visitors, as well as learning centers for some of the best scientists in their fields.

In 1888, with the founding of the National Weather Service (now referred to as the National Weather Institute), a century long genesis began of multiple governmental departments culminating in at least a dozen name changes over the years. Duties of protecting the natural resources of Costa Rica gradually expanded to include many diverse functions including specializations in water, hydrocarbons, gender, environmental education, citizen participation, biodiversity, wetlands, climate change, joint implementation, conservation, rational use of energy, environmental quality compliance, as well as the continued control of existing natural resources as previously mentioned. Eventually the morphing entities formed the current government segment referred to as the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Telecommunications, better known in Costa Rica as MINAET.

Costa Rica’s system of Protected Areas consists of an impressive 9 different categories: 1) National Parks 2) Biological Reserves 3) Natural Reserves 4) National Monuments 5) Protected Zones 6) Forest Reserves 7) Wildlife Refuges 8) Wetlands & 9) Indigenous Territories. These wildlife and rainforest areas have been declared as such due to their unique eco-systems, the existence of endangered species and for their significant historical and cultural value as well. The total of these diverse 169 Protected Areas equals approximately 26% of Costa Rica’s territory, protecting an amazing 5% of the World’s biodiversity! This sacrifice of often some of the most valuable land is an incredible example of this country’s dedication to protecting the environment not only within its borders, but the entire continent, since Costa Rica serves as a land bridge between South and North America.

There are an impressive 28 National Parks in Costa Rica, with each park having its own unique features, making every and every one of them worth an in-depth visit. An excellent example is perhaps one of the most famous Costa Rican parks, Isla del Coco, an internationally recognized treasure. Located approximately 340 miles off the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica on an uninhabited island (except for the Park Guard Station), this island has been declared a World Heritage Site, included on the List of “Wetlands of International Importance”, as well as nominated for the short list of 7 New Wonders of Nature, by the 7 Wonders of the World organization. Declared a National Park in 1978, Isla del Coco alone has identified some 235 plant species, 400 insect species (65 endemic), 100 bird species (13 resident, 3 endemic and multiple endangered). Its protected marine territory is home to a wide range of species of Shark, parrot fish, manta rays, among numerous other marine species. This particular park is considered one of the richest diving spots in the World, as declared by the famous Jacques Cousteau. Please see the list below, for an extensive list of Costa Rica’s National Parks, as to detail each one would be too long for one blog post.

List of Costa Rica’s National Parks:
1. Santa Rosa National Park
2. Rincón de la Vieja National Park
3. Guanacaste National Park
4. Las Baulas Marine National Park
5. Diriá National Park
6. Barra Honda National Park
7. Braulio Carrillo National Park
8. Turrialba Volcano National Park
9. Poás Volcano National Park
10. Irazú Volcano National Park
11. Tortuguero National Park
12. Cahuita National Park
13. Barbilla National Park
14. Chirripó National Park
15. Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park
16. Internacional de La Amistad National Park
17. Corcovado National Park
18. Ballena Marine National Park
19. Piedras Blancas National Park
20. Manuel Antonio National Park
21. Tenorio National Park
22. Carara National Park
23. Los Quetzales National Park
24. Palo Verde National Park
25. Arenal National Park
26. Del Agua Juan Castro Blanco National Park
27. La Cangreja National Park
28. Isla del Coco National Park

Map of Costa Rica’s National Park & Protected Areas
Flickr Photo Galleries of Costa Rica & it’s National Parks

The protected areas of Costa Rica generate extensive economic resources to support its dynamic eco-systems, as well as building centers for further ecological studies, stimulating scientific investigation to learn the proper handling of these delicate zones. Over the last 20 plus years, these Protected Areas have brought in some $1.92 billion dollars per year by promoting sustainable tourism to this country, meaning Costa Rica stands as the most visited nation in the Central American. Tourism now earns more foreign exchange than bananas and coffee combined, a previously unthought of statistic from this coffee and banana republic. Commerce, tourism and associated services now contribute some 68% of the country's GDP and represent more than 13.3% of direct and indirect employment. Not only have the National Parks served as a major economic factor for this developing country, but these important areas continue to serve as healthy and natural alternatives of entertainment, bringing a better quality of life to its citizens, as well as everyone that comes in contact with their unparalelled beauty.

Now isn’t that reason enough to raise a cold Imperial Beer and celebrate Costa Rica’s National Parks, as well as the laidback lifestyle we all call “Pura Vida”?

Author: Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

Sources:
http://www.inbio.ac.cr/es/biod/24agostoDia.P.N.htm
http://hogar-verde.com/dia-de-los-parques-nacionales/
http://www.minae.go.cr/acerca/info_general/historia.html
http://proparques.org/content/view/93/76/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocos_Island
http://costa-rica-guide.com (Park Map & Photos Courtesy of CostaRicaGuide.com)
http://www.arenal.net/photo-gallery.htm (Photo Credit)
www.naturalencounters.com/parrots_macaw.htm (Photo Credit)

Costa Rica better start prepping for Friday the 13th……2029 that is!

2010-08-13T12:02:00.000-07:00

If scientists and astronomers have it calculated correctly, Friday the 13th, 2029 or possibly Easter Sunday, Friday the 13th in 2036, could be a very unlucky days for Costa Rica if the asteroid Apophis continues on its current projected path toward Earth.

“Apophis” was the name of the ancient Egyptian god of darkness and destruction. Therefore, astronomers could not have chosen a more appropriate moniker to assign to a 25 million ton asteroid that is expected to slice across the orbit of the moon, possibly impacting Earth at more than 28,000 miles per hour on April, Friday the 13th, 2029.

Scientists are 99.7% certain that Apophis, a huge pockmarked rock that carries the energy of 65,000 Hiroshima bombs, and measures more than 1000 feet accross, will pass the Earth at a distance of only 18,800 to 20,800 miles in the year 2029, not actually impacting Earth at that time. To put that distance into perspective though, that is actually shorter than a round-trip flight from Melbourne, Australia, to New York City. Either way, just after dusk on April 13th of 2029, people in Europe, Africa, and parts of Asia will be able to see what looks like a star slowly making its way westward through the sky. Apophis will be the first asteroid in human history to be clearly visible to the naked eye.

The asteroid will be packing enough power to wipe out a small country or churn up a devestating 800-ft. high tsunami. Previous projections showed the asteroid’s trajectory to pass somewhere along a 30-mile-wide path stretching from Russia across the Pacific Ocean into Central America and then across the Atlantic. Although San Jose, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Venezuela would all have been potential targets for total destruction, scientists believe the most likely target would have been several thousand miles off the West Coast of the United States, where the impact would create a 5-mile wide crater in the ocean floor. The impact would trigger tsunamis that would pound the coast of California with 50-foot waves, literally wiping out everything in its path.

Updated projections now have scientists believing that if Apophis passes the Earth at a distance of exactly 18,893 miles in 2029, it will pass through a "gravitational keyhole," where the Earth’s gravity could pull Apophis off track just enough to cause it to enter an orbit that is seven-sixths as long as the Earth’s orbit. If that happens, then exactly seven years later in the year 2036, as Apophis comes back around, the planet would be in an even more precarious path of this lethal asteroid. Fortunately, current tracking estimates put the odds of that happening at about 45,000 to 1, though one should keep in mind that that is considerably less than the chance of someone being in a plane crash!

Former astronaut Rusty Schweickart, now 71, who served on the Apollo 9 mission in 1969, feels that even a tiny risk cannot be ignored. Through his B612 Foundation, which he co-founded in 2001, Schweickart has been urging NASA to start now making preparations to do something about the asteroid. "We need to act," he said. "If we blow this, it’ll be criminal."

Despite Hollywood’s imaginative cinematic escapades, current technology does not provide any way for Apophis to be deflected to miss the Earth in either 2029 or 2036. For that reason, in 2005, Schweickart began urging NASA administrator Michael Griffin to start planning a mission to land a radio transponder on Apophis, in an effort to track the asteroid’s path to confirm that it will not hit the gravitational keyhole. If that data shows that the path will bring it into the keyhole, there would still be time to do something about it and launch a deflection mission. Using current technology, we could attempt to nudge it slightly off course by hitting it with a simple 1-ton "kinetic energy impactor" spacecraft. An alternative solution would be to use a "gravity tractor" spacecraft to hover above the asteroid and gently pull it slightly off course using its own gravity. Both of those corrective methods and their chances of success would be highly speculative.

For now, NASA has decided to wait and see what’s going to happen. According to an analysis by Steven Chesley of the Near Earth Object program at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA, there is no cause for alarm yet. Apophis will be swinging by the Earth in 2013, when it will be in perfect position to be tracked by the 1000-ft. diameter radio telescope in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. The data obtained during that pass could rule out the asteroid hitting the keyhole in 2029. But if it isn’t able to rule out the possibility, there will still be enough time to launch a deflection mission. Schweickart estimates that such a mission could take as long as 12 years to complete. But for now, most scientists are content to wait until we get a better idea of exactly what the risks are.

"There’s no rush right now," says Chesley. "But if it’s still serious by 2014, we need to start designing real missions."

Will Costa Rica homes and businesses be ready for this phoenomenon? Will the World be ready for Apophis? Are you ready? Do you believe this could truly happen? I’d love to hear your feedback!

Author: Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

Sources:
Edited from an original article written by:
Linda Orlando of Buzzle Staff and Agencies
www.buzzle.com
Originally Published: 1/8/2007
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/99942_Apophis
http://asteroidapophis.com/

Rainmaker Conservation Project…..A Model of Costa Rica Sustainable Tourism

2010-07-28T14:29:00.001-07:00

Conveniently located close to Costa Rica Hotels along the Central Pacific Coast of Costa Rica, the Rainmaker Conservation Project covers an ecologically diverse area of approximately 1500 acres. This important nature reserve, of which 80% is primary forest, is less than 30 minutes drive from local Manuel Antonio Lodging and Quepos Hotels, making it a convenient location for visitors to immerse themselves in the wonders of a true rainforest environment. Consisting of a transitional neotropical jungle ranging from humid rainforest to a misty cloud forest at its higher elevations, Rainmaker is completely dedicated to conserving the rainforest, as well as endangered species found within its boundaries. Their mission is to promote highly controlled sustainable development as a means to finance the ongoing protection of this unblemished area, while creating local employment, educational programs and the continued study of flora and fauna for scientific research. Less than 5% of the Rainmaker project is used for tourist activities, making the one-mile trail and bridge system available to a limited number of visitors, guaranteeing minimum impact on the environment. The well-tended trails, hand railings, bridges and lookout points have been designed to assure the safety, comfort and enjoyment of adventurous visitors, while leaving the surrounding jungle terrain as Mother Nature intended.

Rainmaker History:
Previously owned by a local rice farmer, Rainmaker was in danger of being clear-cut and commercially developed. Due to a failing rice crop suffered after a severe drought, the indebted farmer was forced to sell his mountain paradise to support his family. Having struggled for years to preserve his majestic piece of property, rather than accept the highest offer, the farmer contacted a friend with whom he held a similar vision for the protection of this beautiful piece of land. In came Mauricio Gutierrez, who with the help of a business partner began the process of purchasing Rainmaker mountain. Sadly, only a few days before signing the final papers, Mauricio drowned while attempting to save a child who had fallen into one of the waterfalls. This tragic event left the purchase of the property in serious jeopardy. With a logging companies ready to step in, the future of Rainmaker was looking bleak. Arriving in Costa Rica for the funeral of their beloved husband and father, Ann Gutierrez and her two children, Alessandra and Mauricio Jr., all deeply aware of Mauricio’s desire to save this land, worked tirelessly to purchase and preserve the mountain in his honor. On August 13, 1993, thanks to the generous help of “The Body Shop”, the deposit was paid and a new future was set in motion for the beautiful Rainmaker Conservation Project. Since purchasing Rainmaker, the family has stayed true to Mauricio’s dream, though land title disputes, managerial usurpation lawsuits, species theft and other daunting challenges have certainly tested this family along the way. With support from visitors, the family continues to protect the mountain, preserving and maintaining its natural integrity, all in memory of their beloved Mauricio.

Sustainability & Species Protection:
Dedicated to becoming a leading conservation project in the preservation and betterment of local rainforest communities, the Rainmaker project makes every effort to hire local community members as staff. Actively supporting the area teachers and schools, Rainmaker has been directly responsible in providing badly needed school supplies, as well as providing regular outdoor educational classes. The future of the rainforest depends on educating the next generation, so their work is of utmost importance. According to a study published by J. Alan Pounds in 2006, he suggested that many colorful Harlequin Frog Species (Atelopus) across Central and South America have disappeared due to deadly infectious diseases spurred by changing water and air temperatures likely a direct cause of Global Warming. At one time the colorful Harlequin Frog (actually a toad) was thought to be extinct, but much to everyone’s surprise, in 2003 the Harlequin Frog was rediscovered in the primary rain forest of the Rainmaker Reserve, once again emphasizing the importance of this extensive conservation project. To make a donation click here --->

Nature Tours and Excursions:
A well designed system of trails follow the contours of the Río Seco river corridor, intersected by wooden bridges that allow visitors to safely traverse the jungle and enjoy excellent views of the natural scenery, without requiring intense physical effort. Along the trails visitors can generally find a variety of Reptiles, Poison Dart Frogs (dendrobates auratus), colorful Butterflies (morpho amotonte and others), Jesus Christ Lizards with their unique ability to walk on water (baciliscus), as well as colorful Bird Species such as Toucans and Trogons, just to name a few of the natural wonders to be seen. These trails connect to an extensive system of bridges suspended from hefty tree bases and all built to U.S. safety bridge engineering codes. The height of these bridges extend from 30 to 180 feet (some 22 stories high!), with a total expansion of 820 feet, distributed between six bridges; with the longest section stretching over 300 feet. The first platform starts at ground level, and as the slope drops, the bridge becomes higher, giving visitors unobstructed views of an incredible variety of flora and fauna amongst the diverse canopy eco-system. Several waterfalls, one of which is utilized as a natural swimming pool, afford visitors exceptional opportunities to capture breathtaking photographs throughout their hike.

River Walk and Canopy Bridge Tour:
Visitors traverse the trail system, arriving to the Canopy Bridge section of the reserve. Built to U.S. engineering standards, the suspension bridges have six sections, creating one of the most impressive Canopy Walks in Costa Rica. The careful design permits minimal forest impact, while giving participants a unique opportunity to explore the majesty of the forest canopy from a bird's eye view in a safe and controlled environment.
Tour includes: Round trip transportation from Quepos & Manuel Antonio, a variety of typical fruits and juices for breakfast and/or a typical Costa Rican lunch following the tour. All tours are led by an accredited bilingual nature guide. Hiking shoes, bathing suit, binoculars, and water resistant cameras are recommended.

Amphibians and Reptile Night Tour: 7pm- 9pm
After dusk our expert bilingual guide will introduce you to the wonderful world that takes place after dark. You will be able to observe the very active amphibians and reptiles located on the property that prefer to come out at night. Guides will take you along the frog habitat lake, followed by a unique hike into the rainforest.
Tour includes: Transportation from Manuel Antonio & Quepos, bilingual nature guide, headlamps, drinks and snacks. Long pants and hiking boots, and a sense of adventure are recommended.

Birdwatching Morning Tour: 5:30am – 9:30am
This tour begins at dawn when the majority of tropical birds are most active. Walking around the Rainmaker property, visitors will enjoy the in-depth information provided by their trained nature guide as they learn about the abundant splendor of the native birds all in a relaxed and quiet environment.
Tour includes: Round trip transportation from Quepos & Manuel Antonio, trained bilingual nature guide, a variety of typical fruits and juices for breakfast, along with the popular Rainmaker Costa Rica coffee after the tour. Walking shoes, binoculars and cameras are recommended.

Volunteer Service:
Adventurous volunteers have the opportunity to participate for two weeks to one month periods in one of the four departments needed to run and preserve the Rainmaker Conservation Project. Consisting of areas of Maintenance, Landscaping, Food Preparation and Scientific Study, Volunteers will also have the opportunity to work with the local schools as well as various community outreach programs sanctioned by the Rainmaker Foundation. For more information click here.

Arrival from San Jose:
Rainmaker is easily accessed by the main coastal road (the Costanera Hwy) on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica from the capital city of San Jose. Follow the road signs departing San Jose, for Jaco, then on to the Quepos/Manuel Antonio area. Continuing past the town of Parrita, turn left approximately 10 kilometers past that town. A large Rainmaker road sign is visible. Follow the signs through the Village of San Rafael Norte to the entrance, some seven kilometers.

Arrival from Quepos/Manuel Antonio:
Follow the main highway towards San Jose. A large Rainmaker sign is visable just after the town of Paquita/Pocares. Turn right and follow signs to the entrance of Rainmaker through the Village of San Rafael Norte. Rainmaker is approximately 22 kilometers from the center of Quepos town.

For Further Press Stories on Rainmaker Click Here!

For more information:
Call us in the US: (540) 349-9848
Or in Costa Rica: (506) 2777-3565
www.rainmakercostarica.org
Email: lalycr2002@hotmail.com

Author: Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

Sources:
http://www.rainmakercostarica.org
http://www.puertoquepos.com/ecotourism/rainmaker-reserve.html
http://ecopreservationsociety.wordpress.com/2008/05/11/costa-ricas-harlequin-frog-once-thought-extict-florishes-on-the-rainmaker-reserve/