Costa Rica Retirement

Surf and sun in Costa Rica

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 10:51:00 +0000

Surf and sun in Costa Rica | SummitDaily.com

As someone who has what many call the “travel bug,” scheming up new places to zip off to worldwide will always remain a hobby of mine. Even better, though, is when these little ploys actually become a reality. This happened to be the case when, after checking the calendar and peering into the bank account, my bucket list dream of learning how to surf began to take shape in the form of a booked trip to Santa Teresa, Costa Rica.

Why Santa Teresa? After scanning the internet for information surrounding “the best places to surf,” and sending emails off to a few known surfaholics, the consensus came down to this tiny town. This decision was made based on Santa Teresa's consistent reputation of pumping out perfect sets of beginner waves, as well as remaining somewhat off the beaten path of the typical gringo vacation hub.

That is how I found myself boarding a Delta Airlines flight bound for San Jose, Costa Rica, with one goal in mind: to learn how to surf.

Santa Teresa: Surfing is a way of life

A couple of plane rides later I found myself jostling up and down in my taxi seat as we, at last, made it to our destination. The mile-long strip through town consisted of a one-way dirt road riddled with potholes only 100 yards back from the beach. As always, I began to feel that thrill of being in a new place as we drove past colorful backpacker lodges and restaurants boasting fruit smoothies and local “casado” dishes (casado is your choice of meat coupled with an assortment of side dishes like beans, rice, lettuce and fried bananas). But it was when we drove past the multitude of quaint surf shops that my anticipation really started to grow.

The next morning I woke up early, walked into town, picked out the perfect surfboard, and began to learn what it takes to Hang Ten surf style. Needless to say, there was no “shredding the pipe” being done my first couple of days. It was more like learning how to eat it hard, hold my breath underwater and paddle through that relentless pounding break.

When I wasn't being absolutely demoralized by how tough surfing is to learn, I would wander through town aimlessly enjoying the local “vibe.” Vibe, meaning the people of Santa Teresa lead an exceptionally laid back lifestyle that embodies the surf-culture mantra. I have always been obsessed with this surf lifestyle, especially after watching documentaries about legends such as Greg Noll, Mark Foo, Eddie Aikau and Laird Hamilton. So to finally be immersed in this way of life made me super stoked.

This local vibe ranged from guys clad in board shorts cruising up and down the dirt road straddling bikes, to cafés stacked with surf magazines, to travelers chilling outside surf shops animatedly talking about yesterday's waves, to cars topped with surfboards bumping along. Everyone surfs, whether it is the local construction worker or the international backpacker. Surfing in Santa Teresa is a way of life.

The perfect wave

The seventh day into my trip was the day that most distinctly sticks out in my mind because it was the day that the surf town of Santa Teresa, Costa Rica, reminded me of the ski town Breckenridge, Colo.

I was standing on the sand shading my eyes from the sun's rays looking out at the waves, I was thinking about how I was going to paddle out through the unforgiving break. Along came a super-ripped Belgium surfer chick who noticed my hesitation. Before I knew it she was dragging me into the water saying, “follow me” and giving me pointers about how to paddle as well as how to “turtle roll” under waves.

I made it through the break, sat up on my board, and tried to look like I knew what I was doing, but really I just was trying to stay out of the pro surfers' way as they absolutely destroyed waves.

Bobbing up and down in the lineup I noticed a set coming in that looked perfect for me (not too big), so I pushed myself into position and began to paddle with all my might. I caught the wave and tried to drop in, but, bam, I ate it super hard, was flipped in the barrel and spit out into the foam. After that, my adrenaline was pumping and I felt a sudden urge that I HAD to ride a wave today. So, I grabbed my board, jumped on and with all my strength paddled back out through the break. Another glassy set rolled through as the locals pointed, “you look at wave, look at wave, paddle, paddle,” (they were really helpful) and this time, as I dropped in, I didn't fall. It was a moment of blissful clarity as I finally rode my first big wave. It petered out and I dropped back into the water with a huge grin on my face extremely fired up about what I'd just done.

I swam back out and happily drifted in the water watching the other surfers continue to rip waves. This was the moment when it dawned on me how similar the surf atmosphere is to the ski atmosphere. Meaning, everyone out in the water was so pumped about the sport of surfing and continually fed off of each other's energy and excitement.

Rewind to one of Breckenridge's epic powder days last year with everyone gathered at the base of the Imperial Chair waiting for it to open. When it finally did, you could hear the whoops and hollers from the lively crowd as the first chair took off leading the way for an unbelievable day of skiing. Everyone on the slopes was so thrilled to be shredding and you could just feel the electric energy as face shots were handed out galore.

Just as that amazingly-waist-deep powder turn left me giggling with glee as my heart raced with exhilaration, so did that perfectly-caught Costa Rican wave.

As I was flying back to the U.S., I pondered how cool it was that both Breckenridge and Santa Teresa were obsessed with the same thing: a lifestyle based around the outdoors and the love of a sport.

Tucker Burton, who hails from Breckenridge, graduated from Middlebury College in 2009 with a political science degree. Following graduation she headed to New York City where she had a job offer in the fashion industry. After being laid off due to the dismal economic climate, she decided to travel the world. This ranged from living and working in New Zealand to backpacking around Southeast Asia.

Costa Rica Fishing Report

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 08:33:00 +0000

Costa Rica should protect its sharks, not foreign fleet

Posted: Thursday, October 13, 2011 - By Todd Staley

In the latest setback in conservationists’ fight against shark finning, the Costa Rican fisheries authority ruled it is acceptable for commercial fishing vessels to use the meat of sharks for bait and food, leaving only the valuable fins with spines attached.

More marlin may be around to hit lures as pictured above, now that the the Costa Rica Tourism Board has changed its Certification for Sustainable Tourism criteria to include removing species of tourist interest off participating hotels’ menus. Additionally, GESSA, the supermarket chain that owns Perimercados, Jumbo and Super Compro stores, has announced it will no longer sell sailfish and marlin in its stores.Courtesy of Crocodile Bay Resort

I wonder what happens after the last domino falls. Costa Rica just received another black eye on its international “green image” when the Customs Administration was forced to destroy more than 1,000 kilos of shark fins that were landed with only the spine of the shark attached. The law requires all sharks to be landed whole to deter the practice of shark finning.

Todd Staley

Javier Catón, who represents the Pacific Coast Fishermen’s Union, says the group is tired of taking the blame for Costa Rica becoming the shark-finning capital of the world. The group also claims that foreign fleets landing in the Pacific port of Puntarenas are taking up to 70 percent of fish targeted by Costa Rica’s commercial boats. Tico boats are small-scale in comparison to the foreign factory boats.

The boat in the most recent incident landed with 50,000 kilos of shark and nearly 20,000 kilos of other species, including dorado, tuna and billfish. Catón claims the commercial fleet is forced to target species classified by law as species of tourist interest because the foreign fleets are taking most of the fish.

I do not contend that any type of nonselective fishing is sustainable, but the Costa Rican commercial fleet brings some good points to the table. The shark issue is one of them. The government has been lax with creating and then interpreting its own laws.

The marine conservation group Pretoma, headed by Randall Arauz, has been an advocate of sea turtle and shark conservation for many years in Costa Rica. Arauz and Enrique Ramírez, director of the Costa Rican Tourist Fishing Federation (FECOPT) representing the sportfishing sector, have been in direct contact with Catón about fishery issues.

“We at FECOPT have joined efforts with [Pretoma], and we both are creating a common front to request the implementation of responsible fishing practices according to FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) guidelines, which are mandatory but not executed by Incopesca (the Costa Rican fisheries authority),” Ramírez said.

Shark finning used to be a regular practice in Costa Rica, and Pretoma lobbied to have sharks landed with the fins attached. Then the foreign fleet began sewing fins from larger sharks to the bodies of smaller sharks, and Incopesca ruled that this was a legal practice according to its interpretation of the law. After an uproar, the practice was finally stopped, although the foreign fleet continued to unload at private docks where their actions could not be monitored effectively.

After Incopesca and the Agriculture and Livestock Ministry finally ruled in December 2010 that foreign fleets must unload at public docks subject to inspection, the first boat to unload was caught with illegal fins onboard. Shortly afterward, the fleet started showing up at the dock with only other species and no sharks. At the same time, huge shipments of shark fins began being imported to Costa Rica from Nicaragua.

In this latest incident, of the 50,000 kilos of shark onboard, only 1,000 kilos were landed with just the spines and fins. The owner of the boat claimed that the meat of those sharks was used as bait to catch other sharks and as food for the crew. Incopesca ruled that this is an acceptable practice, opening the door to more uncontrolled landings of fins.

Costa Rica and many nongovernmental organizations are now concentrating on a “blue agenda” concerning our oceans. Some 25 percent of terrestrial Costa Rica is protected, but only 1 percent of the country’s oceans is protected – and Costa Rica’s territorial waters are 11 times larger than its land mass. It is not the small-scale artisan fishermen or the sportfishermen doing most of the damage. When we create protected areas, we need to look past the horizon – that is where Costa Rica is losing and the foreign fleets are laughing all the way to the bank.

It is a domino effect. And what are we left with after the last domino falls? Nothing.

Fishing report, Oct. 13

I don’t think Christopher Columbus could have found Costa Rica in the weather we have had this week. The ocean kicked up enough in northern Guanacaste that a couple of charters turned back toward shore.

Before the front came in this week, there were still sails and marlin in the area and catch reports weren’t bad. At Los Sueños on the central Pacific coast, some sails have been biting and dorado have started to show.

On the Caribbean coast, the rains have been holding off until the afternoon up toward Tortuguero, and the tarpon bite is still really strong.

Good news is being spread regarding sailfish and marlin. Grupo Empresarial de Supermercados S.A. (GESSA) has announced it will no longer sell sailfish and marlin in its stores, which include Perimercados, Jumbo and Super Compro supermarkets. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has placed both types of billfish on a list of species overfished toward the point of extinction.

Also, the Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT) recently changed its Certification for Sustainable Tourism criteria to include removing species of tourist interest off the menus of all participating hotels. Sportfishing groups have lobbied the ICT to make the change. According to Costa Rican law, the species of interest include sailfish, blue marlin, black marlin, striped marlin and tarpon.

Sportfishing and conservation groups have applauded the move by GESSA and the ICT.

Skippers, operators and anglers are invited to email fishing reports by Wednesday of each week totodd@crocodilebay.com. To post reports and photos on The Tico Times’ online fishing forum, go towww.ticotimes.net/Weekend/Fishing/Fishing-Forum.

From

http://www.ticotimes.net/Weekend/Fishing/Costa-Rica-should-protect-its-sharks-not-foreign-fleet-_Thursday-October-13-2011

Costa Rica's Million Dollar Gift of Happiness

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 19:05:00 +0000

Costa Rica's Million Dollar Gift of Happiness aimed at sharing Costa Rican experience with North American travelers via $1 million worth of trips

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica, Oct. 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Costa Rica Tourism Board announced today the launch of its new advertising campaign in the United States and Canada, set to inspire visitors to explore the wide variety of offerings that have long made Costa Ricaone of the most popular travel, study abroad and second home destinations for Americans and Canadians.

Spanning from October 6, 2011 to February 5, 2012, the campaign, titled Costa Rica's Million Dollar Gift of Happiness, seeks to spread happiness by gifting US $1 million dollars worth of week-long Costa Rican vacations to people in the United States and Canada. North Americans can enter to win one of the highly-coveted trips via Visit Costa Rica's Facebook page, which will serve as the hub of the campaign. Twitter, influential blogs and popular news outlets are also being used as sources to find travelers who share Costa Rica's values, and who, of course, would benefit from a gift of happiness.

Recipients of the week-long Costa Rican vacations have the option of selecting a trip from a group of exciting themed travel packages, including Romantic Happiness (romance), Adventure Happiness (soft adventure), Wildlife Happiness (nature), Adrenaline Happiness (extreme adventure) and Authentic Happiness (culture). On the country's official Facebook page, fans of Costa Rica will be able to preview five videos corresponding to each trip experience. Thanks to a strong social media component, the campaign will encourage North American travelers to explore the country's natural beauty, thrill-seeking adventures and sustainable tourism practices, while also sharing these experiences with friends and family.

The campaign was inspired by Costa Rica's recognition as one of the happiest places in the world by the New Economic Foundation'sHappy Planet Index, which rates satisfaction based on a country's quality of life, life expectancy and carbon footprint. The Gallup World Index's The World's Happiest Countries also named Costa Rica one of its happiest places in the world, ranking it as the happiest place in the Americas.

Costa Rica hosts World Rafting Championship

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 15:47:00 +0000

Dozens of teams from all over the world will do some mad paddling for the world title Oct. 4-10 on the renowned Río Pacuare.

The Costa Rican men’s national rafting team powers through the Río Pacuare course that will host the 2011 World Rafting Championship Oct. 4-10. Photo by Eve Morton

Hundreds of athletes from all over the world are set to descend on the white water of Costa Rica’s famous Río Pacuare this week for the 2011 World Rafting Championship. More than 50 teams from as far away as Chile, South Africa, the United States, Europe, Japan and New Zealand will challenge team Costa Rica on its home waters Oct. 4-10.

The biannual tournament represents the pinnacle of the rafting competition calendar. This will be the largest tournament in the 20-year history of the event – a reflection of the growing popularity of the sport worldwide. The four-race schedule is designed to test athletes’ rafting endurance and technical abilities. Previous world champions Brazil, Slovenia and Australia will be regarded as favorites, with serious contenders like Japan and Costa Rica out to challenge them for the trophy.

Costa Rica hosted the first World Rafting Championship in 1991, and played host again in 1998. Since then, host countries have included the U.S. in 2001, the Czech Republic in 2003, Ecuador in 2005, South Korea in 2007 and Bosnia in 2009. The International Rafting Federation, the world governing body for the sport of white-water rafting, chose the Río Pacuare on Costa Rica’s Caribbean slope for this year’s tournament in commemoration of the inaugural championship in 1991, and to promote sustainable ecotourism worthy of a world-class competition in a country noted for its green credentials.

Rafael Gallo, president of the International Rafting Federation, said he hopes this event in his native Costa Rica will set the standard for future rafting competitions.

“To me it’s a pleasure to adapt what I’ve learned in adventure tourism and sustainability, and as event director it gives me great pride to incorporate these methods into the World Rafting Championship,” he said. “The pristine nature of the site allows me to promote a carbon-neutral event that will be a first in world championship races.”

Costa Rica is known for being the paddling mecca of Central America. The country boasts one of the highest ratios of rivers per square kilometer in the world, and the rafting industry supports a vast number of river professionals and commercial rafting operations. More than 60 competitors participated recently in the Costa Rican National Rafting Series to select the teams that would represent the country in the world championship.

“You learn a lot in other places, but we have world-class rivers here in Costa Rica that made for a very challenging series,” Manuel Segura, captain of the national men’s team, said of the national championship series. “We hope to continue to develop our training resources into the future.”

It has been a long road for Segura, who has represented Costa Rica in six world championships over 13 years. He is familiar with the course and the standard required for success.

“This team has been preparing for more than 12 months now. We have the home-ground advantage and the support of family and friends here. This gives us the platform to be at our best,” Segura said.

The white water of the Río Pacuare will play host to the World Rafting Championship Oct. 4-10. More than 50 teams from all over the world are expected to compete in the equivalent of the rafting Olympics. The Costa Rican men’s national team, pictured here, will have the home-river advantage. Courtesy of Eve Morton

Among the teams to beat will be the Japanese men’s team, one of the few professional rafting teams in the world. Team captain Takuya Ikeda told The Tico Times from his home near Tokyo, Japan, “These championships represent an opportunity to help restore Japanese confidence that was shattered by the earthquake. We are very focused on achieving the best result.”

Team Australia captain Graham Maifredi expressed a similar sentiment when summing up the significance of the event for his team during a phone interview from Queensland, Australia: “This is the opportunity of a lifetime. The cyclone destroyed our homes in February, and the support we have received from the community helps to boost our morale at a time when we need it most. We are going to make sure we give them something in return.”

In the women’s event, competition is expected to be fierce, but team Costa Rica remains undaunted.

“Right now we are just focused on training,” said team member Catalina Elizondo. “We know we will need to be consistent over all the races in order to achieve our goal of a podium place.”

Elizondo hopes success will provide a foundation of awareness for the team in Costa Rica that will inspire people to get involved.

“If we can show the nation the rewards of participating in the wonderful sport of rafting, then Costa Rica will only become stronger at the international level,” she said.

The stage is set. The eyes of the adventure rafting industry will be on Costa Rica this month to see if the country can produce a memorable competition and define the direction of rafting championships into the future. For those involved, the anticipation is building and expectations are high.

“With so many strong teams, I see it as one of the closest competitions in the history of the championships,” Gallo said. “It will depend on who adapts better to the terrain.”

For team Costa Rica, the chances of success have never be better, as the 20-year anniversary of the inaugural World Rafting Championship affords them the opportunity to perform their best against the world, at home on the mighty Río Pacuare.

For information on the 2011 World Rafting Championship, visit the event’s official website atwww.costarica2011wrc.com.

Osa Mountain Village

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 00:36:00 +0000

Part 1: Food Production

Part 2: Permaculture

Part 3: Business opportunities

http://www.osamountainvillagecostarica.com/

Miss Costa Rica 2011 Beauty Pageant Tonight

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 20:26:00 +0000

This weekend is a big weekend in Costa Rica with the inauguration of the new National Stadium and tonight's (Friday) Miss Costa Rica 2011 beauty pageant, which is will be occurring across from the street of the National Stadium, in the studios of Teletica.

The Miss Costa Rica is an annual event that selects Costa Rica's representative for the Miss Universe pageant since 1954. The current titleholder is Marva Wright from San José. She won the title in a nationally televised event on April 16, 2010.

Women between the ages of 18-27, each representing a province, compete to represent Costa Rica for one year and participate in the annual Miss Universe international competition. Until 2006, the 1st runner-up of Miss Costa Rica would usually go to Miss World and until 1994, the first runner-up, the winner or a finalist would go to Miss International.

Tonight the 10 finalists compete for the crown.

Costa Rica has participated in the Miss Universe pageant since 1954 and has sent 56 representatives in the pageant's 60-year history. The event has been broadcast by Teletica since 1960.

During the years a total of 20 Miss Costa Rica titles have been won by candidates from San José, 7 from Cartago, 7 from Guanacaste, 6 from Heredia, 6 from Limón, 4 from Puntarenas and 5 from Alajuela.

Read more from Inside Costa Rica!

Retirement in Costa Rica v Ecuador: A comparison for potential expat retirees

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 23:59:00 +0000

By Jamie Douglas / Mar 11

Both Costa Rica and Ecuador have much to offer retired expats. I will start with the northernmost of the two: Costa Rica, which is much smaller, is more modern in North American/European terms.

U.S. Diplomats: "Costa Rica Is No Paradise "

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 18:16:00 +0000

INSIDECOSTARICA.COM | COSTA RICA NEWS | Sunday 20 March 2011

The tourist brochures do not tell the whole story, writes US diplomat in cable

Have you ever wondered what American diplomats in Costa Rica really think of the country? The answer: "Costa Rica is no paradise, with raw sewage everywhere", according to Wikileaks reports printed in Costa Rica's largest daily, La Nación.

"Costa Rica treats less than 3% of human waste and discharges 97% of the sewage into the rivers that flow into the sea and constitute little more than contaminated sewage ditches open (...) placing the country among the five worst in Latin America. And the country is going backwards.

"The Central Valley, which includes the greater metropolitan area of San José and nearly two million people (almost half of Costa Rica's population), has an antiquated sewage collection, with many underground pipes dating back from the last century and perforated with rust".

That is the report by Laurie Weitzenkorn, Public Affairs Office of the U.S. Embassy in San José in a cable dated April 4, 2007, the year that Weitzenkorn was give the task of reporting to the State Department the reality live by Costa Ricans.

She added: "You can see spills on the streets. Although at least they have added 100 new residential network since 1981 no extensive work has been done on the sewer system.

"Almost all sewage flowing from San Jose enter the rivers and empty into the Pacific, particularly in the Gulf of Nicoya by way of the Tárcoles river. Locals know to avoid that area beaches for the sewage.

"Pollution has damaged mangroves and coral reefs, and is suspected of causing a decline in commercial fishing. It is also linked to water pollution hepatitis, cholera, skin problems and diarrhea cases increased by 16% in Costa Rica from 2002 to 2005.

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Full Moon Cause For "Green Alert" For Costa Rica's Coasts

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 17:08:00 +0000

The full moon this weekend is the reason for the "green alert" for high waves for Costa Rica's coasts. The alert was issued by the Comisión Nacional de Emergencias (CNE) as a preventive measure.

The CNE is advisory is from Sunday to Thursday. CNE officials say the Pacific coast and the area of Isla del Coco could be the most affected by the waves.

According to the Instituto Meteorológico Nacional (IMN) - national weather service - the high waves could have a greater impact at high time.

The lunar event this weekend, called by some as Super Moon Sunday, brings the moon closest to Earth in past 18 years. The super moon event is said to occur between March 16 and March 22 with the full moon being closest to Earth than any time in the past 18 years on March 19.

Celestial bodies do not orbit in perfect circles as the earliest scientist thought. Johannes Kepler showed us in 1609 that planets and moons sweep out their orbits in ellipses. This means that, at some points in their orbits, they are closer to the body they orbit than other points. Whenever a celestial satellite is at its closest point, it is known to be at perigee and when it is at its furthest point from the body it orbits, it is at apogee.

read more from InsideCostaRica

Los Suenos Signature Billfish Series 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 00:12:00 +0000

The eighth annual Los Sueños Signature Billfish Series begins Wednesday off Costa Rica, and the call of "Hookup!" will likely be heard often throughout the tournament.

The strictly catch-and-release competition, fished out of Los Sueños Resort and Marina in Playa Herradura, Costa Rica, takes place in two legs -- January 26-29 and March 2-5 -- and targets all species of marlin as well as Pacific sailfish. The event is sanctioned by both the World Billfish Seriesand the International Game Fish Assn.

Points will be awarded for each successful release -- 500 for marlin and 100 for Pacific sailfish -- with the top three boats per tournament awarded trophies and cash prizes based on overall points.

Registrants can still sign up for one or both legs of the series. The entry fee is $7,000 per boat per tournament or $10,000 per boat for both events.

Last year, 43 teams from the United States, Nicaragua and Russia entered the tournament and ended up releasing a total 1,014 billfish during the six days of competition.

Read original article from L.A. Times

Cafe Britt: 25 Years of Success Sharing Costa Rica's Finest Gourmet Products

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 16:51:00 +0000

Heredia, Costa Rica (PRWEB) November 26, 2010

This year, Café Britt is celebrating its 25th anniversary, which further emphasizes the success that has been built on three core beliefs: superb quality, tremendous creativity, and a unique business model. In the beginning, Café Britt was just a small roastery that sold artisan coffee to locals and tourists. Now, it is a very diverse company with stores and operations in more than 10 countries employing over 900 people. The company's arsenal is packed with a wide range of gourmet products focusing on coffee but also including a vast array of chocolates and various candies. Its production and coffee distribution model became a case of study in Harvard University and gave the company the recognition of their costumers and stakeholders in different locations.

There was a time when all of Costa Rica's best coffee was exported as a commodity, leaving only the poorest quality of beans for local consumption. For New York coffee broker Steve Aronson, this situation was unacceptable. He recognized the potential opportunity for investing in Costa Rican gourmet coffee consumption and jumped on it. In 1985 when Café Britt was founded, not only did the company provide gourmet coffee to the local citizens, but it also expanded to export and share Costa Rica's gourmet coffees with the rest of the world directly from point of origin.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2010/11/27/prweb4831094.DTL#ixzz16VCs8jga

Living in San Isidro de General, Costa Rica - After the 2010 storm

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 18:02:00 +0000

Costa Rica Realtor Victor Guerrero

Costa Rica doesn't get hurricanes but we do feel their effects... San Isidro and the general valley area are recovering from the secondary effects of hurricane Tomas.

It started raining throughout the San Isidro area on Sunday morning October 31st and literally did not stop until the next Saturday the 6th of November. With periods of very heavy down pours to light showers, this was the most intense storm to hit Perez Zeledon since the effects of Hurricane Cesar back in '95.

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What Makes the Osa Peninsula So Special?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 00:53:00 +0000

Infrastructure Improvements make one area of Costa Rica in high demand for expats

The southern Pacific region of Costa Rica is often regarded as the nicest part of the country but has also been the hardest part of the country to get to. Until now…

Background: The region around the Osa Peninsula is often compared to the Galapagos Islands. This area is home to more lowland forest than anywhere else on the entire Pacific coast. The largest mangrove wetlands can be found here as well as the largest native colony of Macaws. There are towering trees, scenic waterfalls and sweeping sandy beaches. A dizzying amount of the world’s biodiversity can be found in this area of Costa Rica. In fact Costa Rica contains twice the number of species than the entire United States while the US contains over 200 times more land. Though only 3% of the land area of Costa Rica, the Osa region in the southern Pacific contains over 50% of animal and plant species of the entire country.

History: Over 20 years ago, a small enclave of expats formed a community just north of the Osa Peninsula in the towns of Ojochal and Tres Rios de Coronado. The development grew primarily by word of mouth attracting North Americans to this spectacular part of the country. But getting there was not an easy task. The inland route, the Cerro de la Muerte (translation is “passage of death”) traversed a mountain ridge high in the clouds, topping 11,000 feet in certain places. The coastal route required numerous river crossings as well as a trek over 20 miles of unpaved road. These challenges made the area largely unvisited. There was the option of taking a small commuter flight from San Jose but upon arrival to the region rental cars were hard to find and taxi service was not readily available.

Recent Changes: In January of 2009 two new highways were finally completed, the Caldera highway stretchin from San Jose to the Pacific coast and the Costanera connecting Quepos to Dominical. These improvements made the drive from San Jose to the southern region an attractive three hour drive through some of the most scenic parts of the country. This area is home to Pacific Lots, the largest and oldest residential development for expats in the region

Hold the Presses: (Oct. 15, 2010, Costa Rica) President Laura Chinchilla announced this week high priority on the 35 million dollar southern regional international airport construction project. Chinchilla said construction will start in 2012 to put in the international airport. Environmental studies and other preliminary work has been done on the site located between Palmar Sur and Sierpe and the administration said money for this project will come from the Dirección General de Aviación Civil, the national budget and an allocation the Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes received from the International Civil Aviation Organization. This location is about a 30 minute drive from Pacific Lots!

About the development: Pacific Lots development stands alone as a haven for expats. Now in its 21st year, this project consists of 19 phases set in a mountain backdrop with expansive ocean views. Each phase features home sites with artesian spring water to each lot as well as extensive roads (gravel) and electricity throughout. Internet service, phone service and satellite TV is readily available. The North Americans and Europeans living here are blessed with abundant water, being sculpted into prior rain forest that had been cut away years ago as cattle farming was introduced to the area. Now many of these farms have been developed into residential properties. The area is greener now than before as farmers have come to realize that cattle doesn’t do well in the terrain and weren’t very good for the environment.

Read more Escape From America Magazine
What Makes the Osa Peninsula So Special?

Pura Vida de Osa Mountain Village, Costa Rica

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 11:53:00 +0000

As your flight pulls into the terminal in San Jose, Costa Rica, you are immediately greeted by the lush rolling hills that surround you. An updated airport, clean and nice, welcomes you to a land of adventure. You will exchange a little cash for Colones at the airport bank, enough for tips and gas, though many places take US dollars and the exchange rate at a real bank is much better. You grab your bags and snag your rental car (In August 2010 was $392 at Budget for 7 days, 4×4 Automatic, includes supplement liability insurance and the must have GPS navigation system as many roads are in good condition but poorly marked) and then venture on your way.

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Help Save the Rainforest. Adopt an Acre in Costa Rica with The Nature Conservancy

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 21:11:00 +0000

Click below

Help Save the Rainforest. Adopt an Acre in Costa Rica with The Nature Conservancy

Latest Guanacaste, Costa Rica Adventure

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 21:57:00 +0000

http://costaricablogger.com/2010/10/23/guanacaste-costa-rica-adventure--memories-for-a-lifetime.aspx

The Sexiest Tree House Project in the World

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 23:29:00 +0000

Rumors have been circulating in the real estate circles for months now that a new development showcasing one of the world’s only residential architectural parks featuring today’s top designers, unique residences built above the treetops on elevated stilts, and a floating beach club anchored in the waters of the Gulf of Nicoya is coming to the Central Valley and Central Pacific coast. Years in the making and now set to break ground, the two projects promise to literally raise the bar on residential lifestyle to new heights.

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All an eagle would really like, is a teapot

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 10:41:00 +0000

All an eagle would really like, is a teapot

Pacific Lots Oceanview Costa Rica homesites

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 19:35:00 +0000

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World Phones

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 16:03:00 +0000

GSM cell phone, GSM wireless phone

Even though this article talks about Nigeria, most of it is applicable to other 2nd and 3rd world nations.

GSM cell phone business in Nigeria has led to the creation of wide variety
of mobile and GSM business involving gsm phone rental, prepaid, gsm wireless phone, prepay solutions, 3g and gps.

Also thriving is the sale of gsm mobile phone and gsm cell phone. Unlike a few years ago, portable and mobile handsets are no longer the exclusive preserve of the rich,and are commonplace everywhere.

Hugely popular in the mobile market are:
motorola gsm phone, ericsson gsm phone, nokia gsm phone, motorola gsm cell phones,
gsm tri band phone, samsung gsm phone and sony ericsson gsm.

There is also a large used gsm phone market.
Nokia gsm phones are the most popular for in used gsm phone as they are regarded
as being very rugged and reliable. Nokia also does a lot of promotion and publicity.

Another activity involving mobiles that is quite common is that of unlocking. It is not uncommon to see vendors and telecom outfits advertising services for portables and handsets that have to with gsm unlocked cell phones, gsm unlocked phone and unlocked gsm phones.

The GSM cell phone and the GSM wireless phone business is big and growing one. All the major telecom manufacturers such as:

Alcatel, Ericsson, Motorola, Nokia, Samsung are involved with a wide range of handsets, brands, grades, types and models.
Fast Moving Gsm cell phone

In the market for the brand new GSM cell phone and GSM wireless phone, these are the market leaders:

Nokia gsm phone 3310, 1100, 3210, 3510, 3510I, 5210, 6210, ETC
Samsung gsm phone 1100 & OTHER CAMERA TYPE
Sony Ericsson gsm phone
Gsm phone BIRD -FLIP TYPE
LG gsm phone
Siemens gsm phone C35, C35I (Blue face)
NEC gsm phone

In the market for fairly used GSM cell phone and GSM wireless phone,
the Nokia gsm phone is the clear leader.

Popular models are:

Nokia gsm phone 3310, 3510I, 3210, 6210, (Radio phone)/camera type

In the fairly used market, Nokia is popular because of its perceived reliability
and ruggedness. Furthermore, the availability of Nokia parts and the fact that
different Nokia models often use the same parts are some the reasons that make
the Nokia gsm phone quite popular in the fairly used market.

See the websites below for more specific Cell Phone information in Costa Rica.

Cell Phones Costa Rica

Cell Phone Service in Costa Rica

Cell Phone Rentals Costa Rica

Top 10 Reasons for Living in Costa Rica

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 20:14:00 +0000

Costa Rica has some of the best weather in the world, and a much less expensive cost of living than most countries. Adventure tourism is it's claim to fame and it has a democratic political process and stable government that attracts 100's of new foreign retirees and multi-national companies every year.

As a permanent resident of Costa Rica for 15 years, I'm frequently asked why I moved here. I've assembled my top 10 list of reasons to share with everyone who may be considering moving to paradise.

1. Climate. My metabolism thrives in the consistent warm temperatures here. No Heater or A/C required, therefore my old bones are always comfortable.

2. Nature. Every morning I enjoy the views of the mountains from my dinette table while I'm waking up to the sounds of exotic birds and a flowing river.

3. Affordable Medical Care. I had a procedure done in CIMA hospital here that cost $350 for a first class operating room, anesthesiologist and my internal specialist. The same procedure in Florida costs $2500. This private hospital has 86 private rooms, 14 private suites and is equipped to handle medical, surgical and maternity cases. It has a 24-hour emergency room as well as laboratory, X-ray services, and pharmacy. They accept several U.S. health insurance plans. Affordable dentistry is abundant here as well. A friend from Florida came here specifically to have 6 implants installed and this was his 2nd trip to have this work completed by the same dentist. During his 1st trip he had 2 implants and crowns installed and the total procedure took 3 days. The dentist arranged for hotel and transport from the airport and daily for the office visits. The cost he paid is $500 per tooth for titanium steel covered with bone material implants. The actual procedure takes less than 30 minutes per tooth. The impressions and the porcelain crowns cost $250 each. The dentist makes the crowns right in his office so he had the impressions made on Monday and the crowns installed on Tuesday. This dentist was educated at the U of Missouri. He does the implants and his son takes the impressions and installs the crowns.

4. My Tico Neighbors. Here in my pueblo, I live vicariously through the Tico families that live nearby with their close family unit and laid back ways of entertaining themselves and their kids. No video games or HDTV movies down here. The kids always have plenty of soccer in the center of town and then it's home with the folks to study and watch a little local TV with an old fashioned antenna on the roof.

5. Safety. Whenever I see a sensationalized report about a crime committed here, I wonder what the reports on the 11 o clock news are in New York or Miami. There is more violent crime in most North American cities in one month than we experience here in a year, yet the media loves to highlight crimes against U.S citizens that occur outside of US borders. No country is immune to the increasing crime rates that you find almost everywhere in the world. In most Costa Rican pueblos, crime tends to petty theft rather than violent. Unless you frequent areas targeted by criminals, you should not come face to face with crime. Costa Rica is a peace-loving democracy with no military and is frequently referred to as the Switzerland of the Americas.

6. Cost of Living. The financial benefits of being a U.S. citizen living abroad is attractive because we enjoy the tax-free foreign earned income benefit of more than $80,000 per year. Property tax for a cozy two bedroom condo including all municipal services such as garbage pickup twice per week and street and sidewalk maintenance is only $60.00 per year and the monthly condo maintenance fee is only $10.00. Monthly potable water costs $9.00. The electric bill is just $7.00 because ceiling fans are all that's needed to stay comfortable. In 2008, we had a 5.1% increase in the minimum wages. Below are the MONTHLY minimum wages for the following services as of 2008: Housemaid = $186. Messenger = $316. Security Guard = $343. Retail Salesperson = $252. Bus driver = $263. Secretary = $334. Membership to the local private recreational club is only $35 a month. There are a variety of local restaurants, offering some of the healthiest and best fire roasted chicken and broiled fish, plus Chinese, pizza and typical Tico food. I eat out almost everyday and spend an average of 2000 colones or $3.50 at lunch for fresh cooked meals. A beer in the local bar at happy hour is 550 colones or $.98 and a Johnnie Walker is 900 colones or $1.60. The local roasted chicken restaurant charges $4.64 for a 1/4 chicken with salad and tortillas including tip. Dinner or lunch at the El Dorado seafood restaurant of fresh Dorado or Corvina, salad and potatoes is $5.00 including tip. And their fabulous, take-out Ceviche, I keep in my frig for a healthy snack.

7. Fresh Food and Produce. My eggs are fresh every morning. The fish and chicken I eat for lunch were swimming and clacking at breakfast. And the hydroponic vegetables I make my salads with are picked fresh as I need them. If you want to eat North American style, the local Price Smart is stocked with imported foodstuffs and Outback and Hooters are close by.

8. High Technology. Intel and Hewlet Packard are just a few of the multi-national companies that have set up shop here. Many large international companies have moved here and they are creating 100's of new jobs for the local kids every year. I'm writing this article on my wireless laptop sitting in my easy chair while keeping my eye on CBS and ABC news programs that are beamed into the high-speed cable in my condo. And I can keep in touch with my family and friends in the USA for 9 cents a minute with my local long distance company.

9. Location. I can jump on a 2.5 hour flight to Miami or Ft. Lauderdale if something comes up with my family in Florida. I'm closer to my parents from here than my brother is in Illinois.

10. Adventure Tourism. Whenever I feel the urge or have friends come to visit there are a variety of exciting options to experience here. Volcanoes are within an hour and the Caribbean or Pacific Beaches are only a few hours away. The Forest Canopy tour is a great half day adventure and many of my friends enjoy rolling down the rivers on White Water Rafting trips.

Top 10 Reasons for Living in Costa Rica was written and reposted with permission by Tom Rosenberger, a U.S. native that has lived in Costa Rica for more than 15 years and is the owner of Costa Rica Home Builder (www.CostaRicaHomeBuilder.com).

Doing Business in Costa Rica video

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 18:21:00 +0000

Unspoiled and pristine Costa Rica

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 14:20:00 +0000

Costa Rica is one of the few safe countries to visit in the Central America region. It is a must see for it’s natural beauty with much of the country protected as a national park providing a rare opportunity to see an unspoiled and pristine environment.

Most tours begin in San Jose, the largest city in Costa Rica. From there, you can enjoy several guided tours of your own choosing. Costa Rica is Spanish-speaking but many tourist areas have those who understand English and the accommodations are generally first-rate.

Some guided tours will take you to the Heredia Highlands, the perfect spot to view the huge Poas Volcano and its nearly one mile wide steaming crater the largest volcanic crater in the world. Then you’ll spend some time on a naturalist-guided tour of the La Paz Waterfall Gardens with five waterfalls, an aviary and a butterfly garden.

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Costa Rica Wikipedia

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 14:12:00 +0000

Costa Rica, officially the Republic of Costa Rica (Spanish: Costa Rica or República de Costa Rica, pronounced [reˈpuβlika ðe ˈkosta ˈrika]) is a country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the east and south, the Pacific Ocean to the west and south and the Caribbean Sea to the east.
Costa Rica, which translates literally as "Rich Coast", constitutionally abolished its army permanently in 1949.[2][3][4] It is the only Latin American country included in the list of the world’s 22 older democracies.[5] Costa Rica has consistently been among the top Latin American countries in terms of the Human Development Index, and ranked 54th in the world in 2007.[6] The country is ranked 3rd in the world, and 1st among the Americas, in terms of the 2010 Environmental Performance Index.[7]
In 2007 the Costa Rican government announced plans for Costa Rica to become the first carbon neutral country by 2021.[8][9][10] According to the New Economics Foundation, Costa Rica ranks first in the Happy Planet Index and is the "greenest" country in the world.[11]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Costa_Rica