If the Unimer public opinion poll of President Laura Chinchilla is accurate, then the citizen view of her performance hasn’t declined much, but that ain’t good, either.
Positive evaluations went down a hair from 13% in July to 12% — down in the range of U.S. polls measuring President Richard Nixon’s popularity just before his resignation. The negative opinion remained at 53%.
Chinchilla’s poll figures began their decline in September last year, according to the Unimer survey commissioned by the national newspaper La Nacion.
Specifically, 29 out of every hundred Ticos viewed her performance as so-so and 24 as very bad. What was especially telling is that none of those surveyed characterized her work as “very good.”
But the harshest criticism came from the 18-24 year olds, a segment of the population she did especially well with during the 2010 election. Also, her party has targeted that age group for the 2014 election.
Also severe was the segment of the population living in the Greater Metropolitan Area, where half the people are concentrated. As in April and July of this year, 9 out of 10 Ticos surveyed said that Chinchilla has no control over the direction her Administration takes.
Costa Ricans had an especially low opinion of the cabinet, saying that she showed a lack of leadership and was badly advised, citing the border road debacle as an example. That construction was especially the reason why 8 of 10 Ticos cited errors the government has made.
But 64% gave Chinchilla credit for important achievements such as the strengthening of the scholarship program to keep youngsters in grade school and high school as well as strengthening of the infrastructure and improving security.
But the view of the citizen in the street of the President’s cabinet was no better — 65% considered their work, taken as a whole, as “bad” or “very bad.” Only 7% judged it good.
And what was the Administration’s response to such grim reviews? As usual it fell upon Information Minister Francisco Chacon to act as spinmeister. He assured La Nacion that the Administration can recuperate in the next polls.
Naturally, he emphasized the fact that Chinchilla had stopped slipping in the polls. He pointed to an improvement in security, prudent management of the economy and an increase in employment figures.
Commentary: Actually, we hate to admit it, but Chacon has settled on three important points of success. But Ticos are not fools (well, most of them aren’t) and they know trouble when they see it.
Unfortunately, the President’s control over her officials has been as uncertain as a hippopotamus on a mud bank.
How does one define “secret political information”? Violation is a new law with no definable terms except by those who feel the author (s) have violated whatever and the hell it means.
Please, Costa Rica, wake up and smell the coffee. We cannot afford censorship, even disguised censorship. This rule, this law this regulation is tad amount to gagging freedom of speech not only the press but of information. And, if there is a country that needs exposing, we are that nation!
We have a weird if not antiquated defamation of character law that can pin down just about anyone for anything controversial. Put that on top of “secret political information” and publishing of anything controversial becomes just a gamble, a cruel joke no better or worse than Cuba, China and Venezuela. Ergo, “I, my political beliefs are my own, do not publish them or I will sue the hell out of you if not put your butt in prison.” (The killer, thief, et al are not in jail; just moi.)
How dumb, how un-freed is that?
We all know such a law will not stand up in court, except in the press and that is where most accusations, charges are legally really tried. But, then again why do we do it? Why has Costa Rica succumbed to such horrible control of freedoms and horrible laws restricting oppositional view points from that of the government: “paja”? (Paja = Not as strong as bullshit nor as weak as “baloney” A wonderful expression, I think.)
The Chinchilla administration has avoided comment and the assemble has avoided even discussing this all new regulation or law. It sits, and just sits until a new president and new assembly comes along and says, Juan, you have violated the Secret Political Information Law: whatever and the hell that might be!
Does this mean the end to expose such as that of la Nación regarding la Trocha, the General Cañas Bridge or perhaps The Orozco six month degree course in law, the CAJA ….well that is never ending? Me? I am, sensitive to any form of information control, be it television or in print form.
It smacks of China, Russia and Cuba plus a few more in Latin America.
When Anastasio Somoza was a dictator of Nicaragua, the press realized that he who controls the media always wins. And, some gave their lives to combat that misconception. We do not need to do that, nor be so radical in Costa Rica. It is a question of openness, another step to transparency that is very much in demand and very much needed.
Government secrets pertaining to security is one thing, but political secrets are something entirely different and should be rejected in “shame”. Yet, little is being said, and as a nation we are willing to live with ambiguity, a censorship and a challenge of freedom. What I have always professed and always found defending has been openness of thought.
Needing to have the latest in iPhone? Although not an official launch by Apple or the three major cellular operator in the country, the iPhone 5 – UNLOCKED – can now be purchased in Costa Rica. And at only US$1.100.
Located in San Francisco de Dos Rios, on the east side of San José, Techmania Costa Rica, by way of Facebook is offering the latest Apple mobile device.
Though the price for an iPhone5 16GB may seem high, but not really when compared to the US$199 in the United States, considering that you don’t have to sign any contract with a provider and can install any SIM chip and just about used it anywhere in the world.
The consider this, in Costa Rica an iPhone 4S – one model behind – costs ¢337.880 (US$682) and with a monthly mininum service at ¢22.500 (US$45) at Movistar.
Over at Kolbi, the mobile communications arm of the state Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE), they will be offering only the iPhone 4 8GB – two models behind – very soon . Claro is not offering the iPhone.
Why would anyone in their right mind pay such a price?
For any tech junkie that is not even a question, it is just a matter of having the latest. And if one is in Costa Rica, direct purchases from Apple is not an option, as Apple will only sell with a carrier plan. And then the phones are locked, that is they restricted from being used on another carrier during the term of the contract.
So what’s the big deal with the 5?
The 5 is the sixth generation of the iPhone and arguably the best smartphone on the market, with its custom-designed ARMv7 processor called the Apple A6, an update to Apple’s mobile operating system known as iOS 6, and support for LTE.
For any iPhone junkie will know that there the three game in 3 and 3S and the fourth in 4 and 4S, so if you add up, the first was the iPhone, then came the iPhone 3, the iPhone 3S, the iPhone4, the iPhone4S, so that makes the 5 the sixth.
The 5 was introduced on September 12, 2012. After Apple began taking pre-orders on September 14, 2012, over two million were received within 24 hours
Apple emphasized the improved build quality of the iPhone 5 at its press event. The frame used in previous versions was redesigned to use an aluminum composite frame, which allows the phone to resist shattering more effectively than the previous stainless steel design, but scratches easily. The iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S used stainless steel instead of aluminium due to Steve Jobs’ preference for the metal which he thought, “looks beautiful when it wears”.
he decision to use aluminium however, generated complaints of scratches being observed on and easily inflicted upon the chassis of the iPhone 5, causing Apple to respond that this was normal for aluminium products.[45]
All versions of the iPhone 5 are 18% thinner, 20% lighter, and have 12% less overall volume than its predecessor, the iPhone 4S. The phone’s aluminum body is 0.30 in (7.6 mm) thick. Apple at the conference claims it is the thinnest smartphone in the world at 7.6 mm, though that claim has been disputed as the Oppo Finder is thinner and some other smartphones can be considered to be thinner, depending upon where thickness is measured. The Oppo Finder measures 6.65 mm at its thinnest point and 7.1 mm at its thickest point making it overall thinner than the iPhone.
JP Morgan’s chief economist, Michael Ferol said that “sales of iPhone 5 could boost annualized US GDP growth by $3.2 billion, or $12.8 billion at an annual rate.”
Techcrunch reported that the iPhone 5 sold out twenty times faster than the 4 and 4S models. Apple said that they were “blown away by the customer response”. Phil Schiller, Apple’s vice-president of worldwide marketing, said that over two million iPhone 5 orders had been received in the first 24 hours. AT&T said that the iPhone 5 was the fastest-selling iPhone the company had ever offered, selling over five million units on launch weekend. The release and sale of the iPhone 5 has also slowed down the growth of Android according to market share reports released by Kantar Worldpanel ComTech.
Having to have the latest
For iPhone junkies all that is great, but there is another reason as to why, and it is a Costa Rican thing: being the first with something new.
For the record we estimate only several dozen iPhone5’s in Costa Rica. We don’t know the exact number, only base our estimate on the fact that one major retailer sold out its only lot of 50 it brought in last month and the few that have been purchased – unlocked from the factory – and have been brought it.
Techmania, for now, is the only commercial retailer of the iPhone5 we know of. Many will soon come.
This article was not paid for or sponsored by Techmania.
Whether you prefer sinking your teeth into the ripe, juicy fruit or savoring it as a thick, zesty sauce, there are many ways to enjoy tomatoes. But do they offer any benefit other than flavour?
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that a new study based in Finland shows that men with the highest level of lycopene —an antioxidant found in tomatoes— suffered less strokes than those who had the lowest level of it in their blood system. According to researchers, the risk of strokes was reduced by 55 percent. Those with high levels of lycopene were also 59 percent less likely to have an ischemic stroke, the most common type of stroke that is caused by a blood clot. There were 25 strokes among 258 men who had the lowest levels of lycopene and 11 strokes among men with the highest levels.
The National Stroke Association states a “brain attack” occurs when blood clots block an artery or causes a vessel to break, preventing blood flow to the brain. This results in brain damage, which could destroy certain abilities, including speech, movement and memory. Anyone, regardless of age, can have a stroke –it can be caused by several factors, including obesity, diabetes and smoking, just to name a few.
Does that mean men should begin devouring pasta loaded with simmering marinara sauce or cheeseburgers with chunky slices of tomatoes? Not so fast, says one expert.
According to Salvador Cruz-Flores, M.D. associated with the American Heart Association, the study encourages healthier eating but seems to contain some flaws.
“The study was done only on men, which is one issue,” states Flores. “The number of absolute strokes was really very small, 5 percent over 12 years. If you look at it annually, it’s less than 1 percent a year. The absolute benefit is very tiny.”
Researcher Jouni Karppi, lead author of the study, also stresses that healthier eating is what truly leads to long-term benefits.
“This study adds to the evidence that a diet high in fruits and vegetables is associated with a lower risk of stroke,” said Karppi in a statement. “The results support the recommendation that people get more than five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, which would like lead to a major reduction in the number of strokes worldwide, according to previous research.”
Tomatoes aren’t the only food with lycopene. Other fruits often found in several Latin recipes, like guavas, mangoes and papayas, have the same antioxidant.
This image found on Facebook sums the recently enacted law against, “Ley de Mordaza’ (Gag Law), as presidenta Laura Chinchilla (left) shushes the outspoken noon time news television personality, Pilar Cisneros.
Teletica, the national television station, is making a casting call to all women between 17 and 25 who are outgoing and dynamic, with an aptitude for modeling, dancing, acting and cheerleading.
Auditions will be held from November 12 and 15 at the Marco Picado studio at Teletica Channel 7 in Sabana park, across from the national stadium.
Appointments for auditions will be given out at 7am during the four days and space is limited. The casting call is for amateurs only and no experience is required.
Bailey bridges are here to stay. This pre-fabricated, truss bridge developed by the British during World War II for military use is the work horse of the Costa Rican transport ministry.
In its history, the Bailey saw extensive use by both British and the American military engineering units. Today, in Costa Rica, civil engineers are taking advantage of a system that requires no special tools or heavy equipment to construct.
The wood and steel bridge elements are small and light enough to be carried in trucks and lifted into place by hand, without requiring the use of a crane. The bridges were strong enough to carry tanks. But not 80 ton cranes as we learned the hard way last week.
Around the world Bailey bridges continue to be extensively used in civil engineering construction projects and to provide temporary crossings for foot and vehicle traffic.
In Costa Rica, however, they are a temporary-permanent solution to a problem stemming from the lack of maintenance of the country’s road infrastructure for more than two decades.
All over the country Baileys are being deployed. The objective is to allow movement of traffic while permanent repairs are made. But, again and again, a Bailey goes up and almost never ever comes down. The Ministerio de Obras Publica y Transportes (MOPT) finds it more acceptable to buy more Baileys than work on a plan for permanent structures.
A preliminary estimate by the Consejo Nacional de Vialidad (CONAVI) notes that there are more than 80 such provisional structures in use today country wide. So many that the CONAVI itself does not know for sure how many and where they all are.
Some have been in place for several years, becoming part of the natural landscape.
Rolando Castillo, coordinator of the Unidad de Puentes del Laboratorio Nacional de Materiales y Modelos Estructurales (LANAMME) – National Laboratory for Bridge and Structural Models Materials – explains that we should not look negatively at the Bailey, “provided they are used as a temporary solution”.
The expert further explains that in some countries, even the United States, Bailey structures are used in place for up to five years in some cases, allowing time for authorities to design and build a permanent bridge.
“The absence of a bridge management system should not be allowed’, says Castillo in criticizing the country’s lack of any type of plan for country’s failing bridges.
Defending the use of the Bailey is José Salas, head of the CONAVI. Salas says, “we should not lose sight of the main objective of the CONAVI and the MOPT, which is to ‘ensure the right of free transit’ regardless of the medium used to achieve this”.
The statement confirms that CONAVI officials are more likely to use the temporary solution for a permanent, becoming more and more Bailey-dependent rather than putting forth a permanent bridge plan.
In the eyes of some, like the LANAMME, the Bailey is viewed as a permanent solution for a ministry that is imploding under the weight of its own inefficiency and corruption. During the current administration, the not even three year old Chinchilla government is now on its third MOPT minister.
Some argue, however, that the country is not Bailey-dependent but rather using the Bailey as way of efficiently stealing public money. Up for an investigation any one?
n November it is common for Costa Ricans to be doing their Christmas shopping, as retailers announce their deals and discounts for the shopping season, getting more aggressive by the end of the month with the “Aguinaldo” – annual bonus around the corner.
In Costa Rica the Christmas shopping season actually starts in September – yes, September – as retailers begin putting up Christmas holiday decorations and put out their stock, rather than keep it in the warehouse.
This early season approach to Christmas is not part of any marketing plan, rather a practical approach to the fact that stock for the holiday season arrives early in Costa Rica, for the container shipments will be focusing on the big markets to the north. Retailers also give shoppers and early start with lay-aways or “apartados” as they care called in Costa Rica.
According to Cynthia Zapata, head of the Office of Consumer Support (Oficina de Apoyo Consumidor) of the Ministery of Consumer Affairs, consumers should shop around to ensure the best price.
Footwork is the best guarantee to get the best price for this holiday season shopping.
Zapata also asks consumers to ask for warranty and return policies, making sure that they are getting a warranty for their purchase. In addition, Zapata says that retailers want to improve transperancy, but htat can only be achieved with a good consumer practice.
The consumer support office has these recommendations:
Have an established budget
Make a list of things you want to buy
Buy only what is needed and not only to spend money
Take into account that consumers are entited to be informed of the before and after price
Report any misleading practices, like offering a discount for cash and not with a credit card
With the idea to cash in on insurance some vehicle owners in Costa Rica are taking to report fake thefts. In fact, according to the Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ), almost one third of all reported car thefts was by the owner trying to defraud the national insurer, the Institutio Nacional de Segurod (INS).
Between January and September of this year 32% of all vehicles reported stolen or lost were not really stolen or lost, rather an attempt for the owner of the vehicle to get a cash settlement.
Costa Rica laws provide a prison sentence of one month to two years for anyone who commits a crime against a public body – the INS is a state institution. Violators could face other criminal charges.
The Colegio de Periodistas de Costa Rica (Costa Rican College of Journalists) in an editorial published in the local Spanish language daily El Pais, rejected the so-called Ley Mordaza (Gag Law) and demanded the government to analyze the project presented.
The reactions to the new law has had a wide repercussion among journalists, officials of press media and members of political parties and other organizations.
The legislation establishes changes to the Penal Code and restricts the exercise of press, freedom of expression, says lawyer Carlos Serrano, who also says that the legislation only publishes data by public institutions and establishes penalties up to 10 years of prison for those who spread information about the police, the defense of the nation, foreign affairs and others.
Jose Rodolfo Ibarra, president of the Colegio, said that the legislation puts the work of the press in risk, especially investigations to discover corruption affairs.
Ibarra added it violates the Constitution, the democracy of the nation and the international conventions.
Costa Rican Journalists Against Legislation
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The Colegio de Periodistas de Costa Rica (Costa Rican College of Journalists) in an editorial published in the local Spanish language daily El Pais, rejected the so-called Ley Mordaza (Gag Law) and demanded the government to analyze the project presented.
The reactions to the new law has had a wide repercussion among journalists, officials of press media and members of political parties and other organizations.
The legislation establishes changes to the Penal Code and restricts the exercise of press, freedom of expression, says lawyer Carlos Serrano, who also says that the legislation only publishes data by public institutions and establishes penalties up to 10 years of prison for those who spread information about the police, the defense of the nation, foreign affairs and others.
Jose Rodolfo Ibarra, president of the Colegio, said that the legislation puts the work of the press in risk, especially investigations to discover corruption affairs.
Ibarra added it violates the Constitution, the democracy of the nation and the international conventions.
The U.S. coffee chain Starbucks chose Lincoln Plaza in Moravia for its second point of expansion in Costa Rica. Lincoln Plaza opened its doors to the public on November 10, 2012 with more than forty retail stores.
The choice for Corporación de Franquicias Americanas (CFA) to open in Lincoln Plaza is not a surprise, as the new commercial centre is owned and developed by Portafolio Inmboliario (Pimnsa), the same developed of Avenida Escazú, the home of the first Starbucks store.
Last June CFA opened its doors to the 220 square metre outlet with a strong publicity campaign and media coverage. Lines outisde were around the corner for the first weeks of operations, as Costa Ricans chose to try America’s most popular coffee house.
In Central America, CFA operates seven Starbucks outlets, in addition to the 138 stores of international chains Pizza Hut, KFC, Wendy’s and China Wok.
Lincoln Plaza is also home to other interantional brand names like GNC, Pizza Hut, KFC, Quiznos and Spoleto. Costa Rican chains include Universal, Yamuni, Pops, Enterpans and CCM Cineas.
Kepler Motors is gearing up to get its Motion hybrid supercar to customers. The California-based boutique automaker originally announced the 800-hp car in 2009 and should begin deliveries in the near future. In anticipation of the launch, it has released three new video clips showing the Motion … in motion.
The last time we saw the Motion was when it was first announced at the 2009 Dubai International Motor Show. Kepler has kept pretty quiet since then, but it broke that silence last month with several new video clips. The clips show a purple Motion getting down to business in what appears to be the Californian desert.
The Motion is a hybrid supercar that combines a twin-turbo 3.5-liter Ford EcoBoost V6 driving the rear wheels with a pair of electric motors driving the front wheels. The V6 has been tuned up to 550 hp – close to 200 extra ponies over what you’d get in the Ford F-150 – and the electric motors throw in 250 hp.
Combine the virile AWD powertrain with the Motion’s carbon fiber monocoque and body, and Kepler says that the car fires to 60 mph (96.5 km/h) in a Veyron-like 2.5 seconds. The speedometer doesn’t stop until it runs north of 200 mph (322 km/h), making the car just as fast as and several ticks quicker than the comparably powered Porsche 918 Spyder Hybrid.
There’s no word on what the Motion will cost, but combine its cutting edge design, speedy performance and limited 50-model production run, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see something well up into the six-figure range, if not beyond. If that sounds too rich for your blood, you’ll have to be content watching it terrorize the streets in the trio of videos below.
For fans of the Bond canon (and I count myself one), the stakes for the newest installment, Skyfall, are sky high. The film is the third starring Daniel Craig—by any reasonable assessment a better Bond than any since Sean Connery—and as such it possesses a kind of deciding-vote quality over the two that preceded it. The first, Casino Royale, was not merely 007’s sharpest outing in 30-plus years, but a fairly explicit rebuke to the borderline self-parody into which the franchise had sunk; the second, Quantum of Solace—despite another excellent outing by Craig—was a soggy sequel, timid and uninspired.
Thus the question: Was Casino Royale an outlier in the decades-long stretch of Bondian disappointment? Or was Quantum of Solace the outlier in a new, improved Age of Craig?
I’m delighted to report that Skyfall powerfully suggests the latter. The film, directed by Sam Mendes, is among the most ambitious imaginings of Bond to date: dark, supple, and punctuated with moments of unanticipated visual brilliance.
Tough guy shows vulnerable side in latest Bond film, ‘Skyfall’It begins, as these affairs typically do, with a chase. Or perhaps it might better be described as a meta-chase, an early hint that the screenplay (by Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, and John Logan) will cast a knowing eye over the historical expanse of the franchise. A pursuit by car evolves into one by motorcycle before concluding in fisticuffs on the roof of a train. Throw in that it all takes place in Istanbul, and we’ve nearly managed 50 years of Bond in miniature.
Already, however, there are intimations that this will be no mere rehash. M (Judi Dench) orders Bond to abandon a wounded agent, presumably to his death. And for all its backward glances, the opening sequence will end in novel fashion: As a consequence of M’s pitiless efficiency, Bond is shot, fallen, evidently drowning. Cue up Adele’s moody, evocative theme song: This is the end. Hold your breath and count to ten.
Obsolescence and decay hang heavy over all that follows. Has M grown too old? Has Bond? These themes were toyed with in the non-canonical Thunderball remake Never Say Never Again, which saw Connery return to action 12 years (and one broken “never” vow) after Diamonds Are Forever. But if that examination of 007’s mortality was quasi-farce, Skyfall tilts toward tragedy. A cyber-terrorist, someone out of M’s past, has targeted MI-6 itself, and it’s unclear whether Bond—injured, disillusioned, full of drink and pills—is still a man to take on such challenges.
Craig and Dench are again superb, and superb together, as the hardened killer and the one person harder still. It is hardly a surprise that Mendes, who directed American Beauty and Revolutionary Road, has an ear for the strained and prickly marriage between the two. (M: “You know the rules of the game. You’ve been playing it long enough. We both have.” Bond: “Maybe too long.” M: “Speak for yourself.”)
Less expected is Mendes’s eye for elegant venues on a planet Bond had long ago seemed to crisscross into exhaustion: the summit of a glass tower in nighttime Shanghai, with luminous billboard jellyfish blooming in the background; a luxurious gambling den floating off the shore of Macau; a battered and abandoned ghost-city on a forgotten island in the South China Sea.
Like Casino Royale before it, Skyfall is at pains to advertise its breaks from the franchise’s past excesses, as when Bond’s new Q (Ben Whishaw) offers him a meager haul of gadgetry. “A gun and a radio? It’s not exactly Christmas, is it?” grouses Bond. Q’s response is tart: “Were you expecting an exploding pen?” Yet even on this score, the film is not without its sentimental indulgences, as when Bond brings into service an old friend last seen in—no, I won’t spoil it.
There are new friends along the way as well, played by Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Bérénice Marlohe, and Albert Finney—himself a candidate for the role of Bond once upon a time. Memories are uncovered and past sins revisited. There are nods to Tennyson’s “Ulysses” and to the famously stolen Modigliani Woman with a Fan. And Bond enjoys what is to date his most explicit (and by far most amusing) brush with homoeroticism.
The movie stumbles here and there. Though Javier Bardem has some nice moments as Bond’s new nemesis, he leans a bit heavily on Ledger’s Joker and Hopkins’s Lecter, before the script disappointingly demotes him to a near-generic villainy. And while the closing act provides abundant catnip for Bond nostalgists, it veers a few degrees hokier than necessary.
But make no mistake. Skyfall both honors and revitalizes what has come before, and offers compelling evidence that 007 is indeed back. As Bond himself replies, when asked what hobbies he might have: “Resurrection.”
The outcry that has followed the enactment three days ago of Costa Rica’s highly controversial cybercrime law has forced the government into a hasty about-turn. It announced today that the legislation, which provides for up to 10 years’ imprisonment for publishing “secret political information”, would not apply to journalists.
The law is not confined to national security but could also be applied to information “from national police bodies or security concerning defence matters or foreign relations” or which affects “the fight against drug trafficking or organized crime “.
In a statement issued a day earlier, the government promised to amend article 288 of the new law which provides for imprisonment of between four and eight years for anyone “who procures or obtains in an improper way secret political information”.
At the same time, the government pointed out that, under the constitution, it had a precise time limit for the enactment of the law after its approval by the Legislative Assembly.
“Even with the support of this argument, the enactment of such a dangerous law that has had such a harsh reception from all journalists is staggering,” Reporters Without Borders said. “At the same time as a discussion in parliament, there should have been a wide-ranging public debate around the extremely vague notion of ‘secret political information’, much of which is of considerable public interest.
“A piece of legislation that is so at odds with constitutional guarantees regarding freedom of expression and information should have provoked a presidential veto.”
The press freedom organization concluded: “The government should keep its word and ensure the law is amended so that its most repressive sections are scrapped. In our view, this should apply not only to qualified journalists or those employed by media organizations. It concerns every citizen, blogger or writer able to research and produce news and information. In other words, no-one should have to regard this law as a threat.”
The section or Ruta 1 between Alajuela and San José known as the autopista General Cañas, once again is a nightmare for thousands of drivers, when on Tuesday a 85 ton moving crane collapsed one of the two Bailey bridges on the busiest road in the country.
The moving crane was headed eastbound (Alajuela – San José) on the autopista when the Bailey bridge collapsed under the weight of the heavy vehicle. The bridge was installed last June when a sinkhole tore apart a section of the highway in the area of Los Arcos in Cariari.
The driver, Alberto Marín, was not injured in the accident nor any of the workers working below the bridge.
The General Cañas, the major route to San José to and from the international airport, will be closed until next Tuesday.
Tuesday morning a moving crane in the Alajuela – San José direction brought down one of the Bailey bridges erected on the autopista. Transport officials say the San José bound lanes will re-open in a week, at 5am Tuesday.
Despite the lack of signage with respect to weight limits on the bridge, the Director del CONAVI, Jose Luis Salas, says the driver of the crane should have known he could not move such a heavy vehicle over the Bailey.
“We have repeatedly reported that the bridge cannot stand much weight”, said Salas. The minister of Obras Públicas y Transportes (MOPT), Pedro Castro, said the transport department has no responsibility for the incident and “despite the lack of signage, the driver should have known not to pass through here. He is bound by law to know”.
Both officials said the MOPT and CONAVI are not to be held responsible and will seek ways for the owner of the moving crane to compensate the government.
But who will compensate the drivers affected by the closure who now have to find alternate routes to an already overburdened failing infrastructure?
The driver of the crane was issued a ¢94.000 colones (US$190) ticket, the maximum fine as per Article 145 of Ley de Tránsito (Traffic Code) for operating an overweight vehicle without a permit on public roads. The owner of the crane, Diego Quirós, assures that the vehicle is (was) in good mechanical condition and has in the past crossed Bailey Bridges without incident.
Alternate Routes: 1. Ruta 106 San José to Lagunilla de Heredia. Exit at Plaza Real Cariari head for San José by way Heredia through La Cañada to gas station ahead of the Riteve, right, over the Bailey and back onto the General Cañas
2. At the EPA take the road to Belén to Santa Ana and onto the Ruta 27 (San José – Caldera)
3. If you west of the international airport, exit at Coyol to the Ruta 27.
Many baby boomers are health conscious and into running. The benefits which an individual can get from running on a regular basis have been touted in many publications and studies. There are some runners who run just for the joy of running but there are others including many seniors who run because they realize there are a great deal of benefits which can be gained from running.
Some of of them may include reducing stress, improved bone health, improved cardiovascular health, reducing stress and improved mood and better coordination. Running is also an excellent form of exercise for losing weight because it requires a great deal of energy. In order to lose one pound of body weight, the body must create a calorie deficit of 3500 calories. This is equal to burning 500 calories per day. Most runners can easily burn off this many calories in less than one hour of exercise. I used to be a dedicated runner but unfortunately had to give it up because of knee problems. What I do now is walk at least one hour or more a day.
Costa Rica has a lot to offer runners and joggers. Beautiful beaches where one can jog along the sand and enjoy the refreshing ocean air. Parks like the Sabana in San José which is perfect for running. Almost every day the park is filled with runners and walkers. I know several Americans who live nearby and go to the park at least four times a week to get their exercise.
Costa Rica’s hills and mountains are also good places to run and hike. Serious runners will be glad to know that every February there is a race to the top Costa Rica’s highest peak, Chirripó. Hundreds of competitors arrive from all over the world to race 34-km up and down the country’s highest mountain. To give you a little perspective on this race: Chirripó is 3820 meters or 12,532 feet high. The race begins at the village of San Gerardo de Rivas which is about 4500 feet above sea level and finishes at about an elevation 8,000 feet. The fastest runners cover the distance in just over 3 hours! A regular hike of the same distance can take up to 8 hours.
Every year several marathons and half-marathons are held in Costa Rica where serious runners can also compete. You can find more about Costa Rica’s marathons at: http://marathoncostarica.com/bienvenidos/index.php.
One interesting race that is held in Costa is similar to the famous 86-story and 1576 stair “Umpire State Run-up”. The record for this race is 9 minutes and 33 seconds. Since we don’t have any buildings in Costa Rica that come close to that height we have a lesser version of the famous New York event called the “Carrerón del Escalón” or “Race of the Step” in English. It is held at the main office of the Caja Costarricense del Seguro Social (Social Security Building) in downtown San José and only open to employees and a few select participants. The building is only 13 stories high so it is not that grueling of an event.
Senior runners will be please to know that there are several stores that specialize in quality running shoes in the San José area. New Balances has one store in the Multiplaza Mall in Escazú and another in the Paseo de las Flores Mall in Heredia. There is also a store that specializes in running shoes called Runners, which is one block east of the Palacio de Deportes sports arena in the city of Heredia. You can order running shoes on line and have them shipped to Costa Rica by using one of the country’s private mail services like Aerocasillas. The only problem is that you cannot try on the shoes if your order them this way. However, if you know your exact shoe size and fit then this won’t pose a problem.
Bruce Silverman, a lifetime runner who used to live in Costa Rica, recently founded an on-line running magazine called ”Senior Runner.” It has a wealth of interesting information and tips for older runners. Check it out http://www.seniorrunner.com.
Actually I have been a naturalized Costa Rican citizen for over ten years but…….
About 27 years ago visited my dermatologist in downtown San José. We talked and he asked how long I had been living here. He knew I was originally from the States but nevertheless said, “Ya eres tico!” or You’r ea tico! That was the fist time a Costa Rican had ever said that to me. I really felt flattered.
Since then many Costa Ricans from taxi drivers to a former president have paid me the same compliment on numerous occasions. Why? First because of my linguist ability. I speak Spanish with native fluency. Probably the only way I could improve would to have been born here. The other day for example, I was talking to a tico friend who is sales and I used a local expression or tiquismo. Right away my Costa Rican friend told my gringo friend who was also with me, “Chris is a tico.” Obviously because of my Spanish skills and knowledge of the local slang.
In addition to my language skills I really understand the Latin sense of humor and the culture both of which help me fit in here.
I really feel proud of the effort I have made over the years to learn all I can about the Costa Rica. My efforts have really paid off. Felix Pérez, who drivers the bus on my monthly relocation retirement tours, has told me on repeated occasions that he has never met a gringo living in Costa Rico who fits in so well. He loves the fact that I have mastered the local street slang called pachuco. Felix has connection with a local radio station and wants me to go on a talk show called “El Manicomio de la Risa” or The Insane Asylum of Laughter.” The show is hilarious and I’d love to appear on it as a gringo who has mastered Costa Rican slang. Perhaps someday it will happen.
Anyway I know I will never be a native born Costa Rican but really feel happy that the people here have embraced me as one of their own and appreciate my effort to blend in. My good friend Mercedes Castro paid me the ultimate compliment at a party a few months ago when she introduced me to the other guests. She said, “Este mae es uno de nosotros.” “The guy is one of us.” My girlfriend has also echoed Mercedes’ sentiments repeatedly.
This phrase sums up my experience here. “Gringo de nacimiento, Tico de corazón.” “Gringo by birth, Tico at heart.”
Other foreigners should follow the advice of this time-tested expression: “Cuando se encuentre en Roma, compórtese como los Romanos” or “Al pueblo que fueres, haz loque vieres.” Both expressions mean, “When in Rome, do as the Romans.”
The bottom line is that if you make an effort to understand the culture and the language of Costa Rica you can have an incredible life here.
Family vacations in Costa Rica can be rewarding experiences or absolute disasters — it all depends on pre-trip homework. As part of a Huffington Post Travel series on traveling with children, here are recommended attractions for those planning Costa Rica family vacations.
Arenal Volcano National Park
Arenal Volcano was one of the most active volcanoes in the world until 2010 when it entered a dormant phase. Outdoor lovers will enjoy activities at Arenal Volcano National Park ranging from rafting and exploring hot springs to hiking and mountain biking. Rivers, rain forests, waterfalls, hot springs and a volcano — Arenal Volcano National Park has it all.
Museo De Los Ninos
The Museo de los Ninos provides a collection of educational exhibits representing the culture and history of Costa Rica. There are also many hands-on exhibits. In one interactive exhibit, kids can make music by waltzing across the floor. The museum building was formerly a barrack and then a prison before it was transformed into a children’s museum.
Address: Calle 4, al norte de la Avenida 9, San Jose, Costa Rica
Hours: The museum is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Price: U.S. adults, $8; children younger than 12, free.
National Museum
The National Museum is an exciting journey through the country’s archaeology, art, history and nature. The exhibits range from pre-Columbian objects made of gold and jade to a collection of hundreds of preserved Costa Rican birds.
Address: 17 Street, Central Avenue and Second Avenue, San Jose, Costa Rica
Hours: The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed on December 25 and December 31.
Price: Adults, $4; students and children 11 and younger, $2.
Manuel Antonio
Manuel Antonio is Costa Rica’s most popular destination, offering top-notch beaches with incredible views of the Pacific Ocean. This area includes a national park brimming with wildlife, fabulous dining options and accommodations. Guests can go for a sail at sunset, ride a wave runner or try their hand at diving or snorkeling — with the assistance of an instructor, of course.
Sea Turtle Expedition
The Sea Turtle Expedition provides the chance for individuals to see endangered sea turtles laying eggs. This is a 9-day expedition where you actually become part of the beach patrol team tagging and measuring turtles, rescuing stragglers, noting nest locations and counting eggs.
Corcovado National Park
Hike in a tropical rain forest in Corcovado National Park. Enjoy a pristine sandy beach in the shadow of cliffs and caves. The park has a thriving monkey population, including Central American squirrel monkeys and white-faced capuchins.
Address: Corcovado, Costa Rica
Hours: The park is open all hours.
Price: $7 plus $3 per person, per night if camping. Caño Negro National Wildlife Refuge
Cano Negro National Wildlife Refuge is a haven for bird watching and fishing. Located in a major migratory flyway, the refuge is home, or rest a stop, to millions of birds, including the black-necked stilt, northern jacana and white Ibis. Visitors can enjoy hiking and camping in this lush tropical rain forest.
Address: Cano Negro, Northern Lowlands, Costa Rica
Hours: The refuge is open year-round. The Ramsar Ranger Station is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Price: No admission fee but visitors need a license for fishing ($30).
An authoritarian government is only promoted and supported by the people when the alternative, democracy, is terribly bad. The only question is if we, in “Pura Vida” have reached that plateau?
In the U.S the flagrant manipulation of voting rights has, sadly, most certainly rendered the moral sense of democracy impotent.
We utter the mantra, “It is not perfect in any way but it is the best thing we have to an alternative!”
Are you sure about that?
What is the difference of manipulating of the electoral process and an authoritative, perhaps appointed system of government? Take, for example, Nicaragua and Venezuela. Democracy is an act, a sham, a show but indeed a glorified show to avoid the word “despot”.
Or, in the case of Costa Rica, we now have a one party system: Liberación.
The last two presidents (Arias and Chinchilla) and a majority of the legislature are all from Pârtido Liberación Naciónal. The only question is if this party can win three consecutive times? It has not been done before, however, neither have the other two most influential political parties, PUSC and PAC, had such a massive disarray of disagreement within.
How different is our little country from the United States?
In Florida democracy is being inhibited by the “early” voting lines which stretch around the block and have reported up to seven hours wait time in order to cast one ballot. You have to want to vote very badly to stand in line that long, that period of time. Some people do, not a lot because most just say,”#!!* it,” and go home resulting in democracy for those with patience.
How is it possible, the perpetual leaders and cheerleaders of democracy can restrict the people’s right to vote? Well, it is a political strategy and not a pretty one. The end all might be party loyalty which far outweighs the spirit and intent of the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
Here, at home, in Costa Rica we the people are speaking through polls (Encuestas) and that also is not a pretty picture.
Democracy is on the decline for no other reason than it has been abused, raped and deployed by those who see the “vote” as a self serving road to power.
A recent poll by the Spanish language newspaper La Nación concluded: “…22% of those questioned would favor some sort of authoritarian government and 40% answered that our current political (Domestic) issues cannot and are not being managed by elected officials.
In short, those same 22% would prefer an authoritarian government rather than one elected by popular vote.
Moreover, a large populous would prefer to change the party colors, introduce a new political party rather than offer up some sort of quasi coalition. The yell is for “new blood” not warmed over “old blood” that has dominated this country, its uncles, cousins, brothers and even grand kids for the past 63 years.
“Yes, we need original thought.” We need to decide if we are a nation of self professed neoliberals or simply liberals who will foster social networks and be paternal while opening the borders to commerce. Right now we have both schools of thought meshed together and government is drowning in under performance, crime and corruption.
Tuesday was the election in the United States and in so many ways not much different than that of Costa Rica.
“Manipulation” of voters is the key and whoever wins. And, the status quo will pretty much be the same as before voting.
In Costa Rica we are at a loss for direction and I predict soon to be disenchanted with the love of China, our newest best friend and flavor of the month.
We do not need new political parties, what we need is new political blood and new ideas from whatever party. If we do not receive new blood, Costa Rican democracy might finally be doomed since 46% of the 1,200 people questioned indicated that they have lost faith in all our political parties, and already our direct foreign investment has dropped off by 5% over last year because those companies, those countries have decided to stay on the sidelines and look to other nations for a safer and a more defined haven to do business.
A Costa Rican living in the United States writes back to his friend in Costa Rica who is always claiming poverty.
The friend in the U.S. writes, Ricardo, how can you call yourself poor, when are able to pay for a litre (quart) of milk more than tripe what I pay here?
… when you give yourself the luxury of taking a taxi everywhere, pay tolls and public transport at 40% more than it costs me. You can even afford to pay credit card interest rates at more than double what I pay, you can buy a car at double the prices in the U.S.
Ricardo, you don’t understand, the poor are we here in the U.S., for considering the precarious financial situation, our government charges us only 6% sales tax and not the 13% you the rich living in Costa Rica.
Furthermore, down there you have a “luxury tax” like on gasoline, alcohol, cigarettes, beer, wine, cars, etc, etc. You can afford to pay tax on everything which can be at more than 300% of the original value of the item. Lucky you, because, if you were not rich, what sense would it be to have so many taxes and so high? You must all be swimming in abundance for the government can have so many taxes!
The poor are we living in the United States. For down there you can afford private security guards, while we have to make do with a public police force and you send your children to private schools, while we have to make do with a public school education that have to give us books and other materials.
Sometimes I wonder how Ticos can call themselves poor when they take out loans at interest rates at more than 35% annually or mortgages at 20% or more. YOU HAVE TO BE RICH TO THAT!
Not here, lenders know we can’t afford those types of rates, so they charges only 7% or 8%. It is clear that our economic situation is tight and lenders know that or they would exploit us.
You are so rich in Costa Rica that, if you drive, can afford traffic fines in the hundreds of dollars, thousands for multiple infractions. Hey, you now even have a Starbucks that you pay double what we pay here for coffee grown in your own country.
And finally, Costa Ricans are so rich that they don’t have to work. I read that 20% or more of the Tico work force don’t work. Here, we all have to work, only 2% don’t.
Ricardo, I send you a hug and best wishes. Don’t worry your leaders knows what is best for you and is certain to raise more taxes and find more ways to get into your deep pockets. But, do not worry, for a 7% inflation rate will level things out.
Sincerely, your poor immigrant friend in the United States.
President Laura Chinchilla took on the public banking system this week, drawing a sharp defense from Central Bank president Rodrigo Bolaños. She thinks Ticos are paying too high of an interest rate.
Meanwhile, the Central Bank announced Wednesday that interest rates would remain unchanged at 20.25%, slightly lower than the private banks’ 10.5%.
The President, incensed at the public banks for ignoring her, insisted in a meeting Wednesday with the bankers in the public sector, who wanted the meeting next week.
The announcement of the basic interest rate is made every Wednesday and this may have accounted for the reason they would postpone the meeting. At the gathering, Chinchilla continued to lobby for lower rates.
Costa Rica’s interest rates are far higher than the unprecedented rock-bottom ones in the United States, a clear effort of the U.S. Federal Reserve to encourage business and stimulate an economy only now showing signs of rejuvenation.
The President apparently hopes to begin the 2013 new year with a slash of interest rates. But Central Bank president Rodrigo Bolaños thinks the President has it all wrong.
The reason that the public banks pay out a lower rate on deposits, he says, is that they are more secure, being backed by the government. La Nacion questioned Bolaños on the current rate which has been said to be higher than the Libor rate.
But the Central Bank president was unmoved. “I’ve heard this,” he said calmly, “but this is happening in all finances, not just the prime rate.”
The disagreement with the President comes on the heels of another controversy about Central Bank control of the country’s financial mechanism. The squabble appears to be a power struggle between regulation agencies and the Bank.
130,000 visitors from Canada entered the country this year, which makes them one of the main generators of tourism for Costa Rica.
Furthermore, Canada is the second biggest foreign exchange generated by tourism in Costa Rica, with $142 million last year.
Canadian airline WestJet opened direct service on Monday to Costa Rica, with service from Toronto Pearson International Airport to Daniel Oduber Airport in Liberia.
WestJet will fly direct twice a week, Mondays and Saturdays, and therefore add 34,528 extra seats a year round trip, the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT) calculated.
The first WestJet flight arrived at the Daniel Oduber Quirós Airport in Liberia, Guanacaste around 12 noon on Monday.
The capacity of the aircraft came complete with 160 tourists.
WestJet is a low-cost airline offering regular scheduled services to 81 destinations in North, America, Central America and the Caribbean. This airline provides jobs to 8,600 people and its fleet consists of 99 Boeing 737 aircrafts.
The sun was shining bright and a group of typical dancers from the University of Costa Rica (UCR) in Liberia were there to welcome them into the country.
Although you may be crazy about video games, are you crazy enough to think like an ant?
That is the theme of a new video challenge from the Costa Rica-based Sabor Studios, the same crazies who brought you Pota-Toss that puts a preminum on throwing potatoes for survival.
The new game, sold in App stores from the computer giant Apple, not only has you scratching your head, trying to protect the ant queen in the nest or raiding a restaurant for food for the troops — but there is a competitive element involved.
By use of GPS, you can play against several persons scattered over the globe. This may give you certain advantages — for example, by grabbing a coffee bean in Costa Rica, you get more energy, explains Sabor Studio partner Jose Cayasso.
By the way, the game also gives you a chance to create a generic restaurant to raid. And if you have even a more imaginative take, you can put the idea forward on Kickstarter to improve the game — if you back it up with a bit of money to fund it.
Pota-Toss was a real winner from the start that may go on to Android and Windows Phone apps. It was number one on Apple’s Internet store for Costa Rica and number 38 on App Store purchases in the U.S. — not bad for a fledgeling company.
In this game, protagonist Larry Potato is attacked by zombie potatoes and, to survive, must–what else?–throw potatoes at them. Although reviews of Pota-Toss have been mainly positive, you can’t please everyone.
Nestor Villalobos of the game platform Tweetland complained that the app froze up on him, according to La Nacion. Jose Manuel Silva of Happy Dog Games griped about the need to register with Facebook in order to play.
Pota-Toss creators Jose Cayasso and Philipe Casoria scraped up $13,000 to develop the game, touted in the magazine Tech Crunch as the new Angry Birds. (In fact, Angry Bird creator Rovio offered them jobs but neither Tico wants to move to Finland.)
The GPS application to the Pota-Toss game (using an example in a recent La Nacion article) a player in Costa Rica can pit himself against one in Tokyo. The first three stages, the scene is Costa Rica, next Tokyo is the setting and in the third the scene is divided between the two locations.
You can play anywhere–just don’t run out of potatoes to throw…
I have been a vegetarian for almost forty years. I am actually Lacto-ovovegetarian since I exclude meat, poultry, and fish but include dairy products and eggs. Most vegetarians in the US are lacto-ovovegetarians. The benefits of a vegetarian diet are obvious: the consumption of a diet of whole grains, legumes, vegetables, nuts, and fruits, with the avoidance of meat and high-fat animal products, along with a regular exercise program is consistently associated with lower blood cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, less obesity and consequently less heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, and mortality.
People are vegetarians for many reasons, including concern for personal health and the environment, economic and world hunger concerns, compassion for animals, belief in nonviolence, food preferences, or spiritual reasons. Many famous people throughout history have been vegetarians among them Albert Einstein who said “ Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances for survival of life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.”
Most people don’t know that vegetarian foods are a major source of nutrition for most people in the world; vegetarians have lower rates of heart disease and some forms of cancer than non-vegetarians; and Vegetarian diets can be simple and easy to prepare.
It is easy to be a vegetarian in Costa Rica since fruits and vegetables grow year-round. Every Saturday and Sunday there are outdoor farmer’s markets where retirees and others can buy a wide variety of local produce at very affordable prices. Supermarkets like Automercado, Walmart and Mas por Menos also have a large selection of fruits and vegetables from which to choose.
Although we don’t have large health food supermarkets like Whole Foods, there are a growing number of smaller health stores called Macrobioticas that stock a lot of products and supplements for vegetarians. Regular supermarkets also have several lines of health food products for vegetarians like the Bioland brand.
There are also over 70 vegetarian restaurants around Costa Rica. See this web site for a complete listing of restaurants serving vegetarian food: http://www.happycow.net/north_america/costa_rica/
Numerous and serious studies conclude that Wanna-be expatriates are not lining the streets looking to live in our little country by the sea.
Having said that, Costa Rica´s etched in bronze ecological fame (Real or imagined) and the mere image of escaping to a more laid back democracy where opening a new Popeye´s franchise makes headlines can look pretty good. And coming from a hectic developed country life style to one that is so terribly polite and unrushed does have its appeal.
“Yes,” coming to Costa Rica will reduce big city and corporate stress. But many expats say, “ in developed countries like the U.S., you will die of stress but when living in Costa Rica you will die of frustration.”
Only this week I witnessed an expat freak out over the immigration process and finally exclaimed how different she was (Superior) from Ticos. This aged, grey haired beauty in her ten speed wedgies just finally flipped out and kept repeating over and again, like some sort of mantra, “If you keep me running in circles, I´m going home and you cannot have my money! Do you hear me?”
She could have been a zillionaire or on welfare, the non-working bureaucrats could not care less and I doubt if the country of Costa Rica could care much more either, if at all.
Image D. Mora, Diario Digital Nuestro País
The dull eyes of just about every agency worker within immigration just passively stared at this truly irate lady since they have heard it many times before but perhaps not quite so loud. She was required to have a “government official” translation to Spanish of her already in Spanish passport. I guess Costa Rica does not trust the Spanish in Spain.
Even after cooling down to a mere mumble, the lady did not grasp that this episode was only her first real step into the world of redundancy and unexplainable, illogical tasks that are required to live and invest in Costa Rica.
For many, once they get past the sloths and toucans, there is serious cultural shock when coming to CR from a more developed country.
In reality, unless you plan to eat and live as the locals, it is also more expensive than Miami despite the published under 5% inflation rate.
On the other hand, if you promise the government a mega-deal, like a sports book, call center, language school, etc. the massive government is quite good because (a) you can avoid taxes, (b) the daily utility bills for larger businesses are deeply discounted and (c) dignitaries will embrace you.
However, the welcome rug is pulled when your organization rises above the Costa Rican radar in which case you do have problems looming on the horizon as a threat to well established Costa Rican business concerns. They are sure to call for some sort of national protection and the implementation of an obscure law written in 1867. Or the biz goes belly up.
Currently, it is the importation of alcoholic beverages, namely beer which has angered the largest import/export company Florida ICE and with the flick of an attorney legally challenges imports of alcoholic beverage (Wine and beer) lower than their wholesale prices. So much for the highly touted neoliberal free market system.
Costa Ricans are extremely protective of their “good old´ boy network” and to be unique or innovative only solicits, “Why did I not think of that so let´s put this person out of business and as quickly as possible.” Or, the enterprise is suddenly deemed illegal since manufacturing popcorn violates some kind of ecological standard.
That is always hard to defend since ecology is the key word in Costa Rica yet 92% of all human waste and trash are tossed into the rivers that flow to the ocean.
The “network” is most visible in the election process.
What tend to recycle presidents and the candidates every four years, and the same goes for most ministers as well as institutional senior management. “New blood” is not allowed.
In the 2014 election the closest person to “new blood” is Johnny Araya and if not the mayor of San Jose would have been laughed off months ago.
My point is please do not come to Costa Rica with the idea of opening anything more than a T-shirt factory on the beech that closes at lunch and re-opens when there are no customers.
Be prepared to learn Spanish, at least conversational Spanish so you can understand the lawyer, bureaucrat, mechanic, the real estate sales person, car salesman, and last but not least the traffic cop looking for a bribe.
Shopping at Automercado
Make sure you have checked and double checked prices before making a purchase. Since transparency is only talked about, due diligence is mandatory and I mean you must do a lot more than 50 centavos of homework.
We have a saying, “If you want to take home a million dollars from Costa Rica, bring two million.”
Long term residency (90 days or more) is both frustrating and costly. But, and this is a big but, the foliage, the green, the beaches, the wildlife, the climate is worth all of the expenditures. And so too are the simple things you find from time to time like the tamal, the parks, the open air markets, freedom to use all the public beaches even those of the rich and famous, soothing warm ocean water and when the Christmas season hits, it hits big with all kinds of free events worth attending.
Moved by the stressful situations of many families after the September 5th earthquake, several locals have stepped up to offer their time and their resources to help. Here are some of these unsung heroes:
Breakfast Fundraiser in Nosara Buys Food The Nosara Emergency Committee and the Nosara Development Association were able to distribute 36 grocery bags filled with provisions to families in need, thanks to a breakfast fundraiser held at Lagarta Lodge. The bags contained staples like corn flour, rice and beans, as well as cleaning supplies like soaps and detergents.
Samara Fundraiser Helps Nosara Families Build a New Oven
Emilio Mejias saw a report on the news about the difficulty faced by two families in Nosara who made their living by selling pastries and rosquillas baked in an earthen oven that collapsed during the earthquake. Wanting to help, he collaborated with others at Rancho de la Playa restaurant in Samara to collect food and money with the goal of building them a new brick oven. Mejias was able to collect 50,000 colones to finance the project.
Nicoya Lion’s Club Fronted Rent Money
The Lion’s Club, with 33 members in Nicoya, has been hosting fundraisers and soliciting funds from the Lion’s Club at the national level. They have collected about 4 million colones ($8000) to pay for rent and food, as well as materials to reconstruct houses and clay ovens that were damaged in the earthquake. Jose Luis Leal Briceño, president of the club in Nicoya, said they have paid rent for 15 families in the canton and donated food to 50, and they continue in their mission to help.
Animals of Samara Provided Food
The day after the earthquake, Berit Funke got on the “Animales de Samara” Facebook page to solicit donations for food and medicine for the pets of people being sheltered in the El Torito community hall. With the money raised, she was able to buy 220 kilograms of dog food and 15 kilograms of bird food to distribute in the shelter.
Unsound Heroes of the Earthquake
By Arianna McKinney for The Voice of Nosara
It’s not the end of the world as we know it, at least not this year. Would-be doomsday heralds who stuck to the idea that ancient Maya astronomers had predicted the end of the world were sent back to the drawing board yesterday by an important announcement and finding by a team of archeologists in Guatemala.
The Bribri indigenous people of Costa Rica are believed to be descendents of the Maya, and although they did not build the same magnificent cities as their ancestors further north in Mesoamerica, many of the mathematical and astronomical practices were carried over.
Trudging through thick vegetation in the Xultun jungle of Guatemala, William Saturno of National Geographic -who is the closest you will get to a real-life Indiana Jones- and his team found an amazing room used for calculations of celestial observations made by Maya astronomers. According to a note and video on National Geographic’s website, the astronomy lab found by Saturno’s team of intrepid archeologists contains a calendar and mural filled with calculations indicating the Maya estimated time will continue thousands of years into the future.
What about the people of ancient Costa Rica? Did they, like the doomsday prophets of today, believe that the world would end?
We know that the Aztec calendar was based on several cycles, particularly the annual 365 days we are accustomed to. The Maya calendar is cyclical as well, and they seemed interested in pushing their mathematical calculations well into the future. The new discovery in Xultun even points to Maya inquiry into planetary cycles.
Bribri Mathematics and the End of Time
According to Alejandro Jaen Rojas from the Distance Education University of Costa Rica (UNED in Spanish), evidence of the space/time relation studied by the Bribri in Talamanca and other areas of our Southern Zone is evident in the use of the word Ko, which translates into a term that signifies space and time indistinctly.
A previous article in The Costa Rica Star looked at new research into the mysterious stone spheres in the Osa canton and how their alignment with the Sun may have been used as the basis of an agricultural calendar. Professor Jose Alberto Villalobos Morales suggested that the alignment of the spheres was used to calculate the zenithal projection of the Sun, something that is as intrinsic to both astronomy and agriculture.
Studies by archeologists and mathematicians into the way the ancient Bribri built their homes reveals the influence of celestial observations. It seems that they built and arranged their residential structures according to a Maya belief of thirteen celestial levels. The pyramidal construction found in Southern Mexico and Guatemala points to 182 steps from the ground level to the vertex at the top, split by a hypotenuse (a ventilation shaft) into two right triangles. This means that 182 steps divided by 2 equals 91, the number of days the Maya considered a season. Multiplying that number by four equals 364 days.
According to Oscar Fonseca Zamora, author of a 1996 social sciences study into the Bribri concept of time, the ancient tribes of Talamanca believed in a time continuum with regenerating characteristics based on their observations of the cosmos. The planetary cycles observed by the Bribri were believed to always return. They were concerned with what happened on Earth, which they considered an underworld, but they knew they were just part of the cosmos; regardless of what quotidian life brought, time would go on elsewhere.
In essence, the end of the world was not something of relevance to the ancient Bribri people of Costa Rica.
The Consumer Price Index (Inside de Precios al Consumidor – IPC) as of October showed an accumulated inflation so far for the year of 3.42%, a figure lower than the 3.47% for the same period last year.
The Central Bank’s target is that by the end of the year inflation will be in the range of between 4% ad 6%, which if the current trend continues will not be difficult to meet.
In fact, the the change for the CPI for October was 4.68%, the second lowest figure in the past 10 years.
Notwithstading, last month the CPI was higher than that in 2011, which shows an accelaration in price increases driven by higher prices in transport services, followed by rent and utilities.
So far this year, prices that have risen are in alcohol and cigarettes (the anti-smoking law in effect earlier this year places a ¢20 colones tax on each and every cigarette sold), rents and utilities.
For December, prices are expected to grow, because traditionally there is a rise in prices for products and services.
Costa Ricans are on alert, which was declared by the National Committee of Emergency due to the seismic activity in the central region. The western province of Guanacaste and the Great Metropolitan Area are the most active regions and authorities are asking residents a continued vigilance.
Although other movements must occur to catalog the situation, it is peculiar the succession of recent tremors in very short periods of time, said seismological network specialist of the University of Costa Rica, Lepold Linkimer.
At this time, experts analyze the phenomenon to determine if is related to Aguas Calientes tectonic fault, which caused one of the country’s most destructive earthquakes in the past century,.
During the last hours, the fault that goes through Escazu municipality has originated seven earthquakes between 2.2 and 3.1 degrees on the Richter scale, said the organization.
Several small tremors with intensity varying from two to three grades in the Richter Scale were felt Thursday night in central Costa Rica according to a release from Costa Rica’s National Observatory for Volcano and Seismic activity (Ovsicori).
Up to now, no victims or damages have been reported.
This region has suffered several earthquakes in the last two months, specially the one that took place on the 5 of September that made heavy damages, and the most recent one on the 23 of October with an intensity of 6.6 on the Richter scale.
A long, tranquil beach, great surfing, a plethora of yoga classes, and all within walking-distance from your day-to-day life, It sounds like the perfect creative environment, and for many, it is. The ability to take some time off from the everyday, and turn Nosara or Samara into your base can be attractive, but can it be affordable?
For longer-term renters, the balance between location and price can make-or-break the magic of the beach bum culture which brings in people from all over the world.
“Most people think that Nosara is Guiones,” said Nosara Home Rental’s Bobbi Johnson, referring to the idyllic vacation mecca of Playa Guiones, with it’s long, sandy beach, plentiful surfing, a vibrant yoga scene, and a commercial district with a few shops, outfitters, restaurants and groceries – all within walking distance.
According to all of the property managers and owners VON had the opportunity to speak with, rentals usually take the form of per-week rates, because owners are savvy to the fact that they can charge more per-week than they would make if they were renting on a monthly basis.
“Most of the biggest homes don’t rent long-term,” said Agnes Pinheiro, an owner of Mango Properties. “The way to get a longer-term is if the owners don’t come here often, maybe they come down for a few weeks every year. In the high season, most owners don’t rent monthly because they can make more money weekly.”
The price points in Guiones can run from $400/month for small cottages outside of the commercial area to upwards of $4000/m vacation castles on the hillside neighbourhood of Las Huacas, however most average rentals are two-to-three bedroom homes equipped with hedges and pools, those normally can be found for between $1500-$2000 on a monthly basis.
“A lot of people looking for longer-term rentals can’t pay the money for Guiones,” said Pinheiro. “They’re looking to lowball for budgets at $300-400/m, which you won’t find. A small house with no AC in Guiones will go for $1000 per month.”
Owner-manager discussion, she says, are the source of price-points. “Some owners are very fixed on their prices,” she said “but others are more flexible. Someone who has two bedrooms with a pool in Guiones and the same in Pelada won’t get the price they’d get in Guiones because it’s an in-demand area. If the owner really wants to rent the home, and use the income to pay for the expenses on the home, they’ll listen to our advice on pricing.”
Brian Bombard, owner of Reef Realty, agreed with the designation of Guiones as an in-demand zone, and expanded on the difference in price between Guiones and Pelada, which on average is 20% cheaper per month.
“In Pelada, it’s not a commercial zone, it’s a community zone,” he said. “ It’s not really the vacation zone, people go to Pelada because they want to live there; there’s more home infrastructure there. Whereas Guiones is a vacation hotspot, where they can be close to the surf and the yoga institute, which are the major draws to this area.”
Although most of Bobbi Johnson’s clients are repeat vacationers, she said that recently the demographic has shifted, “I just had a rash of people who just contacted me through the internet, most of them are coming for one or three month stints.” She even says that you’ll get the bang for your buck, no matter which property or how long you stay. “Everyone gets the same thing, once a week maid, a gardener, but normally if they stay over two months, I charge utilities,” she said.
Access to education could be a deciding factor for families
“It’s important to understand the difference between the communities,” said Bombard. “You have totally different communities, between commercial, infrastructure and language; Samara has Spanish as the predominant language, whereas here it’s English. Because we don’t have a paved road or access to the same infrastructure, [Nosara] is harder to get to.”
In nearby Samara, the difference can be stark, both in price and environment. The most noticeable difference is the ease of access; Having a paved road makes the town of Samara, and it’s access to both Carillo and Samara beaches, a very attractive option.
Property manager Colleen Jonsson from Exclusive Escapes, says it could be hard to find a long-term vacation rental in Samara “because people are asking for longer-term rentals over the high season, and there’s usually weekly bookings. It’s hard to find something like a six-month booking straight for a given property.”
Property owners in Samara try to charge Guiones prices, according to Melissa Marin, “Some clients want $1500-2000, but the reality is they end up renting for $400-$700 per month for a small tico home. Some properties with more amenities will go for $1200-$1500/m. We’ve got a place near Laguna Vista, a luxury home, and the owner would ask for $1500, but the renters there are paying closer to $500.”
Owning a property that can fetch thousands of dollars per month in the high season seems lucrative, however not being able to rent it out at those times because of obligations to long-term renters from the low-season can be daunting.
“The problem is that the tenant can stay for a maximum of three years,” said Marin, referring to Law 7527, which grants an automatic three-year term on rentals. “Regardless of whether the landlord wants them out or not, for whatever reason, as long as they pay the bills on-time, and are good tenants, they have the right to stay.”
Marin, like Nosara’s Bobbi Johnson, has seen an apparent sea-change in the type of person coming to rent properties in Samara, as well as the duration they are staying for.
“The tourism that we’re getting right now comes with a lower budget,” she said. “The people who want to stay here long-term are mostly backpackers, and don’t care about living simply in Tico homes. People who can afford to pay $2000 per month, I think they don’t want to quit their jobs and move down here, but they’ll only come for one or two months with their families on vacation.”
Louise Tangri, a Samara resident, Canadian native, and owner of Samara Hot Vacations also sees the The market shift. “For longer-term rentals, there used to be tourists, or people building part-time homes,” she said. “But last year a trend started with people moving here with families, children or retirees, so now we’ve got a market for long-term rentals, and even more long-term vacationers taking a month or two off work to enjoy life.”
Between Samara and Nosara, another difference is Nosara’s option for childhood education: The Del Mar Academy, which teaches students in a bilingual setting with a curriculum duly accredited by the Costa Rican ministry of education.
Although Samara is host to the Samara Pacific School, an educational institution founded in 2008 by Nicole Neukirch Buchbinder, They currently offer up to the 3rd grade. They are in the process of accrediting with the Costa Rican ministry of education.
“The school systems help young families to stay here,” said Brian Bombard, referring to the US and Costa Rican accredited Del Mar Academy. “It allow the kids to have bilingual education, and allow the kids to make friends in the local community. The US accredited school allows American families to continue their studies in an environment that promotes the US education style. So together with the education, and infrastructure for businesses it’s allowing the area to grow.”
There seems to be a growing sentiment that the areas of both Samara and Nosara are fit for work and life, if the rate of new families and new additions to the community from abroad can speak to it. Although the market between the two towns cater to two different demographics, and while they aren’t mutually exclusive and tend to cross over at times, the choice between the two comes down to what the renter is looking for.
Although United Nations High Commission on Refugees representative in Costa Rica, Roberto Mignone recognizes this country as “exceptional” in treatment of refugees from other countries, it turns down half of all such applications.
Those rejected, however, can apply for another immigration status. Of 18,478 seeking refugee status in the past decade, Immigration has rejected 9,066. according to local official Allan Rodriguez
They come from all parts of the world, from Etrea to Nicaragua, all hoping to be protected in this country from deportation to a nation they have fled, usually from a government or guerrilla group that threatens their life or liberty.
“They all receive the same treatment,” says Rodriguez. It is obvious that this country’s sympathy and hospitality makes most cases difficult to turn away. But more come each year because the country has renown for its humane policies.
For example, 7,063 Colombians have been granted asylum from the dangers of a country convulsed by a tug of war between rebels-turned-drug lords of FARC and the government’s army. But another 7,084 did not qualify, although many remain as residents.
For Mignone, Costa Rica serves “as an example and an exceptional case of the opening and reception of refugees.” The country, he adds, “tries to do the right thing.”
The government tries to follow the Geneva Convention, regarding refugees as persons “who, due to well-founded fear of persecution because of race, religion, nationality, adherence to a social or political opinion, find themselves out of their native country and cannot, because of these fears, or do not wish to depend on the protection of their country.”
Right after World War II when the UN was founded in 1945, refugees were of paramount importance as hundreds of thousands of “displaced persons” could not return to their countries. Although one seldom hears much of the High Commission these days, it is still an important part of that organization.
La Nacion used as an example the vivid case of Marta (not her real name) who now works in a local department store. Her family, from the Colombian province of Tolima, owned a farm but the guerrilla forces imposed a “tax” on the family after her father died.
The family fled to this country. “We say thanks to God, we have lived 11 years in this country of opportunities, as I have always called Costa Rica,” she says gratefully.
Positive evaluations went down a hair from 13% in July to 12% — down in the range of U.S. polls measuring President Richard Nixon’s popularity just before his resignation. The negative opinion remained at 53%.
