Adventure Inn Blog

Once again the Costa Rican government has shot itself in the foot, and all of us in tourism will suffer as a result of it. Former President Abel Pacheco was caught (but never prosecuted because he owned the judges) receiving illegal donations through a Panama bank account from Taiwan, a nation with an insatiable taste for $60 per bowl shark fin soup. For years, Taiwan, and others have been allowed to unload illegal shark fins into Costa Rican docks without inspection, though laws prohibit such practices. Obviously new President Oscar Arias is slow on the uptake and continues to permit the cruel and lucrative practice of cutting off shark’s fins then throwing the live body back in the seas to agonize a long painful death.

Director and narrator Rob Stewart, a biologist and videographer by training, has released his movie, ‘Sharkwater’, throughout the United States and Canada, smearing Costa Rica’s ‘green image’, and justifyably so. In a weak and unsubstantiated attempt to cover up the government’s inadequacies, the Environment and Energy Ministry (MINAE) says that the information is outdated. Yet envoronmentalists claim the practice continues unabated as the law is unenforceable when there are no public docks capable of accepting the small boats used by shark fishermen, nor have funds been provided to pay inspectors to go to private docks.

Now government officials want Stewart to add a scene or text to his movie explaining the new fisheries laws (which aren’t enforced) and the ’progress’ the Costa Rican government has been making since the filming of the movie. This is in line with the typical Tico reaction to anything that needs to be fixed, they do absolutely nothing until you offend them. Stewart apparently balks at the suggestion and I just shake my head at these government idiots, too little, too late, and from all of us trying to make a living in tourism, thanks for nothing! 

The Costa Rican government is the epitomy of the Peter Principle, where everyone rises within the bureaucracy to their level of incompetence, some rise even above that point.

No one has brought global warming to the forefront like former US Vice President Al Gore. Though the conservatives love to bash him for being a hypocrite, causing twenty times the global warming (if there is such a thing) as the average consumer, I think they are shooting the messenger, and avoiding the real problem.

CO2, and other gas emissions, say the vast majority of scientists, create a sort of green house effect hindering the heat of the sun’s powerful rays from escaping the lower atmosphere, heating the earth, melting the polar ice caps causing the oceans to rise and also causing deserts to expand.

If we discount the scientists and believe the politicians and big business that global warming is not caused by mankind, we may end up too late to stop the devastating effects. If we believe the scientists, and start now to correct the problem, and later we find the politicians were correct, we end up with a cleaner, yet, more expensive planet. I vouch for the second option.

One of Mr.Gore’s ways of nullifying and excusing his personal consumption was by making ‘carbon neutral’ payments, payments that would go to land owners to either replant forests, or leave existing forests alone.

Last week, officials from the Costa Rican National Forest Financing Fund (FONAFIFO) announced an agreement with governmental tourism agencies ICT and CANATUR, the public launch of ‘Clean Trip’, a program that will help visitors to Costa Rica offset their carbon emissions from their travels to and from Costa Rica.

Though their website, www.fonafifo.com has yet to add this new development, it promises to offer an online calculator to help you determine the number of tons of carbon produced during your travels.

Each ton of carbon produced (New York to San Jose for example produces approximately three tons for person), costs $5 to offset, at current market value. Multiply each ton by $5, and as of October 1st, Costa Rica’s Banco Nacional will accept credit card payments, and all money is given to the FONAFIFO Payment for Environmental Services Program, who in turn pay private citizens and businesses $320 per hectare over five years to protect existing forests, or $816 per hactare over ten years to plant new ones.

So far 530,000 hectares are already protected under FONAFIFO, with a waiting list of many more land owners wanting to sign up, but budget constraints have limited their participation. With the new ‘Clean Trip’ program, many more properties are expected to be able to join, helping to clean everyone’s air.

Information booths in Costa Rican airports and tourist centers will be set up, and tourists can do their part to protect what they have come to experience here in Costa Rica.

As more info comes in, because this is so new, I’ll make it available on this blog so you can donate if you wish. Every little bit helps!

The following is a generalization. With any statements dealing with human nature, there are always examples available to disprove the argument.

This being said, what a difference there is between Ticos (men) and Ticas (women)! Over the last twelve years I have owned and operated two successful hotels in Costa Rica, I have had both business and personal dealings with every type of Costa Rican and foreigner there is. I have had probably a hundred Costa Rican employees over the years, and have met tens of thousands of guests. In general, Ticas make excellent employees. They mean well, learn fast, are open-minded, appreciate and enjoy the work, are more than punctual, and can take and use constructive advice.

Precious few Ticos share the same attributes. As employees, they always try so hard in the beginning until they know their way around, smiling in your face, running up to shake your hand with their fingers spread to make their hands look bigger. But too often, it’s not long after, you discover things like tools, or any unguarded valuable missing. If he is the only one who can be blamed, nothing is stolen, but as soon as blame could by placed on possibly more than one Tico, the article is gone like it never existed.

I don’t understand why so many Ticos tell you what they think you want to hear, no matter how much it messes you around later. If you depart each others company on good terms, that’s all they care. If a Tico is not doing his job right, and you try and correct him, he looks disappointed like a beaten puppy, but says nothing. They don’t look at advice from an older or more experienced person as a way to improve themselves, but more as an insult. The next thing you know, there is a nail scratch running the length of your car. Life is a learning experience, but Ticos often act more like children than men. Perhaps it is because most were coddled by their mother, as their father was out playing around. Nearly all Ticos cheat on their partner, and in Costa Rica there are lots of opportunities in this regard.

Fortunately in the hotel business, I can staff nearly all Ticas, and only hire a token Tico for maintenance (hence the stolen tools I was mentioning). But when doing business in Costa Rica, similar to driving down the road, you can’t always be selective as to who you meet and have to deal with. Though there are always exceptions to the rule, I find Ticas are amazingly nice people, gentle, honest, trustworthy, hard working, family loving, caring, giving, a sense of humor, yet down-trodden, abused, lacking opportunity to advance themselves, willing second class citizens in a macho society, and from this foreign writer’s point of view, absolutely beautiful both inside and out.

Women drivers are the same everywhere in the world, and we all need to have patience and adjust to their indecisions and peculiarities.

About a third of all men should not be on the road, period. Per capita traffic deaths attestify that Costa Rica has one of the poorest records on the planet, and with good reason. Too many Ticos drive like they are the only car on the road. You can’t drive a couple of kilometers before a Tico driver cuts you off, stopping infront of you in the middle of the road instead of pulling over, signaling left and turning right, turning without signaling, driving at 35 kph in a 60 kph zone unaware of the line of traffic he is holding up because he doesn’t use his mirrors, yacking into a cell phone or looking at his passenger while talking instead of the road infront, casually tossing his garbage out the window. Or they’ll speed down the road like there is no tomorrow, passing on curves, forgetting headlights at night, flying over pot holes, seeming trying to plow over anything or anyone that is in their way.

I can get so frustrated and angered by the constant selfish displays of driving here in Costa Rica, I’ve given the finger more than once, or just block the idiot and shake my head. Then I notice a beautiful dark eyed, innocent-looking Tica standing in the rain at the side of the road, child in tow, bags slung over her shoulder, waiting for a bus. Knowing what she probably goes through to live here with these men, the bunk her partner lays on her coming home late after blowing his hard earned colones in a local cantina, the constant stuggle for her family’s daily rice and beans, school clothes and books, and keeping a roof over her kids’ heads, I forget my frustration and realize how lucky I am. I have learned to have a deep respect for Ticas.

The Peter Principal should have been invented in Costa Rica, where a man advances within an organization to his level of incompetence. Most Ticos know little about efficiency, or thinking outside the box. Perhaps it’s a lack of educational opportunities but mostly it is because of thinking only in the short-term and thus shooting themselves in the foot everywhere they go. Too many just seem to live for the moment, and plan nothing for the future, burning bridges as they go.

But what I have trouble getting accustomed to more than anything is the almost invariable lack of integrity that upper level, supposedly educated Ticos have. I can almost understand the ignorant poor Ticos living like there is no tomorrow, hand to mouth, dog eat dog existence, but not the educated and wealthy Ticos. Let me site a few examples to demonstrate my point.

I formed a 22 member Costa Rica hotel association. The Tico owner of Volcan Turrialba Lodge, Tony, told me he inherited four square kilometers of land between Irazu Volcano and Turrialba Volcano. He said that he would pay the $200 to help us produce a map with his advertisement on it. After the map was made, he then decided to stiff the association for the money. I brought it to the membership’s attention, so when he tried to defend himself, he said that I just don’t understand the Tico culture. He’s right about that, I don’t.

Another large tour company, CostaRica4U, solicited me that they would list my hotel on their website, if I listed their tour company on mine. I agreed and after a year of listing them, I noticed they ‘forgot’ to list my hotel. Then it was like trying to play cat and mouse with the owner to put our link on his website. After a few weeks I finally was able to corner him in his office, he paid lip service to me that he would list us, but he never did. If I was him, I would feel embarrassed and do whatever I could to rectify the situation, but he couldn’t care less. He got on my website for free for a year, so he won, that’s all that matters. We have never used his company since, and he’s lost thousands of dollars.

When I bought a lot from a architect/builder who was going to build my house, he took my 25% deposit money, bought a $50,000 LandRover Defender, then never had the money to build my house. After nearly three years of him picking away at the house, one board and nail at a time, I eventually was legally able to have him removed from my property (he didn’t want to leave?!) and have paid for and completed the house myself. He needed to kiss my mortgage goodbye because of non-performance.

My hotel is in a hotel zone, Ciudad Cariari. Hotels are not individually allowed to put our hotel signs on the highway, but as a group, the MOPT will allow one sign saying ‘Zona Hotelera Ciudad Cariari’. I priced a nice big sign for our group, but have spent two weeks trying to talk to the Tico owner or Tico manager of the Melia Cariari Hotel to pay $100 for their share of the sign. I constantly am told that they are in a meeting, or on the phone, or back in another meeting, or on a long distance call, and they will call me back, but never do. I’m volunteering to do something for our group of hotels, and they are playing cat and mouse with me for $100? They charge $150 per night for a room, and they have 140 rooms, but they also know that we are going to erect the sign regardless of their participation, so why bother paying their share, they’ll come along for the free ride. We have sent them hundreds of guests in the past when we were full, but never again.

It seems Ticos, rich and poor, have a compulsion to win now, regardless of how much they will lose tomorrow, and in their minds, the only way for them to win, is for someone else to lose. The win-win business philosophy has no meaning to Ticos. Burn your bridges as long as you win now. Perhaps this shortsightedness stems from generations of Ticos living in such a lush, tropical paradise. Traditionally, if they got hungry, they picked a banana or killed a chicken, if it rained, they looked for a roof. Personally, I now try and limit all my business negotiations and agreements with Ticos to no more than necessary. Too many just don’t seem to understand what integrity is and how important it is in business. I far prefer to deal with either Ticas, or foreigners.

If the Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) is voted in, and I hope it is, Ticos, especially those in the upper business positions, had better follow the Tica example and change the way they do business by starting to demonstrate honesty and integrity. If not, the international business community will circumvent them, investors will avoid them like the plague, and the whole country will suffer. Free trade won’t help the Costa Rican economy until Ticos, particularly those in power, demonstrate integrity.

I always thought that someday I would eventually be able to understand and adjust to this type of Tico mentality. I kept thinking it was me, a d.p. (displaced person) Canadian and that someday I would be able to adapt to this culture, just give me a bit more time, I’ll come around. Sorry, I was wrong. Though there are certainly honest, good Ticos out there, struggling, working hard, men trying to optimize and make a better life for their families, and with a certain degree of integrity, because of my past experiences, too many that I have met have ruined it for the others. I’ll always have my guard up, and never be confident or comfortable dealing with any Ticos for fear of the same treatment.

While vacationing in Costa Rica, most people still prefer the luxurious hedonistic options. Upon arrival at their destination, the more first class the treatment, the better.

Air-conditioning even in Costa Rica’s Central Valley where the temperature hoovers comfortably in the 60’s and 70’s year-round is a must for many. They are on vacation and will worry about global warming when they get home. Most opt for fine dining by candlelight on imported foods and umbrella drinks prepared by workers making barely $2 per hour. They relax in hotel rooms with orthopaedic beds, watching CNN on a flat screen TV, there’s wireless internet, exotic views, and please, room service. They take comfy organized excursions in guided tour buses, and from their protective bubble environment, with their noses pressed against the windows, they view pre-chosen attractive corridors of Costa Rica . After leaving Costa Rica, they tell friends how much they enjoyed (and endured) experiencing the real Costa Rica. These people have worked hard to be in Costa Rica and there is nothing wrong with this scenario, fulfilling their dreams of a well-deserved vacation.

But there are those who look outside the norm and ask themselves if they want all the comforts of home, why travel in the first place? If a change is as good as a rest, why not really experience something different, and authentic? This new kind of tourism is still in its infancy, and is falling under the coined term, ‘Rural Tourism’.

On one of the more extreme rural adventures, imagine taking a dug out canoe for three hours up a rainforest river, fording shallows, dark tanned natives jabbing long poles into the river bottom, their skinny muscles shoving your boat further upstream with each push, dense jungle on both sides screaming with the shrill sounds of a million crickets and a thousand frogs together, and the occasional volcano view when the vegetation recedes, humid and clammy, mosquitos bumping into your insect repellant skin. Once you are out of the boat, there is a further walk on muddy paths through thick vegetation, your guide leading the way, slashing branches with his machete as he temporarily silences the nearby jungle.

As night sets in, you finally reach your destination, the pueblo of Yorkin, hot and exhausted, scratched and sweating. It is a small village with coal oil lamps, and open door huts, timid chickens, big eyed children, irregular paths and a clear night sky so full of bright stars that you are humbled deep into God’s universe. Take a quick shower from a gravity fed tank, eyes in the jungle watching your every move, and crawl into some clean, dry clothes. Your intense hunger for nourishment from the excitement and energy expended is amazingly satisfied by a simple bowl of home-grown rice, beans and exotic vegetables, and a bit of chicken. Too tired to do anything else today, your eyes get heavy, and the safe feeling of sleeping on a bunk inside a mosquito net is so comforting, the next thing you know, you are dreaming of the stresses of office life oceans and millenia away.

You wake at first light at 5am with the sounds of warbling and squawking birds somewhere nearby, howler monkeys hooting in the distance, and a man chopping firewood with a machete outside your door. Everyone gathers for an early morning walk through the jungle to a cool refreshing waterfalls, where with your biodegradable soap and toothbrush, you start the day feeling wonderfully fresh. Piping hot strong coffee made over an open fire, sugar from local cane, fresh exotic fruit juice, fresh baked bread, ‘imported’ sour cream, gallo pinto and fried eggs await your return to the village.

Today you will learn some of the secrets of real jungle life, no electricity, no cellular signal, crystal clean drinking water that is diverted from a nearby stream, the heat and humidity, the simple survival techniques of collecting jungle fruits and tubers, and hunting with poisoned tipped arrows that have kept your indigenous hosts alive for generations, the communal living and the love and respect families have for each other and the interaction with nature around them. Today your group’s project is to help write directional signs for several walking paths stemming from the village for future Yorkin adventurers to explore the area.

Where once, basic subsistence living kept these indigenous people doomed in primative poverty, rural tourism is opening opportunities for them, doubling their basic incomes and unfortunately for us, but wonderfully for them, drawing them into modern society.

To experience this tour above going to Yorkin, and similar ones, go to www.actuarcostarica.com. Also, try any of the following links for other Costa Rica rural tourism options www.greencoast.com/atec.htm, www.cultourica.com, www.turismo-sostenible.co.cr. One can be certain that as time goes on, more and more rural tours allowing visitors to experience authentic indigenous Costa Rica life in the depths of the rainforests will become increasingly popular.

It all started with a bullet. Gilberto Sheedan (aka Chito) found Pocho, a full-grown crocodile, seventeen years ago dying on a river bank near the Caribbean town of Siquirres with a gun shot wound to his eye, probably from a cattle farmer protecting his herd. With help from friends, Chito loaded the massive three meter animal into his boat, took him home and nursed him back to health but with only one eye. Chito stayed by his side much of the time, even sleeping with him. Pocho’s appetite increased slowly to the present thirty kilos of chicken and fish he consumes daily now.

Chito hand dug the first hundred square meter artificial pond to contain Pocho on the seventeen hectare farm that he inherited from his father. After Chito sensed a bond with his massive friend, the two started swimming together.

Though Chito doesn’t have a written permit to have a crocodile in captivity, MINAE (the Ministry of Energy and the Environment) allows Chito to keep Pocho on his ranch as long as the ministry can monitor him.

Seven years ago, they started performing infront of spectators, and that’s when Chito claims his life really changed. Chito has developed a nice tourist complex called Las Tilapias with a restaurant and bar run by his wife, Olga, serving tipico food, a small swimming pool, and seventeen basic, clean, comfortable hotel rooms with private baths, some surrounded by the system of canals, that I estimate are a kilometer or more long that twist and turn through the dense jungle that Chito had dug.

As my girlfriend and I stood on a path looking over the low wire fence at Pocho swimming by himself in the pond, a large pelican with his huge long beak waddled up and stood between us and looked at the pond as well, completely relaxed, he just wanted to be with us for a moment to see what we were looking at! As we walked along the same path, I heard a bird cooing, turned and saw a large grey bird about the size of a pigeon with a red head about a meter from us in a bush looking directly at us, seemingly unafraid.  I think all of Chito’s animals are pretty well fed to be so tame.

Chito offers boat tours of his canals, either with a small gas engine or paddle it with a guide (which is quieter, slower, cleaner, and less intrusive) where you will see several bird species, some quite rare and unique to this area, there are night and blue herons, hummingbirds, white and grey egrets drying their out-spread wings, a big family of howler monkeys who frequent near the hotel leaping from branch to branch, a domesticated and caged peccary (which is like a small hairy pig), some amazingly large iguanas and a few sloths if you are lucky enough to spot them. Snakes are more difficult to spot, as most do not like to be around human activity. The whole property is like a jungle zoo with few fences and walking paths and different indigenous animals around every corner. I’ve been all over Costa Rica and never seen anything quite like it, and so typical of Costa Rica in every respect.

Though Chito performs the main event every Sunday at 4pm when he jumps into the pond with Pocho, he also puts on free shows for house guests during feeding time. Chito puts his nose to Pocho’s nose and bites Pocho’s fang, has Pocho roll over, has trained him to lift his huge head and tail above the water, and maybe even puts his head between Pocho’s massive jaws. The two best friends are both about 55 years old, but neither seems to be slowing down. Crocodiles grow throughout their lives and Pocho is now 4.5 meters long, and looks very well fed, as Chito tickles Pocho in the arm pits and his fat rolls a bit. The show is excellent for people of all ages.

We have been looking for a neat experience to send people from Adventure Inn, and I think we have found it, the place is truly awesome! Ask us at Adventure Inn for information about very reasonably priced three day - two night tours to Las Tilapias, including pick up and drop of at Adventure Inn, comfortable accommodations, plus all meals, and jungle canal boat ride, $199 per person double, $149 per person quad (two to a room). Sometimes Chito even sings old favourite Caribbean songs at breakfast on his Karaoke machine, actually he’s not bad, quite the fellow, always happy and he deserves so much admiration for what he has accomplished.

The Cuban daily propaganda newspaper, ‘Granma’ took swings at a US judge’s decision to release accused terrorist Luis Posada on a $350,000 bond. Posada is accused of his involvement in a 1976 Cuban airline bombing over Barbados killing 76 persons. He is also accused of bombing Havana hotels in 1990 killing one Italian tourist, and mounting a plot to assassinate Fidel Castro in 2000.

The judge, Kathleen Cardone, apparently yeilded to anti-Cuban terrorist groups, such as Alpha 66, that Posada would be tortured in Venezuela if extradited, as that country has been requesting. “This is further confirmation of the double standard of (US President) George W. Bush’s administration in its alleged crusade against terrorism”, said the Cuban Communist Party mouthpiece.

However, all the complaining may be for nothing. Posada may be released directly into the hands of the US Immigration. He is accused of entering the US illegally through Mexico. As a former US Army veteran, and one time CIA operative, born in Cuba and a citizen of Venezuela, the life and times of fugitive Luis Posada will someday be coming to a theatre near you!

Officials are investigating the cause of a massive forest fire on the uninhabited Isla Bejuco in the Gulf of Nicoya (dividing Nicoya and Guanacaste from the ‘mainland’).

They believe the fire was set intensionally, and the suspected reason is that development is prohibited on any coastal forested areas. Burn down the forest and development is no longer prohibited, great idea!

20% of the island’s forest was burnt to the ground, and another 20% of the island was affected. It took 30 volunteers from neighbouring Isla Venado to fight the fire for two days starting on March 24th, 2007. Strong winds and tides made the situation difficult to bring under control.

I don’t know if you remember seeing the sadistic fishing methods the Japanese notoriously used to rape the world’s oceans to feed their picky citizens, five mile long and very wide drift nets that wiped out and drown all sea animals, turtles, dolphins, sharks, anything in the water within it’s mammoth reach, then discarding these undesireable dead animals back into the ocean, only to keep their prized tuna. Perhaps you saw scenes on documentaries of Japanese hauling huge beautiful sharks onto the decks of their massive fishing boats, and ripping off the fins of the animal, and once again discarding the live shark back into the salt water to die a slow, horrific death, so they can enjoy their $60 per bowl shark fin soup. Perhaps you remember the sobering statistics of Japanese harpooning all sorts of whales the world over into near extinction, until the world, orchestrated by Greenpeace, put a stop to it in 1986.

Since 1989, Japan has donated over $23.5 million dollars to Costa Rica to build schools, and aquaducts, hospital equipment, and even buy musical instruments for the Nacional Symphony Orchestra, but in the last few months their donations have reached an almost feverish pace with press releases flowing like a strong river.

I guess this begs the question: Why? Conservation experts here in Costa Rica are skeptical since the recent upturn in donations coincides with an upcoming vote of the International Whaling Commission in June on whether or not to resume commercial whale hunting.

Since the whaling ban over twenty years ago, the Japanese have long contended that they would (this time) practise sustainable whaling. But the joke is on Japan, as Costa Rica is twenty years behind on it’s dues to the whaling commission, and must pay up in order to regain its voting status.

According to Greenpeace, since the whaling ban, Japan has been lobbying lots of small countries with generous (and not so subtle) donations in order to gain votes in favor of lifting the moratorium. After numerous donations from Japan, Nicaragua, for example, voted to lift the ban in 2006, much to the disappointment of environmental groups.

A Japanese spokesperson said that they owe much to the USA for building their infrastructure since World War II (not to mention the thanks for Hiroshima and Nagasaki) but because the USA does not need help, they want to help underprivileged countries, and their donations have nothing to do with their aspirations to resume whaling.

Who do you believe, the gutless Japanese who still continue the cruel practice of shark finning, who needed to be stopped by international forces to cease drift netting, and needed to be stopped by international forces before they brought several species of whales to extinction, or the volunteers at Greenpeace?

The following was taken from the popular Costa Rica news website, amcostarica.com January 25th, 2007.

There is a new immigration bill that would grant illegals amnesty.

The government’s new immigration proposals would grant amnesty to thousands of illegal residents by letting them pay into a fund each month or perform community service. Although the measure is meant to help Nicaraguans and other Latins here, so-called perpetual tourists might be able to take advantage of the stipulation.

In addition, the measure would require foreign residents here to also pay into such a fund perhaps at a rate higher than other immigrants.

Central government officials said Tuesday that it was ready to present a redrawn immigration bill to the Asemblea Legislativa, but Casa Presidencial was unable to provide a copy. Instead, the government issued a press release in which it listed the high points.

Mario Zamora, director general de Migración, said there were more than 60 changes in the new legislation when compared to the immigration bill that became law in August. Among those changes is a system to let illegal immigrants stay in the country as long as they pay into a fund to support the education and health systems. This amount is supposed to be about $20 a month.

However, officials said the amount would vary depending on the type of residency. That suggests that pensionados, rentistas and inversionistas who are here legally mainly from North America and Europe would pay more. Officials have not addressed that point directly, although the text of the bill probably would clarify the issue.

There are about 300,000 Nicaraguans here and many of them are here illegally.

The existing immigration bill that went into effect in August contains no concessions for persons living illegally here. President Óscar Arias Sánchez opposed the new legislation that was passed by the previous legislature. He asked the current lawmakers to stop the law from going into force, but with the glacial speed with which the legislature moves, lawmakers were unable to do so.

Church and social groups have opposed the legislation that is now in effect as draconian.

Casa Presidencial said that the new proposal would penalize human trafficking, something the current law does not do. The proposal also would create a commission to study the cases of foreigners from so-called restricted countries.

Now visas are awarded by the director general, but Zamora said two weeks ago that he turned down a $2.5 million bribe offered by those trafficking Chinese. Putting the visas through a committee would make decisions less prone to private influence.

The new proposal would require foreigners who marry Costa Ricans outside the country to wait three years before being able to get residency.

That is an effort to prevent fake marriages or so-called marriages of convenience. The effect on North Americans who marry Costa Ricans here or outside the country is not clear.

The proposal also would allow foreigners to apply for legal residency inside Costa Rica and not only at the Costa Rican consulate in their home country. Work permits would be made easier, too, said the Casa Presidencial release.

Perpetual tourists are those who live in Costa Rica but travel outside the county every 90 days to renew their tourism visa. The government has not cracked down on that process.

Typically, perpetual tourists do not want or are unable to apply for one of several residency categories. Some have criminal records. Others do not have the funds to be a pensionado or rentista.

Dear faithful readers,

I am sorry for not writing many blogs since September. I have been very busy writing and building new travel websites, which I invite you to read by clicking on any of the links below. I hope you enjoy reading this original and interesting material, as I enjoyed the recollecting, researching and writing it.

Of particular benefit to visitors coming to Costa Rica is the Safe Travel Advice website and the home page of the Central America website. I don’t think you will read anything similar, more honest or more usable.

Yours truly,

Eric Robinson
Owner of Adventure Inn
Between San Jose and the airport
Costa Rica

• Safe Travel Advice
• Central America
• Guatemala
• Belize
• Honduras
• El Salvador
• Nicaragua
• Panama
• Uruguay
• Chile
• Colombia
• Philippines
• Japan

For a country still licking its wounds and trying to forget several horrific experiences, including two massive earthquakes, a US trade embargo, and a brutal civil war, all in order to finally build a reputation as a tourist destination, Nicaragua has decided to shoot itself in the foot.

During his first week back in office since 1990, President Daniel Ortega has forgotten his center left campaign promises, and is cozying up to such charmers are Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and the Castro regime in Cuba. Leaders of his private sector are trying to remain confident, yet squirming in their seats that the position he is trying to cement with notorious left wing zealots and Muslim extremists will damage both trade and tourism with the biggest economic force on the planet, their neighbour to the north, the United States.

Understandably, Nicaragua has to a lot to blame the US for, regarding it’s interference with the internal affairs of the country over much of the last century and a half beginning with the laughable, short, arrogant military dictator, William Walker, who had plans of enslaving Nicaraguans, and was eventually lynched in 1856. Beginning in the 1920’s, and for five decades, the US supported the brutal right-wing dictator, General Anastasio Somoza Garcia and son, who were characterized by brutality, tyranny and corruption. Then later, the US supported the death squad contras involvement in the bloody Central American War. Following the election of Ronald Reagan as US President, the Americans, under the banner of fighting communism, began a program of destabilization in Nicaragua, helping the ‘Contra’ guerrilla forces in Honduras and Costa Rica and mounting an economic boycott. The Contra war caused serious difficulties for the FSLN government. Repeated attempts to negotiate a settlement foundered upon the opposition of the USA, which was determined to bring down the Sandinistas.

In the general election on November 5th, 2006, seemingly matured central-left Daniel Ortega finally won again the presidency with 38% of the popular vote. However, in his first 24 hours in office starting January 10th, 2007, he quickly revealed his true leftist colours and signed a leftist economic and social pact promoted by Venezuela’s Chavez called the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA) with Cuba, Bolivia, and Venezuela.

During the ALBA signing ceremony in Nicaragua, on January 11th, Chavez stole the microphone for two hours of history lessons, and rhetoric screaming “Death to the US empire, if it doesn’t die, we will.” He promised Nicaragua could forget about it’s oil problems, and will build a 150,000 barrel per day refinery allowing Nicaragua to be a net oil exporter. This received ovations from the invited crowd. There’s two sides to this gift horse! Trying to mitigate possible damages, right-wingers and business people are cautioning that the ALBA agreement may be unconstitutional, requiring approval of the National Assembly.

Then three days later, on January 14th, 2007, he signed an informal and non-specific cooperation agreement with Iran’s Ahmadinejad. The visit of Ahmadinejad is being viewed as another sign Ortega is willing to forge relations with governments that are on hostile terms with the United States, Nicaragua’s biggest trading partner, go figure! Taking revenge on the United States will only result in massive economic problems.

Ortega can’t change the admitted mistreatment by the United States of the past, and should only deal with the present and future. The US has a whole new administration whose principal aim is to destroy global terrorism. Ortega may have a lot of explaining to do if he watches his economy crumble during his term as president. Investors are outwardly optimistic, but inwardly scared silly about the recent events, hoping things will pass and Ortega comes to his senses. Yikes!
Personally, I think his mind was made up decades ago, and little will change it.

I was exploring the possibility of buying a hotel around San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua in 2004. I’m glad I decided on the Adventure Inn between San Jose and the airport in Costa Rica. Our newly returned president, Oscar Arias, seems to have his head screwed on correctly.

Your closest volcano from San Jose (and Adventure Inn) is Barva, inside Braulio Carillo National Park. Drive uphill from Heredia to Sacramento, where the dirt road begins and follow the signs. Without a 4WD, you’ll want to leave your vehicle outside the park entrance and walk along the picturesque mountain road. The entrance fee of 600 colones for residents, and $7 for tourists is used to maintain the park.

Rated a moderate hike (which left me a bit breathless), it will take four or five hours to reach the crater and return. The trail is wide for the most part, well marked and easy to navigate. During the green season, it is muddy in places. You will pass through tropical rainforest with rich green-grey mosses clinging to and hanging from the established trees. The beautiful views out over San Jose and the Central Valley far below make the slightly uphill walk to the crater all worth while.

Unlike neighbouring and expansive Poas Volcano, Barva’s crater is only about 160 meters across. It has laid dormant for three hundred years, and is now filled with water, making it a lovely quiet pond surrounded by lush rainforest. At the top is a wooden platform to view down into the crater. There is another path leading down to a small platform beside the water. This is a good time and place to rest, have your picnic lunch, and take in the sensory overload. When you finally leave, you can be confident it is mostly downhill from here.

At any time of the year, but especially the green season, it is best to go early in the morning before the afternoon clouds roll in. It can be drizzly and cool at times so dress for extremes, rainwear plus layers. Hiking boots are best, plus a couple of liters of water, and sunscreen. Just like the Boy Scouts, be prepared!

I have lived in Costa Rica for eleven years, and have owned two hotels in the process. I have helped thousands of people get the most out of their vacation. Part of your Costa Rican experience should take place before you arrive. There are several excellent books in your library or bookstore to about this unique little country. Feel your excitement grow as you and your family or travel companions learn what is available within Costa Rica (not just the beaches) and make plans to customize your vacation suited you your needs and wants.

You can move around to experience Costa Rica in several ways, depending upon energy level, time allotment and budget.

The cheapest and most environmentally friendly is as a backpacker or a traveller using public transportation. Almost all successful tourist destinations had their earliest beginnings with backpackers. As the tourists arrive, and drive up prices, the backpackers search out new desinations.

As a tourist there are convenient hotel to hotel private buses to and from anywhere in Costa Rica. From most hotels there are some excellent same-day tours, but generally speaking, the original best quality tours are nearest to the Central Valley, such as the Pacuare and Reventazon Rivers whitewater rafting, the massive Poas Volcano, and explosive Arenal Volcano is relatively close, Waterfall Garden Park, breathtaking Orosi Valley, the amazing butterfly farms, the informative coffee tours, and the largest canopy zip-line tour on the planet. As years went on, beach hotels on both coasts added their own mini-versions of same day tours, but they tend to be weaker in quality and professionalism.

Another way to experience Costa Rica is to rent a vehicle and use a good guide book and map. If time is your major limiting factor, I suggest part of your vacation be done this way. Stop to take pictures of the amazing landscape, or eat Tico-style in some out of the way places, and relax by a waterfall or beach, when and where you want, search out locations you would like to spend the night, practise your Spanish a bit, and generally, armed with some cash and a credit card, create your own Costa Rican adventure.

Another not so expensive alternative for those who just want to stay in one deep exotic place that is difficult to drive to (especially in the rainy season) and kick back for your whole vacation, are the two domestic airlines leaving San Jose daily. Places like Drake Bay’s Delfin Amor Ecolodge offer some great tours both on land and in the sea. From whale and dolphin watching, swimming with the sharks, and night tours through the rainforest with a flashlight, Delfin Amor is a great place to see nature in its most natural form. Also, because Tortuguero has no roads, flying is one of two ways to reach it, the other is a bus then canal boat combo.

But the purpose of this blog is to make everyone aware of some of the overnight tours, that wack you on the additional cost of accommodations and meals. I feel these unexciting, programmed, very expensive all-inclusive travel packages offered by most on-line tour agencies take complete advantage of your lack of knowledge of Costa Rica. The tours involve travelling around in an artificial bubble bus through the most touristy places with your nose pressed against the tour bus window, and a bi-lingual guide trying to respond to your questions with patented answers. You don’t come close to experiencing the real smells, feel, sights and culture of the Ticos, or this beautiful country. Your meals are included, and therefore your selection is limited to what they want to serve you. If you have limited strength or mobility challenged, and really need someone to look after you through your vacation, or you just don’t have the adventurous spirit and wherewithall to make your own plans, and money is no major object, then perhaps you would consider using one of these overpriced tour companies.

For example, one such company is presently offering a ’special’ package that you can take which includes one night’s rustic accommodations. First the tour takes you to INBiopark, an interesting little twenty acre nature-education center right in San Jose, like you couldn’t find it on your own with a taxi! Then it includes a mindless ride on the aerial tram through the rainforest where they pretend you are going to see all sorts of wildlife in the canopy. All wildlife was scared away years ago during the construction phase, and the constant noise of tourists straining their necks in frustration to see anything move. My sons and I took the aerial tram once and saw a six inch snake that didn’t move in an hour, maybe it was rubber, and a couple of grey birds flying overhead. Then you are shuttled to Centro Neotrópico SarapiquíS, a built-for-tourism museum complex that says they do all sorts of rainforest research, and you spend a quiet night. The next day after their scrambled eggs, rice and beans and rubbery bacon buffet breakfast, they drive you to the Waterfall Garden Park where you go through an interesting butterfly enclosure, a hummingbird station, a mock Costa Rican village and nature museum, and climb down a spectacular series of waterfalls. If you are unable to walk, you are out of luck. The last place you go is Poas Volcano, where you peer into the expansive volcano. Often the volcano is clouded over in the afternoon by the time you arrive, so you can’t see a thing. For this one-night package you pay $387 per person double occupancy, or $774 per couple! If you are a single it will run you $433! And these are the low season rates!

On the other hand, the Highlights 4 in 1 Tropical Rainforest tour that we sell from Adventure Inn does the same thing only better, and you do it all in one day. Both a brunch and early supper are included, though admittedly, the meals are no better than the above tour. First, you climb the ornamental flower and coffee laden interior mountains in the glow of the morning sun to arrive at Poas Volcano when you have the best chance to see right to the bottom of the volcano crater before the afternoon clouds move in. Then you go to the Waterfall Garden Park as mentioned above, same same, then down through the villages and farmland of sugarcane, pineapples, bananas, tropical fruits and oil palms. You arrive in the northern village of Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui where a wonderful covered boat ride takes you for a couple of hours along the winding Sarapiqui River where you will see several species of monkeys, iguanas, sloths, cayman and crocodiles, and all sorts of amazing birds, all in the wild, not in cages like the above mentioned tour. Last you climb over a mile in your tour bus through Braulio Carillo National Park (by-passing the over-rated, boring aerial tram), and return to Adventure Inn for supper. Total cost is $82 per person, $61.50 per child, quite a difference. Add the cost of a nights accommodation at Adventure Inn, say $70, and in total, you spend about a third of what this tour company charges you, for a better tour.

Another example is the overnight Pacuare Whitewater Rafting tour that costs $269 to $289 per person. You go down the same stretch of the Pacuare River as the same day tour that costs $95, except they take two days to do it. Rustic cabin or tent accommodations are provided, and a dinner and a couple of walks through the jungle for the extra $348 or $388 you pay double occupancy. These is just two examples, but many tours are the same, believe me. Save your money and take a real jungle experience where you are guaranteed to see lots of wildlife, a gigantic volvano crater, and a waterfall garden park, like on the Highlights 4 in 1 Tour, or go canopy zip-lining the second day and save considerable money. A better option is the overnight whitewater rafting tour that we sell for $250 per person that includes running the full Reventazon River the first day, overnight hotel in Turrialba with pool, meals, and TV, then run the full Pacuare River the second day. I want you to enjoy the wonders of Costa Rica, but not get ripped off while doing it. I also recommend the over-night Tortuguero tours and the overnight Arenal Volcano/Monteverde combo tour as neither of these can be properly done in one day. We have a large selection of same day and overnight tours (that you don’t get ripped off on) at http://www.adventure-inn.com/tours

I could list the worst tour companies but there are dozens that charge away too much for what you get, and in particular on many of the guided overnight tours. Our goal at Adventure Inn is to offer you the best tours available at the most reasonable prices. All of the tour companies we recommend work hard for their money, we guarantee it.

Don’t say you haven’t been warned. Booking a vehicle through the mega-travel sites, you know the big ones, Expedia, Travelocity, Hotels.com, Orbitz, etc. can result in some very high unexpected costs. They work on-line in conjunction with the major car rental companies to rent vehicles. For some reason these sites have continued for years to close their eyes, allowing the car rental companies to deceive trusting tourists, and forcing them to pay at times nearly double what they bargained for. Car rental companies must be making millions and millions of ill-gotten dollars at the innocent traveler’s expense. I, myself, have been a victim on more than one occasion.

You just want to guarantee your vehicle upon arrival at your destination, right? Your first red flag that you are about to be cheated, is that you are not quoted the final bottom-line price to rent your vehicle. You are given the daily and weekly rental fee, but the high cost of daily mandatory insurance, all taxes and unlimited mileage is said to be either ‘unknown’ or not mentioned. Sure, there are add-ons like a roof rack or childs car seat, or an upgrade to an automatic transmission, but that isn’t what I am talking about. If you do click on their side links to find out what the insurance and taxes will be, you often receive an answer that it is unknown at this time. HOG WASH! Taxes and insurance change very infrequently, unlike the vehicle rental rates, yet they are quite able to keep abreast of these.

Your second red flag is that there is nobody live to talk to and ask questions.

You want to reserve a vehicle at your destination, yet you seem forced to guarantee your vehicle by giving your credit card info before you know what you have to pay. DON”T DO IT! No one should give their credit card information before they know the final cost.

I own Adventure Inn in San Jose, Costa Rica, halfway between the airport and city. Many of my guests, who took it upon themselves to book their vehicle on-line, have been zapped with these high unexpected costs after it is too late to cancel without a penalty, or too late to find another vehicle. It’s the last thing anyone needs to bother with at the start of a well-deserved vacation.

THE SOLUTION IS VERY SIMPLE. Have your hotel book your vehicle for you, and ask them to quote you the total cost including mandatory insurance and taxes. At Adventure Inn we search the market for the best vehicles, and guarantee the final price including taxes, mandatory insurance, unlimited mileage, 24 hour line and roadside assistance, and free drop off and pick up at either the airport or Adventure Inn. The price we quote is all our guests have to pay, guaranteed!

Two recent studies out of Britain rate Costa Rica as one of the happiest nations on the planet. The Happy Planet Index calculated by the New Economics Foundation (NEF) places Costa Rica third. The calculation is based upon the efficiency with which countries convert the earth’s finite resources into well-being, experienced by their citizens based on life expectancy, life satisfaction, and the ecological footprint, or impact on the earth. Top of the list was Vanuatu, an archipelogo in the south Pacific, and Columbia ranked second. Several other Central American countries placed in the top ten.

The other study, ‘The World Map of Happiness’ by the University of Leicester in England ranked Costa Rica first in Latin America and 13th among 178 countries around the globe. It was based on 80,000 personal surveys, life expectancy data from the United Nations Human Development Report, per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and access to secondary education. Health was the most important factor, then wealth and education. Denmark, Switzerland and Austria were in the top three positions, while the USA ranked 23rd.

Sometimes I wonder just how awful the rest of the world is, if Costa Rica is ranked so high. Some of the slums on the outskirts of San Jose are very scarey places, and the quality of life of people living in these overcrowded ‘Skinner boxes’ can not be optimum by any means. It all gets back to my thesis that the world is sliding down a slippery slope until it gets its population stabilized, or even preferably reduced. We can do it voluntarily, or we can let nature take its painful course.

A new report from Nicaragua’s Central Bank indicates its macroeconomic numbers are very impressive. They are about to exceed $1 billion in exports this year, international reserves are now at $874 million, growing three-fold over the last five years, direct investment will reach $290 million, employment is growing at 9.2%, the trade deficit is decreasing, foreign debt is the lowest in a decade, the Gross Domestic Product is nearing $5 billion, and inflation is under 10%. Family remittance money sent back to the country by Nicaraguans living abroad is up 12%, tourism is up 14%, and free trade zone activity is up 20%.

Inspite of these impressive figures, the economy is only growing about 3% per year because of weak institutional order, inadequate infrastructure and dependence on foreign oil. The National Council of Economic and Social Planning says that these strong macroeconomic indicators don’t mean much when most of the country is living in poverty. 80% of the population lives off of less than $2 per day per person, and 45% live off less than $1 per day. They say that unless something is done to change the way wealth is distributed in Nicaragua, things will get worse regardless of the national macroeconomic security. The country is not productive, and depends too much on international handouts in the forms of family remittances, foreign donations, loans and renegotiations of terms of debt.

With a new government coming in soon, implimenting an intuitive national development plan to get the production up and the economy rolling will be a priority if things are to change for the better for all Nicaraguans. With such cheap labor and free trade with the US, perhaps global inequalities will start to balance out a bit more. Those living in Costa Rica have seen that Nicas are great workers, and tend to do many of the jobs Ticos prefer to avoid.

As the international price of oil reaches all time highs, once again the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Costa Rica is being controversially considered for petroleum exploration drilling. Costa Rican President Oscar Arias seems to be atleast warming to the idea, and forgetting about the national oil exploration moratorium enacted by former President Abel Pacheco. Arias recently met with the heads of the Brasilian oil exploration company Petrolio Brasiliero to discuss the possibility.

But opposition forces are starting to amass in the Talamanca region over fears the pristine waters, coral reefs and coastline in the Cahuita area may be damaged. A local environmental organization known as Grupo Adela headed by Enrique Joseph, and indigenous Bribri chief Timoteo Jackson have seen damage done in their area in the past when sixty barrels of oil were extracted by the government in the 1960’s and the Watsi River was contaminated for twenty years. US backed Harken oil company has an ongoing lawsuit in an international arbitration court against the government of Costa Rica for non-performance since the government withdrew permission to explore for petroleum under the Pacheco administration, and fears are rising that concessions may have to be made. The government argues that Harken did not satisfy the environmental concerns, and thus cancelled the contract.

Perhaps initiatives to make North America oil self-sufficient by megaprojects such as coal to oil, and the Athabaska Tar Sands would be a better investment than chancing ruining our Caribbean coast. Apparently these megaprojects were to become viable when the price of a barrel of oil reached $35. It’s now double that. OPEC and all the oil extracting nations who are holding the free world basically at ransom these days would have no choice but to lower there asking price. Time will tell where this is all heading, but let’s hope it doesn’t involve dirtying our beautiful Caribbean.

Possibly repeating his successful efforts from two decades ago which earned him a Nobel Peace Prize for brokering the end of the Central American war, Costa Rican President Oscar Arias is now turning his attentions to Colombia. Following visits to Costa Rica by ultra-right paramilitary leaders Carlos Mario Jimenez and Antonio Lopez, and visits by Arias to Colombia last week to attend the inauguratrion of incumbent President Alvaro Uribe, Arias announced his interest in promoting peace on the drug and war-torn nation.

Against outcries of forgetting the problems of Costa Rica, Arias stated he never abandoned the national agenda twenty years ago, and he won’t this time either. Then he added ,”One must have a very small spirit to criticize someone who concerns himself with saving human lives that are savable.”

Colombia has been engrossed in a bitter struggle since the 1960’s between government forces, leftist guerrillas and right-wing paramilitaries. The former two have been linked to human rights abuses, massacres, and have financed their efforts with the drug trade. Arias offered to use Costa Rica as a venue to broker peace plans between the Colombian government and the two leftist forces, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the National Liberation Army (ELN). Arias sees part of the solution involves a prisoner exchange between the government and FARC, encouraged by the Association of Relatives of the Disappeared, who want proof their relatives are still alive.

The right-wing paramilitary leaders began a process of demilitarization in 2002, and state 31,500 of their former fighters have disbanded and are reintigrating back into society. 17,600 weapons have also been turned in. They also want to bring some of their leaders to Costa Rica to be trained in peace and productivity to build a civil society. They stated that Arias is a respected icon for peace in the region, and want him to help in the negotiations. Arias praised their efforts and added that he hoped the FARC and ELN would follow their example and demobilize.

However, Otty Patino of the Peace Observatory in Colombia expressed his concerns that with Arias appearing to side with the right, he may be limiting his chances of successfully brokering peace between the government and the leftists. Patino stated that the demobilization of the paramilitaries is a cover-up for an agenda to legally take over Colombia without the government support, and that right now there is a wide gap between the leftists and government, and for anything positive to occur, trust on both sides is necessary. Perhaps Arias has a rabbit deep in his hat.

Behind Amsterdam and Ireland, Jessica Labrencis, staff writer for the travel website SmarterTravel.com has named Costa Rica as the third safest destination in the world for female travelers, as reported in the daily USA Today. She states that much of Latin America has a bad reputation for being unsafe for women, pickpocketing, forward men and unrelentless harassment. However, Costa Rica is increasing in popularity among Americans as these problems are more rare, especially outside of central San Jose.

One of the anecdotes drawn from Jessica and that of Travelgirl Magazine Editor-in-Chief Stephanie Oswald was that of a lost wallet returned with all its cash and even a small gift from the finder. Another was being offered a ride in a small pick up truck back to town when exhaused climbing hills near Arenal Volcano. “I wouldn’t normally accept the ride, however, it just felt so safe there, that I accepted. The driver dropped me off near my hotel, and left with a hand wave.”

This may be true in the countryside, but in my opinion, single foreign women should not stay alone in San Jose, and wander the streets at night. It is best to do most of your exploring during the day, and if you must, travel in pairs at night, and certainly stay out of the seedy areas, even if you are in pairs. That is why Adventure Inn is in such a great location, as our guests enjoy returning to our safe, clean, uncongested neighborhood for a night in our Sportsbar, and a pleasant restful sleep before venturing out the next day.

The article went on the say that ‘there are risks everywhere you go.. and it is important to not let your guard down’. India and Viet Nam were ranked fourth and fifth on the list.

This week’s Tico Times, Costa Rica’s most popular English weekly newspaper, featured three main stories.

The first was about Walter Teper, a retired NY police officer who had to abandon his 33-foot sailing vessel after engine failure and a broken mast because the Costa Rican Coast Guard didn’t respond to his distress call. He tried to radio them directly, and got no response, so he radioed the US Coast Guard who has records of passing the info on to the Costa Rican Coast Guard at 3:59 pm December 1st, 2005. After a day passed Teper decided the Costa Rican authorities weren’t about to rescue him, so he abandoned his boat and took a passing freighter to South Korea. On June 6th, Teper’s sloop was spotted near Hawaii listed on its side, stripped of all it’s electronic components. Teper says if the Costa Ricans had responded, he would have been fine, but now he has to start his life over. The Costa Rica Coast Guard say they have no record of either Teper’s direct distress calls, nor the registered US Coast Guard call.

The second story involves standardized testing of the SAT’s for graduating high school students with aspirations of advancing their education. The school authorities say they keep running out of good, quality questions because they always give the students a copy of the standardized exam afterwords. As a result, they want to return to long written answers, even though in the past, it was proven that this format reduced students knowledge of the subject by about fifty percent. My question: Why give the students a copy of the exams afterwords? It’s too late now, they either succeeded, or they didn’t.

The third story has to do with the continuing cruel and pathetic state of the Simon Bolivar Zoo in Barrio Amon, San Jose as it joyfully celebrates its 90th anniversary. The zoo has been in a complete, and inhumane state of repairs since I have been here in 1995, and I am sure long before. The heads of the Environment and Energy Ministry (MINAE) and the private Foundation for Zoos (FUNDAZOO) were seen laughing and patting each other on the back and eating cake at their lovely celebration because they finally agreed to work together, like as if this is a huge accomplishment. Meanwhile the more than 400 animals still live in overcrowded, and smelly, damp cages that have been their home since capture or birth. I remember the large African lion pacing back and forth all day long on his twenty foot pad of concrete behind bars for years, letting out the occasional cry for help in the form of a roar, until he finally died of either old age or boredom or he just went completely nuts. He is now apparently stuffed and proudly displayed in the zoo office.

What do these three stories have in common, if you haven’t figured it out? I have lived here for nearly eleven years, and I love the people of this country, warm and hospitable, family loving and big hearted. But virtually any government branch, and any monopolistic organization such as the electricity and telephone company (ICE), the national banks, and the national insurance institute, have three more times proven to me that they are simply and consistently a group of arrogant yet inefficient, slow, bumbling idiots with responsibilities away over their heads, and everyone suffers because of it.

With both the recent inauguration of President Oscar Arias, and his proven track record of the past, and the acceptance of the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) on the horizon, one hopes that better leadership, and competition will grease the wheels of progress at the expense of bureaucratic bungling.

Before you get behind the wheel of your rental car here in Costa Rica, be prepared for an experience beyond belief. After driving on the sane roads of Canada, for the first half of my life, I wasn’t prepared for Costa Rica. Two major factors create havoc on the roads here.

Firstly, the roads vary greatly in Costa Rica. There are some excellent routes that are a pleasure to drive, smooth, open, you can enjoy the scenery, the mountains and greenery around every corner, the seascapes and the small friendly villages. But in general, country roads tend to be narrow, winding, many are bumpy or pot holed and unmarked. Outside of San Jose, with less traffic, you have more room to maneuver a bit, and take your time, get your directions, drive around pot holes, and relax.

In San Jose and much of the Central Valley, it is different. Because of the hilly topography, huge ‘catch basin’ suburban areas get in and out of the city on very few main arteries. As a result, from about 7am until 9pm every working day, these roads are busy, often frustratingly bumper to bumper. The city core is mostly made of one way streets in a grid pattern, however they are can be quite congested because they were never planned for future increases in vehicle numbers. A single fender bender, or road construction, or parade or strike can jam traffic several blocks in all directions. You just have to wait it out, as often seeming shortcuts get you nowhere. Lately, many traffic lights are out of order, so you just cautiously take your chances crossing intersections.

But secondly, and a far greater reason that havoc is created on the roads is the Ticos themselves. You just can’t believe it until you experience it, and even then, I just shake my head at how clueless every second or third driver is. I drove for years in Canada and never ran into situations that I consistently find here within my first thirty seconds of driving each day. You would swear they are in another world when they are behind the wheel of a car.

You’ll see drivers talking away and looking directly at their passenger between glimpses of the road, hands waving in the air as they speak. In congested conditions, they drive like they are the only vehicle on the road. Nothing matters to them if it is not in their front vision. For no apparent reason, rather than pulling off the road, they will stop in the middle of a busy street holding up traffic, and forcing everyone to dangerously go around them. Many strongly believe that as long as their emergency flashers are on, they can do anything, and about one in five has his or her directional signals flashing away for no reason, yet they’ll quickly hang a turn without signals. Often, drivers will pull into a busy intersection and stop, trying to decide which way to go.

If they need to make a left turn, they’ll stop in the middle of the lane rather than moving over to the center line to allow cars behind them to get by. They swerve all over the road driving at a snails pace while on their cell phone. Red lights to many drivers means to slow down. Buses don’t pull off the road to pick up passengers, even when there is room. Taxi drivers troll for customers at about half the speed of the traffic. Motorcycles weave in and out like they have their own rules. On the four lane highways, slow cars always jam up the fast lanes, faster cars race up the slow lanes, and often cars will drive beside each other for miles preventing others from passing. If you are lined up behind a few cars at a red light, when it turns green, you need to toot your horn or the front driver will just sit there mesmorized by the green light. I find it so hard to believe that many of these people actually obtained legitimate drivers licences, as few seem to realize the responsibility of free-wheeling a ton or more of speeding glass and steel through crowded places.

The following is an article written by Katherine Stanley for the Tico Times, June 2nd, 2006. This may help put things in perspective of what I have been trying to explain.

Driving, Watching TV? No Problem, Some Say

Facing a growing trend of drivers watching television while driving - yes, you read that correctly; televisions mounted on dash boards or DVD screens covering the rear-view mirror are increasingly common - the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MOPT) announced last week that it is studying the possibility of a fine of 10,000 colones (less than $20) for any driver demonstrating this particular brand of multi-tasking.

A fine of 2,000 colones ($4) is already in place for drivers of public transportation, including buses and taxis, according to Transit Police director German Marin. He told the Tico Times that it is not yet clear whether the Transit Law allows for such a fine on other drivers, though a fine is already in place for talking on a cell phone while driving. Authorities are concerned that TV-watching will increase during the upcoming World Cup soccer games, according to the daily La Nacion.

However, for some taxistas, driving while watching is perfectly reasonable. One driver spoke to Tico Times last week while simultaneously driving on the highway between San Jose and the western suburb of Escazu and watching ‘Bad Boys II’ on a DVD screen that almost completely obscured his rear-view mirror.

“It’s not dangerous… at night it is because it reflects a lot (of light),” he said. “You have to be very careful and have good eyesight. Sometimes I watch it while driving, sometimes I don’t.”

He added that he doesn’t need his rear-view mirror to see behind him, pointing to his side mirrors.

Apparently the law agrees. Marin said drivers are required to have a rear-view mirror - but aren’t prohibited from covering it up.

Most movies in Costa Rica are dubbed with Spanish sub-titles, so the drivers really need to multi-task!

However, with all that is said above, Costa Rica has a policy of painting a yellow heart on the road where each person was killed in a traffic accident, and actually there are relatively few to be found! Go figure!

After nearly five decades of planning, impact studies. numerous altered proposals, and controversy, the Boruca Hydroelectric Project on Costa Rica’s largest watershed, the Terraba River basin is getting closer to becoming a reality. It will boost the capacity of Costa Rica’s electricity infrastructure by thirty percent to keep pace with the country’s annual 5.3% increase in demand, independence from fossil fuels, and will initially produce a surplus that can be sold to other countries. The final plan called the Veraguas Option has greatly reduced many of the environmental and economic concerns that the earlier proposals created.

An earlier plan in the 1970’s and 80’s to fuel a giant aluminum production plant was dropped when the aluminum company withdrew their plans as the global economy took a hit. In the late 1990’s, the massive Boruca-Cajon and then the reduced Boruca-Veraguas proposals were put on the table, creating 709 MW of power, costing $1.4 billion, creating a 10,700 hectare reservoir with one third flooding indigenous territory, relocating an estimated 1,943 people, including 800 indigenous people, and adversely affecting the health of the Osa Peninsula and the 30,000 hectare Terraba-Sierpe Wetlands downstream. Also, 36.2 kilometers of the vital Trans-America Highway would have been rendered useless, and needed to be rerouted.

In 2004, a Columbian engineering firm contracted by ICE, Costa Rica’s electrical monopoly, devised the ingenious $979 million Veraguas Option moving the dam further upstream and diverting water into a subterranian tunnel filled with turbines to produce electricity. It would then release the water back into the river near Palmar Sur. With a slight reduction in capacity to 631 MW, the reservoir would shrink to less than half the size, only 1,068 people would have to be relocated, just three percent indigenous, far less indigenous land would be flooded, and it only affect 3.6 kilometers of the Trans-America Highway.

Still, indigenous leaders and environmentalists are not happy with the project. They claim that the water volume below the dam for twenty kilometers will be reduced to only ten percent of it’s existing volume, threatening wildlife and a few people who make their living from this area. Other concerns are climatic change caused by the green house gasses released from decomposition in the still moving reservoir. Yet others fear the potential social changes in this area caused by the 3,000 to 5,000 workers needed to build the project such as alcohol, drugs, prostitution and loss of cultural identity. The concerns are countered by promises of the benefits of this type of development for the depressed area such as better infrastructure in roads, electricity, sewers, education, telecommunications and health. In any case, while more studies continue, ICE seems to have the upperhand, and is heading towards starting the project in 2008, with electricity being produced in seven or eight years.

Two decades after his first overwhelmingly successful term as president of Costa Rica, Oscar Arias was sworn in again today as president. His second term seems to hold as many difficulties as his first term, but totally different in nature.

Born into a wealthy coffee family, Arias studied law and economics at the University of Costa Rica and Harvard, then earned a masters degree from the London School of Economics and a Ph.D in political science at the University of Essex in England.

His main challenge in his first term beginning in 1986 evolved around bringing peace to war-torn Central America. Though encouraged by the myopic US government to enter the war and support the re-establishment of the dictatorial right wing Nicaraguan contras in exchange for foreign aid, in a come-from-behind victory, the Ticos chose instead to elect the young peace advocate Oscar Arias as president in 1986. Arias urged US President Ronald Reagan to give economic aid to Central America rather than military aid to the Nicaraguan Contras. His peace plan was said by Reagan to be “fatally flawed”, however Arias convinced five Central American presidents to sign the plan ending the Nicaraguan revolution bringing stability to the region. Arias emphasized the risks they ran to ensure peace would always be less than the irreparable cost of war. In 1987 when Arias received the Nobel Peace Prize, Ticos proudly viewed it as their own.

But now things couldn’t be different. While his popularity reached a resounding 84% in his first term, this time the sixty five year old Arias won by a hair, and only received 41% of all votes cast in a low turn-out election. His challenges are also very different, stemming largely from domestic problems, and the deep ideological division of Ticos regarding CAFTA (the Central American Free Trade Agreement) with the United States. Though Arias is in favour in principal with the agreement, he opposes ‘the abusive protectionism of the North’. He has also been an outspoken critic of the US involvement in the war in Iraq.

The office of the presidency in Costa Rica has been weakened over the last twenty years, as a number of powerful institutions and rights organizations have been created. The gap between rich and poor is widening, as education, health care, housing and public security are inadequate. Arias will need to govern with humility, which he is not used to. He will need to balance his traditional pro-environment views against the economic benefits of supporting industry.

Many voters that supported Arias this time did so for his international image “The real world does not allow us to live in isolation. Today the problems of one are the problems of all”, quoting him from a 1989 speech. Arias, being the first Nobel Prize laureate to ever return to presidency, in his own quiet, refined way may surprise all of us.

After a recent snorkeling trip to the southern Caribbean region of Costa Rica, specifically Punta Uva, I was delighted to see a tremendous regrowth of the coral reefs, that appeared all but dead only a few years ago. The banana industry took much of the blame. Silt, caused by the exuberant growth of water hyacinths from fertilizer run-off that washed into the ocean, killed much of the pristine coral reefs. The five year old government Eco-OK Program encourages banana producers to reduce their use of fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides, send contaminated water through a special filtering system by expediting banana export red tape.

Many marine ecologists rightfully said that the coral reefs have taken literally centuries to grow to their present size, and now they were largely dead. This was true, but fortunately new coral growth is anchoring itself to and slowly hiding the dead and dying coral underneath and is rapidly appearing beautiful and full, with schools of small colored fish actively darting in and around. From what I can see, in little time the reefs on the southern Caribbean should appear healthy and vibrant.

In particular, hard corals are very evident, and are the most significant group of corals in terms of reef building. As the coral grows, the polyps secrete a massive external skeleton of calcium carbonate commonly known as limestone. I saw many boulder, mound and knob-shaped corals. This group is a dominant coral type on the reef and forms the basis of the outer coral reef structure in the Caribbean. Colonies show a variety of growth patterns including huge mountains, domes, boulders, multi-lobed heads or knobs. These corals include Porites asteroides, Montastrea, and Madracis.

The flat, wide Elk Horn coral and it’s relative, Anvil coral, are surviving and starting to regrow, while Brain corals are also retaking a hold. Brain corals have ridges and valleys on their surface which resemble the surface of a brain. The colonies are often hemispherical in shape. Brain corals include Colpophyllia natans and Diploria species.

Probably the most abundant of the new growth corals in the Punta Uva area seemed to be the Leaf and Plate-Shaped corals, completely mid-brown in color with white tips. These form fragile, thin, leaf-like colonies. They can be a dominant type on some shallow water reefs, which is where I was snorkeling just off the sandy shore. Some plate forms are also found in deeper waters. Example includes agaricia species and meandrites.

In conclusion, I highly recommend active visitors to check out the snorkeling opportunities in the newly beautified coral reefs just off the southern Caribbean coast of Costa Rica.

Twenty-six eco-minded three and four star hotels strategically located throughout Costa Rica have banded together to form ‘Adventure Hotels of Costa Rica‘. The non-profit association is the first of its type ever in Costa Rica, and long overdue according to founder Eric Robinson, owner of Adventure Inn near the airport.

Robinson says he has visited and screened every member hotel for quality and ‘eco-friendliness’, and that there are several excellent properties in the association. Prices for the hotels vary but are all within the $40 to $80 range depending on the season, and number of guests and room type.

As an added incentive to stay at member hotels, guests will receive a 10% discount across the board if they mention they were referred at the time of booking by the association. Each hotel has exclusivity in their particular area and promotes all the other member hotels by recommending them to departing guests.

You can visit the new association website www.adventurehotelsofcostarica.com which is still under construction as hotel owners continue to upload their information. They have made a beautiful and very useful Costa Rican road map. On one side is the map of Costa Rica pin-pointing by number the individual hotels, with a description of each numbered hotel along the side. On the other side is a useful street map of San Jose. There is a link to their website and e-mail address to ask questions and make a reservation.

Member hotels will be proudly displaying an attractive association wall plaque by their reception area.

According to Robinson, “We have hotels from every corner of Costa Rica, three in the Osa Peninsula / Golfo Dulce area, and from there, several right up the entire Pacific coast practically to Nicaragua, two on the southern Caribbean, Tortuguero is covered, Arenal, Monteverde, Turrialba, central San Jose and even the airport. We have cloud forest resorts, beach hotels, hotels with scenic views, rainforest B&B’s, volcano lodging, dolphin and whale accommodations, hotels right in a national park, plus exciting city and convenient airport hotels, something different for every day of your vacation!”

The association is perfect for those renting a 4WD vehicle, and wanting to create their own adventure, travelling from one property to the next while exploring the variety of sensory overloads that Costa Rica has to offer. To book a 4WD please go to the Adventure Inn car rental page.

By Leland Baxter-Neal
Tico Times Staff

A retired U.S. couple from Des Moines, Iowa, died Sunday when their plane crashed into the forest on the side of Irazú Volcano, one of Costa Rica ’s tallest peaks, east of San José in the province of Cartago. But it was not until Tuesday, after three days of uncertainty and intense searching amidst cold and rainy weather, that the fate of the couple was confirmed.

Pilot Conrad Wesley Randell, 69, known as Wes, and his wife Nancy Randell, 68, were traveling from Panama to Nicaragua as part of a Central American aerial tour that included two dozen other small planes. The couple - flying a single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza aircraft, registration number N5985C - and the pilots of 19 other planes had taken off Sunday morning from Paitilla, Panama, and encountered an unusually strong cold front with heavy rain in Costa Rica.

Many of the pilots changed their flight plans to take them to other airports, such as the Daniel Oduber International Airport, in Liberia, in northwestern province of Guanacaste.

According to an excerpt from the transcript of communications between Wes and the control tower at Juan Santamaría published in the daily Al Día, the couple had become lost and was flying at an altitude of 10,000 feet. In the mountainous area around Irazú where the plane was found, the recommended flying altitude is 12,500 feet, Al Día reported.

That was the couple’s last communication, and ended at 9:59 a.m., Sunday. A few minutes later, a farmer from the area reported hearing a low-flying aircraft followed by the sound of a crash or explosion.

A search party composed of Red Cross, Firefighter Corps and police officials, and led by a resident of the area, found the plane at approximately 2:50 p.m. Tuesday, near the top of the volcano.

More than 120 people, including rescue personnel and residents from the area, took part in three days of exhaustive searching in the densely forested foothills around Irazú Volcano and on its slopes. On Sunday and Monday, rain and fog impeded aerial searching and cold temperatures forced searchers to withdraw early after some Red Cross workers caught hypothermia, a Red Cross spokesman said.

Clear weather Tuesday allowed for overhead flights and better visibility, which, in combination with reports from area residents, guided searchers to the crash site, located near where rescuers had already searched and planes had flown over.

From the position of the plane, it appeared that the aircraft had crashed headfirst into the side of the mountain and, according to Red Cross spokesman Geovanny Monge, the couple likely died on impact. The plane was almost entirely intact and had only slightly disrupted the vegetation, making it more difficult to see from a distance. According to the daily La Nación, the Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT), which is supposed transmit an emergency signal in the case of an accident, was intact, but did not transmit.

Because of the remoteness of the crash site, poor weather and the investigations that had to be conducted before removing the couple, rescuers did not extract the bodies until Wednesday, the Red Cross spokesman said.

Wes’s son, Conrad, was among those seeking any sign of the aircraft or its passengers in the mountainside. Both Conrad and his wife, Erika Randell, a Costa Rican, were living in Costa Rica until December, when Erika moved to the United States. Conrad was finishing business in the country and was expected to return to the United States later this month, “but now we’re not sure,” Erika told The Tico Times in a phone interview from Iowa.

According to Erika, this was Wes’s first flying tour in Central America, though he had visited Costa Rica several times and “loved it.”

The couple was touring the region as part of a trip organized by the U.S.-based pilots’ association Baja Bush Pilots, which provides information on airports in Mexico and Central America and organizes trips through the region.

The tour began Jan. 7 and included stops in Mexico, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras and Guatemala, said Erick McCormick, a pilot with the association, in a phone interview with The Tico Times Monday, before the plane was discovered.

“We’ve had over the years a couple (pilots) that have had forced landings, had to land in a field or something of that nature,” McCormick said. “But this is the first time we’ve ever had a serious incident.”

The association organizes the tours, and then each pilot decides which legs of the trip to make.

“Each pilot is in command of his or her own aircraft and they make the go or no-go decision,” he said.

According to Thomas Turner, the manager of technical services with the American Bonanza Society - an association of owners and pilots of the same and similar aircraft to the one the Randells were flying - the Randells’ plane was a good plane for long-distance travel and for conditions with poor visibility, known as instrument conditions, because pilots rely strictly on their instruments for their bearings.

“This one is a 1952 model D35, Bonanza, a four-seat airplane,” Turner told The Tico Times in a telephone interview from the United States Monday. “Many of these airplanes have been upgraded over the years to be more capable in instrument and poor weather conditions.”

This accident raises the death toll from small plane crashes in Costa Rica in the past year to 16, including 11 foreigners.

On May 27, 2005, three Costa Ricans perished when the Cessna 206 they were in went down about 11 miles west of the mountain town of Puriscal, southwest of San José. Four days later, another Cessna 206 carrying five skydivers crashed into the ocean off the central Pacific coast. The Costa Rican pilot, the Canadian owner of the plane, a Costa Rican who grew up in the United States, and two U.S. citizens all died in the accident. A sixth man, a U.S. citizen, survived by parachuting from the plane and floating in the ocean for 24 hours (TT, June 2, 2005).

Then, on July 16, six U.S. citizens, including three children, died when their plane crashed into the ocean about a mile and a half off the northern Pacific coast, near the beach town of Flamingo (TT, July 22, 2005).

Though it may be months and even years to see the full impact, plans have been released by the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MOPT) for a number of measures designed to upgrade the nation’s pot-holed roads, and decongest the choked transportation arteries in and around San Jose.

Lack of funds has been the traditional excuse for the pathetic road conditions, but this is to be relieved with a creative plan to sell bonds to the public, which will be repaid with future tax revenues from gasoline and car ownership.

Pot holes are already being aggressively filled across the nation, while the InterAmerican highway from Nicaragua to Panama will be reconstructed where needed.

The autopista that circumnavigates about three fifths of San Jose is scheduled to be completed from Uruca to Calle Blancos, and five more rotundas on this circumnavigational route will have bridges built over them similar to the present bridge at the Desamparados/San Francisco rotunda.

325 ’smart’ traffic signals to improve traffic flow are to be installed in and around San Jose by 2007.

Many projects have been underway for years across Costa Rica but contracts were dropped with the lack of funding resulting in band-aid solutions of temporarily filling potholes. The new finance scheme should address these shortfalls.

Of particularly good news to Adventure Inn, a new pedestrian bridge with ramps for wheelchair access will be constructed over the InterAmerican highway in front of the Los Arcos entrance, allowing our guests who return from San Jose by bus to have an extremely easy, safe and convenient way to reach the hotel. It is scheduled to be completed by May, 2006.

The founder of the Moon Glow Bar and Grill in the Adventure Inn, Gary DeGano, passed away suddenly the morning of Saturday, November 26th at the age of 65 after succumbing to a massive heart attack. Even though I only knew Gary for less than a year, he was a real inspiration, had great integrity, and always made everyone feel comfortable with his endless jokes and quick wit. Gary’s partner, Priscilla, along with John and new partner Hans will help fill Gary’s big shoes, and continue running the new Gary’s Moon Glow Bar and Grill dedicated to the man who started it. Gary’s longtime friend, and publisher of The Peck Report, Jim Peck wrote the following two articles about Gary.

Eric Robinson
Adventure Inn

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Memorial Tribute For Gary Degano Published on November 27th.

The news of Gary’s passing today struck me very sudden.

Gary Gary DeGano, was a long time resident in Costa Rica.

I remember the first time I met Gary a few years ago. He invited me to his home and introduced me to his soul mate, Priscilla and family. After a short time visiting, I felt like I had known Gary for years.

From time to time Gary would invite me to his parties and I always enjoyed his laughter, jokes, friendly smile, family and friends. I always left his home with happy thoughts.

I met Gary in San Jose about a month ago and we had a nice visit and we talked about his part ownership in the Moon Glow Restaurant, which is in the Adventure Inn Hotel. We also chatted about his soul mate Priscilla, family, friends and projects he was working on.

Whenever Gary promoted a project, he always said, “not for me, but for the family.”

Gary’s death must not be something we mourn, his loss not something we grieve. We must celebrate his passing. We must all throw him the grandest send off in our heart, thoughts and prayers as he travels to a better place. We must also include Priscilla and family in our thoughts and prayers as well.

Gary lived life to the fullest and his legacy lives on in the many lives that will be impacted for years to come. I believe that nothing truly good is ever lost, and that love never dies. The best of Gary lives on in those who loved him and surely his gifts of love and goodness will be passed along in our unending circle of life.

We will hold Gary close in our hearts always.

Thanks Gary for everything. This post is a tribute to his memory.

On Sunday, November 27, 2005, I attended a party, a celebration of Gary’s life at Gary’s Moon Glow Restaurant in the Adventure Inn. All of Gary’s family, partners, staff, and friends attended the event. Drinks and Taco’s were served and everyone comforted Gary’s family, and partners, met new friends and celebrated Gary’s life.

I found Gary’s Moon Glow Restaurant to be a classy, comfortable restaurant. For lunch I had the meatloaf with mushroom sauce, mashed potatoes and vegetables. It was a real treat. Later on in the afternoon Gary’s favorite meat tacos were served and they were great with a Pilsen beer.

We all shed tears, but we all supported each other and everyone had a wonderful time.

If you’re looking for a great sports bar with incredible American food, with the best service you will find in Costa Rica, then you need to go out to Gary’s Moon Glow Restaurant in the Adventure Inn. Hemingway would have loved this place! Where else can you drink off a rosewood bar and be surrounded by beautiful women?

If you have a few too many drinks, be safe and don’t drive. Get a room in the Adventure Inn and spend the night. I recommend the room with the large jacuzzi!

Be sure to tell them you heard about the restaurant and the hotel in The Peck Report.

Jim Peck, Publisher
Memorial Tribute For Gary DeGano

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Information Update:
Monday, November 28, 2005, 7:40 p.m. (standard time)

Many of Gary’s friends, relatives and visitors to The Peck Report have asked for more details surrounding the events of last Friday night.

The following information was provided by Hans, Gary’s new business partner. Hans transported Gary to the hospital and stayed with him.

At approximately 3-4 p.m., Gary, Hans and Gary’s soul mate Pricilla, who also worked at the restaurant, were running errands. Gary had some pain and thought he had acid reflux which he often experienced. The problem persisted, so they decided to transport Gary to the hospital for stronger medication or a shot for relief.

Shortly after they arrived at the hospital, and after talking to Gary, the doctor informed them that Gary had a massive heart attack on the table. They were further informed that Gary was revived, but the situation appeared to be very serious.

It was touch and go until about 3 a.m., Saturday morning when Gary passed away.

There was a viewing at 4 p.m., Saturday and the turnout was larger than expected.

Gary was cremated at 9 a.m., Sunday morning followed by a wake at 2 p.m. at Gary’s Moon Glow Restaurant. Most of Gary’s friends, family, neighbors, and customers turned out and the restaurant was full most of the afternoon.

Gary carried good health insurance with an excellent Costa Rican private plan. He always went to a good American trained doctor, which he liked, for check-ups and prescriptions.

Gary never had any heart symptoms that anyone knew about.

Prior to Gary’s death, the name of the restaurant was, “Moon Glow.” Yesterday it was announced that the name of the restaurant has been changed to, “Gary’s Moon Glow” in remembrance and as a legacy for Gary. “Gary’s Moon Glow Restaurant” will be built up and continued by John, Hans and Pricilla.

Gary’s Moon Glow is right around the corner from the Cariari Country Club, golf course and development not far from the airport in San Jose.

Stop in and introduce yourself and have a drink for Gary while visiting beautiful Costa Rica.

My stats reveal that 324 people clicked on this post today! Gary had lots of friends.

I’ve been receiving many emails asking for more information from many of Gary’s friends both in Costa Rica and in the U.S. Please copy and paste this update and put in a new message and send it to anyone that you know that has been asking for additional information.

Thank you for your concerns for Gary’s family, partners and your kind words about Gary’s Memorial Tribute. I also want to thank you for all the nice comments that were posted.

Jim Peck, Publisher

The Peck Report

http://www.thepeckreport.com (Website no longer works)

In light of the constant bombardment each year by hurricanes in and around the Caribbean basin, and the Gulf of Mexico, Costa Rica’s lush Central Valley seems like a great place to be, and is slowly becoming a destination of choice for both tourists and investors.

Around the equator, the prevailing winds are from the east. Most travel across the Atlantic Ocean from Africa and are forced northward by the presence of Central American Isthmus nearly always before reaching Costa Rica. Northeast Nicaragua, the Yucatan and western Cuba stick out like sore thumbs, catching more than their share.

Though both coasts of Costa Rica receive some rain during the traditional hurricane season, they seldom make a direct hit. In the rare event that the eye of a rogue hurricane reaches the Costa Rican Caribbean coast, it would have to then climb a mile over the towering mountains to reach San Jose hiding in the bottom of the Central Valley a kilometer above sea level. Several hurricanes form annually over the Pacific Ocean west of Costa Rica, but continue westward out into the Pacific, causing little damage. Though rules are made to be broken, up here in San Jose, we can relax year-round, fairly confident that the worst we will get from a hurricane is a few days of drizzle. But then it’s already the rainy season during hurricane season, so who cares?

By Eric Robinson, B.E.S.