Rincon de la Vieja National Park and Volcano, and Santa Rosa are a stone throw away and so is the capital of Guanacaste, Liberia, with its an International Airport

Papagayo’s beautiful beaches are also excellent for swimming, scuba diving, sports fishing and surfing, depending on which beach you go. In Papagayo you will find the only wind surfing beach in Costa Rica, in Bahia Salinas or Bolanos Bay windsurfing is a big attraction; it is possible to wind surf all year around.
Papagayo is also a traditional destination for bird watchers and nature lovers. The wilderness, flora and fauna, are really awesome.  The tranquility and beauty are truly hard to beat!
The beaches of Papagayo are usually lined by almond or coconut trees for a little more shade that you need so that you may to stay in the sun just a little longer.  The sunsets are every time even more impossibly spectacular. And for the avid surfers,  Witches Rock is famous  throughout the whole world for its fantastic break.
The Papagayo Tourist Project together with the government of Costa Rica are monitoring the growth of the region and the sustainability protects the gulf against destructive development, as we have seen in other places. When in Papagayo, try to see Playa Arenilla, Playa Blanca, playa Pez and Vela Playa Escondida. Charming little towns like Sardinal are just a short drive away and is worth a short stop while on the way to more popular beaches such as Playa de Coco, Playa Flamingo Playa Ocotal, and Play Hermosa.

To get into the ring, you must first sign up and wait for your turn. Once you are in, you are face to face with a choleric giant, a pure mass of muscle that has been trained to knock you down. Being knocked down by a huge champion bull should by no means be a pleasant experience, but to some young men or women, it seems to be the highlight of their day! Depending on the size of the ring, there can be up to hundreds of people inside at the same time. What you are supposed to do? Well, to avoid being stabbed by the bull’s stalk and stomp!

What makes this “sport” so amusing, for the spectator, is that the participants have absolutely no idea of what they should exactly be doing! They run aimlessly, many scarred for their lives, chased by a couple of tons of live stock! The adrenaline rush they feel is written all over their faces, and it is hard to understand why they ever want to go back in there again! The sheer terror on their faces is absolutely hilarious and priceless! Yet they do, over and over, they run, jump over the fence of the ring, and go back in, smacking the stump of the bull so that they can have another go, and on and on it goes, at the sound of the comical commentaries of the announcers. They keep going back, sometimes some do end up in the hospital, but this is part of the game, it is supposed to happen!

If you want see, and participate, in the best bullfight of the country, you will need to go to Zapote, if you happen to be here around Christmas time. This large ring welcomes hundreds of brave victims who risk their clothes being ripped or worse! How to be made fun of in style!

According to the local newspapers, there are more people killed here from car accidents than from homicides (average number of homicides in Latin America is 20 per 100,000). The safety of the roads here is the worst of the world!

The appalling state of the roads including the notorious pot holes, the lack of signalization and infrastructure and the terrible driving habits are to blame. However, all this is going to change, according to UN Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011, and international organization; it is hoping to cut down on road death by half before the year 2020, which means an incredible 325,000 lives saved in Latin America.

This is not however meant to put you off driving in Costa Rica, but to warn you. There are certain rules you will need to know in order to have the holiday of a lifetime!

If you are renting, choose a rental company of reputation, and take a 4X4 or 4X2 vehicle; Not only will this widen your choice of destination, it will also come in handy when the rains are heavy;  the height of the car is just as useful, if not more, than the four wheel drive. Make sure the tires and the windscreen wipers are good.

Get yourself a good road map; road signs are better here, but they are still scarce and a map will avoid you getting lost and driving many extra hours.

Respect the speed limits; they are there for a good reason, and the police are usually waiting well hidden in strategic points too; should you get caught, you risk having the car confiscated and your license with it!

Give you to anything big; Buses trucks always have the right of way, they are bigger than you. They will not hesitate to prove this to you by forcing their way, and win. Stay safe.

Be careful of the pot holes; they can be very difficult to see, especially at night and in the rain! Some people stick large objects in them with the idea to make them more visible, however this makes them even more dangerous!

Watch out for bikers and cyclists; they have no special roads or paths, and roads are badly lit; most buses and trucks drivers have little respect for them in this country.

Watch out for landslides; most particularly in the rainy season, landslides are very common in Costa Rica. In some cases, whole bits of road may disappear.

If in doubt, use your horn; there is nothing wrong with using it for all sorts of reasons here, don’t be shy!

Careful with wild animals on the road; you will see sloths, iguanas and turtles trying to make it to the other side, of course at an incredibly slow pace.

Finally, careful with the people; Costa Rican do not always use common sense or are not very good at judging speed,  and throw themselves in front of your car. Be prepared!

All is not as it seems!

At first glance, Costa Rica seems like the ideal solution. Many call centers have established themselves here, with an even higher demand for English Speakers. This country is classified as a developing country, rather than a third world, like some of its neighbors. It is relatively safe and pleasant. It is beautiful, with some of the most stunning beaches and rain forests of the world, with an outstanding biological diversity. Tourism is booming, which in turns also means a higher demand of English speakers. So what is the problem?

Money.

Salaries are less than satisfactory in this country, or sufficient, while the cost of living is soaring! My daughter just visited from UK and she was amazed upon finding that food costs more here! Teaching is no exception, indeed, because it usually pays by the hour you will find yourself trying miserably to make ends meet and to survive out of a meager income. If you want to live comfortably, rent decent dwellings and explore this wonderful country, you will find it very difficult to achieve, if not impossible! Don’t even dream of saving!

The work visa is another issue as most companies do not help you with the procedures. They will however give you the extra day every 3 months to hop over the border to renew your tourist visa. This solution however can only be temporary. If you do not have a visa, everything is a headache, more often than not, impossible; you cannot get a cellular phone line if you do not have your residency, you cannot open a bank account, etc.

As a teacher, your private life will have to go out the window. Extra hours will suddenly be assigned to you without prior warning, either very late at night or very early in the morning, sometimes during the weekends.  They also may be removed without your knowledge. You may be given students who live on the other side of town where it takes over an hour to get to.

These are of course worse scenarios but they are worth contemplating. You will also need to decide where in Costa Rica you want to live; will it be in the Central Valley, in San Jose, where in San Jose, or will it be on the coast somewhere, and if so, which coast, the Pacific or the Caribbean? Or do you prefer to live near a rain forest? What are the potentials? What are the pros and cons?

San Jose may offer more possibilities yet most people do not come here to spend so much time in the capital. There are now some beach towns such as Tamarindo that offer you live on the beach, but again, all is not as it seems! For many such places are considered to be an outcry, ecological disasters that damage the beautiful and fragile environment.

If after reading this you still want to come and teach here, welcome to Costa Rica,  the Pura Vida land of sun, sea, beach, parrots, toucans, howler monkeys, sloth, Ocelot and Jaguars.  The land of flamboyant sunsets and tropical storms, of primary forests and volcanoes. Welcome to Costa Rica!

While these considerations may seem daunting, teaching abroad is almost always a very rewarding experience. While every job is different, many positions at private academies only require you to work part time, leading to a very stress free lifestyle. Another benefit to working in a country where demand for English is high is that most students are very eager to learn, making the teaching experience that much more enjoyable. In fact, your students will likely serve as invaluable resources in helping you adjust to a new language, an unfamiliar city and a different culture.

You will find the refuge on the Old Road between Escazu and Sta Ana, in Alto de Las Palomas. Upon entering, you are welcomed warmly by the staff. There are a couple of people who do speak English there; it is both important and very moving to know the stories of these animals.

The tour starts with the snakes. Rodolfo took us along the little path as we started with the non venomous snakes, including a false coral snake that mimics a real one to scare off its enemies. Next come the venomous snakes, including the fierce Fer de Lance; one of the very few snakes that does not hides away from us, this nasty piece of work will attack you if you happen to cross its path…The venom is very powerful and fast action is required if bitten. There are rattle snakes, tiger snakes, bushmasters, and various types of vipers, including bright green ones and yellow ones. Next comes the boa constrictors; people love to have these as pets, however more often than not they do not know how to look after them and the reptiles suffer physical harm as a result.

Sobek the Crocodile is a permanent resident. This huge animal would not be able to survive in the wild; because he got too close to cattle and people, his front legs were cut off. He was found, dying by a river. Sobek would not be able to hunt and would die if released.

Cesar is an Iguana that was rescued from the Central Market; the capture and selling of this reptile is absolutely illegal in this country. Cesar is missing half his tail, nobody knows for sure what happened to him.

What grabbed my heart though was the lovely spider monkey, whose name I have now forgotten. This lovely female, a master of agility, spent 8 years of her life confined in a small bird cage. This magnificent artist could not move, or climb, or run, she barely fit in the cage….For 8 long years. Now she has a lot of space to play, however when she is given some food, she immediately resume her fetus position, as if this was the only way she knew how to eat…It breaks your heart.

Nearby is a little squirrel monkey who is obviously quite scared of humans; nobody knows what happened to her either, Rodolfo explained that she suffered from a type of amnesia; some days she does not remember who she is and is in a happy go lucky mood, however the next day, she is a wild animal again, and is quite fierce and angry! They would like her to mate with a male they have there, however she would need to meet him only when she is in one of her “Good Moods”!

The Titi Monkeys are always popular and so lovable;  these were pets and given to the refuge when the owners could not look after them any longer. Next to them is another horrific sight; Two beautiful Macaws, with most of their feathers missing, including the flying feathers of their wings. These two Macaws, found separately, suffered inhuman amount of stress and abuse. One of them in particular is in a shocking state; this, however, is self inflicted, as the poor birds plucked out their own feathers, out of sheer stress and misery! Truly horrific.

You will also meet a few turtles that were once pets and given to the refuge when owners could not look after them for a variety of reasons. Rodolfo will be happy to tell you their stories and you can even hold them if you wish; watch out there, my granddaughter was suddenly sprayed by one of them, Rodolfo assured us that it was “only water”!…..

The rehabilitation center is one of a kind in this country and hopefully, they will manage to survive, like their friends. Brady Barr, famous herpetologist of National Geographic, was present for the inauguration and is said to be in awe and very pleased with the refuge. This little publicity was a well needed push for Rodolfo and his team.

Rodolfo has been rescuing and saving reptiles since he was 12 years old. He is also involved in private research project for the Ministry of Environment as well as for private companies, and gives lectures at the School of Veterinary Medicine in Heredia. Of all the injured animals he receives, he can only release 60 per cent of them back in the wild. The remaining 40% would not be able to survive on their own in the wild.

The center covers some of the expenses with the small fee ($4 for adults, $3 for kids under 12 and for seniors) charged to the visitors, however donations are always welcomed! The little shop at the entrance offers an array of interesting souvenirs, including T-shirts with Sobek the Croc on the front, and a series of mug, jewelry, wooden crafts and post cards. The center functions as an educational center a and school tours are planned for the future. For more information, check the website: refugioherpetologico.com.

The visit does not take long, between one hour and one and half hours, however, not only is it particularly interesting and educational. It is often sad however it has a happy ending; even if the rescued animals cannot get released in the wild, they are well cared for there and live a happy, healthy life. Whenever you visit, the fee you pay will help buy medicine and food these poor animals; after all, we are responsible for this!

A couple of weeks ago, three US teenagers drowned in Playa Bejuco, on the Central Pacific between Esterillos and Parrita.  Because they were US citizens, young and on a mission working in Churches and Orphanages, they tragedy did not go unnoticed, however, more often than not the victims are Costa Ricans.

The local residents of beach communities have appealed and asked for help, addressing the National Lifeguard Association (yes, there is one!) and the Red Cross, but to no avail. This is a serious case of mismanagement and total lack of care; some beaches here are treacherous and yet, extremely popular! Many attract tourism because they are perfect for surfing however, beaches like that are exceedingly dangerous if you are not on a board! The rip tide will sweep you away and you cannot get back on shore. If you are on a board, however, you just wait for the nest big wave to take you back.

The reason for this lack of support, it would seem, rests in the salaries; Coast Guards will risk their lives to save you, however well trained they may be, and they should be paid accordingly. There are apparently 600 registered life guards in Costa Rica, yet only 130 are actually on post. The Municipalities cannot afford to pay them, while the Costa Rican Tourism Board is not making any effort; as a result, people die. Volunteers do their best but this is more than insufficient.

Beach security, both in the sea and on the beach, has been an ongoing and growing problem as tourism is rapidly growing, yet the Tourist Board is looking the other way. This is yet another example of bad management and lack of knowledge. How can they expect to carry on attracting people on the beaches when this puts their lives in danger, without mentioning the ever rising crime, from stealing cars to robbing taking place on the beaches?

Tourism is the number one source of income in Costa Rica; most particularly, people come here for the wonderful beaches. Tourists should be treated with respect, care and everything should be made to make sure that they have a safe and pleasant trip, not a dangerous one. While they are warned of the rip tides, this is not enough. Please, give us Coast Guards!

It was only when I checked my computer a few minutes later that I realized that it had been an earthquake! My Facebook was full of various comments! The earth had shaken hard and I had not felt it!

The US Geological Survey announced a 6.2 quake in the region of Tilaran, near Arenal. Soon after that however the OVISCORI (Observatorio Vulcanologico y Sismologico de Costa Rica), which is the Costa Rica Geological Survey, announced that the magnitude of the quake had been 5.9 and that the epicenter had been in Santiago de Puriscal, 28 kms west of San Jose and nowhere near Tilaran.

The movements seemed to last for a long time, the noise for me, however Oviscorio registered a 5 seconds quake. There were no reports of any victims or serious damage; however there was a fair amount of reaction amongst the population. Indeed, it had been an unusual kind of quake!  If it had not been 70kms deep, it would have cause quite a lot of injury and loss.

Many earthquakes in Costa Rica are caused by a deformation on the Coco Plate. It was responsible of the earthquake tremor that shook the country 21 years ago.

The Coco plate sliding under the Caribbean plate is what causes deformation; when there are distortions, there is a tremor and the earth shakes; this is what happened last Friday, May 13^th at 4,47pm. People felt that the earth shook twice, first mildly and the second time with much more force, the truth is that two waves reached the surface, the second one being much more powerful.

In case of an Earth Quake it is important to stay calm and to use common sense. Remember, the Earthquake does not hurt or kill anyone, falling objects do!

Because Costa Rica and China have a free trade agreement, Costa Rica can now export to China as well, it does not just work on way! If this is a success, more brands produced in the Fanal will make their way East; Cafe Tico, Mint and Anis to name just a few.

Why is Cacique so popular in Costa Rica? Well, its price has a lot to do with it. Cacique is a strong, rough drink without a lot of taste to it. It is improved slightly when mixed with fruit juice, however it was never intended to please the palate!

Guaro is the name given to alcoholic drinks in Central America, and it can mean just about anything. It usually comes from a distillation of sugar cane, it is really a cheap and unrefined version of rum! In Costa Rica, where the name Guaro actually comes from, it was given the name of Cacique, that was the name of the indigenous chief.

Who knows, Costa Rica may will export the famous Salsa Lizano next! Do remember that drinking too much Cacique is at your own risks!

This elegant property, as it surely was before it became bright yellow, never served as a private residence; it used to house the Corte de Justicia Centroamericana in the 1900, under the guidance of Andrew Carnegie. Originally known as the Palace of Peace of Central America, it soon became known as the Yellow House due to its exterior color.

A Central American court could never exist and so it became the presidential house in 1920, then the foreign ministry and the site of the legislature. The government has used now and again as its main office when theirs had suffered damages due to earthquakes.

In 1963, it got a face lift, and made even more elegant and in 1976 it was declared a National Monument.

It may be absolutely impossible not to notice of the yellow house while walking in San Jose, however very few have seen the interior of Casa Amarilla. Those interested have the opportunity can do just that; this Saturday, as part of the Enamorate de la Ciudad program (Fall in love with the city), the Casa Amarilla, home of the Foreign Ministry,  presents a guided tour of the residence. Most of the action of the day will take part across from the house in Parque Espana, with yoga, music, face painting, food and more. Organised by the Ministry of Culture and Youth, this is part of the celebration that marks  the end of the summer as May usually means that the beginning of the rainy season has arrived. The guided tours will also include the Jade Museum with its pre-colombian potteries and gold, and the Museum of Contemporary Art and Design.

The Parque Morazan will also take part in the Festivities in the Templo de Musica, starting at 11am. The program features the Orquestra del Sistema Nacional de la Musica de Desamparados, and the Banda de Conciertos de Heredia. Next will perform the Circo Fantastico, the flamboyant Ballet Folclorico de Nayuribe, breakdancing and the Ensamble Cultural of the Caja.

Near Parque de la Paz there will be urban sports, followed by the local hip-hop raock and pop band Los Govinda.

As a grand final, an awesome percussion session where everyone is invited to join in, providing they bring their own instruments.

The falling in love with the city theme is another well needed effort to promote the city of San Jose. While the surroundings of the Yellow house, including Barrio Amon, Arranjuez and Ottoya are so beautiful, the rest of the city has little to offer as far as architectural interest is concerned. Some “barrios”are indeed nothing to be proud of, seemingly abandoned, dirty and seedy. There is much to be done, yet, to improve San Jose!  Over the years, we have seen some improvement;   the Avenida Central that is now a pedestrian street only. The Plaza de la Cultura was remodeled a few years ago. There is still so much work to be done. The safety of the town also plays a big part, as today, many tourists avoid the city for fear of being robbed, and the police is scarce!

Tomorrow however promises to be a fun and interesting day, and a glimpse at the interior of the Casa Amarilla is sure to bring a good crowd!

The former President of Costa Rica, Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Echeverría, was sentenced to five years in prison for aggravated corruption and instigator in the case of the ICE (publicTelecom of Costa Rica)-Alcatel,  and a 12-year disqualification from exercising public office.

After  hearing the reading of the judgement the ex president exclaimed that there will be an appeal, although no one was surprised by the verdict. Rodriguez has also been banned from leaving Costa Rican soil until the court decidion is firm. The Tribubal in Goicoechea, San Jose,  gave its verdict last Wednesday; eight other defendants were convicted with the ex president.

In 2009, another ex-president of Costa Rica, Rafael Ángel Calderón Fournier was given 5 years for two offences of embezzlement in the case of the CCSS (Costa Rica Social Security) and Fischel.

The Public Ministry originally wanted Rodriguez to receive the maximum sentence of 7 years, however 3 of the judges opted for a lower sentence. Rodriguez is said to have acted as in instigator, demanding bribe for giving Alcatel a contract to intall 400,000 lines in 2001.

When he was first accused in 2004, he resigned from his position as Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS). Upon his returned to Costa Rica, he was immediately arrested and brought to the offices of the General Attorney.

Rodriguez is said to be pleased that the trial is over, whatever the sentence!

With one scandal after the other involving its former presidents, Costa Rica may not be so proud of its Pura Vida, yet, it is about time that these corruptions were exposed;  it can only benefit the country, in the long range! One can only hope.