Costa Rica Travel News

Costa Rica Photo Contest Announced

Casey Halloran — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:32:47 +0000

Costa Rica photo contest offers free trip to the winner

Do you fancy yourself an amateur Ansel Adams? Did you snap some sweet photos on your last trip to Costa Rica? Then there’s a good chance you might win 6 nights free lodging in Costa Rica. San Jose-based travel agency Costa Rican Vacations is offering a chance for one lucky winner to enjoy 6 Nights of Luxury Lodging in Costa Rica. The top photos will be displayed on the company’s website with the photographer’s name credited.

1st Prize (1) — 6 nights lodging in Costa Rica!!! Must be used anytime from May 1st – November 1st, 2010.

- Stay 1 night just outside San Jose at the famous Finca Rosa Blanca
- 2 nights at Mountain Paradise near the Arenal Volcano
- 3 nights at the fabulous Latitude 10 boutique beach hotel in Mal Pais

This fantastic getaway has a retail value of over $1,300. All the winner will need to do is book international flights!

Runners Up (5) – $20 gift card with Amazon.com.

This fantastic getaway has a retail value of over $1,300. All you need to do is book your international flights! Our travel agency can assist you with transportation, tours and any other services you may require.

Runners Up (5) — $20 gift card with Amazon.com.

CONTEST RULES

By submitting the photo, you are ensuring that the work is your original work. Photos must have occurred IN Costa Rica. The theme of the contest is “The Unique Beauty of Costa Rica”. Photos should reflect that theme.

Photographs must be in digital format. All digital files must be 1 megabyte or smaller, must be in JPEG or JPG format, and must be at least 1,000 pixels wide (if a horizontal image) or 1,000 pixels tall (if a vertical image).

Photographs must have been taken within two (3) years before the date of entry. Only minor color correction and cropping is considered acceptable editing.

The photograph, in its entirety, must be a single work of original material taken by the Contest entrant. By entering the Contest, entrant represents, acknowledges, and warrants that the submitted photograph is an original work created solely by the entrant, that the photograph does not infringe on the copyrights, trademarks, moral rights, rights of privacy/publicity or intellectual property rights of any person or entity, and that no other party has any right, title, claim, or interest in the photograph. The photograph must not, in the sole and unfettered discretion of the Sponsor, contain obscene, provocative, defamatory, sexually explicit, or otherwise objectionable or inappropriate content.

LICENSE

By entering the Contest, all entrants grant an irrevocable perpetual, nonexclusive license to Authorized Parties, to reproduce, distribute, display, and create derivative works of the entries (along with a name credit) in connection with the Contest and promotion of the Contest.

JUDGING

Judging will be conducted by a 5 person panel of Costa Rican Vacations staff members. The panel will rate the photos in the following categories:

- Photography skills
- Originality
- Best reflection of the contest theme

HOW TO ENTER

Email UP TO 3 photos to casey@costaricapages.com in Jpeg format, with file size NO LARGER than 1 megabyte. Any entries submitted in formats that do not meet these specifications WILL NOT be considered.

Please write “Costa Rica photo contest” in your email subject line.

Along with the photo, entries must also include in the email body:

- Photographer’s name
- Contact phone #
- Location and date of photo (ex: Arenal Volcano, Feb 2008)
- A caption describing the photo (ex: La Paz Waterfall at night)

DEADLINE

Contest deadline is April 30th, 2010 at 12am EST. The winners will be announced May 15th, 2010. The top 50 photos will be displayed on our website on or before May 30th, 2010.

Costa Rica’s Highway to the Sun: A 31 Year Saga Comes to a Close

Claire Saylor — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 18:20:29 +0000

A road project that was first designed more than 30 years ago, is about to be inaugurated as a reality in Costa Rica. The 77km highway from San Jose to Caldera is expected to cut 45 minutes off travel to the Central Pacific Coast, which is currently accessible via Aguacate along a one lane winding mountain road that sees frequent traffic from accidents and over-weight tractor trailers. By paying a series of tolls totaling 1,120 colones, (~$2) commuters can reach Jaco from San Jose in an hour or continue on to Manuel Antonio for a total travel time of under 2 hours (the trip is currently over 3 hours long). The route can also be used for cars heading north, shortening travel time to Liberia and beaches like Tamarindo and Flamingo by an hour.

The Spanish/Portuguese/Costa Rican consortium Autopistas del Sol (Sun Highways), is expected to officially open the entire route this March 2010, four months before deadline. The company was awarded a 25 year concession in 2006 to handle the construction and maintenance of the roadway in exchange for toll rights. Construction did not actually begin until January 2008 due to delays in approving an Addendum to the contract that was required for banks to approve the $230 million loan.

The majority of the route is a wide two lane road, with an additional lane in high traffic intersections like La Garita and Atenas. There are also occasional passing lanes and lights lining the entire way. The four toll booths will offer an electronic payment option similar to the EZPass or Quick Pass in the United States allowing commuters to prepay and avoid coming to a complete stop at the tolls.

Currently, the section from Orotina to Caldera is open and charges a 480 colones toll (under $1) for a less than 10 minute stretch of road. With recently laid asphalt, new road markings and signage and ample shoulder room, the outlook is a positive one in terms of quality and convenience.

You Can’t Please Everyone

The road construction has become a topic of contention in the country. While almost everyone can acknowledge the convenience and need for the route, environmental and economic issues have been dredged up along the way. Many residents express resentment toward the government, which opted for private funding for the road despite collecting annual taxes on vehicles and gas to support road projects. These opponents argue that citizens will have to pay for the road twice, now through the tolls, which are seen as excessive by some.

There are also mixed emotions among people and business owners along the path of the new road. While more remote communities see the road as a source of opportunity, bringing commerce to their small towns, others complain of a lack of exits blocking off access to their stores and restaurants.

For your average commuter, the road comes as a blessing not only due to the faster transit time, but also increased safety. The current mountain route is not lit in most areas and the treacherous curves, no passing lanes and large trucks that are slowed by the steep inclines cause for unfavorable conditions.

A Long and Windy Road

The original design for the Caldera Highway project was suggested in 1978 by the Minister of Transportation Rodolfo Mendez. They government was planning to fund the project, which would have cost have the price at the time, but a recession in the early 80s forced them to put it on hold. The idea resurfaced in 1998 when discussions turned to the idea of private funding for the project. By 2003, a contract was approved destining a concession to a consortium made up of Costa Rican, Argentinean and Canadian partners. However, just over a year later the Cartellone-Acosol consortium drew out of the contract due to delays by the Costa Rican government in expropriating necessary lands.

When Autopistas del Sol came into the picture in 2006, construction met further delays because of pending land expropriation as well as a delay by the Comptroller General to approve a budget increase of $72 million due to the increased price of construction materials since 2001 when the original budget was set. In a confusing game of finger pointing, the Ministry of Transportation threatened to fine Autopistas del Sol for not starting construction while awaiting the Comptroller’s decision.

After a long tradition of bureaucratic stalling, it is nothing short of a miracle that the construction company is forcasting an early finish to the 30 month project that really started more than 30 years ago.

A Personal Account of Public Health Care in Costa Rica

Claire Saylor — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 19:32:42 +0000

The debate over a public health care option in the United States is difficult to follow for the millions of global citizens that already enjoy some form of public health care coverage. A country that is perceived to be one of the most powerful in the world does not have a solution for the 15% (more than 45 million) of its own citizens who are denied health coverage or can’t afford it. A 2009 Harvard study found that one person dies every 12 minutes in the country due to lack of access to health care. In the land of opportunity, medical debt is the principal cause of personal bankruptcy, and in many cases, the person subscribed to private health insurance.

In the U.S. financial advisors recommend emergency savings accounts with thousands of dollars to cover unpreventable accidents. In many countries this is considered unnecessary, lending to a ‘live in the moment mentality’. It may sound careless, but what if an extensive hospital stay for a broken leg and orthopedic surgery didn’t cost you a cent? Would it free up your list of financial priorities? Make life a little bit easier?

Living in Costa Rica has introduced me to a new system of healthcare based on helping the majority, no matter their socio-economic status. The U.S. is in a great position to learn from the successes and failures of countries like Costa Rica that have taken the step toward public healthcare before us.

Here is just one example of what life is like with a two-tiered health care system.

Costa Rican Healthcare Setup

In Costa Rica, the health care system was placed under the control of the government social security program (or the ‘Caja’) in 1973, a move that was not without opposition. From then on, all employers were required to pay 9.25% of each employee’s salary to supplement their own healthcare payments of 5.5%, regardless of income level. Today, additional laws have been put in place for employers to insure part time workers, resulting in an estimated 86.8% of the population being covered by the Caja system. Of the remaining populace, all must be offered healthcare by law, though about half will receive government subsidiaries for being below the poverty level, and the other half would receive a bill for their care.

Within the public system there are 30 hospitals and 250 clinics throughout the country. Each insured person is assigned a specific public clinic for normal procedures and a hospital for more serious conditions or emergency care.

Pay to healthcare professionals is based on a teamwork system where their outcome dictates the clinic or hospital’s yearly funding. The idea is to promote quality of care as better health outcomes and efficiency are rewarded. They also save costs by staffing a high number of mid-range medical professionals, especially in rural areas, rather than doctors who require higher salaries and more costly education.

Medicine is purchased from international suppliers in bulk to resell at low prices. A specific department determines how much is spent on what with the goal of attending to the largest percent of the population. However, there have been several cases in which patients won lawsuits against the Caja to obtain funding for expensive drugs or treatment for rare conditions.

Costa Rica also offers a private healthcare option that is available at affordable prices due to the public competition and is provided by the National Insurance Institute (INS), a government insurance monopoly. This option runs for about $800 per year and is used mainly by the upper-middle and upper classes. Subscribers have access to over 200 affiliated doctors, hospitals, labs, and pharmacies in the private sector, including Clinica Biblica and Clinica Catolica, two hospitals affiliated with U.S. hospitals. The quality of care is perceived to be higher than the public option with less wait time, though patients must pay upfront for their care before applying for refunds.

The Patient Reality

Dealing with the Costa Rican public healthcare system is a lesson in humility for patients and visitors alike. While one might compare this to U.S. healthcare for the non-insured, keep in mind that 86% of Costa Ricans subscribe to this system and employers are required to subsidize it for their employees. This is my personal experience with public healthcare in Costa Rica, as a visitor:

On a trip to the beach, my boyfriend Luis broke his arm playing football. We were told there is only one ambulance in the Jaco region and that it would be quicker to drive him to a private clinic to get X-rays. A quick check up, two X-rays and $140 later it was confirmed that he had a distal fracture in his right humerus at a sharp 70 degree angle. They put his arm in a sling and sent us an hour north to the closest public hospital in Puntarenas.

In Puntarenas he was seen immediately by a general practitioner to analyze the situation and put on the appropriate waiting list. An hour later waiting with another orthopedic patient, a doctor told Luis it was the orthopedic specialist’s day off. After further stabilizing the arm, he said we’d have to go to San Jose to Hospital Mexico and they would likely have to operate. Despite fainting two times in the office, Luis was told that the ambulance would probably take 45 minutes to get there and he’d be better off if we could drive him.

After a 2 ½ hour drive, I dropped Luis off at the emergency room in Hospital Mexico. However, because of his local address in San Jose, he would have to go to a different hospital 15 minutes away: Hospital San Juan de Dios. The ambulance was in Alajuela, so we had to drive him to the 3rd emergency room of the day. By the time a doctor was able to see Luis, after providing all of his personal details for the 3rd time that day despite their centralized information database, it was 11:30 p.m. – 10 ½ hours after the accident.

Culture Clash

A smiling doctor called me into the emergency room where bleeding bodies filled the hallways on gurneys parked along the wall. He said Luis would have to stay overnight because he needed surgery once they found the necessary materials, which might not happen for four days. At that point, Luis was sitting up on a padded table instead of a bed, with no pillow and couldn’t lie down because it would pull on his bandaged arm.

Despite my protests, the doctor said if we take him out of the hospital, he would lose his spot on the surgery list. As it was way past visitor hours, I wasn’t allowed to return with his things and a pillow and would have to come back the next day between 6 and 7 p.m. for emergency room visiting hours.

For the next 20 days, my life, while rotating around hospital schedules, was spent trapped in visitor waiting lines and arguing with nurses and guards about lost visitor cards and smuggled snacks. The visiting hours had been reduced to one due to an outbreak of Clostridium difficile that claimed seven lives on the 5th floor (which we could oddly never find). Each patient could only have one visitor at a time, which proved difficult when Luis’s mom came to visit from Guanacaste for more than a week.

The doctors only passed by once a day at 6 a.m. to see patients but avoided questions as skillfully as the nurses, telling Luis that they were waiting on more tests or that there weren’t materials for surgery. Consulting orthopedic doctors in the states, I was forewarned of possible complications like muscle atrophy or the bone resetting incorrectly due to the extended lack of medical attention. The question of taking him out of San Juan and sending him to a private hospital for several thousand dollars tore at us. Promises that his surgery would happen soon made us keep him there, but as estimated dates came and went, our frustration was at an all time high.

By day 10, I had dug up contact information for the director and ex-director of the hospital and the president of the Caja and sent a very worried e-mail claiming negligence on the part of the hospital and referred to the poor treatment that my boyfriend was receiving. That same day an orthopedic surgeon arrived during visiting hours with my printed e-mail in hand demanding to know who wrote it. Ten days after Luis’s internment, this doctor finally told us that they are still waiting results from an CAT scan, nuclear medicine tests and bone density scan to rule out the possibility that the fracture was caused by bone cancer.

The word “Cancer” is powerful enough to shut anyone up – for a moment at least. The fact that they were being thorough in their care does not explain why test results that take one day to obtain in the U.S. were delayed more than a week and a half. It does not make up for 10 days of inconsistent excuses about a lack of materials or lost exam results delaying his surgery – which had us unrightfully turn our frustration to the Caja system. It does not make up for indifferent nurses who would ignore yells for help from the patients sharing Luis’s ward.

On one of his first mornings in the orthopedic ward, a nurse shooed Luis’s mom away as she helped him take off his hospital shirt, insisting he is too old to need help maneuvering his unset broken arm. These were the same nurses that refused to show him his medical files despite a Patient Code of Right’s directly stating his right to see them, and who made mistakes like hooking up a patient in critical condition to an empty tank of oxygen overnight.

The Silver Lining

On day 18, Luis was finally sent to the surgery ward. He was operated on by the chief of orthopedics due to the abnormal situation in which the fracture occurred. The operation went flawlessly and a 6 inch metal plate was placed with 4 pins in his arm. He regained full mobility in his hand and six months later, has overcome most of the atrophy that occurred during his 20 days of hospitalization. He will still set off metal detectors and won’t be throwing footballs anytime soon, but after 4 months out of work, he didn’t pay one cent and, as a government employee, received 100% of his salary.

A month after the surgery he was placed in physical therapy through the Caja, but after two tries, opted to stay with his personal therapist who he had been seeing several weeks prior. At $24 a visit, this was a better option than working with medical students who twice asked him how far he could rotate his foot.

Conclusions

Costa Ricans base the success of their health care system on a general mentality of solidarity. Everyone antes up their portion to cover those who fall ill or injured. The rich pay more than the poor, but everyone gets the same quality of care. Since health care is a right, the lower and middle classes can enjoy a level of security in living paycheck to paycheck without fear of financial problems brought on by an accident or unforeseen illness. As a result, Costa Rica has one of the highest life expectancies in the world at 77.58 years, despite its status as a third world country.

After my experience and many similar stories of subpar care from other patients, it is obvious that the nation cuts corners on health care to maintain affordability. The basis of the system does the best that it can with the resources available, but the management and execution fall short. At one point when a pregnant lady fainted in the waiting room, a mid-level administrator ran out of an office and yelled at a doctor to call the emergency room to attend to her because it is not his department. Her ignorant directions were ignored, and the doctor was met by a round of applause from visitors fed up with the system.

In closing, I believe that healthcare should be a right bestowed on all citizens despite their income or current health. Offering preventative medicine to the lower class will offset expensive medical procedures in the future. The existence of a low cost public option has had far reaching positive influences, and its presence serves as a check on private health care prices, while at the same time the better quality and speed of care are plenty to justify a price difference.

With the high level of medical education and modern health facilities in the states, we have the hope and possibility of staffing public hospitals with more qualified health care workers. There may still be a discrepancy in how quickly such a system can attend to its populace versus private health care, but as long as the quality is there, those who would otherwise face 6-digit health care bills might find that they too have a little patience in them.

Our current situation puts the nation’s health in the hands of a profit motivated health insurance industry. In our system, preventative health care is seen as a cut to the bottom line. Taking profit out of the insurance system is the only way to put priorities back into place and make care more affordable for those without insurance. For the rest of us who have the luxury of acting on the belief that health is invaluable, may we rest assured that we have more than one option.

Cultural Immersion While Living in Costa Rica

Claire Saylor — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:12:08 +0000

Cultural Immersion While Living in Costa Rica

Costa Rica is a hot spot for tourists that will come for a few days, enjoy the beaches, soak up all the culture they can in a week, and then trot back off to their hometowns. However, if you’re a foreigner coming to Costa Rica to stay for longer than a few days, it can be hard becoming adapted to another way of living. Although Costa Rica is obviously a popular tourist spot, there are a lot of things great things to do for people who are actually living in Costa Rica and want to be fully immersed as a citizen of the country instead of just being tourists on a long vacation.

1. Study the Language
First things first. It’s almost impossible to live in a Spanish-speaking country and not speak Spanish. While in Costa Rica, take the opportunity to improve on one of the most beautiful languages in the world. There are traditional Spanish classes at any of the many language schools in Costa Rica. Students can study for a few hours a day and learn the proper Spanish language. Another, less expensive way to learn is to simply make friends with Ticos. Many Costa Rican natives will be happy to teach you Spanish and will be eager to learn English, in exchange.

2. Meet New Friends
Costa Rica is full of expatriates from the U.S. and Europe, so it will be relatively easy to make friends, when seeking the comfort of home. However, it is also a very friendly country, and many Ticos are happy to befriend foreigners. It can be difficult initially but the more activities you’re involved in, the easier it becomes.

3. Take up a Physical Activity
The opportunities are endless in Costa Rica. Water sports, dancing classes, and hiking are the just a few of the more common activities people participate in to keep themselves busy and in shape. Considering the weather and quantity of beaches, swimming and surfing are among the most popular physical activities in Costa Rica, although they are not the only ones. The country hosts a rich dance culture, where you can learn the tango, salsa, cumbia and everything in between. Finally, because of the country’s great natural resources, anything outdoors is definitely recommended. Try visiting one of the many parks in Costa Rica. There are also several hiking clubs that you can join and hike with a group of people and visit some of the lesser known areas of the country.

4. Try the Food of Costa Rica
Obviously you have no choice but to eat the food of Costa Rica while living in Costa Rica. But don’t stuff up on hamburgers and papas fritas, which are available in many Costa Rican restaurants. Try some of the traditional Costa Rican meals the country offers most of which can be found in sodas, which are neighborhood restaurants throughout the country, where you can eat typical Costa Rican food at very low prices.

5. See Central America
Traveling within Costa Rica and Central America can be time consuming and a bit pricey, but if your budget allows, explore the surrounding areas. Not only can you experience most of what Costa Rica has to offer, but Panama and Nicaragua are neighboring countries and only an inexpensive bus ride away.

Coming to Costa Rica for a while? Consider a Family Stay

Claire Saylor — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:57:17 +0000

My biggest “thing” about traveling abroad or to any unfamiliar city is being a tourist. I hate when friends come back from experiences abroad and they have a camera full of pictures of places I can open up an encyclopedia and see. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice to see the historically significant places in different countries. The first time you’re in Paris, you have to see the Eifel Tower. Visiting New York? Go to the Statue of Liberty, and in Costa Rica, visit the beaches. But whenever I go to a foreign land I ask about the people – the people who make up the vibrant culture, the people whom without, the country would just be a monotonous land of rain forests and pretty beaches.

That’s one of the biggest perks about living with a family while abroad. As a visitor, you get a quick, hands-on lesson about the way people in that respective country live. It’s something a museum tour and a history book just can’t teach you. Speaking specifically of Costa Rica, I would recommend a family stay to anyone who wants a real experience in the country and will be staying for any extended period of time.

I’ve only been in San Jose for a week and I can already see my Spanish fluency improving because it’s the only language I hear when I leave work. My host, La Dona Ana, is muy paciente in explaining certain things about the culture and other things I just pick up on because I am actually living with a native of Costa Rica.

Of course, this is a REAL experience – no maid-staffed resorts overlooking the beaches and no congregations of American students all hanging out in apartment-style dorms. These are great experiences as well, but staying with a family gives you a specific insight into the mentality of the country that you may not get otherwise. It’s an ideal situation. You can get an authentic cultural experience, still do all of the travel channel sightseeing you want, and not to mention probably save a couple of bucks. It’s worth considering, especially in a country like Costa Rica where the culture of the people contributes heavily to its charm!

Archaeologists Find pre-Columbian Cemetery in Costa Rica

Claire Saylor — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:50:52 +0000

The excavation site is located just north of Guapiles in route to Limon.

An indigenous cementery was uncovered within a two hectare plot of land in Guapiles, Costa Rica, about an hour and a half east of San Jose. The cementary, which was constructed by the Huetares tribe during the pre-Colombian era, was discovered while doing environmental studies that are required to obtain a construction permit for the building of a new high school in the area.

Researchers from the National Museum, led by archaeologist Francisco Corrales, proved the existence of a funeral complex divided into three sectors, two of which have been excavated and appear to be completly intact.

The archaeological site called Liceo, protects three tombs or mounds of stone used to cover a grave. Buried under the rocks, experts have already found an 59 ceramic artifacts, including funeral offerings and everyday objects.

According to Corrales, the cemetery was built by an indigenous group of the Huetares who inhabited the area between 300 and 800 AD. “During this phase, known as La Selva, these groups existed within a complex social organization that centered around a chief and then everything else structured into sectors,” he said. “The burial system we see here reveals the high level of development of those communities.”

A few mysteries surround the archaeologists’ discoveries. The two excavations carried out so far revealed two very different mound configurations that intrigue anthropologists. “The first sector does not have a definite form, it is like a messy blob, whereas the second is shapped like an oblong mound. The structure features two interlocking semicircles that fail to close. This design is not very common,” said Corrales.

According to the anthropologist, these variants led them to consider whether the structure of the mounds had to do with the social and economic status of those buried there.

“One interesting aspect is that we found no marked graves. It is possible that the body was placed directly on the floor. Then they would place the sets of objects near its head or feet. The body and the artifacts were covered with stones of different sizes,” the specialist said.

The river stones used to cover the graves come in different sizes and grades that define the spaces. The medium-sized stones give shape to the structure and the small ones, known today as “coyolillos’ serve to seal the mound. “The stones are sometimes placed in small groups and others are one or two rows,” said Corrales.

The anthropologist Corrales said that an analysis of the quantity and quality of the Ceramic treasures found will give clues about the characteristics of those people.

“So far we have found 59 artifacts including whole pieces and fragments of objects that served as funeral offerings, but also everyday utensils,” Corrales said. “They were organized in groups of 3 to 12 objects, and we still have to determine if they were placed near the head or foot of the deceased.”

Pots, pans and tripods are the most common artifacts, and most were made of ceramic bichrome (two colors). Many of them have animal motifs. The experts will continue to realize excavations in the area until late November when they hope to have the third sector unearthed.

NOFX, Metallica and Green Day to Rock Out in Costa Rica

Claire Saylor — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:24:37 +0000

Three of the greatest modern legends in rock music are set to perform in Costa Rica in the coming months to the delight of the country’s large punk rock and heavy metal following. Punk rock veterans NOFX and Green Day and heavy metal great Metallica will headline this wave of rock music that kicks off on Saturday, Dec. 12 with NOFX performing at the Autodromo La Guacima in Alajuela at the Skatedra Tour.

NOFX, a group that has been together for 25 years and is considered the founding fathers of the punk genre, will debut their most recent album Coaster, which hit music stands in April of this year. They will share the stage with an international line-up of ska and punk groups including Panamanians Capitán Ponche and the Colombian group Mojiganga along with Costa Rican bands La Milixia, Sulalakaska, Askatasuna, Adaptados and DoGandul. The event organizer Flevent has not yet announced where tickets can be purchased for the event.

To calm fans’ Skatedra hangover, punk rock legends and vocal political critics, Green Day, are allegedly in the final stages of confirming a date to perform at the Saprissa Stadium in the first few months of 2010. According to the newspaper La Republica, the trio led by Billie Armstrong would be debuting new material from 21st Century Breakdown as part of their world tour.

The same organizer that is working on a date for Green Day has already confirmed the arrival of heavy metal band Metallica for March 7, 2010 in the Saprissa Stadium in Tibas, San Jose. This much anticipated performance by the authors of “Enter Sandman” and “Stone Cold Crazy” is set to rival the immensity of first ever Iron Maiden concert in Costa Rica to a sold out crowd in 2008, and their encore performance earlier this year.

With the great success of Iron Maiden’s arrival and recent sold out concerts by Depeche Mode, Incubus and Smashing Pumpkins among others, it is clear that the thirst for concerts by international rock icons is present. Local fans can rest assured that their call has been heard and they will be handsomely rewarded early on in 2010.

Transatlantic Yachting Race Sets Sail for Costa Rica

Claire Saylor — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:59:28 +0000

The 4,900 mile regatta started with severe weather capsizing the multihull Actual (above, left).

The 9th edition of the Transat Jacques Vabre transatlantic sailing race kicked off this past Sunday, Nov. 8 with 2 of the fastest and most modern sailboats in the world and their crew waving goodbye to an audience of more than 10,000 people in Le Havre, France. Their destination: the sunny port town of Limon, Costa Rica.

The route is an estimated 7.900 kilometers (4,900 miles) and runs from the mouth of the Seine River, through the English Channel and into open seas, retracing the legendary coffee shipping route from the Americas to Europe. The first race took place in 1993 with the finish line in Cartagena, Colombia. The tradition has carried on every other year with four races ending in Cartagena and four more en route to Salvador de Bahia, Brazil. In this 9th edition, the Transat Jacques Vabre is now considered the 3rd most important sailing regatta in the world, and the 5th most watched sporting event in France.

A variety of sailboats are included in the race, though the competition is divided between 14 monohulls and 6 multihulls, which will follow slightly variety routes to reach the finish line at Puerto Limon. The first place competitors are expected to make the transit in just over 12 days, arriving to Limon on Nov. 20 or 21st.

Based on statistics from the 2007 regatta that concluded in Brazil, Costa Rica is expecting more than $25 million in profits from the estimated 20,000 tourists that are expected to flock to the port town of Limon for the finish line festivities. Let’s home Limon can clean up its streets in time in the aftermath of the Carnavales de Limon celebrations.

And they’re off!

While the inauguration of the annual event was marked by calm conditions this past Sunday, the weather made a quick change for the worst. Within just 3 hours, the competitors saw their first capsize due to strong 23-knot (80 kmh) winds. Co-skippers Yves Le Blevec and Jean Le Cam did not receive any severe injuries, but their multihull sailboat Actual had to be towed to Cherbourg, thus disqualifying them from the race.

The intense conditions set an accelerated pace for the race and allowed Franck-Yves Escoffier and Erwan Le Roux, co-skippers on the Crepes Whaou to reach a gain of nearly 70 miles with their multihull after the second day of competition. The IMOCA Open 60 fleet of monohull yachts saw a much tighter race with Sebastien Josse and Jean Francois Cuzon on the BT stealing the lead from the Groupe Bel crew (Kito De Pavant and Francois Gabart) in the second day of competition.

After their excellent start Dee Caffari (one of only two female competitors) and Brian Thompson worked hard to draw their multihull Aviva into 4th place. Before their departure Thompson described their preparation and said: “The thought of the sunnier climes of Costa Rica waiting for us at the finish is definitely something to look forward to as well!”

Travel Agency Honors Veterans Day With 11% Off Vacations

Claire Saylor — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:44:52 +0000

Costa Rican Vacations, a luxury travel agency in Costa Rica is offering discounted vacations for U.S., UK and Canadian veterans and active duty military personnel from now through Veteran’s Day.

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica — Costa Rican Vacations is honoring the proud men and women that have served the United States, Canada and UK in times of war and peace with a flat discount of 11% off vacations booked before Veterans Day on 11/11 of this year.

All Military Veterans, Active Duty Military, National Guard and Reservists from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard are eligible to claim the significant discount if they can substantiate their service with a copy of ID from the relevant military branch. The discount is applicable for the total cost of the traveling party’s vacation, excluding credit card fees and international flights.

This is the first time Costa Rican Vacations has offered a discount of this scale to any target group in a decade of designing luxury trips to the Central American nation, according to the agency’s owner Tony Silva, a Minnesota native. “After a difficult economic year throughout the world, the added stress on families who have loved ones fighting for the better good in the Middle East and abroad represents a true sacrifice to their countries,” Silva said. “We wanted to do something to impact their lives in a positive way.”

Other employees at Costa Rican Vacations who come from families with a strong military tradition have shared their support for the initiative to actively recognize the important holiday by offering affordable getaways to Costa Rica, a nation with no standing army. The agency expects a strong response from veterans and active military personnel and is excited to be a part of crafting a stress free trip to the Happiest Country on the Planet.

Sales Manager Richard Bexon, who grew up with a father serving as a Major in the British Army, said “I’ve had soldiers call us directly from Iraq on a cell phone to book a vacation for their one or two weeks of leave. These guys have been through a lot and they come to us looking for a relaxing escape”.

Marketing assistant Claire Saylor, whose father served in the U.S. Navy for 12 years, said that veterans have a reputation for being valuable clients. “The military instills the values of trust and honesty in their personnel, which makes for loyal customers, many of whom have proven to be vocal advocates for our agency,” Saylor said.

With the month-long Veterans Day promotion, a family of four would receive a discount of somewhere between $350 and $650 off a 7-night package. Anyone interested in discussing vacation options with a travel consultant can call 1-800-606-1860, or visit www.vacationscostarica.com .

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