Golfito, Costa Rica, has it all. Sportsfishing, ecotourism and culture
These days, the words Banana Republic are more likely to conjure up an image of neatly stacked chinos and v-neck sweaters than they are a place like Golfito. But when United Fruit built this town on the southwest coast of Costa Rica in 1939, there was nothing here but wilderness and Boruca, the region’s indigenous tribe. Fleeing a rash of banana disease. like what happened to Quepos, that was sweeping through their Atlantic coast plantations, United Fruit surveyed this deepwater bay sheltered within the Golfo Dulce and found untamed perfection. They built a massive dock, immaculate houses, schools, roads, a hospital-even a bowling alley-and they brought in workers from around the world. Most of all, they brought money and influence to a region that became their virtual fiefdom for nearly half a century.
That era ended a long time ago, with the last vestiges of Mama Chiquita (as United Fruit was called by its employees) pulling up stakes in the eighties. They left behind a company town without a company; Golfito is no longer immaculate but it is, once again, wonderfully Costa Rican. Read more...(1257 words, 3 images, estimated 5:02 mins reading time)
Central Market (Mercado Central) Flea and Street market. Bordered by Avdas. Central and 1 and Cs. 6 and 8 Barrió La Merced San José, Costa Rica San Jose,
Costa Rica’s Mercado Central, or Central Market, is the largest marketplace in San Jose.
The Central Market is more than a common sale place. It is a congregation place, which city life passes day by day. It is a maze of shops and eateries and not for the claustrophobic.
Here one literally rubs elbows with locals. Everyone has a smile and there is no carnie hacking. Every time I’m in San Jose, I look forward of going here, it is usually the day before I leave because I get gifts and stock up on about twenty kilos of fresh ground coffee from various regions.
If you had to see one item in San Jose, Costa Rica, no doubt the Mercado Central would be it. Located almost in the heart of downtown pedestrian only street, Av Central and 6th street it is one of the best displays of Costa Rica culture and society. Read more...(602 words, estimated 2:24 mins reading time)
The small surfer town of Esterillos has had a major change - one that the townfolks are not happy about.
Maria used to send her eldest daughter, 13, down the hill to the supermarket to pick up vegetables and other products about twice a week. Her daughter had to pass the yellow house on the corner. But now Maria walks the 3/4 mile round trip herself, leaving her daughter in a newly installed locked house. She fears for her daughter’s safety; she does not want “this evil” – convicted pedophile Joe Baker lives in that yellow house – to know she even has a daughter.
Esterillos is one of those traditional Costa Rica beach towns with palms and almond trees lining the beach. Its crystal clear blue ocean is an invitation to take a swim. A person driving south from Jacó or north from Quepos can easily miss the turnoff sign. A few Americans and Canadians expats live there, and the town knows everyone. The only thing the police worry about is an occasional drunk. For a long time it was sort of a secret surf spot to a chosen few; but lately there have been a couple of changes. Read more...(1006 words, 2 images, estimated 4:01 mins reading time)
Protesters will protest the reopening of the Crucitas Mine after the owners got a major victory over environmentalists.
The Costa Rican Supreme Court (Sala IV) ruled last Friday that a small Canadian mining company can proceed with its open-pit gold mine, striking down complaints from environmental groups that the project was destroying virgin forest.
“After reviewing the official studies we did not find that this mining project will negatively affect the environment. So the project will go ahead,” Vanlly Cantillo, a court spokeswoman said.
For years the Crucitas mine near the border of Nicaragua was closed until last weeks court ruling allowed it to open, a victory against environmentalists who had complained that the mine owner Infinito Gold Ltd (IG.V) would be breaking the law by cutting down trees in forests that are home to such wildlife as the endangered great green macaw and other precious birds.
Crucitas will be Costa Rica’s first major gold mine with a capacity to produce 85,000 ounces of gold annually. An U.S capital investment of $66 million was raised to start the mine with an indicated resource of 1.2 million ounces of gold, according to the company’s website. Obviously, Costa Rica Minister of Energy and Mining helped spearhead the permits, and will receive a few million in revenue. Read more...(388 words, 1 image, estimated 1:33 mins reading time)
Developers of Jaco Condo Project sue bank for $120 million.
Yesterday morning, the Internet was flooded with the Press Release FROM the developer of a Jacó condo and hotel project suing its lenders, seeking arbitration on $120 million that has caused what it claims was a successful project on the verge of falling apart. No doubt the $120 million was an eye-opener of what is at stake.
The developer, Desarrollos Naturales de Costa Rica S.A., named Banco Centroamericano de Integracion Economica and Banco Improsa S.A., as the defendant. It was pretty clear the developer wanted to make everyone aware of whom the “Bad Guy” was and sought public support. Banks have always been the portrayed as the Snidely Whiplashes.’
Just about every Social Media website (Twitter mostly) had the story copied from every major website like Yahoo, PRWeb and CNBC. Type in Desarrollos Naturales de Costa Rica S.A in Google and the first three pages are filled with the story.
Without getting into the legal grit, lawsuits of this nature have two things in common, money and most important, time, which they are trying to buy. Obviously, it appears to be some type of investment tactic for the developer, in a wishful wish the Costa Rica economy turns around, which it is. Read more...(584 words, 1 image, estimated 2:20 mins reading time)
