I had not been to Jaco in a while - with said, a while back I wrote about how wild Jaco is and how I predicted that the desire for tourist bucks will change it. Needless to say, I spend some time checking out the ‘new’ Jaco a few weeks ago. Those that experienced Jaco years ago had warnings about the lawless of the town. Druggies, prostitution, pickpockets etc, pretty much ran it. I’m … [Read more...]
Archives for 2011
Costa Rica Fishing License – Fishing and Boat Fees Increase
11/29/2011 by 2 Comments
In the past, tourist and nonresident anglers could pick whether or not they wanted a monthly ($13 USD) and/or yearly fishing license ($25 USD). Considering that most anglers come to fish once a year (about 98%) they’d pick the cheaper. Fishermen who don't know this in advance have been known to get a little upset at having to shell out cash at the dock to get one before they set forth on a … [Read more...]
Thanksgiving in Costa Rica
11/24/2011 by Leave a Comment
A few weeks ago at the Auto Mercado in Jaco, it was very evident that even if Thanksgiving is not a Costa Rican holiday, is sure is one of the most celebrated American holidays in Costa Rica. Signs were up for the holiday and products were already being displayed. Frozen turkeys, stuffing mix (including popular brands like Stove Top), salad fixing, sweet potatoes, green bean casseroles, mashed … [Read more...]
Halloween in Costa Rica – Sexy Costumes and Partying
11/15/2011 by 3 Comments
For the last four years I have been drawn like a magnet to San Jose, Costa Rica for Halloween. A few years prior I read a blog where the Blogger wrote how Halloween in Costa Rica is considered nothing but a "Gringo's" pagan holiday, that was designed to seduce small children with candy and "not" an acceptable celebration among Ticos. Then it went on about this haunting, peasant folklore of El … [Read more...]
Solar Energy in Costa Rica – Saving Money and the Planet
11/11/2011 by 1 Comment
Up until quite recently in Costa Rica, the proposition of saving both money and the Earth with photovoltaic solar systems has stood on some pretty shaky ground. But that is changing. Nowadays, more and more Costa Ricans and expats are installing stand-alone or autonomous photovoltaic systems in the country's remotest regions and have made it possible for people to live well where ordinarily they … [Read more...]
Costa Rica Sashimi – You Can Not Get It Fresher Than This
11/03/2011 by 2 Comments
One of the bad things about growing up in a beach community and fishing since you can remember, you know what fresh fish is. So when a friend invited me to this new trendy sushi place in San Diego that boasted it had the freshest fish in town, I balked. She continued saying, “The Ahi (or Yellowfin) is flown in daily, and the sashimi is out of this world!” FRESH! - I chuckled. She and the … [Read more...]
Costa Rica Weather – Dry and Rainy Seasons
10/23/2011 by 2 Comments
[iframe: name="weather" src="http://ticotimes.com/san-jose-weather.html" height="450" width="515" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="border: solid; border-width: 2px; border-color: gray; padding: 0">] click on the city to view the current and forthcoming weather conditions Alajuela | Cartago | Chacarita | Dominical | La Fortuna/Aerial | Golfito Jaco | Liberia | Puerto Limon | … [Read more...]
Why Hurricanes Rarely Hit Costa Rica
10/19/2011 by 2 Comments
We get asked all the time, does Costa Rica get hurricanes? Well, yes and no, meaning "yes" they do receive the tropical aftermath of one, like heavy rains of what Tropical Storm Tomas did in November 2010 that caused sever damage and deaths. In meteorology; a tropical cyclone (or tropical disturbance, tropical depression, tropical storm, typhoon, or hurricane, depending on strength and … [Read more...]
Dominical, Costa Rica – Road, Surfing, Hospital, Festival, Development
10/14/2011 by Leave a Comment
Dominical used to be one of those Costa Rican coastal villages that was the talk of surfers and travelers that managed to disregard their GPS settings. However, that started to change in the mid 2000s when private enterprises started to promote the kick-back town as Costa Rica's newest and hottest tourist attraction. Dominical is unique because it has mountains rising behind and around it, … [Read more...]
Costa Rica’s Unions Strikes – Benefits & Privatization
10/04/2011 by 2 Comments
I don't know if it is just me, but it seems like every time you turn around Costa Rica is having some sort of labor strike. Last Monday, about 2000 union workers of Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) (government monopoly on power and light company) went on strike, and snarled traffic on several major streets in and around San Jose. They were protesting a bill in the Legislative … [Read more...]
Costa Rica Videos – Fishing & Travel
09/24/2011 by 1 Comment
What better way to view Costa Rica than by videos. Take a small video tour on what it would be like driving to Puerto Jimenez, crossing suspension bridges (the last bridge collapsed a year ago, killing a few) catching Dorado and Blue Marlin in Golfito, Los Suenos and Quepos, shopping San Jose's famous Mercado Central, having a few Imperials in a couple of bars, driving through one of Costa … [Read more...]
Costa Rica Coffee and Produce Get Trademark Protection
09/23/2011 by Leave a Comment
Coffee has always played a major role in Costa Rica's history and economy. Up until a few years ago it was Costa Rica's #1 exported and very commercialized product. The largest growing areas are in the provinces of San José, Alajuela, Heredia, Puntarenas, and Cartago. It is grown just about everywhere in Costa Rica. Even if I like all the commercial brands like Cafe Milagro and Britt, I really … [Read more...]
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