Costa Rica Blogger

Costa Rica - a Rock & Roll, Fire Spitting, Living Earth Paradise

2010-03-06T16:22:00Z

Last night I was sitting in bed, winding down watching a little television, when everything started jumping sharply.

Don't ask me what T.V. show I was watching because I cannot honestly remember - not only was the program not important, but my priorities changed real quickly when things started bouncing.

first thought; 'oh hell no'
second thought; 'this is a big one!'

first action; look up at the ceiling to see if it's coming down
second action; look for my pants (don't want to run outside without pants - survival includes some dignity)

Then it was over ... everything stopped. It was quick, hard and done [insert your own bedroom joke here]

This was not like other earthquakes I had experienced in Costa Rica. Most last longer and have a wave or rolling feel to them where things sway like standing on the deck of a boat. This earthquake was stronger, quicker and sharp - with things going up and down.

Quick conclusion: This earthquake was real close to home!

Location, Location, Location

I live just outside of Moravia, San José - with a great view overlooking the Central Valley from the Northeast. As I write this entry the city looks sunny with high puffy clouds. Last night the lights twinkled bright.

As it turns out, I was correct in my thinking the earthquake's epicenter was close. In fact, it was too close to home:

According to the Costa Rica Volcanological and Seismological Observatory (OVSICORI) this 'sismo' was a 4.3 magnitude, at a depth of 7.5 kilometers (4.6 miles), originating only 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) from my home.

Note: The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) officially lists this quake as a 4.6 magnitude with a depth of 4 kilometers (1.9 miles). However, these figures often get downgraded once local monitoring station readings are combined with other data.

Admittedly a 4.3 magnitude shaker doesn't sound like much when compared with some of the recent major earthquakes around the globe:

6.5 magnitude: March 05, 2010 in Indonesia (Southwest of Sumatra, offshore at a depth of 22 km)
8.8 magnitude: February 27, 2010 in Chile (West of Maule, just offshore at a depth of 35 km)
7.0 magnitude: February 26, 2010 in Japan (Southeast of Ryukyu Islands, offshore at a depth of 22 km)
6.9 magnitude: February 18, 2010 China-Russia-North Korea border region (just offshore at a depth of 574 km)
7.0 magnitude: January 12, 2010 Haiti (Southwest of Port-Au-Prince, inland at a depth of 13km)

But when you combine this 'terremoto's' combination of strength, shallow depth and close proximity to my bed ... it made for quite a jolt!

By contrast, Costa Rica's January 8, 2009 deadly 6.1 magnitude Cinchona earthquake with an epicenter near the Poás Volcano (Volcán Poás), 30 kilometers (20 miles) Northwest of San José at a depth of 4.5 km felt like a long, rolling boat ride in my location [I rode that wave while standing on top of a ladder while my son looked at me with a nervous smile].

The Earth is Alive and Kicking in Costa Rica

The natural forces that make Costa Rica beautiful are still hard at work.

Costa Rica has several mountain ranges that cover a large part of the country. Nestled within the mountains and standing majestically elsewhere on their own are 50 known volcanoes, with several being active at all times.

Whether it is the tectonic plates continuing their work at creating mountains or volcano's bringing up their molten lava to produce more surface area; many consider these otherwise natural constructive forces to be 'destructive' - especially if there are people or property in the right place at the wrong time.

As but one example, Costa Rica's long-dormant Turrialba Volcano (Volcán Turrialba) has been making locals nervous as of late.

History books have long listed Turrialba's last major eruption as being in 1866. However, the volcano started coming back to life in 2001. In 2007 new fractures and funaroles opened and molten sulfur was observed for the first time in 25 years. Regular earthquakes starting mid-December 2009, increased in both frequency and amplitude until the Turrialba Volcano erupted on January 5, 2010 - spewing ash on nearby farms and even parked vehicles at the nearby Irazú Volcano National Park (Parque Nacional Volcán Irazú). The villages of La Central and El Retiro of Cartago Province were evacuated during the eruption and remain on alert as the volcano's new activity is closely monitored by scientists.

Not allowing itself to be out-performed, the neighboring bigger and more popular Irazú Volcano decided to get some attention of its own by emitting at least 9 tremors within a 30 minute period on March 2, 2010.

With its last eruption occurring in 1965, Volcán Irazú's explosive power is not such a distant memory. However, an earlier Irazú eruption in 1963 is more remembered for its timing; coinciding with former U.S. President John F. Kennedy being in the nearby capital of San José, where volcanic ash covered the city during his official state visit.

Regardless of what causes the earthquakes, plate shifting or volcanic activity, the bottom line is Costa Rica gets shaken on a regular basis.

¡Pura Temblor!

In Costa Rica an earthquake can be a great opportunity to make some new friends, meet the new family across the street and/or reacquaint yourself with neighbors you haven't talked to in a while do to busy work and life schedules.

It's easy and timely, because everybody is standing outside just like you and there is definitely something to talk about.

The one modern impediment to this long-standing social event is the cell phone. Now that everybody in Costa Rica has a phone in their pocket, the crowd of people standing outside can all be talking at once without having to talk to each other.

Adults thirty years and older are making or receiving phone calls while the younger kids are busy texting as fast as their thumbs can fly over the keypad.

Where to Get Good Information

Immediately after the initial earthquake passes and people feel as if their lives are no long in danger, they want information.

It's hard-wired into our human anatomy to want to know; what happened, where did it come from, who else felt it, is there any damage, is anybody hurt, etc., etc., etc.

Recent worldwide natural disasters have demonstrated beyond a doubt that the single best source of up-to-date information is via the Internet.

Social networking resources such as twitter and facebook connect the world with people that are actually on the scene of the incident, reporting what is in front of them. Re-tweets and forwarded posts bound around the globe at fiber-optic and satellite download speeds to computers, held held devices and Internet capable cell phones everywhere.

Even news outlets and government agencies monitor this data for their own initial information until such a time that responding representatives and officials can make their way to the areas affected and report back.

The trick in relying on such unmoderated resources is to separate fact from fiction and emotion from objective information.

For those wanting to monitor what others are reporting from a variety of sites, Big Brother is here to help (as always). Google in monitoring everything everybody is doing on the Internet uses their powers for good in this instance by allowing users to search 'Latest Web Updates' for specific topics such as "earthquake costa rica" ("temblor costa rica"), etc.:

As for official data when it comes to; location, strength, affected areas, warnings, evacuation orders, etc. ... there are several resources:

The most comprehensive resource for worldwide seismic activity is the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) earthquake monitoring site where data from around the globe is collected and shared in real-time.

Costa Rica earthquake and volcano activity are studied and monitored by the government's Volcanological and Seismological Observatory (Observatorio Vulcanológico y Sismológico de Costa Rica or OVSICORI). Their web site also shares the collected information real-time and this information may be more up-to-date and accurate than the USGS site in regards to Costa Rica activities because it is their local monitoring equipment taking the actual readings.

Both the USGS and OVSICORI web sites have direct links to Google Maps that give detailed location information;

Of course, if you are real close to one of these events ... the immediate need for a digital map confirming what you already know may not be a priority. But the information can make for a good blog the next day!

My Dream is to Own a Costa Rica Bed and Breakfast

2010-02-19T16:05:00Z

So your dream is to own a B&B in the Paradise of Costa Rica?!

Wake up; wake up from that nightmare…. Yes, shake yourself; makesure you don’t eat real late at night again. Owning a B&B soundsromantic and great. It seems like a real money maker and it can be. It can also be a real nightmare.

First of all you have to enjoysharing your space and time with people. The concept of a real Bed and Breakfastis to be a friendly, homelike atmosphere, with comfortablesurroundings. Unlike a hotel a B&B’s personality depends upon theowner. If the owner is a very friendly and welcoming person, you willnotice that welcoming feature at first glance. If the owner is adistant type and just wants the guest to remember that they are justpaying to visit, you will recognize that upon your first days’ visit aswell.

When deciding to own a B&B your success definitely depends onwhere you are located, and the type of guest you want attract. It maysound like I’m giving an expert opinion, but keep in mind it is myopinion based on my personal experience.

My husband and I did not plan on owning or operating a B&B, wejust happened to purchase a house that has a separate building with acouple of rooms and an apartment. At first we thought to fix up therooms and have a nice place our children could come to visit and maybesome of our other family members and friends.

I came up with theB&B idea thinking it would be a good way to earn a little income. For me it seemed that all you had to do was put some furniture in therooms and put a sign up saying “vacancy”. It takes so much more than that of course, but when you look at whatothers have done or are doing you think; "I can do that”.

Of coursethat assumption is made without any real information on what itactually takes to be a Bed and Breakfast owner. So, many things appear mucheasier than they are. Running and operating a B&B seemed almosteffortless. That was until one night while driving to Panama, westopped in a town by the name of Puerto Viejo in Limon and checked intoa small hotel. That night at the hotel really opened my eyes. If youput a sign up on the outside of you place of business it inviteseveryone in. It is not that I don’t like everyone but there are somethings I refuse to expose myself to. That night in the hotel opened myeyes to a reality that was unknown to me.

These two old men had gotten a room next to our room. They came indrunk. Evidently they had set up a plan for a prostitute to come visitthem in the room and she stood them up. All night they talked aboutthings that cannot be repeated. Finally the manager was called and hemade them quiet down. After the incident I began to remember that alltourism is not the same and some people coming and rentingaccommodations have a variety of reasons for renting saidaccommodations.

What I realized after that night was that we had to decide how wewere going to build our client base and what kind of people we wantedto attract to our Bed and Breakfast. There were so many things to learn! Thattakes time and money. In order to open a successful B&B, you need money tooperate and money to live on first. It may take some time beforeanyone knows that you are really open.

The things we had to learn went far beyond just having a couple of beds and preparing breakfast.

No matter how small your business is, you will have the sameexpenses and problems a large business has. If you are thinking aboutopening a B&B so you can live off the income from it, do not quityour day job. Your first five years are building block years towardssuccess. If you are in an area that is very popular vacation spot thenyour competition is usually much more difficult. It is impossible todiscount or to offer some things large businesses offer. If yourB&B is in an area that is not a really popular tourist area thereare other difficulties to overcome. You have to work harder to makeyourself known.

Many of my guests tell me that they dream of owning a Bed and Breakfast. Theyhave no clue. I often think that I’ve made owning and operating aB&B look too easy as well as a lot of fun. They, of course, thinkabout money that goes into the till and not the money that is comingout of the till.

At our B&B, which I call a guest house, we do not allow smokingon the grounds near the rooms. I remember my first guest who smokedlike a chimney. When I told him we do not allow smoking, he pointed outthat my web page did not indicate that. Being a business owner thefirst lesson you need to know is that you do not argue with yourcustomer. I told him that he could stay but he would have to smoke inour garden area. He agreed very cordially, but every time he and hiswife would come over to the house to talk to me I started coughing. Itwas embarrassing for me but I’m allergic to smoke and he and his wifesmoked very heavily. They would go out into the garden have acigarette and come back to talk to me on the terrace. I did a lot ofself talking and worked very hard to make my guest feel welcomed andalso feel comfortable. It worked because they had reservations for twodays and they stayed four nights.

You have to adjust; there are some things that are an absolute andsome things you have to just give in to. The one thing that wasabsolute for me was the two guys who rented a room for two nights andon the first night they picked up some guest I didn’t know and invitedtheir guest to spend the night. The next morning one of them told methat they were having the guest over for breakfast. I almost wentcrazy, but had to calm myself. It was hard for me to muster up thatsweet disposition, but I managed. The charge for their guest breakfastwas outrageous but I charged it. After their guest left I nicely toldthem that the only people who could be in the rooms were registeredguests. I think from the look on my face they got the picture.

Then recently I met the woman from hell. She had recently madereservations and I had told her the price of the accommodations. Shegot here and decided she wanted to get a discount. We had alreadysettled this by phone, but she had many more reasons why I shoulddiscount her stay. Well, that argument just did it. I allowed her tostay one night and escorted her off the premises and pointed out thelocation of cheaper accommodations.

Sometimes you have to make decisions on the spot and you cannot beafraid to say “no” and face the consequences. You can’t be afraid tosay “yes” and accept the results, either. The grand majority of peopletraveling are wonderful people. There are just a few that seem to causeproblems. In the seven years we have been open the three problems I’vementioned were my biggest challenges.

Owning and operating a Bed and Breakfast can be a dream come true but DO makesure you like people.

It is a people business and you cannot be afraidto share your life with others. Making money is a small by-product ofthe business. Getting to know people is the real bonus.

About the author: Jeanetta Taylor Owens retired from the United States to Costa Rica and is the owner and inn keeper of La Terraza Bed and Breakfast in Grecia, Costa Rica. Jeanetta also writes a very interesting, admirably honest first-person blog about life in Costa Rica at: http://blog.laterrazab-b.com

Costa Rica's San José to Caldera Pacific Highway now Open

2010-02-01T15:44:00Z

The Costa Rica government officially opened the new Autopistas del Sol San José to Caldera Pacific highway on January 28th, 2010 … 3 months ahead of schedule; but only after 30+ years of planning, stops, starts, controversy and perseverance.

Posted speed limits on the new autopista range from 80 kilometers per hour (50 miles per hour) to 100 kph (62 mph) … speeds never before available on the previous twisting, turning, mountainous two-lane route known as the Aguacate pass - notorious for its frequent accidents, weekend traffic back-ups and seasonal landslides.

The new travel time from the center of San José to Caldera on the Pacific coast is quoted to be as little as one hour – which would reduce overall travel times to many popular coastal destinations by as much as one-half when the old route’s regular traffic jams and accident delays are considered.

However, such swift predictions may be overly optimistic. Although the new highway expands out to eight lanes in several high traffic areas and does include passing lanes were steeper grades may reduce the ability of some trucks to maintain highway speeds … most of the route still consists of only two lanes and many curves. Each trip may result in significantly different travel times depending on getting caught behind slower moving traffic.

Costs

The 77 kilometer (48 mile) highway, built at an estimated $238 million dollars (USD), was financed by Spain based consortium Autopistas Del Sol. The company agreed to complete, operate and maintain the road for a 25 year toll agreement that allows the company to collect motorist user fees.

The entire route, from La Sabana/San José to Caldera, will cost travelers 1,930 colons (about $3.50 USD) based on current passenger car pricing. Toll stations are located in Escazú, Alajuela, Atenas, Orotina and at several highway exits.

History

The original San José-Pacific route was drawn-up in 1979 during the presidential administration of Rodrigo Carazo Odio. Work on the project had its stops and starts, grinding to a complete halt about 10 years ago after it was discovered that the Costa Rica government had not yet expropriated all the land needed to build the road. About three years ago current President Óscar Arias Sánchez re-started the project with the goal of finishing the highway before the end of his administration.

The project’s main strategy was to connect Costa Rica’s main industrial/business area to one of its main ports. The corridor will assist in reducing transportation expenses by way of a reduction in travel times, the number of road accidents, fuel consumption, deterioration of vehicle parts and tires, and other costs associated heavy traffic conditions. By providing easier access to the port of Caldera, the investment will help; improve Costa Rica’s trade competitiveness, attract new in-country industry, and reduce the price of both imports and exports.

Controversies in the last couple years included; the piercing of the Barva Aquifer (a major water supply of the central valley) during construction that required repairs and redesign, last minute negotiations of toll booth lanes for police/fire/ambulance emergency vehicles, and the protests of communities and businesses that have been cut-off to traffic by the highways route and limited number of access points.

The first section to open was from San José to Ciudad Colón. When the first toll collection point opened in Escazú, large traffic jams quickly occurred. Now frequent drivers on the road are able to purchase an automated transponder called “Quick Pass” that allows those vehicles to pass without having to stop; easing some of the congestion during peak traffic travel times.

Although more work still has yet to be completed, President Arias’ appears to have wanted to officially open the highway prior to his term expiration; and perhaps, as a form of political assistance toward the efforts of his former vice-president Laura Chinchilla in her bid to be elected Costa Rica’s new president on February 7, 2010.

Success

Costa Rica’s new Autopistas del Sol or ‘Highway of the Sun” was awarded the 2007 “Latin America Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Deal of the Year” by Euromoney’s Project Finance Magazine for being able to successfully finance the new roadway in a deal between the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE, Banco Centroamericano de Integracion Economica) with approval and implementation by Caja Madrid in conjunction with the Costa Rica Ministry of Public Works and Transportation (MOPT, Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes).

In addition to the new highways obvious trade and business benefits, Pacific real estate developers and tourism operators west of the San José capital are counting on the new highway to be a boon to their industries as commuters will have easier access to their locations. Existing Pacific coast residents are also happy to have quicker travel times to the Central Valley for shopping, central government access, major medical services and entertainment activities.

It took a few years, but success is sometimes most appreciated when served on “Tico time”.

Autopistas del Sol; San José to Caldera Pacific highway map (click for full size map):

source: The Costa Rica Frog | Costa Rica news, information, business, travel, resources, articles, pictures, videos, blogs and commentary

Fellow Costa Rica Blogger Awarded National Culture Award for Journalism

2010-01-20T19:05:00Z

Alternative media is taking important steps in Costa Rica. The 2009 Pío Viquez National Award for Journalism (Premio Nacional de Periodismo Pío Víquez) was granted this year to Cristian Cambronero for his achievements in alternative journalism.

Cristian has been publishing his blog Fusil de Chispas since 2005 encouraging the participation of readers on topics from politics and social media, to culture and music among others. He also had actively participated and promoted activities such as the First International Encounter of Citizen Journalism (Primer Encuentro Internacional de Periodismo Ciudadano de Costa Rica) and similar initiatives ... with main objectives being the enhancement of technology with traditional broadcast.

blogger Cristian Cambronero: Costa Rica National Culture Award for Journalism recipient

The Costa Rica National Culture Awards (los premios nacionales de cultura) have been celebrated since 1961 by the Ministry of Culture (Ministerio de Cultura y Juventud de Costa Rica). They look to recognize the efforts and accomplishments that people, groups and organizations make in Art, Science, Popular Traditional Culture and Journalism. This is the first time that digital media has been taken into account as part of the nominations.

The good news was quickly spread through social networks and twitter.

Fellow bloggers were inspired by the announcement of a colleague receiving such an important honor:

"Internet ha venido sacudiendo los cimientos de los medios de comunicación tradicionales desde su incepción, y a través del periodismo del Fusil podemos ver los signos de ese cambio inexorable: Un periodismo participativo, subjetivo." -Alberto González, Por Escrito

English translation: Internet has been shaking the foundations of traditional communication media and through Fusil's journalism we can observe this relentless change: a participative, subjective journalism.

"Esto recalca la importancia que la web y los medios ciudadanos están alcanzando en nuestro país y en la formación de una opinión pública más democrática." -Luis Diego Molina, Habla Costa Rica

English translation: It makes an statement on the importance that the web and citizen media are having in our country and in the formation of a more democratic public opinion.

"Su blog ha sido una de las más frescas contribuciones al ambiente de la comunicación en Costa Rica. Un trabajo, donde, como él mismo lo dice “La Pasión va primero" -Julia Ardón, JuliaArdon.com

English translation: His blog has been one of the more refreshing contributions to the environment of communication that Costa Rica has had. A piece of work where, as he says, passion comes first.

Cristian posted a thankful note in his own blog Fusil de Chispas:

"De momento lo realmente claro es que la naturaleza misma de un blog lo haría perder su esencia si fuera unidireccional. Es la participación lo que ha hecho que el Fusil funcione, y sirva para algo. El más honesto agradecimiento para todos los que pasan por aquí." -Cristian Cambronero, Costa Rica award winning journalist blogger

English translation: Right now, it is really clear that a blog's nature could lose its essence if it only works unidirectionally. Participation is what makes the Fusil valuable and functional. My honest gratitude to everyone that stops by here.

source: globalvoicesonline.org

Break Me Off A Piece Of Costa Rica

2010-01-08T14:40:00Z

Nicholas Kristof has a happy-go-lucky column today in the New York Times about Costa Rica that reads as part tourism advertisement, part political common sense.

A HAPPY Canadian emigre in Costa Rica. (photo: Nathan Schneider/wagingnonviolence.org)

He goes on and on about how the country is consistently ranked high in “happiness” surveys. This is true. How, then, did they get that way?

What sets Costa Rica apart is its remarkable decision in 1949 to dissolve its armed forces and invest instead in education. Increased schooling created a more stable society, less prone to the conflicts that have raged elsewhere in Central America. Education also boosted the economy, enabling the country to become a major exporter of computer chips and improving English-language skills so as to attract American eco-tourists.

I’m not antimilitary. But the evidence is strong that education is often a far better investment than artillery.

In Costa Rica, rising education levels also fostered impressive gender equality so that it ranks higher than the United States in the World Economic Forum gender gap index. This allows Costa Rica to use its female population more productively than is true in most of the region. Likewise, education nurtured improvements in health care, with life expectancy now about the same as in the United States — a bit longer in some data sets, a bit shorter in others.

Wow, wait, there’s more. Not only do they bother to educate each other, but they make efforts not to destroy the environment—a turn that came only after decades of incredibly destructive government policies, often financed by American business interests.

This emphasis on the environment hasn’t sabotaged Costa Rica’s economy but has bolstered it. Indeed, Costa Rica is one of the few countries that is seeing migration from the United States: Yankees are moving here to enjoy a low-cost retirement. My hunch is that in 25 years, we’ll see large numbers of English-speaking retirement communities along the Costa Rican coast.

This is an understatement. Certain areas of Costa Rica are crawling with Americans. In addition to high happiness rankings, the country is also #1 in the world for lost or stolen US passports, an embassy official there told me.

A pressing question, then, is what effect this influx of Americans is having there.

When I spent a month last summer with the photographer Lucas Foglia traveling around Costa Rica meeting American expats, there were two main patterns we found: a leisure class intent on exploiting the locals as much as possible in search of a low-cost paradise, and an idealistic frenzy of folks Going Back to the Land in search of a better, more sustainable way of life—and it wasn’t always easy to separate the one from the other.

Often the “English-speaking retirement communities along the Costa Rican coast” that Kristof looks forward to are the least sustainable things going, and they charge prices beyond what the locals can afford. (He also neglects to mention the flourishing sex trade, which is what brings so many aging American men down there in the first place.)

A poster in a Costa Rican beach town. Prostitution is legal there, just not with children.
Note that the sign is in English. (photo: Nathan Schneider/wagingnonviolence.org)

Costa Rica’s example is an incredibly instructive one, but we should be careful not to let it turn into another prime opportunity for careless exploitation.

Rather than migrating to Costa Rica en masse to benefit from that tiny country’s good decisions—and possibly ruining their effects in the process—Americans should work to follow its example ourselves, at home.

About the author: Nathan Schneider writes about religion, reason, and violence for publications including The Boston Globe, Commonweal, Seed, Religion Dispatches, AlterNet, and others. He is also an editor at Killing the Buddha. Visit his website at TheRowBoat.com.

It was The Week Before Christmas and All Through Costa Rica....

2009-12-23T17:06:00Z

...drivers continue to engage in road-combat during the holiest of holidays in this Catholic country.

Kids are out of school, government employees are off work, many are on vacation for most of the month and churches can become standing room only gathering places for several generations of entire families.

The mood of Costa Rica as a whole is festive and congenial with importance placed on family, friends and life - except on the roadways where it remains a dog-eat-dog selfish brawl between; flying metal mosquitoes (aka: irritating buzzing little motorcycles in every nook of open roadway and sidewalks), crash-test dummies (aka: drivers of cars, taxis, SUVs, trucks and buses that ignore all unenforced rules of the road) and road bumps (aka: humans unlucky enough to be crossing streets or on sidewalks when mosquitoes or crash-test dummies go flying through).

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so the build-up to this subject is now complete. The following are pictures taken within the past 6 days while driving in the San Jose central valley area of Costa Rica that should be worth 8,000 words:

Additional pictures taken recently, but more than a week old:

And what would a Christmas blog be without a picture of a local tradition?!

The following photo was taken this morning ... again, the picture should speak for itself (with just a little extra help from the Photoshop text tool ;o):

Happy Holidays - Merry Christmas - Feliz Navidad - Happy Hanukkah - Happy Ramadan - Happy Kwanzaa - Happy Winter Solstice - Happy New Year - Feliz Nuevo Ano - and all those not mentioned!

Drive safe during your holiday, especially in Costa Rica ... so we can all enjoy the next year together!

¡Pura Vida, Seguridad y Tráfico!

Costa Rica driving and traffic related articles:

More Costa Rica driving and traffic related pictures:

¡Pura Tráfico! -online Costa Rica traffic photo album

Costa Rica Police, Crime Fighting and Security are Not Often Considered Synonymous

2009-12-18T02:15:00Z

U.S. ‘expats’ that now reside in Costa Rica try to explain the Tico culture to their families and friends back home as, "Costa Rica is like the United States was 40 years ago”. In other words, many of the social norms and government problems the U.S. went through in the 1960’s are still experienced today in Costa Rica.

While this may not be a fair comparison on many levels, it is a quick and easy way of explaining some of the Costa Rica societal situations – along with perhaps the expected vision that Costa Rica will soon catch-up with the more developed nations in many aspects of government and life.

One such cultural characteristic of Costa Rica that is both deep rooted and unfortunately very public is a lack of respect for their own law enforcement … a common aspect of the 60’s U.S. culture (thus the ‘stepping back in time’ comparisons).

“Largate, largate” … or ‘beat it’, ‘go away’ was yelled by many in the crowd at the recent San José Festival de la Luz celebration whenever Costa Rica police would walk by on the parade route.

Valid arguments to justify mistrust by the general Costarricense public of government police agencies include; lack of qualifications or education for recruits, poor initial training, little or no in-service training and corruption from top officials down to the street-level officer.

Both Fuerza Pública national police and Policía Municipal city police have a heavy
presence in the Costa Rica capital of San José – however, it can be hard to find a police
officer in many outlying and rural areas.

The mistrust of Costa Ricans does not end with the effectiveness of the police, but of the entire criminal justice system. Too often the few criminals that are actually apprehended by the frequently scarce and slow to respond police are not even prosecuted with ‘lack of evidence’ cited as the main reason.

This broken system leaves Costa Rica citizens’ feeling the only real solution is to take matters into their own hands – especially when it comes to petty crime and repeat local offenders that plague a neighborhood, often referred to as "ladrones".

This Costa Rica thief was stripped down to his socks when residents of San Pedro
de Montes de Oca came to the rescue of a young man who had had his cell phone stolen.
The thief had hidden the phone in his privates.

The United States found the solution to improving its own police problems was to professionalize law enforcement. Active and public pursuits of police corruption, expectations of more accountability, better training, higher standards for police recruits and improved salaries to attract better officers all resulted in a better social image and increased respect for police by the American public.

New Costa Rica Fuerza Pública national police officers attend expanded academy classroom training.

Costa Rica although limited in resources, has the benefit of examples set by other nations when it comes to a blueprint for improving police effectiveness and crime reduction. Costa Rica recognizes public relations, confidence, trust and the cooperation of its own citizens is vital to long-term success.

Current President Oscar Arias’ administration and the Costa Rica legislature have attempted to reform many aspects of the criminal justice system.

This past year the Poder Judicial or Costa Rica court system instituted Tribunales de Flagrancia to combat clogged courts that have in the past released criminals back onto the streets for months if not years before bringing them to fractured versions of justice. The new system allows suspects caught in the act of a crime to be tried, convicted and sentenced within several hours. This trial program has been so successful in the San José capital area that it is expected to go nationwide in 2010.

Members of the Costa Rica Fuerza Pública national police force attend a public forum
on domestic violence at the University of Costa Rica (Universidad de Costa Rica – UCR).

Costa Rica Minister of Security (Ministerio de Seguridad Pública) Janina del Vecchio has publicly encouraged the reporting of police misconduct, pursued criminal charges against crooked police officials and put the entire national law enforcement community on notice that corruption will no longer be tolerated.

In addition to improving the system itself, Costa Rica law enforcement is getting more aggressive in pursuing the bad guys.

The Limón Province (Provincia de Limón) of Costa Rica that consists of the entire Caribbean coast from Panama to Nicaragua has increasingly been a security issue. Some areas had reportedly become almost lawless due to violent crimes committed by drug gangs in the business of trafficking cocaine from South America manufacturers to North America consumers.

Costa Rica Fuerza Pública national police gather for a morning directed patrol exercise.

The Costa Rica Fuerza Pública (national police force), Guardacostas (coast guard), Policía de Control de Drogas (PCD - drug enforcement police) and Organismo de Investigación Judicial agents (OIJ - Judicial Investigating Organization) have all been actively involved in Limón Province crime sweeps resulting in many arrests, the confiscation of large amounts of weapons and drugs, and a general interruption of many organized criminal enterprises that had operated freely in the past – resulting in a reported 23 percent reduction in area murders.

Since the beginning of the Arias administration in May 2006; the Security Ministry budget has gone from 62 billion colones ($111 million USD) to 124 billion colones ($221 million USD) proposed for the 2010 budget.

Costa Rica OIJ agents (Judicial Investigating Organization) and evidence technicians work a
crime scene in Vasquez de Coronado. The mid-day attempted armed robbery of a Sucre Farmacia
(pharmacy) was unsuccessful with three suspects and their black Honda CR-V taken into custody.

Additionally, in the last 3.5 years; 40,000 police officers have been added to Costa Rica agencies nationwide, a new tourist police force (Policía Turística) has been established to provide directed security for high tourist areas, law enforcement base wages have increased 25% and 92,974 kilos of cocaine have been seized in Costa Rica due to a coordinated drug interdiction program between Costa Rica, the United States, Columbia, Panama and Mexico.

Although reports from the Costa Rica Judicial Investigating Organization (OIJ) show January through November 2009 San José murders had decreased, robberies were down 4.9 percent and home invasions down 8.8 percent … recent polls show Costa Ricans feel that crime is getting worse.

Security remains the number one concern of Costa Rica citizens and the 2010 Costa Rica presidential candidates are all addressing national security within their respective campaign platforms.

Progress is coming; it will just take some time – as it has in every other developing nation.

For additional information on regional drug trafficking, see the article: "Costa Rica Latest Stop for Mexican Drug Gangs" at The Costa Rica Frog

A Tour of the Capital - San José, Costa Rica

2009-12-12T14:34:00Z

Bottoms are big in San José and, indeed, in all Costa Rica. In case yours isn't significant enough to be noticed, a girl can actually buy padded bum enhancers. Just ask, at a lingerie store, for a "bloomer relleno"(Spanish for stuffing). That out of the way, there are other important things a visitor should know about San José.

San José de la Boca del Monte had its beginnings in the 19th century, when free land was allotted to anyone willing to plant coffee. The early settlement was so insignificant and impenetrable the Spanish conquerors didn't bother to fortify San José. In 1948, President José Ferrer abolished the country's superfluous army.

: Downtown San José - the capital of Costa Rica

Today, San José, smack-dab in the centre of the country, is surrounded by coffee cafetals, banana plantations, cloud forests and mountains, stretching east to the Caribbean and west to the Pacific. San José remains a colonial city and, culturally, has yet to go beyond its sleepy beginnings. And therein lies its charm. Yes, there is a McDonald's overlooking a main square — a hideous cement slab - where families congregate on weekends to throw grain at zillions of pigeons. Pretty well, everything worth seeing is within a 15-minute walk of Central Park, the heart of the city.

: A child gets a picture taken by a vendor in front of the National Theater, downtown San Jose, Costa Rica (picture: Donna JeanMcKinnon/torontostar.com

SIGHTSEEING: The National Theatre [El Teatro Nacional de Costa Rica], an ornate structure with romantic murals, marble columns and classical sculpture, is the most popular tourist destination in San José. This lovely edifice was funded in the 1890s by means of a heavy tax on coffee production. Wags said at the time: "Costa Rica was a village,surrounded by a National Theatre." In the theatre, the Britt Cafe,reminiscent of a Belle Epoque European coffee house, serves delectable lunches, pastries and Britt coffee, from its own plantation.

The Mail and Telegraph (Correos y Telégrafos de Costa Rica) building, an elaborate green structure with spires and cupolas, was built in 1914. Here you can mail your postcards, visit the Stamp Museum [El Museo Filatélico] and duck into the Cafe de Correos, to regroup, away from pedestrian mobs and cars intent on murder. The cafe brews excellent coffee and do take the trip to the servicios (washrooms), through corridors of thousands of private mail boxes with locals peering into them.

Child in La Plaza de la Cultura, San José, Costa Rica

Inside the Gold Museum [Museos del Banco Nacional; Museo del Oro Precolombino], accessed through a giant bank vault, the walls and fittings are an extravaganza of exotic Costa Rican woods and the displays of dazzling pre-Colombian gold objects awesome. Interestingly, there have never been gold mines in Costa Rica. Gold was (and is) panned in mountain streams. The gold work, with motifs similar to those found in Colombia, Mexico and Panama, indicates the indigenous peoples carried on a vibrant trade throughout Central America. (By the way, the only official tourist office, in San José, is in the same complex as the gold museum. In March, the tourism bureau launched a glossy English language pamphlet featuring a walking tour of the city.)

The Jade Museum [Museo del Jade], in the Institute of National Security headquarters, is a treasure trove of carved jade, ceramics and indigenous domestic artefacts. Although there are no jade sources in Costa Rica, hordes of decorative objects were found in archaeological sites. The well-documented displays offer a fascinating insight into the lives of regional tribes, including the Bribri, who still reside in traditional villages on the Caribbean coast.

The most delightful respite from the confusion that is San José is in the Spirogyra Butterfly Garden, in Amon. The enclosed compound guarantees a constant shower of colourful butterflies, including the giant blue morpho. Don't be surprised if a butterfly lands on your shoulder. As one visitor commented, "This place lightens the heart." Take a book, sit and marvel surrounded by flutterbys and tropical plants.

: Mercado Central, San José, Costa Rica

DINING: Ticos (Costa Ricans) eat simply and cheaply in sodas (local cafes). The Mercado Central, established in 1880 is an ideal spot to sample a causa, the national dish consisting of meat, rice, beans and coleslaw (about $4 U.S.). Grab a seat at one of the many 1950s-style diners in the market — also the home of Costa Rica's first ice cream. Visit the counter at La Sorbetera de Lolo Moro and try Moro's original frozen confection. Made with crushed vanilla beans, it teases the tongue with overtones of nutmeg and cinnamon.

: Heladería La Sorbetera de Lolo Mora, Mercado Central - San José

Las Delicias de Peru, a neat clean soda, has a friendly chef dishing up inexpensive Peruvian specialties at noon. Try the chicharro de calamar (squid), yellow potatoes stuffed with shrimp and steamed sea bass (corvina). Cafe Mundo caters to a lively international crowd. It's lodged in a colonial mansion, with art deco furnishings, vivid artworks, verandas and garden tables, a rarity in San José. Offerings include patacones (plantain chips), pizza, chicken and vegetarian dishes.

: Hotel Grano de Oro - Paseo Colon, San Jose, Costa Rica

For a fancy evening, head for the Hotel Grano de Oro, in [Paseo Colon] (taxi, $8). The opulent dining room, operated by a Winnipeg couple, is festooned with lavish draperies and outfitted with gorgeous wood, stained glass and marble columns. This establishment also has a glam courtyard, New York-style bar and an excellent chef whose specialties include lamb chops, with fig puree, and Pie Grano deOro, a coffee cream and chocolate dream.

Costa Rica's supermarkets, such as the Auto Mercado, and Super Saretto sell take-out food, booze and the usual groceries. But, best of all, you can load up on the country's best export coffee —Toscafe Orosi, Dota and Britt. There's no customs' limit on the amount you can take home.

SHOPPING: Outside the Mercado Central, Avenida Central [del boulevard] becomes a pedestrian shopping street. Opposite the market, there's a string of old-fashioned dry goods stores selling lingerie, PJs and, yes, bloomer rellenos, while the Universal, a retro department store, appears to specialize in housewares. Further along, the Carrion (carry on) stocks two floors of fashionable tropical duds and a seductive assortment of glamorous sandals, espadrilles and wedgies — starting at $10. For those serious about native arts and crafts, the spot to stop is Galeria Namu, a store dedicated to authentic aboriginal work including exquisite baskets, woven by the Wounaan tribe. It can take months to weave one large basket, thus prices range from $150 to $2,000 (U.S.). Namu also sells jewellery and miniature animals carved from tegua "ivory.'' Tegua, a palm nut, has the properties of animal ivory and is every bit as beautiful. The carvings are similar to Japanese netsuke. Bracelets,start at $8 (U.S.), while complex birds and animals are priced upwards of $75 (U.S).

SLEEPING: San José has a good selection of atmospheric inner-city hotels, starting with the Hotel Gran de Costa Rica, next to the National Theatre. The Gran, the place to be seen, has a lovely vintage lobby and a long alfresco arcade that is the closest thing San Jose has to a sidewalk cafe. There's cocktail piano and a smart food and bar menu. Try the addictive fresh hearts of palm (palmetto) salad. The Gran was built in 1928, by government decree,because there wasn't a first-class hotel in the entire country. The contractor was granted "a series of fiscal benefits" (wink, wink) in exchange for setting aside two ritzy suites for lodging foreign diplomats and VIPs. President Oscar Arias entertains here and you could find yourself at a table next to his party.

The Britannia and the Don Carlos, both in historical colonial buildings, are all wood, tile and tropical plants - simply charming. The Britannia has an atmospheric restaurant in its antique wine cellar and at the Don Carlos, a pleasant cafe serves local specialties all day. Then there's Las Cinco Horangas Rojas (Five Red Ants), an eccentric bed and breakfast, in an old Tico house. Inside the walled garden a variety of birds and critters scurry about and colourful artworks, by owner Mayra Guell, boggle. Guell describes her garden as a mini -ecosystem. Rooms are cramped, but the breakfast venue, actually a grass shack, makes up for them. All three hostelries are, in Amon, a short walk to the main drag and double room run about $60 to $120 (U.S.).

: Cinco Hormigas Rojas Bed and Breakfast - San Jose, Costa Rica

Further afield, in San Rafael [de Heredia], the Hotel Bougainville is set in eight acres of garden and park, where 60 orchid species and hot pink bougainvillea accost the senses. The park also boasts 15 heliconia varieties, 50 bird species, a classic privet maze, garden sculpture and a rancho with artefacts from an old sugar mill. The hotel, run by a Swiss family, has an excellent restaurant and services that cater to foreigners. A taxi to the city centre costs $10 (U.S.).

: Café Britt coffee tour - Heredia, Costa Rica

EXCURSION: A morning trip to the beautiful Britt Coffee Plantation, in suburban Heredia, is a must-do. Visitors learn about coffee via a multimedia presentation by three comedic actor-guides, who perform a hilarious stage play. (Fact learned: Britt sends coffee to Germany to be decaffeinated. The white powder, from the process, is sold to pharmaceutical companies and Coca Cola.) The tour also includes a giant roaster, a coffee cupping (tasting) demo and a tramp between rows of coffee bushes. The experience ends with an excellent Tico buffet lunch ($35 U.S.). Call 1-800-462-7488 or inquire at any hotel in San José.

SIDEBAR

LISTEN UP: San José's pot-holed inner city roads, now jammed with cars, were built for oxcarts. There are no firm addresses in San José. Do not consider driving. Taxis are cheap. Closed walking shoes are mandatory. All sidewalks are uneven and pocked with ditches, gaping holes and metal protrusions. Perhaps, the rainy season and earthquakes have something to do with this, but most Ticos agree sidewalks are low priority, in a country, where the masses discovered the automobile only a decade ago. Any available money goes to maintaining (sort of) the rocky, muddy,eroding rural roads. Tourists cannot help but notice decorative iron gates and bars on all windows. Be aware anything not nailed down will be stolen. Your body is not at risk, just your purse and objects left in cars. Pamphlets, at tourists' attractions, instruct foreigners in the art of guarding their belongings.

source: Costa Rica Frog | Costa Rica news, information, travel, articles, pictures, videos & commentary

Montana Expat Learns to "Love The Rain" in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica

2009-12-09T00:17:00Z

If you have read my Costa Rica travel journals from this time last year, (now in my book), you know that the amount of rain we had during rainy season, especially last November, was devastating. I was determined not to spend another rainy season in the Caribbean. Well, guess what? Here I am and loving it!

Puerto Viejo, Old Harbor - Caribbean South, Costa Rica

Although my plans were to travel and explore more of the country, during this time, circumstances have kept me here.

First, my daughter decided she did not want to stay and travel with me (as originally planned). She went to to the States for a visit. Then I felt obliged to take advantage of the opportunity to live in a comfortable, safe and very economical situation. So I took a monthly rental.

I’ll do my traveling another time, right now I am too enamored with my new home – it’s just too sweet to leave. Puerto Viejo - Old Harbor

Lisa painting in Jonathan's soda "Restaurant Ivon" in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica

The next compelling situation was a call for the use of my artistic skills at Cafe Ivon.

This budding, little restaurant is owned and run by my daughter’s boyfriend, Jonathan. He is such a good guy. Only twenty four, he works hard at his business, always trying to balance the scales between work and the constant call to party, here in Puerto Viejo.

His closeness with my daughter and his kindness and concern for me, gives me a much needed sense of family. My friends are calling him my son-in-law. We’ll see.

Recently, Jonathan has taken on some partners – a couple. Lisette is a local Tica and Armando is from Latvia. Armando speaks no English and barely speaks Spanish. Lisette speaks Spanish, a little English and absolutely no Lativan. I don’t know how they manage to communicate , but they do.

Lisette, Armando, Kirshani, Jonathan & Carol the cook in "Restaurant Ivon"

They have brought, to the restaurant, some much needed supplies and equipment along with big ideas and positive energy. Armando has been in the restaurant business for twenty years – in Lativa. His aesthetic ideas are good but I cringed while watching him try to carry them out. He is not an artist. I offered to take over and I’m having fun with it.

I paint and they feed me. What a deal! I really enjoy painting (virtually) for free. I come and go at my convenience. I have as much creative authority as I need. And the restaurant staff treats me like royalty, always offering tasty food and drink.

I am painting for free and I am writing for free – doing the things I love, at my leisure, with no pressure. I do my yoga and run on the beach. I party and dance with my friends. When I want solitude, I walk the beach or get all cozy and comfortable, watching movies in my room. And there is always somebody interesting around to talk to. This is the life, I tell you! I could hardly ask for more.

Cafe Ivon sign with Jonathon and Chelsea

But I want you to know – this life did not just fall into my lap. It took two years of trying out different living situations and money making ideas. I am now living comfortably, on only five hundred dollars a month. Not because Costa Rica is that cheap (it is not), but because I learned how to live creatively. I learned through experience.

I was robbed a few times. I ran out of money and left the country twice. I learned some things the hard way but never so hard that I couldn’t recover. And I am still learning. I was robbed again the other day, on the beach. I knew enough not to have anything in my beach bag that I couldn’t stand to lose, so all they got was about four dollars, my shirt and my flip flops. But I didn’t know enough to realize that on this well known tourist beach, this kind of thievery happens every day and could happen to me.

I was sitting peacefully, reading a book, with my bag right next to me. Suddenly, a kid ran up from behind, grabbed the bag and was gone before I knew it. I ran after him yelling, in Spanish that there was only dos mil colones (two thousand colones) in it. “Mira, mira en la bolsa,” (Look in the bag) I yelled, running barefoot, down the jungle path, like a crazy lady, “solamente dos mil. Quero mis zapatos! Dame mis zapatos!” (There is only four dollars. I want my shoes. Give me my shoes!).

Even though I didn’t lose much, it was still quite disconcerting. I cried to the sympathetic ears of my friends and then I let it go. I don’t take it personally, nor do I blame Costa Rica. It is just the way of the world. I prefer to maintain an attitude of benevolence and good will and that, more than anything, has been the key to success in my new life.

The Caribbean beach in front of Cafe Ivon - Puerto Viejo, Old Harbor, Costa Rica

Experience has taught me, again and again, that the important thing is not what happens to you, but how you deal with it. What is your attitude about what happens? If you are robbed do you focus your thoughts on blame and vengeance? Are you angry at yourself for your stupidity? Frustrated with your friends for their lack of compassion? Maybe you are not “supposed” to be here. Maybe fate is punishing your audacity for even thinking you should be here. That’s bullshit!

If good things happen because you are an exceptional person and entitled to them then it would stand to reason that bad things happen to you because you are really a bad person. So then you are a good (smart, capable) person – no, a bad (stupid, weak) person – no, you switch back and forth. Or are you simply who you are, a person in this world trying to do the best they can?

I do believe our thoughts create our reality but I don’t waste my time trying to figure out how my thoughts got my beach bag stolen. Things just happen, maybe for a reason that is plain to see, maybe not. There is so much going on in the “bigger picture” that we can never know. Still, my positive attitude has served me well and I work to sustain it. I know that like attracts like. When I am living with a joyful attitude of appreciation for life, delightful incidents abound.

And that is the word for my life these days – just delightful!

We’ve got all kinds of weather in Costa Rica – overcast or windy, clouds mixed with sun, and we have rain. I love the rain.

Lisa Valencia migrated south from small town Montana, U.S.A. to Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica

About the author: Lisa Valencia left the security of small town Montana to jump into a foreign, tropical, new life of unknown parameters. Two years later she admits it's still surprising, scary and a whole lot of fun. For more information Lisa keeps Costa Rica travel journals and new life adventures online as well as her inspirational “If She Can Do It, So Can I" e-book and audio book as instant downloads.

source: The Costa Rica Frog | Costa Rica news, information, travel, articles, resources, pictures, videos, blogs and commentary.

Costa Rica Blogger - Our 2 Year Anniversary

2009-11-26T13:48:00Z

Today is a special day here at Costa Rica Blogger.

Two years ago today on November 26, 2007 was the first entry on www.CostaRicaBlogger.com. The 11/26/07 blog entry was simply and appropriately titled: ¡Bienvenidos!

Since the initial post we have successfully moved to Costa Rica, obtained Permanent Legal Residency, my son has completed his second full year of private bilingual education and we have come to appreciate the differences between where we came from and where we now live.

Costa Rica Blogger is more popular than ever, with 187 unique visitors just yesterday (11-25-09)

The following are some brief Costa Rica Blogger statistics from the last 2 years:

110 blog entries + 660 comments

Top 5 Categories

Traffic and Search Statistics

Top 5 Referring Sites
Top 5 Search Engine Referrers
- Microsoft Live / MSN / Search.Live.com / Bing.com
- Yahoo.com
- Google.com
- Ask.com
- Alta Vista
Top 5 Search Terms
- costa rica
- massage parlors san jose costa rica (interesting ;o)
- blog crime costa rica
- costa rica gun laws
- escuela bilingue angeles de luz costa rica

I would like to personally Thank the thousands of Costa Rica Blogger site visitors ... especially those that contributed with content, comments or just kind notes of encouragement.

Enjoy the holidays and please continue to check back for more updates from here in Costa Rica.

¡Muchas Gracias y Pura Vida!

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Costa Rica Turtles Are Casualties of Warming and Development, Leatherback Boys to the Rescue

2009-11-15T16:55:00Z

The Costa Rica resort town of Playa Grande was long known for Leatherback Sea Turtle National Park, nightly turtle beach tours and even a sea turtle museum. So Kaja Michelson, a Swedish tourist, arrived with high expectations. “Of course we’re hoping to see turtles — that is part of the appeal,” she said.

Swedish tourists came to Costa Rica's Playa Grande in-part to view the sea turtles
(photo: Ruth Fremson/The New York Times)

But haphazard development, in tandem with warmer temperatures and rising seas that many scientists link to global warming, have vastly diminished the Pacific turtle population.

On a beach where dozens of turtles used to nest on a given night, scientists spied only 32 leatherbacks all of last year. With leatherbacks threatened with extinction, Playa Grande’s expansive turtle museum was abandoned three years ago and now sits amid a sea of weeds. And the beachside ticket booth for turtle tours was washed away by a high tide in September.

Costa Rica baby sea turtles making their way into the Pacific Ocean
(photo: Ruth Fremson/The New York Times)

“We do not promote this as a turtle tourism destination anymore because we realize there are far too few turtles to please,” said Álvaro Fonseca, a park ranger.

Even before scientists found temperatures creeping upward over the past decade, sea turtles were threatened by beach development, drift net fishing and Costa Ricans’ penchant for eating turtle eggs, considered a delicacy here. But climate change may deal the fatal blow to an animal that has dwelled in the Pacific for 150 million years.

Sea turtles are sensitive to numerous effects of warming. They feed on reefs, which are dying in hotter, more acidic seas. They lay eggs on beaches that are being inundated by rising seas and more violent storm surges.

More uniquely, their gender is determined not by genes but by the egg’s temperature during development. Small rises in beach temperatures can result in all-female populations, obviously problematic for survival.

“The turtles are very good storytellers about the effect of climate change on coastal habitats,” said Carlos Drews, the regional marine species coordinator for the conservation group World Wildlife Fund (W.W.F.). "The climate is changing so much faster than before, and these animals depend on so much for temperature.”

If the sand around the eggs hits 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit), the gender balance shifts to females, Mr. Drews said, and at about 32 degrees (89.6 Fahrenheit) they are all female. Above 34 (93), “you get boiled eggs,” he said.

On some nesting beaches, scientists are artificially cooling nests with shade or irrigation and trying to protect broader areas of coastal property from development to ensure that turtles have a place to nest as the seas rise.

Costa Rica "baula" boys protect sea turtle eggs and release thehatchlings safely into the ocean
(photo: Ruth Fremson/The New YorkTimes)

In places like Playa Junquillal, an hour south of here, local youths are paid $2 a night to scoop up newly laid eggs and move them to a hatchery where they are shaded and irrigated to maintain a nest temperature of 29.7 degrees Celsius (85.4), which will yield both genders.

Costa Rica leatherback turtle after laying eggs at night
(photo: Ruth Fremson/The New York Times)

On a recent night, Dennis Gómez Jiménez, a 22-year-old in a red baseball cap and jeans, deftly excavated the nest of a three-foot-wide Olive Ridley, one of the smaller sea turtle species. The turtle had just finished the hour long task of burying 100-plus eggs and then lumbered back into the water.

One by one, Mr. Jiménez placed what looked like table tennis balls into a plastic bag and transferred them to an ersatz nest he had dug in a shaded, fenced-off portion of sand that serves as a hatchery. Sandbags are positioned to protect against tides that could rip nests apart.

Costa Rica "baulas" or leatherback boys move leatherback turtle eggs to safety
(photo: Ruth Fremson/The New York Times)

When the turtles hatch, in 40 to 60 days depending on the species, they are carried in wicker baskets to the ocean’s edge and make a beeline for the water. Gabriel Francia, a biologist who oversees the youths, known locally as the “baula” or leatherback boys, likens their work to delivering an endangered infant by Caesarean section.

“In some ways we’re playing God — this is a big experiment,” he said. The long-term hope, he said, is to build a robust turtle population that will slowly adapt by shifting to cooler, more northern beaches or laying eggs at cooler times of the year.

Worldwide, there are seven sea turtle species, and all are considered threatened. (Turtle populations in the Atlantic have increased over the last 20 years because of measures like bans on trapping turtles and selling their parts.)

Costa Rica sea turtles face many obstacles to their survival - man made and natural
(photo: Ruth Fremson/The New York Times)

The leatherback is considered critically endangered on a global level. Populations are especially depleted in the Pacific, where only 2,000 to 3,000 are estimated to survive today, down from around 90,000 two decades ago. Cooler sands alone will not save them, given the scope of the threats they face. At Playa Junquillal, markers placed a decade ago to mark a point 55 yards above the high tide line are now frequently underwater.

“It’s happened really fast — we have no rain, but water pouring in from the ocean,” said Adriana Miranda, 30, the manager of a local hangout that serves beer and rice and beans.

Beach-side tables have been removed because rising tides have destroyed the restaurant’s concrete terrace and uprooted shading trees there. In different circumstances, the beaches could gradually extend backward as the sea level rose. But along much of Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, the back of the beach is now filled with hotels, restaurants andplanted trees, giving the sand no place to go. “The squeezing of the beaches where turtles nest is going to be a big problem,” said Carl Safina, head of the Blue Ocean Institute, a conservation group.

In Playa Grande, the turtle issue has pitted environmentalists against developers and the national government. To ensure a future for the leatherbacks and the national park, biologists wanted a large section of land extending about 140 yards back from the current high-tide line protected from development. Beachfront property owners, many of them foreigners with vacation homes, demanded hefty compensation.

Arguing that the government cannot afford the payouts, President Óscar Arias has instead proposed protecting the first 55 yards, and allowing about 80 yards of somewhat regulated mixed-use development to the rear. But Costa Rica’s leading scientists have protested that the new boundaries will lead to “certain extinction.”

Turtles will not nest if there are lights behind the beach, Mr. Drews said, and those first 55 yards will be underwater by mid-century.

“Turtles will have to find their way between the tennis courts and swimming pools,” he said dryly.

In a country where turtle eggs are traditionally slurped in bars from a shot glass, uncooked and mixed with salsa and lemon, biologists are also promoting cultural change.

“Of course 25 years ago, you went out with your friends or family and dug up the eggs,” said Héctor García, 42, shopping at the Junquillal market. “It was a tradition. They are delicious, cooked or raw.”

Costa Rica sea turtles hachlings are released and quickly make theirway into the Pacific Ocean
(photo: Ruth Fremson/The New York Times)

Today egg collecting is illegal in Costa Rica, but poaching is still common in many towns. It is frowned on at Playa Junquillal, where the five baula boys, with their piercings and baseball caps, patrol for poachers and are idolized by many younger children. Dr. Francia, the biologist, has also invited local families to watch the babies being released. “There were a lot of people who had eaten eggs but never seen a turtle,” he said.

A baby Costa Rica sea turtle released in the surf by the PacificLeatherback Conservation
Project in conjunction with the World WildlifeFund (photo: Ruth Fremson/The New York Times)

source: The Costa Rica Frog | www.CostaRicaFrog.com