Costa Rica-the Rich Coast Columbus (Cristóbal Colón) “discovered” Costa Rica in 1502 on his last voyage to the Western Hemisphere. He anchored in the Caribbean near the current location of Limón and sent out a landing party. Tradition states-probably incorrectly-that Columbus christened this land … [Read more...]
Archives for April 2015
All Roads (and Flights, and Bus Routes) Lead to San José
San José is the capital of Costa Rica, the main population center, and located in the middle of the country surrounded by mountain ranges. The main roads radiate out from San José in a web and anywhere you go it sometimes seems you must return to San José to get anywhere else. You might … [Read more...]
Costa Rican Cuisine
Visitors to Costa Rica sometimes comment that the food isn’t very exciting. On the tourist trail, it is easy to get the impression that Tico cuisine is rather unimaginative and nondescript, in part due to the ubiquity of Gallo Pinto. Rice and black beans cooked together with barely a hint of onion, … [Read more...]
Chikungunya New Mosquito Threat
It spreads like Dengue and it feels like Dengue but it's a newly introduced mosquito borne viral disease from Africa called Chikungunya. The name is an African word with the ominous meaning "contorted with pain" The virus is spread when an infected individual travels to a previously unaffected … [Read more...]
First Aid Kit for Travelers in Costa Rica
Anyone on a Costa Rica vacation should have ready access to a minimum first aid kit containing the items listed below. You might also want to look over the contents of the advanced kit to see if anything there sounds like a good idea-especially if you are going on a particularly active or … [Read more...]
Help
Feeling a bit overwhelmed trying to get started on that dream vacation to Costa Rica? Here are step-by-step instructions to save you time and frustration planning a Costa Rica vacation for yourself, your family or group. 1. Get ¡Pura Vida! ... you're not required to have a relaxed … [Read more...]
Altitude Sickness in Costa Rica
A number of popular tourist destinations in Costa Rica are at high enough elevations that Acute Mountain Sickness and Altitude Sickness are a concern. Some are even high enough that potentially fatal High Altitude Pulmonary Edema and High Altitude Cerebral Edema are possible. There’s no … [Read more...]
Batido, Refresco, or Natural – Fruit in a Glass
The first time we leaned our bikes against the side of a typical soda twenty five years ago and saw the mystery phrase "batido - ¢80, con leche ¢100" followed by a list of what our phrasebook told us were mostly fruits - maracuya, piña (pineapple), papaya, guanábana, mango, cas, tamarindo, chan, … [Read more...]
Taxis in the City or Countryside
Taxis are a viable method of transportation in the countryside as well as in the cities and towns of Costa Rica. While they are expensive compared to public buses they are convenient and comparable in price to tourist van transfers or rental cars if you are traveling with two or more … [Read more...]
Costa Rican Gallo Pinto Recipe
No one who's ever visited Costa Rica is likely to forget gallo pinto, and those who haven't visited rarely understand how people can be so enamored of rice and beans. It's on every typical menu. Ticos look at you like you're a little crazy if you ask how to make it; sort of like if you asked a … [Read more...]
Intimate Sea Turtles
I was flipping though some of our wildlife photo albums when I came to the surprising realization that the tropical animals we'd seen the most intimately weren't the ubiquitous monkeys, sloths or macaws of the rainforest. It was sea turtles. It was surprising because we're not avid SCUBA divers … [Read more...]
Heart of Palm
(with apologies to Mr. Conrad) This is the story of a heart of palm salad or a mysterious deal involving duffel bag swaps in the heart of the jungle or how we spent the first day of our honeymoon in Costa Rica twenty years ago. We were invited by the brother of a guy we met in line at customs … [Read more...]
The Big Screwdriver
I lost one of the little screws that holds the trap of my bicycle pedal onto the body and stopped at a hardware store for a replacement. It was a Japanese part with unusual threads so we had to search through a box of odds and ends to find one that matched. It was about twice as long as necessary … [Read more...]
Money-Currency in Costa Rica
The new banknotes are so attractive they even made Time Magazines "most beautiful" list. Costa Rica's currency, the colón (colones plural) currently exchanges at around ¢580 per US dollar (Exchange Made Easy). Until September of 2006 the currency devalued against the dollar consistently for … [Read more...]
Costa Rican Tamale Recipe
Tamales are a traditional Tico Christmas specialty, but many tipico restaurants serve them year round for the tourists, and if you're a really good boy sometimes Christmas comes in July. We met Emilse and Joya at their home in Pital, and in the course of the small talk about what we liked about … [Read more...]
Organization for Tropical Studies Palo Verde Lodge
The Organization for Tropical Studies' main mission is to facilitate scientific research but they also provide unique and educational experiences for tourists who are interested in Costa Rican nature. In the heart of Palo Verde National Park the OTS lodge provides rustic (very clean, comfortable … [Read more...]
Ensalada Palmito Recipe (heart of palm salad)
Read the story of our introduction to Costa Rica and authentic typico ensalada palmito. The first day of our honeymoon, and the beginning of some of the best friendships we've had the privilege to enjoy over the past twenty two years. Ensalada Palmito Recipe (heart of palm salad) ½ of a palm … [Read more...]
Costa Rican Ceviche Recipe (Marinated Raw Seafood)
Sue and I are both sushi fans, so when we heard about ceviche we jumped at a chance to try it. Now it's our favorite boca by a long shot. You can't beat an ice cold beer (literally if you're in Guanacaste, because they traditionally serve it over cubes), a dish of ceviche, and a sunset over the … [Read more...]
Sopa Negra Recipe (Black Bean Soup Costa Rican Style)
Sopa Negra is what we always order at the bottom of the hill. When you're cycling the bottom of hills can be pretty chilly places even when it's 70 °F. Sweat soaks your clothes as you climb, then refrigerates you evaporatively when you coast down. A steaming bowl of black bean soup is perfect at … [Read more...]
Advantages of Driving in Costa Rica
(also see disadvantages) Convenience Outside of San José a private vehicle can be very convenient. In San José, you may find that parking and traffic jams make having a car more of a headache than it is worth. Versatility & Flexibility If the bed and breakfast you were planning on staying in … [Read more...]