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Costa Rica Street Vendors – The Walking Walmarts

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Way back when I first arrived to Costa Rica I was astonished to see these Costa Rica street vendors at major traffic intersections selling all kinds of stuff to passengers of waiting cars.  I now know that this is common practice throughout Latin America.  Intermixed with the vendors are beggars, but that’s another story.

Sitting in your car waiting for the light to change, you can buy cell phone chargers and holders, toys, all kinds of food (for those of you with the munchies), sunglasses, hats, and I could go on and on and on.

I once purchased a cell phone charger at the busy intersection that I passed through every day back when I was living in Santo Domindo de Heredia, a suburb of San Jose.  I didn’t have the money at that moment, so the vendor, who had grown accustomed to seeing me pass by day after day,  just let me take it with no payment, telling me “don’t worry, pay me next time.”

What service!

Then there are the guys that will take leaves from a certain green plant (not sure which) and before your very eyes make a “grasshopperish” looking insect for a small donation. These guys are quite talented and are able to fashion a life-like replica before the light turns green. Sometimes they don’t quite make it and you’re left wondering if you should just drive away, or ignore all the honking behind you while he finishes?

These days there are also all kids of performance artists, juggling or gyrating their way to a day’s worth of coins.

I often wonder how much these vendors rack up in a given day?  It is actually pretty hard (and demeaning) work if you think about it.  Standing there for hours on end with the heat of the tropical sun beating down on you.

The vendors of merchandise basically turn themselves into walking Walmart with all their inventory displayed in ingenious manners all over their bodies.

It’s entrepreneurship in its rawest form…Sam Walton move over!

I guess if Package Costa Rica ever goes south, there is a place for me at a traffic light somewhere in the city as a Costa Rica street vendor.  Hopefully, the locals wouldn’t mind for a gringo to move onto their turf (although I think I would be a first).

Eat Like a Tico – Costa Rican Food

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You might’ve stumbled across my post on what to drink in Costa Rica. It seems to be one of my most often visited posts…go figure that one…

But, hey, we gotta eat too…right?

So this post will focus on 10 common Costa Rican food varieties that will have you eating like a tico on your Costa Rica vacation…

1. Gallo Pinto – this is the signature Costa Rican dish. While it exists in other countries (Nicaragua, for instance), it is ubiquitous at the tico breakfast table. It basically consists of rice, beans (usually black), with onions, cilantro and lots of salsa lizano. It is usually eaten with eggs, either scrambled (revueltos) or fried (fritos) and a big dollop of sweet sour cream (natilla) is recommended. Ask for a slice of queso frito (fried cheese) on the side and maybe chorrizo (spiced pork sausage), to bring the whole concoction to its peak of artery blocking power.

2. Chicharrones – these are fried pork medallions. They are delicious, but deadly. Great with an ice cold Imperial (or Silver).

3. Chifrijo – a variation of chicharrones, but the dish also adds (in layers) rice, red beans, pork rinds, freshly chopped tomato and/or pico de gallo (fresh vegetables with a dash of hot sauce), and served with a fried tortilla chip.

4. Casado – in Spanish the word means marriage and that is exactly what a casado is…a marriage of food. Because in sickness or in health, till death do them part, the casado will feature a meat (chicken, beef or fish), beans (usually black), rice, usually some type of vegetable casserole (like potato or yucca) and a small salad. It is the signature dish of the countless mom and pop restaurants known as “sodas” that can be found any and everywhere in Costa Rica. A great option for good and cheap comida tipica Costarricense.

5. Ensalada de Palmito – palmito, or heart of palm, is a vegetable harvested from the inner core and growing bud of certain palm trees, notably the coconut palm. Costa Rica happens to be one of the primary exporters of this delicacy. A salad featuring heart of palm, or ensalada palmito, is one of the more healthy Costa Rican treats on my list.

6. Olla de Carne – this is a tipico beef stew that consists of lean beef, short ribs, potatoes, cassava, carrots, corn, green plantain and perhaps sweet potato. Pretty good…in Colombia they do something similar called sancocho, but there it is always cooked over an open fire.

7. Gallos Tipicos – these are bocas, or small dishes (like appetizers) that are often served in bars. They consist of a corn tortilla topped with an infinite variety of choices. You can have a gallo with chicharron, or frijolito molido (re-fried black beans), aguacate (avocado), a “picadillo” with potato or arracache, as well as many other things.

8. Patacones – these are flattened and fried green plantains. Served very salty and often with re-fried black beans (frijolito molido). Great with beer.

9. Empanadas – these are corn dough pastries filled with seasoned meats (pork, beef, or chicken), or cheese, beans, or cubed potato stew, and then folded and fried.

10. Arroz con Leche – finally a dessert! This is a very sweet sort of rice pudding made with, of course rice, condensed, evaporated and whole milk, lots of sugar, cinnamon and cloves. Delicious, especially if you can catch it recently prepared (and warm).

Honorable Mentions:

 – Tres Leches – my favorite dessert in Costa Rica, but it also exists in many other Latin countries, so not exactly 100% tico. It is basically a vanilla sponge cake soaked in a three-milk mixture (whole, evaporated and condensed) and topped with a delicious meringue icing. It has about a gazillion calories per single bite, but man is it good!

– Pescado Entero (Pargo Rojo) – this is a whole fried fish (head to tail). Usually will be of the pargo rojo (red snapper) variety. Great choice at the beach, or anywhere, for that matter. That’s me in the photo above partaking.

– Salsa Lizano – Costa Rica’s signature sauce. Very worcestershire-like, but perhaps a bit more “mustardy.” Very good on almost anything.

I know I am missing a bunch of other things that you can eat in Costa Rica (oops, forget to mention my favorite cooling off beach treat…the “granizado” – Google it)…

If you make it a point to try each of the above, you’ll have had a good sampling of the kinds of Costa Rican food that ticos actually eat.

Pura Vida,

Post by CRG

Guide to Costa Rica Booze

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Now here’s a topic that I know pretty darn well!

I realize many of you wonder what to drink on your Costa Rica vacation.

Well, here’s my Costa Rica booze post with your main choices in terms of Costa Rican national brands, as well as a few of my favorite imports from nearby Latin American neighbors…

Beers…

Imperial – hands down the king of Costa Rican beers. You’ll want to buy a t-shirt too. Oh and I should mention, it is traditional down here to drink your beer with ice.

Imperial Silver – this is my favorite beer. It is basically a slightly lighter version of the regular Imperial (loses the after taste that tends to get in the way of my thorough enjoyment of regular Imperial).

Imperial Light – too light (definitely for wimps).

Pilsen – this is a heavier beer than Imperial, both in terms of taste and alcohol content. Some say that real men drink Pilsen, but I don’t know about all that.

Pilsen Frost – Frost is to Pilsen as Silver is to Imperial…slightly lighter version.

Bavaria – I don’t really drink this. It appears to be a darker beer, but usually you see girls drinking it. I believe there is a light and a dark version, but like I said, never touch the stuff.

Rock Ice – a favorite with the females.

Toña – an import from Nicaragua…very good and ranks second on my list to Silver. I only wish they would start importing Victoria, which is my favorite Central American beer (out of all the ones I have tried), but so far still not available outside of Nicaragua.

Hard Stuff…

Centenario – Costa Rica’s national rum. Pretty good, but not nearly as good as the next one on the list.

Flor de Caña – this import from Nicaragua has to be one of the best rums on the planet. I love either the 7 or 12 year versions.

Havana Club – actually this Cuban import also ranks high on the list, but more expensive and really no better than Flor de Caña, so why pay the extra?

Zacapa – I have only tried this once. It is a Guatemalan rum and that one time was delicious. Quite expensive compared to those above, however.

Aquardiente Antioqueño – Colombian firewater from Medellin. If you’re partying with Colombians, your going to be drinking some of this. Better stick with the “tapa azul” (blue cap) as it is lower in sugar content, which means you get drunk a little less quick and the hangover is a lot less severe.  This stuff will creep on you, so be careful (and I do speak from experience!).

Cacique – Costa Rica’s sugar cane distilled white liquor that is guaranteed to make your brain, as well as you liver, hallucinate. Not recommended in more than minuscule quantities.

Cafe Rica – this is a Costa Rican coffee liqueur that is very good with coffee.

Wines…

All of the Casillero del Diablo varieties – I love this Chilean import that comes in reds and whites of all flavors. Really excellent wine and not too expensive.

Chicha – a homemade wine generally made with either fruit or corn (I think)…very popular with indigenous cultures, but go easy, this stuff is stronger than it tastes and the hangover is epic!

There you have it…Costa Rica Guy’s guide to imbibing on your Costa Rica vacation.

And remember to drink responsibly!

Post by CRG

Currency Exchange in Costa Rica – 10 Tips

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I thought I’d take a risk and post something sort of boring, yet insanely useful to readers.

Since 99.99% of our Costa Rica vacation customers ask about currency exchange, I figured a post on that topic might fill the bill for usefulness.

So, here are my 10 tips on currency exchange in Costa Rica.

1. Currency Math – Since I am no math genius, I have simplified the issue by assuming a currency exchange of 500 (colones – by the way that is what Costa Rica currency is called) to $1.00 (good old U.S. greenback). Since most tourism related transactions do not involve large quantities of dinero (money for a Spanish-speaking person), it really doesn’t matter a whole heap if the rate is 500 to 1, or 545 to 1. Using 500, a nice round number, keeps it simple enough for even me to do the math in my head.

Costa Rica bills come in the following denominations…

– 1,000 divided by 500 = $2.00
– 2,000 divided by 500 = $4.00
– 5,000 divided by 500 = $10.00
– 10,000 divided by 500 = $20.00
– 20,000 divided by 500 = $40.00

Simple enough?

We actually have a 50,000 bill now (I’ll let you guess what that translates to in dollars), but it is as rare as the resplendent quetzal…I have yet to actually see one in circulation.

2. How Much to Exchange – Costa Rican merchants readily accept dollars and credit cards, so it’s really not necessary to be in a frantic rush to exchange a bunch of money. I always recommend exchanging a small amount, say $100, and once that get’s low, then do it again.

3. Where to Exchange – Don’t do it in the airport as the currency exchange kiosks in there operate at the least competitive rates imaginable. The best and most convenient place is right at your hotel front desk. But they probably won’t exchange more than the aforementioned $100 at a time.

Other places are banks and “Servimas” booths, usually located in certain grocery store chains like “Mas por Menos.” But get ready to wait in line at those places to save a couple of pennies. Like I said, just do it at the hotel front desk and you won’t waste the time that should be used enjoying your vacation.

4. Paying with U.S. Currency (and credit cards) – As was mentioned above, you can pay for most things with U.S. currency or credit cards. Change will invariably be given in local currency, which is why it helps to get jiggy with the currency math (see primer above).

So, why do I need local currency? Mainly to pay for things like the following:

– taxi cabs
– street vendors
– small grocery stores (called “pulperias”)
– small restaurants (called “sodas”)

The reason those places might not accept dollars is because they cater mainly to local people who pay in colones. So they are just not accustomed to receiving dollars the way places are that cater to tourists.

5. Large U.S. Bills – If you are in a rural place and all you have is a wad of $50 and $100 bills, consider yourself as broke as an artichoke. No one will take them, except a bank and even then after careful and excruciating examination of the bill’s molecular structure. So, make sure that your foreign currency is kept in small denominations, nothing larger than a $20 is highly recommended.

6. Bills in Bad Shape – Also make sure your U.S. dollars are at least in semi-mint condition. If they have a bit of wear and tear about them, they might be rejected…even at a bank.

7. Getting Cash from Machines – Yes we do have ATMs in Costa Rica. Usually, these days, they will dispense either local currency, or U.S. dollars. So, if you have a debit card, or a credit card with cash advance permission, then ATM machines are a very convenient way to get local currency. There will generally be a pretty hefty ATM fee or around $3,00 per transaction though. Whether or not your bank will charge some type of “foreign transaction” fee is something you will have to check with your bank…I know mine doesn’t.

8. Using Traveler’s Checks in Costa Rica – My strong advice is forget about it. The only way you’ll be able to use them is by first enduring a painful process of going to the bank to exchange them for money. And even then, there is no guarantee for success. They are just an outmoded way of dealing with money during travel and it doesn’t work well…at least not in Costa Rica.

9. That Damn 23% Charge – When you buy a meal at a restaurant or a bar in Costa Rica and use your credit card, you will notice two charges that might alarm you. One has the initials I.S. and the other I.V. The one with the I.S. is for “impuestos de servicios” and is a 10% tip that is almost always included in your bill. While that might get you hot under the collar, settle down a bit because no one expects you to leave anything over and above that required tip. The one with the I.V. is for “impuestos de ventas” and is the Costa Rican sales tax of 13%.

And yes those fees are also added if you pay with cash…colones or dollars.

10. Currency Exchange Rate Etiquette – Usually most merchants will use the 500 mentioned at the outset, since that makes the math easy for them as well. But if you want to be sure you can always ask by saying “cual es el tipo de cambio?” If you want to whip out a calculator (like the one on your Iphone) and do the math that way, that’s fine (even though a little awkward). But don’t get too anxious because most vendors are not out to “get the gringo” by making currency exchange errors in their favor.

But watch out for taxi cab drivers…which is why I recommend having some colones to pay those guys. And, of course, get fluent with your exchange rate math before you really need it.

I hope this little primer on currency exchange in Costa Rica has been helpful.

By the way, we have a document that we always send out to customers who book Costa Rica vacations with us entitled Useful Tips and Information. It is loaded with information like what was provided in this post, but a lot of other stuff too. In the spirit of connection-age benevolence I have inserted a link where you can download it.

And while you’re at it do me a flattering favor and fill out the form below to sign up on our email list and receive my 100 Cool Things to do in Costa Rica eBook.

Post by CRG

My 10 Favorite Costa Rica Beaches

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Awhile back I stumbled upon a Travel + Leisure article that included two of Costa Rica’s beaches in their list of the “32” best beaches on earth. The two that made the list are Playa Montezuma at the tip of the Nicoya Peninsula and Playa Grande on Guanacaste’s “gold coast.”

While those two beaches are certainly nice beaches…I am not sure why those two were chosen to represent Costa Rica as opposed to many others that I believe could (or should) have been chosen.

So, I decided to put in my own 2-cents with the following list of my favorite Costa Rica beaches. The below list contains my top 9 (other than the one on the T+L list that I would also include).

Oh and later on in the post I will let you know which of the 2 that T+L listed that I would definitely include on my list of favorites.

So, here goes…

Southern Caribbean Beaches

Cahuita National Park – the southern Caribbean of Costa Rica certainly has some of Costa Rica’s most scenic beaches and Cahuita National Park is definitely one of them. It is a long stretch of white sand, crystal clear and calm water, with a great hiking trail loaded with flora and fauna.

Mazanillo-Gandoca – I have written before (most notably in my eBook) about this place. It is at the point where the southern Caribbean coastal road ends. It is private wildlife refuge with some of the most fantastic beach landscapes you can find anywhere. There are countless coves where you can generally have a beach all to yourself. The refuge is also great for hiking with a ton of biodiversity.

Southern Pacific Beaches

Playa Hermosa (the one south of Dominical) – this is my favorite beach to go to that is close to where I live in Perez Zeledon. It is a long and (at low tide) wide beach that is great for walking, biking, sunning and, especially, surfing. Located between Dominical and Uvita.

Marina Ballena National Park – This is where you will find the famous “whale’s-tail” formation. It is basically a rocky sand-bar that fans out to form what looks like a whale’s tail. That is quite ironic since the open waters where it is located are some of the best in the world for spotting migrating humpback whales. Best to always go at low tide to be able to hike out to the end of the whale’s tail.

Cabo Matapalo & Playa Pan Dulce – These two are located on the southern tip of the Osa Peninsula. It is not that easy to get to, but if you can make it there, well worth it. It is a great place to visit if you happen to be spending a few nights at the Lapa Rios Eco-lodge.

Central Pacific Beaches

Manuel Antonio National Park – How can you have a best beaches in Costa Rica list and not include this place? It is one of the most visited national parks in the country and is a veritable “natural zoo” with an extraordinary amount of wildlife. It also includes several spectacular white sand beaches.

Playa Blanca – this is a gorgeous crystal white sand beach that is located inside the Punta Leona Resort. It is consistently rated as one of the cleanest beaches in the country.

Nicoya Peninsula Beaches

Playa Samara – one of Costa Rica’s widest beaches. Samara is a happening little beach town and, unlike Jaco, this place also has a really great beach to boot. Well worth a visit.

Playa Guiones – Surfer’s paradise, hand’s down, but also just a really gorgeous beach.

And finally, drum roll please, the one on the T+L list that I would also include is…

Playa Montezuma, also on the Nicoya Peninsula – Okay, I will admit T+L got it right with this place. Truly one of Costa Rica’s best beaches and coolest little beach communities. I love Monte-fuma!

I just couldn’t sit by and allow only two of Costa Rica’s great beaches to get recognized over all the others. Even with my list of 10 above, there are many more that are worth visiting. Let’s face it, Costa Rica has some of the best coastal real estate on the planet

Thankfully, unlike most places in the world, here the beaches are generally not for sale.

Flickr Photos  of Costa Rica Beaches

Post by CRG

Costa Rica Seasons

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Growing up I always looked forward to the transition between seasons.  It always seemed to bring about a fresh outlook on life.  That things were changing, hopefully for the better.  I guess I’ve always been an eternal optimist, clinging to the idea that the future will be better than the past.

When one thinks of a tropical country like Costa Rica, so close to the equator, what comes to mind generally is a place like Florida where there really is no notable change in the seasons.  But that’s really not the case here.

We have two Costa Rica seasons, summer (or verano) and winter (invierno).  Winter is the longest season and lasts from say mid-May until the mid-November.  During that time we get rain most days.  In dense tropical areas like the deep southern pacific coast it can rain non-stop for days on end.  In the higher elevations, like San Jose, the rains are generally in the afternoons.  In the northern pacific area, the province of Guancaste, the rainy season is more compact and the dry season longer.  On the Caribbean coast the seasons are somewhat inverse to the rest of the country, with dry weather occurring at times of the most severe wetness on the Pacific Coast.

This tiny country is such an amazing study in contrasts, both environmentally and culturally.  It makes living here unique and always adventurous.  The period we are experiencing now in San Jose is the beginning of summer with winds blowing the clouds away for verano to ensue with full force sunshine.  This transition period will last through Christmas. I like this time of the year, especially in San Jose, when the days are fresh and the nights chilly enough for a nice warm coat.

Mornings are crisp and clear and the evening sunsets are extraordinary during this period.  I love it because just like during my Carolina childhood days, this changing of the seasons marks a change in the circumstances of life.

Change is good when viewed from the right, optimistic, perspective.

I love the Costa Rica seasons.  I love the sun and the rain. I embrace the change, the contrasts that make life seem more alive and worth living.

Prostitution in Costa Rica

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How do I really feel about prostitution in Costa Rica?

Well, make no mistake about it, it’s BIG business here.

First of all, I certainly don’t write any of this with even the slightest hint of judgment against anyone who participates, or has ever participated.

I do certainly, however, condemn any form of exploitation of children and applaud the government and all organizations that seek to ferret out and bring to justice anyone who engages in such criminal behaviour.

Here I’m writing specifically about Costa Rican “legal” sex tourism, the kind that transpires every day and night in well known establishments, like the Hotel Del Rey and many others around the country.

Granted, there are no “victims” in this process.

Those girls make a willing decision to engage and I simply don’t buy the argument that it’s their only choice. I believe most hard working Costa Rican single mothers would take strong issue with any argument that these women are compelled to be prostitutes by their circumstances of life.

And on both sides of the equation you have the users and the used.

I’m not going to touch on the religious, or moral, implications of this. For that you can read your bible, or koran, or wherever your faith lies, and come to your own conclusions.

However, this activity does have consequences.

The prostitution “industry” is a black hole for any young lady who would succumb to the allure of “easy” money.

I say “easy” tongue in cheek because that money comes at the very high price of human dignity.

And it’s a black hole from which many never escape.

For the guys, it often comes as a shock that “love” cannot be bought…although many try.

The consequence sometimes being that marriages are ruined and families shattered.

I hate to be a party pooper, but those are the unexpected negative consequences, not to mention the risks of disease, rape, murder, theft, etc., that exist within the whole seedy environment created by the sex trade.

So, there you’ve got Costa Rica Guy’s two cents worth of opinion on prostitution in Costa Rica.

Oh for sure, let the party go on, as it has for thousands of years.

But when it’s over, the hangover always happens. I guess the question is whether the pleasure is worth that pain?

I’ll leave that to individual decision.

Maybe it all comes down to the idea that lives and the bodies they inhabit were created to be cherished, not used.

My advice to the curious, proceed with due caution and at your own risk.

A Costa Rica Bird Song

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I have written repeatedly about the incredible depth of biological diversity that exists in Costa Rica. And the variety of Costa Rica bird species is one aspect where that diversity is displayed dramatically.

There are almost 900 different species, more than in the entire U.S. and Canada combined…compacted into an area the size of West Virginia.

Have you ever wondered why out of all the creatures, birds tend to be the most delicate and beautiful of all?

Maybe it’s because they are the closest of all the species to angels, both of whom are not bound by the constraints of gravity, like the rest.

Just venture up into the Talamanca mountains to a place like San Gerardo de Dota. There’s something so serene and peaceful about this place deep in the heart of Costa Rica’s highest range.

San Gerardo de Dota has the reputation as the best place to see the mythical Resplendent Quetzal. However, even if you aren’t lucky enough to catch a Quetzal early in the morning midst dining on the fruit of the aguacatillo tree, a whole host of other species also await the bird watching enthusiast.

One of my favorite highland species is the Jilguero, which has the most hypnotic and other-worldy song of all the birds.

Some regard “bird watching” as a recreational activity for the old folks. Well, I turned 54 today, so I guess I’m finally getting on up there. Maybe that’s why this past-time has appeal to me these days.

But I believe it’s also because as we age we become wiser and more in tune to those little things that make life more meaningful.

Can you imagine what life would be like without birds?

We sometimes jokingly say that things are “going to the birds.” The truth is that we take birds for granted far too often, when in reality they are creatures that if we take time to really notice, will bring a deeper realization of the amazing complexity and simplicity of life.

In Costa Rica, if you’re not noticing the birds, well then, you’re just not paying attention.

The birds of Costa Rica have captivated me as have many things in this tiny piece of paradise I call home. I don’t believe I will ever grow tired of learning more about them. They are creatures that seem to exist for the purpose of adding a little color to the sometimes olive-drab hues of life.

Costa Rica Peace Dividend

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Costa Rica Peace Dividend

Costa Rica is unique in many ways.

One of its most dramatic and puzzling (to North Americans) attributes is its lack of a military and commitment to Costa Rica peace.

Many ask how can Costa Rica be safe when there has been so much strife to its north and south without a military to protect itself?

To understand more fully Costa Rica’s steadfast commitment to remaining neutral in the numerous conflicts of its neighbors, a bit of a Costa Rican history lesson is needed.

Like the U.S., Costa Rica was hit hard by the worldwide economic crisis of the late 1920’s known as the Great Depression. This gave way to increased influence of the Communist party and social unrest. The “New Deal” for Costa Rica came with the election of president Rafael Ángel Calderón Guardia, who served from 1940 to 1944.

His administration enacted sweeping economic and social reforms, such as social security and the labor code. However, the mercantile elite did not support Calderón’s reforms and linked him with the Communist party.

In 1944, Calderón’s candidate, Teodoro Picado was elected, but his election was declared fraudulent by Calderón’s opponents. Despite Picado’s attempts to appease the opposition, mistrust in government grew during the period from 1944 to 1948.

In the election of 1948, Otilio Ulate defeated Calderón, who was seeking re-election. But the results were annulled by the Congress, which was dominated with Calderón supporters.

This quickly led to Costa Rica’s only civil war, with the opposition led by José “Pepe” Figueres Ferrer.

The Figueres’ led militia defeated the weak Costa Rican military in an armed conflict that lasted only five weeks, but left some 2,000 dead.

Figueres’ first move was to outlaw the Communist party. He also rejected the so-called “Pacto Caribe”, that would’ve allowed Costa Rica to be used as a base for campaigns against its neighbor’s dictatorial regimes.

But the most famous decree came 66 years ago, on December 1, 1948, when Figueres abolished the military.

A new constitution was adopted that gave women and blacks the right to vote. The Supreme Electoral Tribunal was established to monitor elections and prevent future electoral fraud.

Figueres stepped down after 18 months, handing his power over to Otilio Ulate, and ever since Costa Ricans have settled their political arguments peacefully and democratically. Under Figueres democratic freedoms were enshrined in Costa Rica.

The abolition of the military allowed the government to invest more in social programs like health care and education. In the ensuing years the middle class was elevated.

Don Pepe, as he is affectionately called by the ticos, died in 1990 at the age of 84.

Costa Rican’s owe a great deal of gratitude to Don Pepe and his courageous actions that help to make Costa Rica perhaps the most free and democratic of all Latin American countries.

Since those days Costa Rica has remained neutral in the conflicts that have brewed in neighboring nations. During the late 80’s when the civil war was raging in Nicaragua, Costa Rica refused to allow the U.S. to use the country as a base of military operations.

And it was Costa Rica’s then president Oscar Arias who negotiated an accord that helped bring about peace in Nicaragua. Arias won the Nobel Peace Prize as a result of his efforts.

It has been that commitment to peace that has defined Costa Rica and made it an admiration of the world and a wonderful place to live and to visit.

10 Tips for Staying Safe in Costa Rica

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The post today lists 10 “legitimate” risks of Costa Rica travel, along with Costa Rica Guy’s 10 tips for staying safe in Costa Rica…

1. Getting Robbed – keep your sh** with you (or at least within eye site if you’re a fast runner) and if renting a car, don’t leave anything in the car…anywhere…since valuables in a rental car are to a thief in Costa Rica like a bleeding (in the ocean) Peter Benchley is to a Great White Shark…

2. Getting Robbed by a Hooker – don’t pay for sex….

3. Dengue – OFF works!

4. Getting Swept Away by a Landslide – duck, dodge and … dodge…

5. Drowning in the Ocean – don’t swim in it (at least not past knee deep)…

6. Getting Eaten by a Croc – go for the eyes!

7. Catching Food Poisoning – smell first…

8. Drinking Bad Water – don’t go to Mexico either immediately before or after your visit…

9. Getting Arrested – obey the law (at least in public)…

10. Having an Awkward Communication Moment (aka, an “ACM”) – learn to say “can you speak English” in Spanish (WTF?)…

There you have it, Costa Rica Guy’s 10 Tips for staying safe in Costa Rica.

Pura Vida!

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