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Guanacaste…more than beaches!

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Guanacaste Costa Rica

Guanacaste Costa Rica is one of the country’s seven provinces.  Located in the Northwest side of the country and famous for its white sandy beaches, this region has much more to offer than white sand and waves.

Costa Rica would not be the same without it, for it is here where we find elements of great importance to the folklore of the nation. The marimba music, their dances and their “tortillas palmeadas” enrich the lives of locals and lift spirits of visitors.

Pottery made in the ancient Chorotega tradition from baked clay is sold throughout the country, but comes primarily from the small Guanacaste town of Guaitil. The Chorotegas (indigenous people now extinct) used the same methods thousands of years ago.

The province is named after the national tree which has its origin in this region.

Guanacaste is home to one of the last remaining tropical dry forests, the most threatened ecosystem in Central America with only two percent of its original coverage. It also has volcanoes, natural lagoons where tourists can swim peacefully and even hot springs. Guancaste Costa Rica is all about the tourism, with hotels of all categories and tour operators that allow experiences as diverse as diving trips, snorkeling, fishing, natural history walks, bird watching and turtle nesting, boating, surfing, rafting, horseback riding , canopy and rappel.

It is easy to get there. Liberia, the capital of the province has its own international airport.

Consider a visit to Guanacaste Costa Rica and experience its ancient traditions and gorgeous beaches!

 

Conquering Chirripo – Round 2

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Just returned from my second 2-day long ordeal to reach the top of Costa Rica, Cerro Chirripo.  First a few facts about this sacred mountain (sacred to me because of the blood, sweat and tears, yes tears, I have shed upon its rocky flanks)….

  • highest mountain in Costa Rica, with an elevation of 3,820 meters (12,533 ft)
  •  38th most prominent peak in the world
  • from the trail-head, the summit can be reached via a 19.5-kilometer (12.1 mi) hike
  • it is possible on clear days to see from coast to coast, from the Pacific Ocean to the Caribbean Sea

Now for the statistics of my latest Chirripo conquest….

  • trail-head to Base Crestones (the very “bare-bones” base-camp where one spends a cold night prior to striking out for the summit) – 7 hours, 13 minutes
  • Base Crestones to summit and return to Base – 4 hours, 15 minutes
  • Base Crestones to trail-head – 5 hours, 15 minutes
  • total hike time – 16 hours, 43 minutes

Chirripo is an endurance test for anyone, let alone a 52 year-old who likes his Imperials and tragos de Flor de Caña a bit too much.  But apart from the sheer effort it takes to arrive at the top, there is an intense spiritual element in the experience, at least for me.  Once you enter into the valle de los conejos you reach a point of environmental nirvana that is as completely unsullied in its natural state as one can find on this planet and accessible to the human form without risking one’s life and limb (and bank account) to get there…..Everest comes to mind, but how many have died on its icy slopes?  Some really do pay a dear price as one unlucky man with a dislocated vertebrae was awaiting a helicopter to bring him back down to a hospital (at a price of around $5,000).  I am fortunate to say that my price was merely sore feet (my shoes were a bit too snug for the descent to be anything but a painful experience).

I made the trek this time with my buddy David Picado (he was unable to make the summit due to a bum knee that was aggravated on the 7 plus hour ascent to Base) and my 15 year-old sobrino (nephew for you gringos), Sebastian (or, Sebas as we like to call him).  Chirripo remains hidden from sight for most of the trek and only reveals itself about a kilometer or so prior to reaching the summit.  Sebas must have asked me a hundred times which peak was indeed Chirripo, as the park is home to numerous ones that closely rival the namesake in height.  But once you get that first glimpse of the jagged triangular peak one’s initial reaction is to gasp (at both its immaculateness and due to the fact that you know you must get up there….somehow).

And that somehow is basically with every ounce of energy your arms and legs can muster as you strain towards the top against gravity and lack of oxygen.  Once you arrive you are greeted with the most magnificent view that I have had privilege of laying eyes upon in my 52 years above ground.  I have not seen it myself, but they say on particularly clear days both oceans (Pacific and Caribbean) are visible.

I hope that this is not my last visit to this hallowed rocky parcel of my beloved Tiquicia.  In fact, I plan (at least in my head) to make the trek once a year for as long as my legs and lungs will allow it.  And since I live only an hour from the trail-head, there aren’t too many excuses for not doing so.  Chirripo presents a rough reminder of our mortality.  But also of the immortal nature of the human spirit as well as the author and creator of both.

Self Sustainability

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I have written quite a bit in this blog over the years on the topic of sustainability.  Most of the posts have concerned environmental sustainability and managing our impacts in order not to do ecological harm.  This morning I want to twist that topic around a bit and point it back at ourselves so as not to do self-harm.  How can we live lives that help us to be more self sustainable and less reliant on others, such as the phone company, electric company, bread, milk and cheese companies and other mass manufacturers of the sh** we consume into our bodies on a regular basis.

Having more control over one’s life is a good thing.  I know that to be especially true in business.  The more I can control, or at least exert a high degree of influence over, the better I can predict what will happen next and that is always a good thing in business.  And I believe the principle also should apply to the business of life.  In our quest for convenience and luxury I am afraid we have ceded far too much control to corporations who are more concerned with “shareholder return” than “customer well-being.”  Examples can be found lurking right inside your fridge.  Food that is mass produced is full of stuff we don’t know is there and if we did (and the long-term effect it can have) we probably wouldn’t dare eat it.  So why not produce our own food?

Some time ago I got into organic gardening.  The reason I did so is exactly in line with the topic of this post.  To be more self-sustainable and less reliant on the Acme Corporation to make sure I am properly nourished.  Oh sure those huge carrots and strawberries in the produce section of Walmart look healthy, but they’re not.  They are grown in food factories that inject all manner of chemicals and pesticides to make growing them as efficient and profitable as possible.  That stuff might be good for the bottom line, but it ain’t good for the personal bottom line….on which your ass is squarely placed.  So I tried to learn how to grow my own food.  Organic gardening is great as long as (1) you have a place to do it, (2) time to do it and (3) you don’t plan to move any time soon (organic gardens are not very portable).  But because I really had none of the above conditions met very well, I migrated to another form of self-production of healthy food…..hydroponic gardening.

When I first starting researching it I came across all these complicated systems of doing hydroponic gardening that were expensive and required an engineering degree from MIT to implement.  That is until I moved to Perez Zeledon and stumbled into my now good-friend, David Picado.  David, who is sort of a tico-whiz-kid, took a course offered by INA (which is the Costa Rican free education system for ticos to learn all sort of trades and skills) in hydroponic gardening and then started his own little business constructing and installing personal hydroponic green houses.  Like the kind I have had in my back yard for a year now.  They require very little space and can be moved relatively easily.  In fact the concept of hydroponic gardening the Picado way could be installed in space as small as a 50th floor balcony overlooking Central Park.  You can do it virtually anywhere.  And the cool thing is that the plants grow incredibly fast and delicious.  So fast that you can be eating lettuce from your garden in about a month.  All it takes is a little sustaining substance for the plant roots (we use carbon), sunlight and the proper amount of liquid nutrient that you administer to the roots daily.  That last part is a bit complicated for this blog post, but stay tuned for more.

Self sustainability, via hydroponic (or organic) gardening and other means is cool as hell and if the world caught on, there would be more health, less hunger and less greed.  That to me is a good thing.

About a Mountain

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There’s just something about a mountain.  I grew up a flat-lander, on the coasts of North and South Carolina.  However, I have always been drawn mysteriously, like some cosmic magnetic pull, to the mountains.  Maybe that is the chief reason I love Costa Rica so much.  I have often wondered what exactly is it that keeps me glued here?  I believe it may be the mountains and Costa Rica has them in abundant supply.  So many people flock to Costa Rica for its beaches, or to see the Arenal Volcano.  Granted Costa Rica has gorgeous beaches and the Arenal Volcano is an amazing sight to behold, but for yours truly the real magic is in the mountains.  When I look up at the majestic peaks right outside my window as I sit writing this morning, I feel inspired and I start to wonder.  What would it be like to stand on top of that peak right now?  How long would it take to get there?  What is life like for the people I can see living within the folds of that beautiful vibrantly green mountain?  What could I discover in a journey to the top?  I am a person with a fairly high sense of adventure.  Mountains are the best way I know of to satisfy my craving.  My oldest daughter and I once hiked to the summit of Chirripo, Costa Rica’s tallest peak (at around 12,500 feet).  It was one of the most grueling two day adventures I have ever had, yet completely exhilarating.

I think mountains serve to give one a sense of constancy, something that can be relied upon.  They have been there for quite a long  time, and probably, hopefully, won’t be leaving any time soon.  I can rely on the fact that whenever I leave Costa Rica, usually for flatter ground, those mountains will still be there when I return.  It always comes as a relief to see them.  It feels like home.  When I am really stressed out by the general hustle and bustle of living in a pretty large city (San Jose), where do I head to escape?  The mountains.  I have my favorite little hideaways.  Places where no one could ever hope to find me.  Neither ex’s nor IRS agents could ever get to me up there.  I can look down upon everything I imagine might be happening below and feel a sense of removal, the quiet calm of being “above the fray.”  I really need those mountains, almost as much as water, food and fresh air.  Because, my friend, they are food for my soul and without a way to nourish the soul we tend to slip down a rung or two on the ladder of evolutionary growth.  It is not a coincidence that mountains lead you up, a little closer to heaven.

Hay algo acerca de una montaña. Crecí un piso-sonda, en las costas de Norte y Carolina del Sur. Sin embargo, siempre he sido elaborado misteriosamente, como una atracción magnética cósmica, a las montañas. Tal vez esa es una razón por la que amamos a Costa Rica tanto. A menudo me he preguntado qué es exactamente lo que me mantiene pegado en esta lista? Creo que puede ser las montañas y Costa Rica los tiene en abundancia. Así que muchas personas acuden a Costa Rica por sus playas, o para ver el Volcán Arenal. Por supuesto Costa Rica tiene hermosas playas y el Volcán Arenal es un espectáculo impresionante para la vista, pero para su servidor la magia de lo real está en las montañas. Cuando miro hacia las cumbres majestuosas justo afuera de mi ventana, me siento inspirado y me pongo a pensar. ¿Cómo sería estar de pie en la cima de ese pico en este momento? ¿Cuánto tiempo se tarda en llegar? ¿Qué es la vida de la gente que puede ver que viven dentro de los pliegues de la montaña hermosa vibrante color verde? ¿Qué podía descubrir en un viaje a la cima? Soy una persona con un sentido bastante alto de aventura. Las montañas son la mejor manera que conozco para satisfacer mi deseo. Mi hija mayor y una vez subió a la cima del Chirripó, el pico más alto de Costa Rica (en torno a 12.500 pies). Fue uno de los más agotadores días dos aventuras que he tenido, sin embargo, totalmente emocionante.

Creo que las montañas sirven para dar un sentido de constancia, algo que se puede confiar. Ellos han estado allí por mucho tiempo, y probablemente, con suerte, no se irá en el corto plazo. Puedo confiar en el hecho de que cada vez que salgo de Costa Rica, por lo general de un terreno plano, las montañas todavía estará allí cuando regrese. Siempre es un alivio para verlos. Se siente como en casa. Cuando estoy muy estresada por el ajetreo y el bullicio general de vivir en una ciudad bastante grande (San José), ¿dónde me dirijo para escapar …. las montañas. Yo tengo mis rincones favoritos de poco. Lugares donde nadie podía esperar que me encuentre. Ni los ex’s ni agentes del IRS, ni nunca podría llegar a mí allí. Puedo mirar hacia abajo a todo lo que puedo imaginar que podría estar sucediendo a continuación y una sensación de retiro, la tranquilidad de estar “por encima de la refriega.” Realmente necesito esas montañas, casi tanto como el agua, los alimentos y el aire fresco. Porque, que son alimento para mi alma y sin una manera de alimentar el alma que tienden a deslizarse hacia abajo un peldaño o dos en la escala de crecimiento evolutivo. No es una coincidencia que las montañas que conducen, un poco más cerca del cielo.

Of Gringo Origin

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Where did the word “gringo” (or in feminine form, “gringa”) come from anyway? I have heard many stories, including the oft told one about the Mexicans during the Mexican-American war imploring the U.S. soldiers in green uniforms to leave their country by shouting “green go!” However, according to Wikipedia that is just a story and bears no resemblance to the truth. There are many other such “legends” surrounding the origin of the term throughout Latin America, where the word is used to refer to white people from the U.S.A. Gringo, it seems, appeared in the Spanish language in the early 19th century and is a derivation of the word “griego,” meaning Greek. It was used to denote an indecipherable language along the lines of “it sounds Greek to me.” Alternatively, it may have first been used simply to refer to a foreign person, a “greek.” In Costa Rica, gringo is used to refer to folks from the U.S. However, it is not used in any pejorative sense. It is just a way of referring to us “gringos” and nothing ugly or offensive is meant by it. That leads me to address the deeper question of what do the ticos really think about us “gringos” anyway? I am often asked by my customers about tico attitudes towards gringos. The answer is a bit complicated. On a general level the U.S. is viewed as the proverbial “800 pound gorilla” that is a bit too fond of “throwing its weight around.” That attitude, one of an “imperialist U.S.A.” is not nearly as deeply entrenched here in Costa Rica as it is in, say, Nicaragua or Panama, both of whom have a living generation that bore witness to U.S. intervention. Costa Rica has always enjoyed a relatively cozy relationship with the U.S. and has never had to endure U.S. occupation or intervention….well there was a little bit of an attempt during the Ollie North-Iran-Contra episode of the late 1980’s, the left-overs of which can be viewed even today in Manuel Antonio in the form of a fine dining experience (a cargo plane from North’s operation of delivering arms to the Contras was transported from the clandestine airstrip in Northern Guanacaste to Manuel Antonio and converted into the popular restaurant known as “El Avion.”). Costa Rica is the number one tourism destination in Central America and fast becoming one of the hottest in the world. Over 50% of tourists are from the U.S. So, it goes without saying, Costa Ricans certainly do enjoy the “green” of the gringos. I have heard it said that the economic motivation behind the environmental protectionism in Costa Rica is because they want to keep the country green so they can get your (the U.S. tourist’s) green (dollars, that is). Due to the fact that most ticos view the U.S. as a “rich” country, and most gringos as wealthy, there is a tendency by many to view us as having a big $$-sign stamped on our foreheads. This can translate into things like price discrimination….the so called “gringo-price.” That is most often associated with real estate, but it is not limited to that context. Gringo prices are charged for many simple services, like maid-service, car repair, yard-work, home or office rents, etc., etc. In fact, I would say that in the real estate context, in terms of buying and selling real estate (as opposed to leasing), that the market for resort properties has become efficient enough to where gringo prices no longer exist on as wide a level as they once did. I mean if you are talking about a beach property in, say, Jaco, there are now more gringo buyers than there are ticos, so why should the owner offer the tico a better price? That is a level of “cultural altruism” that I don’t think exists here in Costa Rica. It also makes no economic sense and ticos aren’t stupid. The common misconception that all gringos are rich can also interfere with the development of healthy relationships, either in terms of friends, or with members of the opposite sex.  The real motivation behind the relationship has to be carefully explored prior to committing to it too whole-heartedly.  I guess the bottom line is that while ticos are generally friendly to gringos, there is still that underlying level of suspicion, distrust and desire to “maintain some distance.” That is, if you visit here, or move here, don’t expect right away to be taken in as one of them, because you aren’t. You are a gringo and always will be. There are many things, however, you can do to win friends and influence people as a gringo in Costa Rica. One that is indispensable is to learn the language. Even a genuine, yet not so successful, attempt at doing so will go a long way toward gaining you respect amongst the ticos. Also, by all means leave any sense of an arrogant, impatient, I’m an “American” attitude behind, because that only fosters and foments the little bit of hostility that does exist here towards gringos, and in that case, it is a hostility that is well-deserved.

America and American

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This morning I feel compelled to address what has become a “pet peeve” of mine. It is the habit of folks from the U.S. to always refer to their homeland as “America” and to themselves in an exclusive manner as “Americans.” The fact is that “America” or “the Americas” consists of the continental land mass with three divisions, being North America (of which Central America is actually a part), the Isthmus of Panama and South America. The name America first appeared in the early 1500’s and is often attributed to the Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci, who explored the east coast of Brazil from 1499 to 1502 (although attributing the name to him has been disputed). This great land mass covers 8.3% of the surface of the earth, 28.4% of its land mass and contains 13.5% of its inhabitants.  It is also referred to as the “New World.” Before the explorers from Europe arrived on the scene it was entirely inhabited by native Indians. So when, where and how did the U.S. suddenly arrive to become widely known as “America” and solely the citizens of that one particular country (out of 35) as “Americans?” I can tell you as a fact that it is offensive to the folks here in Costa Rica to hear a person from the U.S. refer to his country, or to himself, “exclusively” in this way. What is meant by it anyway? Is it just a lazy, or ignorant, habit? Or is there some underlying motivation? Is it that we who are from the U.S. truly believe that we are so exceptional that we embody 100% of what it means to be “American” and that all those poor schleps to the North and South of us just don’t quite “cut the mustard?” The other day I wrote of Obama’s speech at Cairo University and of his quote in which he stated, “any world order that elevates one nation or group of people over another will inevitably fail.” Throughout the course of human history, nations, and groups of people within them, have done just that and it hasn’t generally led to good things. Anyone who calls home the northernmost reaches of Canada to the southernmost of Argentina, as well as all points in between, has the right to call him or herself “American.” It is just a geographical fact. There is a lot of resentment, however, especially amongst the people that inhabitant the southern region of the Americas. Why? They seem to have often gotten the “short end of the stick” when it comes to being part of America. They are often portrayed in U.S. culture as being of a lower class or social order (as in the gardener, house keeper, or drug dealer). In short, they have often been looked down upon from those to the north. This habit of referring to oneself, if you happen to be from the U.S., as American to me is just another arrogant example of that haughty mindset. I admit, I did the same thing when I arrived to Costa Rica and was scolded often for it. It was a habit that took some time to shed. But shedding that habit of speech, or, much worse, of thought, was the right thing to do. Yes I am American, but so are my brothers and sisters from Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, Colombia, and all other lands of the true Americas. If it sounds like I am lecturing, I am. So, the next time you become conscious that you are about to refer to the U.S. as America, think before you speak, especially if you are in the audience of someone who might be offended. It does matter. To a nation that consists almost entirely of immigrants, or descendants of immigrants, that should be understandable.

Welcome to the Border – May I take your Order?

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No, this post has nothing to do with Taco Bell.  I used to be what we call in Costa Rica a “perpetual tourist.” 

That’s one of those “types” who lives in Costa Rica on a tourist visa and just leaves every so-often (every 90 days as of the writing of this old post) to renew said visa…

I came here in 2001 on a business deal and for the next two years was traveling back and forth almost every month, therefore the thought of establishing “residency” never even occurred to me.  Then in 2004 I started a tourism business. For the first two years of that business I still traveled back and forth, so residency just didn’t seem necessary. Then in 2006 I made my permanent move and finally residency became important to me. 

So I got an attorney who promised that he could make my residency sail through the bureaucracy like grease through a goose.  A year later I was told that it wasn’t going to be as easy as first thought.  At that point I was frustrated and decided to hire another, supposedly more knowledgeable, attorney, who again told me pretty much the same.  A year later, still no residency.  By the end of 2008 I was still an f’ing tourist living in Costa Rica! 

As a perpetual tourist I had to leave the country every thee months for three days in order to renew my tourist visa.  I could go anywhere I chose, as long as I crossed the border and stayed put for three days, or seventy-two hours.  That is why there is that question on the immigration form you sign when you enter the country whereby you swear that you have been out of the country for seventy-two hours (look closely next time, it is there).

This was all fine and good in a way, as it kinda forced me to get to know our neighboring countries, like Nicaragua, Panama and even Colombia, which I visited the first time in 2008.  These places are actually very special too, despite political and social problems that still linger (especially in Nicaragua and Colombia).  It’s like getting to take a little mini-vacation every three months.

But the truth is, Costa Rica has an immigration problem.  I have heard there are some 500,000 illegal Nicaraguans living within these borders, not to mention Colombians, Panamanians, Dominicans, etc.  Proportionately speaking, the problem is even greater than in the U.S. 

I didn’t want to be part of that problem.

I am still trying to fight through the bureaucratic maze of Costa Rican Immigration and get my residency (although I really think at this point an “honorary residency” is in order…sort of along the lines of the “national convenience” decree that was issued to the billionaire Steve Case).  When I do finally get my residency, I plan to continue taking my little vacations to neighboring countries (I really would like to visit Peru). But at least I won’t carry around the stigma of being a “mojado indocumentado” any longer. And, at least, I won’t “have to!”

P.S.  For those of you out there who acquired your Costa Rican cedulas painlessly and effortlessly – GET A LIFE!

P.S.S. I did finally get my residency around 2009 (I think) and then 10 years later, became a full-fledged Costa Rican citizen.

Living on Tico Time

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North Americans are often aghast at the cultural attitudes of the Ticos about punctuality. It is said in Costa Rica that if you arrive on time to a scheduled meeting you are “early.”  If you arrive thirty minutes late you are “on time.”  And only if you arrive MORE than thirty minutes late are you, well, “late.”

There are some practical reasons for this, which are especially true in San Jose, as well as everywhere else. For instance, the traffic is at times absolutely atrocious (as are the roads in many areas) and getting from Point A to B takes about double the time you’re probably used to.

You are probably thinking well maybe, BUT you have to take all that into account and leave early enough so as to anticipate delays and still be punctual.  For those of you thinking that, what follows is good advice.  If you are going to come down here with that attitude, please stay home!!!

We just don’t think that far ahead down here.  We would rather burn our brain cells on other more important matters. Just look at my friend Mack in the picture above.  Does he look like he is worried about making it on time to his next scheduled meeting?  Of course not!!  He is engaged in a much more worthy pursuit, like kicking back with a cold Imperial.

An area where “Tico Time” is most evident is the never ending wait for the bill (or cuenta) when you complete your meal at virtually any restaurant in the country.  Now we  gringos are used to receiving the bill (or having it shoved down our throats) even before we have tasted the last morsel.  Not in Costa Rica, however.  If you are waiting to receive the bill get ready to wait a long long time.

Why is this?

Well in Costa Rica it is considered rude and socially unacceptable to bring the bill before being asked. In Costa Rica culture all social problems are resolved by talking it through for hours after finishing the meal.  Therefore, if you want the bill you have to say, repeat after me, “la cuenta por favor.”

And please always say please, because the culture here is very polite.  “Gracias” and “por favor” are always expected and appreciated.

Another phrase you might hear in Costa Rica regarding time is “hay mas tiempo que vida.”  That means that there is “more time than life,” which is great thought to always carry with you, wherever you are…

It signifies a focus that is more on the living than on the time which it occupies.

Pura Vida!

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