The Costa Rica Economy is Booming Through Tourism, and a Thriving Export Business
31.08.2007 18:19:33
(live-PR.com) -
There is much more to Costa Rica than beaches, potent coffee grains, and plush rain forests.
( EMAILWIRE.COM, August 31, 2007 ) Costa Rica -- Costa Rica leaders have historically invested in the nations future by providing all that its citizens need to thwart poverty. The people have been able to profit from a thriving export business and creating a nation where those investing in Costa Rica also prosper.
The beautiful Costa Rica Land is more than just a vacation destination. It is also home to over four thousand people. Home for Costa Ricans is 32,000 miles of varied terrain that is landlocked to the north by Nicaragua and in the south by Panama, and lets not forget the Caribbean Sea as well as the Pacific Ocean.
The history of the nation 10,000 years long, marks its modern day founding in the mid 1500’s. the nation developed slowly until the late 1800’s, a strong government had been set up and politicians were making bold national policies. Implementing free primary and secondary education for all citizens and even abolishing the death penalty. Last century, Costa Rica became a democratic nation, woman and blacks were given the right to vote. The national military was disbanded and Costa Rica was declared itself neutral nation. The nation’s citizens also enjoy free health care.
Costa Rica land is rich providing the nation with a healthy export business in coffee and bananas. These resources have been used to the point where they are the foundation of much of the country’s economy. Costa Rica has a sizable income from tourism and the export of electronics, textiles exotic flowers and more. Costa Rica real estate is presently proving to be the country’s most sought after commodity. This is due to the fact that Costa Rican officials have been offering irresistible incentives to buyers investing in Costa Rica real estate along the coast as well as inland real estate in Costa Rica.
About Paradise Brokers
Paradise Brokers www.paradisebrokers.com is developing paradise TM
in Costa Rica as a full service, turnkey real estate, development and property management company. Investors can now obtain developed land at undeveloped prices in the South Pacific coastal region, less than 30 minutes from the newly announced International Airport. Whether you are interested in golf course lots with ocean views, mountains, river or waterfall views, or beautiful coastline property, Paradise Brokers has it all; financing available. The company also owns a law firm, and four offices employing 14 licensed real estate agents. Paradise Brokers offers unparalleled service and accessibility and that’s why Chief Operating Officer, Nick Halverson says, “We didn’t create paradise, we made it accessible.” Through their concierge and booking company, they can arrange of all your travel, lodging and tourism excursions, plus they provide transportation within Costa Rica to view your property. This lucrative program comes with 100% money back guarantee.
For more information, contact 1-877 CRLand1, (1 877 275-2631) or in Dominical, Costa Rica call 506 787-0181. Grab your FREE 12-page report, ‘Amazing Guide to Costa Rica Riches’ NOW at www.developingparadise.com.
Costa Rica land, Costa Rica beach properties, Costa Rica real estate, Costa Rica Economy, Costa Rican, Caribbean Sea, Real Estate in Costa Rica, Developing Paradise, Paradise Brokers.
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The Power of Link Building and Public Relations
The Power of Link Building and Public Relations
By Justilien Gaspard , September 6, 2007
As local search heats up, the competition for the top organic spots becomes keen. This will only intensify as more local businesses enter search marketing, thereby increasing competition for organic results and the cost of an effective PPC campaign.
As the cost of PPC rises, more people will turn their attention to organic search. Additionally, we have all those national and international sites to compete against. In order to maintain your current rankings or even gain rankings, it is important to be proactive in link building now. It is much easier and less costly to maintain your current rankings than to try to catch up once you have slipped to page three, or seven, or 15 in search results.
The Link Building-Public Relations Connection
The beauty of link building for a company targeting geo-specific terms such as Orlando Resorts, Las Vegas Real Estate, or Miami Plastic Surgery is that it blends very well with marketing strategies such as public relations. If your company currently does not have a strong marketing department, consider hiring a skilled public relations consultant. With a little education on the power of links, your consultant can really get the attention of the right people.
This past July, I spoke at SES Travel about combining link building with online reputation management and public relations. To continue along this theme, I have put together some strategies to utilize your local presence in the community to build positive public relations and additional links at the same time.
* Donate Coffee and Food: For those in the hospitality industry such as resorts and hotels, utilize your down time resources to help your local community. Send hot coffee and food to a local fire department or a community outreach program. When a fire or other life-altering event strikes, use that event as a vehicle to help your community and gain public exposure at the same time. This is a perfect example of where the public relations person can step in and make sure the right media sources are aware.
* Schedule Speaking Events: Have members of your management team and top sales people speak at various events throughout the year. This could range from Chamber of Commerce events to economic development projects to college events. The idea is to get involved, seeking out those events that the media will most likely cover.
* Sponsor an Event: An event could range from Sunday music in the park to a job expo for returning veterans. Yes, your first thought might be, "that'll be expensive." However, if you find the right idea that benefits the community, it will be easy to team up with other companies and organizations to spread out the cost. Contact the mayors' office, business development corporations, non-profits, and most importantly, local media. Getting the local media involved will guarantee major coverage for your business and promotion of the event.
* Host Discussions: If you have access to conference or meeting facilities, host a discussion to help resolve issues that affect the community. Topics could range from reducing crime to how to keep talented students in the area once they graduate, often referred to as brain drain.
Taking the brain drain example, it is important to maximize media exposure to gain those links. This can be accomplished with a panel of well-known local leaders such as the CEO of a major corporation, a distinguished college professor, or political officials from local government. If you can get a senator or congressperson on the panel, that would be ideal since they generally have better public relations people than your local government officials. Include two college students who are about to graduate on the panel. This will provide a wide array of opinions and promote active discussion. Have each person speak on the topic for five minutes and then let him or her discuss the issue. For the last part of the discussion, invite questions from the audience.
* Present Awards: Give an award for the best teacher, firefighter, police officer, or any of the other underappreciated professions that are vital to our society. Get the local community involved by asking for nominations. Lower your cost by teaming up with another company. An example would be a general contractor teamed up with a travel agency to offer a vacation to Costa Rica as the prize.
These are just a few ideas I came up with off the top of my head. The opportunities are infinite, and you can brainstorm many more. Simply approach it as relationship building with your local community. The links will follow, especially if you have a good public relations person. Remember to make sure the person handling the publicity side of the operation is well versed on the value of links.
Senior Management Team for the Aruban Resort & Casino At Eagle Beach Announced
Source: KL Holding Company, N.V.
Senior Management Team for the Aruban Resort & Casino At Eagle Beach Announced
Team to Re-Launch the Former La Cabana Villas and Royal Cabana Casino
CHICAGO, Sept. 5, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- KL International, LLC, a closely held international resort and casino development company and the parent company of KL Holding Company, N.V., today announced its senior management team for its recently acquired timeshare resort and casino -- The Aruban Resort & Casino at Eagle Beach.
Gary A. Tadych was named Managing Director for KL International, LLC. Tadych is the President of The TAG Group, Inc., a privately held financial services and management advisory corporation that specializes in the negotiation and placement of asset-backed and conventional financing transactions for the Resort Development Industry.
Tadych has been active in the Resort Development Industry since 1973. He was responsible for negotiating and closing the industry's first AAA/Aaa rated asset- backed security utilizing timesharing receivables as collateral. He also negotiated, structured and placed the industry's first Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduit (REMIC)-qualified asset-backed offering.
Tadych is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin. He is the author of "Financing the Timeshare," published in the Urban Land Institute's publication of Timesharing II. He is a former member of The Chairman's League of American Resort Development Association (ARDA) and has served on the Vacation Timeshare Council (VTC) finance committee.
Farzin Ferdosi, also named Managing Director for KL International, LLC, has been active and a leader in the Resort Development Industry since 1981 and has been an industry innovator in the sales and marketing field. Most recently, Ferdosi has been involved with various resort, condominium and hotel developments in Hawaii, Mexico and Costa Rica.
Also on the KL International team is Frank Gazzolo, who was named Chief Financial Officer. Gazzolo, a Certified Public Accountant, has significant experience in P&L management, real estate development, financing, and asset and property management.
Most recently Gazzolo was a consultant as a due diligence underwriter to Inland Real Estate Group for three Private Placement REITS, which raised more than $11 billion. Previously, he was Vice President of Finance for Capital First Realty, Inc., a privately held real estate management and development company with a $300 million portfolio. He also was Chief Financial Officer of The Parkshore, a 478-unit luxury condominium conversion in Chicago, and its related construction company. Gazzolo graduated from the University of Illinois and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
The Aruban is the former La Cabana Villas and Royal Cabana Casino in Aruba. The property includes a 362-room timeshare and resort hotel consisting of two five-story buildings and two four-story buildings, a 48,000 square foot permanent casino, a restaurant (currently operating as a temporary casino) and recreational amenities. The Company recently sold $65 million in senior secured notes to institutional investors and purchased the resort assets for $50.3 million. When completed, the casino will be one of the largest in the Caribbean. In addition, the Company will be selling more than 15,000 timeshare interests in the refurbished hotel.
The Aruban Resort & Casino logo is available at http://www.primenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=4109
Safe Harbor Statement: The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a safe harbor for forward-looking information made on the Company's behalf. All statements, other than statements of historical facts which address the Company's expectations of sources of capital or which express the Company's expectation for the future with respect to financial performance or operating strategies, can be identified as forward-looking statements. Such statements made by the Company are based on knowledge of the environment in which it operates, but because of the factors previously listed, as well as other factors beyond the control of the Company, actual results may differ materially from the expectations expressed in any forward-looking statements.
CONTACT: KL Holding Company, N.V.
Phil Allen
(303) 898-0625
conejo3807@aol.com
www.TheAruban.com
Jose Ramon Barahona, a Salvadoran Who Never Gave Up His Dream
Jose Ramon Barahona, a Salvadoran Who Never Gave Up His Dream
September 5, 2007
Ivan Mejia -- EFE
Jose Ramon Barahona came to San Francisco in 1970 and was deported four days later, but he did not stop trying to achieve the "American Dream" and returned to become a successful businessman with activities in both the United States and his native El Salvador.
Barahona, 62, is currently the owner of a cleaning firm and seven restaurants of the Pollo Campero chain in Washington. In his country, he is the administrator of a number of farms.
"I came to San Francisco in 1970 with a tourist visa (and went) to the house of a friend, but on the fourth day he took me to work in the El Sombrero Grande restaurant, and I had been working for half an hour when immigration arrived and deported me the next day," Barahona told Efe in an interview.
After being deported, he waited just two weeks before traveling to the United States again.
"I crossed the border at Tijuana with an illegal visa, and from there I went to San Francisco. And I began looking for work in places different from restaurants, because immigration came there (frequently), and I began working repairing cement sidewalks," he said.
To fix his immigration status, he sought a lawyer who worked to get a government pardon for having worked for half an hour on a tourist visa - an immigration violation - and in 1974 he was granted legal residence in the United States.
"That year, I went to Washington to work as an orderly from the emergency room to the operating room in Suburban Hospital," Barahona said, adding that while he worked in hospitals he learned English to be able to pursue his studies in health care at the University of Maryland.
In 1977, with a partner, he applied for the permits to start the Able Service Maintenance company to do cleaning at hospitals and office buildings. The firm began operating with four workers and has since grown to about 500 employees.
"I came to have 12 hospitals (as clients)," he recalled, adding, "and we expanded to commercial buildings, clinics and radio and television stations, as well as to the Pentagon and the Capitol."
One day he returned to Washington from
Costa Rica and he noticed that when passengers boarded the airplane in El Salvador, many were carrying boxes of Pollo Campero takeout food. That happened on all the flights, and that's when Barahona got the idea for another of his business ventures.
"I decided to go and speak with the owners of Pollo Campero in Guatemala," he said, and he was able to acquire the franchise authorization to open seven stores in Washington starting in 2003.
Barahona, who declined to provide his gross annual revenues from his various businesses, is also a real estate investor and owns a sand quarry in Florida. All told, his businesses employ about 1,400 people.
"The ... United States is the promised land for me," said Barahona, who funnels a percentage of the profits from his companies to the Barahona Foundation, which helps low-income people pay for medical treatment and provides university scholarships to outstanding young people in the United States and Latin America.
For all his contributions to the community, on July 19, 1999, U.S. lawmakers honored him with the Congressional Medal of Freedom.
And for being an example for his countrymen, on Aug. 16, 2007, the Salvadoran Congress named him a "Meritorious Son of El Salvador."
"For me, it means that I fulfilled the dream of a responsible, disciplined, organized Salvadoran; but I owe the prize to the Salvadoran people," he said. EFE
The First Five-Star Resort On Costa Rica's Atlantic Coast Announced by Regional Expert Yalile Alpízar
The First Five-Star Resort On Costa Rica's Atlantic Coast Announced by Regional Expert Yalile Alpízar
At the Luxury Real Estate Spring Retreat in Key Biscayne, Fla. Yalile Alpízar, the president and owner of CostaRicaLuxuryEstates.com, presented an innovative project
Date Released: 05/30/2007
At the Luxury Real Estate Spring Retreat in Key Biscayne, Fla. Yalile Alpízar, the president and owner of CostaRicaLuxuryEstates.com, presented an innovative project along the Atlantic coast. This project is called IslaMoin, and it is the first five-star marina to be built between Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and the Panama Canal. IslaMoin will also be the first five-star resort on the Atlantic coast of Costa Rica.
For the first time in Costa Rica's history, there will be a luxury resort, residential community and marina development on the Atlantic side of the country. This location is outside the hurricane zone and is convenient for those who enjoy boating or yachting. An international airport is located within 15 minutes, along with a major sea port that is home to several cruise lines.
This unique location provides views of the water from all angles: from the dramatic ocean views, deep-water canals and a natural river that flows through IslaMoin. It is a community designed with quaint streets and walking paths between the low-rise resort residences, beachfront villas and home sites. One of the unique features of this property is the natural beauty of the preexisting landscape that has matured over the years and provides large palms, beautiful wild orchids, and hundreds of species of other flowers and fauna. IslaMoin is also surrounded by national parks and rain forests.
A luxury hotel is planned on the property so that full-time and part-time residents will enjoy all the amenities of a resort community. A residents-only clubhouse is planned and will provide owners with a recreation and fitness center, social center, a facility to accommodate special events, and a movie theater. Concierge and room services will be available anywhere on the property.
The City of Limon, with its native and colorful history of the old Costa Rica, was discovered by Christopher Columbus in the year 1502. Many of the old traditions, architecture and culture have remained much the same. In recent years tourists have been drawn to the area because of the national parks and natural beauty one can only experience in this part of Costa Rica. IslaMoin will help you discover what will be one of the most unique real estate and lifestyle opportunities.
Yalile Alpízar is available for contact by visiting her Web site at www.costaricaluxuryestates.com and requesting more details about IslaMoin.
About Luxury Real Estate
www.LuxuryRealEstate.com is the most-viewed luxury real estate Web site in the world. Luxury Real Estate is an international marketing network creating innovative connections between industry professionals, the finest properties they represent, and the world. Luxury Real Estate’s network of brokers and firms is called Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate, and it provides referrals and listings of luxury homes for sale to more than 1,100 members.
TAGS: Yalile Alpizar, Luxury Real Estate, Costa Rica Luxury Estates, Costa Rica, Luxury Resort, Marina, Central America, LuxuryRealEstate.com, CostaRicaLuxuryEstates.com, Who's Who in Luxury Real Estate, IslaMoin,
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Lapa Rios Ecolodge in Costa Rica Honored as a Sustainable Standard-Setter
Lapa Rios Ecolodge in Costa Rica Honored as a Sustainable Standard-Setter
May 15, 07 | 12:14 pm
OSA PENINSULA, Costa Rica—Announced today, Lapa Rios Ecolodge, a high end, eco-conscious resort in Costa Rica, has been honored as a 2007 Corporate Sustainable Standard-Setter by the highly respected Rainforest Alliance organization at its 20th anniversary gala in New York City. The prestigious recognition celebrates Lapa Rios’ “outstanding leadership efforts” in promoting both environmental and social sustainability.
A nonprofit international conservation organization, the Rainforest Alliance applauded Lapa Rios’ significantly advanced goals as a pioneering company for the green travel movement.
“The Rainforest Alliance is proud to honor these business leaders that have been incorporating a responsible approach into every day decisions and encouraging sustainable practices in agriculture, forestry and tourism,” said Tensie Whelan, executive director of the Rainforest Alliance. “We are encouraged by the expansion of a greener corporate culture that is helping tip global markets toward sustainability.”
Dedicated to providing the ultimate harmonious escape since 1993, Lapa Rios founders Karen and John Lewis work diligently to continually enhance and update Lapa Rios’ acclaimed Sustainability Program, focusing on the belief that ”acres of land are no needed nearly as much right now as acres of attitude.”
Tucked within 1,000 acres of Central America’s last remaining lowland tropical rainforest and overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the upscale wilderness resort offers interactive tourism with greater respect for the social-cultural and ecological interests of local communities, high service standards and the ability to protect and regenerate the natural environment and local customs.
Built as a private nature reserve, Lapa Rios blends seamlessly among its surroundings, featuring 16 suiita-thatch bungalows perched 350 feet above the churning sea, and a main lodge that houses a fine-dining restaurant and bar – all hidden beneath the dense, tropical canopy.
Not only do guests contribute to the conservation of the rainforest with a stay at Lapa Rios, they are offered the opportunity to learn about and truly experience a sustainable environment at its best. From Sunday night “sustainability chats” – where local conservationist groups discuss environmental issues with guests – to Tico Cooking Classes taught by local women and featuring Costa Rican cuisine, Lapa Rios Ecolodge thrives in educating eco-minded travelers.
Travelers seeking a slice of paradise are encouraged to visit www.laparios.com, where they can catch a glimpse of the endangered wildlife that freely roams the resort’s private nature reserve. From scarlet macaws and toucans to sloths and coatis, guests can easily soak up the colors of Costa Rica from the balcony of their eco-sensitive bungalow.
For more information on Lapa Rios, their detailed sustainability practices, or to inquire about packages, rates and reservations please visit http://www.laparios.com/ or call 506-735-5130 .
Destinations: Costa Rica abounds with beauty, flora and fauna
Destinations: Costa Rica abounds with beauty, flora and fauna
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By Bob Tremblay/Daily News staff
GHS
Wed May 16, 2007, 07:44 PM EDT
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The sun peeks above the treetops in San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica. The town's 7,000-foot elevation in the Talamanca mountains adds a coolness to the morning.
Four members of our Overseas Travel Adventure tour group have risen at dawn to go in search of the elusive, resplendent quetzal, the most famous bird in this Central American country.
Accompanied by our tour guide Rafael, we walk up a dirt road and see a man armed with a camera the size of a bazooka. Expectations rise as he has the camera trained on a quetzal nest in a hollow tree.
We don't wait long before the male quetzal arrives, and for our viewing pleasure, perches itself on a wire. Cameras click wildly. To say this bird is colorful is like saying Mount Everest is tall. Iridescently plumed, the quetzal has bright green wings and a red breast. Though its body is only about 14 inches long, its tail stretches to 2 feet. After kindly posing for us, it disappears in search of food for its brood only to return a short time later with a lizard in its beak. Cameras again click wildly as the quetzal flies to the nest and begins the feeding process. It's our very own Wild Kingdom moment.
Before this tour began, yours truly had limited exposure to and not much interest in bird-watching. I couldn't have identified a quetzal if it had pecked me in the forehead. By the end of the tour, however, I am looking forward to spotting these feathered friends. A great kiskadee, anyone?
Such is the impact of our 17-day trip focusing on Costa Rica's natural parks and tropical forests. For someone whose idea of communing with nature is swatting mosquitoes, this trip offers an eye-opening experience. Literally.
In addition to numerous birds - Costa Rica has 894 species - we see butterflies, including the bright blue, fist-sized morpho - the country has 1,000 species of butterflies - three-toed sloths, two-toed sloths, howler monkeys, spider monkeys, white-faced capuchin monkeys, crocodiles, tarantulas, snakes, iguanas, bats, leaf-cutter ants, anteaters, poison dart frogs, raccoon-like coatimundis, guinea pig-like agoutis and the Jesus Christ lizard - so-named because it walks on water. We also observe jaguars at the Las Pumas rehabilitation center.
On the flora side, we get an eyeful of orchids - Costa Rica has about 1,500 species of these colorful plants - and many species of trees such as the massive guanacaste.
Other visual treats include active volcanoes, rain forests, cloud forests, mangroves, a botanical garden, and beaches on the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.
As the trip emphasizes learning and discovery, we visit a coffee plantation, a banana plantation, the national theater, a museum, two native tribes, an educational farm where we extract sugar from sugar cane and a dairy farm where we try to a milk a cow and do make our own cheese, which we eat later. We make our own tortillas, too, and eat them as well. For the shoppers in our group, we make a few supermarket stops where we're introduced to Lizano, a terrific salsa, and learn what to look for when buying a pineapple.
Our group later visits a local school where we interact with elementary school children. Dressed in traditional clothing, they dance to Costa Rican music and are adorable. We dance the hokey-pokey and are not quite as adorable.
Afterward, our group is divided into smaller units and each goes to a Costa Rican family's house for a home-hosted lunch.
We also visit the village of Monteverde established by American Quakers in 1951. There, we meet Martha Campbell, the daughter of the community's founder who tells us about life in Monteverde and why the Quakers chose this location to live. It's no coincidence that the pacifist group selected as its new home a country that a few years earlier had abolished its army.
On the adventurous side, our tour group goes river rafting, horseback riding and kayaking. We even climb inside a strangler fig tree. Not for the claustrophobic. A highlight is an adrenaline-charged trek via zip line from tree to tree high above the forest floor. Having experts teach us how to do this safely diminishes the fear factor significantly. While my stomach still has a few knots in it, my wife Beverly whoops like Tarzan as zips across the wire.
For nature lovers and travel enthusiasts, Costa Rica provides a smorgasbord of delights and our trip serves up a plate full. For that, we say muchas gracias to Cambridge-based Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT). A sister company of Boston-based Grand Circle Travel, it specializes in small group travel for the over-50 set. Our troupe numbers 15 with members hailing from Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, California, Oregon, Ohio, New Mexico, Georgia, Texas and Kentucky.
We arrive in San Jose, Costa Rica's capital, from Miami following a 2<+>1<+>/<->2<->-hour flight. For the record, the time in Costa Rica is two hours earlier than Boston.
We choose April as our travel month since the rainy season in Costa Rica generally begins in May and runs through November. We say "generally" because some regions are drier than others and some are wetter. Ditto for heat and humidity. We are fortunate to have dry, warm weather during most of our trip.
To travel throughout Costa Rica, a country about the size of West Virginia, we ride in a mini-bus. Thankfully, it's air-conditioned. More importantly, our bus driver, Popi, proves to be a whiz on the road. A skilled driver is a must for Costa Rica, where many of the roads are winding and unpaved, and the typical Costa Rican motorist makes a Boston driver look well-mannered. Then there are the bridges. One we cross has more holes in it than a wheel of Swiss cheese.
As you can see, this is not a vacation for travelers who require constant creature comforts, want to relax by the pool all day and whose idea of exercise is phoning room service. This is a vacation for people who want to see nature up close and personal and don't mind taking a walk on the wild side to accomplish the task. OAT travelers need to be in relatively good shape as the walks can be long, the terrain uneven and the weather hot. Also, beware of deep, wide road drains and a multitude of hotel steps designed by fiendish architects.
During our long bus trips, Rafael acts as a human encyclopedia, providing a wealth of information on Costa Rica's history and its biodiversity. We learn the country has become a hotbed of ecotourism, where travel and environmental concerns strike a delicate balance. Visitors have increased from 350,000 in 1988 to 1.1 million in 2000, and about 60,000 Americans now call Costa Rica home, according to Rafael. Costa Rica also boasts 24 national parks that cover about 21 percent of the country's territory.
While pineapple, bananas and coffee remain top exports, Costa Rica has added high-tech components to its agricultural mix. For example, California-based Intel Corp. operates a microchip facility near San Jose. It also has a plant in Hudson.
We soon discover that Rafael, a tour guide for 15 years with a passing resemblance to actor Ray Romano, not only knows nature, he also has an eye for it, demonstrating superhuman vision for spotting even the tiniest of critters. For us mere mortals, he carries a high-powered scope so we can see what he has just observed with his naked eye.
A tour is often only as good as its tour guide, and the personable and environmentally passionate Rafael made this tour special. Bird-watchers, in particular, will find a kindred spirit. This is a man who truly gets excited when he spots a rare bird. He nearly jumped out of the bus when he saw a group of jabiru in a field. Though it's the largest bird in Costa Rica, this stork isn't a common sight as only about 80 flock around the country. When not teaching us about nature, Rafael gives us a beginner's Spanish lesson. In Costa Rica, the all-around key phrase, used in greetings and other social situations, is "pura vida" or pure life.
As we cut a wide swath through Costa Rica, we visit La Fortuna, a touristy city with touristy hot springs housed in a swimming pool with concrete slides. Relaxing but not exactly a natural wonder.
However, our next stop provides one - the Arenal Volcano, one of the 10 most active volcanoes in the world, and our nearby hotel, the Ecolodge, supplies a wondrous view. Often obscured by clouds, the volcano shows itself after a rainstorm, and we look at its smoking crater while sitting in rocking chairs on our little veranda. All that's missing is an eruption.
On the food front, don't expect many gourmet meals, but, if you like rice and beans, you'll be in heaven. One of the gustatory highlights takes place at Restaurante Rancho Leon, owned by a friend of Popi's and located outside of the city of Quepos. Tables are situated outdoors under a rustic roof. As a comfortable breeze wafts in, we sample an array of delightful dishes including casaba sticks with Thousand Island dressing, smashed plantain patties with a black bean sauce and grouper, which one of our tour members said was the best on the trip. OAT provides most, but not all of the meals. The exchange rate is favorable.
Our accommodations range from earthy lodges to modern hotels to tented cabins on stilts. The latter come situated inside a wildlife refuge where all kinds of animals roam around. A dozen bats find a home on the netting outside our abode.
Optional tours include the zip line, a mangrove boat ride, a walk on 12 hanging bridges located high in a cloud forest and an ecological sanctuary twilight tour where we see some of nature's nocturnal creatures. Stress "some" as sightings are scarce.
On the ride back to San Jose, we see a spot where two rivers from two different sources converge. One river comes from a volcano and is orange-colored, the second comes from a mountain and is clear.
While there's probably a metaphor for our trip somewhere in that image - two different cultures meeting and learning to go with the flow - let's just say we savor a memorable experience jam-packed with incredible sights. Nature has never been so interesting.
Overseas Adventure Travel can be reached at 1-800-955-1925 . Its Web address is www.oattravel.com.
Costa Rica highlights
Besides the visit to Arenal Volcano, a zip line trip in San Gerardo da Dota and a mangrove boat ride, Costa Rica offers numerous adventurous sites and activities to explore.
River rafting on the Rio Tenorio. Rapids are mellow - Class I and II - so there's no need to worry about capsizing, and we have a guide. Just take in the scenic sights and look for wildlife. Along with birds and iguanas, we see bats sleeping on a rock overhang and crocodiles looking for a meal. We hope it's not us.
The bridge high above the Rio Tarcoles where we see a horde of very large crocodiles sunbathing. Locals have given them such names as Mike Tyson and Osama bin Laden.
Manuel Antonio National Park, a 1,700-acre nature extravaganza featuring four beaches, island bird sanctuaries and a rain forest. The park also provides one of only two habitats for the endangered squirrel monkeys, which we sadly don't see. We do see several birds, anteaters and a vine snake, which we interrupt as it's about to have a toad for lunch. A tourist removes the clueless amphibian out of harm's way. The snake appears annoyed.
Costa Verde Hotel where we're told spider monkeys will swing by around 6 p.m., so we order smoothies, sit in comfy chairs by the bar, soak in spectacular views of Manuel Antonio and wait for the monkeys to appear. They later show up on the street outside the hotel.
Trogon Lodge, idyllically situated far off the beaten track with a trout pond where we go fishing (Bev catches the biggest one), a gazebo, hummingbird feeders and a stream.
An unscripted stop in the city of Alajuela to visit the wife of our bus driver. She is surprised to see him and really surprised to see us.
Howler monkeys. If you don't see these aptly named simians, you will definitely hear them. A lot. Their distinctive, eerie bark is not a sound you'll soon forget. At our hotel in Manzanillo on the Caribbean coast, the howler replaces the rooster as the provider of an early morning wake-up call.
A visit to the remote village of the BriBri tribe. To get there, we take a long bus ride over bumpy, unpaved roads. We stop by a river, get into a dug-out canoe, cross the river and get into a bus with no air-conditioning packed with locals. We stand in back and ride over another bumpy, unpaved road as rap music blasts from the bus' speakers. OK, that isn't a highlight but the BriBris are.
Once at the village, we talk at length to the tribe's medicine man. Since the good doctor didn't speak Spanish or English, a member of the tribe translates from the BriBri dialect to Spanish and our tour guide translates from Spanish to English.
Though the BriBri wear modern clothes, the village lacks most modern conveniences. Tribespeople still sleep in huts with dirt-covered floors and animals such a hens and pigs mill about freely. The village only received electricity a year ago. Though the BriBri listen to radio, they don't have phones and have yet to see television. We hear TV is coming. Get ready for culture shock.
Our tour group. An X-factor for an enjoyable tour is the tour group itself and we are fortunate to have a great gang. And yours truly would be remiss if he didn't single out one member whose joie de vivre was exhilarating. A tip of the sombrero to Phyllis from Georgia, a Southern belle who rang our chimes. Pura vida, y'all.
Australia, Costa Rica top ecotourism examples
Australia, Costa Rica top ecotourism examples
Expert says increasing size of protected lands best way to grow capacity
Updated: 6:49 p.m. ET May 15, 2007
OSLO - Australia and Costa Rica are good examples for the multi-billion dollar world ecotourism business, which is growing at about 30 percent a year and in need of tight quality controls, experts said on Monday.
Ecotourist destinations, ranging from environmentally friendly Thai beach resorts to jungle lodges in Kenya, now attract about 15 percent of the global tourist market, leaders of The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) said.
But many destinations lack sufficient "green" certification or follow-up checks by governments or other groups to ensure they keep their promises of not harming the environment.
"Australia is a great example, Costa Rica is a good example" of how to certify and check destinations, TIES executive director David Sollitt told Reuters during an ecotourism conference in Oslo of almost 500 experts.
"A critical element is to have follow-up," said Kelly Bricker, chair of the U.S.-based TIES board. "Even with some certification program there have to be check-ups by people who understand the criteria."
Both praised Australia's national ecotourism accreditation program that they said set ever tougher goals for operators. "Over time they have raised the bar," Bricker said.
And they said Costa Rica had a scale of compliance under which top marks might go to a company whose headquarters -- not just a vacation center in a cloud forest -- was run on environmentally friendly lines, for instance with solar power.
Many countries are improving follow-up checks, they said during a May 14-16 conference organized by TIES, the U.N. Environment Program and a Norwegian ecotourism group.
No trickery
"But I don't think there is a lot of trickery out there," Bricker said. She said many well-educated tourists simply go elsewhere if standards slip at ecotourist destinations.
I've seen it happen rather quickly in Fiji. The market says 'I don't want this'," she said.
They said there were questions about the limits to growth for ecotourism -- wildernesses will not stay unharmed for long if more and more people visit, especially if they fly half-way round the world in polluting jets.
"The best way to grow capacity in ecotourism is by increasing the size of protected lands," said Sollitt. About a tenth of the world's land area is in protected areas -- putting more in parks will help the environment, and ecotourism.
"That's a more compelling social and economic argument than to say that 'we have to lock these places away'," he said. He said Gabon in Africa, for instance, was creating new parks.
Frontier Airlines Seeks OK To Fly To Costa Rica
Frontier Airlines Seeks OK To Fly To Costa Rica
(AP) DENVER Frontier Airlines hopes to start service to Costa Rica. The Denver-based airline has applied for federal permission to operate flights between the United States and Costa Rica.
In the application filed earlier this year, Frontier said the service would give travelers more options and would help boost the leisure travel business.
Frontier spokesman Joe Hodas said the airline has had success in serving resort cities in Mexico and they believe Costa Rica is the next step.
(© 2007 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. )
Disney Expands Kingdom
Disney Expands Kingdom
Tours bring power of The Mouse to rain forest
Jodi Mailander Farrell, McClatchy Newspapers
The Arenal Volcano loomed smoking in front of us. Trees rife with orchids, ferns and bromeliads stretched for miles below our wooden platform in the clouds. But my attention was glued on my 8-year-old daughter, Annie, as she was strapped into a harness more than 660 feet above the rain forest floor on our third day in Costa Rica. A thin, steel zip line was snapped to her gear.
She jumped. As her pulley sped down the first line linked to a platform 2,475 feet away, my first-born receded into the distance with a heart-sinking "zzzzzzing." My solace: This was a Disney-sponsored trip, part of a new series of family adventures taking place around the world. I knew this was no theme park, but surely Disney safety inspectors and a team of tort-minded lawyers had examined every bolt and screw in this series of platforms and cables. Right?
Not many in our pack of seven families were Disney die-hards, but more than a few of us thanked The Mouse for accompanying the group in name and spirit on our seven-day journey that took us from San Jose to the Arenal Volcano region to the country's Pacific coast. Walt Disney Co. -- its worldwide brand recognition and its tendency to fiercely protect its reputation -- was the security blanket many of us parents were looking for in unfamiliar territory. The trade-off: Spontaneity and independence flew out the window of our 54-seat tour bus.
But at least Mickey himself wasn't seated among us.
Yes, the Magic Kingdom continues to expand, this time in the form of guided vacation tour packages for families called Adventures by Disney. Costa Rica is one of about a dozen international locales the tours introduce to five to 10 families at a time; a total of 224 tours will run this year. The all-inclusive packages have gold-slipper prices that start at $1,769 per person.
But they promise memory-making experiences -- think dining in the Eiffel Tower or watching a private gladiator match in the Roman Coliseum -- with two guides who are trained to be not just informed experts on their regions, but entertainers as well.
The trips' orchestrated activities are sprinkled with unexpected Disney-esque perks such as gold achievement pins that delight the generation raised on reward stickers. Even though the family tours are still new, practically every aspect of the six-night package had been carefully researched and planned. We hardly ever thought about our luggage, what to do next -- or if our kids were safe.
I didn't hesitate when it came to tossing my two daughters around on Class 2 white-water rapids in a rubber raft on the Sarapiqui River or hiking the outskirts of a 4,527-foot waterfall in Varablanca or climbing into a 19-passenger Twin Otter plane for a 40-minute flight from the center of the mountainous country to its Pacific coast.
On the zip lines that day, I wasn't the only one praying for some of Walt's old magic. "Oh my god! My daughter just took off! She's gone!" The New York radiologist in our group went berserk, hopping up and down as her 11-year-old became a distant speck on the green horizon. "I'm afraid of heights," the mother of two confessed before she calmed down and zipped off, too.
While there's a strong American presence in Costa Rica, it's still a foreign country. With kids in tow, it was reassuring to know Disney had scouted it out ahead of time, narrowing the overwhelming choices and hand-selecting the most family-friendly experiences and hotels. A spurt of violent crimes in the usually peaceful country and an attempted tourist mugging in the Caribbean port of Limon earlier this year were prominent stories in The Tico Times when we took the 2 1/2-hour flight from Miami to San Jose in April.
Disney reports that, yes, as suspected, it does investigate activities and hotels to make sure they meet safety standards and expectations. There are "detailed site inspections of all towns in all countries to be visited, as well as in-depth, first-hand research into the activities, dining venues, museums, parks, etc.," says Ed Baklor, senior vice president of Adventures by Disney.
"That's why I came with Disney!" Eileen Parente, a Fort Lauderdale mother of three, shouted half-jokingly as our group passed a uniformed man standing with a rifle outside a bank near Quepos one afternoon. The adults laughed nervously.
Call it American bravado or naivete, but there was a certain comfort and cachet in those Disney ID tags stuck to our bags. Workers at the four- and five-star hotels where we stayed greeted us with fruity drinks and cool washcloths. On our third night, after passing numerous hot springs crawling with tourists at the base of Arenal Volcano, we cruised through an unmarked gate into private, pristine thermal springs on a farm owned by the Hidalgo family, who only book to private groups and later prepared an alfresco dinner for us.
Of course, gone was the joy of stumbling upon that amazing cafe or discovering a breathtaking view on our own. There were no chance encounters with locals. Instead, we were largely isolated in the safe-yet-sterile cocoon of our group, 28 gringos bloated on rice and beans from too many buffets.
I cringed when our guide popped the Disney movie "Atlantis" into the bus's audio-visual system for the two-hour ride from La Paz Waterfall Gardens to the Arenal area. Costa Rica's rich ecosystems and the bustling town of La Fortuna glided by out the window. When a folk dance group of local teenagers in peasant skirts and sashes surprised us at dinner that night, I couldn't help feeling as if we were part of an Epcot moment.
"I knew that because it was Disney, it would be too organized," Fort Lauderdale's Mike Parente, 17, shrugged good-naturedly. "But that's what my parents wanted."
As with any well-run tour, there were benefits to the careful coordination. There was no negotiating or waiting for drivers or guides, and no worries about tipping at restaurants and smaller tours inside parks. There was little down time. Each day had a theme and at least two major activities: zip lining and hot springs, hiking and swimming, rafting and a pineapple plantation tour. There were no chances for kids to fight over TV channels or parents to gab on cellphones.
"If we were on our own, we would wake up around 11 a.m. and we'd debate over whether to have breakfast or where to go next," said New York's Ariadne Bach, who came on the trip with husband Mark, daughter Christina, 11, and son Matthew, 7. "We wouldn't be doing half this stuff. With Disney, I figured everything would be first-class and our kids would be happy."
At Hotel Parador, an elegant resort built into ocean-side cliffs outside of Quepos, a father from Chicago approached us, his three little ones in tow. "I don't really do well in groups," he said dismissively, nodding at our kids' Adventures by Disney backpacks and caps. "Has Mickey appeared?"
My sting of embarrassment quickly faded as he told us that due to a mix-up with a local guide, his family missed a hike through stunning Manuel Antonio National Park, where we later encountered capuchin, howler and spider monkeys. His kids stared longingly at the mock passports our guide was stamping for the youngest in our group, now a gaggle of buddies.
OK, it was a bit corny. But, as I've discovered, so is parenthood.
New insect species discovered in Costa Rica
New insect species discovered in Costa Rica
Posted: 2007/05/03
From: Mathaba
SAN JOSE, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Costa Rican and Spanish scientists have discovered a new insect species in the Alberto Manuel Brenes Biological Reserve in central Costa Rica, academics said Wednesday.
Esteban Duran of Madrid's National Farming Research Institute and Marco Antonio Zumbado, a Costa Rican researcher, said the insect species had been given the name "lagocherus delestali."
The experts said "lagocherus delestali" is a nocturnal insect measuring between 2-2.5 cm long with red and yellow spots on its body and a granulated texture on its forewings.
The new species' neck is a granulated brick color and its antennae have 11 segments. The male's femurs are larger than the female's.
The new species belongs to the coleopteran family, integrated by some 350,000 different insect species, and it develops its larval state inside rotten tree trunks.
The scientific investigation began in 2003, but it was not until April 2006 when the first specimens of this insect were collected.
"So far four new insects have been collected," said Zumbado.
