It would be a shame not only for us Ticos, but for all humanity to loose such a precious and majestic creature as the  endangered Leatherback turtle, the largest sea turtle on earth.

Largest Sea Turtle in the World, the endangered Leatherback

We as humans must respect our environment and protect it.  If not we will loose part of our history and in the process loose part of ourselves.

We humans have the capability to protect all species and to make sure they are not killed off by ridiculous  and old fashioned customs.

Let’s unite our efforts and make sure we do all we can to preserve this beautiful planet and all the treasurers on it.

Thank you Christian for these wise words.

Costa Rica's first woman president Laura Chinchilla

Congratulations to Laura Chinchilla, Costa Rica’s first female president, elected with 46% of the votes cast,  sixty years after women were first allowed to vote in Costa Rica.  Ms Chinchilla was Oscar Arias’ Vice President and Minister of Justice.  She pledges to put security at the top of her agenda.  She also pledged to  support education and strengthen the National  Health Care System in Costa Rica, and improve the protection and conservation of the environment.

Ms. Chinchilla is considered one of the most conservative Costa Rican politicians concerning many social issues.  She is against abortion and against granting civil recognition for homosexual couples.   She opposed any amendment to the constitution aimed at separation of church and state.  The constitution currently defines Costa Rica as a Roman Catholic nation.

The National Theater located in the heart of San Jose, Costa Rica’s capital city is an architectural gem.  It is a copy of the famous Paris Opera House.  If you are traveling to Costa Rica on vacation and are in San Jose be sure and go see it or even better attend a performance.   Costa Rica’s symphony orchestra plays on Friday evenings  during symphony season.

The theater was built in 1897 when the wealthy coffee barons  of Costa Rica decided they needed an appropriate stage for operas coming from Europe.  The first opera performed was a magnificent performance of Faust and was  attended by the President and a select, finely dressed audience.

In the rear of the National Theater is the Gold Museum, which houses hundreds of  pre Colombian gold artifacts, some of which date back to 500 years B.C.  Definitely this is one of the best museums in San Jose so make time to visit.  Takes about one hour to see it all. There is an admission fee.

Outside the National Theater is the Plaza de Cultura and is a great place just to sit and watch the people walking by.  Mid-day is good when  the people are on their lunch break and the streets are bustling with activity.

San Jose is not a particularly pretty city.  It’s noisy with lots of buses and cars and seems unorganized.  It’s hard to find your way because the streets and avenues are not well marked.  Best to take a taxi which is relatively inexpensive.

Private garden on Caribbean coast of Costa Rica

I have heard many travelers to Costa Rica talk about traveling to Limon and saying, “My it is not at all an attractive town and located in such a beautiful coastline on the Caribbean side of  Costa Rica with palm trees and warm Caribbean winds which blow each day.  Limon is a port city and this is one reason it is so unattractive.  Filled will big trucks and large containers  filled with all sorts of things coming into Costa Rica and leaving Costa Rica.   And the weather is  hot and steamy here and rains a lot..all year round.  Takes around 3.5 hours to drive to Limon from the capital city of San Jose.  The road is good and very scenic winding through  Braulio Carrillo National Park with its dense forests and tall mountains.  You dont’ want to drive this road after dark due to the dense fog that sets in as you pass thru  Braulio  Carrillo National park.  Then you arrive to the Atlantic lowland forest where you can immediately feel the temperatures warming and feel hot and steamy.

In the 17th century there were cocoa plantations in these Atlantic  lowland areas which were worked by slaves from Africa.  But in the early 1800s the cocoa production was halted.  There was constant trouble from raids by pirates, English pirates from Jamaica, along with the local Miskitos  (indigenous people inhabiting this area of Costa Rica.)

Today this area is planted in Bananas which is the second largest product of export for Costa Rica.  Coffee is first.

Around 1871 the Costa Rican government, because of the growth of the coffee export market, decided that it needed a port of the Atlantic side to facilitae getting the coffee to Europe, so the port of Limon was established in a place that was little more than a migrant black fisherman’s village consisting of five huts.  And in the same year the Atlantic Railroad was constructed which went from San Jose to Limon.   Workers were brought to work on the railroad from China, Jamaica, and Italy.  Today we see many Chinese, Italians, and Black people who remained in the area and made it their home.

So Limon became a banana town and a railroad town, populated mostly by blacks from Jamaica and Chinese.  These people who worked on the Banana plantations were no given any rights of citizenship  by the Costa Rica government.  They were not allowed to  move from this area and go to work in San Jose or any other towns of Costa Rica.  However, today the story is quite different and they are full fledged citizens of Costa Rica and work where ever they can find work.

“SUMMER TIME AND THE LIVING IS EASY”

Tourism is a big thing if you travel south of Limon on the coastal road.  Most of these roads are in great need of repair but the landscape along the beaches is beautiful with palm trees swaying in the tropical wind.  You don’t see large fancy hotel complexes here,  just small hotels.  The weather is not really suitable to draw the big crowds of tourist to the sun because it rains here all year round.   Life seems very laid back , no one in a hurry.  Lots of people of all ages riding bicycles.  “Just summer time and the living is easy”  There is lots of wildlife here such as sloths, howler monkeys, and so many colorful tropical birds!  The flowers and shrubs are so unique…no seen in any other parts of Costa Rica.

Costaricalearn.com filmed the Tortuguero Canals and Tortuguero National Park and the inhabitants there.  This National Park is located a few miles north of Limon.  You can see it on our video “Costa Rica A Travel Adventure Spectacular Video.”    Just go to home page and there see the 2 minute trailor and if you would like your own full length copy, you can order  it there.

Jan Yaksko painting

“ART WASHES AWAY FROM THE SOUL THE DUST OF EVERYDAY LIFE.”   Pablo Picasso

The new artist group has a name  ” Conjunto De Artistas” and is the brainchild of Jan Yatsko.  Jan and her husband have been living in Atenas for eleven years.  She is an artist (oil painting, watercolors, and sketching-including art journals.)

Jan wrote the following article and I will share it with you.

Do you want to join a “Conjunto de Artistas” (a group of artists)?
When  Tom and I arrived in Atenas 11 years ago, I was one of few artists and the only foreign artist in town. One by one, more creative souls arrived attracted by the light, climate and natural inspiration.
The main objective for the “Conjunto de Artistas”:    For a group of people to gather together at different specified locations each month to sketch, paint, collage and/or journal in “plein aire”. The locations will be within a short driving distance (5 minutes to 1.5 hours) from Atenas.
Secondary Objectives:    To exchange ideas and information regarding art techniques, materials, exhibits in Costa Rica, art marketing, etc.
Anyone with a curious mind and the desire to create art, grow and share is welcome to join this group.
Please RSVP for this January 11th meeting and to indicate your interest in joining this group to Jan “Juanita” Yatsko.    Phone: 2446-4039
Email: janyatsko@ice.co.cr Website: www.janyatsko.com
After all, there was the Degas group, the Gauguin group, the American Impressionists at Old Lyme group and even “The Junto” of intellectuals and artisans formed by Ben Franklin.
Throughout history groups of people have banded together for reasons of mutual support, inspiration, growth and shared contacts.
An initial meeting will be held on January 11, 2010 at Ataño Restaurant (Atenas centro, 50 meters North of Mercado, next to El Rayo store) at 2 PM. The objective is to meet each other and to plan our first plein aire activity to be held on January 18.

You can read more about Jan and her work by visiting her web site  www.janyatsko.com

costaricalearn has a subcategory “Artist and Writers of Costa Rica” under the main category Costa Rica’s History, Culture, Food, and Traditions.  You can go to the Categories on the home page and find this.  Here you can read about other interesting artist and writers in Costa Rica.

In the central valley of  San Jose and Alajuela for those who choose to stay home, it’s  fireworks!   From a mountainside villa one can see the midnight sky light  up with hundreds of colorful fireworks.

Yes,  it’s family time as people travel long distances to be with their relatives, often whom they see only once a year.  It’s roasted pork, home made tamales,  and Costa Rica’s Imperial Beer.

Yes, Costa Ricans make New Year’s Resolutions.  Could it be that one of the resolutions is to be more aware of time and get to appointments and etc. on time.  Don’t think so.

But hey, life in Costa Rica is “Pura Vida” so why rock the boat in a place that “life is good”

Blue Moon over Costa Rica with partial Eclipse!

New York City, New Year's Eve 2009, The BIG BALL

Costa Rica has something celestial to ring in the New Year.  It’s the Blue Moon.  But is it really blue?  No it isn’t.  The name it seems comes from folkloric tales from times past.  When two full moons occurred in the same calendar month, meaning something rare, special, or even absurd, but not impossible.     And this month of December 2009 had two full moons, the first on December 2nd and the second on December 31st.  A New Year’s Blue Moon!

The rest of the world shares this Blue Moon celebration with Costa Rica.  And even better is a partial moon eclipse!   In Costa Rica it’s  called a Lunar Eclipse. The moon has moved into the earth’s shadow causing a portion of the moon the be darkened.

In Costa Rica we call these Blue Moon beams tropical moon beams, because it’s light shines on beautiful tropical landscapes of flowers, colorful birds, and sandy white beaches surrounded by rain forest, volcanoes, and lush waterfalls.

Quite different from the city of New York where millions will view the Big  Ball when it falls at the strike of twelve midnight.  New Yorkers may see the ball but may not see the gorgeous blue moon due to cloudy skies.  What a shame if they miss the moon.  A Big Ball made of three hundred new Waterford crystals cannot take the place of experiencing  the celestial moon beams.

So Happy New Year to one and all.  To all Creatures Great and Small!   The  Blue Moon rings in the New Year with reminding us to accomplish the rare, the special,  or even  absurd, but not the impossible.

Rosemary

WILL THE REAL ROSEMARY REIN PLEASE STAND UP?

Continuing my series on artist and writers in Costa Rica I would like to highlight Rosemary Rein.

Rosemary is a resident of Costa Rica, along with her husband Barry. Rosemary read a book about Costa Rica and told Barry, “We have to move to Costa Rica, so they followed their dream and did exactly that,  settling in Escazu, a suburb of San Jose, where they live happily with their three dogs.

Rosemary says that they have been extremely happy in Costa Rica.  They love the weather, the warm hospitality of the people, and the more simple lifestyle than they lead back in New York.

So Barry and Rosemary, accustomed to being very active, opened a cafe in Escazu.  After running it for  several years, they  got the itch to try something else.  Which led them to the purchase of a Bed & Breakfast Hotel at Lake Arenal.   After awhile they said, “We came here to retire,  didn’t we?”  So they took some time off and traveled to Argentina which they dearly loved.

In their leisure time, Rosemary and Barry love trekking into the Costa Rica rain forests and jungles. One day Rosemary with her great imagination said to Barry, “The  skills needed to survive  in the jungle are the same skills needed to survive  and thrive in the business world as a leader and a team.  So Rosemary created “Go Wild, Go Great! The Leader/Team Journey From Now to Wow.  What is this?  It is Rosemary’s own unique training seminars on how to improve Customer Service and Sales Performance.  Find out all about it at www.gowildgogreat.com

If that was not enough, Rosemary has also co-authored a book. “The Blueprint for Success”  14  hot ideas for improving your leadership skills, customer service skills, and living a healthier and happy life.  Read all about it on her web site www.gowildgogreat.com.

You may also read Rosemary’s blog at www.rosemaryrein.typepad.com
She  writes fun filled stories about everyday life in Costa Rica.

Rosemary and her husband Barry are feathered in our video “Costa Rica A Travel Adventure Spectacular”. They talk about their life in Costa Rica, why they  choose Costa Rica and why they love it.

Rosemary holds a Ph.D in Human Resource Development.

The colorful painted designs on the oxcarts we see today was the inspiration of an Italian artist who immigrated to Costa Rica.  His paintings on the oxcart’s wheels quickly caught on and today the colorful geometric designs are hand painted on all the oxcarts, with no two designs exactly alike.

If you are traveling to Costa Rica be sure to visit the small hillside village of Sarchi.  Stop by the Fabrica de Carrettas Sarchi (oxcart factory) and see how the Chaverri family has continued the tradition of oxcart painting.  You can purchase you own miniature oxcart to take home.

Also the first week of March, the hillside town of San Antonio de Escazu  hosts its own folkloric  “Oxcart Parade”  for the blessing of the oxen.  Be sure not to miss it if you are in Costa Rica this time of the year and bring your camera! There is typical Costa Rican food, marimba music to compliment the beautiful oxcarts and their boyeros.

Around 1850 in San Jose

oxcart wheel

Thanks for reading costaricalearn.com We strive to being you interesting articles related to Costa Rica’s history, culture, and traditions.

Catholic Church Nicoya built by Spaniards 1640

Today October 12 is a Holiday in the US.  It’s Columbus Day.

On September 8, 1502 Christopher Columbus arrived on the Atlantic Coast of Costa Rica and took refuge just off the coast near what is now the Port of Limon.  Was he disappointed in what he found in Costa Rica?

The native Indians were friendly towards Columbus and his men and brought goods to trade  with them.  They brought cotton cloth, clubs, bows and arrows.  Columbus especially admired the pendants made of tumbago which is an alloy made of copper  and gold and the golden mirrors worn about the Indian’s necks.   The Indians communicated that there was gold along the coast to the south.   So Columbus named the area “rich coast” or in Spanish Costa Rica.  Thinking that it would be a rich jewel in Spain’s Crown.

But sadly, it turned out to be one of the poorest of Spain’s  colonies. And for many reasons.  Mainly it was the terrain which was almost impassible.  The impenetrable forest and raging rivers and swamps  made it almost impossible to navigate.

The Spaniards did not find the gold they have anticipated.  And for them this was a great disappointment.  Sixty years passed before  the first settlement  was established. Despite the obstacles the Spanish settlers began  to carve out the jungle to make their new homes. But life was hard.  They learned from the Indians  to use native methods  to cultivate  crops.  The land was fertile  and the forest abundant in wildlife.   But food was scarce. Generating wealth was difficult. The settlers became discouraged but  stuck it out.   Gold was consistently the theme  and the Indians always pointed south, and this gave the Spaniards the fever.  But these legendary mines were never discovered.
The settlers remained, carved out the land, built their homes, and raised their families.
Today Costa Ricans will tell you that it was this independent yomen farmer, working his plot of land in the hills that planted the seeds for the beginning of the great democratic tradition in today’s Costa Rica.

If you travel to Costa Rica  you will immediately see the Spanish culture, language, and traditions brought to the new world by these Settlers.  The King and Queen of Spain sent Catholic priest to serve  the immigrants and to convert the Indians.  Today Catholicism is the official religion.  Beautiful churches are found in every town and children are taught Catholicism in the public schools.
Costa Rica does not have an official day (holiday) to commemorate Christopher Columbus.