HOWLER C o s ta R i c a L i f e s t y l e , T r av e l & A d v e n t u r e
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CONTRA BAND How Oliver North’s plans went south at a secret airstrip Pg. 12 in Costa Rica
Gone Fishing Pg. 18 | Biking Around Arenal Pg. 42 | Dining Guide Pg. 69
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March / APR 2018
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Craft Beer Festival
WILSTOCK 2018
Fr i d a y M a rc h 30th Noon -5pm K i d Pa r t y 5 p m -L a t e Music Fe s t i v a l
Open Daily 7am to 9pm
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FEATURED
CONTENTS
Cover Story
12
Air Con
Costa Rica’s reluctant role in the Iran-Contra affair Colectivo
18
Tamarindo
22
Peloton in Paradise
42
Featured Adventure
Surf Spot
28
What to Expect
Gone Fishing
Lifestyle Feature
For the Birds
Community Feature
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DEPARTMENTS
CONTENTS 20
Cote Lake
Off the Beaten Path
18 Travel & Adventure 18 - Featured Adventure: Gone Fishing 20 - Off the Beaten Path: Cote Lake 22 - Surf Spot: Playa Tamarindo 24 - Waves You’ve Missed 26 - Quick Trips: Coastlines for Kayaks 27 - Creature Feature: Bullet Ants - Pain You Don’t Want 28 - What to Expect: Colectivos - Certainly Worth a Try 29 - Travel & Adventure Directory
30 Arts & Entertainment 30 - Spotlight: Multimedia Artist Otto Apuy 31 - Simply Spanish: Words to Call a Stranger 32 - Dos Locos: TTZ - Colectivo Fugitivo! 34 - Locos Dos: Surviving CR - A Trip to Germany 36 - August Odysseys 37 - Simply Spanish: Tico Expressions 38 - Happenings: Get Out and Do Something 40 - Arts & Entertainment Calendar
42 Lifestyle
24
Waves You've Missed
56 Liberia
CR History in Photos
2 - Feature: A Bike Ride Around Arenal 4 44 - Fashion Flash: Let’s Talk About Men! 46 - Spanish: Lull Yourself Forward 47 - Wellness: Spirulina - Superfood With An Attitude 48 - Wellness: The Doctor Is In - Enough is Enough? 50 - Lifestyle Calendar
54 Community
54 - Feature: The Birding Club of Costa Rica 56 - CR History in Photos: Liberia - A Brief History 58 - Building CR: Swimming Pools 60 - Pet Care: Not Just a Stray Problem 62 - Legal Ease: When It’s Tax Time 64- Community Activities & Information 65 - Simply Spanish: How Not to Speak Mexican 66 - Community Directory
69 Dining Guide
HOWLER
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84 - Contributors 85 - Tide, Sun & Moon Chart
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EDITORIAL
I
have been contemplating many possible topics to write about. So many aspects of living in “paradise” have inspired past Howler editorials, from travel and adventure to getting screwed over by unscrupulous people lurking to take advantage of our trust. Even after covering the latter subject quite a few times already, I seem to come up with more new examples every month that should be brought to light. Living in a beautiful place like Costa Rica comes with certain risks to our well-being. Many of us have had the experience of letting our guard down and someone finds a loophole for preying on our vulnerabilities. Loopholes that can catch us unaware include a company that changes names to appear new or different but is actually run by the same people. This is commonly referred to as putting lipstick on a pig. After reflecting on this not-so-nice side of Costa Rica, I think the best way to deal with these types of predators is to let them fail and fall away while we focus instead on just enjoying the beauty. We are blessed here to have groups of kind, caring and generous people to surround ourselves with. I have been so fortunate to know such wonderful people firsthand and experience the outcome of their good works. These are the kind of people who, without being asked, come to the rescue of others in need, which, of course, includes animals. In October, the devastation caused by flood waters and fallen trees during Tropical Storm Nate left many people homeless. Entire neighborhoods were impacted. Our community, joined by committees throughout the country, came together to help. In a Howler editorial, I wrote about a guy from Sarapiquí who took it upon himself to collect donations of food, clothing and dog food, then drove for many hours to deliver it to those needing help. He did not have to do this, and in fact, it cost him his job and financial hardship. But instead of focusing on his own needs, he sought to help others. People in our local area coordinated deliveries throughout the hardest-hit communities and helped. This is
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HOWLER
The
T r o o p
what pura vida is all about. It’s not just about our own lives; it’s about how we can make a difference to those around us. Barbara is a wonderful lady who has lived here for many years and devoted immeasurable amounts of time and energy to helping animals, including spay and neuter clinics. She is selfless and never refuses to help. All too often, people dump animals at Barbara’s doorstep with no donation to help care for them. She never turns any away. I have personally seen animals left starving and on the verge of death nurtured back to health with Barbara’s love and care. She cares for the tiniest and most helpless creatures, knowing they would otherwise die. Barbara does without at times, because she puts the vital needs of these creatures before her own. This is pura vida. This is also the perfect time for you to come out and meet Barbara yourself while having a great time for a great cause. Please join us on Sunday, March 18, 5 to 8 p.m. at the annual Dog Day Afternoon fundraiser for Barbara’s Animal Rescue Centre. This year’s event, at Lucy’s Retired Surfers Bar and Restaurant (formerly Tiki’s) in Brasilito, features a large silent auction, 50/50 draw, raffle prizes and more. All proceeds go to Barbara’s Animal Rescue Centre for the care of rescued dogs, cats and other animals in need. Donations are accepted with gratitude. Barbara’s Animal Rescue Center is located near the BCR bank in Flamingo. Stop in anytime to visit and contribute to the cause she has made her life’s work. It’s people like Barbara, and the other heroes I’ve mentioned here, who can help us stop thinking about those who affect our lives negatively. They make it easier to focus on what really matters. This is pura vida.
March 2018 Vol. 23 No. 03 PUBLISHER / EDITOR-in-CHIEF John B. Quam BUSINESS DEVELOpmENT Martin Svoboda M A N A G I N G PA R T N E R S John B. Quam Martin Svoboda D i r e c t o r o f O p e r at i o n s Marynes F. Chops E d i t o r i a l S ta f f Debbie Bride - Production Director Marian Paniagua - Admin Director Karl Kahler - Staff Writer Graphic Design Team Martin Svoboda - Art Director Debbie Bride - Design Consultant M. Alauddin - Design Layout Marian Paniagua - Photo Procurement WEBMASTER Maria Focsa Cover Art Oliver North Illustration C o n ta c t John Quam: headmonkey@howlermag.com Martin Svoboda: martin@howlermag.com Editor: editor@howlermag.com CR Office: (506) 4701-5942 US Office: (720) 507-7596 (leave message) F a c e b o o k : Howler Magazine Costa Rica T w i t t e r : @thehowlermag The Howler Gold Coast CR S.A. Ced. Juridica: 3-101-725213
The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors in this publication do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of The Howler organization or its advertisers. Copyright © 2018 by The Howler Gold Coast CR S.A. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to: info@howlermag.com The Howler Magazine does not assume responsibility for the content of its advertisements
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Your New Home in Paradise
For more details of properties, please visit www.monte11.com Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste Telephone: 2672 0031 / 443 982 9890 HM HOWLER MAGAZINE | 11
COVER STORY
Ex-Marine Eugene Hasenfus is captured by Nicaraguan soldiers on Oct. 25, 1986, after a Contra resupply plane was shot down, killing three others on board.
Ollie’s World
by Karl Kahler
How a secret airstrip in Costa Rica fueled a global scandal— and helped pave the way for a regional peace. Police mug shot of Oliver North after his arrest.
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I
n September 1986, five journalists from the Tico Times and NBC chartered a small plane at the Liberia airport and embarked on a bizarre mission — to find a secret airstrip in the Costa Rican jungle that was supposedly being used by U.S. intelligence operatives to arm the Nicaraguan Contras. The journalists were nervous about this undertaking, suspecting that the government was covering up secret operations, and they told their pilot that they were interested in photographing turtlenesting beaches. It was a short flight from Liberia to Potrero Grande (“Big Pasture”), a valley in what is today Santa Rosa National Park, on the northwestern Santa Elena Peninsula. Most of the land below had few signs of human impact, as almost all of it had been expropriated Cover of Time M years earlier under agazine quotes O the Daniel Oduber liver No rth from Iran-Co administration to create ntra hea rings. the large national park. There was one landowner, however, who had long refused to sell. Near the surf spot known today as Ollie’s Point (after Lt. Col. Oliver North, the mastermind of this operation), they spotted their quarry: a mile-long landing strip in the jungle that had no good reason to be there. “We went down the coast pretending we were filming the beaches,” said John McPhaul, a stringer for the Miami Herald who was also working with the Tico Times. “And when we got international bombshell that became to Potrero Grande we had the pilot known as the Iran-Contra affair, the circle around it. It was obvious, it had biggest scandal in U.S. history since huge tire tracks. It was in a valley, Watergate. surrounded by mountains, and it And it all started in Guanacaste, opened on the beach.” the border province of a country that The reporters were by no means was officially neutral in Nicaragua’s sure what their discovery meant. But brutal civil war. Costa Rica, which their find would light the fuse of an abolished its army in 1948 and had
In 1987, President Oscar Arias won the Nobel Peace Prize for negotiating an end to Central America’s brutal wars. Oliver North and his shadowy friends wanted a very different outcome. Here’s how a secret airstrip in Guanacaste blew their cover.
been considered a bastion of peace and democracy ever since, ended up playing a major role in one of the hottest battlegrounds of the Cold War. A recent book by a former minister of the Oscar Arias government traces this improbable history in meticulous detail. Point West: The Political History of the Guanacaste National Park Project by Alvaro Umaña Quesada, the minister of environment and energy in the late 1980s, extensively documents the evidence for a Contra gun-running (and drug-running) operation in Guanacaste from both the Iran-Contra hearings and his inside experience with the shadowy project. He also documents Arias’ steadfast resistance to the Reagan administration’s use of this secret landing strip in Costa Rica. “Fortunately for future democracies in Central America,” the book says, “President Arias prevailed, and he was able to derail the U.S.-backed war effort and save thousands of lives. His resistance to the Iran-Contra affair then opened a unique historical window of opportunity and allowed him to launch his peace initiative in the region, for which he was eventually awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987.”
REGIME CHANGE
Elections have consequences, and the election of Oscar Arias as president of Costa Rica in February 1986 would prove to be a major setback for a clandestine war orchestrated by the most powerful country on earth. The previous Costa Rican president, Luis Alberto Monge, had declared Costa Rica neutral in the Nicaragua war, yet he looked the other way as activity in support of the Contras took place on Costa Rican soil. It was Monge’s minister of public security, Benjamin Piza, who had agreed to let U.S. operatives build a
HM HOWLER MAGAZINE | 13
secret airstrip in Potrero Grande to wishes. support the Nicaraguan rebels that Yet in June 1986, within a Ronald Reagan would later call month of Arias’ inauguration, “freedom fighters.” the secret airstrip went into The only thing Piza asked in operation anyway. return, according to Umaña’s book, INSIDE INTELLIGENCE was a brief meeting and a photo op Shortly after taking office, with President Reagan in the Oval Arias and Umaña knew they Office of the White House, which had a problem on their hands took place on March 17, 1986. in Potrero Grande. There were Oliver North was present in the already rumors of large planes room, and in fact he wrote Reagan’s flying over the area. talking points for the meeting. Umaña got involved Later that day, Piza and because he was the minister North’s right-hand man, a onein charge of national parks, eyed Vietnam vet named Richard and Santa Rosa had long been Secord, met at the Four Seasons to designated as a key target in his draw up a document granting the portfolio. Accordingly, on July right to build an airfield at Potrero 4, 1986, he boarded a plane, Grande. flew over the site and spotted The mendacious document the large airstrip — over 1,800 claimed that “Udall Research meters long, which caused the Corporation” — a fictitious pilot to exclaim, “This is long as company created by North and the strip at Pavas!” his team — was granting “the Costa Rica President Oscar Arias in the 1980s. (Via Wikimedia) Not long afterward, the Government of Costa Rica” the Tico Times got wind of the right to build an airstrip on its story, thanks to local sources property. In fact, it was the other way calling up to say large planes around — a Costa Rican were flying overhead in government minister was places where they didn’t granting U.S. agents the belong. right to build the airstrip, As a result, Umaña to use for whatever cause writes, the Arias they saw fit. administration’s Security As Umaña’s book Council discussed the succinctly states: “On that situation several times, day the bargain was sealed; and Public Security Piza got his photograph and Minister Hernán Garrón North got his airstrip.” “felt that he had to take In a telephone interview control of the situation.” with the Howler, Umaña So at the break of said U.S. anti-Sandinista dawn on Sept. 4, 1986, operatives had a Northern Garrón personally led Front in Honduras and wanted a raid of 60 members to open a Southern Front in of the Civil Guard, by Costa Rica. land and sea, to see what “The planes they had, . es ur -Contra fig rdon of Iran pa was going on at this secret C-123s, couldn’t make the round s h’ us B . eorge H.W President G airstrip. trip loaded from Ilopango [air on es lin ad imes he New York T “They found a set of well-hidden base] in El Salvador, make the drop office empty barracks and a couple of dozen and then get back,” said Umaña, 66. May 8, 1986. According 55-gallon drums filled with aviation-grade “So they needed a refueling strip to Umaña’s book, Monge and Arias held gasoline,” Umaña writes. and facility in Guanacaste. They told the a meeting previous to the inauguration What they didn’t find were any people. government something different, they told where Arias was informed of this airstrip the Monge government that this was to plan, in the presence of U.S. Ambassador CAT OUT OF THE BAG be used in case the Sandinistas invaded Lewis Tambs, and Arias said no way. Soon the reporters from the Tico Costa Rica and took out the Liberia Arias, who had run on a platform for Times and NBC overflew the area and airport. But the intention was always the regional peace, said Costa Rican soil could discovered the same airstrip. They Southern Front.” absolutely not be used as a staging ground contacted Tico Times editor Dery Dyer, Yet those plans were in for a major for flights to arm rebels in Nicaragua. who alerted colleagues at Newsweek and challenge, with Oscar Arias set to take Tambs promised to abide by Arias’
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President Ronald Reagan, center, receives the Tower Commission report on the Iran-Contra affair in the Cabinet Room, with John Tower at left and Edmund Muskie at right. (Via Wikimedia)
the Miami Herald. Word started to spread among the international press, and Dyer started getting calls from the New York Times and other media. The journalists hired the same pilot the next day to fly them back to the airstrip to get better photos. And they contacted the government for comment. McPhaul took the photos to the presidential offices in San José and showed them to Garrón, who said it was a small airstrip for small planes that the Civil Guard had seized a month earlier. McPhaul pointed to the large tire marks on the airstrip pictures and said, “Small planes didn’t make those tire marks.” McPhaul said Garrón angrily responded, “We didn’t know what we were dealing with. We didn’t know if we’d find Contras or armed drug traffickers.” Though the weekly Tico Times had not yet broken the story in print, the newspaper had let the cat out of the bag by contacting both journalists and government officials. The Arias administration prepared to release a
response in a press conference. Point West reveals that North and his conspirators applied heavy pressure on the Arias administration not to go forward with this press conference, threatening a cutoff of U.S. aid and a cancellation of a meeting between Arias and Reagan. “The whole Central American press corps descended on Costa Rica,” McPhaul recalled, including reporters from the New York Times, Time and Newsweek. “And they happened to have a press conference for International Press Day, and Garrón had previously been scheduled to be there. It was the best-attended press conference for International Press Day ever.” When reporters asked Garrón about the secret airstrip, he said the Civil Guard had seized it earlier, but it was part of a “tourism project” run by a Panamanian company called Udall Resources. Udall, it would emerge later, was nothing but a front company for the secret U.S. operation to arm the Contras. According to Point West, North found out about the press conference and wrote the following memo at 11:23 a.m. the next
day. He later tried to permanently erase this memo, but it survived in a backup computer system, leaving his fingerprints all over the scandal: “Last night, Costa Rican Interior Minister Garrón held a press conference in San Jose and announced that Costa Rican authorities had discovered a secret airstrip that was over a mile long and which was used by a Co. called Udall Services for supporting the Contras. In the press conference the minister named one of Dick’s [Dick Secord’s] agents [real name William C. Haskell, alias Robert Olmsted] as the man who set up the training base for the US…. “Udall Resources Inc. S.A. is a proprietary of Project Democracy. It will cease to exist by noon today. There are no USG [U.S. government] fingerprints on the operation and Olmsted is not the name of the agent — Olmsted does not exist. “We have moved all Udall Resources ($46K) to another account in Panama where Udall maintained an answering service and cover office.” The Tico Times published its story
HM HOWLER MAGAZINE | 15
Photo published in the Tico Times on Sept. 26, 1986, showing the secret airstrip, located alongside a riverbed. (Julio Laínez, Tico Times)
two days after the press conference, on Sept. 26, 1986, with Julio Laínez’s photo and an editorial questioning the government’s claims of ignorance about this so-called “tourism project.”
A TURN FOR THE WORSE
These revelations were soon overtaken by a far more serious turn of events. On Oct. 25, 1986, a U.S. Fairchild C-123 cargo plane was shot down over Nicaragua and the lone survivor, ex-Marine Eugene Hasenfus, was captured by Sandinista troops. Papers found on Hasenfus and in the shot-down plane linked the crew to the head of CIA special operations in San José, Costa Rica, and to safe houses used by crew members in El Salvador. Hasenfus told interrogators, as well as the international press, that he did not work for the CIA but believed he was part of an operation run with the knowledge and consent of the CIA. The U.S. government denied any connection to Hasenfus or the rest of his crew, conveniently claiming that this was a “rogue operation” carried out by
private individuals. “Four days after he had been shot [down],” says Point West, “Hasenfus appeared before the press and declared that he had worked with people he believed to be from the CIA who were operating with the knowledge and blessing of Vice President Bush.” Hasenfus also said his plane had previously used a clandestine airstrip in Costa Rica as part of its efforts to supply the Contras with arms. In fact, log books showed that Hasenfus had been on a plane
Hasenfus told interrogators, as well as the international press, that he did not work for the CIA but believed he was part of an operation run with the knowledge and consent of the CIA.
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that got stuck in the mud at Potrero Grande in early June 1986, though the plane that was shot down over Nicaragua originated from the Ilopango air base in El Salvador. These revelations rocked the Reagan administration to its core and led to a series of investigations, congressional hearings and criminal hearings. And they
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sounded the death knell of the clandestine U.S. support for the Contras — which in turn made a comprehensive peace in the region possible. The peace talks among five presidents were negotiated by none other than Oscar Arias, who steadfastly opposed any use of Costa Rica soil to intervene in the Nicaraguan war — and who for his efforts won the 1987 Nobel Peace Prize 31 years ago. “By announcing the existence of the airstrip,” Point West says, “Arias had derailed the entire operation and suddenly the assets that North had valued at $4.5 million had become worthless…. “The scandal that had broken out in Washington had weakened Reagan considerably and as Robert Kagan reported, it ‘opened a wide path for Arias to pursue his ambition as a peacemaker that otherwise would have been impossibly narrow.’ ”
THE FALLOUT
The most bizarre disclosure to emerge was that U.S. agents sold missiles from Israel to their mutual archenemy Iran to secure the release of hostages in Lebanon and use the profits to arm rebels in Nicaragua. Say … what? All of this was done to circumvent a congressional ban on U.S. support for any military group in Nicaragua, the so-called
“Boland II Amendment” that was in effect from October 1984 to October 1986. In other words, these efforts were completely illegal under U.S. law. The fallout was humiliating for the Reagan administration, and 14 administration officials were ultimately indicted on various charges, including Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger. North was convicted of accepting an illegal gratuity, obstructing a congressional investigation and destroying documents, but his conviction was overturned on appeal because he had been granted immunity to testify before Congress. Ten other officials were convicted on various charges, but in all cases the convictions were overturned, or the officials were pardoned by President George H.W. Bush. North, who is widely seen as a fall guy for higher-ups, actually said that he believed the arms diversion for the Contras were approved by President Reagan, and that he
believed the president’s men were using him as a scapegoat to protect Reagan.
EPILOGUE
The shoot-down of Hasenfus’ plane marked the end of the covert flights to arm the Contras. A plane identical to the Fairchild C-123 shot down in Nicaragua, intended for the same operation, remained in a hangar at the San José airport, never to fly again. In an odd postscript to this bizarre story, the owner of the Costa Verde Hotel in Manuel Antonio decided to buy the old Fairchild C-123 at the San José airport and turn it into a bar. In August 2000, Allan Templeton bought the old hulk and shipped it in pieces to a hillside in Manuel Antonio, where it was reassembled and dubbed “the Contra Bar” —the centerpiece of El Avión Restaurant, a major landmark today. So this plane went from running guns for rebels to serving shots to tourists. Only in Costa Rica.
COSTA RICA DINNER ADVENTURE Short Estuary Trip to Dinner at The Great Waltini’s in Bula Bula Hotel
View crocodiles, birds, monkeys and more Tamarindo to Palm Beach Estates via boat Enjoy a delightful dinner Return via boat to Tamarindo SEE DINING GUIDE AD PAGE 83
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All You Can Eat Buffets The cover of a book published in English as “Point West,” by Alvaro Umaña Quesada, shows the secret airstrip in Guanacaste. (Courtesy of Alvaro Umaña)
Monday- Mexican Wednesday - Italian 5:30-8:30
Tel: 2653-0975 Email: frontdesk@hotelbulabula.com HM HOWLER MAGAZINE | 17
FEATURED ADVENTURE
TRAVEL & ADVENTURE
GONE FISHING F ishing is like sex — even when it’s bad it’s good. And when you’re lazily casting a line while floating down a gorgeous tropical river in a 12-foot inflatable rowboat, it’s great. Guiselle and I went on a 7-mile float down the Tenorio River, helmed by José Reyes and Fabian Zúñiga of Tenorio Adventures in Cañas, a partner of Desafio Adventures in Arenal. The day started with an early-morning, on-time pickup in an immaculate SUV by our friendly driver, Isaac. I could get used to this, I thought, after all the hard driving I’ve done in this country in my dusty junker (and all the times I’ve gotten lost). It turns out Tenorio Adventures is very easy to find — you take Highway 1 south from Liberia to Cañas, and it’s right after the bridge over the Corobicí River. We met our guides and were off to our put-in on the Tenorio River. The Tenorio has some excellent fishing, they told us, because it’s a natural river, undammed. It originates between the Tenorio and Miravalles volcanoes and eventually joins other rivers and spills into the Gulf of Nicoya. The fish caught here most, José said, are snook, rainbow bass, machaca, tilapia and catfish. The upper Tenorio has some excellent Class 3 and 4 whitewater rafting, which this company also offers, including an exhilarating 12-foot drop. But the lower Tenorio, starting right around Highway 1, is
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by Karl Kahler Hooked snook. Courtesy of Desafio Adventure Co.
an easy float with Class 2 rapids at best, and times, I usually got lucky and managed to mostly still water or gentle ripples. break free. Only once did we have to row, I was given an elevated seat in front and row, row our boat ashore to liberate my Howler StaffRapala from a lure-eating tree. Eventually handed a rod and reel with a colorful Rapala lure on the line. Guiselle, who has never I learned to recognize an overcast and put fished except for the time she reeled in half the brakes on it by grabbing the line. a sailfish off the Osa Peninsula, opted to sit I got the first strike. No, make that the on the side of the boat, amusing our guides last strike. OK, it was the only strike. I with her witty Spanish banter. José, who is reeled in a footlong snook (known here as 37 years old and has been doing this for 18 róbalo). The guys got all excited, pulled the years, took the oars, while Fabian, 30, did boat to shore, helped me unhook it, found a some fly-fishing in the rear. camera and took photos of my mini-trophy I’ve been deep-sea fishing in Costa Rica and me. a few times, but I’ve never fished here in They usually catch and release, but not if the fish is mortally injured. This poor fellow was hooked through the eye. “This one stays with us,” José said. “If we throw him back, the other fish will just eat him.” He asked Fabian to find a bag to keep the fish’s spines from puncturing our a river or lake. Casting a line from a boat raft. “You know how to swim, don’t you?” he brought back a lot of memories of bass said to Guiselle. (She does not.) fishing with my grandfather as a kid in It was our only catch all day. But it Arkansas. “You can’t catch any fish if you didn’t matter — the float was fun, the don’t get your bait wet,” he would say when scenery was beautiful, and we saw lots of my brother and I started goofing off and wildlife, including several crocodiles and stopped casting. Done fishing! Jose, Guiselle, Karl and Fabian. I also remember my grandfather Courtesy of Desafio Adventure Co. calling me “Bait Snarl Karl” because of my seemingly limitless capacity to cast into bushes or tie my line in knots. One of the challenges of fishing in a river is that the fish are usually lurking along the banks or around logs, so you have to cast as close as possible to the inanimate features most likely to eat your lure. And while I did cast into bushes a few
The worst day fishing beats the best day working.
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THE BEST
THINGS
in Costa Rica
Our designated rower, José . Photo: Karl Kahler
monkeys and dozens of exotic birds. We passed a group on a safari float where the guide was delicately plucking a beautiful green vine snake from a limb. I asked José what’s the strangest thing he’s seen here and he said, “I saw a river otter eating an iguana that was like a meter and a half long.” “The second strange thing I’ve seen is a crocodile hunting a monkey,” he said. “The monkey was on a branch, and the crocodile jumped up and caught him. He brought him onto a beach, and there were two — one had him by the head and one had him by the tail — two crocodiles fighting over a howler monkey.” I asked José if they ever turn the boat over. “It’s rare, but yes, there have been occasions where you’re distracted and you hit a log or something and turn over,” he said. “It’s flat here, so you just turn the boat back over and put everyone back in it.” We stopped on a little beach to eat pineapple and grapes, and I taught Guiselle how to use the rod and reel. She was a natural, getting the hang of it instantly and lobbing the lure way out into the water. “I really want to put a grape on the lure,” she said. So I speared half a grape onto one of the treble hooks. But on her first cast the grape flew clear across the river and landed on the other bank. We had a good laugh. We enjoyed the rest of the float, keeping our bait wet, but the biggest near-miss was when Guiselle dangled a hook baited with pineapple on the back of Fabian’s neck. “We’re just about home, and you almost caught the biggest fish of all,” he said. A big lunch was waiting for us at the Tenorio Adventures HQ — casados with rice, beans, squash, sweet plantains, salad and choice of beef, chicken or (of course) fish. This was accompanied by a pitcher of iced tea and topped off by a bowl of ice cream. And there was Isaac, waiting to drive us home in his air-conditioned SUV. It was a most excellent adventure, even if we didn’t catch a lot of fish. Remember: Fishing is like sex…. And also: The worst day fishing beats the best day working.
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TRAVEL & ADVENTURE
OFF THE BEATEN PATH
COTE LAKE Must be true, if not proven fake
A
well-known aerial photo of Cote Lake (see below) has been widely cited by specialists in the field as one of the world’s most compelling confirmations that unidentified flying objects (UFOs) exist. (The Spanish acronym “OVNI” is for Objeto Volador No Identificado.) On September 4, 1971, aerial photos of Cote Lake were being taken from 10,000 feet of altitude as a research undertaking for a proposed hydroelectric project. Photographers from the Costa Rican National Geographic Institute were using a special map-making camera programmed to snap a photo at 13-second intervals. When the film was developed, one frame showed what appeared to be a metallic disc about 160 feet in diameter. Because the disc was not visible in any previous or subsequent image frames, and light emissions were detected under close scrutiny, the analysts’ interpretation was that an OVNI was captured at the moment of entering or emerging from the lake. After being kept secret for nearly a decade by the Costa Rican researchers involved, the Cote Lake photo was evaluated on different occasions by scientific authorities in the United States — including at NASA — and other countries. These international analyses consistently concluded that the photo had not been altered or manipulated, and that the metallic object on the lake is “real.”
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C
enturies before modern cartographers put Cote Lake on the map for globally astonishing reasons, its local renown was legendary. Historically important as a sacred place for tribal ceremonies and initiation rituals, the remote tropical sanctuary imparts a sense of magic and mystery that visitors find irresistible and unforgettable. Natural attributes alone make the heart-shaped lake worthy of its name — Cote, or Coter, means peace and love in the Maleku language. In lush rainforest surroundings where native flora and
by Debbie Bride
fauna species thrive, Cote Lake is both a popular attraction for bird watching, hiking, horseback riding and water sports and a mystical, meditative retreat with special ecotourism appeal. On all counts, it’s an idyllic setting for the Ecolodge Lago de Coter to offer guests breathtaking views from the mountains above and a restorative escape from everyday demands and distractions. Beyond its significance to Costa Rica’s indigenous Maleku culture, including current heritage preservation initiatives,
Cote Lake is believed to have been a pilgrimage destination for shamans in the making.
1971 aerial photo of Lake Cote showing UFO, courtesy of José Gerardo Suárez Monge
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History and Mystery at Heart Cote Lake is believed to have been a pilgrimage destination for shamans in the making from different Central or South American countries, including Brazil and Peru. With varied tribal and spiritual backgrounds, they would seek the blessings and wisdom needed to perform healing rituals involving medicinal plants. Whatever mystical fascination Cote Lake has held through the ages was taken to a new level by 20th century photographic technology. Suspend disbelief
if you will, but the validity of a 1971 aerial image that “accidentally” captured a flying saucer-like object on the lake has never been disproven. (See the sidebar for details.) Cote Lake is located in northern Costa Rica’s Alajuela province, between Arenal Volcano and Tenorio Volcano. Access is via the road from La Fortuna to Tilarán bordering Lake Arenal. That road may be reached from Cañas on the Inter-American Highway or from La Fortuna, east of Lake Arenal.
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TRAVEL & ADVENTURE
SURF SPOT
PLAYA TAMARINDO T
amarindo is much more than just a surf spot. Tamarindo is a happening beach town full of shops, restaurants and bars. Add to that the mix of cultures, languages and people, and it is truly a special surfing destination. This is all part of the experience of surfing in Tamarindo — catching some waves out front while your non-surfing friends enjoy happy hour on the beach. Later, you go out to eat sushi and then enjoy some drinks at the bar. It’s all within walking distance of where you surfed just hours before.
How to get there
Tamarindo can be accessed via paved road, and is about one hour from the international airport in Liberia by car or shuttle. There is also a small airport on the outskirts of town where you can catch flights to San José or Liberia, and
from there to other parts of Costa Rica, Nicaragua or Panama.
Where to surf
Tamarindo has over a half-dozen surfing peaks to enjoy, which does a decent job of spreading out the crowds. Starting on the north end of the beach, on the other side of the river mouth, you will find a spot called Casitas. Though it is technically at the far south end of Playa Grande, it’s considered a Tamarindo spot because of its proximity to town. This wave goes both left and right, and is mainly a beach break but there are rocks around as well. The river mouth can be one of the most epic waves in all of Tamarindo depending on the time of year, swell direction and composition of sandbars. It’s an always changing wave and can be a long, draining, barreling right, or a long, fast, shreddable left and
Photo: Shaka Media
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by Howler Staff
anything in between. It can be nonexistent for a few months at a time and then come back to life after a big storm. The beach break in front of Witch’s Rock Surf Camp is considered surf lesson central, so ultimate care should be used around beginner surfers. For an advanced surfer, this wave can be fun but is normally not worth the crowds and risks involved with flying longboards everywhere. Next up is Pico Grande and Pico Pequeño. Pico Grande is a rock pile that throws a sucky right and a normally fat and flat left. Pico Pequeño is the inside reform wave of Pico Grande, which can be super wedgie, fun, and most likely crowded. Further south you will come to Henry’s, another area of beach break waves. Then at the very south end of the beach you will find Capitan Suizo. This
Photo: Tamarindo Dave
It’s all within walking distance of where you surfed just hours before.
is normally a beginner’s surf beach break paradise, with soft, fun and peaky waves. However, on huge swells at the right angle, Capitan Suizo can get head-high and incredibly fun for all levels of surfers.
Surf times
The river mouth is always best at mid and low tides unless the swell is absolutely pumping, in which case high tide will be surfable as well. The beach break in front of Witch’s Rock loves mid and high tide, but can work at any time depending on the swell direction. Capitan Suizo is also a mid to high tide spot, as well as Casitas.
Local companies
Tamarindo is full of local surf shops, tour companies, bars, restaurants, clothing stores, ice cream shops and more. You can find pretty much anything within five minutes of the beach. One of the most popular surf establishments in town is Witch’s Rock Surf Camp, with its two restaurants, brewery, bars and beachfront restaurant. It’s a local hangout as well as a tourist trap, and a fun time can always be had drinking beers while watching the surfing right out front. Kelly’s Surf Shop is on the other side of the road and offers surfboard rentals, lessons and tours.
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TRAVEL & ADVENTURE
WAVES YOU'VE MISSED by Jarryd Jackson
Y
ou missed some great waves this month! Tubular nuggets were on tap on most of our local beach breaks. Hard offshore winds and combination swells provided the perfect mix of great weather, ideal conditions and overhead surf many days this month. Playa Grande in particular, with offshore winds all day, allowed us to score countless hours of surfing. Crowded lineups and party waves were unfortunately in the mix but patience always reigns and waiting for the sets usually pays off. Cheers to another month of perfect waves and pura vida!
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Playa Grande in particular, with offshore winds all day, allowed us to score countless hours of surfing.
HM HOWLER MAGAZINE | 25
TRAVEL & ADVENTURE
QUICK TRIP
Coastlines for Kayaks
C
Photos courtesy of Lazy Lizard Sailing
osta Rica is a fantastic place to experience ocean kayaking. Our coastal shores are full of cool coves, alluring little islands and rock outcrops to explore. Tranquility surrounds you as you paddle your way into an unforgettable escape from the mainland and mainstay routines. Hearing the rhythm of the water and feeling the fresh air blowing feels wonderful. Almost anyone can kayak, and the means of getting out there and doing it are straightforward. You’ll find that the kayaks available to rent are very stable and easy to maneuver. Choose from a double kayak, designed for two persons, or a single version. My general preference is to use the single kayak so I‘m not tied to someone else who may want to veer off in a different direction. Safety is always number one when using any sports equipment, and ocean kayaking is no exception. You must wear a life vest; even the strongest swimmers can get into trouble if their kayak capsizes. Sunscreen is vitally important, especially on your face, lips and head. The water’s reflection intensifies the severe burns that unprotected skin will suffer. For all the enjoyment kayaking offers in its own right, there are plenty of ways to double your pleasure in a water sport combo outing. Fishing from a kayak is always great. In a kayak rigged for fishing, you can find amazing places to cast and catch inshore fish such as red snapper and groupers. I have two single kayaks that are sleek for cutting the water and rigged for fishing.
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by John Brockmeier
One wonderful quick trip I have taken with a friend was up the estuary near Tamarindo. The setting is beautiful … a treasure trove of animals, plants, jumping fish and water birds. Estuary adventures like this can easily be set up from either Tamarindo or the Palm Beach area. Paddle and enjoy to your heart’s content, but with one important caution: There are large
There are plenty of ways to double your pleasure in a water sport combo outing. crocodiles in the estuary, so resist any urge you might have to jump into the water and swim. Snorkeling from your kayak is also a nice activity, but not without special precautions. Before jumping out, make sure your boat is firmly secured with an anchor. Being tied to the boat with a lead rope is also a good idea. As in the case of
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most similar ocean sports, bringing a companion along for safety is also strongly advised. Kayaking is a sport that accommodates many skill levels, and awareness of water conditions is critical in every case. Whether you are venturing out into the water from the shore, or returning back to shore, waves can be dangerous and toss you. Never surf the wave in towards the shore unless you have the skills to do so. I have seen many people injured this way. While out in the water, always be aware of your surroundings and where the shore is. Failing to pay attention puts you at risk of being swept up in the offshore current and taken out to sea. These currents are hard to paddle against and the danger should never be underestimated. Novice paddlers should stay near the shore. Plus, there is so much more to see when looking out into the water. Take every opportunity to explore Costa Rica’s offshore wonders in a kayak. You never know what adventures await today.
BULLET ANTS PAIN YOU DON’T WANT TO FEEL by Vern Veer
CREATURE FEATURE
The pain inflicted by the bullet ant’s stinger has the highest rating on the Schmidt Sting Pain Index for Insects. It can incapacitate large animals and humans.
T
he lesser giant hunting ant (Paraponera clavata), more commonly known as the bullet ant, is no stranger to Costa Rica. This insect species inhabits the wet neotropic ecozone, from Honduras in the north through Brazil in the south. It can grow to more than an inch in length and is reddish-black in color. Bullet ants get their name from the intensely painful sting, which has been compared to getting shot. It causes a throbbing, burning pain that can continue unabated for up to 24 hours. Colonies usually consist of several hundred individuals. They are normally situated around the bases of trees, where the ants spend most of their time foraging for small arthropods and nectar. They often ascend into the upper canopy of the forest in their quest for food for the colony. The glasswing butterfly is one of the bullet ant’s prey. In the larval preflight stage, these butterflies protect themselves by producing a chemical that is unpalatable to the ants. Bullet ant venom generally poses no serious threat to humans, and is currently being studied for properties that may be medically beneficial.
HM HOWLER MAGAZINE | 27
TRAVEL & ADVENTURE
COLECTIVOS WHAT TO EXPECT
by John Brockmeier
W
hen I first moved to Guanacaste, driving around from place to place, I was so amazed with all the cars that would abruptly just stop in the middle of the road to pick up and drop off people. “What’s up with this?!” I kept wondering. A few months went by. Then one day, I was in Tamarindo with friends and we were figuring out how to get to where we wanted to go next. One of them suggested, “Let’s just catch a colectivo.” “Huh,” I asked, “what’s that?” Matt and Jess looked at us in surprise, responding, “You haven’t used the colectivo?!” Thus began my inaugural colectivo experience, which was uneventful but enlightening. I ultimately learned that many people in Guanacaste, and elsewhere in Costa Rica, heavily or exclusively rely on this form of transportation. The colectivo is a “gypsy cab” that runs up and down the street offering rides in the driver’s own vehicle for a low price. Particularly when you need to get somewhere on relatively short notice, maybe just a few miles away, it can be your best bet. The price may be negotiable, but for sure, you will save money in using this cheap transportation alternative — perhaps paying as little as 500 colones, or just under a dollar. There’s also a good chance of enjoying your ride in the company of up to six other passengers piled into the vehicle, perhaps with a chicken.
Certainly Worth a Try
When attempting to catch a colectivo ride by catching the driver’s attention, just stand on the road. Try not to look like a gringo because the asking price might be higher. As soon as you see a small vehicle, wave and the driver will pull over and stop. It’s helpful to speak some Spanish, but you can probably fumble through it with gestures and broken Spanglish. The collectivo culture gained strength about two years ago, when bus tickets became super expensive for locals who take the bus to work every day. So taxi drivers started accommodating groups of people in their cars willing to share rides for the cost of 500 colones each. This situation evolved as people other than taxi drivers started using their own vehicle to provide a carpool service to make some extra money. Thus, colectivo trips from beach town to beach town became available. Even though bus ticket prices decreased back to previous rates, colectivos remained popular as an economical, fast and safe way to move around. Whether I should feel lucky or disappointed that my own colectivo initiation was so uneventful, depends on what others might seek in the way of excitement or entertainment. In the realm of what NOT to expect, be sure to read this month’s Tico Time Zone story on page 32, “Colectivo Fugitivo,” by guest contributor Cason Gaither.
"You haven’t used the colectivo?!"
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High Five and Hop In!
'T
hink of it as Costa Rican Uber,” is how Cason Gaither explains colectivo travel to anyone unfamiliar with the ins and outs. Elaborating on this article’s “what to expect” basics, he adds: “Colectivos will pick you up on the street or at a bus stop. You just stand out near the road and stare down approaching traffic. The colectivo car will approach and flash its lights, or if you’re at a bus stop, the driver may yell out a destination and offer a ride. Hold up your hand as if to say ‘5.’ The car will pull over and you just hop in.” How do you know a colectivo when you see one? Be on the lookout for a small, beatup sedan, Gaither says, one level below a Costa Rican taxi. “Think Hyundai from the early 2000s, driven by a Tico.”
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
MULTIMEDIA ARTIST OTTO APUY FAVORITE SON OF CAÑAS
by Charlene Golojuch
SPOTLIGHT
Photos Courtesy of Otto Apuy and Hidden Garden Art Gallery
F
in the history of Costa Rican art. His or anyone growing up in the 1950s prolific journey has shaped both the and ’60s, going to the "picture man himself and the advancement of shows" was a fascinating and art in this country. The life path of Costa captivating experience. But for Costa Rica's "Renaissance Man," also known Rican artist Otto Apuy, the arrival as the "Favorite Son of Cañas," echoes of a new film at the two theatres in the evolving political and environmental Cañas, owned by his grandfather, perspectives portrayed in his paintings. was exhilarating. Otto recalls seeing The "mesa" series, depicting broken movies almost every day as a young boy or empty tables, reflects on Costa and teenager, and at age 11 he started Rica’s economic crisis during the painting the posters announcing films 1980s, when families struggled to keep with text and graphics. food on their tables. The installation "This was my first artistic influence," he told us about the medium that gave him extensive practice in drawing, lettering and painting. "I still have many images in my head, like Walt Disney, Westerns, Godzilla, Frankenstein and many Roman soldiers." Otto’s primary pastime left a lot to his imagination when it came to illustrating swords, Viking boats, catapults, towers, arrows and landscapes. There were times when a new film would be delivered by bus, but without any photos or visual materials to work with. “All that was provided were the film credits or genre, like ‘Western movie’ or ‘Roman film.’ I had to imagine the context and produce illustrations of the actors or content, like Tarzan, Superman or This Apuy family Christmas card photo (1959-60) shows three John Wayne," he said. buildings in Cañas, designed and built by Otto Apuy's grandfather. Now, almost 60 years later, On the front sidewalk of the Cinema Columbus are movie posters Apuy is considered a pioneer Otto designed and created as a youth.
Apuy is considered a pioneer in the history of Costa Rican art.
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“Unity for Guanacaste" is a call for two local communities to reunite with the province of Guanacaste. Challenged to live his life as a multimedia artist, Apuy has been inspired by his own creativity, its gratification and diversity. When asked to provide a small sculpture for the Iglesia de Cañas, Otto was consumed by the challenge to the point of transforming his hometown. More than a million pieces of mosaic tiles now cover the exterior of the church and its 100-foot tower. In addition, Apuy is a well-respected published author. His most recent novel, "Viaje al Remoto Puntalín," centers around the migration of Chinese people to Costa Rica. It was bestowed with the honor of being declared “of cultural interest” in Costa Rica. Apuy has participated in more than 150 exhibitions around the world, both individual and collective. His numerous awards include Costa Rica’s national prize, el Gran Premio de la Bienal de Escultura, and Bienarte Central America; the national prize la Gran Nicoya; and “Outstanding Son of Chinese Immigrants,” Confucio Institute, University of Costa Rica. The Hidden Garden Art Gallery offers a permanent exhibit of Apuy's paintings. Stop in for a visit to enjoy his remarkable talents.
SIMPLY SPANISH
Words to Call a Stranger amiga/o — friend. If you’re hailing a male stranger on the street, as if to ask for directions, you can hardly go wrong addressing him as amigo. Amiga is also OK for a woman but is not as common. amor — love. Surprisingly, it’s not uncommon for men or women to address strangers with this disarming word. Used by women to address men, by women to address women, and by men to address women, but not usually used by men to address men. brother — brother. A hip way to address a man you don’t know, especially if you are also a man. china/o — Chinese person. Call it politically incorrect (and use with caution), but it’s not uncommon in Costa Rica to address a person with Asian features like this, even if they are from some country other than China. flaca/o — skinny person. You might never address a thin person back home as “Hey, stringbean,” but here it’s not all that unusual to address strangers by how they look physically. gordo — fat person. Obviously, use extreme caution before calling a stranger gordo, gorda or the more endearing gordito, gordita or gordi. But it happens, and it’s not meant to be insulting. hermano — brother. You disarm and endear yourself to someone when you address them with a word indicating a close relationship that you both know you don’t really have. mami — mommy. Men should use with caution, especially if you’re not intending to flirt, as this is often a very flirtatious word, sometimes used by men to address their girlfriends or wives. But it’s often innocently used by both men and women to address a woman that they barely know, and oddly you will sometimes hear mothers addressing their own little daughters as mami. mopri — an anagram word for primo, cousin. muchacha/o — girl/boy. Back home you would never say, “Boy!” or “Girl!” to get the attention of a waiter or waitress, but in Costa Rica it’s a perfectly appropriate thing to say if the person is younger than you, and it may be seen as a compliment if they’re not all that much younger. negra/o — black person. Use with caution and kindness, or not at all. But it’s not uncommon in this country to hail a black person, for example a bartender, by saying, Negrita or Negrito. The word is also used of a person who is not African but has dark skin. niña/o — girl/boy. Similar to muchacha/o (which is more common), it’s acceptable to address a younger person by calling her or him a child. pa — short for papá (dad) or compañero (companion) or compadre (good friend) pa is usually an acceptable way to hail a male stranger you don’t know. papá — dad. Strange as it may sound, no male stranger on the street will think it strange if you call him papá. papito — daddy. See papá, though papito is probably more common. If you’re stopped on the road behind 50 cars and you ask the dried banana vendor at your car window what’s going on, he may say, Están trabajando en el camino, papito — “They’re working on the road, Daddy.”
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
TTZ (T
ico Time Zone)
DOSLOCOS
COLECTIVO FUGITIVO!
T
his is the story of a colectivo trip that I would never believe hearing from somebody else. For anyone unfamiliar with colectivos, see What to Expect on page 28. For my tale of the unexpected, buckle up and read on. I was at my favorite gelato spot in Tamarindo recently after dinner, finishing up a single scoop choco-coco waffle cone. It was time to turn in for the night at Cafe Cafe, my buddy’s’ hostel in Villarreal about a mile and half down the road. In situations like this, colectivo is the best bet for transportation. No sooner had I started walking towards the nearest bus stop about half a block away, when I spotted a small rice rocket coming down the street. I turned to face it and it flashed its lights. I raised my hand, the dude pulled over, I hopped in saying “Buenas” and “Cafe Cafe,” and we drove on. I was the only passenger so I was riding shotgun with a Tico driver in his late 20s or early 30s. Homeboy had his dashboard upholstered with a Bob Marley blanket and it looked really nice. I told him that but he didn’t seem keen to talk so I stopped trying. Colectivos are usually the only Spanish practice I get in Tamarindo, as the drivers are pretty much a captive audience. We pulled over at the next bus stop and three more people hopped in: an older woman, a
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chunky Tica, and a Tico with a couple bags of groceries, which he loaded in the trunk when the driver popped it open. Off we went on a ride that would normally take three or four minutes. After passing AutoMercado — the nice grocery store in town where homesick gringos go for a bit of first world comfort every so often — we started down the paved straightaway. Not too far along we noticed a police checkpoint up ahead. Bear in mind
This was my first high-speed police chase and I was nervous about how it was going to go down. the risk of colectivo drivers being fined if caught operating illegally. Approaching the checkpoint, it was clear our driver did not want to stop, and we were in a bit of a tight spot. Sometimes the cops just wave you through, but no such luck. The car in front of us had slowed, so we had to stop behind. It
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by Cason Gaither
was waved through; we were not. The officer shined his flashlight on us and motioned to the side of the road. We pulled onto the shoulder and he started walking up behind our car. He got about two paces before our colectivo driver slammed on the gas and burned rubber back onto the road, leaving the cop in a shower of sand and gravel. Our driver tore down the road, weaving in and out of traffic, the cops in chase and everyone shouting in Spanish. We rounded a curve and took a hard left onto a dirt road running by Tamarindo Chapel and back through a barrio. I had been in this area once and knew there were several dirt roads winding through woods and fields. We were hauling ass … bouncing our way along and doing a pretty decent job trying to shake the cops. They were no longer in sight but we could hear the siren and see the flashing blue lights trailing us through the woods. Then our driver hung a right and headed down a steep hill before stopping abruptly at the bottom where a river awaited. It was a fair-sized stream and we were in a glorified go-cart with the clearance of a housecat. The car fell silent. The dude in the back said, “Man, it’s too deep, you can’t make it.” I suggested a move straight out of Southern Boy’s Handbook: “Cut your lights! They won’t see us in the dark.” Our driver obeyed, but to no avail. As the lights and
sirens drew closer, he yelled something in Spanish and once again gunned it, this time straight into the river. And it was deep. Luckily, he really hit the gas hard, and with some momentum remaining from our descent, we splashed our way across, practically floating the last few feet to the other side. The cops pulled up on the bank behind us, lights glaring and sirens blaring. The bank where we emerged from the river was even steeper than on the side we had entered from, but that didn’t deter our driver from hitting the gas one more time. We began ascending slowly but steadily, the engine revving. Unfortunately, the mud on this side of the river was wet and colectivos are not known for their off-road capabilities. Just when the front tires began to crest the hill, the back tires lost traction in the mud. Not being a four-wheel-drive vehicle, our car slid slowly back down the slick bank, tires spinning furiously, before coming to rest right in the middle of the river. The cop, gun drawn, yelled from the opposite bank. Our driver, defeated, exited the car with his hands raised and waded towards the lights and sirens on the opposite bank. I sat still in the colectivo. This was my first high-speed police chase and I was nervous about how it was going to go down. All I knew about surrender protocol came from watching “Cops,” “Live PD” and the evening news on TV. I
envisioned putting my hands out the window, opening the door slowly keeping my hands up, lacing my fingers behind my head and walking backwards ... lying face down on the ground with my hands out by my sides. I’d probably be beat up a bit, or at least roughly cuffed and searched. I braced for the assault I knew was coming. Instead, our back-seat passengers opened the door and got out of the car. That made sense, as opposed to just sitting in the river. I exited too, slowly, with my hands up. We stood there momentarily in the river, not knowing what to do. Then the dude with the grocery bags asked the cop if he could get them out of the trunk. When the cop replied, “Claro,” the dude popped the trunk, grabbed his groceries and waded across the river to where our driver lay on the ground. I waded across next, greeting the cop with “Buenas.” His reply — I kid you not: “Pura vida.” So I kept walking. The barrio residents had come outside to see what was going on. It’s likely not every day they witness a police chase in their neighborhood, or a gringo walking away from the action with, “Todo bien, no preocupes, era solamente un colectivo.” Right after getting back onto the main road, I hailed another colectivo. Thankfully, I still had 500 colones, and arrived safely at my hostel. Word of advice: Wait to get out of the car before paying your colectivo driver.
HM HOWLER MAGAZINE | 33
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
SURVIVING Costa Rica
LOCOSDOS
A TRIP TO GERMANY
by Jesse Bishop
M
y wife, Susan — sometimes but very rarely referred to as Mrs. Jesse Bishop Gay III — and I recently visited Germany. It was a whirlwind 16-day tour of Munich, Baden-Baden and Cologne, plus a couple of days in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. We’ve always been drawn to Europe, having previously visited Austria, Spain, the Czech Republic and other biggies. We get a kick out of seeing really old buildings with great histories. With so many of its historic buildings destroyed during World War II, the lure of Germany was to just experience the country. Having many German friends here in Costa Rica — who seem like very nice people — along with a strong socio-anthropological interest in beer consumption, we decided it was time to check it out. Our 18-hour journey from San José, including a five-hour stopover in Madrid, eventually got us to Munich. For our first trip via Spain’s flagship Iberia airline, the price was right but the service underwhelming. It was just okay, though not nearly as bad as any of the U.S. carriers. Our usual approach to visiting Europe involves booking our flight and accommodations months in advance. Then after arriving at our hotel, we just start walking in one direction and keep going. For the most part, this has worked quite well, with adequate allowances for screw-ups. Our German trip pretty much followed suit. We spent about a week in Munich just to get acclimated. Our hotel was in a residential area and not particularly tourist-oriented. With plenty of experience using subway transportation, from the gorgeous Paris Métro to the dingy London Tube, we rated the Munich subway as not exactly sexy but very well organized and extremely
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efficient. Our intention for this European trip had been to travel around the country instead of sticking to more or less one location. We’d been hearing for years that Germany was ideal for train travel, so after quickly mastering the Munich subway, we were looking forward to our trips to Baden-Baden and then Cologne. Our self-assurance quickly gave way to bewilderment. Until now, our German experience had been very Englishfriendly. However, all communication relating to the train system is in German, with every word containing at least 11 letters. Our first trip was arranged by a friendly Croatian desk clerk who told us to ride the “regional” train to Baden-Baden. It would be a bit slower but we could really “see” Germany. What he didn’t mention was that we’d have to change trains four times. That meant dragging our three overstuffed, outdated suitcases through a train station in Dusseldorf or Manheim, frantically try to catch a train leaving in three minutes. In Baden-Baden we found out that a direct express train could have got us there three times faster. What we eventually learned was that the express
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trains are actually two connected trains with the same routing numbers, which could have prevented more frantic dragging and missing. It was only the kindness of Englishspeaking Germans, who recognized we were obviously two dumb tourists, that got us through the trials and tribulations of the rail system. We never got any better with it, but the destinations were well worth the journey. Baden-Baden, bordering the Black Forest, was like a fairy tale, with old castles and thermal baths first used by the Romans. The site was spared significant damage during the wars and saved for use by the French occupation forces. We probably had the most fun in Cologne, the beautiful city straddling the Rhine with one of the greatest cathedrals in Europe. Yes, we climbed to the top of its twin bell towers and yes, we found a Bavarian Bier Haus that served delicious pig’s knuckles. I should mention our other reason for visiting Germany: BEER! We need not have worried about no beer being left when we arrived the day after Oktoberfest ended. An amazing variety of phenomenal cerveza was readily available wherever we went! Enough said.
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HM HOWLER MAGAZINE | 35
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
AUGUST ODYSSEYS
by Robert August
L
iving on the beach in Southern California as a little kid, I would paddle out to surf just about every day from the age of 5 or 6. I had my half-shaped piece of wood to surf on, and I simply thought of catching waves as a really fun activity. I never thought about a future in surfing or anything; it was just part of my childhood routine. Wake up, take a piss, and jump in the water! After so much repetition, by the time I was 12 or 13 years old, I was getting pretty good at the surfing thing. My mom told me one day, "You know, Robert, there's really no one any better than you. You're just as good as all these older guys." At the time, I just shrugged it off like, yah ... big deal. I just thought of surfing as something fun to do. As I kept on surfing, unique and amazing opportunities opened themselves up for me. Because of my passion and dedication to riding waves. I ended up shaping boards, creating my own brand, making movies, and going on the trip of a lifetime with my pal Bruce Brown. I never planned on any of these amazing things to happen, I just loved getting into the water and catching a wave.
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Now this mentality of surfing for its true passion is relatable to just about any successful surfer, from the 11-time world champion Kelly Slater, to my friend and co-worker, Ryan Waldron. Kelly is originally from Cocoa Beach, Florida and I've been there many times. I used to travel there each year for the Summer Surf Festival at the Cocoa Beach Pier. Conditions were generally mediocre at best. At each event, we were greeted with small onshore waves there that were just barely surfable. Sure, every once in a while I'd catch one and say, well that wasn't SO bad. Likewise, Ryan is from Virginia Beach, Virginia. Now if there is anywhere on the East Coast that is
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less consistent wavewise than Cocoa Beach, it could very well be Virginia Beach. I've been there many times as well. In fact, that’s where one of the first surf shops in the United States was, a long time ago. My buddies and I would drive over from California trying to sell surfboards, t-shirts, wetsuits and other items while trying to catch a few waves in the meantime. Once again, the waves are pretty marginal most days, but you can still have fun with the right equipment and attitude. The story that Ryan and Kelly share is similar to my own. Who cares what the waves are like? Just being out in the water stroking into a few waves is worth the while. I'm not the greatest friends with Kelly Slater, but I did ask him one time, "How did you get so damn good growing up in Cocoa Beach, Florida?" Kelly responded, "I really didn't care what the waves were like growing up. I would surf for five hours straight in 2-foot wind chop and still be able to make progress in my surfing. If you can make bad waves look good, then when it's 6 foot surf and perfect, the wave just lends itself to you for the taking."
SIMPLY SPANISH
Tico Expressions agarrado — cheapskate, miserly. al final de cuentas — “at the end of the day,” in summation, to sum it all up, end of story. arroz con mango — literally “rice with mango,” this means a tangle, a mess, un enredo. bulla — noise, racket, uproar. Los vecinos estaban haciendo bulla hasta las 3 de la mañana — “The neighbors were making a racket until 3 a.m.” chiva — cool, neat, great. Qué chiva — “How cool.” chunche — thingamajig, whatchamallit, a word used for any little object you don’t know the name of. descarado — someone with no scruples who doesn’t care what anyone thinks about him; a shameless person, un sinvergüenza. desmadre — a chaotic disaster, a mess.
NIGHT AT THE CIRCUS BOCAS Dinner Party
despiche — same as desmadre, but more vulgar. hediondo — stinky. madrear — to insult someone else in a vulgar fashion. miserable — cheapskate, miserly. nada que ver — Literally “nothing to see,” this means that one thing has nothing to do with another thing, but it’s often used to mean, “No way,” “That’s wrong,” “That’s BS.” Este vino está en descuento, y todavía cuesta 20 mil? Nada que ver. — “This wine is on sale, and it still costs 20,000? That’s BS.” sinvergüenza — a shameless person, un descarado.
saturday, march 10th hotel cala luna 6pm to 10pm $25 pre-sale / $30 at the door includes dinner and entertainment dj ciro performing!
tacaño — tightwad, cheapskate. azul profundo, educarte, cepia, nimbu, cria, la paz, surfbox, abriendo mentes
tickets
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
HAPPENINGS
GET OUT, DO SOMETHING! FIESTA FIESTA FIESTA
BRASILITO
FESTIVAL SEASON CONTINUES March 1-4 La Virgen de Sarapiquí, Heredia March 8-11 Muelle de San Carlos, Alajuela March 14-18 Villarreal de Santa Cruz, Guanacaste March 15-18 San Antonio de Pejibaye, San José March 22-25 Puriscal, San José March 29-April 1 Herradura Beach, Puntarenas March 29-April 1 Río Seco de Santa Cruz, Guanacaste
Photos: Abi Acuña, DigitalPhoto CR
TEMPATE to PLAYA POTRERO 13TH ANNUAL MOONLIGHT CABALGATA
E
njoy the ride and much more at this sensational annual event! What better way to spend a lovely evening than a moonlit horseback jaunt along the beach in the company of friends, followed by a party. The 8 kilometer route to Playa Potrero passes by Bar La Perla, Hotel Bahia del Sol and Bar Las Brisas, ending at Costa Azul Bar. Refreshments, entertainment and a raffle draw to win a filly are part of this unforgettable event. When: Sat., Mar. 31, 6-10 pm Where: Departs from Tempate soccer field Cost: c10,000 includes food, 2 drinks, party admission and raffle ticket c25,000 horse rental Contact: Sadi Cerdas Ramirez 8797-7356 (event registration and horse rentals) Randall Lopez 8524-8956 (horse rentals)
38 | Read. like. share. | online
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B
each Nuts Theater proudly presents Sleeping Beauty, the perennial favorite fairy tale brought to life on stage for your whole family to enjoy. Directed by Paul Belanger, who founded the Tamarindo theater company in 2009, the cast of talented young actors and international-quality production team are set to wow audiences with an unforgettable show. Where: Costa Rica International Academy, 500m south of Reserva Conchal, Brasilito When: Mar 22, 23, 24 at 7pm Mar 25 at 2pm Cost: $12 in advance, $15 at the door Buy tickets: Jaime Peligró Books, Playa Tamarindo 2653-2670. La Oliva, Playa Brasilito 2654-7297 Contact: Pam, 8425 4939
100% OF PROCEEDS GO DIRECTLY TO
BRASILITO
BARBARA’S ANIMAL RESCUE CENTER
DOG DAY AFTERNOON
You are invite d to attend th nvite your friends and family to join the fun at e 5th Annual the 5th annual Dog Day Afternoon fundraiser for Barbara’s Animal Rescue Centre. Enter to win from Sunday, March 18 , 2018 • 4:00 WIN, WIN OP - 7:00 PM a huge selection of silent auction prizes, 50/50 and PORTUNITY Great Ra ffle Prizes and 50/50 Draw to FO be OD AND DRINK wo n raffle draws and more, while enjoying live music SILEN SPECIALS Eat & drink to T AUCTION your heart's con Bid on some rea tent by Charly Lopez. All proceeds go to the loving care lly good stuff from local business MI X AND MINGLE es Join with family, BARBARA'S CO Barbara and her Rescue Centre volunteers provide frie RN nds & neighbo ER Novelty pet item for a great eve rs s, organic pet ning and a gre treats, at cause unique gifts for to vulnerable dogs, cats and other animals in need. dog & cat lovers !
I
DOG DAY AF TERNOON A T LUCY’S
KIDS’ GAME S
Spectacular Live are invited to attend the 5th Annual EntertainYou ment by CHARLY Where: Lucy’s Retired Surfer Bar and RestaurantDOG LOPEZ AT LUCY’S DAY AFTERNOON Sunday, March 18, 2018 • 4:00 - 7:00 PM (formerly Tiki’s), Brasilito WIN, WIN OPPORTUNITY FOOD AND DRINK SPECIALS When: Sun., Mar. 11, 5-8pm Great Raffle Prizes and 50/50 Draw to be won Eat & drink to your heart's content MIX AND MINGLE SILENT AUCTION Cost: Donations accepted with gratitude Join with family, friends & neighbors Bid on some really good stuff from local businesses for a great evening and a great cause BARBARA'S CORNER Contact: Pam, 8425-4939 Novelty pet items, organic pet treats, MAIN CORNER
unique gifts for dog & cat lovers! KIDS’ GAMES
SAN JOSÉ
BRASILITO | TE
L: 8688 0641
Spectacular Live Entertainment by CHARLY LOPEZ
JUAN SANTAMARÍA CULTURAL HISTORICAL MUSEUM MAIN CORNER BRASILITO | TEL: 8688 0641
H
istory buffs can explore endless facets of Costa Rica’s cultural heritage through an ever-changing variety of museum exhibits and events. A synopsis for March and beyond appears below. All March events are free.
Where: Avenida 1, Calle Central y 2, Alajuela Contact: 2441-4775/2442-1838. email: mhcjscr@ice.co.cr, website: museojuansantamaria.go.cr March Events Celebration of International Women’s Day Where: Auditorio Juan Rafael Mora Porras When: Mar.8, 10am-4pm Alajuelenses Gathering on Mural Painting When: Mar. 10, 3pm Where: Sala Manuela Santamaría Live Music at the Museum Concert bands from Alajuela and Heredia commemorate the 162nd anniversary of the Mar. 20, 1856, Batalla de Santa Rosa When: Mar. 15, 7pm Where: Plaza Francisca Carrasco Jiménez Live Music at the Museum Concert featuring SINEM of Alajuela When: Mar. 20, 6pm
Public Expositions Tues-Sun, 9am-5:30pm Caminos de Libertad History of 1856-57 National Campaign History Room, 1st floor Murals of the Manuela Santamaría Room Mural paintings restored in 2016 reflect our museum building’s history Mariposas Exhibitor: Adriana Castro Esquivel When: Feb. 3-Apr. 15 Where: Luis Alberto Salas Corrales Room, 2nd floor Kinematics / Itinerant Exhibitor: Osvaldo Sequeira When: Feb.10- May 6 Where: José María Cañas Escamilla Room, 2nd floor
HM HOWLER MAGAZINE | 39
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT M
Music
Events
T
ONDAYS
LUCY'S Happy hour, 4-6pm March 5, Cinco de Drinko - 5 cólones margaritas shots for 5 minutes at 5pm LANGOSTA BEACH CLUB Club day pass, happy hour, 4-6pm CRAZY MONKEY Happy hour, 4-6pm $4 margaritas & daiquiris COCONUTZ Daily happy hour until 7 pm Margarita & tequila specials ZI LOUNGE Daily happy hour, 11am-7pm DJ, 9:30pm-2:30am
Food & Drink Specials
W
UESDAYS
EDNESDAYS
COCONUTZ Daily happy hour until 7pm Karaoke night, 7:30pm Beer bucket $14 Daily happy hour, 11am-7pm DJ, 9:30pm-2:30am MARINER INN Happy hour, 4-6pm Daily special: Margaritas and tacos—50% off tacos with LUCY'S
$4 margaritas & daiquiris LANGOSTA BEACH CLUB Happy hour, 4-6pm LUCY'S ZI LOUNGE
Taco Tuesday - c500 tacos Happy hour, 4-6pm LANGOSTA BEACH CLUB Club day pass, happy hour, 4-6pm Live music, 7-9pm CRAZY MONKEY Happy hour, 4-6pm $4 margaritas & daiquiris
All you need in one spot: restaurants, bar, beach access with ocean activities, spa and fitness center. The perfect place for a perfect day. Restaurants always open to the public, facilities require a day pass.
CRAZY MONKEY Happy hour, 4-6pm
Happy hour, 4-6pm
margarita purchase
Langosta Beach Club Beach Club, Restaurants and Bar
MARINER INN Happy hour, 4-6pm Daily special: 1/2 price wine when paired with ceviche
ZI LOUNGE
TAMARINDO/LANGOSTA
Happy Hours
Daily happy hour, 11am-7pm Live music, 6:30-9pm DJ, 9:30pm-2:30am COCONUTZ Daily happy hour until 7pm Live music, Will Matthews
Karaoke
T
HURSDAYS
ZI LOUNGE Daily happy hour, 11am-7pm Live music, 6:30-9pm Ladies’ night, 9:30-11pm COCONUTZ Daily happy hour until 7pm Vodka lemonade specials LUCY'S Happy hour, 4-6pm Karaoke, 8pm MARINER INN Happy hour, 4-6pm Daily special: Loco Thursday, 10% off all food and beverages CRAZY MONKEY Happy hour, 4-6pm $4 margaritas & daiquiris LANGOSTA BEACH CLUB Sunset music, 5-7pm Happy hour, 4-6pm
House whiskey specials, 6:30pm
TAMARINDO
BRASILITO
CRAZY MONKEY RESTOBAR Bar, Restaurant & Night Club
Lucy's Retired Surfers Bar & Restaurant
Boasting spectacular ocean views, great pizza, a huge pool, waterfall and a swimup bar. Great for groups and birthdays!
Beachfront restaurant and bar serving unique coastal fusion dishes and cocktails featuring the freshest ingredients in Guanacaste! Main corner, Brasilito Mon-Fri, 11am-midnight Sat-Sun, 10am-midnight 8688-0651 costarica@lucysretiredsurfers.com
Inside the Best Western Tamarindo Vista Villas Daily, 7am-2am 2653-0114 ayd@tamarindovistavillas.com CrazyMonkeyBarTamarindo
Beachfront, 400m from Pacific Park Daily, 9am-10pm 2653-1127 / 8372-7244 info@langostabeachclub.com langostabeachclub.com Daily: Happy hour, 4-6pm, Daily: Happy hour, 4-6pm, 50% off selection $4 margaritas and daiquiris Day pass for all facilities 9am-6pm Fri: Our famous ladies’ night, live salsa Tue: Live music, 7-9pm music and DJ free drinks at 9pm Thu: Sunset music, 5-7pm Sat: All you can eat pizza and salad Fri: Live music, 7-9pm $10+tax per person, 5-9pm Sun: Live DJ, 2pm-sunset Sun: Afternoon pool party, noon-6pm Activities: Pool, spa, beach, kayak, surf, 40paddleboard | Read. like. share. | online howlermag.com
Daily: Happy hour 4-6pm Tue: Taco Tuesday, c500 tacos all day Thu: Karoke, 8pm March Events: 3/5 - Cinco de Drinko, 5 colones margaritas for 5 minutes at 5pm 3/16 - 7pm, Trivia Night with Abriendo Mentes featuring Charly López 3/18 - 4pm, Dog Day Afternoon Fundraiser 3/26-4/1 Semana Santa Specials
CALENDAR A weekly glance for March
F
RIDAYS
LANGOSTA BEACH CLUB Live music, 7-9, happy hour, 4-6 MARINER INN Happy hour, 4-6pm Daily special: Wings & brews, a free beer with your order of wings CRAZY MONKEY Happy hour, 4-6pm $4 margaritas & daiquiris Ladies’ night, live salsa music DJ, free drinks at 9pm LUCY'S Happy hour, 4-6pm Mar 16, Trivia Night COCONUTZ Daily happy hour until 7pm Live music, bucket of 6 beers, $14 ZI LOUNGE
S
ATURDAYS
ZI LOUNGE Daily happy hour, 11am-7pm Live music, Charly Lopez, 6:30-9 COCONUTZ Daily happy hour until 7pm Live music, Flor de Caña and chiliguaro special CRAZY MONKEY All you can eat pizza & salad $10+ tax per person, 5-9pm MARINER INN Happy hour, 4-6pm Daily special: Sangria Saturday 4 sangrias for the price of 3 LANGOSTA BEACH CLUB Happy hour, 4-6pm LUCY'S Happy hour, 4-6pm Mar. 31, Semana Santa Special
Across the bridge in Flamingo Tue-Sun 4pm-10pm, closed Mon 2654-4156 themarinerinn@gmail.com marinerinn.com themarinerinn Daily: Tue: Wed:
Happy hour 4-6pm Margs & Tacos 50% off tacos with margarita 1/2 priced wine when paired with ceviche Thu: Loco Thursday - 10% off food and beverages Fri: Wings & Brews - get a free beer with your order of wings Sat: Sangria Sat - 4 sangrias for the price of 3 Sun: $20 chef’s special & glass of wine
2018
S
UNDAYS
CRAZY MONKEY Afternoon pool party, noon-6 MARINER INN Happy hour, 4-6pm Daily special: $20 chef’s special with a glass of wine LANGOSTA BEACH CLUB Live DJ 2-sunset, happy hour 4-6 LUCY'S Happy hour, 4-6pm Mar. 18, 4pm, Dog Day Afternoon Fundraiser, Benefits Barbara's Animal Rescue
FRIDAY
COCONUTZ
MARCH 30TH
Daily happy hour until 7pm
NOON-VERY LATE
Sports all day Daily happy hour, 11am-7pm
Live music, Latin Trio, 6:30-9pm
MARINER INN Hotel, Bar & Restaurant
WILSTOCK
ZI LOUNGE
Daily happy hour, 11am-7pm
FLAMINGO
CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL
PLAYAS DEL COCO
COCONUTZ Restaurant & Bar The iconic bar of Coco Beach. Always cold beer, entertainment, sports and good food. Avenida Central, across from El Coco Casino Mon-Sat, 2pm till late Sun, 11am till late 2670-1982 pete@coconutzbar.com coconutzbar.com Daily: Happy hour until 7pm; all NHL games Mon: Margarita & tequila specials Tue: Karaoke, 7:30, bucket of 6 beers, $14 Wed: Live music with Will Matthews, 6:30pm, house whiskey specials Thu: Vodka lemonade specials Fri: Live music, bucket of 6 beers, $14 Sat: Live music, Flor de Caña and chiliguaro specials Sun: Sports, all day
PLAYAS DEL COCO
Open Daily 7am to 9pm
Located between Matapalo & Playa Grande Phone: 2249-0387, Email: wesone2020@yahoo.com
Open Daily 7am to 9pm
ZI LOUNGE Restaurant and Sports Bar Club Card Member
:Pʼn į±Ďį íçįPØÙįĉĽğqÀPĤ ĥįŊÃıÁį ØĽdį Pğ Food, drink, entertainment and the Simply Cut out card and bring in for lamination Start to save on all your purchases longest happy hour in town.
Avenida Central, 200m from beach Daily, 11am-2:30am 2670-1978 info@zilounge.com Zi.Lounge Daily: Happy hour, 11am-7pm DJ, 9:30pm-2:30am Tue: DJ, 9:30pm-2:30am Wed: Live music, 6:30-9pm Thu: Live music, 6:30-9pm Ladies’ night, 9:30-11pm Fri: Live music, 6:30-9pm Sat: Live music, 6:30-9pm
LIFESTYLE
Lake Arenal, with the majestic volcano in the background.
Peloton in Paradise
FEATURE
A Bike Ride Around Lake Arenal
O
ne of Costa Rica’s biggest cycling events — a two-day ride around Lake Arenal from Tilarán to La Fortuna and back — takes place March 10 and 11. The Bicycle Ride Around Lake Arenal, which started in 1991, is expected to draw some 4,000 participants from every corner of Costa Rica and from as far away as Mexico, Guatemala and Nicaragua. The noncompetitive event welcomes riders of all people all ages, genders and athletic levels, and it’s designed for people to enjoy a workout in a beautiful natural setting, while discovering the hospitality and tranquility of the Arenal region. “What motivates me to participate is in part just wanting to go for a ride and in part a desire to compete,” said Erick
Rodríguez Solís, who has done the ride four or five times. “Also the atmosphere of these events is very nice, very happy and festive.” Rodríguez said he started cycling at age 24 for health reasons because he was too fat. He lost 25 kilos in six months. “Later I kept raising my game as an athlete, and I started training with really good people from my town.” He ended up competing in such hardcore events as the 223km Ruta de los Conquistadores, from Jacó to Limón. He says the ride around Arenal Lake is a recreational event, not a competitive one, so it attracts all kinds. For competitive events, he says he trains at least two hours a day from Tuesday to Friday, four to five hours on Saturday and Saturday, and takes Mondays off. He eats lots of fruit and vegetables and
DAY Tilarán Start Jenkins Corral Silent Intersection Artavia Farm Intersection Lago Street Intersection Descanso Farm Richard Ulloa Farm Old Arenal Chiquito River Intersection High Hundimiento El Chorro Black Caño River El Fósforo The Castle Volcano Intersection Paved Intersection Finish in La Fortuna
Map Route
By Howler Staff quality carbs, plus low-fat chicken and fish. The week before a race, he says he increases his intake of water and carbs. “The mental part is very personal,” he said. “At least in my case I don’t stress out, I think of it as just a ride, so that I approach it with all the calm in the world.” The Arenal event is organized by the Recreational Cycling Association of Tilarán, a nonprofit organization dedicated to having fun in a healthy way. Its mission is to promote sportsrelated causes and also to support other nonprofit organizations that need financial assistance in this region. The ride begins in Tilarán, to the west of Lake Arenal, and then skirts the southwestern edge of the lake until arriving in La Fortuna, where the first day’s ride ends. On the second day, Mechanic Assistance Fruit and Hydration Hydration
DAY
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La Fortuna Start Paved Intersection Volcano Intersection The Castle El Fosforo Black Caño River El Chorro
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High Hundimiento Chiquito River Intersection Old Arenal Richard Ulloa Farm Descanso Farm
Largo Street Intersection Thunder Five Corners Finish in Tilarán
Photos courtesy of Groupo Favarcia
cyclists turn around and retrace mostly the same route. Tilarán resident Abi Acuña says she remembers that since she was a little girl, hundreds and hundreds of cyclists would descend on her hometown on buses with bicycles on the roof. “The town of Tilarán fills up with thousands of people — athletic families, friends of the town,” she said. “It’s really happy and there’s lots of music. In the morning, around 5:30 a.m., the cyclists take off at the official start of the event on the shores of the Rio Chiquito near the lake. The route is super-hard, full of mud, rocks, uphills and downhills, and people help people they don’t even know — people become family at this event.” The entire route is 142km both ways, or 88 miles. Registration is 15,000 colones, and you can sign up at www.vueltaallagoarenal.com/mtb/ inscripciones Crossing Caño Negro River, one of the favorite parts of the route for the bikers.
Riders pushing up one of the many inclines
HM HOWLER MAGAZINE | 43
LIFESTYLE
Let’s Talk About Men by Patricia Sterman
FASHIONFLASH
If they like it a lot, they buy two at the same time.
F
or some men, including my own husband, buying clothes is not fun. He would rather be at the hardware store, where he can spend hours looking for tools, than inside a clothing store, where he will only spend minutes. For many men, shopping means you go, you ask for what you NEED and you go home. Luckily, other men see fashion as a way of expressing themselves. They are willing to take their time to shop and choose. This type of man — my favorite as a fashion business owner — might run the risk of looking too feminine for the hardware store guys. But there’s a new generation of men who are changing things; they are influenced by “YouTubers” and movie stars. My own experience is that men definitely know what they want when they come into my store. They don’t go windowshopping; they have an idea, they look for it and they buy. They don’t ask friends how they look, and they don’t ask the wife if they like it. They don’t consult with their
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kids and they don’t ask what you think. If they like it a lot, they buy two at the same time, so they don’t have to shop again for awhile. Wives LOVE buying clothes for their men. I think it relieves a bit of their guilt from buying three times as much for themselves when shopping. But some men take this as an invasion of their privacy. On the other hand, all this self-assurance can vanish when men have to buy for their wives. They become wishy-washy and insecure, or even ruin the surprise by sending you a picture so they don’t buy the wrong thing. It’s surely a safer bet than having the lady at home declare, “You don’t know me well enough if you bought me this!” And that’s without mentioning the size issue. Just as women’s fashions vary from country to country, or
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even from city to city, so do men’s. Latinos are way more adventurous at the time of choosing their wardrobe. European men are into simple and soft. Gringos tend to be more traditional, except in locales with hot weather. V-neck or crew neck, sunga, shorts or surf shorts — tell me your choice and I can tell where you come from. For Costa Rica beachwear I recommend clothes that are easy to wash, casual and comfortable. Keep it simple: plain white T-shirt or a “Pura Vida” one, cotton chinos, a nice shirt (plain, mini–print or big flowers), some lightweight long pants, leather flip-flops and a nice Panama hat. You are all SET!
HM HOWLER MAGAZINE | 45
LIFESTYLE
SPANISH
STEP UP YOUR GAME O
by Sylvia Monge
n the road to any major change, lulls are inevitable … the excitement of just beginning has waned, along with your sense of progress. Language learning is no exception. It may not feel like you’ve made any progress at all. Procrastination makes the problem worse, or you might even give up altogether. Here are some tips to get through the slump. Change up what you do. Make sure you haven’t gotten into a rut. Since language learning is a whole brain exercise, variety is the key to stimulating as many parts as you can. Unless your daily language practice is engaging, entertaining and ever changing, its usefulness declines. Learning a language is a change in lifestyle. You fall in love with the sounds, the culture and the art of the language. People who speak many languages tend to have this quality. Read and then read some more. Reading helps us understand grammar in a more natural way. Don’t get bogged down trying to understand everything while reading. Just try to get the main idea and keep on reading more. Let your brain fill in the blanks and begin to understand the language’s bigger picture. As you read, make lots of guesses; look up a few verbs and then concoct a meaning through context. Wherever your interests lie, they exist in another language. Exploring hobbies and current events in Spanish is highly recommended. Already having the context makes it easier to read more complex passages. Your vocabulary and
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understanding will grow naturally out of this process. Listen and watch. Refining your ear is a huge part of the language learning equation. Listening to natural speech patterns without them sounding like vocal
Singing works wonders for eliminating accents. machine gunfire takes practice. Watching television, movies or YouTube videos, and listening to the radio or audio books, are entertaining and effective methods. You are not listening to the separate words per se, but taking in the whole. Letting the words wash over you provides a basic understanding of what is being said. Take in the parts that make up the whole: contextual clues, inflections and body language. Then allow your brain to create a main idea. The more you listen and engage, the more those main ideas will turn into true understanding. Sing like no one is listening. Scoff if you will at this suggestion, convinced as most people are that no one wants to hear them sing! However true that may be, singing is good for language learning. As a “sing for myself, not for the audience” karaoke singer, I’m aware that not everyone shares my belief in this tip, especially those
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who have had the joy of hearing my croaks. So close the door, plug in your earphones and crank up some tunes with lyrics. (Remember that any genre of music you enjoy has a Spanish counterpart, just ask Don Google for help finding it.) Singing works wonders for eliminating accents by retraining our mouth and vocal chords. Accent is all about tongue and mouth movement; singing allows us to learn this physical aspect effortlessly. The most important part of learning is time. You need to give your brain time to create new connections, and give yourself time to learn little by little. This can be frustrating, especially when you need to speak Spanish now, but frustration is one step in the process. Just keep going … each day learning a bit more and falling in love a little more with the sounds of Costa Rica.
Spirulina by Valeria Gonzalez
I
SUPERFOODS
LIFESTYLE
Superfood With An Attitude
never thought I would ever eat anything like this, and many people have never even heard of it. So you may be surprised by what nutrition research has revealed about the health benefits of spirulina as a superfood. Spirulina is a naturally occurring algae, known to have inhabited the earth for about 3.5 billion years. Science has determined that spirulina produced much of our planet’s oxygen, enabling the earliest organisms to develop. Spirulina grows in many freshwater lakes, rivers and ponds, ideally in environments with moderate temperatures and very high levels of sunlight exposure. As an edible human nutrition source, spirulina is a pure and natural whole food, green-blue in color. Research has demonstrated its dietary attributes as follows: Source of vitamins A, B6, C and D, as well as iron, potassium, chromium, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, selenium and zinc High protein, calcium, chlorophyll and
beta-carotenoids (antioxidants) content Contains essential fatty acids Scientific studies have established the superfood’s beneficial role in: Weight loss and maintenance Helping regulate blood sugar and blood pressure Lowering triglycerides and LDL cholesterol, and potentially raising HDL ("good") cholesterol Alleviating pain from inflammation Improving digestion and increasing “friendly” flora in the intestines Delivering antioxidant activity to prevent cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease and stroke Helping protect organs such as the liver, kidneys, eyes and brain Removing radiation from the body Improving the immune system, fighting viruses and alleviating allergies Spirulina is a versatile health food supplement available in tablet or powder form, including varieties from organically raised algae sources. Shoppers in the Playa
Tamarindo area can find such products at independent grocery and health food stores. Spirulina Smoothie Mixing spirulina powder with your favorite fruit juice is as simple as it gets! Try this smoothie recipe for starters and find ways to make it your own. Adjust the amounts and variety of ingredients to suit your taste and personal health routine. Ingredients 2 bananas Other fruit as desired: 1 papaya, peach and/or mango 1/2 cup berries 1/2 cup yogurt 1 cup soy milk or fruit juice (apple, orange, or pinapple) 1 teaspoon spirulina powder Method Combine ingredients in a blender. lend horoughly. Pour in glass and enjoy!
HM HOWLER MAGAZINE | 47
LIFESTYLE
VITAMINS WELLNESS
Enough is Enough?
V
itamins are organic compounds occurring naturally in foods or as additives. They are necessary in small amounts for the energy required for growth and development. To what extent do people need vitamins? Should we take “extra” vitamins in the form of pills? Do vitamins help us gain weight? These are among the frequently asked questions about vitamins. Many answers are not clear-cut, and there are many commonly believed fallacies. The principal requirements for
Vitamins have no caloric value. supporting biological systems are vitamins A, B, C, D, E and K, folic acid and pantothenic acid. The average diet supplies all of these in more than sufficient amounts, making extra vitamins often unnecessary. Vitamins are not only compounds of all foods, but some are made by the body. Vitamin K, for instance, is produced by intestinal bacteria. Almost all vitamins in excess of required amounts pass through the body. Unfortunately for some people,
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the human body does not store most of the “extra” vitamins consumed. The only vitamins it does store are A, D, E and K. Another misconception is that vitamin pills will help with weight gain. This is not true because vitamins have no caloric value. For those people who can eat and eat and eat without ever putting on weight, vitamins will not help. To what extent should a doctor prescribe multivitamin preparations? Generally, if specific deficiencies are suspected, those lacking nutrients should be replaced. At times when food intake has been poor, particularly during severe illnesses, a multivitamin preparation is justified. Otherwise, for anyone consuming food in a normal diet, additional vitamins are usually not necessary. In general, most physicians prescribe, with justification, supplements to children in the first years of life — fluoride, for instance, in areas where there is no natural source. Also, when babies are getting used to food and do not yet have a totally balanced diet, supplementary vitamins may help prevent deficiencies. Specific vitamins and vitamin groups reputedly can prevent or help cure certain medical conditions. Irritability, pregnancy and premenstrual syndrome
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by Dr. Herbert Weinman (PMS) have been shown responsive to large doses of B complex vitamins. I personally believe that large doses of vitamin C can prevent or shorten the duration of the common cold. Unless someone is a vitamin fanatic, overdose is rarely a problem. Overdosage of THE DOCTOR IS IN vitamin A and D can cause severe illness, and even death. Hypervitaminosis A results in abnormal brain symptoms, loss of hair, skin changes, insomnia, tiredness and bone and joint pain. Excess vitamin D intake can lead to loss of appetite and severe weight loss, vomiting, dehydration and mental confusion. Vitamins certainly have their place in treating specific medical conditions, but general usage in the presence of a fairly normal diet is not necessary. Health-care practitioners are the best source of information on whether or not someone can benefit from any nutritional supplement.
HM HOWLER MAGAZINE | 49
M
T
ONDAYS
LIFESTYLE Greater Tamarindo, Flamingo, Potrero Area
W
UESDAYS
Reina’s Chocolate Chocolate workshops by appointment, Tamarindo
EDNESDAYS
MS Tennis Academy Tennis lessons, 6am-9pm - by appointment
YogAlegria Private classes available
YogAlegria Hatha yoga, 8:45am
Hatha yoga, 8:45am
La Botella de Leche Hostel 8:30-9:45am - Restorative aerial yoga 10-11am - PiYo 5-5:45pm - TRX Training Farmers Markets Flamingo - Moonlight Market
HURSDAYS
Private classes available
YogAlegria Private classes available
MS Tennis Academy Tennis lessons, 6am-9pm - by appointment
T
Rip Jack Inn, Playa Grande La Botella de Leche Hostel 9-10:15am - Aerial yoga 5-5:45pm - TRX training 6-7pm - Zumba 7:15-8:30pm - Aerial yoga
Rip Jack Inn, Playa Grande
MS Tennis Academy Tennis lessons, 6am-9pm - by appointment
Candlelight yoga, 6:15pm The Jungle Gym, Flamingo
Reina’s Chocolate Chocolate workshops by appointment, Tamarindo
MS Tennis Academy
YogAlegria Private classes available
Reina’s Chocolate
Yoga workout, 8:30am
appointment, Tamarindo
Tennis lessons, 6am-9pm - by appointment Chocolate workshops by La Botella de Leche Hostel
Reina’s Chocolate Chocolate workshops by appointment, Tamarindo
La Botella de Leche Hostel 8:30-9:15am - TRX training 9:30-10:45am - Aerial yoga
9-10:15am - Aerial yoga
Farmers Markets LaPaz Farmers Market
7:15-8:30pm -Restorative aerial yoga
M
ost days, not far away, a local Costa Rican marketplace is waiting to welcome you. Stop by, stroll around and browse to your heart’s content for bargains and higher-end merchandise galore. Grab a snack or some fresh fixings for tonight’s dinner. Celebrate the culture and lifestyle to the beat of live music. Take home the perfect gift, something to wear or a one-of-a-kind art treasure. Moonlight Market When: Mon, 6-9pm Where: La Plaza, Flamingo La Paz Farmers Market When: Wed, 3-6pm Where: La Paz Community School, Mar Vista entrance, Flamingo Tamarindo Night Market When: Thurs, 6-9pm Where: Plaza Palma, 200m east Banco Nacional
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Potrero Night Feria When: Fri, 6-9pm Feria de Quepos When: Fri, 2-10pm Sat. 7am-2pm Tamarindo Market & Feria When: Sat, 9am-3pm Where: Beach next to Pescador, Alfaro Bus Terminal Santa Cruz Feria del Agricultor When: Sat, 7am-12pm Where: Campo Ferial howlermag.com
Feria de Junqui When: First Sat of month. 3-6pm Where: Junquillal Eco Resort
5-5:45pm - TRX training 6-7pm - PiYo Farmers Markets Tamarindo Night Market
MS TENNIS ACADEMY MS offers a full-service program that fulfills the needs of all players, regardless of age or ability level. Playa Flamingo, Playa Conchal, Tamarindo Tennis Club Daily: 6am-9pm 8455-5488 mstennis.academycr@gmail.com mstennisacademycr
Coco Sunday Market When: Sun, 10am- 2pm Where: Coco Consignment Building at Las Palmas
Daily: Lessons 6am-9pm
Tilaran 5 Esquinas Feria When: 1st and 3rd Sun every month. 9am-2pm Where: 3 mi. north of Tilaran, Rico Realty lot
• Flamingo Beach Resort & Spa • Residents of Reserva Conchal at the Westin Golf Resort & Spa • Hacienda Pinilla • Tennis Club Tamarindo
After school program for age 4+ - develop new skills, stay fit and be social
Discount for two or more lessons a week Adults are welcome for lessons as well
ACTIVITYCALENDAR
A weekly glance of classes, workshops, lessons & farmers markets
F
RIDAYS
S
ATURDAYS
Reina’s Chocolate 8am-2pm
S
UNDAYS
Reina’s Chocolate By special arrangement
Tamarindo Farmers Market MS Tennis Academy Tennis lessons, 6am-9pm - by appointment YogAlegria Private classes available La Botella de Leche Hostel 10-11am - PiYo (Pilates yoga intense) Farmers Markets Potrero Night Feria Feria de Quepos
MS Tennis Academy Tennis lessons, 6am-9pm - by appointment
10-11am - PiYo (Pilates Yoga Intense) Farmers Markets Tamarindo Market & Feria Santa Cruz Feria del Agricultor Feria de Junqui Feria de Quepos
HOSTEL LA BOTELLA DE LECHE Aerial yoga & fitness classes Tamarindo, 500 Avenida Central Mon-Sat, 8:30-11am, 5-8:30pm 2653-0189 / 6305-2883 stephyzumba@gmail.com www.labotelladeleche.com labotelladelgeche Classes offered: Restorative aerial yoga Pilates yoga intense (PiYo)
TRX training Aerial yoga Zumba Private classes SUP yoga - equipment included
Prices:
Classes: $10 ($6 Residents) Monthly: $20 (1x/week) $40 (2x/week) $55 (3x/week)
KAMBUCHA™ is AWESOME
Handcrafted, brewed and bottled with the fruits and vegetables of Costa Rica and Central America.
11 Awesome Flavors
YogAlegria Private classes available La Botella de Leche Hostel
Kombucha is a delicious fermented cold tea beverage with tremendous health benefits to your heart, brain and especially stomach.
MS Tennis Academy Tennis lessons, 6am-9pm - by appointment YogAlegria Private classes available Farmers Markets Coco Sunday Market Tilaran 5 Esquinas Feria 1st & 3rd Sunday of month
YOGALEGRIA Marian Paniagua (owner) is a certified yoga instructor who offers mindfully crafted classes and workshops. Gold Coast from Hacienda Pinilla to Danta Beach By request 8914-0199 marianpaniagua@gmail.com Daily: Private classes and workshops available Tue: Hatha yoga, 8:45am Rip Jack Inn, Playa Grande Thu: Hatha yoga, 8:45am Rip Jack Inn, Playa Grande Candlelight yoga, 6:15pm The Jungle Gym, Flamingo
Maracuya and Lavender Aloe Chamomile Spirulina Mint Mango Mango Pineapple Beet Mango Pineapple Mango Papaya Turmeric Ginger Fireball Tamarindo Pineapple Pineapple Ginger Beet Carrot Cucumber Lime Ginger
Where to find
KAMBUCHA™ is AWESOME kambucha.co/locations
To distribute: Call 8822-3419
REINA’S CHOCOLATE Costa Rican craft chocolate maker. Intensive 3.5 hour workshop: All Things Chocolate Tamarindo - Google or WAZE By appointment 8883-5832 ron@reinaschocolate.com Reina’s Chocolate Daily: Workshops by appointment Fri: Closed Sat: Tamarindo Farmers Market 8am-2pm Sun: By special arrangement
COMMUNITY
Club members searching for a great jacamar at Selva Bananito Lodge.
THE BIRDING CLUB OF COSTA RICA
WATCHFUL EYES IN WONDERLAND COMMUNITY FEATURE
by Tom Schultz
H
ave you always loved birds? Or have you become fascinated by the hundreds of colorful birds you have seen in Costa Rica? Either way, you are in good company. The Birding Club of Costa Rica is an organization whose main goal is to seek out and see all the wonderful birds in this country. Taking that idea a step further, club members have a reason for traveling around the country not only to see birds, but also places they might not otherwise visit away from the urban and tourist areas. The club was founded in 1996 by three expats: retired astrophysicist John West, former accountant George Stack and bird expert Henry Kantrowitz. All had an interest in learning more about the country and birds of Costa Rica. In the last several years alone, club visits have been made to 61 areas of the country, from the mountains of Nicoya in Diriá National Park, to the far southeast corner bordering Panama, where members stayed with the indigenous Bribri in Yorkin. Since the club has been keeping electronic records, over 700 bird species out of more than 900 in Costa Rica have been spotted. Members are an eclectic mix of both
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Ticos and expats from the U.S., Canada, the UK, the Netherlands, Scandinavia and elsewhere. There are more than 100 active members, living all over the country, from Nicoya to Dominical to San
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o hike just gets to Sometimes the tt Joslin. rie Angus and Har
rol much - L to R : Ca
Isidro, Heredia, Puriscal and the Central Valley. Some are “snow birders” who only live in Costa Rica part of the year. All members have an interest in birds, but to varying degrees. Some just love to go birdwatching in remote parts of the country and some take more of a photographer’s perspective. Some members are serious birders who have seen thousands of birds worldwide. The club operates entirely on a volunteer basis, with members elected to specific roles each year at the annual meeting in June. The only other meeting is the December Christmas party. A birding trip is scheduled during each of the other 10 months — sometimes a day trip, but most often to locations involving one or two overnight stays. Members volunteer to plan trips, making arrangements at the host site for lodging and other activities. With birding trips limited to about 15 participants, for an optimal experience, they are in high demand on a first-ask, first-go basis. Club members stay informed through the monthly Tico Tweeter newsletter, Photos: Thomas Schultz
A speckled tanager taken in the far south near San Vito.
featuring the latest trip reports, upcoming event notices and other birding news and articles. The club’s website features similar trip-related content as well as bird lists and other information. The Birding Club is fortunate to have expert guides such at Pat O’Donnell to lead the trips, and to count Robert Dean, co-author of ”The Birds of Costa Rica: A Field Guide,” as an active member. Some of the club’s volunteer efforts focus on giving back to the country and to the birding community. Funds have been raised to support the Bellbird project in Monteverde and to supply field guides to local communities. Another club initiative involves sharing information on its 22year history of bird sightings in Costa Rica with Cornell University’s eBird project. Birding Club membership dues are $10 a year for an individual and $15 for a family. Requests to join may be submitted online at: www.birdingclubcr.org To follow the exploits of club members and learn a bit more about the birds of Costa Rica, visit www.facebook.com/ BirdingClubofCostaRica/ Searching for lovely cotinga at the top of El Silenco From left: Susan Blank, Johan Kuilder and Robert Dean (co-author of "The Birds of Costa Rica: A Field Guide").
An acorn woodpecker taken high in the mountains at Miriams Cabinas in San Gerardo De Dota.
A white-fronted parrot posing near Ensenada Ledge Red-headed barbet photographed at the Chinchona Hummingbird Cafe. The barbet is said to be the basis for the red character in "Angry Birds."
COMMUNITY
Military barracks, 1916.
LIBERIA: A BRIEF HISTORY
CR HISTORY IN PICS
by José Gerardo Suárez Monge
L
iberia, the largest city in Guanacaste, of Nicoya and Santa Cruz, the Party of was informally founded on Sept. 4, Nicoya voted to annex itself to Costa Rica 1769, when a chapel was built there. on July 25, 1824. Residents of Guanacaste It was located at a strategic crossroads (Liberia) voted that same year to remain connecting the cities of Rivas, Bagaces and part of Nicaragua. In 1826, after years of Nicoya, and it was used conflict, the Congress of primarily as a place of the Federal Republic of rest by travelers. Central America added The giant trees Guanacaste (Liberia) to of the region, known Costa Rica. Today, both as guanacaste trees, Liberia and Guanacaste provided shade for celebrate July 25, 1824, travelers and cattle, and as the date of their the village that arose annexation to Costa Rica. there became known by The town of the name Guanacaste. Guanacaste grew In 1812, the Spanish in importance, and Courts of Cádiz created eventually overtook the provinces of Nicoya as the most Nicaragua and Costa important settlement Rica, both of which in the region. In 1836, it gained independence formally adopted the name from Spain in 1821. In “City of Guanacaste.” 1823, Costa Rica became In 1838, as the Federal part of the Federal Republic of Central Republic of Central America began to dissolve, America. Costa Rica formally Pilot Pete Crawford at Liberia Airport, 1935. The Party of Nicoya seceded and declared was an administrative unit of this republic, itself an independent state. In 1848, Costa governing what is today most of the province Rica divided its territory into provinces, of Guanacaste. The settlements of Nicoya cantons and districts, and the province of and Santa Cruz were economically linked Guanacaste was created. to Costa Rican territory, while the town of On May 30, 1854, a government Guanacaste (today’s Liberia) had more ties decree changed the name of the city from to Rivas, Nicaragua. Guanacaste to Liberia. The name of the Under the leadership of the towns province of Guanacaste was changed to
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A passion for historical photos
P
hotos are provided courtesy of José Gerardo Suárez Monge, author of “San José: 280 Years of History.” Suárez is a professional photographer and graphic designer with a degree in electrical engineering from the Tecnológico in Cartago, but his passion is collecting and analyzing historical photos — he has over 14,000. He has six books for sale, which are available at Librería Lehmann and the University of Costa Rica bookstore, or by calling 7062-3086 or 8794-7679. Facebook: Costa Rica Antigua e Inedita
Moracia in honor of then-President Juan Rafael Mora Porras. In 1859, Mora was overthrown in a coup d’etat led by Dr. José María Montealegre. In 1860, to avoid honoring a political enemy, the Montealegre government changed the name of the province from Moracia back to Guanacaste. Liberia continued to grow, and it became a major center of commerce and ranching. The construction of the InterAmerican Highway further established the city’s importance and contributed to its growth. Liberia is often called by its residents “la Ciudad Blanca,” “the White City,” because of white gravel used to build its streets and the color of its colonial homes. The old Liberia church.
J&M Architecture & Construction 25+ Years combined experience in Architecture, Engineering & Construction in Guancaste. Specialising in Tropical, Spanish & Balinese Architecture. We are a team consisting of an American builder, Costa Rican Architects & Engineers.
Liberia school, 1940.
SERVICES: • Architecture / Engineering • New Home Construction • Swimming Pool Construction • Home Construction Inspections • Interior Design • Landscaping • Land Use consulting • Green Building • Topography
All at the lowest prices on the market Contact for a free consultation & estimate.
Liberia church, 1916.
Tel: 8877-0178 jmconstructionCR@gmail.com
Liberia airport, 1949.
HM HOWLER MAGAZINE | 57
COMMUNITY
SWIMMING POOLS BUILDING COSTA RICA
Design, Construction and Maintenance
C
osta Rican paradise lends itself to beaches, sun, fun and of course, refreshing swimming pools for relaxing and unwinding. Many expats prefer a swimming pool to the windy, sandy and hot beach environment. Rental properties with a pool can generate significant increases in occupancy rates and justify higher rental charges. Many factors should be analyzed before deciding to build your own pool. Understanding how pools work, how much they cost to run and how to maintain them should help you make a decision on whether a swimming pool is right for you. Swimming pools come in all shapes, sizes, designs, types and finishes. Most pools built in Costa Rica are customdesigned for the site after reviewing such factors as wind direction and strength, sun and shade, topography, views and proximity to the home, among others. Large trees can be a swimming pool blessing or curse. On the plus side, they provide shade. On the downside, falling leaves can be a maintenance nightmare, depending on the species. Designing a pool to harmonize with the home and its surroundings is the ultimate goal,
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maximizing views while providing both shady and sunny areas. All custom-built swimming pools are constructed with concrete. Prefab pools, typically made of fiberglass, are also available in Costa Rica. Most concrete pools incorporate wall blocks with a concrete slab foundation. Others are poured in a freeform design using
Designing a pool to harmonize with the home and its surroundings is the ultimate goal. shotcrete and gunite. Whatever the construction method, make sure an architect or engineer designs the pool according to your site’s soil conditions. Ceramic tiles are a popular type of pool finish, available in a wide range of colors and designs. Diamond Brite and Pebble Tec are other options that utilize small stone aggregates and colored bonding cement to provide a sturdy and long-lasting finish in many colors and
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by Jarryd Jackson styles. Surrounding pool decking and patio areas can feature wood, bamboo, stone or concrete finishes. It's always a great idea to have a minibar and barbecue area close by, and building them into the pool plan itself can provide spectacular results. I’m often asked: How does a pool work? The circulation system always includes a pump, filter and skimmer. The pump is responsible for circulating the pool water, taking it from the drains and skimmer, and pushing it through the filter for cleaning. The skimmer is used for both collecting surface leaves and debris and vacuuming the pool floor. The water is then returned to the pool jets, which continue to circulate and mix water on the surface level. Depending on the water chlorination method, some pools need additional equipment. For example, saltwater swimming pools utilize salt and a special chlorine generator to produce natural chlorine. This not only makes the water healthier and less toxic, but also is less irritating to the eyes and skin. When pools are supplied largely from well water, which is naturally high in mineral content — also known as “hard water” — the salt cell equipment requires additional care
and maintenance. Bimonthly cleanings are recommended to remove the buildup of hard water deposits. This additional maintenance must be taken into account when determining if a salt pool is right for you and your budget. Another consideration is the cost of replenishing significant amounts of saltwater that can be lost during the rainy season to maintain correct levels in the pool. Pool equipment must be located in close proximity, including the “pump room� being nearby or part of the pool design itself. I personally like design features such as waterfalls that incorporate the pump room inside. Also think about where you will store pool cleaning supplies and pool toys, and the best location for an outdoor shower.
Once your pool is built, it requires daily cleaning, weekly water quality tests and vacuuming. Also budget for the constant electricity and water consumption. A swimming pool can easily add upwards of $20 per month to your electricity bill. Water must continually be added during the dry season because of evaporation. Be prepared for the need to replace equipment periodically, such as pool pumps and filters every five to 10 years. The overall cost of using and maintaining a swimming pool averages around $100 a month. Keep in mind that your pool can easily pay for itself in additional rental income, along with the peace and pleasure it provides to you, your friends and family while enjoying tropical life in Costa Rica.
HM HOWLER MAGAZINE | 59
COMMUNITY
Transmissible Venereal Tumors PET CARE
Not Just a Stray Problem
T
ransmissible venereal tumors (TVTs) are a very common problem affecting stray dogs worldwide. Venereal tumors are specific to canines, typically located in their genitalia and transmitted during coitus. However, because growth occurs in the dog’s mucous membranes, tumors may also be found on the nose, mouth, anus and skin. International studies indicate that gender and average age generally are not important risk factors. However, venereal tumors are more common in older dogs that have not been neutered or spayed, due to the longer time period for potential exposure through sexual contact. Although infected dogs are usually homeless, TVTs can also be spread to our pets when they have free access to streets or beaches. This is a very important consideration
for pet owners in the Guanacaste area, where off-leash restrictions are relatively relaxed. Cases seen in our practice most often originate in small villages and towns in the Gold Coast area. During the past 10 years, we have been working with various organizations trying to minimize the spread of TVTs through spay and neutering campaigns. Dedicated volunteer group leaders include the late Dawn Scott and her pet care program successors, Doris Luby of the Homeless and Helpless initiative, and Linette Matamoros with Yo Seré Su Voz Guanacaste. Unfortunately, cases of improperly diagnosed venereal tumors are not uncommon. Our hospital has seen instances of other veterinarians overlooking TVT pathology in diagnostic tests for dermic masses. In other cases,
TVTs can also be spread to our pets when they have free access to streets or beaches.
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By Dr. Gilberth Cavallini blood in a dog’s urine or symptoms of heat in a female dog (e.g., swollen or bleeding genitalia) may be mistaken for a urinary tract infection. The only way to detect and diagnose a TVT is for a trusted veterinarian to perform a thorough physical examination and take a sample for pathology or cytology testing. If the test results confirm TVT, complete blood work tests are ordered before establishing a chemotherapy protocol. X-rays of the dog’s thorax are also suggested to determine whether or not internal metastasis has occurred.
Bruce Scott 506-8379-0168 brucescott.scott@hotmail.com
Connie López 8572-1957
QUALITY CUSTOM MADE
FURNITURE
NEW INVENTORY WEEKLY
• Open 7 days • 8am-5pm • English Spoken Main Road Huacas to Tamarindo 1200 meters
COMMUNITY
TAX TIME Property Owners and Corporations
LEGAL EASE
by Ivan Granados, Attorney at Law
C
orporations and/or real estate property owners in Costa Rica are reminded of the need to pay applicable annual taxes. Failure to do so is subject to penalties and possible collection proceedings. Luxury Tax — Due Jan. 15 Solidarity Tax for the Strengthening of Housing Programs (Impuesto Solidario para el Fortalecimiento de Programas de Vivienda) is commonly known as the “luxury tax.” It applies to owners of houses, condos and apartments with construction values exceeding a certain amount that’s adjusted each year (126 million colones, or approximately $229,000 in 2017). The tax amount is calculated on a scale from 0.25% to 0.55% per year, depending on the property value. Applicable property owners must complete a form every three years called Formulario Único de Inscripción, Declaración y Pago Impuesto Solidario para el Fortalecimiento de Programas de Vivienda, Ley 8683, and pay the tax annually. Property Tax and Garbage Collection Fee — Due March 31 Real estate property owners must pay an annual property tax (impuestos bienes inmuebles) and garbage collection fee (recolección basura) to the municipal government (municipalidad) where their property is located. The property tax is 0.25% of the registered value of the property, which is either the purchase price paid or the value assigned by the Tax Office. The garbage collection fee is a fixed amount, adjusted yearly, that must be collected along with the property taxes. The municipality determines the fee based on location and on whether the property is used for residential or commercial purposes. The Municipalidad de Santa Cruz does not always charge both amounts payable in the same statement, which may cause property owners confusion and inconvenience. The municipality has attributed this to “lack of updated records and/or to administrative errors within the system.” Therefore, the property owners involved are advised to review their statement carefully to avoid unpleasant surprises.
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The municipal property tax and garbage collection fee can be paid a year in advance or quarterly. However, if paid quarterly, you must pay before the end of each quarter to avoid interest charges. The first quarter ends on March 31 every year. Owners must complete a form every five years to update their property value. Failure to do so can lead to a municipality assessment and fines. Corporate Tax — Due Jan. 30 Effective Sept. 1, 2017, all corporations, subsidiaries, and limited liability companies currently registered before Costa Rica’s National Registry, as well as all entities incorporated in the future, must pay an annual tax under law # 9428: Tax on Legal Entities. A fixed amount applies to inactive corporations and a progressive rate to active corporations, depending on annual income. Current rates appear below. If the tax is not paid, the National Registry will not issue, certify or register any documents for the companies, and the companies will not be able to contract with the government or any public institution. Type of corporation
Rate* and fee
Inactive before Costa Rica Tax Office and/or with economic activity but without reported income
15% of base salary (₡63,930) (~$115)
With economic activity and gross income under ₡50,880,000*
25% of base salary (₡106,550) (~$190
With economic activity and gross income between ₡50,880,000 and ₡118,720,000*
30% of base salary (₡127,860) (~$230)
With economic activity and gross income over ₡118,720,000*
50% of base salary (₡213,100) (~$380)
*Estimates based on the base salary of an administrative assistant in the judicial sector in 2017. The base salary and the gross income amounts will be adjusted yearly.
ACTIVITIES & INFORMATION
COMMUNITY SUPPORTING YOUNG ARTISTS
S
ince opening its doors in 2016, Sage Brush Art Studio has become a thriving art center for Brasilito and the surrounding community. A full range of classes is available for artists of all ages in intuitive acrylic painting, watercolor, mixed media, paint pouring, jewelry fabrication and much more. Reflecting the belief that art is vital for children’s expression and development, the nonprofit art studio offers scholarships to young students who cannot afford classes. In addition to sponsoring several children from the community on a regular basis, Sage Brush occasionally hosts groups of local children to expose them to art. Contact us to learn how you can support our efforts in giving the gift of creativity for a lifetime. Where: Village Community Center, Brasilito Contact: 8336-3836 / sagebrushartstudio@gmail.com
VOLUNTEER FOREST FIRE BRIGADE
T
he Tamarindo Beach Aqueduct and Sewerage Association (AAAS Tamarindo) recently established a brigade of 18 volunteers to prevent and control forest fires, and protect the aquifer and its recharge zones. A training course and certification for this purpose was provided in November by Costa Rica’s National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC). Starting in January 2018, brigade members are qualified and organized for a variety of forest fire fighting and related logistical duties. In June, when this year’s high-risk season for forest fires has subsided, AAAS Tamarindo we will start recruiting and training volunteers for the 2019 season. The organization welcomes potential candidates with strong organizational skills for the logistics brigade. Those interested in forest fire fighting should be in good health and physical condition, with experience using manual tools.
Contact: Jordi Monge Comas incendiosforestales@aguatamarindocr.com 2653 2612 (Mon-Fri 8am-3pm)
RESTORING OUR WATERSHED
R
estoring Our Watershed is a combined U.S. and Costa Rican nonprofit organization with the mission to protect critical water resources in the Nandamojo river basin, which stretches from 27 de Abril to Playa Junquillal. We are creating a positive model for watershed management to ensure that future generations will have access to plentiful water, both in the Nandamojo and throughout Guanacaste. Our strategy focuses on renewing landscapes to enhance their capacity to absorb rainwater, protecting communities from both drought and flood. We aim to reach more communities and families through a wide range of partnerships. If you or an organization you represent would like to collaborate, please let us know!
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Contact: 506) 8702-5538 matt@ourwatershed.org www.ourwatershed.org @RestoringOurWatershed
SIMPLY SPANISH
Costa Rica International Academy’s
TOP 10 THINGS YOU MAY
How Not To Speak Mexican ¡Aguas! — “Watch out!” This Mexican expression literally means “waters,” as if water is about to fall on your head, but it means “Watch out!” or “Be careful!” Costa Ricans say, “¡Cuidado!” — “Careful!” ¿Bueno? — “Hello?” This is the proper way to answer a phone in Mexico, though Costa Ricans say ¿Aló? or sometimes ¿Aló, buenas? buey — literally “ox,” and sometimes spelled “güey” (pronounced “way”), this is the Mexican equivalent of “mae,” meaning dude, man, mate. Quiubole, güey — Sup, man? Never used in Costa Rica except to imitate Mexicans. ¡Carajo! — “Wow,” “Damn,” “Son of a gun!” A common expression of surprise in Mexico, rarely heard in Costa Rica. ¡Caramba! — “Wow!” This common Mexican expression, popularized by Bart Simpson, is not used much in Costa Rica either. chinga — A vulgar verb in Mexico meaning to have sex, chinga is innocuously used in Costa Rica to mean a cigarette butt. Chinga is also used in the vernacular to mean “naked,” referring to a woman, or chingo, referring to a man. ¿Mande? — “What?” This is the proper thing to say in Mexico if you didn’t understand something someone just said. In Costa Rica, people say, ¿Cómo? ¡Híjole! — “Wow!” This expression of surprise, commonly used in Mexico, is sometimes but rarely heard in Costa Rica. nel — A variant of “no” in Mexico, like “nope” or “negatory” in the U.S., this word is almost never heard in Costa Rica. ¡Órale! — “All right!” A common interjection in Mexico signifying approval (“Right on!”). Rarely heard in Costa Rica, except to mock Mexicans. pendejo — An all-purpose vulgar insult in Mexico, this is used more mildly in Costa Rica to mean a coward or a chicken, or to refer to a car that doesn’t work. pinche —This pejorative adjective is applied to almost anything in Mexico: ese pinche cabrón. In Costa Rica, pinche means cheap, tight-fisted, unwilling to spend money. ¿Qué hubo? — “What’s happened?” This is a universal greeting in Mexico, usually shortened to ¿Quiubo? and often ¿Quiubole?, but it’s rare in Costa Rica. simón — sometimes used in Mexico to mean sí (yes), this is almost never used in Costa Rica.
NOT KNOW ABOUT US! 10
We offer over 15 different after school activities on our 16-acre campus. Activities include swimming, basketball, soccer, karate, STEM, and many more!
9
We are the only U.S. Accredited K-12 school in Guanacaste.
8
Our student body is comprised of 22 nationalities.
7
92% of our parents believe CRIA’s program will help their children reach their long-term goals.
6
We have a House System (similar to Harry Potter) to create a close community within our school.
5
We have a bilingual program for Toddler thru Grade 1 (expanding to Grade 2 in August 2018).
4
Our high school students are required to do 40 hours of community service for graduation.
3
We offer services for Learning Support, English Language Learners, Guidance & College Counseling, and have a FIELD STUDIES Program that includes over 50 field trips per year.
2
90% of our graduates attend university right after high school.
1
We raise an average of $30,000 per year for local non-profit organizations, including Matapalo Public Schools, a Senior Center, Brasilito Park, Surf for Youth, and several more! We also donate over 100 children’s gifts to CEPIA AND relief donations for hurricanes and Mission Trips.
OPEN ENROLLMENT FOR the 2018-19 SCHOOL YEAR!
CONTACT US! (+506) 2654– 5042 • www.CRIACADEMY.com HM HOWLER MAGAZINE | 65
COMMUNITY DIRECTORY: Gold Coast
Tamarindo, Langosta, Villarreal, Huacas, Playa Grande, Brasilito, Flamingo, Surfside/Potrero, Las Catalinas All times AM to PM unless noted
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Near Auto Mercado, Tamarindo Mon-Fri 9-6, Sat by appt. 2653-4354 info@pacificsmilecr.com
LA URUCA, HUACAS Supermarket Food, liquor, fishing gear, and much more - delivery service available 300m W of Flamingo turnoff 7 days a week, 7-8 2653-8714
HOME & COMMERCIAL BUILDING SUPPLIES
Hotel Capitán Suizo Mon-Fri, 9-5 8319-4015 adi@playatamarindo.org
ISOLOGOTIPO PACIFIC COAST
PURA VIDA ENERGY SYSTEMS SOLAR MADE SIMPLE! TAMARINDO DENTIST Reduce your electric bill by 90% & First Dentist in Tamarindo Tipografía 3 Tipografía 1 produce 20% ROI over 20 years Implants • Orthodontist • Endodontist • HELVETICA NEUE LIGHT ITALIC SF INTELLIVISED BOLD ITALIC Tipografía 2 Cosmetic Dentistry CENTURY GOTHIC ITALIC Tamarindo We sell and install all over CR 24/7 for emergencies Any time you need us! 2653-2020 8735-1402 smile@tamarindodentist.com info@puravidaenergysystems.com CMYK B/N
PACIFIC COAST GYM Stay Healthy — Join Today Training, therapeutic massage, rehab, physiotherapy and nutrition Huacas - next to Super La Uruca Mon-Fri 6-8, Sat-Sun 9-5 2653-9026 / 8718-6872
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FITNESS
ADI Community Development ADI is a group of volunteers interested in the welfare of Tamarindo
PACIFIC SMILE DENTAL CARE Kids & Adults - English Speaking Highly experienced staff— orthodontics, implants, endodontics, gums
CENTRO DE CARNES VILLA MAR Freshness & Quality is Our Priority Beef, frozen seafood, chicken, pork, sausages. We have San Martin meats Villarreal: 250m to Tamarindo Mon-Sat, 8am-7pm 2249-0710 express service carniceriavillamar@hotmail
GROCERY STORES
Huacas Mon-Sat 2653-8365 cepiacostarica@gmail.com
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
CEPIA Nonprofit Organization We promote culture, health, sports and education for children
Main road to Brasilito Sun, 10am 8621-6273 perrycarlile@gmail.com
DENTAL SERVICES
Palmares, Alajuela Mon-Fri, 7:30-6 2453-9200, ext. 9213 www.favarcia.com
BEACH COMMUNITY CHURCH Visit and Socialize Love, hope, peace
CHURCH / COUNSELING
GRUPO FAVARCIA Bicycle Support and Services National distributor of bicycle brands Kenda and Sram
BICYCLE SERVICES
LLANTAS Y NEUMÁTICOS
ALLINSURANCE
ALL INSURANCE CR - TAMARINDO Health, Auto, Homeowners and More Offering the best coverage with customer service a priority Across from Auto Mercado Mon-Sat, 8-5 2653-4300 / 973-536-1191 (24/7) info@allinsurancecr.com
CERACSA Flooring and Tile Local showroom offering the quality and value that your luxury home deserves 3k past Huacas intersection towards Tamarindo, on the right Open Daily 2653-9117 / 8926-6905
COMMUNITY DIRECTORY: Gold Coast
PHOTOGRAPHY
DigitalPhoto CR Inspired by Love! Families, couples, weddings and real estate
DEEP GREEN PHOTOGRAPHY Fine Art Nature Photography Fine art nature photography prints for home or office deepgreenphotography.com 24/7 8396-0363 greg@deepgreenphotography.com
SCHOOLS
PHOTOGRAPHY
Guanacaste area Call for appointment 8737-3885 digital.photocr@gmail.com
sharinglifephotography.com 24/7 8594-2138 / 8712-1706 info@sharinglifephotography.com
CRIA School Education Accredited grade school and high school education
Tamarindo- Plaza Conchal Call for appointment 2653-4423
5km south of Huacas Mon-Fri, 8-3:30 2653-6363 info@educartecostarica.com
LA PAZ Private School All grades, international baccalaureate program
GM ATTORNEYS Legal Services Full service in all areas of law Tamarindo and Flamingo Mon-Fri, 9-1, 2-5 2654-4367 / 2653-2155 info@gmattorneyscr.com
WALDORF SCHOOL Bilingual Education, English & Spanish Foreign languages German and French Pre- Kinder – 8th Grade Canafistula 6km from Villarreal Mon-Fri, 8-2:30 8651-8301 www.gws.ed.cr info@gws.ed.cr
Brasilito Mon-Fri 2654-5042 info@criacademy.com
EDUCARTE Preschool, Primary, Secondary Private bilingual school
MV CONTA Accounting Services Full service accounting, tax and auditing
SCHOOLS
8794-7679 / 8466-6484 costaricaantigua@gmail.com
SHARING LIFE PHOTOGRAPHY Professional Photography Expertise in advertisment, real estate, weddings, portraits and aerial photography
Flamingo / Mar Vista Mon-Fri 2654-4532 paz@lapazschool.org
REAL ESTATE
COSTA RICA ANTIGUA E INEDITA José Gerardo Suárez Monge Photographer and historian, collects and analyzes historical photos
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
MASSAGES BY ELIZABITH Best Massages in Tamarindo Relaxing massages at your hotel or home Best Western Vista Villas Daily, 9-6 8640-6984 massagesbyelizabeth@yahoo.com
SCHOOLS
PHOTOGRAPHY
MASSAGE THERAPIST
Tamarindo, Langosta, Villarreal, Huacas, Playa Grande, Brasilito, Flamingo, Surfside/Potrero, Las Catalinas All times AM to PM unless noted
KRAIN Luxury Real Estate Member of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World Flamingo, Potrero, Ocotal Daily 8-5 2654-4010 info@kraincostarica.com
HM HOWLER MAGAZINE | 67
COMMUNITY DIRECTORY: Gold Coast Tamarindo, Langosta, Villarreal, Huacas, Playa Grande, Brasilito, Flamingo, Surfside/Potrero All times AM to PM unless noted
Plaza Palmas #3, Tamarindo Mon-Sat, 8-5 8351-9910 / 4702-5106 thedogtortamarindo@gmail.com
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RE/MAX OCEAN VILLAGE Exclusive Buyer's Agents Roland & Nadene Tipper: Helping buyers find their piece of paradise Pacifico Village, Playas del Coco Daily, 8-5 8371-1520 thetippers@me.com
SUNSET PROPERTIES Rentals, Management & Sales Various condos with beautiful amenities, close to beaches! Pueblito Sur #4, Coco Mon-Fri, 8-4, Sat, 8-1 2670-1453 / 8497-9376 crbeachproperties.com
REAL ESTATE
THE DOGTOR Vet, Grooming & Pet Shop Export proceedings, delivery, pickup and dropoff service
Ocotal, Flamingo, Potrero Daily 8-5 2654-4010 info@kraincostarica.com
REAL ESTATE
Flamingo and Playas del Coco Mon-Sat, 8-5 2654-4493 / 2670-2198 specialplaces@crvr.net
CAVALLINI VETERINARIAN Animal Hospital Full-service veterinarian hospital for all animals and wildlife Royal Palms Plaza, Santa Rosa Mon-Sat, 8-noon, 1-7, Sun, 9-2 2652-9009 / 8815-5713 (24/7)
Playas del Coco Mon-Fri, 8-5 8706-7963
KRAIN Luxury Real Estate Member of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World
VETERINARIAN
REAL ESTATE
KELLER WILLIAMS COSTA RICA BEACH PROPERTIES Helping your dreams be a reality; sales of homes, condos, land and businesses Tamarindo, Sunrise Plaza Flamingo, North Ridge Road Mon-Fri, 9-5, Sat, 9-1 2654-5460 kwcostarica.com
REAL ESTATE
HORIZON PACIFIC Property Management and Rentals A leader in quality properties and services: Vacation rentals, management, association administration Tamarindo, Plaza Palmas #17 Mon-Sat, 9-5, Sun 9-2 2653-0390 horizonpacificvacations.com
COMMUNITY
SPECIAL PLACES COSTA RICA Property Management & Rentals Full management, rental and concierge services
Tamarindo & Flamingo Mon-Fri, 8-5 2654-4004 / 8407-1898 info@plantacionproperties.com
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SCHOOLS REAL ESTATE
CHRISTIE'S International Real Estate Specializing in Costa Rica real estate for over 27 years
Playa Tamarindo 7 days a week, 9-5 2653-0073 www.remax-oceansurf-cr.com
Playas del Coco All times AM to PM unless noted
ECO-COCO Community Organization Our mission is to raise awareness and educate the community by organizing cleanups and recycling
RE/MAX OCEAN SURF & SUN Nobody Sells More Real Estate Sales of residential condos, homes and single-family home sites
REAL ESTATE
ABC REAL ESTATE Fine Selections by the Beach We offer personalized service and a full range of real estate services Plaza Tamarindo Mon-Fri, 9-5, Sat, 9-1 2653-0404 tamarindo@abccostarica.com
COMMUNITY
DINING GUIDE
Photo courtesy of
HM HOWLER MAGAZINE | 69
DINING GUIDE
TAMARINDO / LANGOSTA
Hotel Capitán Suizo, Playa Tamarindo Hours Daily, noon to 9:30pm Mon, 7-9pm, Live marimba Wed, 7-9pm, Avelino Dos Santos Fri. from 6:30, beach BBQ with live marimba Phone: 2653-0075 restaurante@hotelcapitansuizo.com Specialties Healthy dishes made from scratch with local and fresh products.
El Barco Del Capitán: European-Tico Fusion, Beachfront Restaurant El Barco Del Capitán is nestled in the beautiful garden of the Hotel Capitán Suizo and offers a modern, healthy and fresh cuisine. The restaurant is open to the public for lunch, snacks and dinner. The chef, Jujo Molina, created his dishes inspired by his European roots and the incredible nature that surrounds him here in Costa Rica. Using products from the on-site organic garden and local producers, he creates entirely homemade plates with no additives or preservatives to offer healthy meals every day, every time.
MENU SELECTIONS Ensalada Pulpo (Lunch) $18 Octopus, capers, green olives, tomato carpaccio with paprika vinaigrette
Croquetas del Chef (Snack) $9 Homemade Spanish croquetas with octopus, fish, chicken or spinach
Tartar Capitan (Dinner)
$13
Tacos Carne (Lunch)
$15
Calamares Crujientes (Snack) $13
Rollo Pollo (Dinner)
$20
The Veggie (Lunch)
$15
Pâté Marino (Dinner)
$12
Linguini (Dinner)
$23
Fish Pita (Lunch)
$17
Tres Vegetales (Dinner)
$10
Lomito (Dinner)
$28
Beef, tortillas with mixed cabbage salad, guacamole and tamarindo sauce Grilled portobello, tomato, zucchini, chilealmonds-garlic sauce, homemade bun Pita, grilled mahi-mahi, cucumber, carrot, dill yogurt, green leaf side salad
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Crispy calamari with homemade green pesto and a honey, red onion escabèche.
Fish pâté made with a light napolitana sauce with toasts and coconut mayonnaise Roasted eggplant-red peppers-onion tartare with homemade garlic bread
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Tuna and mango tartar with capers and a cilantro, ginger and soy dressing
Chicken stuffed with mango, asparagus and bacon, potato puree
Calamari, jumbo shrimps, mussels, Spanish chorizo, cherry tomatoes, white wine
200gr of tenderloin with a tamarind sauce over Swiss Roësti and vegetables
TAMARINDO / LANGOSTA
DINING GUIDE
Beachfront, 400m toward Langosta from Super 2001 Hours Daily, 9am-10pm Phone: 2653-1127 info@langostabeachclub.com Specialties Right on the beach Live music Daily happy hour, 4-6pm
Langosta Beach Club: Two Beachfront Restaurants: French and Sushi Langosta Beach Club is the only true beach club in the Tamarindo area. Always open to the public. Uniquely offering two outstanding restaurants. The finest French cuisine in the area and the freshest sushi, made only upon ordering. Served on the beach or poolside or in your own private cabana. The atmosphere is a mix of Costa Rica casual during the beach club day, but very classy and romantic by night. A nice variety of very delightful cuisine. Day passes are available to have access to the pool, fitness and lounge chairs. Sporting equipment also available: surf , SUP, kayak and more.
MENU SELECTIONS Tuna Tartare
Lomito Gorgopepper
Poke Salad - Sushi
Crispy Jumbo Shrimp
Marcus Chicken
King Rolls - Sushi
Goat Cheese Caprese
Tuna Napoleon
Mussel MariniĂŠre
Langosta Salad
Seabass Champagne
Mozzarella and Avocado Tartare
Yellowfin Pacific raw tuna delightfully marinated with the finest ingredients
Tenderloin served with lyonnaise potato, green peppercorn and gorgonzola sauce
Fresh shrimp rolled in a pasta filo with Chicken breast served in a creamy coriander fried and served with spicy sauce gorgonzola sauce with mashed potatoes Brioche bread with fresh goat cheese with vinaigrette, balsamic reduction and more
Pacific tuna served with crispy potato, arugula, caviar and mousseline sauce
Poached langosta with caviar in white sauce, Seabass filet with a champagne and white toasted brioche, arugula and vinaigrette mushroom sauce with balsamic reduction
Tuna, onion, avocado, seaweed, hot pepper, sesame seeds Shrimp tempura, cucumber, avocado covered with crab mixture with tempura crispy Cooked in white wine, leek, onion, parsley and garlic, served with our signature fries Freshly diced mozzarella, avocado, tomato, onion, capers, lettuce served with vinaigrette
HM HOWLER MAGAZINE | 71
LANGOSTA
25m south of Naxos Playa Langosta
Boka's: Wine Bar
Restaurant
Hours Daily, 6pm-midnight Phone: 8562-5432 bokaslangosta@gmail
Phone: 4701-3291 Specialties Natural foods vegetarian & vegan
Happy hour menu and specialty cocktails. Come and enjoy!
MENU SELECTIONS
Traditional Ceviche
c4000
Cordon Blue
c5000
Topped with a fresh cucumber mousse
Served with a creamy cheese polenta on the side
TAMARINDO
200m E, 800m N of Banco Nacional, on top of the hill Hours 7am - 10pm
Special breakfasts, lunches and dinners, coffee & dessert Salads, sandwiches, falafel, fruit juices and green juice,. We also provide vegetarian and vegan options
MENU SELECTIONS Falafel and Tabboleh Pad Thai - Vegetable Shaka Tacos (Friday only)
Vista @ Esplendor: Fresh and creative food
MENU SELECTIONS
Specialties Mixed French and Argentinean cuisine. Wonderful view and fresh breezes.
Chicken Lime Salad
Chicken, tomato, lettuce, red onions, sweet pepper, candied lime vinaigrette
$12
Sea bass filet with white butter and pink pepper sauce, mashed potatoes
Sea Bass Meuniere
$13
Roastbeef King
$12
Tuna Pesto Sauce
$14
XL Burger
$15
Veggies Pasta
$14
Homemade bread, roast beef, onions, tomato, lettuce, mustard, french fries
Homemade bread, beef, bacon, onions, cheese, tomato, lettuce, bbq, french fries
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Healthy - Easy - Delicious
An alliance between a French restaurant and an Argentinean touch. Come up and see why we are called the vista, and enjoy the fresh ocean breezes. For lunch, dinner or just a drink, you will enjoy our wonderful view of Tamarindo Bay. Happy hour from 4 to 6 and live music on weekends.
Phone: 8366-1576 / 4700-4747
Happy hour 4-6pm
Hours Mon-Sat, 7am -8pm Sun, 8am-4pm
Tapas bar, French fusion, fine wine. A delightful inviting environment. French chefs create new menus daily with fresh ingredients.
Specialties Happy hour, 5:30-7 - 2x1 Moscow mule cocktail - National beer c1000
Shaka Food
3km from Villarreal, Tamarindo Road
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Tuna, tomato, red onions, capers, virgin olive oil and vinegar vegetables sautĂŠ
Pink peppercorn sauce, capers, choice of two sides
TAMARINDO
DINING GUIDE
TAMARINDO
DINING GUIDE
Calle Del Parque at the curve between Condo Diria and Balcones del Pacifico Hours Daily, 5:30pm-10pm Closed Tuesdays Phone: 2653-1510 Call for reservations www.tamarindobarefoot.com barefoot.tamarindo@gmail.com Specialties Fresh seafood, fish and vegetarian dishes with gluten-free and vegan options. Order/reserve online
BAREFOOT Restaurant-Lounge: Poolside and Garden Deck Dining Tropical Oasis apart from the noise and crowds of Tamarindo main street , where you can experience a quiet dinner and/or a relaxing lounge atmosphere. You can choose the garden deck or our Costa Rican rancho (SHAKALAKA) pool side deck. Serving a healthy combination of fish, seafood, and vegetarian (V) dishes gluten free(G) and vegan (VE) options available. We offer a modern palette of international flavors that includes recipes from Asia, Europe, and Latin America.Check our special order items such as the "Paella" y "Pescado a la Sal" / Salt Baked fish. Our lounge area serves a variety of cocktails including our signature Barefoot Passion "its Hot", Espresso, & Tamarindo martinis made with 100% local/natural ingredients. Make reservations online or call, or place an order online for pickup-delivery, or special order. Vegetarian (V), Gluten Free(G), Vegan (VE)
MENU SELECTIONS Pico Poke (G)
Seared tuna with mango and avocado, over seaweed salad with ginger soy sauce
$9.50 Pad Thai (V/G)
Fine rice pasta noodles sautéed with vegetables and served with peanut sauce
Buddha Platter (V)
$13.50
Venus & Uranus (V)
$8
Octopus Sautéed in Garlic $9
Ocean Potion
$15
OB1 Quinoa Salad (VE/G) $9.50 Tropical Spring Rolls (VE/G) $8
Grilled Local Trout (G)
$16
Barefoot Reef Salad (G)
Trident
$19
Fried risotto spheres filled with spinach, fresh herbs and béchamel sauce Quinoa mix with avocado, cranberries, pineapple, almonds, red Peppers & more
$12
Grilled octopus or shrimp “Al Ajillo” (sautéed with garlic)
Rice wraps filled with fresh vegetables, mango, avocado, and fresh herbs
$16 Grilled Mahi-Mahi (G) $15 Fresh seafood & fish with octopus, mussels, Grilled mahi-mahi over a bed of spinach shrimp, calamari, & crab meat topped with caramelized onions
Vegetarian delights. lentil croquettes, quinoa, spring rolls, eggplant & plantain Seafood & fish soup in coconut cream served with avocado, plantain and risotto
Grilled Costa Rican trout served with our house coconut and almond sauce Our abundant blend of local grilled/tempura seafood and fish
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DINING GUIDE
TAMARINDO
25m from Tamarindo rotonda
Pikatas: Food - Bar - Coffee
Hours 11am-2am Phone: 8539-6632 pikatastamarindo@gmail Specialties Karaoke Live music 8pm Happy hour 11-6pm Hookah service Wood-fired pizza
Enjoy our menu in a fusion of multicultural food highlighting the most important Lebanese, Venezuelan, Mexican, Asian and American cuisine. Excellent cuts of meat and the best wood-fired pizza. Pikatas is a special place to share with families and friends. Enjoy excellent cocktails and wines. We also have the best desserts and high altitude coffee.
MENU SELECTIONS Pikatas Mix
Wood-Fired Pizza
Paella
Seafood
Steak - Premium Cuts
Hookah Service
Mixed dishes to share with the best elements of Lebanese, Mexican and American cultures Spanish-style rice with vegetables, chicken and seafood Delicious New York and ribeye cuts, served with a side of your preference
HUACAS
3km south of Huacas, road to Tamarindo Hours Daily, 7am-9pm Breakfast 7am-10am
Different options of pizza with the special house sauce and mozzarella cheese Lobster, fish, salmon with dill sauce, tuna filet in sesame crust The best selection of tobacco flavors to enjoy the best hookah experience
La Playita: Poolside Dining Located at the Seis Playas Hotel, La Playita restaurant and bar is open to hotel guests and the public, and is known for its friendly and inviting environment. It is the ideal setting for sharing good food and drinks with family and friends, or a romantic dinner poolside while enjoying the convenient distance to our six local beaches.
MENU SELECTIONS Phone: 2653-6818 info@seisplayashotel.com Specialties Food cooked to your taste — con mucho gusto Friday Night Texas Barbecue
Broken Yolk Sandwich
$12
Pasta
Breakfast Quesadilla
$12
Open Grill
BLT La Playita
$10
Pineapple FlambĂŠ
Fried egg, bacon or ham and cheese on toast, served with seasonal fruit Eggs, tomato, onion, sweet pepper and cheese, served with seasonal fruit Always a favorite for a light bite to eat: bacon, lettuce and tomato
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$14
Build your own pasta bowl, with a mixed salad
From $16
Pork tenderloin, chicken breast, ribeye, New York strip, beef tenderloin & catch of the day
$4
Our most popular dessert served hot with vanilla ice cream
PALM BEACH
DINING GUIDE
Palm Beach, next to the estuary Hours Breakfast: 7:30-2:30 Lunch: 11-3 Dinner: 5:30-9 Phone: 2653-0975 frontdesk@hotelbulabula.com Specialties
Daily:
Sunset happy hour 50% off appetizers 4-6pm
Monday:
Mexican all you care to eat buffet 5:30-8:30
Wednesday:
Italian All you care to eat Buffet 5:30-8:30
The Great Waltini's - Bula Bula: American Fusion Cuisine Enjoy casual fine dining and experience “A fusion of the Americas” in a tranquil and inviting setting. At the Great Waltini’s, you can enjoy a sumptuous meal in an attractive dining area or choose to sit under the stars and enjoy your meal on the garden patio. Choose from houseaged steaks, seafood dishes, and down home fare. Top with cocktails and desserts—the complete experience. Located in beautiful Palm Beach Estates next to the estuary. Easily accessible from Tamarindo via boat taxi (complimentary with dinner reservations). Pickup time 5, 5:30 and 6 pm. Please call before 2pm to reserve boat taxi (2653-0975). Happy hour – includes domestic beer, well drinks, giant famous Bula margaritas and appetizer specials.
MENU SELECTIONS Ahi Tuna
Annie's Salad
Double Cut Pork Chop
Hand Carved Turkey
Blackened Shrimp Salad
Aged Filet Mignon
Mahi-Mahi
Baked Lasagna
St. Louis Style Pork Ribs
Mixed Seafood Combo
Aged New York Steak
8oz filet prepared tropical, blackened, sautéed or fried Oven roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and house made gravy 8oz filet prepared tropical, blackened, sautéed or fried Tuna, mahi-mahi, jumbo shrimp, calamari, & mussels in a white wine saffron sauce
Blackened chicken breast with avocado over crisp greens and fresh vegetables Blackened jumbo shrimp, sliced avocado over fresh lettuce and fresh vegetables Italian sausage, beef & pork, tomato, ricotta, mozzarella and romano cheese
10oz cut prepared charbroiled, blackened or au poivre in brandy cream sauce 10oz cut prepared charbroiled, blackened or au poivre in brandy cream sauce Baked tender and served with our famous tropical Bula Bula BBQ sauce
10oz cut prepared charbroiled, blackened or au poivre in brandy cream sauce
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DINING GUIDE
SURFSIDE / POTRERO
Potrero, 800m north of Banco Nacional Hours Daily, 1 -9
The Beach House Beachfront Dining Private residence on the beach transformed into a quaint restaurant and bar, renowned for its fresh seafood. Come and enjoy incredible food and awesome sunsets and views of the Pacific Ocean.
Phone: 2654-6203 Specialties Fresh seafood Epic sunset view
MENU SELECTIONS Grilled Scallops
c5000
Onion Rings
c3500
Catch of the Day
c9000
Jambalaya
c7500
Pesto Tuna Sandwich
c7000
Grilled in a bath of Cacique liquor, lime and garlic With tropical salsa, grilled vegetables & potatoes or rice
Angus Tenderloin
c11000
Grilled to perfection with vegetables & rosemary potatoes
Sausage, shrimp & chicken with onions, tomatoes & peppers in Cajun sauce over rice or linguini Pesto seared tuna on fresh bread served with lettuce, tomato & pesto aioli
Numu: International Cuisine
Hwy 911 just east of Bahia del Sol
Numu’s poolside restaurant is a wonderful modern setting that has an eclectic fusion of international cuisines like pad thai, sushi and red curry. Also offering a selection of vegan and gluten-free alternatives. Numu uses as many locally sourced ingredients as possible for the richest flavorful dishes.
Hours Daily, noon-10pm Phone: 4702-8689 Specialties Vegan and gluten-free
MENU SELECTIONS Pad Thai
c4000
Numu Angus Burger
Numu Roll
c4500
Grilled Tenderloin
Kung Pao Chicken
c5000
Seabass
Noodles, sauce, red pepper, green beans, red onion, bean sprouts Salmon, mango, avocado, cucumber, spicy mayo, unagi sauce
Stir-fried with vegetables, peanuts and chili peppers over jasmine rice
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Thick-cut battered with a subtle blend of spices, served with garlic mayo and rosada sauce
howlermag.com
c4500
Premium Angus ground, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, fresh-cut fries
c10000
8oz chargrilled tenderloin, chimichurri sauce on the side, choice of two sides
c9800
Pink peppercorn sauce, capers, choice of two sides
Black Stallion
Rustic Outdoor BBQ
Hours By reservation Phone: 8869-9765 Specialties Zipline and BBQ buffet for only $85. Available for private parties and events.
Dine with the stars of Guanacaste on a private ranch. Enjoy a delicious BBQ buffet with sides. Wine, beer and sangria included! Call for reservations. Available for private parties and events.
Flamingo - 100m south of road to Potrero
True Italian cuisine. Pasta like you are in Roma! Fresh bruschetta served when you arrive. Buon appetito!
Phone: 8532-8613 Specialties Pizza - Pasta - Meat - Fish
MENU SELECTIONS
Mixed BBQ Buffet
$45
Seafood Buffet
$45
A delicious array of seafood and sides dishes
Italian Restaurant
Hours Daily, 5:30pm-10:30pm Closed Wednesday
MENU SELECTIONS Baby back ribs, chorizo and chicken, sides included
Vaca Loka
House Lasagna
c6.500
Ribeye c6.500
SIMPLY SPANISH WHAT’S FOR DINNER? 50m west of the plaza, in front of Playa Brasilito aderezo — dressing bebida — drink calamares — squid, calamari camarones — shrimp cerdo — pork corvina — sea bass dorado — mahi-mahi ensalada — salad entrada — appetizer lomito — tenderloin mariscos — seafood pescado — fish plato fuerte — main dish, entrée pollo — chicken postre — dessert pulpo — octopus
El Oasis
Bar & Restaurant
Hours Daily, 7am-10pm Phone: 2654-4596 Specialties Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. Happy hour 3-6 daily, serving cocktails
Latin Fusion restaurant serving a mix of Costa Rican classics along with delicious Mexican dishes including fresh seafood. Many glutenfree options.
MENU SELECTIONS Chilaquiles Mexican Salad with Shrimp and Coconut Shrimp with Mango Sauce HM HOWLER MAGAZINE | 77
BRASILITO
VILLARREAL
An 8 min. drive from Tamarindo, 2km south Villarreal
FLAMINGO
DINING GUIDE
DINING GUIDE
BRASILITO
Main corner, Brasilito Hours Mon-Fri, 11am-midnight Sat-Sun, 10am-midnight Phone: 8688-0651 costarica@ lucysretiredsurfers.com Specialties Only for the brave: Our infamous scorpion shot
Lucy’s Retired Surfers Bar & Restaurant: Coastal Cuisine Beachfront restaurant and bar serving unique coastal fusion dishes and cocktails featuring the freshest ingredients in Guanacaste! Lucy’s is more than just a restaurant, it’s a lifestyle. With locations in some of the most tubular spots around the world (New Orleans, Key West, Costa Rica and Aruba), we know how to have a good time. Let the sea breeze and sound of the waves remind you that when you’re here you’re always on vacation. At Lucy’s we’re serious about our grub – we’ve got all your classic favorites like burgers and nachos, as well as our signature coastal bites with a touch of Pacific flair. Our one-of-a-kind drinks are the perfect way to cool down after a long day at the beach, and we keep them flowing all day (and night!) long. Lucy's’ daily food & drink specials are boat-to-table and will give you something new to try every day, and with live music, a radical bar scene, and six large-screen TVs, Lucy’s is Guanacaste's hottest new bar and restaurant!
MENU SELECTIONS Shaka Ceviche
c5,500
The Juicy Lucy
Avocado Fritas
c5,500
Bacon Brie Chicken Sandwich
Cheese Quesadilla
c5,000
Tsunami Tuna Salad
Serious Nachos
c6,700
Blackened Fish Tacos c6,000
Delicious fresh local fish and shrimp in a citrus marinade topped with avocado
Beer-battered avocado slices served with black bean salsa and homemade ranch
Flour tortilla overflowing with melted cheese, served with pico and guacamole
Fully loaded nachos topped with beans, pico, sour cream, and our rockin’ guac
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c7,500
Our famous 8 oz. burger served on a brioche bun with Lucy’s special sauce
Grilled marinated chicken breast topped with bacon, brie, tomato, and spinach
c6,500
Freshly seared yellowfin served over spring mix with fresh fruit and feta
Blackened local fish topped with mangopineapple slaw and avocado crema
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Pao Pao Shrimp Tacos c6,500 Fried or grilled shrimp tossed in a sassy pao pao sauce, topped with cabbage slaw
Flank Steak Tacos
c6,500
Marinated flank steak topped with jalapeño chimichurri and queso fresco
Whole Red Snapper Casado c8,000 Served with island rice, black beans, and a side salad
N’awlins Surf n’ Turf c10,000 Marinated flank steak served with head-on Cajun BBQ shrimp and roasted potatoes
LAS CATALINAS
DINING GUIDE
At Casa Chameleon, 4km north of the Potrero soccer field Hours Daily, 7am-10pm No children under 12 years Phone: 2103-1200 concierge@ casachameleonhotels.com Specialties Fresh fish, sunset cocktails, "boquitas" menu
Sentido Norte - Fine Dining Sentido Norte, a restaurant and bar at Casa Chameleon, proudly offers an adult fine-dining experience that celebrates the best of Costa Rican cuisine. Your drive through winding roads above the quaint beach town of Las Catalinas is rewarded by an unforgettable but affordable taste of luxury. Just a few steps uphill from the bright and welcoming entrance, your table awaits in a gorgeous, open-air perch framed by a panoramic view of the Pacific. A design motif incorporating responsibly sourced teak adds a sense of warmth and well-being to the romantically lit atmosphere. All food and drinks are inspired by the country’s bountiful abundance, combining uniquely local and native ingredients in the glass and on the plate.
MENU SELECTIONS Overnight Oats
$10
Casa Chameleon Burger
French Toast
$12
Ceviche $14
Knife & Fork Tortillas
$12
With almond milk, yogurt, fruit, cashews, local honey or tapa dulce
With sweet plantains and coconut milk cream
$17
Angus burger with arugula, Swiss or goat cheese and aioli Fresh fish ceviche, leche de tigre, homemade "chilero"
Grilled Chicken Wrap
$12
ChicharrĂłn or vegan huevos rancheros
Vegan Omelettes
Vegan Bowl
$6
$10
Octopus & Mussels
$25
Grilled Skirt Steak
$29
Fresh Tuna Poke
$20
Hearts of palm ceviche, avocado & tomato
Octopus and mussels wok-sauteed in garlic butter and white wine
With greens, avocado & tomato, spicy aioli
With asparagus, mushrooms and caramelized onion
Guacamole and Salsa
$19
Quinoa, mushroom and squash picadillo salad, spicy garbanzo beans
Skirt steak, chimichurri sauce, salad, french fries
Raw tuna, mango, avocado
Prices shown include 13% tax and 10% service / Prices subject to change
HM HOWLER MAGAZINE | 79
DINING GUIDE
PAPAGAYO / PLAYAS DEL COCO / GUANACASTE
Based in Papagayo, serving the Guanacaste region Hours Available every day of the year by reservation
Guanacaste Chef4U: Simply Superb Private Catering
Phone: 8706-2144 ndevenelle@exclusiveresorts. com
The acclaimed French chef Nicolas Devenelle and his team of outstanding cooks will create a dinner experience for you, whether you’re a couple, a family or a wedding party. Their unsurpassed culinary innovations and gorgeous presentation will create an unforgettable dining experience at the place and time of your choosing.
Specialties Private dinners, events, weddings, culinary workshops, mixology lessons
“TURRIALBA” 4-COURSE PLATED DINNER Organic Green Salad
Wagyu Short Rib
Homemade Lobster Ravioli
Soursop Cheesecake
Fresh asparagus, orange segments, hearts of palm and garden-herb vinaigrette Spinach, lobster, tomato, basil, white truffle parmesan sauce
Slowly braised, served with garlic mashed potato and asparagus With pineapple chips and passion fruit coulis
Located inside Bahía Pez Vela resort, 5 km west of Playas del Coco; always open to the public Hours Daily, noon-9pm
Maracuyá Beach Club: Exquisite Oceanfront Dining
Phone: 2670-0901 info@guanacastechef4u.com Specialties Offering lunch, dinner and full bar, with day passes available to use the pool, plus mixology lessons Weekly Calendar Mon: Catch of the Day Market Tue: Mixologie Class Wed: Culinary Academy Thu: Ping-Pong Tournament Fri: BBQ Night, Live Music
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Also operated by Chef Nicolas Devenelle, Maracuyá Beach Club offers fine dining in a pristine setting on an isolated beach near Playa Ocotal. Pamper your palate with culinary excellence in this secluded piece of paradise.
MENU SELECTIONS Mango Salad with Chicken c5,900
Beef Short Ribs
Grilled Jumbo Prawn Salad c6,900
Red Snapper ‘En Papillote’
c12,500
Yellowfin Tuna Tartare
Beef Tenderloin
c13,500
Mixed greens, tomato, mango, avocado, corn, blue cheese, croutons and grilled herb chicken
With mixed greens, mango, heart of palm and Caribbean mojito passion fruit vinaigrette
c7,900
Tuna, wakame, mango, avocado, arugula, and truffle oil, with cucumber carpaccio
howlermag.com
c8,900
With mushroom risotto, creamy parmesan and truffle sauce Served with home-made ratatouille and basil mashed potato
Potato gratin, green asparagus and haricot vert, red wine sauce
PLAYAS DEL COCO
DINING GUIDE
Pacifico Retail Village, Playas del Coco Hours Mon-Sat, 5:30pm-10:30 pm Closed Sunday Phone: 2670-0942 Specialties Outstanding international menu, with indoor, air-conditioned seating or outdoor, breezy setting
Citron Restaurante: Latin Fusion, Mediterranean and Thai Food Bold flavors, intimate surroundings and Old World hospitality are the hallmarks of Citrón, where for seven years we have offered the finest dining in Playas del Coco. We specialize in Latin fusion and Mediterranean cuisine, with a splash of Asian spice, and we serve the finest wines and cocktails. Our servers will make you feel like family, whether you choose our elegant dining room or pleasant outdoor setting. We strive not just to serve dinner, but to offer our guests an unforgettable experience in a unique place. Whether you are celebrating a special occasion, spending quality time with friends and family or just having a drink after work, Citrón brings passion and flavor to everything we offer. We prepare all our dishes from fresh, local ingredients and we guarantee a full-spectrum dining experience for the most discriminating palates.
MENU SELECTIONS Venezuelan Tequeños
$9
Quinoa Salad (Chicken option)
$11
New York Steak
$17
Goat Cheese Salad
$10
Octopus Tiradito
$11
Vegetarian Risotto
$17
Seared Ahi Tuna
$10
Grilled Salmon
$20
Seabass Fideuá
$16
Ricotta & Spinach Ravioli
$15
Bangkok Shrimp
$23
Crunchy (fried) bread rolls filled with melted cheese served with homemade sauces
Premium mixed greens, caramelized nuts, goat cheese & honey mustard vinaigrette Pepper-crusted tuna steaks, pineapple chutney, curry mayonnaise & wakame
Beef Tenderloin Carpaccio $10 Thinly sliced raw beef, mushrooms ragout, basil mayonnaise & fresh parmesan shaves
Fresh spinach, quinoa, mango, cherry tomatoes & avocado with ginger vinaigrette Fresh octopus, marinated in passion fruit dressing served with dill, red & green pepper Tender salmon with quinoa & vegetables served with a homemade dill sauce A homemade sauce with tomatoes & roasted red pepper over artisan ravioli
Flavorful New York Steak (10 oz.), served with french fries & chimichurri sauce
Slow-cooked arborio rice and fresh vegetables, served with a goat cheese fondue Spirit of the Mediterranean with orzo pasta, white cream and chunks of fresh seabass Fresh shrimp served in a Thai-style sauce with coconut milk, curry and cilantro
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RESTAURANT DIRECTORY All times AM to PM unless noted
Nuevo Arenal Noon-8pm 2694-5005 ummo66@yahoo.com
La Fortuna Daily, 11:30am-10pm 2479-7497 restaurantemediterraneocr@gmail
Odry’s Massage Massage Pedicure
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Manicure Waxing
Tamarindo - main intersection, above Tamarindo Transfer & Tours Daily, 9am-6, call for appointment, walk-ins welcome 2653-0939 ordrys.massage@hotmail.com
LA FORTUNA
CAFE MEDITERRANEO Homemade Pasta & Wood-Fired Pizza The finest Italian foods, plus meat, chicken and fish, with takeout
RIO PIEDRAS, TILARAN
LA PLAYITA RESTAURANTE Poolside Dining Located at Seis Playas Hotel. Quality food and drink for friends and family at Seis Playas Hotel 3 km S of Huacas toward Villarreal 7 days a week, 7-9 2653-6818 info@seisplayashotel.com
ROCK RIVER BY BRASOV Restaurant, Bakery & Lounge Our best recipe is quality. Homemade, fresh, healthy. Best bread and divine desserts Rio Piedras, Tilarán Mon-Sat, 8-6, Sun, 8-5 8550-7762 transilvaniatila@gmail.com
NUEVO ARENAL
200m W of Super Compro Daily, 6-9 7028-3264 / 8911-2191 Jimemurillo98@hotmail.com
HUACAS
Pacifico Retail Center Mon-Sat from 5:30 pm 2670-0942 reservations@citroncoco.com
LOS PLATILLOS VOLADORES Italian Food The worst restaurant in the world! Good food just for alien people
SODA GUAYMY HUACAS
CITRON RESTAURANTE Best Fine Dining Experience Upscale restaurant delivering refreshing energy through flavorful food
Hotel Capitán Suizo Daily, noon-10pm 2653-0075
SODA GUAYMY Typical & Rustic Food Breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks
PLAYAS DEL COCO
From anchor, 200m E, 700m S Daily, 8-8 4031-7707 reservations@villabuenaonda.com
EL BARCO AT CAPITAN SUIZO Beachfront Restaurant Entirely homemade dishes, no additives, healthy meals every time
TAMARINDO/LANGOSTA
PORO PORO at Villa Buena Onda Amazing Food, Amazing Views! Ocean-view dining experience in a luxurious and secluded environment
PLAYAS DEL COCO
MARACUYÁ RESTAURANT More Than Dinner, It’s an Experience Pamper your palate with culinary excellence in our secluded piece of paradise Beachfront at Bahía Pez Vela Resort Daily, noon-9 2670-0901 guanacastechef4u.com/maracuya
HM HOWLER MAGAZINE | 83
Allinsurance CR.com 1BROKER 11 INSURERS
Across the street from Automercado, Tamarindo
COMPARE ALL PROGRAMS Health • Life • Auto • Home • Property • Commercial
Marketing for Phil Eitman Lic.15 -1299 Prisma Corredora de Seguros 84 | Read. like. share. | online
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CONTRIBUTORS Robert August. Tamarindo’s legendary surfer and shaper from the Endless Summer movies. Jesse Bishop. Small time rock legend and theoretical humorist. John Brockmeier. Writer inspired by diverse interests and international life experiences. Gilberth Cavallini. Veterinary doctor, owner Cavallini Veterinary Services, Villarreal (MegaSuper Plaza). tamarindovet@gmail.com
Karl Kahler. Author of “Frommer’s Costa Rica 2017,” former travel editor of the Tico Times and former national editor of California’s San Jose Mercury News. Sylvia Monge. Owner of Spanish for Expats, a tutoring and translation service. spanishforexpats23@gmail.com Patricia Sterman. Owner of Azul Profundo Boutique, jewelry manufacturer, and co-founder of SalveMonos animal protection group.
Jonathan Yonkers Chavarria: Local surfer and wedding photographer. www.jonathanyonkers.com E-mail: jonathanyonkers@gmail.com
José Gerardo Suárez Monge. Professional photographer, graphic designer and author of six Costa Rican historical photo books. Call 7062-3086 or 8794-7679
Cason Gaither. Creator of PaddleOuts, floating bands for sunglasses. Can often be found manning a charcoal grill or out in the waves.
Tom Schultz. BS Biology and Geology, avid birder and nature photographer, retired software executive. tom@ pananima.com
Charlene Golojuch. Co-owner of Hidden Garden Art Gallery with husband, Greg; www.HiddenGardenArt.com
Vern Veer Jr. Retired reptile specialist, Denver zoo. Co-owner of V3 Reptile breeders.
Valeria Gonzalez. Owner of Almacen Organico & Natural, Tamarindo almacenorganicoynatural@gmail.com WhatsApp +54 9 223 5415383. Ivan Granados. Managing partner at GM Attorneys. He specializes in real estate and corporate law. igranados@ gmattorneyscr.com Jarryd Jackson. Owner of J&M Architecture and Construction, Jarryd is passionate about building and surfing.
Herbert Weinman, MD, MBA. thedoctorisinsharkfm@gmail.com PHOTOGRAPHY Abi Acuña. Dreamer-photographer inspired by love in capturing magic moments to tell your story. Contact: 8737-3885. digital.photocr@gmail.com Michael & Laura Murphy. Surfing and photos for Crusty Oldies Surf & Social Club. facebook.com/ CrustyOldiesSurfSocialClub
TIDE CHART
MARCH 1 - MARCH 31, 2018
DAY
HIGH TIDES
LOW TIDES
HIGH TIDES
LOW TIDES
HIGH TIDES
1 Thurs
1:54 AM 9.13 '
8:07 AM -0.49 '
2:25 PM 9.25 '
8:32 PM -0.37 '
2 Fri
2:46 AM 9.51 '
8:57 AM -0.91 '
3:15 PM 9.74 '
9:22 PM -0.76 '
3 Sat
3:34 AM 9.72 '
9:43 AM -1.14 '
4:01 PM 10.00 ' 10:10 PM -0.94 '
4 Sun
4:20 AM 9.71 '
10:27 AM -1.12 '
4:45 PM 10.01 ' 10:54 PM -0.87 '
5 Mon
5:06 AM 9.47 '
11:11 AM -0.86 '
5:29 PM 9.76 '
6 Tues
5:50 AM 9.02 '
11:53 AM -0.39 '
6:13 PM 9.31 '
7 Wed
12:22 AM -0.11 '
6:34 AM 8.43 '
12:35 PM 0.22 '
6:57 PM 8.72 '
8 Thurs
1:08 AM 0.46 '
7:22 AM 7.78 '
1:21 PM 0.90 '
7:43 PM 8.08 '
9 Fri
1:56 AM 1.04 '
8:14 AM 7.15 '
2:09 PM 1.56 '
8:35 PM 7.49 '
10 Sat
2:50 AM 1.54 '
9:12 AM 6.66 '
3:05 PM 2.09 '
9:35 PM 7.04 '
11 Sun
3:52 AM 1.86 '
10:18 AM 6.42 '
4:11 PM 2.38 '
10:39 PM 6.84 '
12 Mon
5:00 AM 1.92 '
11:26 AM 6.48 '
5:21 PM 2.36 '
11:43 PM 6.92 '
13 Tues
6:02 AM 1.72 '
12:24 PM 6.79 '
6:23 PM 2.06 '
11:38 PM -0.58 '
14 Wed
12:39 AM 7.21 '
6:54 AM 1.36 '
1:14 PM 7.25 '
7:15 PM 1.59 '
15 Thurs
1:27 AM 7.61 '
7:38 AM 0.93 '
1:56 PM 7.77 '
7:59 PM 1.05 '
16 Fri
2:11 AM 8.03 '
8:18 AM 0.50 '
2:34 PM 8.29 '
8:37 PM 0.52 '
17 Sat
2:49 AM 8.41 '
8:54 AM 0.11 '
3:10 PM 8.75 '
9:15 PM 0.05 '
18 Sun
3:27 AM 8.70 '
9:30 AM -0.18 '
3:46 PM 9.11 '
9:53 PM -0.30 '
19 Mon
4:05 AM 8.87 '
10:06 AM -0.37 '
4:22 PM 9.35 '
10:29 PM -0.51 '
20 Tues
4:41 AM 8.89 '
10:42 AM -0.41 '
5:00 PM 9.42 '
11:09 PM -0.55 '
21 Wed
5:21 AM 8.78 '
11:20 AM -0.31 '
5:38 PM 9.33 '
11:49 PM -0.41 '
22 Thurs
6:03 AM 8.53 '
12:02 PM -0.07 '
6:22 PM 9.08 '
23 Fri
12:35 AM -0.13 '
6:49 AM 8.18 '
12:48 PM 0.30 '
7:10 PM 8.69 '
24 Sat
1:25 AM 0.25 '
7:41 AM 7.79 '
1:42 PM 0.73 '
8:06 PM 8.25 '
25 Sun
2:23 AM 0.64 '
8:45 AM 7.48 '
2:46 PM 1.11 '
9:12 PM 7.89 '
26 Mon
3:31 AM 0.91 '
9:57 AM 7.37 '
4:00 PM 1.28 '
10:26 PM 7.76 '
27 Tues
4:43 AM 0.92 '
11:09 AM 7.59 '
5:16 PM 1.13 '
11:40 PM 7.93 '
28 Wed
5:53 AM 0.65 '
12:17 PM 8.06 '
6:26 PM 0.70 '
29 Thurs
12:44 AM 8.30 '
6:55 AM 0.23 '
1:15 PM 8.65 '
7:26 PM 0.16 '
30 Fri
1:40 AM 8.73 '
7:49 AM -0.22 '
2:07 PM 9.20 '
8:18 PM -0.34 '
31 Sat
2:30 AM 9.08 '
8:37 AM -0.55 '
2:53 PM 9.59 '
9:04 PM -0.69 '
SUNRISE
MARCH 1, 2018 MARCH 31, 2018
5:53 AM 5:36 PM
SUNSET
MARCH 1, 2018 MARCH 31, 2018
5:49 AM 5:49 PM
March, 1
March, 9
March, 17
March, 24
March, 31
Full Moon
3 Quarter
New Moon
1st Quarter
Full Moon
Come relax by our pool for only $15! Purchase a Day Pass for $15 per person, and get a $15 credit in our bar and restaurant. Compre un Pase de Día por $15 por persona, y obten un crédito de $15 en nuestro bar y restaurante.
seisplayashotel.com • +506 2653 6818
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howlermag.com
PL AYA FL A M I N G O • COS TA R I C A
Featured Listings: March 2018 Amazing Panoramic Ocean Views
NE W Exclusive Playa Potrero, Guanacaste Ref. Listing ID: rs170060
North Ridge Ocean-View Luxury
For Sale $1,800,000 3 bedrooms / 2 bathrooms 3 hectares of land
Boutique Hotel & Restaurant
www.overseaspacificrealty.com
For Sale $3,950,000 Playa Flamingo, Guanacaste Ref. Listing ID: rs1800027
6 bedrooms / 6 bathrooms 18,000 square meters
Playa Avellanas .43 Hec. Ocean View
Overseas Pacific Realty is a team of real estate professionals with over 28 years experience servicing Flamingo and the surrounding areas. We are proud members of the Costa Rica MLS, a real estate network of hundreds of real estate agents across the county, providing world wide reach for all our listings in 7 languages.
For Sale $1,700,000 Playa Grande, Guanacaste Ref. Listing ID: cs1700037
10 rooms / Large Pool Large Capacity Public Restaurant
Las Catalinas Loft Condo
NE W Exclusive Playa Avellans, Guanacaste Ref. Listing ID: LL1800024
1 bedroom / 1 bathroom Steps from the beach
Flamingo Cove Residential Lot
NE W Exclusive Playa Flamingo, Guanacaste Reference: Lot JO3
Flamingo Cove Ocean View Home Sites
Fritz Mayr fritz@overseas.de
Pennye Wheeler pennye@overseas.de
Jack Osborne jack@overseas.de
Donna Osborne donna@overseas.de
Wally Beck wally@overseas.de
Chantal Batter chantal@overseas.de
Kim Trefcer kim@overseas.de
Mike Shannon mike@overseas.de
John Logan john@overseas.de
Starting at $99,000 Playa Flamingo, Guanacaste Ref. Listing ID: LL1700203
1.1 hectares ready to build Also - parcel split into 6 lots
Prime Ocean-View Flamingo Lot
For Sale $650,000 Ocean View / 2,967 sq.meters Ultilies present / ready to build
For Sale 215,000 5 minutes from great surf beach Small home & farm on property
Flamingo Main Road Commerical
For Sale $495,000 Las Catalinas, Guanacaste Ref. Listing ID: rs1700675
The Overseas Team
For Sale $850,000 Playa Flamingo, Guanacaste Ref. Listing ID: LL1700004
6 bedrooms / 6 bathrooms 2,985 square meters
Oceanview Development Parcel
+506-2654-6070 2.57 Hec. $4,244,460 Playa Flamingo, Guanacaste Ref. Listing ID: LL1700112
Private beach with road access Whole parcel or buy smaller lots
NE W Exclusive Lomas de Lagarto Ref. Listing ID: JL1000
Toll-Free: 888-597-3126 info@overseaspacificrealty.com For Sale $1,900,000 62 Hectares 153 Acres
25 m sur antes del puente Flamingo Marina Guanacaste, Playa Flamingo 50308 HM HOWLER MAGAZINE | 87
