February 2021
C osta R i c a Lifes t yle, T r av el & Adv en t u r e
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EDITORIAL
SURVIVING IS NOT LIVING
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eace and tranquility — we seek to achieve this in our lives, but face many obstacles that seem to prevent the possibility. Many outside forces inundate us with distractions from the set goal of living. Gaining control over the negative forces makes it necessary to focus on productivity in moving forward. Many Howler articles focus on living and growing. The unforeseen changes in our lives over the past year have been daunting, and the challenges seemingly insurmountable. Many have lost loved ones and friends due to these circumstances. Our heartfelt condolences go to those who have struggled with grief and other kinds of losses. Virtually all of us have some form of depression and doubt about the future. The constant barrage of numbers flashed on the news, new laws, new shutdowns and such, has had a devastating effect on our psyche.
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Seeing the United States in such an uproar is unprecedented and affects the entire world. I have caught myself glued to the news, despite knowing that this causes distress and lack of sleep, which in turn affects the quality of my interactions with people. Tuning out is important. Unplug from social media for a few days and realize you can live without it. Or change the nature of your online interactions and be a positive force on a platform. The selfie nature of life is not very interesting anymore. Try reaching out instead to make new friends and see what common bonds you have. Turn off, tune out and breathe. The need for human contact and being close to friends and family is very important. Seeing people in masks and not seeing a glowing smile is sad. Those short bursts of face-to-face interactions make our days much better, and we have been missing them. You don’t realize how important they are until they are not there. We will come out of this eventually. Almost everything we have learned about ourselves over the past year is
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a matter of needing to correct or to embrace. As I have said to many, “If we can survive this we can survive anything.” Thanks to many community groups for joining forces to ensure that the hungry are fed and that support is there for those in need. Egos should not stand in the way of anyone asking for help. The condition of today’s world is beyond anyone’s control. Never hesitate to reach out if you need help. There is no shortage of good people, churches and other organizations that care and have created a very positive movement within our communities. Don’t let pride hold you back from the healing you can get from positive interactions. Take walks, hug your dogs, be around people who lift you up and invigorate you. Escape to a peaceful beautiful place to reenergize. The forces of negativity can be quashed. Within each of us the mechanism of survival has been triggered. Survival is not the only goal to achieve; change is also needed. Look at what has gotten us to this point and what each of us has done to survive. It is important to remember that surviving is not living.
Don’t forget to live!
Getting into a life rut is something most of us do. Shaking things up is not the worst thing that can happen. It forces us to look to our inner strength and creativity to move forward on a different path that can lead to new good things. The same goes for making mistakes. It is just a function of life. The important thing is how we move forward and correct the mistakes. Breathing the fresh air and seeing the natural beauty of Costa Rica reminds me of how lucky I am to be here. We will come out of this, and we will be stronger and more resilient than in the past. I have commented in recent years that our new generations are so soft and have been handed so many things. I hope that a positive outcome of this past year has been to change the direction of those who see that we all need to work together to live life to the fullest. Take your face out of the phone and smile at someone. Interact in a positive way and be a bright spot. However vital the influence of outside forces, we are the only ones who can change our lives.
John B. Quam Read all current and past articles online howlermag.com #S earch F ind Howl #s earchf indh owl
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HOWLER T r o o p
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e’re delighted to serve up Howler readers with a rich specialty blend of Costa Rican coffee knowledge in this month’s cover story. The Up Front section of our February e-magazine is brimming with fascinating facts celebrating coffee’s recent declaration as a national symbol of economic, social and cultural development. Presented in an A-to-Z subtopic format are digestible synopses covering the history, production, quality and marketing of Costa Rica’s “golden grain,” with a view to sustainability on all counts. Featured contributor Debbie Bride will soon celebrate four years of enjoying daily cups of her favorite Tico brew in the country where it is grown. Having decided three decades was plenty long enough to daydream about retiring in Costa Rica, she heeded a wake-up call to the reality of being able to live here and continue working as a communications specialist. Shortly after moving to Guanacaste from Winnipeg, Canada in March 2017, Debbie joined the Howler magazine troop as Editorial Coordinator.
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Feb 2021 Vol. 30 No. 2 PUBLISHER / EDITOR-in-CHIEF John B. Quam C r e at i v e & a r t Adriana C. Zerpa
WRITERS Joanna Blanco. Integrative nutritional health coach who helps clients embrace wellness in five interconnected areas of life: relationships, livelihood, physical activity, spiritual awareness and diet. Charlene Golojuch. Co-owner of Hidden Garden Art Gallery with husband, Greg. www.HiddenGardenArt.com
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Ivan Granados. Managing Partner at GM Attorneys, specializing in real estate and corporate law. igranados@gmattorneyscr.com Eric Green. Published author of Temporary Insanity — Costa Rica: My Way, an autobiographical travelogue incorporating humor and thoughtful reflections on visits over the years to San José and various Guanacaste locales. 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.
Mary Martin Mason. Published author whose latest book, Casa de Doloros, was inspired by her experiences and adventures as a U.S. expat living in Atenas, Costa Rica. A regular writer for the Mango Musings blog, and also an award-winning former columnist with The Southwest Journal in Minneapolis, who also taught high school English in Houston, Japan and Minnesota. Laura Méndez. Founder of Pura Vida Vibrations. Offering sound journeys, breath work experiences, cacao ceremonies & other activities. hello@puravidavibrations.com Jenn Parker. Avid writer, traveler, and nature lover on a mission to surf the earth and share her stories. crjennparker@gmail.com Tom Schultz. BS Biology and Geology, avid birder and nature photographer, retired software executive. tom@pananima.com
VIDEO
marketing director Terry Carlile
account executives Kelly Norris Mary Fernández
E d i t o r i a l S ta f f Debbie Bride - Editorial Coordinator Laurie Quam - Copy Editor Graphic Design Cover Design - Adriana C. Zerpa Business Development John D. Lane. jdlanelcm@gmail.com HOWLER (™) 2017
C o n ta c t
John Quam - Managing Partner headmonkey@howlermag.com Editor: editor@howlermag.com Advertising: ads@howlermag.com Design: design@howlermag.com CR Office: (506) 4701-5942 Howler Magazine Costa Rica @howlercostarica @thehowlermag @howlermagazine 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 Howler organization or its advertisers. 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. Images not credited are acquired from stock photography services.
Copyright © 2021 The Howler Gold Coast CR S.A.
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Copyright © 2021 Howler Media Holding, Inc. Panama The Howler Gold Coast CR S.A. Ced. Juridica: 3-101-725213 HOWLER (TM)2017
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2021 Bucket List
As we all cautiously emerge from our safe corners of the world, travel and adventure with all our favorite people is at the top of everyone’s 2021 bucket list. Horizon Pacific is here to help you find a safe, tropical retreat to renew your spirit and help you reconnect to your people and to the world. With lush tropical flowers, fresh delicious food and exciting experiences, Horizon Pacific will provide all the best places to stay. Please reach out to our team, so we can help your 2021 Bucket List wishes become reality. And not to worry, we will continue all our Covid-19 safety measures and flexible options.
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COVER STORY
IT’S A BREWTIFUL LIFE CUPFULS OF FUN FACTS ABOUT COSTA RICAN COFFEE
CONTENTS
UP FRONT FEATURED ADVENTURE
NAUYACA WATERFALL RIDE, JUMP, SWIM! CREATURE FEATURE
WHEN A FINCH IS NOT A FINCH
QUIRKY BIRD NAMES … GO FIGURE
TRAVEL & ADVENTURE
SURF SPOT
MANUEL ANTONIO MAGICAL PARK PLUS BONUS BEACH BREAK
SURFING CR
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ARTIST SPOTLIGHT
ALLAN MURILLO
DRAWING WHAT COMES NATURALLY SINCE CHILDHOOD BOOKSHELF
EASY AS PIE IN COSTA RICA AUTHOR SERVES UP TASTY SLICE-OF-LIFE CHAPTER
ACE
ART, CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT
COMMUNITY FEATURE
PROPARQUES
WORKING HARD TO MAKE PARK VISITS EASY WELLNESS
EVEN YOU CAN HAVE A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE EMBRACE NEW HABITS, NOT FADS
PURA VIDA DOING BUSINESS RIGHT
STAYING THE MAIN COURSE
LONGEVITY SECRETS OF TWO ATENAS EATERIES LEGALEASE
EXIT PERMIT REQUIREMENTS FOR MINORS
ALLOW PLENTY OF TIME FOR PAPERWORK PLANNING ENTREPRENEUR CR
FEEL GOOD FROM THE INSIDE OUT
HOW ARE YOU DOING RIGHT NOW?
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UP FRONT
Kicks from by Debbie Bride
Costa Rican Coffee Your Fill of Facts From A to Z
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o sweat … that’ll be easy,” said no writer ever who would know better undertaking an overview of coffee in Costa Rica. With so much information from a world of knowledgeable sources — including experts outside Costa Rica — how hard could it be?
COVER STORY
As it turns out, the abundance of riches in that regard makes the task downright formidable. Merely scratching the surface of Costa Rica’s coffee legacy yields onslaughts of fascinating facts, all worthy of digging deeper. Think hundreds of randomly unboxed question cards from a Trivial Pursuit game devoted exclusively to this topic, scattered all over the floor and needing to be picked up and sorted. That is why you can expect more later from the Howler about Costa Rican coffee topics than what is captured in this primer. For now, we offer these A-to-Z highlights.
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AB UP FRONT
ARABICA … ANYTHING ELSE AGAINST THE LAW
One of Costa Rica’s proudest claims to coffee fame is that 100% of its output comes from the Coffea arabica plant species. The inferior-quality robusta species has been legally prohibited in Costa Rica for more than 30 years.
Taking this a step further, the planting of specific arabica varieties has been promoted for added assurance that Costa Rican coffee has the most desirable characteristics of fine taste, aroma and consistency. This has sometimes meant sacrificing quantity — faster, easier and higher-yielding growth — for quality. Is it really worth it? Absolutely. Most gourmet coffees are made from arabica beans. So yes, in those markets where it matters, the package label verifying “100% arabica” is a big deal.
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BENEFICIOS
Local coffee processing mills in Costa Rica are known as “beneficiary plants” or beneficios. This is where the coffee berries are delivered immediately after harvesting for removal of the pulp from the beans in preparation for drying. Due to the rapid fermentation process that begins as soon as the ripe berries are picked, transfer to the mill must occur quickly, within 24 hours as legally required. BERRIES AND BEANS
This is where the magic begins. Ranging in size from smaller shrublike varieties to large bushes or trees, coffee plants produce white flowers and red berries — also known as cherries. Within each berry is what we call the coffee bean — in fact, the seed. That’s what is processed and roasted after harvesting for transformation into the universally familiar beverage.
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C CAFFEINE
CLIMATE
CLIMATE CHANGE
It’s no secret that caffeine is a chemical stimulant with properties that can cause dependency habits and withdrawal symptoms in some people. Although modern science continues teaching us more about caffeine, the alertness boost from caffeine’s “kick” is ancient wisdom.
Few climates in the world, in any given country, come as close to perfect as it gets in Costa Rica for growing coffee, especially arabica coffee.
Being one of the best places on earth for coffee cultivation, of course, does not protect this agricultural sector in Costa Rica from many of the same impacts of climate change being felt everywhere on the planet. Dramatic deviations in coffee plant flowering and fruit production cycles are a significant concern with complex, overlapping implications for farmers, processors and exporters alike.
With the first known coffee plants migrating at some point from Ethiopia to Yemen, then spreading elsewhere in the middle east, coffee as a beverage had taken root in the Muslim tradition by the 12th century. Some have speculated that the legendary “whirling dervishes” were fueled by coffee. Early evidence of coffee consumption as a beverage comes from the Sufi (“Islamic mysticism”) heritage of monasteries, where monks found it helpful in staying awake.
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For starters, coffee plants need sufficient and frequent enough rainfall to grow and mature, along with adequate dry conditions for proper crop harvesting and post-processing moisture removal. With Costa Rica’s annual climate cycle more or less evenly split into dry season and wet season, what more could coffee producers and exporters want?
Collaboration between public and private entities at local, national and international levels is imperative in seeking innovative and sustainable solutions.
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UP FRONT
E D DIVERSITY
Geographic diversity has been a key element in the Costa Rican coffee industry’s evolving success story from the start. On one hand, essentially predictable temperatures and annual rainfall amounts are a feature of the aforementioned dual seasons. At the same time, diversity between microclimates and ecosystems is our nation’s special gift to discriminating coffee drinkers the world over.
Costa Rica boasts not one coffee-growing region but eight — each perfect for growing different varieties of beans with special characteristics of flavor, aroma and consistency.
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DRYING PROCESS
After being sorted and separated from the harvested berries at a processing facility, the coffee beans must undergo drying to the level of 12% humidity before they can be roasted. There are several methods for sun drying of beans — generally in highest demand by coffee importers — taking about a week.
Mechanical driers are sometimes used in cases of non-ideal sun-drying conditions, and/or to fine-tune the moisture content of sun-dried beans. Mechanical drying can reduce drying time to just 24 hours.
DRY SEASON
Costa Rica’s dry season is when coffee is harvested, generally from December to April. Soaring populations in the growing regions — up to triple the yearround number of local inhabitants — include influxes of seasonal farm workers from Nicaragua and Panama.
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Costa Rica was the first Central American country to have a full-fledged coffee industry.
EF ELEVATION
For the most part, Costa Rica’s eight coffee growing regions are perfectly positioned when it comes to mountainous altitude, which is measured in meters above sea level (masl). Specialty coffee consumers might be familiar with seeing the masl number printed on the package of their favorite artisanal roast. This information alone can be misleading because altitude-related quality indicators are not straightforward. But without understanding the in-depth plant science, it’s true enough to say that coffee grown higher above sea level is better. This is largely due to cooler temperatures, as well as less available oxygen, which enable coffee berries to mature more slowly and gradually for the desired flavor profile.
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FROM FIRST TO FLOURISHING
No less than 200 years ago, Costa Rica was the first Central American country to have a full-fledged coffee industry. Within a remarkably short timespan between the arabica plant’s introduction from Ethiopia in the late 1700s and impressive early export milestones, the stage was set for our country’s golden grain to shine brightly.
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G H UP FRONT
GOLDEN GRAIN
Enthusiastic government support and incentives saw the Costa Rican coffee industry grow and prosper quickly. By 1821, marking the country’s independence from Spain, Costa Ricans were embracing the opportunity to boost the national economy while lifting burdens of poverty. The value of coffee as a major agricultural export commodity soon overtook that of cacao, sugar and tobacco.
HAND-PICKED HARVEST
Make no mistake in thinking Costa Rica’s time-honored tradition of manually harvesting coffee beans is about quaintness. It has everything to do with patience in achieving perfection. Harvest is no time to rush the process of delivering some of the best-brewed flavors on earth. Allowing every coffee berry to fully mature, for picking at precisely the right time, is the best assurance of excellence in every cup. Only the ripest beans are selected, and only a qualified human is up for that task.
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I ICAFÉ
The Coffee Institute of Costa Rica, known as ICAFÉ, was founded in 1933 as the national governing and regulatory authority for the country’s coffee sector. It also has a fair-trade advocacy role in supporting and protecting the mutual interests of coffee producers, processors, roasters and exporters. INTERNATIONAL COFFEE ORGANIZATION
The International Coffee Organization (ICO), which administers the International Coffee Agreement in force, was established in London in 1963 under the auspices of the United Nations. Its intergovernmental mandate is to bring together exporting and importing governments to cooperatively tackle challenges facing the world coffee trade.
ICO members currently represent the governments of 98% of the world’s coffee producing countries, including Costa Rica, and 83% of consuming countries. INNOVATION
Progressive attitudes and approaches have been a driving force in Costa Rica’s coffee economy from the beginning. Willingness to embrace new knowledge, technologies and alliances is an enduring theme.
Farmers here are known for being innovative in experimenting with harder-to-grow plant varieties and processing enhancements that translate to cups of consumer appreciation. The more desirable in world markets, the higher the price it will fetch.
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JK UP FRONT
JULY 28, 2020
KAFFA, KALDI, KOFFIE AND KAHVE
Having long been an inherent part of Costa Rica’s national identity, coffee was recently declared its 15th national symbol under Law 9815, pertaining to economic, social and cultural development. Representatives from the education and coffee sectors joined legislative and municipal officers at a news event on July 28, 2020.
Indigenous to Ethiopia’s Kaffa region, the coffee plant is steeped in widely accepted legend about its accidental discovery during the 9th century. A goat herder named Kaldi noticed how unusually frisky his herd animals became after grazing on the red cherries of a coffee plant. It made him curious enough to eat some of the berries himself, only to experience the same invigorating effect.
On the same occasion, legislative amendments were enacted under Law 2762, governing relations between producers, beneficiaries and exporters of coffee.”
The English word coffee, is derived from the Dutch “koffie,” which in turn, came from the Turkish “kahve,” predated by “qahwah” in Arabic. KONA
While not directly relevant to Costa Rica’s coffee story, Kona is noteworthy for being the only coffee cultivated anywhere in the United States. This exclusive premium brand of arabica coffee — one of the most expensive in the world — is named for the mountainous districts of Hawaii where it is cultivated.
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KLM LATITUDE
Having originated in Ethiopia and been confined to monopoly production on the Arabian peninsula for many centuries thereafter, coffee species now grow widely in tropical and subtropical regions throughout the world. More than 70 coffee-producing countries are located primarily in the equatorial regions of Central and South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. LAW 2762
Coffee processing and sales activities in Costa Rica are regulated under Law 2762, enacted in 1961 for implementation and enforcement by the Coffee Institute of Costa Rica (ICAFÉ). Commonly referred to as the Coffee Law, it established an “equitable regime to regulate relations between coffee producers, mills, and exporters that guarantees a rational and truthful participation of each sector in the coffee business.”
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MARKET VALUE
After oil, coffee is the world’s secondmost-valuable commodity exported by developing countries. The global coffee industry earns an estimated $60 billion annually. About 600 million people rely on the coffee industry for their survival, including nearly 25 million farmers.
Costa Rica is the 13th-largest producer of coffee in the world, adding up to about 1.5 million 60-kilogram bags every year. From this total, 90 percent is exported, accounting for around 11 percent of Costa Rica’s export earnings. After pineapples and bananas, coffee is Costa Rica’s third most valuable agricultural export, worth about $400 million a year.
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N O UP FRONT
NAMA CAFÉ DE COSTA RICA
Coffee NAMA is an ambitious, innovative collaboration between public, private, financial and academic partners in advancing national carbon-neutral goals. NAMA stands for Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action. Undertaking this first project of its kind in the world put Costa Rica at the forefront of developing countries joining the global effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Expanded export markets are anticipated as an eventual outcome of Costa Rica pioneering the world’s first certified low-emission coffee. With the overarching goal of producing and processing Costa Rican coffee in a lowemission, sustainable manner, NAMA Café also aims to improve resource use efficiency at the level of both coffee plantations and coffee mills. ORGANIZATIONS
Costa Rican coffee producers have access to assistance and support from myriad public institutions and nongovernment organizations, as well as business stakeholders.
From financial grants and loans to low-cost plant seedlings, crop pest and disease alerts and field tests of new coffee varieties, the scope of programs is wide-ranging. Ministry of agriculturesponsored training sessions and technical assistance extends to producers across the country.
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PQ R PANDEMIC POSITIVES
As economically devastating as COVID-19 has been globally, the outlook for Costa Rica’s coffee sector was less dire than in other sectors such as tourism. Not surprisingly, the international shift in market demand from restaurants and coffee shops to at-home consumers has been a saving grace.
Less than three months into worldwide border closures and other pandemic health and safety measures, there were reasons to be cautiously optimistic. International Monetary Fund data indicated that arabica coffee was the only world market showing a significant uptrend. That held true for Costa Rica, where shipping activity increased during March and April 2020 and coffee accounted for 56% of outbound container cargoes.
QUALITY OVER QUANTITY
A consistent theme when researching Costa Rican coffee — even if the source is not Tico-exclusive — is the list of reasons why it is “better” or even “the best.”
Typically cited attributes cover the gamut of plant species, growing conditions, harvesting and processing methods, economic responsiveness and technological innovation. Suffice to say here that Costa Rica has always come by its coffee bragging rights honestly in the world market by emphasizing quality over quantity.
REGIONAL DISTINCTIONS
Integral to the country’s aforementioned reputation for quality are the eight coffee-growing regions that cater to the finer distinctions in consumer tastes: the Central Valley, Tres Ríos, Turrialba, Brunca, Guanacaste, Tarrazú, Orosí and Valle Occidental. An informed commentary on the attributes of each region is incorporated with this detailed overview of Costa Rican coffee at craftcoffeeguru.com
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S UP FRONT
STARBUCKS . Under a 2019 agreement with ICAFÉ, Starbucks is supporting Costa Rican research into new coffee varieties resistant to both diseases and detrimental impacts of climate change. Investigations are carried out at Hacienda Alsacia, a 240-hectare farm in Alejuela where Starbucks operates its Global Agronomy Research & Development Center.
This is also one of nine international sites where Starbucks has set up Farmer Support Center services in coffee-producing countries. SUSTAINABILITY
Sustainability is a multi-faceted challenge for the coffee sector worldwide, and Costa Rica is no exception. Recent decades have seen increasing emphasis on solutions with social and economic development goals — in particular aimed at poverty reduction — while addressing relevant concerns about environmental protection and climate change. On the positive side, the coffee industry can build on its existing strengths as an eco-friendly contributor to the economy. Being an evergreen plant, coffee plays a role in preserving and restoring biodiversity of forested ecosystems. Research conducted by Dr. Fournier Origgi, a biologist at the University of Costa Rica, revealed that two hectares of planted coffee removes as much carbon dioxide from the air as one hectare of virgin tropical forest. For detailed information on coffee sustainability at the global level, visit ico.org. Learn more about Costa Rican initiatives at icafe.cr.
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T THIRD WAVE
Costa Rican coffee figures prominently in the socalled third wave of coffee, evolved from a generation of specialty coffee consumers with sophisticated tastes for knowledge as well as fine brews. These connoisseurs crave artisanal insights into how and where coffee is grown, processed, traded, roasted, prepared and savored in their cups. TOURISM
If coffee plantation tours are not already on everyone’s Tico travel destination bucket list, they should be. There are numerous options in every coffee-growing region. As founder of the iconic Café Britt brand, Steve Aronson opened new world windows to Costa Rican coffee by making it a take-home souvenir for retail purchase. He was also instrumental in pioneering coffee tours showcasing where and how the coffee originates, extending tourism benefits to the local farmers who make it possible.
U UNITED KINGDOM AND UNITED STATES
England’s long-standing importance as an importer of Costa Rican coffee began in 1832. For the first nine years, overseas shipments there required a stopover in Chile for re-bagging. Then, following the first direct shipment from Costa Rica to the United Kingdom in 1843, growing interest from British trade authorities yielded significant investments in the Costa Rican coffee industry. The United Kingdom remained our principal export customer until the Second World War. Despite a recent decline in market share, the United States remains the main destination for Costa Rican coffee, representing about 47.7% of the total. Belgium is the second largest export market (17.5 %), followed by Germany (6.6 %) and South Korea (4 %).
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UP FRONT
VARIETIES
Since the original typica variety of arabica coffee was introduced to Costa Rica from Ethiopia some 250 years ago, new possibilities for adapting different plant types to specific growth, yield or market requirements has been a never-ending focus of interest. A cornerstone of this cultivar quest is that quality is never sacrificed for productivity. Examples of common arabica varieties that have been cultivated or mutated here include caturra, bourbon and catuai. Villa Sarchi, a natural single-gene mutation of bourbon, is a native Costa Rica dwarf variety.
W WALMART
In October 2019, the first Costa Rican product to bear Walmart’s Great Value label was unveiled: gourmet coffee grown by 25 producers in Tres Ríos, Naranjo and Tarrazú.
Introducing the coffee at Walmart and Mas X Menos locations in Costa Rica, the international retailer indicated the premium product may be sold in other markets down the road.
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Y X “X” FOR THE RIGHT PICKS — EXPERTISE AND EXTRA CARE
Reading a job description for harvesters of premium Costa Rican coffee finds one awestruck by the art and science it entails. Coffee bean pickers are on the front lines of quality control where the income stakes are high and the plantation’s reputation hinges on consistent excellence.
The skill set includes superior eyesight and expertise in readily distinguishing a berry’s ripeness, with zero error tolerance. A few under-ripe berries mixed with a bag of ripe ones can taint the end product. For work compensated per bean volume collected, it takes nimbleness and speed to move efficiently through the planted rows without missing any berries. To ensure green buds remain attached to the tree — they will become next year’s harvest — you need a delicate touch and finesse. Every movement requires coordination and extra care to avoid brushing against the sometimes narrowly spaced plants and dislodging or damaging berries on the branches.
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YOUNG PEOPLE
The International Coffee Organization is pinning hopes on young people as “Coffee’s Next Generation” — the focus of last year’s International Coffee Day on October 1, 2020. “An increasing number of young people in coffee-farming households are moving away from ‘the family business’ to other locations and jobs that they see as more progressive and lucrative for their future,” the advocacy group notes on its website. In targeting talented and motivated young people and entrepreneurs in the coffee sector worldwide, the ICO is appealing to its members and all stakeholders to collaborate in providing access to finance and knowledge, skills development, coaching and training, as well as networking.
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UP FRONT
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ZENITHS OF PROGRESS
As a catalyst for economic transformation and modernization, Costa Rica’s early 19th century coffee boom opened many pathways to the wider world and elevated standards of living.
Academic studies in Europe became affordable for some young people. Connecting the Central Valley to Puntarenas with a roadway, opened in 1846, revitalized the regions in between and gave rise to the urban hubs of Grecia, Palmares, San Ramón and Sarchi. Coffee revenues funded the country’s first railway link to the Atlantic coast in 1890. The unveiling seven years later of the magnificent National Theater in San José, today retaining its luster as an architectural and cultural treasure, became a reality thanks to a coffee tax. Golden grain profits played a part in another astonishing progress milestone from the same era. On August 9, 1884, San José became one of the first electrically lit cities in the world, after Paris, London and New York. Street lighting was launched via a generating plant on the grounds of the Tournon coffee mill. Juxtaposed with up-and-down sequences throughout much of the 20th century, focusing on improved coffee production techniques paid off when yields doubled between 1955 and 1973, ranking Costa Rica highest in the word on that count.
How fitting it seems to celebrate coffee’s newly attained status as a national symbol of economic, social and cultural advancement.
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Casa La Cima #s earchf indh owl Hermosa Beach, Puntarenas
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TRAVEL & ADVENTURE
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Photo: Joseph Linder 36 |#searchfindhowl| online
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NAUYACA by Karl Kahler
WAT E R FA L L
Ride, Jump, Swim!
C
osta Rica is renowned for its incomparable waterfalls, which spill from dizzying heights into cool pools where you can swim, take photos and even leap from the cliffs if you dare. Costa Rica is also known for its horseback riding — gentle mounts, experienced guides and no end of terrains to get in touch with your inner cowboy.
FEATURED ADVENTURE
And there is perhaps no place here that offers both with such a stunning destination as the Nauyaca Waterfall between Dominical and San Isidro.
narrow top fall that’s 45 meters high and cascades into a small pool. The bottom fall is 20 meters, but it’s spectacular, spilling over a wide cliff face and into a big, swimmable pool. I noticed that one of our guides took a big rope and disappeared into the thick of the cascade, climbing the rock face sideways. I wondered what he was doing, and shortly afterward he reappeared, holding the now-anchored rope in one hand and offering the other hand to me.
Yes, he wanted me to jump off the waterfall. But first I had to climb through it, completely blinded by the pounding The adventure begins at Don Lulo’s, water, holding onto the rope and/or the a horseback tour operator on the main guide’s hand, as he instructed me where highway. Visitors are taken down a steep to put my feet. road to the trailhead, where they are matched up with horses. We emerged on the other side and I could see again. Now it was a simple The first stop on the four-kilometer matter of climbing a bit higher. Well, trail is a house with an outdoor dining not a simple matter — it was steep and area where a snack is served — for scary. The guide held my hand like a example, fried corn patties, fruit, little child, telling me to be careful, as if I muffins, juice and coffee. You will eat needed to be told. lunch here on your return from the waterfall; ours consisted of stewed There’s one ledge that’s about 25 feet chicken, potatoes, rice, beans, tortillas high, another about 30 feet. Take your and salad. pick. But the main event is the waterfall, Nauyaca, which means “venomous snake.” It’s a two-tiered waterfall, with a
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The cool, deep pool beckons below. All you have to do is jump.
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VIDEO
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TRAVEL & ADVENTURE
FINCH Story and photos by Tom Schultz
WHEN A FINCH IS NOT A
A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME … OR WHY I HATE BIRD NAMES!
I CREATURE FEATURE
f you come to Costa Rica, count on eventually becoming attracted to the beautiful birds here. With over 900 to see, it can become a serious hobby. As a photographer first, I developed my love for birds here. There is just one problem that irks me: I hate bird names! The major reason for bird name confusion in the “New World” dates back to European immigrants, mostly British, who basically invented birdwatching. Each new bird discovered in the Americas was named for the way it appeared to these birdwatchers, with reference to familiar European birds. Then after quickly running out of these common names, they turned to obscure homonyms and multiple names to describe the same bird.
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Take the tody-flycatcher, for example. What is tody? Where did that come from? “Tody,” if you look it up, is Middle English for small. So why not name this bird the small flycatcher? And Middle English? What about the plumbeous kite and semi-plumbeous hawk? Plumbeous is Latin for gray. (The word “plumber” also originates with the gray color of lead water pipes from Roman times.) So why not just call it a gray hawk? Well, because that name was already taken by the so-called gray hawk species. And don’t even get me started on the scarlet and hepatic tanagers! Both are red. Blood red tanager — seriously?
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Yellow-thighed finch #s earchf indh owl
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FINCH IMPOSTERS Most people from North America or Europe are familiar with the little birds that are finches. The Europeans, including Charles Darwin, started giving the name to little birds that looked like finches to them. The most famous are the “Darwin finches” he described as part of his Origin of Species. We were recently lucky to travel to Cocos Island to see the Cocos finch, one of the Darwin finches. The male is a nondescript little black bird that does not really look like a finch, nor does it behave like a finch. It looks more like a sparrow, and feeds in a similar way to a really interesting bird in the upper elevations of Costa Rica — the slaty flowerpiercer. Thankfully, this bird is correctly named for its feeding habit of ripping open the bottom of flowers to feed on the nectar and insects.
Tawny-capped euphonia
Slaty flowerpiercer
CREATURE FEATURE
There are other birds named finches here in Costa Rica. Among them are the large-footed finch (he actually has big feet) and the yellow-thighed finch (they actually have yellow-thighs). There is one problem, however: none of these birds are real finches! DNA studies have totally upended the bird world, and many birds are not what they seem. It turns out that the Cocos finch does belong in the same bird family as the slaty flowerpiercer, along with the large-footed and yellow-thighed finches. But they are tanagers, not finches. It turns out Darwin, and others, had been wrong in calling them finches.
Large footed
Male Cocos finch 42 |#searchfindhowl| online
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RIGHT BIRD, DIFFERENT NAME So are there any real finches here in Costa Rica? Yes, there are! They are just not called finches. They are members of the euphonia family. Euphonia means “clear sound,” describing their calls.
Golden-browed chlorophonia
Golden-browed chlorophonia
The euphonia species in Costa Rica include some wonderfully beautiful and colorful birds. Many of them are a combination of blue and yellow, distinguished by the location and amount of blue or yellow on their heads and throats. Two totally spectacular examples are the elegant euphonia, found mostly on the Pacific side of the country, and the tawnycapped on the Caribbean side. A second group of birds in the same finch family is called chlorophonia. The golden-browed chlorophonia is an amazingly beautiful little bird found in the upper elevations of Costa Rica; it is a wonder to see. So, if you see something called a finch in Costa Rica, chances are it is not a finch. But if you come across any birds with a euphonia or chlorophonia name, they are finches.
Elegant euphonia
Confused? That’s understandable, which is why I try to ignore some of the silly bird names. Just enjoy the beauty of these special birds and so many others you can see here in Costa Rica.
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Scrub euphonia #s earchf indh owl
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Full service Hotel, Restaurant and Event Center
seisplayashotel.com +506-2653-6818 #s earchf indh owl
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MOON PHASES
FEBRUARY TIDE CHART
FEB 4
3rd Quarter
DAY
HIGH TIDES
LOW TIDES
HIGH TIDES
LOW TIDES
Mon 01
05:14 9.19 ft
11:19 −0.49 ft
17:40 9.48 ft
23:46 −0.12 ft
Tue 02
05:58 9.01 ft
12:01 −0.36 ft
18:23 9.46 ft
Wed 03
00:32 −0.02 ft
06:44 8.68 ft
12:46 −0.09 ft
19:10 9.28 ft
Thu 04
01:22 0.23 ft
07:34 8.25 ft
13:35 0.31 ft
20:02 8.98 ft
FEB 11
Fri 05
02:17 0.56 ft
08:30 7.79 ft
14:30 0.78 ft
21:00 8.63 ft
New Moon
Sat 06
03:18 0.87 ft
09:36 7.41 ft
15:32 1.20 ft
22:05 8.34 ft
Sun 07
04:27 1.05 ft
10:47 7.25 ft
16:43 1.45 ft
23:15 8.22 ft
Mon 08
05:39 1.00 ft
12:00 7.38 ft
17:57 1.44 ft
FEB 19 1st Quarter
FEB 26 Full Moon
SUNRISE FEB 1 FEB 28
6:01 am 5:53 am
SUNSET FEB 1 FEB 28
Tue 09
00:23 8.31 ft
06:46 0.73 ft
13:05 7.74 ft
19:05 1.19 ft
Wed 10
01:24 8.54 ft
07:44 0.36 ft
14:02 8.21 ft
20:04 0.83 ft
Thu 11
02:19 8.79 ft
08:35 0.01 ft
14:53 8.65 ft
20:55 0.49 ft
Fri 12
03:07 8.99 ft
09:20 −0.25 ft
15:38 8.99 ft
21:41 0.24 ft
Sat 13
03:52 9.06 ft
10:01 −0.37 ft
16:20 9.17 ft
22:23 0.13 ft
Sun 14
04:33 8.99 ft
10:40 −0.33 ft
16:59 9.18 ft
23:03 0.17 ft
Mon 15
05:13 8.77 ft
11:17 −0.13 ft
17:37 9.04 ft
23:42 0.34 ft
Tue 16
05:52 8.42 ft
11:53 0.21 ft
18:15 8.75 ft
Wed 17
00:20 0.62 ft
06:31 7.96 ft
12:29 0.65 ft
18:53 8.37 ft
Thu 18
01:00 0.97 ft
07:12 7.45 ft
13:07 1.15 ft
19:33 7.94 ft
Fri 19
01:43 1.36 ft
07:56 6.92 ft
13:48 1.67 ft
20:17 7.51 ft
Sat 20
02:31 1.73 ft
08:48 6.47 ft
14:36 2.13 ft
21:09 7.15 ft
Sun 21
03:28 1.99 ft
09:50 6.17 ft
15:34 2.46 ft
22:10 6.95 ft
Mon 22
04:33 2.06 ft
10:59 6.15 ft
16:43 2.55 ft
23:16 6.99 ft
Tue 23
05:39 1.88 ft
12:05 6.43 ft
17:53 2.32 ft
Wed 24
00:19 7.27 ft
06:38 1.48 ft
13:00 6.95 ft
18:53 1.83 ft
Thu 25
01:13 7.73 ft
07:28 0.94 ft
13:48 7.60 ft
19:45 1.18 ft
Fri 26
02:01 8.25 ft
08:12 0.36 ft
14:31 8.30 ft
20:31 0.50 ft
Sat 27
02:46 8.76 ft
08:54 −0.19 ft
15:12 8.97 ft
21:14 −0.13 ft
Sun 28
03:28 9.17 ft
09:34 −0.64 ft
15:52 9.52 ft
21:57 −0.61 ft
HOWLER MAGAZINE
5:44 pm 5:49 pm
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HIGH TIDES
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SURF
G
COSTA RICA
CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE
Shipstern Bluff, Tasmania Photo by Joel Everard #s earchf indh owl
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SURF
G
COSTA RICA
VIDEO
SURF SPOT
This is an excellent place for your first surf lesson!
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VIDEO
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MANUEL by Jenn Parker
ANTONIO M
anuel Antonio National Park is basically the poster child park of Costa Rica. It is the smallest but most visited national park in the country. When most people think about Costa Rica, an image similar to Manuel Antonio’s rainforest and beachscape likely comes to mind. HOW TO GET THERE Getting here is easy! The fastest route is to fly into Quepos on a Sansa flight and then drive or take a shuttle or taxi to Manuel Antonio. There is a lot to see and do in this area, so you will likely want to spend a couple of days. If you are road tripping around the country, you can get to Manuel Antonio by driving north or south, depending on where you are coming from, along highway 34 and then just follow the signs to Quepos and Manuel Antonio. The beach where you surf is just outside of the national park to the north. The beach is actually called Playa Espadilla, but the main surf spot is called Playa Manuel Antonio. WHERE TO SURF Playa Manuel Antonio is a surf-friendly beach break for all experience levels. Most of the time the waves are in the chest-high
Photos courtesy of Manuel Antonio Surf and Camp #s earchf indh owl
or smaller range and quite gentle. This is an excellent place for your first surf lesson! When there is a bit more swell in the water, more advanced beginners and intermediate surfers will find the waves really fun here. Playa Manuel Antonio is located just north of the Manuel Antonio National Park entrance. About a kilometer further north is Playitas. This rocky-bottom beach needs a bigger swell in order to produce rideable waves. Playitas is also a beach break but can be a bit less crowded than Playa Manuel Antonio. LO C A L CO M PA N I E S If you are new to the sport of surfing, it is a good idea to take a lesson. While Manuel Antonio is not reputed to be a surf town, there are certainly some opportunities to learn how to surf. Manuel Antonio Surf School with stellar reviews is an excellent choice. After all the surfing, fun in the sun, and nature walks you will definitely want to grub out and refuel. Try Emilio’s Café, El Patio de Café Milagro, El Mirador Bar and Restaurant or Cuba Libre Restaurant and Bar.
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ARTS CULTURE ENTERTAINMENT ARTIST SPOTLIGHT
Allan Murillo’s collection of bird illustrations includes the species pictured above from left: mochuelo (owlet), Amazonian motmot and red-legged honeycreeper.
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ALLAN
by Charlene Golojuch
MURILLO D R AW I N G W H AT CO M E S NATUR ALLY P R ECO C I O US CH I L D G ROWS I N TO I L LU S T RAT I ON C A RE E R Photos courtesy of Hidden Garden Art Gallery
“I
thought I was in deep trouble when my second-grade teacher demanded a conference with my mother,” remembers Costa Rican artist Allan Murillo. At issue was an illustration that Allan created for a class assignment; it was so well done that the teacher assumed that Allan’s mother must have done the homework for him. Murillo had drawn a shepherdess flower, complete with a cardboard frame. With apprehension growing about the upcoming conference, Allan and his mother arrived at the school. When confronted with the situation, Allan’s mother simply asked him to draw another picture, right in front of her and the teacher. Amazed with the new drawing, the teacher praised Allan and he passed his assignment with glowing colors. “Although drawing was second nature to me as a child and one of my favorite pastimes,” Murillo tells us, “it wasn’t until I was 17 when my advertising-design teacher fanned the spark to motivate me to follow the path #s earchf indh owl
of the arts.” Graphic design was his curriculum of choice as a student at the University of Costa Rica Faculty of Fine Arts, from 2004 to 2009. “My favorite type of art is drawing,” Allan says. “I admire the way the line is expressed, the subtlety of a well-done stroke, the purposeful simplicity that motivates imagination, the ease, and above all, the feeling of working with the strokes.” N ATU R E ’ S BE AU TY The sensation of freedom generated by the creative process and the taste for beautiful things in nature, with all its different manifestations, brings boundless inspiration to Allan. Having the good fortune to live in an area with vast arrays of greenery and fauna also aids Murillo to concentrate his illustrations on his featheredfriends. So far he has documented HM HOWLER MAGAZINE | 53
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ARTIST SPOTLIGHT ARTS CULTURE ENTERTAINMENT
Roseate spoonbill #s earchf indh owl
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ARTS CULTURE ENTERTAINMENT ARTIST SPOTLIGHT
Stock image depicting three of the artist’s illustrations as they would look framed on a home or office wall (clockwise from bottom): long-tailed manakin, royal flycatcher and magenta-throated hummingbird.
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Drawing is Allan Murillo’s favorite form of artistic expression
71 species of birds on the property, so his determination is endless. “Despite the fact that my art tends to feature the simplistic beauty of birds,” he explains, “after more detailed observation of these animals, I was motivated to begin my own naturalistic illustration project, concentrating on the birds that visited my house. Then I moved on to the never-ending diverse species, and now I have expanded my free rein to the illustration of mammals of Costa Rica.” Frequent visits with his uncle to the jungle areas in the northern section of San Carlos taught Allan to enjoy the features of the infinite green landscape: listening to the sounds of frogs, birds, rain and wind, feeling the humidity of the moss with his hands and breathing the aroma of mountains. “These are the sensations that make me feel alive and connected to myself and stimulates my artistic endeavors,” he says. Calvin & Hobbes cartoonist and watercolorist, Bill Waterson, is held in high esteem by Murillo. “I love the way he uses the counterform and his ability to present a powerful character in his drawings; it is almost as if they speak for themselves. In addition, Mr. Waterson is a master of watercolor techniques, which when including it in his arts achieves an incomparable effect.” For more information about Allan Murillo, please visit our website at www. HiddenGardenArt.com or contact us at info@HiddenGardenArt.com.
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ARTIST SPOTLIGHT ARTS CULTURE ENTERTAINMENT
Scissor-tailed flycatcher #s earchf indh owl
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VIDEO
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by Eric Green
EASY AS PIE IN COSTA RICA Adapted from chapter 4 of the book / Temporary Insanity — Costa Rica: My Way
O
BOOKSHELF
ARTS CULTURE ENTERTAINMENT
n my first full day in Costa Rica, I emerged from the cafeteria of the Costa Rican-North American Cultural Center in San José, where I had bought a hamburger and coke after a day of studying Spanish. It was nearing the 6 o’clock hour, the usual time for sunset in Costa Rica. I became aware of a real problem. My goal was to go back to the house where I was staying in a San José suburb, but had lost the note telling me what bus number to take to my destination, not to mention the home address and phone number. Worse, I couldn’t even remember the name of the suburb where I was staying. It sounded Indian, that’s all I knew.
I tumbled off the steep steps and into a ditch filled with sewage. It was my birthday. What a way to celebrate it.
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I got on the first city bus that seemed to go in the right direction. It was mobbed but I found a seat in the far back. Every so often, someone would yank a cord by the window which signaled the bus driver to stop. Sometimes, the cord didn’t work. That meant yelling “parada” (stop). Feeling self-conscious and worried about my American accent that would further mark me as a foreigner, as if my bus companions didn’t know it already, I sat there trying to figure out when it was my stop. Finally, after seeing a church that looked familiar, I stumbled up front to the driver and signaled to let me out. The door opened. I tumbled off the steep steps and into a ditch filled with sewage. It was my birthday. What a way to celebrate it. Apparently, I hadn’t broken any bones. But I smelled like manure. I wondered if this ditch was anywhere near where I was staying. There was nothing else to do but start walking until I could get under a streetlight and somebody could see me as darkness approached. I stuck out a thumb, what I hoped was the universal sign for hitchhiking. Though I could just imagine how I looked like garbage, somebody eventually picked me up. His dashboard was crowded with icons of Jesus, crucifixes, and an image of St. Jude, the patron saint for hopeless cases. howlermag.com
Photos courtesy of Eric Green
Even though I’m not the religious sort, that felt hopeful. I told him in my pigeon Spanish I was lost, in more ways than one. He laughed. “No problema,” he said. Maybe not for him.
Street scenes in San José, where the author spent many days amidst pigeons in the Plaza de la Cultura next to Teatro Nacional (top photo).
We must have driven around the neighborhood for at least a half-hour as I tried to give a physical description of the house, which seemed to match how all the houses looked. Finally, I recognized another church where I had boarded the bus that morning for Spanish class. We had to be close. We drove around and around until coming to a street that looked familiar. I tried to pay this saint for his heroic efforts, but he refused to take a colón or even a U.S. dollar bill. I got his name and address and said I at least owed him a thank-you card. He must have felt sorry for this sorry smelly visitor to his country. He walked with me to the house to make sure it was the right one. I vowed that if ever the roles were reversed I’d do the same for him. I meant it too — this Costa Rican guy’s unbelievably good deed would be reciprocated in kind. I was so relieved to see the Costa Rican family where I was staying and they looked glad to see me too, although they must have wondered where I had been all this time and why my clothes were caked in mud and excrement. #s earchf indh owl
This colorful bird, pictured at a wildlife park, symbolizes for the author the beauty of Costa Rica. HM HOWLER MAGAZINE | 63
(Later, when I got my wits about me, I realized the family’s house was in a suburb called Curridabat.) The family asked if I had encountered any trouble finding their house. “No problema. Easy as pie,” I lied, using an English idiom they must have misinterpreted because they offered me a piece of their leftover dessert.
BOOKSHELF
ARTS CULTURE ENTERTAINMENT
“No thanks,” I said, giving the thumbs up. They gave me the thumbs up back. Yeah, rolling in urine and filth was a perfect way to enjoy my birthday and first full day in Costa Rica. But my visit had to get better, right?
READ THE BOOK
E
ric Green’s book Temporary Insanity — Costa Rica: My Way is available at amazon.com in both Kindle e-book and paperback format. The author describes it as a journalistic travelogue — part humor, part autobiographical — of his repeated journeys to Costa Rica. In more reflective parts, he discusses the Nicaraguan diaspora in Costa Rica, the country’s high ranking for environmental sustainability and economic disparities between different population segments. One reviewer, in giving the book a five-star rating, described it as “an interesting emotional journey that makes for great vacation reading.” For more information and to read sample chapters: CLICK HERE
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HM HOWLER MAGAZINE | 65
PURA VIDA / LIVING CR
PARK CHANGERS ProParques Works Hard to Make Your Experience Easy Photos courtesy of ProParques By Karl Kahler (Original Howler publication date: November 2017)
COMMUNITY FEATURE
F
or a country covering .03% of the earth’s surface and boasting 5% of its biodiversity, Costa Rica’s endowment of natural wonders is extraordinarily generous. Protected areas include some of the most beautiful national parks in the world, teeming with wildlife, bursting with foliage, featuring jungles, volcanoes, beaches and more. Being this close to paradise leaves little room for improvement. Or so it might seem if you haven’t heard about ProParques, a little-known nonprofit that spends hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to improve trails, build bathrooms, create signage and train park rangers. Thanks to this group, nature’s legacy coast to coast is being protected and showcased like never before. Success in overcoming geographic and bureaucratic barriers has underpinned
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two mutually achievable goals — enhanced vibrancy of Costa Rica’s 26 national park habitats and an enriched visitor experience. Guayabo National Monument, Costa Rica’s most treasured archaeological site, offers a remarkable example. A new bridge over the Calzada Caragra, a pre-Colombian cobblestone road, gives visitors an unprecedented view of this ancient wonder. On Chirripó, Costa Rica’s tallest mountain, new bathrooms and plumbing make it unnecessary for park rangers to haul 800,000 liters of water a year up the mountain so that people can flush toilets. And at Carara National Park, ProParques has broken new ground for handicapped accessibility. Visitors in wheelchairs can now roll down a howlermag.com
1.2-kilometer universal access trail, while the blind can read signage in braille and touch sculptures that depict local animals.
VIDEO
These and multiple other ProParques initiatives are a testament to what can be accomplished through consensus building, “Everyone’s got an opinion about the national park system,” said Steve Aronson, the organization’s founder and president. “There’s all these different fights — people want to buy more land, people don’t want tourists there, etc. Everybody has a different view. Let’s try to figure out a way to get all these people to talk and find a common ground between the tourism industry and the ecologists and the government guys.”
New bathroom and plumbing fixtures on Costa Rica's highest peak eliminated the need for Chirripó park rangers to haul 800,000 liters of water per year up the mountain. Improvements and maintenance at other park locations
In addition to braille signage at Carara National Park, sculptures of native animals enable vision-impaired visitors to better appreciate their surroundings.
Aronson is perhaps best known as the founder of Costa Rica’s iconic Café Britt coffee brand. ProParques was founded 12 years ago as one of three nonprofit groups under the umbrella Demain Foundation (“demain” being French for “tomorrow”). This extended the social responsibility program of Grupo Britt, which Aronson had established in 1985 to sell roasted coffee to domestic and foreign markets. But in 2009 he turned this business over to his sons to focus on some personal passions. ProParques successes are small projects from signage upgrades to larger initiatives of park ranger training. And the socio-economic impact of ProParques-funded improvements extend well beyond the tourism sector. “We trained turtle egg thieves in Tortuguero to be turtle spotters, gave them walkie-talkies, put them on a payroll,” said Aronson, “And now when turtles lay eggs, these guys say there’s a turtle that’s about to lay an egg here.” One thing everyone involved with ProParques seemed to agree on from the start, Aronson said, is that park rangers should be more professional and better supported. “Park rangers at that time didn’t even have uniforms,
Steve Aronson (middle) President of theProParques Board with staff members from Cahuita National Park #s earchf indh owl
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PURA VIDA / LIVING CR they had to learn English,” he said. “It’s all little stuff.” Rocío Echeverri, executive director of ProParques, said, “We work with the National University, and we just graduated 29 park rangers that got a diploma in park management, and 20 others just started the new program. It’s a two-year university program with students from all over the country, even Cocos Island.” Training of park rangers remains a major focus of ProParques — what Aronson called one of its three pillars. A focus on visitor experience is another. A third, he said, is “Get things done.”
Volunteers at Tortuguero National Park
Alejandro Masís Cuevillas, treasurer of ProParques, described the organization as an ally of the National System of Conservation Areas that helps it fulfill its mission.
‘We trained turtle egg thieves in Tortuguero to be turtle spotters.’ “More specifically,” he said, “what ProParques wants is to help visitors have a better experience visiting national parks, as well as to help the national parks themselves and the staff achieve their goals.”
Improvements and maintenance at other park locations.
Asked about the organization’s accomplishments, Masís said, “It’s a long list. It ranges from staff being trained in say, CPR and first aid, to building of trails. There’s a long list of things in between, from purchasing equipment for specific tasks that are required at the national parks to purchasing materials to make the electric system better in the park ranger’s house.” A universal access trail recently opened at Santa Rosa National Park with the support of ProParques. “It’s a very nice trail,” said Masís, who is also director of the Guanacaste Conservation Area. “It goes through regenerating 68 |#searchfindhowl| online
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A modern bridge over an ancient cobblestone road opened up a first-ever overhead view of Guayabo National Monument.
ProParques supported a project to build a universal access trail at Santa Rosa National Park.
dry forest and it’s also very close to the national monument, La Casona Santa Rosa, so you get both the natural history and the historical side of Santa Rosa.”
For example, she said, the group has installed audio stations for the blind and sculptures where the blind can feel the difference between a toucan’s beak and a hummingbird’s beak.
Trails and bathrooms are also going to be improved this year on San Lucas Island in the Gulf of Nicoya, formerly the site of an infamous prison. ProParques is also responsible for a new lookout at Tenorio National Park. There’s a lengthy list of completed projects at www. proparques.org.
Aronson said ProParques spends between $500,000 and $700,000 a year to support work like this. It also generates contributions of supplies like building materials, and it recruits volunteers, for a total impact of close to $2 million, he said.
Echeverri said she recently visited Cahuita National Park on the Caribbean to explore the possibility of building a ramp that would allow people in aquatic wheelchairs to actually enter the ocean. She said the group works closely with the National Council of Persons with Disabilities to provide access to national parks for the disabled. “This means that anyone — a blind person, a person in a wheelchair, someone who is deaf or cannot talk — gets the same experience that someone with all five senses can enjoy,” she said.
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“So far this year we’ve taken 4,000 volunteers, both Costa Ricans and foreigners,” said Echeverrí. “For instance, we tell them we need to build a picnic table in Santa Rosa. Or we’re doing a new trail in Braulio Carrillo. So someone donates the wood or the stones that we’re putting in the trail. “We’ve been able to do a lot of minor projects that have a huge impact.”
For more information, to donate or to volunteer:
www.proparques.org HM HOWLER MAGAZINE | 69
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EVENYOU by Laura Méndez
CAN HAVE A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE I T ’S ALL ABOUT HABITS, NOT FADS
D
o the words “healthy lifestyle” make you cringe because it sounds just too difficult to accomplish? Listen up!
WELLNESS
I now offer alternatives with a wide range of overall health benefits. None of them involve fads. Many of them might involve changes in habits. All are relatively simple to embrace and worth trying. It’s almost impossible to live a fulfilling life if you are overweight, tired every day or sick due to poor health habits. Abundant research has proven that seemingly small lifestyle changes can have a big positive impact on your health and quality of life. Enabling your body to rebalance itself in a gentle but steady manner can achieve significant improvements in these areas and more: weight loss, digestion and gut inflammation, anxiety and depression, migraines, fatigue, and brain fog.
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My best health coaching tips consist of these simple, yet powerful, tools: 1. Drink warm lime/lemon tea every morning on an empty stomach. Use a bamboo or glass straw to drink it (to protect your teeth enamel) and wash your mouth with water afterwards. 2. Also every morning, 15 minutes after the lemon tea, drink a full glass of freshly made — with a juicer — organic celery or cucumber juice. Wait 20 minutes before eating breakfast afterwards. (Note: Medical advice is recommended as this may not be suitable for everyone.) 3. Learn about Ayurvedic food combinations — ancient principles for helping our digestive system to be more efficient. Certain foods do not combine well together and actually interfere with digestive
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functions, in some cases creating more gas, heartburn and indigestion. Some of the most common “no-no” food combinations are: milk and eggs, milk and bananas, yogurt and fruits, melons and anything else, beans and eggs, and leftovers with freshly cooked food. 4. Stop drinking cold or icy beverages during any meal, as it makes our digestion inefficient. Instead, drink only small amounts of warm cinnamon or ginger tea, or plain room-temperature water. Wait at least 45 minutes after eating to drink large amounts of any liquid, especially cold. 5. Stop eating dairy foods, especially if you have skin issues or hormonal imbalances. 6. Reduce or eliminate alcohol consumption. This is a big one if you want to lose weight. 7. Stop consuming high fructose corn syrup — again, important for weight loss. 8. Eat organic foods. 9. Try a gluten-free, egg-free and dairy-free diet for at least three weeks to reduce gut inflammation. 10. Gluten-free diets are a must-try in cases of anxiety, depression and skin problems. 11. Reduce your consumption of animal products to no more than one serving per day.
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Virtually everyone can make these safe practices part of their daily routine. HM HOWLER MAGAZINE | 71
12. Do not drink coffee, especially in cases of anxiety, depression and insomnia. 13. Start a daily meditation practice or enhance your existing practice. 14. Practice gratitude — for example, by keeping a gratitude journal or through the Hawaiian healing practice of ho´oponopono. 15. Create true, meaningful connections with other people and nature. 16. Eliminate all chemically or artificially scented products from your house, workplace and vehicle, including air fresheners, candles and perfumes. This is especially advisable if you suffer from migraines, brain fog, nasal congestion or fatigue. 17. Substitute all scented products with high-quality food grade organic essential oils. 18. Make it a strict rule: no bedtime TV. Virtually everyone can make these safe practices part of their daily routine. Yes, even you! Also remember that there are no quick fixes or any magic pill. Just as it takes time for your body to show signs of being unwell, you cannot expect immediate results in reversing the process. You are responsible for your own health and that is where the true power lies. CLICK HERE TO R E A D S PA N I S H 72 |#searchfindhowl| online
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Staying the Main Course LONGEVITY SECRETS OF TWO ATENAS RESTAURANTS
Story and photos by Mary Martin Mason
DOING BUSINESS RIGHT
A
recent survey by the National Restaurant Association in the United States found nearly one in six restaurants have closed since March 2020. Costa Rica is no stranger to the phenomenon of restaurant numbers fluctuating with seasonal ups and downs in the hospitality economy. This is so much the case that when the snowbirds return in December each year, one of their first questions is which dining spots have survived. The reality of eateries coming and going is especially notable in a town the size of Atenas, where traffic during the high season, from December to April, determines solvency. Two local restaurants have beat the odds in
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contrast to other now-closed restaurants. F A M I LY - C E N T E R E D El Fogon is a nostalgic throwback to the farm kitchen where Abuela cooked on an old fashioned stove. Just as the smell of bacon can happily rouse someone from a deep sleep, food prepared over an open flame picks up the woody aromatic flavor, a concept upon which El Fogon (“the stove” in English) is founded. Members of the Chavez family grew up watching their grandmother and mother prepare traditional dishes on an antique stove, much like the one that sits in the center of El Fogon. In 2017, brothers, Edwin and Freiman Chavez, along with Edwin’s wife, Marie José, started their family venture, calling it El Fogon Campesino. Separated from the open air dining is a traditional kitchen, requiring stacks of wood. The homey fragrance greets diners as they are welcomed at the door by Edwin, Marie José or 14-year-old Daniela. Twoyear-old Samuel occasionally wanders through to throw kisses to patrons. howlermag.com
The central park location in Atenas is consistent with the owner’s New York-inspired restaurant concept
Park Place restaurant staff (left to right): Johnny Gonzalez, Ronald Garcia Palma, Andrew Gonzales (owner), Anthony Madrigal, Vilma Valverde, Said Garcia Palma, Genesis Chavarria Salas
After attending culinary school in San José, Chef Freiman applied his art at the Four Seasons Hotel in Guanacaste and in the United States. The chef is constantly changing the menu to appeal to both gringo and Tico palates. He jokes that the Costa Ricans are pickier than the extranjeros who are accustomed to a variety of dishes. Breakfast, which attracts various groups on the weekend, offers pancakes, avocado toast, a breakfast sandwich and yogurt, plated with local fruit. Dinner is a heartier offering of hamburgers, stews or fish. As to the restaurant’s success, Freiman says, “We like people. We please our customers who know us. We treat them like family, and of course the food is really, really good.” B I G A P P L E - AT E N A S F U S I O N Bringing a little bit of New York to Atenas is Park Place Restaurant. Eight years ago, Andy Gonzales found himself dissatisfied with his degree in physical therapy. He began to save his hard-earned wages as a 7-days-a-week landscaping and maintenance worker in New York City for some future venture. Meanwhile, he fell in love with the town of Atenas while visiting a relative there.
Chef Freiman Chaves in his kitchen at El Fogon #s earchf indh owl
Gonzales considered investing in a taco place that faced the central park that is the hub of Atenas, but the price was exorbitant. When the owners of the property eventually approached him with a better deal, he saw it as a sign from God. HM HOWLER MAGAZINE | 75
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A deep and abiding faith led Andy to take a leap and invest his life’s savings in a take-out restaurant. That idea was quickly amended when he realized that Ticos prefer to eat as they live — leisurely. The same is true of gringos, despite their faster pace. The result is a sit-down restaurant that pays homage to the two locales that have molded Andy.
Options for Real Estate Subdivision in Costa Rica
His uncle Carlos Zuñiga, an architect, assembled a standout place that features the greenery of Costa Rica in a jungle-like ceiling. Industrial tables are scattered among NYC street signs. A disco ball reflects a throw-back to Saturday Night Fever.
DOING BUSINESS RIGHT
Lacking a culinary background, Gonzales enlisted his cousin Nathaniel Valerio as the chef. Each menu item differs from others around town. Offerings include a tie-dye pizza with vodka salsa and pesto swirled through a white sauce, a meatball parmesan sandwich and a popular rice bowl. Park Place staff meet monthly to toss out ideas, none ever rejected. Andy considers his employees family, much like he does his customers. No diner is a stranger after the first visit. On weekdays, expats, tourists, Canadians and Europeans frequent Park Place. The weekends attract families with children, leading Andy, who is single, to “dream of when my own children can eat here.” Andy has worked hard to stay motivated during a difficult year when the future was uncertain. He attributes his success to faith, dedication and creativity. “Faith is the big one. Some days sales are way down and I put it in God’s hands. The next day sales are up.”
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The stove for which the restaurant El Fogon is named
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by Ivan Granados
EXIT PERMIT
REQUIREMENTS FOR MINORS
A
ll Costa Rican minors (under the age of 18) are required to have an exit permit, regardless of whether or not they have dual nationality. Additionally, this requirement applies to all foreign minors who have legal permanence under the immigration categories of temporary or permanent resident, and the special categories of students, refugees, asylees and stateless persons. Lastly, mothers who have not reached the legal age are required to have an exit permit. TWO TYPES OF EX I T P ER MI TS
LEGALEASE
1. Temporary: Valid for up to 30 calendar days, starting on the date the permit was issued. It may be used for one or many exits, within the 30-day period, when requested. 2. Permanent: Valid indefinitely, starting on the date of travel. Minors will be able to exit the country as many times as needed without having to carry out any procedure before the General Directorate of Migration and Foreigners (DGME), unless they need to change traveling companions. E XIT PERM I T P ROC ES S Both parents, or legal guardians, are responsible for ensuring a legal exit permit with the following exceptions:
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1. When one of the parents has died. In this case, you must present an apostilled or legalized death certificate issued by the Civil Registry, or from where the death occurred. 2. In the event that the mother or father has suspended parental authority, the parent or legal guardian in charge of the minor must present a copy of a firm and certified court decision. 3. If one of the parents finds it impossible to attend the exit permit process, or is deprived of liberty. In this instance, it is possible to request it through a special notarized Power of Attorney. This permission will only be granted temporarily. The signing of the exit permit is done at the same time as the minor’s passport is processed. Therefore, the presence of both parents, or their legal guardians, is required. If only the exit permit is required (for example, for foreign minors), the procedure is done at the head immigration office in La Uruca, from Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m., at door number 9. You must first request an appointment by calling the 1311 Immigration Call Center from Monday to Sunday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., or personally in the Information area from Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. howlermag.com
The process of getting a valid exit permit should be started well in advance of the travel date.
to 1 p.m., with the minor’s identification document (birth certificate, TIM, DIMEX or passport). Due to COVID-19, this information can change without prior notice, so please call ahead or check www.migracion.go.cr Exit permits can also be requested at the following immigration offices: Paso Canoas, Sabalito, Pérez Zeledón, Golfito, Puntarenas, Limón, Sixaola, Guápiles, Liberia, Peñas Blancas, San Carlos, Upala, Los Chiles and Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí. Note: If the minor already has an exit permit and needs to get a new passport and the procedure takes place at the Costa Rican Post Office, both parents must be present to sign the exit permit again — even if it is valid and permanent. If the new passport appointment is at an immigration office, the minor may appear with either parent (mother or father), as long as no modification to the exit permit is required. DO C UMEN TAT I ON R EQ U I R E D TO PROC ESS T H E EX I T P ER MI T It is important to bring all required legal documentation to the appointment or the exit permit will not be granted. These are the required documents: a. Two passport-size photos (must be taken from the front and in color). #s earchf indh owl
b. Valid personal information form available at www.migracion.go.cr c. Minor’s valid passport, original and a copy. d. Original and a copy of ID, DIMEX, of the minor’s parents, legal guardians, or those with legally assigned power of attorney. e. Proof of birth: Costa Ricans under 12 years of age must present a birth certificate from the Civil Registry (cannot be older than a year). f. Costa Rican minors older than 12 years must present a TIM (Identification Card for Minors) issued by the Civil Registry. g. Foreigners must present their DIMEX (Foreigners Identification Document) and a copy of their birth certificate from their country of origin (must be apostilled and legalized) recorded in the immigration file at the state’s institution. If you are planning on traveling out of the country with a minor, the process of getting a valid exit permit should be started well in advance of the travel date. This can be a cumbersome and confusing process. We are at your service to assist. Please feel free to contact us at info@gmattorneyscr.com HM HOWLER MAGAZINE | 79
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Feel Good
FROM THE INSIDE OUT by Joanna Blanco
H
appy February, everyone!
ENTREPRENEUR CR
I got the sense that January passed fast, and some of the objectives that I had in mind got stuck in time. For many of you, and certainly for myself, 2020 was a challenging year. We needed a break from it … at least to believe 2021 would be a better year. So, instead of focusing on what we need to do, let’s take a moment to think about ourselves. As an Integrative Nutrition Coach, I look at five essential areas of a person’s lifestyle: how they eat, how they exercise, how their relationships are affected, how work affects their life, and how connected they are with the divine. In January, I completed the following self-checks, and now am hoping you might try the same. As a business owner, I need to have the best energy to focus
Keep this journal for one week. Then, please give it a rest.
on my work and deliver the best results to my clients. So, I invite you to make the following checklist and keep a journal for one week: 1. How do you feel when you wake up in the morning? Do you feel energized or unrested? Our sleep is a priority. Pay attention to what you eat or drink before bedtime. Check how many hours you are sleeping. Check the ambient elements: bed, pillow, darkness, temperature and other variables that can affect your sleep. 2. Are you doing any exercise to make your body move and sweat? How does your body feel every night before sleep? Do you feel any sign of discomfort? How many times per week are you exercising? How do you feel right after exercise and at night when you have exercised earlier in the day? There are many benefits of exercise, so if you are not doing anything for your body, maybe it is time to find time and give it a try. Walking, running, biking, yoga, pilates and crossfit are good examples, but any physical activity is valid if it suits your routine and health condition. 3. How do you eat? What percentage of your meals do you prepare at home? If you are eating away from home, what kind of food? Is it healthy or just anything that you happen to find available? Are you eating adequate portions of fruit and vegetables during the day? How many times per week are you drinking alcoholic beverages? Are you practising moderation when consuming alcohol?
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Try to find a balance in the way you eat. Food is for energy and repair. 4. Are you taking time for yourself? On a scale from 0 = nothing to 10 = most of the time, use a number to rate these feelings: • • • • • • • • •
anxious confused short of breath tired ok neutral happy, with a lot of energy adventurous creative
Have you been practicing self-care? Do you take breaks to connect with yourself and understand your emotions? Remember that your connection between mind and body will provide an analysis of your health and wellness state. 5. How do you feel at work? Do you feel productive? Is your company productive? Do you want to make changes? Create a vision of the actual state of your company or job. Measure how satisfied you are with what you are doing or performing. Record your answers to these questions in a journal, writing as many details as you can. Keep this journal for one week. Then, please give it a rest. Take a few days and try to think about nothing. During these days, practice gratitude. Be grateful for all that you have, for the people who support you, for the experiences that you have and for your life on earth. When you are ready to read your journal, check on the areas you would like to improve — any vital areas you consider necessary. Next month, we can start making our action plan, but in the meantime, relax and enjoy, without leaving the essential unattended.
Contact me anytime for free consultations: joannablanco@vivesattva. com and follow me on Instagram @ Movimiento Sattva. Hasta la vista, fellow entrepreneurs! #s earchf indh owl
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