The Howler
Volume 16, No. 1 Issue No. 172
January 2011 Founded 1996
TAMARINDO COSTA RICA www.howlermag.com THE HOWLER Ced. Juridica: 3-101-331333
FEATURES
Publisher, editor and production David Mills
dmills@racsa.co.cr Tel: 2-653-0545
9 Great Balls of Fun!
A new attraction at Pura Aventura is Zorb Balls, rolling down a hill inside a large transparent globe.
CONTRIBUTORS ELLEN ZOE GOLDEN TONY OREZ TOM PEIFER JEFFREY WHITLOW MARY BYERLY
8 Dining Out
An elegant restaurant, delicious food and great service combine to make an enjoyable dining experience at Hotel Capitán Suizo.
JEANNE CALLAHAN KAY DODGE JESSE BISHOP MONICA RIASCOS
Deadline for February: January 15 Howler advertising
13 Fiestas and Feriados
Costa Rica has a good share of annual holidays, some historical, some religious, some political.
14 Around Town
Openings, closings, parties, music. The Gold Coast has it all, and barhoppin’ David is in the groove.
15 Surf Report
The Reef Classic Tournament in Santa Teresa brings victory to Jair Pérez, with Carlos Muñoz winning the Juniors.
18 Ad Astra - To The Stars
The Howler offers a wide range of advertising sizes and formats to suit all needs. Contact David Mills • dmills@racsa.co.cr
Costa Rica’s famed astronaut develops a revolutionary rocket that well might bring interplanetary travel a lot closer.
Advertising rates & sizes
Various old friends viisit Tom’s finca and discuss weather differences and changes between Costa Rica and Back Home.
Size
1/8 1/4 1/3 1/2 Full
Dimensions (cms) Width Height 9.4 9.4 19.2 6.3 9.4 19.2 19.2
x x x x x x x
6.15 12.70 6.15 25.80 25.80 12.70 25.80
27 Fair Weather Friends
Price $ 75 120
30 Surviving Costa Rica
An aging guitar player and warmonger takes a look at some epic songs that have glorified war through the years.
150 210
DEPARTMENTS
400
5 Discounts For 6 months, paid in advance, one month is deducted. For 12 months, paid in advance, two months are deducted. Ads must be submitted on CD or e-mail attachment, JPG or PDF format at 266 dpi, at the appropriate size (above).
Parents’ Corner
28 December Forecasts
10 CD Review
29 Doctor’s Orders
11 Book Review
31 Word Puzzle
20 Slice of Life
32 Rain, Sun & Moon
26 Yoga
35 Tide Chart
All comments, articles and advertising in this publication are the opinion of their authors, and do not reflect the opinion of Howler Management.
www.tamarindobeach.net
www.tamarindohomepage.com
Cover Caption: Tamarindo’s flotilla seen from El Pescador Restaurant. Cover design and photos: David Mills
Parents’ Corner Raising Readers
E
very person relates to reading in a very particular way...it could be characterized by rejection or fear, or by curiosity and pleasure. In any case, reading is an emotional action, beyond the cognitive processes that are involved in it. Historically, reading was a privilege reserved to a selected few and it wasn’t taught freely. Together with the ability to write, reading belonged in the circles of power: church and royalty. What could be read, and who should read it was under strict control, and censorship was a common method to have literature under such control; from the printing license in Metz in 1485, over the Index Librorum Prohibitum by the Holy Inquisition of the Catholic Church, a systematic application of censorship in literature is applied, even well into our times... therefore it’s safe to conclude that if literature was and is so often perceived as a threat, whoever has the ability to read has power. In our times learning how to read and write represents, next to mathematics, the first and most important objective of primary education. However, reading lacks value if it doesn’t have meaning. A person may be able to pronounce a series of letters grouped in words, but he won’t gain anything out of it, if reading remains a mechanical exercise. Reading is a very complex task; one of human’s biggest learning challenges that depends as much from physical and cognitive factors, as well as from psychological ones. Therefore, it is very important that we create the ideal conditions to teach children how to read in a way that it becomes a meaningful experience, one that provides long-lasting gratification, stimulates the child’s natural curiosity and desire to learn. Whether a child learns through phonics or by word recognition is not as important as providing a positive learning experience. It is this emotional connection with reading that enables children to become “good” readers and, with it, good learners. Today reading has to compete with entertainment technology, such as video games and TV shows, which give children and adolescents instant gratification. By comparison, reading is boring... it is difficult, demanding and exhausting, and pleasure is not “at plain sight”. What needs to be emphasized when you want to help your son, daughter or student to become a good reader is the element of pleasure. Let children and adolescents read whatever they want, don’t restrict their choice and no matter how old your son or daughter is: reading aloud to him or her is always allowed! As a matter of fact, listening to someone read out loud is a good way to improve attention and concentration, and it makes the perfect transition to independent, silent reading. Talking and asking questions about the reading piece promotes thought organization and analytical thinking, as well as verbal expression... ask your child about the book, comic or short story he is reading, and encourage him to make connections with personal experiences, feelings and ideas. And, of course, be an example... read and share. “Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing.” Harper Lee Msc. Mónica Riascos Henríquez Psicóloga – Psicopedagoga Tel. 8358-9550 consultariascos@live.com
EE d d ii tt o o rr ’’ s s N N o o tt e e
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Tamarindo Improvements
any years ago a brilliant plan was proposed for Tamarindo’s waterfront – a pedestrian-only walkway, cafés, picnic tables, bicycle paths, kiosks, all along the beach from the estuary to the Circle. Like far too many bright ideas for Tamarindo – sewage treatment plant, Parque de la Independencia, road to Langosta – it never happened. Now somebody is trying to make the beachfront a nicer place, and is getting hassled because of it. Witch’s Rock Surf Camp has cleared the area south of the hotel, put out chairs and tables, and is serving beverages in a shaded rincon right on the beach. They have improved the parking around the hotel and the access from the parking lot, cleaned up the dirty little creek, and made the area user-friendly. So why are they in deep do-do? Asociación Pro Mejoras de Tamarindo called in the municipality, accusing WRSC of a “major violation” of the Zona Marítima Terrestre (50-meter public zone) by putting a concrete tube on its property to direct the flow of a small drainage creek which empties into the ocean just south of the hotel. It was further stated in a letter that the water issuing from this creek is highly polluted with coliforms, the wording suggesting that WRSC was responsible for the pollution,and virtually blaming the surf camp for Tamarindo’s loss of the coveted “blue flag.” Let us put things into perspective. The creek formerly was a dirty, ugly little stream crossed by an unsafe log bridge, access to the hotel from the car park. The new culvert has no effect on the creek but allows safe and clean passage over it. The coliform count is easily explained; the creek runs from the hills above Tamarindo alongside the Parque de la Independencia, a pastureland and lavatory for horses and cattle. The park is covered with cow patties and horse apples, and drains into the creek. It also runs past several small businesses that let grey or black water into it. Witch’s Rock has a modern and efficient waste water treatment plant and has no connection to the creek. The pollution allegation is, literally, bullshit. Regarding the Blue Flag, maybe APMT and the Muni should look to the horses which daily take tours along the beach, despite the fact that horses are forbidden on any beach in Santa Cruz canton. I don’t see the tour operators “stooping and scooping” the caquitas. There are many things which detract from Tamarindo being a pretty tourist town - the sidewalk outside Nibbana, just waiting to break someone’s ankle; the frontage of Super 2001, a river crossed by an ugly bridge and the laughable concrete berm; the parking area at Plaza Conchal which is almost unusable without 4WD... Let’s not castigate businesses that take it upon themselves to make their own improvements.
Dining Out
David Mills
A
Tamarindo
fter having neglected Hotel Capitán Suizo’s restaurant for years due to the proliferation of newer places, we decided to try it again. We received a warm welcome from manager Diego and were soon seated at a beachfront table in the elegant and comfortable restaurant. I could have done without the constant attention from a family of raccoons, but I guess the tourists love them. Suizo has been around for fifteen years, and Swiss chef Roland Brodscholl has been with them since Day 1. His philosophy: after 30 years of practicing my profession, I am still cooking with heart and soul. Appetizers include smoked salmon, shrimp cocktail, caprese salad, green salad, ceviche, gazpacho. Hot appetizers include rolled tilapia: soups of tomato, Hindu, onion and black. We selected a salad of palm hearts and avocado and mussels au gratin, six large mollusks with cheese and cream sauce – heavenly! Seafood: Shrimp with garlic or wine sauce, shrimp on a skewer, squid rings, local fish cooked as you like it. Fish dishes include: Filet with garlic; today’s catch with cream sauce and mussels; tilapia in capitán sauce. A special for two is jumbo shrimp, two types of fish, mussels, salad and potatoes with sauces & dips. My companion chose tilapia in orange sauce and pronounced it delicious. Chicken dishes are: breast with sauces of mushrooms, lemon or wine; or cordon bleu. A vegetarian menu offers plate of veggies; gnocchi of ayote; mushrooms in cream sauce; spinach ravioli and broccoli flan. Pasta: spaghetti Bolognese; Napoli; al pesto; with shrimp in wine sauce; or shrimp tagliatelli. Meat is beef strogonoff; tenderloin with green peppers; filet mignon; tenderloin sliced with mushrooms and rosti potatoes; pork with brandy & red cabbage. I chose tenderloin with herbed butter sauce, probably the tenderest beef I ever tasted. It was a very welcome return, a delicious meal in lovely surroundings, a marimba band playing quietly in the background (Wednesday & Friday). Fridays there is a beach barbecue. Restaurant Capitan Suizo, in the hotel, open every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. All credit cards accepted. Telephone 2653-0075. www.hotelcapitansuizo.com.
Great Balls of Fun! David Mills
Y
ou may have seen these things on television commercials promoting the Good Life – large transparent coloured balls bouncing down hills with people inside. Gee, this looks like fun, but what is it and where can I do it?
their new attraction.
Well, until now, you would have to go to New Zealand to ZORB, because that is where the sport started. Now, Zorbing has come to Costa Rica, and can be enjoyed only at Pura Aventura, near 27 Abril and a half-hour’s drive from Tamarindo. We talk to Travis Patterson (above), of Pura Aventura, about
To Zorb, you climb inside a 6-foot diameter plastic globe suspended inside a larger (9-foot) globe then you roll downhill until you reach the bottom. (In the photos, the ball appears smaller because it is underinflated for storage). The inner globe is suspended within the larger by strong cords, the space between them being inflated like a balloon. A tight entrance allows entry to the inner globe, which has a capacity for two people.There is a chest harness and velcro restraints for the ankles. Costa Rica is one of the few countries which operate Zorb Balls; others being China, United States (Smoky Mountains) and Argentina. At Pura Aventura (see ad page 35) Zorb Balls are just another component of the fun. In addition, there is a large canopy tour in the mountains alongside the Río Nandamojo; quads are available for the mountain tours; horses can be ridden in the hills and pastures of the valley; and there is a working cattle farm which produces its own cheese. The Zorb track at Pura Aventura is over 1,000 feet long down a gentle hill (photo page 23). The ball is kept within its bounds by ropes strung alongside. Another track is under construction nearby. There are three (continued page 22
CD Review Hay Niños Aquí Tony Orez
In a career that is approaching a decade, Malpais has become one of the most popular bands in Costa Rica. Their appeal, like the band, kept growing. And I think this is one thing that adds to their popularity: they continually expand the realm of their influences. Malpais has gained the affection of their continually growing audience because they never forgot their roots. Their songs are snapshots, histories, reflections and all human and tangible. The new album “Hay Niños Aqui” keeps them on both roads of staying grounded, while spreading out. The project began when Jaime Gamboa began writing lyrics for his friends at Vision Mundial, who are celebrating their twenty-fifth anniversary of aiding the victims of poverty, especially children. He came to a juncture in his compositions: he and his brother, composer/guitarist Fidel Gamboa had written five songs and basically completed the initial goal for the project. Still, Jaime felt inspired by the families who strive to improve the lives of their children. In a short time, they had collaborated on five more songs and the project took on a new dimension. When they took their work to the rest of the Malpais bandmembers, a twelfth song, “Rio Grande” was added and the fifth album (seventh, if like me, you include Tierra Seca and La Canción de Adan) by Malpais was created. The album begins with the title track, “Hay Niños Aqui”, and flows into the other four initial compositions. The songs are portraits, vignettes of young people in precarious situations, not of their own doing. I think it is appropriate that “Rio Grande”, the instrumental track, separates the first set of songs and the second group, not unlike an interlude. And Malpais sounds wonderful, a group of musicians very familiar and comfortable with each other. The violin playing of Ivan Rodriguez sounds like another voice and Manuel Obregon’s piano accompaniment is impeccable. For this album, they have insightfully added a children’s chorus, along with electric guitar accompaniment by Ricardo Alfaro on a few cuts. Upon its release last month, Malpais announced that proceeds from the first two thousand CDs would be donated to Vision Mundial, who have aided in improving the lives of more than twelve thousand children throughout Costa Rica. It is a true demonstration of the band’s commitment not only raising public awareness of the situation with their album, along with being role models in doing something about it as well. They followed this announcement with an autograph campaign, the entire band present to sign copies of the album, inspiring their fans to help in the contribution, too. Malpais has acquired a good reputation for giving back to the community. Radio Malpais is a good example of how they are trying to employ students while exposing new musical talent and providing entertainment to the public. They are also a band steeped in a kind of new folkloric storytelling. The message is clear in “Hay Niños Aqui”. It is a story that needs to be told and to be listened to. All the Malpais CDs are available at the Jaime Peligro bookstores in Playa Tamarindo, Tilaran and Quepos, where they will gladly sample the music for their customers.
Book Review Stieg Larsson’s Pyrotechnic Display Tony Orez
M
an, those Swedes sure know how to live! I’ve just finished reading the middle book of the Stieg Larsson trilogy. This one, entitled “The Girl Who Played with Fire”, is a rapid-paced follow-up to the first installment, full of open marriages and open-faced sandwiches, café latte at every corner in a land where it appears everyone owns a summer cottage. Larsson is the new “it” author of nouveau shock fiction. And he has succeeded. Unfortunately, he isn’t around to celebrate, as he died of heart failure just as his star began to rise. It’s beyond ironic that two peripheral characters in this second novel have a history of heart conditions: Larsson had none. But this story starts off at a gallop and picks up its pace from there. Lisbeth Salander, the main character, the “Girl” in each title, is in high throttle to even scores from the first book and administer her own forms of justice. There are chainsaw murders (including beheadings), long, drawn out torture/murders and blink-of-the-eye, execution-style murders. It all centers around crooked professionals in the legal system, from cops and lawyers to judges and psychiatrists, all involved in a brutal sex trade ring of underage Russian girls run by a bunch of washed-out wannabe Hell’s Angels. Toss in some drugs, lesbians, permissive bondage; you know, the usual stuff... Meanwhile, Mikael Blomkvist, the liberal journalist and other main character in the trilogy, has used all this crime and drama to hoist a new flag and, of course, write about it. The main characters and the new secondary ones are all well-composed, engaging, and believable. I have to say I think Larsson went a little overboard with the number of peripheral players, which tended to muddle the story or stretch the yarn thin. As much as I’ve tried to be facetious in this review about Larsson’s writings, I honestly find his style very entertaining and the storyline woven with intricacies that kept this reader interested and staying up way too late at night to find out what happens in the next vignette. His works are true stylized page-turners, great pulp fiction. And besides, I don’t think Larsson was aspiring toward a Pulitzer Prize. Two things this trilogy has acquired for him, however, are notoriety and bags of money, with a lot more coming as the works are now being plotted out for the big screen. I’ve heard that Angelina Jolie has requested and received the title role. I think that’s a mistake. Don’t get me wrong, I like looking at Ms. Jolie and she’s a fine actress but I believe the Lisbeth Salander role is better suited for someone in the Juliette Lewis role. After all, how is Jolie ever going to be mistaken for a fourteen-year-old boy? And that is definitely an integral part of the character. Like all good “middle” books in a trilogy, “The Girl Who Played with Fire” does a good job of tying up all the loose ends from the first novel, while setting the wheels in motion for the next adventure. The wheels practically came off during this wild ride and properly set up the element of anticipation for the finale. It’s a shame Stieg Larsson isn’t around to marvel at his success.
Christmas Aftermath
Casagua Horses The greatest variety of tours and riding experiences for all ages, featuring spectacular countryside, howler monkeys, colorful small towns and fun-filled fiestas. Cantina Tour - Nature Tour Fiesta & Tope Rental - Old Tempate Trail Tour Located near Portegolpe on the main road, opposite the Monkey Park, just 20 minutes from the beach.
Phone us at: 2-653-8041 • kaydodge@racsa.co.cr www.paintedponyguestranch.com The best horses on Guanacaste’s Gold Coast!
Damned modern architecture!
Fiestas & Feriados Kay Dodge de Peraza
M
ost of us living in Guanacaste are very familiar with the Fiestas Tipicos, traditional community fiestas, held throughout the country throughout the dry season. The long weekend fiestas offer nightly bull riding spectacles, a tasty array of typical fiesta foods, dances with both live bands playing salsa and meringue alternating with vibrating disco music, and of course traditional Tope horse parades led by a discordant band and queens of all ages. Other holidays, called feriados or official days off, are also an important part of the Costa Rican culture, just as holidays are in our home countries. Many foreign residents learn about them the hard way, either by trying to go to the bank and it is closed, or employees asking for their day off with pay or double time for working official holidays. There are 9 official days off and 2 optional feriado days. Many of the feriados are celebrated with civic acts in the schools and communities and have historic relevance. It is a good idea to mark these official holidays on a calendar to prevent stepping on the cultural toes of Costa Ricans, and perhaps you can even join in the colorful cultural events. In addition to the Fiestas Tipicas, there are other fiestas celebrating colorful facets of Costa Rican life, and they are not just about bulls. In Cartagena, every August 2nd, they celebrate the day of their patron saint, the Virgin de Los Angeles, who is also the patron saint of Costa Rica. A long procession of people carries the image of their patron saint into town to the church, followed by the faithful on horseback and in oxcarts. Music, cinta races, raffles and other typical activities follow in the afternoon, all benefiting the church. In Portegolpe, just over the hill from Huacas, they celebrate Easter week with the Semana Cultural, a celebration of the music, dance and traditional culture of Guanacaste. After attending a recent fiesta in Matapalo, where little girls gyrated to reggae music far too sexy for their age (in my opinion), it was refreshing to watch girls and boys dressed in colorful, typical dress demonstrating, to an appreciative crowd, traditional dances which have been part of Guanacaste culture for generations. Dance groups and other artists were invited from many local communities to perform on the stage set up in the plaza. As part of the activities, “queens” were chosen to lead the parade of floats, a band, and a line of cars the final night of the event. The selection of queens for fiestas is actually a fundraising event for one of the local schools or civic projects. In the case of Portegolpe two queens were elected, one the Reina Infantil, chosen from a group of little girls nominated by a committee, and the adult queen, in this case one of the over-50 women nominated from the community.
(continued page 24
G
ran Maestro Jorge Zeledón Pacheco invites Freemasons in good standing to call Gunnar Nunez - phone: (506) 83873903 - to attend La Luz Lodge N°3, a member of regular and recognized Grand Lodge of Costa Rica - www.granlogiadecostarica. org The Langosta Beach Club, on the right side of the road on the way to Langosta, is now offering a full schedule of Yoga, Pilates, Zumba, Thai Chi, and Boot Camp classes. Pay by the day, or pay monthly for unlimited access to our luxurious, glass enclosed fitness center and classes. For more information call #2653-1127.
Remodelling & Home Repairs Carpentry • Block Walls Stonework • Ceramic Tile Drywall • Concrete Any Work Undertaken Free estimates Rex Barnes - Tel: 2-653-1432
Karolyna’s Fusion Art and Galeria Pelicano will be inaugurating their new location at the Garden Plaza Center (Automarcado) Wednesday, January 12th from 6-9 pm. The event will feature the recent artwork of Galeria Pelicano’s Susan Adams as well an eclectic selection of paintings from Natalyn, Valerie (Sage) Townley, Rosalyn Tyrell and Brainer, Bruno Dubrevil’s Photographic Art on Canvas and indigenous pottery from Ceramicas Chorotega. There’ll be bocas and beverages as well as a little live music, so just walk a little past the Automercado and there you’ll be! It’s time again for the fourth annual La Paz Fundraising Fiesta. “A Taste of La Paz” will be an adult-only event held on Friday, January 21, 2011 from 5 p.m. until 11 p.m. at the Flamingo Marina Resort. Proceeds will benefit the La Paz Scholarship Fund and Annual Fund. This exciting event will include food provided by Upstairs@theRipJack, Season’s by Shlomy, Lola’s, Angelina’s and Nogui’s. Tickets will be available beginning January 3, 2011 at a cost of c10,000 and c15,000, which includes, food, drinks, door prizes, a raffle drawing, and a large silent auction of goods and services. We welcome Mary Byerly to our pages with a new Yoga feature. Mary is owner of Panacea de la Montaña hotel and health spa on the road between Villarreal and Huacas. Beware of Facebook hacking. Apparently Facebook does not do a good job of protecting accounts, as a few of us have found out. A new fun activity has arrived in Costa Rica – Zorbing. It can be enjoyed only at Pura Aventura, near 27 Abril. See article on page 9.
www.howlermag.com
Surf Report Story: Ellen Zoe Golden
W
hile he had hopes of moving up in the Asociacion of Latin Surfing Profesionales rankings with a win on home turf, it wasn’t to be the time for Jason Torres to do so in Santa Teresa on December 6 through 8. It was, however, Jair Pérez’ moment, as he snaked the crown away from another tico, Federico Pilurzú, in the final heat to become the champion of the Reef Classic Costa Rica 2010. In taking the trophy, Pérez copped a check for ¢2.2 million, or $4,400. In front of 1,500 people, on the third and last day of the competition, which many consider the most important surfing event in Costa Rica, the finals took place around 3:00 p.m. It was the fifth time that the Reef Classic had been staged in our country, although the first time in Santa Teresa, and was once again monopolized by local talent. Perez (photo below), who had already beaten the Argentinan Marcelo Rodríguez, faced Pilurzú who had already nailed the Peruvian Junior Miguel Tudela. Pérez ran what seemed to be a safe final, which he dominated from the first minutes, racking up a combined 14.90 against the 13.53 of his rival.
From the first minute, he scored the highest wave with 8.00 points, to later, when he destroyed a right that opened exactly at the point where the surfer from Jacó had positioned himself minutes before the horn warned the beginning of the series. Three minutes in, Pérez wanted to create a combination with his second wave of 6.77 that would serve to pressure Pilurzú, who meanwhile had not yet run his first wave and would not until after 10 minutes had passed. In a wave of almost 2 meters that opened up, Pérez did not waste time making use of all his repertoire, putting up a score of 6.90, that would ultimately earn him the top title in Costa Rica. Pilurzú, on the other hand, in less than 5 minutes to finish, almost earned a higher result in a wave with 7.00 points and another with 6.53, but had run out of time to improve.
At a minute of the end of the series, Jair felt in would win and begin to celebrate, but it was not until the end was he was to know for sure, so he ran a wave in the direction of the beach with his hands raised in a full gesture of euphoria. He was then carried on the shoulders of friends in victory and he shouted, “I won!” “I only want to be thankful for God that he sent the waves. Federico is a great surfer and the reason why I wanted to begin surfing, but the waves were left to me and I took them. I had much luck for that reason and had to take advantage of them,” said Pérez. With this trophy, and money, Pérez closes a spectacular year, especially since also winning the Triple Crown of Winter here in Costa Rica, as well as a Junior Pro contest in Florida. Dynamic powerhouse Carlos Muñoz (above) had a great time at the Reef Classic as well, coming in first place in the Juniors Division. (continued page 22
Corporate Social Responsibility. What’s that about? Our Latin-American region is marked by great changes in the global balance of power: practical globalization and dilution of borders, new ways of adding economical value, lack of resources and global warming, new structures in the market, speed-up of scientific and technological development, poverty, lack of social cohesion, migration and growing gaps, emergence of the organized civil society, a regional neo-socialism, growing responsibility of the productive sector in development and sustainability. To be socially responsible, corporations have to reach different stages in order to be able to choose for social investment in alliance with non-profit organizations and corporate philanthropy. Corporations need to respect the law and ethics, apply good work practices, reduce environmental impact, stimulate workers, etc. Then the corporation can invest in social improvement through NGOs who have expertise and experience in working on social issues. Corporate social responsibility at Hotel Flamingo Beach Resort is remarkably efficient. Every hotel room has information about improving the communities around the hotel through CEPIA and clients can choose to donate $1 or more at check out. The funds are donated to CEPIA who invest with professionalism and experience in improving education and social cohesion. Corporation Florida, Sugar Beach Hotel, Bahía del Sol, Las Catalinas, Capitán Suizo, Restaurante Nibbana, Restaurante Lola’s and others have chosen for a permanent alliance with CEPIA! The non-profit civil society needs the support of the private sector to deploy its full potential! Your business can join the movement and improve the social community in which it is embedded, because failed communities lead to failed businesses!!! Contact CEPIA through www.cepiacostarica.org Thanks to renowned Roberto Artavia, www.latinoamericaposible.net for the theoretical visionary inspiration.
Learning Learning to to Surf Surf The The Tamarindo Tamarindo Way Way
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ong board? Short board? Rash guard? Which waves are right for beginners? Where is the best spot? We just wanted to learn to surf! My friend and I are elementary school teachers from the United States and we chose to vacation for a month in Tamarindo, Costa Rica. We were complete surfing novices; never even having touched a surf board. Two things quickly became obvious; Tamarindo is most likely the best place in the world to learn to surf and there was definitely no lack of people ready to give us lessons. Surf schools abound up and down the streets and instructors called to us as we passed on the beach offering lessons. The question was “who?” We chose wisely and signed up for instruction. After taking a couple of lessons we were only partially satisfied with our level of success. There was no doubt the instructor was an excellent surfer, but we felt as though we had not connected with him in a way that got us up on the board enough or gave us the ability to surf successfully when we tried on our own. We needed more feedback and reflection on what we did and needed to do next. As teachers, we know the importance of a teacher having the passion for teaching of any subject and how that translates into student success. That is what was lacking in our lessons and what we were really looking for. While discussing this in our favorite happy hour spot, we were intrigued with a man that was recounting his day and his success in getting a sixty-year-old woman to “step up” and ride to the beach. “It is about the perfect timing, you have to read the wave,” he was saying. “Make them learn, have a good time, let them know the reality of surfing.” As he spoke he physically demonstrated surfing technique, standing in the middle of the restaurant, knees bent, head up and arms out as though on the board right there. Did this man have the innate teaching skills we were seeking? “I can get anyone to step up on the first lesson. Too many teachers here, talk, talk, talk. I put you in the water. You have to feel it.” The gauntlet thrown down, we approached and asked if he could get a fifty-two
20 11
Cheers to a New Year and another chance to get it right. Oprah Winfrey
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Tara Hoffman Melissa Fleischer
and forty-year-old woman on the board in one lesson. “Step up on the board, first lesson, then next lesson we learn to read the waves for the perfect timing.” Meet Delbert Bent who has been surfing for thirty-five of his forty-seven years and teaching for twenty-three. Two days later we had our first lesson with Delbert. True to his word, he gave us the basics of the board and stance on the beach and then we hit in the water. “Are you ready? We are on a mission!” He was right. Our safety and that of those around us was his number one concern. He watched us constantly and asked us questions after each ride requiring us to reflect and try again. Over and over he launched us and reviewed our performance. If a wave was too big, we waited for the next, all the while being shown what the right wave looked like. His enthusiasm and confidence were infectious. There was never a doubt on his part or ours that we would succeed. It was a given. Constant assessment of our efforts, feedback and questioning to check for our understanding of the “mission” all added up to very good teaching. He was not a just a great surfer but a natural teacher. We did step up on the board and ride to the beach, more than once, during that first lesson. The second lesson found us paddling out, reading the waves and building on our skills all the way to the beach. He fostered a great love and respect of this sport, his art. “I love the lesson today! It makes me feel good when the client can ride. I like a challenge. I see what my students can do and teach from there. It is not about the money. I am here to teach surfing.” This is Delbert’s philosophy. He shares it in on the beach, in the water and as he recounts each of his student’s successes at the end of the day as we sit and watch the gorgeous sunset. His desire to have his students feel the joy that he has in surfing is contagious. Failure while learning with Delbert is simply not an option. “I am the master teacher. We are on a mission!” A mission not to be missed in Tamarindo if you want to learn to surf.
Ad Astra - T
Costa Rica’s revolut
E
very Costa Rican has heard of Dr. Franklin Chang, the country’s only astronaut, but his more permanent claim to fame is his rocket invention, which could revolutionize space travel. The Man: Born in 1950 in Costa Rica, Chang moved to the U.S. for his doctorate at Massachussetts Institute of Technology, where he set up a laboratory to research plasma gas propulsion. In 1980 Chang was selected by NASA for the space program and he moved his laboratory to the Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, Texas. On the space program Chang made seven trips between 1986 and 2002, spending 1,600 hours in space and 20 hours spacewalking (left). He then left NASA to develop his own company, Ad Astra, funded by private investors. In an unprecedented move, he was allowed to take his technology from NASA, and built the Advanced Space Propulsion Laboratory near JSC. His rocket, the VASIMR (Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket), has the potential to revolutionize space travel. The Technology: In a conventional chemical rocket, the fuel burns and is ejected from the nozzle, the reaction giving a forward motion to the rocket. In the VASIMR system, a plasma is ejected at very high speeds (up to 50,000 meters per second). The plasma comes from a gas, in this case Argon (Ar), one of the “noble gases”. Argon is used in welding, fluorescent and incandescent light bulbs and various industrial processes. It is widely available and cheap. In the rocket, the gas passes between strong electromagnetic fields, superconducting at -220 K, which heat it up to one million degrees when it becomes plasma. Plasma has magnetic properties, so it can be directed by magnetic fields. These fields, which direct and expel the ionized plasma, are powered by solar panels. The process is very
simple, efficient and cheap in operation in comparison with chemical rockets. No wear, no moving parts. Its first real application will be on the International Space Station (ISS). Dr. Chang’s brother, Ronald, executive-director of Ad Astra in Liberia, explains the practical difference between the two technologies.
To the Stars
tionary space rocket “The International Space Station flies in orbit around the earth. Even at that height, the outer edges of the earth’s atmosphere exert a slight braking force due to friction. To maintain its orbit and prevent it falling back to earth, the ISS is given a small ‘push’ every three months by firing a rocket. This is called atmospheric drag compensation (ADC). Currently, this chemical rocket burns 7,000 Kg of chemicals per year. In VASIMR rocket at Liberia 2014, when our plasma rockets are fitted to take over the job of ADC, they will need only 360 Kg of argon. In financial terms, it costs $30,000 to move one kilogram of cargo to the ISS. This translates to $210 million per year now; with plasma rockets it will cost only $10.8 million, for a huge saving.” Plasma power generates huge amounts of heat, so very efficient cooling systems must be installed. Development of these systems is the task of the laboratory at Liberia, in Costa Rica. These vast “air conditioners” will be powered by solar panels attached like wings to the spacecraft. Trash Collection: Forget the glamorous picture of spaceships in Star Wars. The main money job of Ad Astra will be as a garbage collector! In the past 53 years, mankind has placed some 20 million pieces of trash, ranging from nuts and bolts to nuclear reactors, in the space around the earth. For commercial clients, there is a huge traffic jam up there, and the cost of clearing it is, shall we say, astronomical. Ad Astra will provide a trash collection service at much lower cost. “We’ll cruise up to the required piece of junk in an unmanned robot spaceship, pick it up, and toss it into the sun. It may take 20 years to get there, then pooofff, it’s gone,” says engineer Ronald. That’s right, folks, the sun is to be a huge basurero. Considering that Galileo Galilei was excommunicated for suggesting that our pristine luminary had spots on it, the Catholic Church may have a field day with this. Spaceship: A more glamorous job will be interplanetary travel. Due to the extra high speeds of the plasma rocket, the journey to Mars, now a three-year trek, will take only 39 days. Imagine the savings from food costs alone! As these interplanetary trips take the spacecraft away from the sun, solar power will be insufficient, so nuclear plants will take over. VASIMR has already undergone its first test firings with marked success. Where efficiency of 60 percent was the target, the rocket achieved 72%. Ad Astra is located outside Liberia, near the International airport. For more information on Ad Astra, visit www.adastrarocket.com. Story: David Mills
A Slice of Life
Sailing to Catalina - almost Many years ago my wife of that time and I went to a New Year’s Eve gathering, unusual for us as we most often celebrated at home alone. There, while making the rounds, meeting folks I would soon forget, dangling conversations, one or two furtive glances perhaps (I can’t really remember), I somehow came to engage two young guys in a discussion leading to a proposed sailing outing on the morrow. So it was that mid-morning on a dazzling New Year’s Day, I met my two new friends slip-side in San Pedro. They’ll need names, of course, and I’ve quite forgotten, so allow me to introduce Billy and Michael. They were both in their early-to-mid-twenties, modest by nature, medium height and weight. I was by that time already an old surfer (now a very old surfer); Billy surfed as well and had some sailing experience on a large yacht in the South Pacific. He was solid of build, tow-headed. Dark-haired Michael, by comparison, was slight and nautically, and perhaps generally, inexperienced. Our plan was to sail to Catalina. Lolling gently in her slip before us was the “Tropic”, a 28-ft. oak-planked sloop along the lines of a Friendship Sloop, a traditional East Coast design, featuring a short, broad main and small club-footed jib. Her hull was heavy and sported a shoal draft keel; in brief, she was a living salute to an earlier era. She had no ship-to-shore, no life raft, GPS or flare gun and offered no second chance to the types of mistakes men make at sea. Had she been an 18-wheeler, she could have been named “Widow Maker” and clambering aboard her was like stepping back into the 18th Century. Snug below decks sat a sturdy Universal Marine 4-banger which reliably refused to run. I usually would coax the engine only enough to get me backed out of the slip, sail to Catalina for a weekend, then return the Tropic to her slip without bothering the engine again, all parties satisfied. I was master and commander by grace of the actual owner, one George Caric. George was a business associate, a 6 ft. 4 in., 260 lb. Serb, who loved life and what life offered, most especially beautiful women. George loved his sloop but found it an unsuitable platform for bedding his conquests. The Tropic fell into my hands to chip and paint, re-rig, repair and sail. So that day about noontime, Michael, Billy and I climbed aboard, backed out of the slip, worked our way beyond the breakwater and set course for Catalina, some 24 miles WNW. It was a beautiful day, with brilliant sunshine, a calm sea and a mild following wind, a pleasant, uneventful sail. With light winds, the heavy-hulled Tropic was a slow sailer and I imagine we talked along, becoming acquainted, as we sailed slowly westward. A mooring in Avalon, a pleasant dinner ashore, and an easy, uneventful return would be our plan, and so it was that, towards sunset, we found ourselves approaching Catalina and the harbor of the island’s only town. At this point, perhaps a mile from the breakwater, the wind on our stern suddenly and rapidly began to rise. This was a Santa Ana, sometimes referred to as a “sundowner”, a sudden and often terrifically powerful offshore wind caused by the rapid build-up of high pressure east of the Mojave. They’ll often appear without warning at the end of a warm, clear day, raising clouds of dust, toppling trees, tractor-trailers. Dana described one such Santa Ana blowing the Pilgrim far out to sea, leaving quite an impression on the young man and his shipmates, they who had rounded the Horn but a few months earlier. For me, it seemed as if some devil himself was cranking a huge wind machine, with just such a combination of cadence, gathering force and effect. The Tropic was of course delighted and literally shot into Avalon.
Jim Surfer
Catalina is a lovely island, mountainous, green in the winter months, carpeted in oak forests, all set in crystal clear waters, with undersea kelp gardens and the richest marine environment. In pre-Colombian times it supported a large Indian population about four times greater than that of its present inhabitants. The harbor at Avalon is small and well-protected from all save the East wind. A strong Santa Ana blows directly into the harbor mouth, with predictable results; the Tropic was sailing into chaos. We found the moorings within the harbor to be entirely occupied by luxury yachts of various type and size, the most of them festooned in holiday lights and ornamentation, mast, boom and rigging. The combined wind and swell roaring directly into the harbor had set this entire holiday assemblage into violent motion, tall, fully illuminated masts gyrating, boats pulling at their cables and pitching wildly, lights and trimmings flying in every direction; the combined effect overwhelmed the senses and in spectacular fashion. The Harbor Master was beside himself and quick to cut his losses. He took one look at this hapless intruder from some earlier era and turned us out. So we three turned about and pointed the Tropic into the wind, endeavoring to somehow claw out of the harbor and off the island. We rounded the breakwater and slipped towards the west end, leaving Avalon Harbor behind us, still locked in its macabre dance of lights. There are no sandy beaches on Catalina; it has a rocky shoreline that has for years provided quarry stone for Los Angeles. Rounding the point above Avalon, the island now became one huge, featureless black hulk, towering above us even as the wind howled and pushed us back towards the rocky shore. We had few options: Sail around the island and run out to sea, or around the west end and attempt to anchor in the lee of Catalina, or point into the wind and try to work our way back to the mainland. Without describing the thoughts and factors, the decision was made and we pulled in sheets and turned her into the wind. In truth, there was little “we” in it, at least in terms of discussion and decision; very little was said and my hand never left the helm. Billy was a capable sailor who could help with the lines, and he had his own blue water sailing to inform him. Michael, without ever saying a word, was either huddling in the cabin or heaving overboard, generally making it clear that he was a doomed man and nothing more. I learned later that his father had died in a boating accident. One of life’s sublime moments, rarely offered, where all the bullshit falls away, false hopes, lies, empty expressions, vanity, meaninglessness in all its forms, and you are left with an elegantly simple proposition: pull away or be smashed. The Tropic had but a compass and a fuel gauge, so nothing would actually tell you where you are or where you’re going. We point as high as seems right and slack the sails to spill as much wind and yet produce headway. Nothing else matters. We can’t afford one snapped line, knockdown, gybe, pulled cleat or jammed pulley, nothing. So we must ease her forward. And so it went for about two hours, until it finally became clear that the island was receding. Then, with LA’s twinkling lights twenty-some miles before us, heavy winds and head seas, we pounded on. I’d crossed before under small craft advisories, but this night the waves roared like passing freight trains and the rigging whistled and rang as I’d never heard before. Several hours later I found hope, and began to sing sea chanteys in the face of the howling wind. The first early light found us just outside San Pedro breakwater and nearly becalmed. We barely found enough wind to spirit us into the harbor, past the coal jetty and back to Shelter Point, our slip. Our wives, mothers and girlfriends all thought us dead. We said our goodbyes and never met again.
La Paz Community School presented with new building site
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n December 2 in Flamingo, hundreds of parents and children gathered under the shade of a huge Guanacaste tree to celebrate the acceptance of a very generous gift to La Paz School: two hectares of prime pastureland as the site of the future school, presented by the Berkowitz family and Mar Vista Development. La Paz is a non-proďŹ t, primary, secondary, and preschool that offers experiential bilingual education to the culturally diverse future leaders of Guanacaste, Costa Rica. The property is part of the Mar Vista project on the main road between Brasilito and Flamingo. In the photograph, Alejandro Berkowitz, of Mar Vista, and Abel McLellan, director of La Paz. Contact the school at 2654-4532 / 8350-9102
Surf Report (from page 15) He had given it a shot in the Open as well, but secured the finals in the Junior where Jesús Chacón of Venezuela was the favorite. That’s who he was pitted up against—and won. Also rounding out the finals were the local Ramon Taliani and Colombian Jefferson Tascón. Uncharacteristically, the homegrown talent didn’t take the female category. Instead Peruvian Valeria Sole took first place and Ecuadoran Dominic Barona won 2nd, over Costa Rica’s Nataly Bernold at 3rd and Lisbeth Vindas at 4th place. Reef Classic Costa Rica December 6-8, 2010 Open 1. Jair Pérez 2. Federico Pilurzu 3. Marcelo Rodríguez 4. Miguel Tudela
(CRI) 14.90 (CRI) 13.53 (ARG) 9.77 (semis) (PER) 9.60 (semis)
Junior 1. Carlos Muñoz 2. Jesús Chacón 3. Jefferson Tascón 4. RamónTaliani
(CRI) 15.63 (VEN) 14.76 (COL) 10.67 (CRI) 9.26
Damas 1. Valeria Solé 2. Dominic Barona 3. Nataly Bernold 4. Lisbeth Vindas
(PER) 13.23 (ECU) 12.66 (CRI)11.33 (CRI) 9.67
Now that a number of these international contests are over, it’s time for the main national surf contest to get under way. In its 11th year, this year’s contest is called the Circuito Nacional Oceans by Daystar 2011. It kicks off on January 22 in Playa Jacó and travels to 5 beaches in 6 months, pitting the best of this country’s surfers against each other for the championship crowns. Here is the schedule for the coming year: 1st date: Torneo Britt Iced Tear Jaco
Jan. 22, 23
2nd: Palo Seco de Parrita
Parrita
Feb. 26, 27
3rd: Copa Quiksilver
Nosara
April 2, 3
4th: Copa OFF
Santa Teresa
May 14, 15
5th: Gran Final Oceans
Playa Hermosa
June 1, 2, 3
That’s all I’ve got. Looking forward to hearing what you think. Keep those emails coming at EllenZoe@aol.com. Send your comments, information, errors or praise, because I can’t do this column without you, the real surfers.
Great Balls of Fun!
(from page 9)
Zorb Balls available for rides, that will cost in the region of $65 for two runs; additional runs $15 each. To visit Pura Aventura from Tamarindo: take the back road to Veintesiete de Abril. Turn right at Bar la Y Griega and right again 200 meters further. Just before the town of RĂo Seco you see Hacienda Norma on a small hill on the left. This is your destination. Telephone: 2658-0781 / 8883-5703 / 8873-7236. Www.CanopyPuraAventura.com.
Fiestas... (from page 13)
Be a queen for a day, or an entire fiesta! The queen candidates have two or three weeks to collect votes from the community. The candidate with the most votes wins. In Costa Rica, the votes are actually cash. She who collects the most money, which will be donated to the designated community project, will become the queen. In the case of Portegolpe, it was to collect money to paint and upgrade the pre-kindergarten building. This year, three foreign residents, Ellen Duggan, Susan Smith and I, were nominated to run for the “old queen”. As we did not want to upstage the other candidates, we decided to pool our money and asked to be considered for the court as “princesses” and not the queen. Because the fiesta was to celebrate culture, the queen and her court were asked to wear the beautiful white dresses used in the folk dances of Guanacaste. The queen and her court piled in the back of one truck festooned with flowers and balloons, and the little queen and her court escorted by little boys dressed in traditional outfits rode on the other decorated floats. The plaza was alive with marimba and fiesta music, and then hundreds of locals and three proud husbands formed a circle as the parade arrived. The coronation of the queens and their courts was held in the plaza followed by groups wearing different traditional dance outfits. “We three queens”, carrying our bouquets of flowers, were proud to be able to participate in our adopted community’s special day. Costa Rican Feriados - Official Holidays January 1 New Year’s Day April 11 Juan Santamaría Day: Commemorates The Battle of Rivas April 21 & 22 Semana Santa (changes every year) May 1 Día Internacional de Trabajo – Labor Day July 25 Anexión de Guanacaste a Costa Rica: Guanacastecos voted to officially be part of Costa Rica August 15 Mother’s Day September 15 Independence Day from Spain December 25 Christmas Day Other Feriados – but not obligatory August 2 Día de la Virgin de Los Ángeles: The Patron Saint of Costa Rica October 12 Columbus Day
20 11
From New Year’s on the outlook brightens; good humor lost in a mood of failure returns. I resolve to stop complaining. Leonard Bernstein
20 11
Phone Number Changes Please note that, effective January 11, many service numbers have been changed from 3 to 4 digits. Old and new numbers are as follows: Payment domestic calls Official time clock Guide assistance ICE customer service International operator assisted Phone & Internet problems Electricity service RACSA access by phone Handicapped assistance Kolbi prepaid information Yellow Pages information International call charges Phone bill information Voice mail info (same phone) Voice mail info (other phone) Tourist information ICE mobile service Calls Colibri cards Calls Viajera cards
110 112 113 115 116 119 130 134 137 150 155 175 187 190 191 192 193 197 199
1110 1112 1113 1115 1116 1119 1130 1134 1137 1150 1155 1175 1187 1190 1191 1192 1193 1197 1199
RACSA telegram service International call information Electricity outages
123 124 126
1023 1024 1026
Numbers 911, 800, 900 and 905 do not change.
Langosta!
T
he cute little guy in the picture is a common visitor to Tamarindo in the November and December months. His appearance in a bar or restaurant is usually greeted by shouts of “What the #@#*’s that?” from the guys and screams from the ladies as he zooms over the heads of diners with a display of purple, green and red wings. His real name is Tropidacris Dux, though he is usually called Langosta or misnamed Giant Cricket. He is a large (up to 15 cm) grasshopper, but is often mistaken for a bird. Trop. Dux is harmless, but he has sharp claws which don’t let go and, if he takes a liking to you, he’s yours for life.
Alcoholics Anonymous Schedule of Meetings
Flamingo
Tuesdays: 5:30 - 6:30 pm (open) Fridays: 5:30 - 6:30 pm (open)
Location: Hitching Post Plaza Unit 2, Brasilito Contact: Don H. at 2-654-4902
Tamarindo
Saturday: 10:30-11:30 - Open General Meeting Monday: 5:30 Open Meeting Thursday: 6:30-7:30 - Open Meeting Location: Behind Restaurant La Caracola Contact: Ellen - 2-653-0897
Now Begins the Study of Yoga
H
appy New Year, and welcome. I step into writing this column honoring Nina Weber. Nina wrote a column on yoga in the Howler for years, and her writings were always informative and inspiring. Thank you Nina, and thank you, David, for allowing me the space to continue this tradition. I have practiced yoga for many years, and taught the past eight years at Panacea. What drew me to this practice was not only the wonderful way my body felt, but also how it gave me a sense of peace and well-being afterwards. I realized that this is not just physical exercise, it is a life practice which happens both on and off the yoga mat. The title of this column, Now Begins the Study of Yoga, is a translation of the first of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras (which have been a source of information about what yoga is for thousands of years). This sutra captured my attention the first time I read it. Now, it tells me that I must be present, and that in this present moment I will also need to put forth the right effort to learn. I have found this sutra applicable to each day of my life: be present and put forth my best effort, no matter what I am doing. As my idea for this column is to provide ways we can
all incorporate this ancient practice into our lives, this sutra is a great way to begin. Can you think of any situation in your life in which being present and putting forth your best effort wouldn’t be good to do? So with the beginning of this New Year, consider this resolution: make the effort to be present as much as possible in 2011. Remember how to really listen to another without planning what you will say in response. You can then answer what was actually said, rather than what you thought might be said. Try having a meal with someone without talking, texting, facebooking, or twittering with someone else. Staying present is easier when we are on our mat, doing our asanas, or physical postures of yoga, because our body is then involved (just try to not be present during say, revolved half-moon and see what happens!). Now let us begin the harder work of doing this off the mat as well. Buddha stated, “The past is no longer here, the future is not there yet; there is only one moment in which life is available and that is the present moment”. Namaste
Mary Byerly is one of the owners and the yoga teacher at Panacea. An oasis of tranquility and health 10 minutes from Tamarindo. Discover Paradise and Bring a Peace Home www.panaceacr.com 2653-8515
Fair Weather Friends Tom Peifer
In prosperity our friends know us; in adversity we know our friends. John Churton Collins
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Do not protect yourself by a fence, but rather by your friends. Czech Proverb
ife in Guanacaste can sometimes numb you to the big picture reality show going on out there in the rest of the world. Sometimes we are so focused on dealing with the daily crises that always seem to pop up—or fall down—that we lose track. November was a case in point. Many were still so busy digging out, hosing down, patching up and just recovering psychologically from the torrential rains, that they were caught off guard by the next inundation. All of a sudden, a human flood. People started showing up. You know, like, tourists in rent-a-cars, part-time residents with condos or homes, strangely familiar faces, but somehow out of context until you adapt back to the new reality that the dry season always brings. I always had a vague understanding that people came down here to enjoy the warm weather. As a native of Southern California I sort of don’t quite get the gist of truly cold weather. This year, some fair weather friends filled in a few blanks. One afternoon at Playa Junquillal, an acquaintance from Canada remarked that it was minus 26 Celsius back home in Alberta. I started to do the math, divide by nine, multiply by five, or was it multiply by nine and divide by five, and then I always forget in which direction you add or subtract 32. By the time I decided I needed a calculator, a guy from Alaska had joined the conversation which quickly devolved into typical male “one upmanship” as to whose climate was harsher. The last comment I overheard was something to do with which bodily fluids freeze with a ‘snap’ in mid-air. Boy, would that put a crimp in the omnipresent recycling of beer into drip irrigation at local fiestas. A touching snapshot on seasonal migration to warmer climes was recently afforded by some friends from Vermont who are building a timber-frame home in my project. As they emerged from the ocean after working all day, they paused for a moment, embraced in the warm glow of the sunset and quipped, “This sure beats huddling around a wood stove and trying to warm up at the end of the day.” Different strokes for different folks: many are familiar with the middle-aged surfers who come here to rekindle the ‘stoke’ of their early surfing years. Some seem to go overboard a bit on the accessories, dumping copious quantities of disposable income on Hawaiian print shirts, surf murals in their homes, not to mention the impressive quivers of equipment. A friend who has spent decades teaching in landlocked Nebraska, has recently announced that he is moving back to California and going into ‘intensive training’ prior to coming down for a surf visit. The good thing is that visitors often help us reconnect with the special things that fade into the background of just making it through another day.
One guy I’ve known ever since my sister went away to college smoked dope and delivered the U.S. Mail long enough to get an early retirement, and added serious birdwatching to his favorite activities. After the obligatory visits to Monteverde and the Osa Peninsula he stretched out in a hammock, fired up a big one, and started keeping track of the avian visitors flitting into and out of the forest surrounding my home. By the end of the fourth day, not only was my hammock completely muddy from his sandals, but he also came up with an interesting observation. “You know, considering all the gas, time and money I’ve spent running around chasing our fine feathered friends, I think it is more cost-effective and definitely more relaxing, just lying here, chilling out and racking up a dozen or more species in a few hours.” On the other hand, some visitors get more biodiversity than they bargained for. A friend observed that you can calculate a visitor’s adaptability quotient as inversely proportional to the number of vertebrae they throw out of whack while swinging at bugs that intrude on their sphere of inviolability. I knew at least one guy who fell off a ladder. Several seem like they should have imported vaults from Fort Knox for their personal safety and a few simply spend most of their waking hours spraying, dusting, vacuuming or whatever it seems to take. Biodiversity is so much more charming on the Nature Channel than when it is in your face, so to speak, or your food, bed or, surprise, surprise! what’s that crawling up the leg of the pants I just put on? An experience like that can be the last straw. For whatever reason, some folks realize that, frankly, they’d rather be somewhere else. There seems to be a progression—visitor, resident, refugee. On top of the perennial issue of personal comfort, the roads and constant struggles to maintain a functional vehicle and the endless ennui of dealing with the intricacies and different trophic levels of the Costa Rican bureaucracy, as times get tougher economically, we are seeing more and more of our former neighbors simply throw in the beach towel, grab the fur-lined parka and head for the ice-covered, but greener pastures of home. The proliferation of ‘For Sale’ signs promises to spur the evolution of new species that can colonize these surfaces as habitat or exploit them as a new food source. Meanwhile, prices for completed homes seem to be floating in the rarefied atmosphere of the planet Fantasyland. In one seaside development more than half of the completed homes are for sale by owner and nobody is holding their breath. When desperation sets in you get the occasional draft (continued page 32
by Jeanne Callahan
January F F orecasts October orecasts
Aries: 21 March - 20 April
The month begins with Mercury in direct motion in Sagittarius, activating your urge to travel, explore, or get more education. Your tenth house of career is full of action with the eclipse on the 4th happening there, so if you’ve taken a new job, a lot will be expected of you. Bring in the new on the 22nd as Jupiter, the planet of opportunity and optimism, enters Aries for the next four months. Say yes on the 10th, 11th and 12th.
Taurus: 21 April - 21 May
Visit Jeanne’s site at CelestialAdvisor.com
Libra: 23 September - 23 October
This month, with a solar eclipse on January 4th in your fourth house of home, family and real estate has a cosmic signature of transformation and change. You will have to make some kind of alteration in your living arrangement, maybe even doing work out of the home. People from the past will be contacting you and wanting your expertise. The lunar vibe favors your interests on the 24th and 25th.
Scorpio: 24 October - 22 November
This month’s cosmic vibe has you looking at ways to improve your finances and network of associates. Your business life will improve as the month goes on with the planetary influences also being favorable for continuing education and travel. The solar eclipse on the 4th will bring in some luck for you with foreign cultures or people as it happens in your solar ninth house. The 13th and 14th are days you can prosper.
The cosmic vibe for you favors communications, short distance travel, neighbors and siblings as a major focal point with the eclipse on January 4th happening in your solar third house. There is considerable action involving your residence at the end of the month so you may be moving or doing some changes in your home. Jupiter moves into Aries in your fifth house so you have a surge of creativity and good luck coming after the 22nd. Look for opportunities on the 26th and 27th.
The eclipse on the 4th happens in your solar eighth house indicating a focus on finances, wills, legacies and unearned income. Consult with a professional on matters you don’t understand and don’t try to fake your way through things this important. You can clear up the confusion of December as your ruling planet, Mercury, is now in direct motion. The 15th and 16th are your lucky days.
The solar eclipse on the 4th occurs in your solar second house of money, assets and valuables. You can expect some changes in the next six months regarding what you have and where you get your money. You may also experience some changes in your neighborhood that don’t agree with you and so a move to a better location may be in the stars in the next four months. Your best days are the 1st, 2nd, 28th and 29th.
Gemini: 22 May - 21 June
Cancer: 22 June - 22 July
The month begins with the solar eclipse in your seventh house of partnerships so expect some changes in the next six to twelve months. You will either leave an existing partnership or form a new one that will change your life. Financial matters are a major concern at the end of the month with some indications of opportunity or new beginnings in your house of career. The 17th and 18th are days to capture someone’s attention.
Leo: 23 July - 23 August
The eclipse on the 4th happens in your solar sixth house of health, pets, employees and work. You need to pay attention to those matters for the next six months to avoid problems. Be proactive and use preventative medicine to avoid major problems. There are positive signs for some foreign travel in the next five months. The full moon on the 19th is in your sign and the next two days offer some positive rewards for you.
Virgo: 24 August - 22 September
This month has a vibe of creative power as the eclipse on the 4th happens in your fifth house of creativity and fun. There is forward motion regarding partnerships as you are at the end of a major cycle and about to start a brand new chapter in your business life. You are a master at details so you can get commitments from others at this time. The 22nd and 23rd are good days for you.
Sagittarius: 23 November - 21 December
Capricorn: 22 December - 21 January
The solar eclipse on the 4th happens in your first house so you will be rather self-absorbed in the next six months. Your career will be demanding as you will have to revisit some past project/assignment that isn’t working out right. You will have the next five months to straighten things out. You may also have the opportunity to move after February which could be a very positive transition. Be on the lookout for opportunity on the 3rd, 4th, 30th and 31st.
Aquarius: 22 January - 19 February
This month, with the solar eclipse on the 4th happening in your twelfth house of endings, hidden enemies, and health, you are dealing with some matters that you’ve been afraid to confront head on. The next six to twelve months demand you not be in denial about what is happening in your life. With Mars entering your sign on the 15th, you have the strength and energy to follow through. The 5th, 6th and 7th are days when things can go your way.
Pisces: 20 February - 20 March
The solar eclipse on the 4th occurs in your solar eleventh house of friends, associates and money from your profession. Stay alert to opportunities to advance your cause or meet people within the profession who can help you. It’s no crime to toot your own horn, though Pisces people can be too modest or shy to do so. Best days to beat that particular drum are the 8th and 9th.
Namasté
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Doctor’s Orders Jeffrey Whitlow, M.D.
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ast month I promised to begin discussing the origin and evolution of chronic disease, but I must digress from that goal for a moment. One of my main reasons for writing this column was to encourage the lovely people of Guanacaste to write me concerning their health problems, so that I might help them with those issues. Until the other day though, I had yet to receive any e-mails, so I had assumed that either everyone in Guanacaste was very healthy, or very comfortable with their ill health! However I did receive my first letter, at long last, from ‘MG’. Unfortunately, it was not a letter asking for help, or giving praise, but rather a letter of critique which my conceit demands that I address immediately. MG is the classic recalcitrant pupil who holds the rest of the class back, and I ask for my readers’ indulgence in allowing me to digress from our progression and directly address him this month. MG is a vegan or vegetarian, in my estimation, and he expressed concern about my reservations regarding the orthodox medical community’s recommendation of low cholesterol diets and the use of (dangerous and expensive) cholesterol-lowering medications. Specifically he states that the body produces enough cholesterol (about 800 mg) to ‘feed’ the brain (quotes his). Most of my readers will immediately see his error, but for those who don’t, I will explain. The whole thrust of my columns has been to get my readers to understand that to ask the human body to produce enough cholesterol to ‘feed’ the brain, or enough insulin and acid-buffering capacity to digest the tremendous amount of simple carbohydrates that the average person consumes, or enough protein to bring life to the lifeless crap that resides 10-deep on our grocery stores shelves, is the height of folly. Of course the body can do these things, for a while. When that capacity is exhausted, usually between the ages of 35-50, then “chronic diseases”, as the orthodox medical community terms them, such as diabetes, lipid disorders, hypertension and cardiovascular disease, autoimmune diseases, and/or nervous system disorders, result. It all goes back to human arrogance. People like MG refuse to accept the fact that humans are like every other living creature, in that we have a natural diet best suited to our nutritional needs. If he is a vegetarian, as I suspect, then he also chooses to ignore the ample historical evidence that aboriginal people have always consumed a diet rich in wild game and fish or seafood and have never been documented to suffer from any of the chronic diseases that I listed above, whereas the people who live in “civilized” societies, who consume flour, sugar, and artificial crap in abundance, have always had a relatively high incidence of said disorders. For those so interested, please write to me at jwhitlow82159@gmail.com and I will provide you with a bibliography, as unfortunately my space here does not lend itself to listing those references. I will say here, though, that Dr. Edward Howell, from Chicago, IL, was the leading researcher in this field of study. A Google search of his name will yield a treasure trove of information that will open the eyes and shock the mind of those, like me, and like MG perhaps, who thought they knew the field of nutrition. So now I have (hopefully) brought MG up to speed with the rest of the class. Next month, then, we will continue the discussion of how these so-called chronic diseases evolve, and how they can be avoided or ameliorated by pursuing the proper diet and dietary interventions.
Surviving
C hapter LXXVIII
COSTA RICA
T
he six or seven people out there that comprise my readership made the bad mistake of applauding me for a slew of recent columns that seemed to meet their approval. Indeed, the editor has received fewer Hate Facebooks lately and can walk the streets unmolested. So it must be time to write a real stinker! Something only an aging hippy guitar player who’s a big military history buff would come up with. How about a column on songs written about various world conflicts? The Texas country-pop singer Johnny Horton comes to mind. He started off as a mainstream ‘50s-era country singer (who married Hank Williams Sr.’s wife) but ended up being better-known for “Sink The Bismark”, a tune about the German battleship vs. the Royal Navy duel of early World War II. There was a black and white British movie by the same name that came out in 1960 that remains a classic of that genre; it can often be seen late at night on Turner Classic Movies in both English and Spanish. The quote “Sink the Bismark” was made by Winston Churchill who thought it was a good idea. I labored for many years thinking Johnny sang the theme song for the movie... but he didn’t. It made it to the Top Forty but not the silver screen. I don’t want to give away to give away too much of the plot but... it did get sunk. Perhaps Johnny Horton wasn’t the world’s biggest Anglophile as his next hit was about “The Battle of New Orleans”; Andrew Jackson’s 1815 victory over His Majesty’s forces fought two weeks after a peace agreement had been signed, but nonetheless insuring his picture on US twenty dollar bills. The song pretty much describes a bunch of “good ol’ boys” whupping up on the militarily inept British forces and was initially banned on the BBC for its insolent tone. Johnny actually re-recorded the song for the British market providing a more pala-
A Really Bad Idea for a Column or, Indulging the Writer
table product and it eventually ended up on the British charts. I’ve never heard the British version but I believe it ends up with Louisiana as a new colony. The Vietnam war produced a slew of counter-culture anti-war songs from the likes of Country Joe and the Fish, John Lennon and Bob Dylan; but none of them had a Billboard number one hit on the charts for five weeks as did the decidedly pro-war staff-sergeant Barry Sadler in 1966 with “The Ballad of the Green Berets”. Sadler was a decorated US Army Special Forces Green Beret who was wounded in Vietnam and penned the song while recovering from his wounds. The song went on to be the theme for the 1968 movie “The Green Berets”, starring none other than John Wayne who spent most of the movie whupping godless communists. Neither the movie nor the song ever made it to the Hanoi charts. Barry Sadler and his song was a big deal for me when it came out in 1966. I remember a big spread on him in Life magazine, specifically a picture of him playing a Fender acoustic guitar, the ones that had the Fender Strat heads on them, a strange-looking guitar called the Coronado that never really caught on. Nor did Fender acoustics in general. For some reason I still remember a strange story from that era when growing up in the Washington, DC, suburb of McLean, Virginia, involving a pizza place whose owner apparently didn’t appreciate a bunch of us thirteen-year-olds in his establishment. Apparently our revenge for his wanting us out of there was to put several dollars’ worth of quarters in his jukebox so it would play “The Ballad of the Green Berets” about twenty times in a row after our removal. Boy, we were some bad-ass thirteen year olds! Barry Sadler never had another hit; he had his fifteen minutes of musical fame and went on to a career as a novelist. He
Story by Jesse Bishop
was convicted of killing country singer Lee Emerson in the late ‘70s, serving only 30 days of a five-year sentence after which he moved to and lived in Guatemala City. He became a fixture in the ex-pat community until he was shot in a taxi in 1986, after which he was flown back to the US where he died in a coma a year later. The reason for the shooting remains a mystery to this day as possibly a robbery or romantic intrigue to even the claim that he had been training Contras for Ollie North. When I was living in Austin, Texas, in the mid ‘70s it was the heyday of the “Progressive Country” movement and Willie Nelson, along with Waylon Jennings, Jerry Jeff Walker and that whole long-haired pot-smoking music bunch were very much in vogue. However I was hanging with a slightly different crowd that thought that the eclectically eccentric Scottish folk rocker Al Stewart was pretty cool. He had just released the album (round plastic discs on which music was recorded in those days) “Past Present and Future” which contained a nine-minute song on the predictions of Nostradamus as well as a song about the WW II RussianGerman Eastern Front called “Roads to Moscow”. At that time I still had memory skills and was learning songs with endless verses such as Dylan’s “Lillie, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts”, and I enthusiastically embraced the minor key ballad about German tanks and generals and how it sucked being a Russian soldier. I would then go and do a gig at a small bar attended by the nine or ten people in the entire state of Texas who were interested in hearing a musical rendering of the Eastern Front. The rest were all listening to Willie... and still are. If I have a little recompense these days it’s that I’m endlessly being told how much I resemble Willie. My hope is they are referring to a much younger and better-looking one.
Word puzzle All words from the list below can be found in the word block on the right. Answers may be forward, backward, upwards, downwards and diagonal. alcantarilla carpenter cascabel cotidiano didactic ecotourism elevator erroneous gonfalon homenaje incipient leather manhandle mennonite mensual
parada parasol patagonia payaso pedagogue propaganda sasquatch sluice sustainable sybarite terremoto terrestre universidad utilizar wirecutter
Fair Weather Friends (from page 27) of fresh air wafting in from the nutrient rich up-welling of the new reality: “2,500 sq. ft./Ocean View/$115,000.” Rumors have it that the local construction industry is considering the possibility of seeking bailout money from the US government.
RAIN GAUGE
4
c m s
A British guy, who blogs on retirement out of San José, actually did a survey on what helps foreign residents make their transition permanent. Turns out that besides actually learning Spanish, developing a sense of community and strong friendships helps people to actually enjoy their lives here in paradise, and not just find it in fleeting, fluid form, distilled, chilled and served with a touch of salt or a slice of lime. And believe me, it helps if your friends are into cooking. As the twin engines of expatriate income—tourism and real estate— continue sputtering along, a number of foreign residents are again discovering the money-saving trick of eating at home. I was blessed with the arrival of an ‘angelita’ who has been enthusiastic about figuring out all kinds of new recipes for plants I’ve been growing for years, but had no idea what do with. Imagine that! Shared interests leading to better nutrition with reduced expenditure. Definitely sounds like a plan for the future. Actually it’s just one piece of the puzzle.
RAINFALL - November/December Maricle Meteorological Observatory La Garita
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2
Total rainfall: 5.9 cm (2.31 inches) 1
0 16
20
25
30 1
November
10
December
Year-to-date 2009: 185.2 cm 2010: 326.0
Rainfall Nov/Dec 2009: 0.0 cm 2010: 5.9
15
There appears to be a new wave of visitors, who are scouting out Costa Rica as a possible “what if” in case things go to hell in a hand basket. Just yesterday, I gave a tour to a couple on their honeymoon, young, smart, good jobs. In stark contrast to what you might expect from people with the world at their fingertips, they elaborated a striking concern for the current situation and ominous developments in the US. From the peaking of petroleum production to increasing authoritarianism and ongoing economic decline, these newlyweds were more than just a bit skeptical about living happily ever after in their current home. I’m taking to heart the wisdom of the adages cited above. Friendships, like fences, need to be planted firmly and benefit from frequent upkeep. Adversity, like the occasional drought, tends to eliminate the ones with an inadequate rooting depth. New relationships can add seasoning to the casserole to help keep it savory over time. They can also bring fresh perspectives and hobbies or interests that both challenge and complement the larger picture. At my home the welcome mat is currently out for a goatherd. Application available, enquire within.
January ( a l l
5
t i m e s
2011 l o c a l )
Sun
1st - rise 6:01; set 5:33 15th - rise 6:05; set 5:41 31st - rise 6:06; set 5:47*
Tom Peifer is an ecological land use consultant with 16 years experience in Guanacaste. Phone: 2658-8018. peifer@racsa.co.cr El Centro Verde is dedicated to sustainable land use, agriculture and development. http://www.elcentroverde.org/
* latest sunrise Jan. 26th - 6:06:24 New: 1st quarter: Full: Last quarter:
Moon 4th 12th 19th 26th
3:02 a.m. 5:31 a.m. 3:21 p.m. 6:57 a.m.
20 11
Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. Benjamin Franklin
20 11
Around the World
T
( a news digest)
he Nobel Prize Committee called for the release of Liu Xiaobo, Chinese dissident, from prison, after he was awarded the Peace Prize. China did not agree, calling the award a “political farce” and saying that the award does not represent the wish of the majority of the people in the world. The Dragon, the first private spaceship, completed its initial test flight in December, lifting off from Florida on a Falcon 9 rocket. The capsule separated about 10 minutes after launch, reaching its orbit shortly afterwards. After completing several maneuvres some 300km above Earth, the capsule splashed down in the Pacific. Dragon and Falcon 9 are both products of California’s SpaceX company. The company is funded by Elon Musk, a multimillionaire who made his fortune from his company PayPal. Time magazine has picked Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg as its annual Person of the Year, the figure it believes had the most influence on events in 2010. The 26-year-old billionaire was the subject of a 2010 film, The Social Network, charting Facebook’s rise. China has developed the world’s fastest supercomputer, knocking the US out of the top position in computer speed. The Tianhe-1 (Milky Way Number One) performs 2,500 trillion mathematical operations per second. The heart of the machine is made of Nvidia and Intel processors, made in the US. In what is called the “event of the decade” Costa Rica’s new stadium will be inaugurated between March 26, with friendly game against China, then a game against Argentina March 29, and a concert by Shakira April 3. The stadium, a gift to Costa Rica from China, will hold 35,200 for games; 50,000 for concerts. However, there is parking for ony 400 cars! A new species of freshwater crab has been identified by biologists at the University of Costa Rica. Allacanthos yawi was found on the banks of Río Vulcan 100 meters above sea level, during exploration of land for a hydropower project. The crab lives in river habitats and is currently believed to only live in Southern Costa Rica.
20 11
New Year’s Day... now is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions. Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual.
Mark Twain
20 11
1S
06:00 12:17 18:14
0.9 6T 7.7 1.4
2S
00:37 07:00 13:17 19:14 01:33 07:54 14:11 20:09 02:24 08:42 14:59 20:58 03:11 09:25 15:43 21:43
8.7 0.7 8.0 1.2 8.9 0.4 8.3 1.0 9.0 0.2 8.6 0.9 9.1 0.0 8.8 0.7
3M
4T New Moon 5W
7F
8S
9S
10M
11T
03:54 10:06 16:25 22:25 04:35 10:44 17:04 23:05 05:15 11:21 17:43 23:45 05:54 11:58 18:22
9.1 0.0 9.0 0.7 8.9 0.0 9.0 0.8 8.7 0.2 8.8 0.9 8.4 0.5 8.6
00:24 06:34 12:35 19:00
1.1 15S 8.0 0.9 8.4
12W 1st Qtr 13T
14F
JANUARY TIDE CHART 01:05 07:15 13:13 19:41 01:49 08:01 13:55 20:26 02:38 08:52 14:42 21:16 03:33 09:51 15:37 22:13 04:34 10:55 16:39 23:13
1.4 7.5 1.3 8.1 1.6 7.1 1.7 7.8 1.9 6.7 2.0 7.6 2.0 6.5 2.3 7.5 2.0 6.5 2.3 7.6
16S
05:36 11:57 17:44
17M
00:12 06:33 12:54 18:44 01:07 07:24 13:44 19:39 01:58 08:12 14:31 20:29 02:46 08:57 15:16 21:17
18T
19W Full Moon 20T
1.7 21F 6.8 2.1
7.9 1.3 7.3 1.7 8.3 0.8 7.9 1.1 8.8 0.2 8.6 0.5 9.3 -0.3 9.2 0.0
22S
23S
24M
25T
26W Last Qtr
03:32 09:42 16:01 22:24 04:18 10:26 16:45 22:51 05:04 11:10 17:31 23:39 05:51 11:56 18:19
9.6 -0.8 9.7 -0.4 9.8 -1.0 10.1 -0.7 9.8 -1.0 10.2 -0.7 9.6 -0.8 10.1
00:28 06:41 12:44 19:08
-0.4 30S 9.1 -0.4 9.7
27T
28F
29S
01:20 07:34 13:35 20:03 02:17 08:33 14:32 21:02 03:21 09:39 15:37 22:08 04:31 10:52 16:49 23:18 05:43 12:03 18:02
0.0 8.5 0.2 9.2 0.5 7.9 0.8 8.7 0.9 7.6 1.4 8.2 1.2 7.2 1.7 8.0 1.2 7.3 1.7
31M
1T Feb 2W New Moon 3T
4F
00:24 06:48 13:06 19:07 01:22 07:42 13:59 20:01 02:12 08:28 14:44 20:47 02:56 09:08 15:25 21:27 03:36 09:44 16:02 22:05
8.0 1.0 7.6 1.5 8.2 0.7 8.0 1.2 8.4 0.4 8.4 0.9 8.6 0.2 8.7 0.7 8.7 0.0 8.9 0.5