Howler 1105May

The Howler

Volume 16, No. 5 Issue No. 176

May 2011 Founded 1996

TAMARINDO COSTA RICA www.howlermag.com THE HOWLER Ced. Juridica: 3-101-331333

FEATURES

Publisher, editor and production David Mills

8 Dining Out

dmills@racsa.co.cr Tel: 2-653-0545

A new restaurant with amazing ocean views is serving fine fusion foods in the hills over Potrero.

CONTRIBUTORS

The equestrian culture is well-developed in Costa Rica, with a wide variety of breeds and different riding styles.

12 Showing Off

ELLEN ZOE GOLDEN TONY OREZ TOM PEIFER JEFFREY WHITLOW

JEANNE CALLAHAN KAY DODGE JESSE BISHOP MARY BYERLY CYNTHIA CHARPENTIER

A Swiss cyclist starts his epic trip from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego in this continuing series.

Howler advertising

The Howler offers a wide range of advertising sizes and formats to suit all needs. Contact David Mills • dmills@racsa.co.cr

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18 Art in the Garden

Just a few miles from Liberia is a beautiful art gallery displaying 400 works of Costa Rican art.

27 Persistence Pays

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15 Surf Report

In the Copa Quiksilver in Nosara, Jair Pérez took a narrow win over Luis Vindas, but Luis is still poised to take the national championship.

16 From Ice to Fire

Deadline for June: May 15

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14 Around Town

Openings, closings, parties, music. The Gold Coast has it all, and barhoppin’ David is in the groove.

Price $ 75 120

At the start of the rainy season our columnist passes on some wisdom on gardening, and case studies of local successes.

30 Surviving Costa Rica

The new supercomputer at Howler Central has the ability to predict the future, and Jesse lets us into some advance news.

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5 Doctor’s Orders

26 Yoga

10 CD Review

28 May Forecasts

11 Book Review

29 Parents’ Corner

13 Word Puzzle

32 Sun & Moon

22 Slice of Life

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: Dos Delfines y Cardumen - Photo & Acrylic Cover Art: Diego Mejias & Carlos Hiller Cover design: David Mills

Doctor’s Orders Jeffrey Whitlow, M.D.

I

n my last two columns, we addressed specific questions or issues regarding health. We will now return to the discussion of the effects of the over-consumption and the under-consumption of certain foods on specific organs and body systems, with this issue focusing on the sensory and nervous systems.

When I was younger, I noted but never noticed all of the various charities that seem to spring up around illnesses like mushrooms after a hard rain. We have specific charities for every major disease, and these charities have full-time staffs and budgets that rival any corporation.

And just like any other corporation, they seem to be self-sustaining.

How simple would it be to put the Diabetic Foundation out of business by following the methods and teachings of Mr. Thomas Smith? (www.healingmatters.com) Why are we contributing to a “society” that purports to be trying to find a “cure” for a “disease” that is imminently preventable and 100% curable? And so it is for all of the disease-based societies, in that millions if not billions of dollars are contributed, but yet no diseases are ever “cured”.

So the “diabetic” doesn’t have to lose the feeling in his extremities, or lose his vision or hearing. He simply has to lose the absurd notion that we can eat simple carbs in abundance with no consequences.

Our delicate endocrine system simply can’t handle the load, and after 20-50 years of this abuse, we lose the capacity to process all of that sugar and become “diabetics”. A “diabetic” is basically a person with too much acid in their body. The body is a finely tuned machine and cannot operate properly in an acidic environment. The acid strips the insulation off of the wiring of the body, i.e. the nerves. This is why the “diabetic” suffers from neuropathy, which is how we doctors describe how the diabetic’s nerves short-circuit, or don’t carry current properly, because of the damage to the insulation.

The acid also compromises other currents in the body as well. The heart maintains a certain current, and when the acid disturbs that current, an arrythmia, or an irregular heartbeat, can result. The acid also damages the delicate inner lining of the blood vessels, which allows plaque to form inside the vessels and eventually block them. This happens in the very small vessels that serve the skin and extremities first, and that fact explains why the “diabetic” is prone to both skin infections and compromised blood circulation in the extremities. Eventually, the “diabetic” can lose their fingers, toes, and even their arms or legs because of this phenomenon.

This also explains why the “diabetic” has eye problems, as the blood supply to the retina, which is the part of the eye that is most crucial for sight, is wholly dependent on microcirculation. Once the small vessels are compromised, as in the previous paragraph, the retina is one of the first organs affected. The micro hemorrhages found on visual examination of the retina of a “diabetic” are classic diagnostic signs of the “disease” of diabetes, which is totally preventable if the person will simply refuse to eat processed foods.

In the next column, we will talk about more about the causes and cures for chronic conditions.

S

o, the high season is over, and it was a beauty.

Our best high season in years, and longer than usual due to the very late Easter. We have seen tour companies working day and night, hotels with high occupancy, line-ups at restaurants, surf schools going crazy, but now it’s over for another few months.

Now is the time to rest, repair everything that went broke, take a vacation, and get ready for the veranillo which, we hope, will again be profitable for a few weeks.

Then come the rains, and experts predict a very active hurricane season in the Atlantic, which affects our rainfall here.

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An Imperial fiesta event on Tamarindo Beach in April was accompanied by a cantina which set itself up occupying many parking spaces opposite Super las Olas. It served Tico dishes at very competitive prices, undermining the business of local restaurants that pay high overheads to operate.

Then, going into Semana Santa, the same cantina set up again with the intention to operate until Easter Sunday. Fortunately someone complained to the Muni, bringing a horde of Policia Municipal into town. The following day, the cantina had disappeared.

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After we mentioned that evening events tended to start too late, Voodoo has advanced its Open Mic night to start at 7 p.m. – and changed the day to Saturday. Thanks, Nicolas. Also, Jesse Bishop’s gig at Witch’s Rock starts at 7:30 Wednesday, as does the Banana Kings’ show on Saturdays. And, of course, Bingo starts at 7 p.m. on first and third Tuesday of each month.

Work’s over, let’s watch a little TV. You turn on the box and find that all the channels have been shuffled into an incomprehensible jumble. Nothing makes sense. Yes, you can get a new channel listing from Amnet, but wouldn’t it have made better customer relations if they’d informed us in advance and emailed a listing?

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!

Dining Out David Mills

W

ithout doubt one of the best restaurant views in Guanacaste! Situated ‘way above Playa Danta with amazing vistas over Bahia Potrero, Flamingo and the Catalina Islands, Palacio de Oro offers a feast for the eyes as well as for the palate.

Palacio del Oro was opened a few months ago when hotel owner Beau Daniels decided to add the dining experience to his boutique hotel, which has 11 rooms with occupancy for 26 guests. “It brings me happiness to be able to provide a unique dining experience with amazing sunset views,” says Daniel. “As architect and designer, I am opening my home to the public to share my design and the view.” The restaurant’s objective is fine fusion cuisine.

Though our appointment was for 7 p.m. we arrived purposely early to catch the sunset, and whiled away the next hour chatting at poolside and watching the lights come on in Flamingo across the bay before ordering our appetizers, which comprise tropical shrimp or chicken satay with passion fruit ginger sauce; wild mushroom pot sticker; roasted Portobello mushroom; tropical ceviche and two salads. We enjoyed shrimp cakes and tuna poke, both tasty and exciting the palate for the main event, and shared an arugula salad.

The entrée menu is short but tempting: filet mignon; chicken scallopini piccata; mahi mahi; roasted corvina; jumbo shrimp satay; whole red snapper.

We chose blackened seared tuna with herbed baby potatoes and herb-rubbed pork tenderloin with herb au jus and raisin apple chutney. Both dishes were delicious and plentiful.

Palacio del Sol is between Potrero Plaza and Sugar Beach. Look for the sign on the right and drive up the steep hill. Opens at 4:30, Happy Hour specials 4:30-6. Closed Wednesday, all credit cards accepted. Reservations are recommended to avoid disappointment, tel: 2654-6080/6079. Website: palaciodelsol.net.

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Sustainable Partners

ome businesses do understand their mission of supporting organizations that have build up knowledge and skills to address youth issues. CEPIA is working hard to prevent our teenagers of falling into violence and drug traffic. The community needs to strengthen the bond with young people by providing them recreation, sports, education, expression and professional support when needed. If we forget our young people and their needs, they will remember as they are important, they are the future, and as a mirror they reflect our commitments towards the future.

The National Chamber of Tourism and the Guanacaste Chamber of Tourism are giving ‘sustainability’ credits to businesses that do care about their community. Contact CEPIA (cepiadirector@racsa. co.cr) to ask how to receive important credits from the government and upgrade your business.

We deeply thank Hotel CapitanSuizo, Restaurant Nibbana and Kike’s Place for the weekly meals for the children and teens, CEPIA could not do it without you!

Less in the spotlight, but so important are the following quality people volunteering weekly at CEPIA: Javier y Christina Abad, Lizzy Coon, Julia & Lisa & Bart from Escuela EF, Grettel Solórzano, Tamara & Francesca, Sue Kallis, Sara Haun, Sheri Royal, Cecilia Leiva, Cathy Deweer, Elizabeth Zilabet, Mary & Debbie from Panacea, Jeanne Cordes, Ashley Javogue, Tatiana Van Druff, Elodie Combeau, Emmanuela Quesada.

The Board of Directors of Foundation Florida (Florida Ice and Farm, owner of Imperial & ReservaConchal, among others) came to visit the children and teenagers at the CEPIA centre in April. Their visit was very important to strengthen the alliance between both organizations and to listen to the young people’s ideas and needs.

CD Review Gringos in Paradise and singing its praises

Tony Orez

M

ost of my music reviews for The Howler have been about Central American musicians and their music. But Guanacaste has become home to many people from outside the area and some of the people are musicians and some of these musicians have recorded songs about their experiences here. So, this column will be dedicated to my five favorite “local” gringo musicians. (Note: the Leatherbacks don’t count because they are a group.

Sorry, that’s the rule.)

feeling to it.

For the past fifteen years, David Roberts has been dividing his time between Chapel Hill, North Carolina and Playa Tamarindo. He recently released “Tamarindo Sunset” on his own Moonlight Records label. David considers the songs to be “musical postcards”, snapshots of his Guanacastecan experience. He is backed by a full band on the disc, playing up-tempo, rock/blues, with lots of local references and a good

During the twelve-year span that he lived in the area, Bob Benjamin compiled and released his solo album, “Do You Know?” a country-bluesy collection of songs where Sr. Benjamin also employed the use of his local musician friends to give the album a fuller sound. Bob used to perform solo all over the area. He created a void when he moved away about a year ago.

Maicol Leroy has lived in the area for almost twenty years. His new album, “San Juanillo” is a collection of twelve songs, eight of them penned by Maicol and written in Spanish. The album was recorded in an “open” studio that incorporated natural sounds: everything from monkey and frogs, chickens and roosters, to surf, wind and rainfall. It’s a unique, very listenable effort.

Brian Dale splits his time between Canada and Costa Rica.

When he’s here, he plays solo all around the Tamarindo area and gives a very personable presentation every night.

For his album “peace/love/waves/song” he also utilized musician friends to give the songs a full, studio sound. Live or recorded, he has a sweet, recognizable voice and style.

His infectious personality vibrates throughout every performance.

Saving the undisputed best for last, Jesse Bishop hails from Texas but has lived in Langosta for nearly two decades. He has recorded two solid solo albums, “The Road to Tamarindo” and “Gringo in Paradise” along with a live collaboration CD with Fabienne Balzli, “Beauty and the Beast”, a great vehicle for her singing and his guitar work. He also plays in the rock trio The Banana Kings and plays solo around town all the time as well. He’s got a sense of humor, great stage presence and absolutely tears it up on guitar.

Yes, there are other musicians in and about the area who have similar resumes; these are just my personal Top Five, the standouts among a league of very talented musicians who now call Tamarindo home.

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Book Review A Hornet’s Nest Crescendo Tony Orez

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ith all the success and hoopla surrounding Stieg Larsen’s “The Girl Who...” trilogy, it really is a shame that he isn’t around to enjoy it; sadly, Larsen passed away from a massive heart attack at the age of forty-seven, just as his notoriety was catapulting into the limelight. But it also means he doesn’t have to listen to his critics. I’ve just finished “The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest” and I must admit I was disappointed.

His first novel, “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” opened with a lengthy introduction but I forgave him for that because he was actually setting up all three of the novels. But that novel really didn’t get going until about a quarter of the way through it. I like the second installment, “The Girl Who Played with Fire”, because it hit the ground running and picked up velocity from there, staying true to Larsen’s touted school of cutting-edge writing. The third and final entry, however, “The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest”, was painstakingly mapped out with excruciatingly detailed minutia for the first third of this nearly six-hundred-page book. A plethora of new characters was introduced, seemingly all of them surviving on espresso and open-faced sandwiches. It is simply too many bit players and too many words describing them; when this novel is turned into a movie, Hollywood will cut or combine the characters and whittle them down to a digestible number. It’s a shame Stieg didn’t do that, too.

I did like the author’s technique of titling chapters in short progressive timeframes and then using intentionally lurchy non-segues between characters and what they were doing in these sequences. And the suspense is good when it occurs; I just felt it was sadly too far between those events for about the first two-thirds of the book. The plot thickens as main characters, writer/publisher Mikael Blomkvist, discovers that SAPO, Sweden’s version of the CIA, has a rogue band operating clandestinely within it and is rotten to the core. And of course, Lisbeth Salander, (the infamous “Girl Who...”) has been innocently caught within their evil scheme.

It occurred to me at some point that the reason for this trilogy was for Larsen to use it as a podium to campaign for an independent constitutional court within the Swedish judicial system. Maybe he should have considered an essay or a letter to the editor for that. I also firmly believe that Larsen pictured himself as the Blomkvist character who at one point noticed that the book he was writing wasn’t long enough and needed fleshing out, much the same as Larsen seemingly has done here. Case in point: one new, bit player falls asleep on several occasions reading a book about “the ancient world”. Which ancient world: the Nordic ancient world, Mesopotamia or The Eighties? Blomkvist being Larsen’s altered ego might also explain the character’s way with the ladies and his sexual prowess.

In all fairness, “The Girl” trilogy is fun pulp fiction even if the author goes overboard on detail and got a little preachy toward the end. Anyway, it’s no fun kicking a corpse.

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Kay Dodge de Peraza

T

here was an air of excitement. The huge white stallion, with mane meticulously braided and long flowing tail, was led into the ring to be judged with a group of other immaculately groomed studs. As the competitors whinnied, flexed their massive muscles and tossed their huge heads, they showed their breeding with almost perfect conformation and movements.

Each spectacular stallion would have been a perfect model for a da Vinci bronze statue.

The horse has a very special place in the history and culture of the world. In Costa Rica, for the last three centuries, the Spanish horse breeds captured the hearts of the equestrian world. Favored breeds range from the noble criollo of the working cowboy, to the high-stepping Costa Rican pasos and elegance of the Pura Raza Español (PRE), the purebred Spanish horse or Andalusian. Today, many other horse breeds have been imported, including the nowpopular quarter horse from the United States, the large, elegant warm-blood breeds for use in English riding disciplines and the showy paints, Appaloosa and leopard color types.

Horse people love to show off. Horse shows, from the Sunday afternoon topes, or horse parades held during the local fiestas, to the four-day shows of the Pura Raza Español, held most recently at the Club Hípico La Caraña in Santa Ana just outside of San José, are examples of the broad range of interest in showing horse and riding skills. Although English riding shows, popular in Europe and the United States featuring dressage and jumping events, are growing in popularity, they are a relatively recent addition to the horse scene in this country. A recent show, also held at La Caraña, featured riders of all ages from over Latin America and the USA competing in jumping and first-level dressage events.

The Spanish horse traditions and shows have a long history in Costa Rica dating back to the dawn of the XIX century. Early equine fairs showed off the early Spanish horse breeds; now, the Costa Rican Spanish Horse Breeders Association has become one of the most important forces in showing and breeding Andalusians outside of Spain. Some Pura Raza Español horses born in Costa Rica are now even allowed to be registered in the exclusive Spanish registry.

Today, many of these noble animals are sold to buyers in the US, Europe and Latin America for uses in all riding disciplines. Going beyond the traditional Spanish disciplines, they are winning at the Gran Prix level of dressage. They are also becoming popular to cross with other breeds, such as the Azteca, an Andalusian/Quarter horse mix and the very popular Ibero-Americano, Andalusian/Costa Rican Paso. The Iberos now have their own registry and shows and are popular for bringing the best of the two breeds together into (continued page 25

Word puzzle

Countries of the World 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. afghanistan albania angola antarctica bolivia brazil bulgaria chad colombia costarica dahomey ďŹ nland indonesia ivorycoast jamaica

mauritania mesopotamia morocco myanmar newzealand pakistan portugal sierraleone sumatra tanzania turkey ukraine uruguay uzbekistan venezuela

Voodoo Restaurant has reorganized its entertainment schedule by moving Open-Mic Night to Saturday at 7 p.m. The line-up is Tuesday – Latin Night; Thursday – Ladies; Night; Saturday – Open-Mic.

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

The 10th Annual CRGAR Golf Tournament will be held June 4 at Reserva Conchal. Three-person scramble format, starting at 8:30 a.m. Entry fee is $150. Green or tee sponsorship is available at $200; entire hole $350. Call Lindsay Cantillo at 2654-4851 or 8829-8103 for details.

Asociacion Integral de Playa Tamarindo (ADI-PLATA) will hold its annual general meeting, for election of the board of directors and presentation of the annual report.

Date of the AGM is May 6 at 3 p.m. at Fiesta del Mar Restaurant in Tamarindo Circle. Please attend this important meeting. For details call Jogi at 2653-0404.

Attention, would-be thesbians! Beach Nuts production company is giving two weekend workshops: May 13-15 is Introduction to RED Digital Film; May 18-22 - Acting in Front of the Camera. See ad on page 17 for details.

The Shack Restaurant and Bar in Playa Potrero was recently purchased by Harry Baker from New York. Looking to build on the funky feel-good atmosphere and good reputation begun

by Cham and Jude, Harry wants everyone to be on the lookout for some shacky new additions in the coming months. For information call 8336-3497.

Restaurant Ole Spain opens its doors at Hotel Isolina in Playa Potrero (300m north of Perla’s). Come and enjoy the specialties of Javier Alvarez, Spanish chef of Restaurant La Bodeguilla.

We invite you to the grand opening on May 11 at 7 p.m.

Pelican’s Catch is open in Huacas, 200m along the road to Flamingo. Something every night: Monday – Movies; Tuesday – jazz; Wednesday – Karaoke; Thursday – Reggae; Friday – Ladies; Saturday – Salsa; Sunday – family day. Food, drink, Rockola jukebox. Tel: 2653-7179.

Also in Huacas, Jaime and Grettel of J y G Furniture (opposite SuperCompro) have opened Café de la Casa for excellent coffee, grown on the family farm, plus cakes and pies and a wide variety of ice creams.

www.howlermag.com

Surf Report

E

ven though Jacó’s Jair Perez won the Copa Quiksilver in Nosara, rankings leader Luis Vindas of Jacó still fared well enough in that Circuito Nacional de Surf Oceans by DayStar 2011 date to man up to second place and by doing so is still the contender to repeat as national champion when all is said and done in June.

Sure, Perez (photo below) isn’t going to let Vindas take the win easily. He made that known by beating him handily in Nosara, in a final that saw him best Vindas as well as Quepos’ David Herrera and Puerto Viejo’s Gilbert Brown. In waves of good size and form, and offshore winds to serve the contest, Guiones at high tide featured Perez putting up 17.20 (8.43 and 8.77) against Vindas’ 17.17 (9.00 and 8.17), Herrera’s 14.67 (7.67 and 7.0) and Brown’s 14.00 (8.33 and 5.67). Over 1,000 people were on hand to watch the match-up.

Neck and neck, it got even closer between Perez and Vindas when,

Story: Ellen Zoe Golden

because I made things very difficult for him. If he had won today it would have been more difficult to reach the national championship, but now there is a little pressure to go towards that goal and win in Santa Teresa,” said Perez.

This is Jair Perez’ second victory in Nosara; he also won the trophy in this town in 2009 when the date was inaugurated in similar waves.

Perez, along with Anthony Fillingim of Malpais and Maykol Torres of Esterillos are the other two surfers from the Circuito who are in position to fight Vindas for the title, should they win in Santa Teresa or in the Finals in Playa Hermosa.

Now, what the hell is going on in the Women’s Division?

Not only did Jordan Hundley from the United States win again in the Copa Quiksilver, but Lisbeth Vindas, our seven-time National Women’s champion didn’t even make the finals!! Jordan—only fifteen years old—surfed in the finals against Nataly Bernold (Jacó) and arrived at the victory in much the same way as she did in Parrita two months ago, by surfing hard in the last few minutes of the heat.

Jordan earned 15.24 (8.67 and 6.57) supplanting the 14.33 (7.33 and 7.00) that Bernold scored in the final. Local girl Yessenia Alfaro arrived in her first final along with another North American Jessie Carnes. Hundley also pulled out her second Junior Women’s trophy in a row.

This date was the lowest point in ten years of the Circuito for Lisbeth, as she did not make a podium stand. That means if she wants to win the whole thing, she will have to win the next two dates.

in the final minute, the latter put up a 9-point wave looking like he was going to win his third Circuito date. Despite the fact that Jair fell in his first four attempts to begin the heat, from twelve minutes into it he snagged a great right putting together a high combination that scored 8.43. With just one minute to go, Perez saw a wave open up to him that allowed him to risk a lot, and he went for it with a degree of confidence that he has obtained from his training recently in Hawaii and California. He went mad with an aerial, which gained an 8.77 from the judges, surpassing Vindas by a simple .03 points.

Brown and Herrera also added up some high combinations—yet not enough—and for Herrera, his result earned him his first final in the Circuito.

Perez, who is now looking ahead to the next date to Copa Off! in Santa Teresa, knows it’s still Vindas to beat for the national championship.

“Luis has all the potential again to be champion. He is a very good surfer and it’s very difficult competing against him. I won today

The next date of the Circuito Nacional de Surf Oceans by Daystar 2011 is the Copa Off! in Santa Teresa on April 30 and May 1. It will take place in front of Hotel Luz de Vida.

The Circuito Nacional de Surf Oceans by DayStar 2011 is sponsored by Oceans by DayStar, 104.7 Hit, Red Bull, Mango Skate & Surf, Britt Iced, Adoc, Quiksilver, Banzaii Surfboards, OFF!, Reef, Boltio, Surfos magazine, Ibarquero Design, AyA. Results - page 23 So much surfing news this month...

Out in Huntington Beach, California this past March, Carlos Muňoz (Esterillos) and Perez made quite a showing at the Van’s Pier Classic. Actually, in both contests, Muňoz made a name for himself, advancing until the fourth round of the Vans Pier Classic, and going all the way until the quarterfinals in the Vans Junior Pro. (continued page 21)

Mango Time I

t’s mangoes, mangoes, mangoes all the way.

This is Mango Month. All over the country the stands are piled high with these juicy fruit.

They lie as a yellow carpet under trees in the hedges. They beckon you at the supermarket, ferreteria, gas station and other places. The solitary mango tree in my garden, which grew itself from a tossed-out seed, is full of fruit, dropping ripe to the ground faster than I can eat them.

When I first visited Costa Rica it was mango season. We bought a dozen at the Mercado Central in San José – for 100 colones! But that was long ago, and the price has rocketed since then, but you can still buy a fat 2-pounder for a dollar.

Even cheaper, pick them up from the roadside where they have fallen from the tree – but look for worms in them.

Some people will not eat mangoes because they don’t like the fibres that stick between the teeth for the rest of the day, if you eat them like an apple. But there is a better way, and it’s fibre-free.

Slice the fruit along the flat side, so that the knife passes along the side of the big seed. This gives you two oval pieces. Cut these lengthwise and slice the flesh off the skin – and eat. Mangoes are rich in nutritious stuff, and are even a cancer inhibitor. The leaves and stalks exude a juice that can be irritating to the lips and tongue in some people, so avoid the skin and the stem end.

Mangoes came to Costa Rica – and the rest of the world – from India, and we’re glad they did. There are many different varieties, large and small, yellow, red, purple. The trees are large, up to 40m tall, and live hundreds of years – and still give fruit!

Unripe mangoes are sometimes eaten with salt, and can be bought in fruit stores if you like something bitter. When ripe, they may be used in many ways – pickles, jams, chutney, smoothies – or just eaten raw. The flesh can be dried for storage.

The harvest season is very short, so pig out while you can.

From Ice

Epic story of a bicycle ride from

The “Ice to Fire” cyclists, Chris and Reto, met The Howler near Tamarindo, at what is probably probably the half-way point of their long, long journey. When you read this they will be well on their way into South America, having left Tamarindo on March 27. The story tells of the challenges they met – and overcame – and the people and places they experienced.

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eaving Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, with bear spray and food enough for two weeks, we pointed our bikes south on flat tundra. Of course; our whole journey would be headed south, for we were cycling from Northern Alaska to Tierra del Fuego at the farthest tip of South America.

Our bicycles are recumbent; that is, you ride lying partly on your back. We liked this arrangement because it lets you look at the scenery rather than, with conventional bikes, at the ground. Also, it is more comfortable than a regular bicycle with no stress on the bottom or the hands.

As we rode along the midnight sun came up, flooding the tundra with bright colours. When we camped we took care to safeguard our food from bears, which are plentiful here.

After a few days on the Dalton Highway we crossed Brooks Range at Atigun Pass, a tough climb with all the weight we were carrying. This range separates the North Slope Tundra from Alaska’s heart, a softer climate. Soon we met the first trees – spruce, birch and poplar - little creeks, birds singing at night, a huge moose in a small lake by the road. In the Yukon River valley, after we crossed the Arctic Circle, we zig-zagged alongside the oil pipeline and, in the middle of the endless forest, met Floyd, an army veteran, living alone, hunting and fishing and mining gold. We spent a little time with him; we needed his company as much as he needed ours.

After crossing the Yukon River we started to see signs of people – fences, solitary houses, a dog, mailboxes on a corner – and climbed the hill overlooking Fairbanks. Descending into town, we saw a stressed society, people in a hurry, and the end of silence.

Why am I doing this? I have a driving heart, and feel driven to explore foreign countries, their nature, cultures and languages. Doing this by my own strength makes me much more receptive and gives me

to Fire

Alaska to Tierra del Fuego Story: Christoph Mueller Edited: David Mills satisfaction and joy every day. Travelling, especially by bicycle, to me, means to be confronted every day with a new challenge which provokes me to react and makes my personality grow. I am from Switzerland and have worked as a mechanical engineer.

Travelling the two American continents and experiencing all the different climates while enjoying the scenery is my idea of a perfect trip. My companion on the first leg was fellow Swiss Reto Diriwachter, but he could accompany me for only six months.

When crossing Fairbanks I had only one thought in mind: It is easier to cycle the 800km-long Dalton Highway than to cross the city of Fairbanks; incredible, never again!

The wide straight road going through wet land and wild woods led us fast towards the Canadian border, where we stayed overnight at a visitor centre. Welcome to Canada – dense fog and headwinds – but we met Gabi and Stefan, my co-worker from Switzerland in his RV, who knew we were heading that way.

Approaching sea level we soon were aware of the Pacific Ocean’s influence: The air was warmer, the trees a lot taller and nature’s variety increased. The farther we cycled the wider the valley grew. A huge river of glacier milk with a large bed of gravel laid the valley’s ground between mighty mountains scratching the clouds. Soon we caught sight of the first bald eagles for which the spot is well known; not a few, no, a lot of them. They were fighting for a fish one of them had caught.

We first caught sight of the Pacific fjords at Haines (below), a lively fishermen’s town with charm, a secure ambience after hard days. We met Jim, an economist, consulting and reviving a stricken fishing company, who invited us to come to his home, where we spent a few days. He also took us to some spectacular views of fjords and glaciers, as well as Chilkoot Lake, where salmon were spawning.

Climbing the pass from Haines Junction we could feel the presence of bears, and saw their fresh excrements and trails even on the road.

(continued page 22)

Art in the

Hidden Garden showca It’s called the Hidden Garden, but it’s not so hidden that you won’t find it. Every month, thousands of Guanacaste residents and tourists drive by this wonderful gallery en route to Liberia Airport or the many resorts in the mountains around Liberia.

Hidden Garden, with 14 display rooms and 40 artists’ works is the largest art gallery of its kind in Guanacaste.

Opened in 2009, it is operated by a U.S couple Charlene and Greg Golojuch, who provide space for artists, sculptors and photographers local to the area. In July 2010, to celebrate Costa Rica Independence Day, the gallery invited local artists to submit one or two works for exhibition. Now there are over 400 art works in the gallery, which occupies a business centre, but with its own special architecture.

“We can afford to be discriminating,” says curator Fransua Castro, “as we have a large inventory of artists to choose from.” Every month a new exhibition is opened at the gallery.

And the quality is certainly world-class. The resident artist is Carlos Hiller. A keen diver and snorkeller, Hiller is famous for his stunning underwater paintings and photography showing the life and moods of the ocean, where he has spent many hours observing and photographing. Hiller has just returned from a one-month stay at Cocos Island where he donated murals to beautify the islands, and will have his Cocos Island exhibit starting April 30 at the gallery.

Many of the featured artists are performers, too, and some have

e Garden

ases exquisite artwork performed at musical nights at the gallery. Songwriter and singer Guadelupe Urbina paints in acrylics and oils using paper made from natural fibres from tropical plants. Her tryptich “Tree of Life” is seen in the centre column. Singer Christian Porras paints in acrylics and has exhibited in many countries such as Canada, Colombia, Mexico and Guatemala.

He has also been featured in a concert at the gallery.

Guanacasteco Tony Jimenez is a sculptor who works in wood of trees which have died naturally, with the addition of chains and other metal accoutrements. His “Torso” is seen on this page.

Oscar Lios, of Sardinal, is featured in his exhibition “Entre Todas las Mujeres”. Working in oil on canvas and charcoal on paper, he is known for his artistic nudes, as on page 24).

The Gold Coast is also represented by paintings by Elizabeth Watson and Susan Adams.

Colombiano Edwar Herreño is a famous underwater photographer, and has produced documentaries on many TV nature channels. He (continued page 24)

WHAT ARE WE DOING

Surf Report

COSTA RICA?

(from page 15) Back in Playa Hermosa, the Quiksilver King of the Groms contest pitted the Under-16 surfers against each other for the best of the best of that age group. With the highest combination, Noe Mar McGonagle of Pavones (photo) bécame Quiksilver King of the Groms.

In the finals that came down to four from the thirty-six kids registered, he scored 13.27 (7.00 and 6.27) and part of the prize is a trip to Mexico at the end of June to compete in the Latin America Grom event. Tomas King of Tamarindo was 2nd place, Bruno Carvalho of Jacó was 3rd and Jason Mora of Mal País was 4th.

Cynthia Osborne Charpentier

The First Rains

T

here is a transition and procession from the dry season (“summer”) to become a rainy season. The flowers, howlers and people love the first rains. The birds, big and little, start singing. The wind is coming hard so they have to find a refuge.

At first, the storm is heard far away, but soon it is on your roof, talking to you – magic rain. Everything becomes wet; nature is happy; the ground gives off an earthy smell which you only smell once a year.

Soon the bugs are coming out. Let’s start with the chicharras; you can hear them from far away. Their singing is unique and strong.

Before they started I was taking a nap, or simply sitting on my couch, looking to nature, or simply doing my daily routine. Little scorpions start to show up, sometimes bigger like in my house. Now the iguanas are looking for sun. The ants come around looking for food, until the family becomes refugees. Crickets cry their zumbido (bzzzzzzz), and bugs that were sleeping in the canoas are washed out by the rain and enter the house. When the moon comes up the luciernagas fly around, flashing their bright green lights.

“I want to thank my father because he is my main sponsor and he is the one that takes me to all the matches and directs me from the beach. For me to win this competition is very important because now I can go and represent Costa Rica in Mexico, and from there hopefully to France,” said McGonagle.

With this win, José Ureňa, the President of the Federacion de Surf de Costa Rica wants McGonagle to join the Costa Rica Junior National Surf Team which will travel to Peru next May to compete in the Junior World Surfing Games.

In Tamarindo, the first community-sponsored school surf contest was a great success. Not only did the ocean cooperate with big waves, but 102 kids from 3 to 19 years old came out from all the local schools to compete. Gil’s Burritos and Mad Jack’s Steakhouse fed all the volunteers and children on Saturday and Witch’s Rock took care of the food on Saturday night and Sunday. Home School Beach Academy was the winning school.

The individual winners are: Mini Menehunes: 1 Sydney Gamier Educarte, 2 Tristen Murray HSBA Menehunes: 1 Luke Guinaldo Las Pargos, Surya Folger 2 La Paz, Sadie Jones La Paz, Luke Martin HSBA Mini Grom Boys: 1 Malakai Martinez HSBA, 2 Tiago Carrique HSBA, 3 David Gonzalez Villa Real, 4 Selassea Quijada S. Cruz (continued page 23)

I go to bed and cover myself like a cocoon, listening to the branches making music with the rain on my window.

The new plants are growing for the rainy season. Now we say goodbye to the last jocotes and welcome the orange flowers from the malinche trees.

I love the rainy season, it’s my favorite time of year.

Flowers and plants are blooming, Their fragrance fills the air The fireflies come out They twinkle in the night I walk along the jungle paths And marvel at the sight The frogs start their serenade As the sun begins to set They are always at their loudest And happy when they’re wet.

We cannot control the weather It’s Mother Nature’s show so just enjoy whatever comes Relax, go with the flow.

A Slice of Life Coincidences

C

David Mills

oincidences fascinate me. Throughout my life there have been many instances of events that just could not – well, should not – have happened when and where they did. Of course, one can counter that with: “Well, what about the myriad times coincidences didn’t happen when they might have,” so I guess there should be no surprise that, once in a long while, they do occur. They still fascinate me, though.

Travelling through the Southwestern deserts of the United States, we had stayed overnight in Alamagordo, New Mexico, a town which might be in Utah for its scarcity of drinking establishments. The only halfdecent place to slake a thirst was alongside an army base, so we had a couple of beers, the only civilians surrounded by military personnel.

Heading west the next morning, we stopped at White Sands National Monument, miles of snow-white sand dunes blazing in the sun. We hiked a few miles over these sand mountains, then continued on our way.

Linda Ronstadt’s tape “Canciones de mi Padre” was playing in the stereo as we dropped off Interstate 10 onto a side road (these interstates can be so boring), and her song “Corrido de Cananea” was about a fugitive from the law in the badlands of Mexico. One line went “Yo me fui para Agua Prieta” (I fled to Agua Prieta). Passing through the small town of Douglas on the Mexican border minutes later, we were astonished to see a signpost pointing south to – Agua Prieta – 2 miles.

A few hours later we stopped for the night in Tucson and took a motel room. Flipping through the channels, we found an adventure shoot-emup movie. As the plot moved along, we found the Good Guys pursued by helicopters in a desert of blazing white sand dunes! Looks familiar, we agreed, and sure enough, the setting was White Sands National Monument. Probably the only movie ever made at White Sands.

Two in one day.

(from page17)

From Ice

Our first real view of Canada was of a beautiful valley, like the Swiss National Park, only a hundred times longer and wider. In the distance we saw a line of cars stopped on the road. As we got closer we saw a black bear with a brilliant shining coat walking alongside the road and causing a traffic jam. We passed by easily on our bikes. Later we saw seventeen black bears crossing the road, more scared of us than we were of them. We were awakened one morning by a large moose wading in the water just outside our tent.

On the Cassiar Highway we met a Swiss restaurant owner, and a Swiss doctor who helped me with an injured muscle. We took a side trip to look at some amazing glaciers and watched a grizzly bear catch three salmon with great ease. On August 1, the Swiss National Day, we met more Swiss people (because of the flags on our bikes) who took us to their home and fed us fresh-caught salmon, to which we added our Swiss fondue.

From Prince Rupert we took a ferry ride through lovely scenery to Vancouver Island, one of the most attractive places we had been.

On the east coast the whole atmosphere changed; we felt as if we had suddenly come to the Mediterranean. Near Comox we lost our trail and found ourselves in a labyrinth of bush, but managed to find the way out. We found an old railroad that is now a cycle path, and headed for Victoria.

We again entered the U.S. at Port Angeles, WA, after a ferry ride from Victoria. The Olympic Peninsula was wild nature, spruce trees, rivers, lakes and ocean fog. In Oregon we enjoyed a road that wound along awesome cliffs and beaches (right) with spectacular views over the ocean, even seeing whales from the road. We joined a group of cyclists heading south, so we had someone else to talk to and hear their experiences. Until Labor Day traffic was heavy and we needed to take care, as many car drivers had little consideration for bicycles.

Entering California we were impressed by the majestic redwood trees, some older than 2,000 years.

In Arcata we found how much money is made from marijuana cultivation. Apparently the county closes its eyes to this, knowing how important it is to the economy.

In some places we rode with smiles on our faces, smelling weed in the air.

At Leggett we suffered a voluntary two-day delay due to a rock festival, where we camped out for free. We enjoyed the company of musicians and their music inside the redwood forest.

I was to lose my companion Reto at the Mexican border, but in San Francisco I met Matt Gorzlancyk from Wisconsin, who was also

22

(continued next page)

to Fire

Surf Report (from previous page)

heading south, so we agreed to ride together. We also were joined at Big Sur by Alfie, a Londoner, who was heading for L.A. on his fixed-gear bike.

We rode in “critical mass”, an annual event where the cyclists - 3,000 of them - take over the streets of San Francisco. I am not sure the motorists shared our enthusiasm for the event.

Near Santa Cruz we visited a bicycle manufacturer, Calfee and Bamboossero. Their special idea is to use bamboo to build the frame’s rods and assemble it with epoxy and hemp.

You could even describe it as the art of building bikes (photo below).

We by-passed L.A. along the coast and visited the U.S. carriers “Carl Vinson” and “Midway” in San Diego Harbor. The next day we would enter Mexico for our Central America segment.

Our lifelong dream!

Due to space constraints we have cut short many of our experiences in the United States and Canada. But we must say how enriched we were by the US and Canadian people. We met mostly very friendly and hospitable people who trusted us and helped us, for which we are very thankful. We were greatly amazed and surprised how many people gave us a gift or even invited us to stay with them. We were often delighted at little acts of kindness from our North American hosts.

Concerning our equipment we can say that we are very satisfied. We have got comfortable bikes and our first flat tyre was at 4,550 km, only one broken spoke we had to suffer.

At night we sleep well-relaxed in an excellent Mammut sleeping bag and are well covered by one of the lightest and strongest tents.

Next month in The Howler: a very changed atmosphere as Chris and Matt face the unknown challenges of Mexico, a totally different country from the U.S and Canada.

San Diego

(from page 21) Grom Boys: 1 Malakai Martinez HSBA, 2 Dean Vandewalle CDS, 3 Liad Poni HSBA, 4 David Gonzalez Villa Real Boys: 1 Angelo Bonomelli HSBA, 2 Malakai Martinez HSBA, 3 Franchesco Depuit Jaco, 4 Luiz Diego Ortiz Villa Real Mini Grom Girls: 1 Chloe Valverde HSBA, 2 Charly Jordan HSBA, 3 Morgan Guilarde HSBA, 4 Maya Reeeves La Paz Teen Girls: 1 Tanaia Gonzalez Villa Real, 2 Elissa Bronomelli HSBA, 3 Maia Valverde HSBA, 4 Marcela Garcia Villa Real Teachers: 1 Estefania HSBA, 2 Justin HSBA, 3 Gabby La Paz, 4 Jeranimo HSBA Shannon Vacca, who organized the contest, is looking for sponsors for some of the local kids who want to participate in the Circuito Nacional de Surf Oceans by DayStar 2011. She asks that anyone looking to help these children get in touch with her at Tamarindosurffest@yahoo.com Results Copa Quiksilver - Nosara - April 2, 3, 2011 Open Jair Pérez Luis Vindas David Herrera Gilberth Brown

17.20 17.17 14.67 14.00

Grommet Bruno Carvalho 14.50 Juan C Hernández 13.66 Leonardo Calvo 12.76 Kevin Montiel 9.70

Women Jordan Hundley Nataly Bernold Yessenia Alfaro Jessie Carnes

15.24 14.33 10.37 10.00

Grommet Girls Leilani McGonagle14.34 Selena Moberly 7.20 Cloe Velarde 4.94 Arisha Griotti 4.90

Junior Anthony Fillingim 15.83 Manuel Mesén 14.40 Tomas King 13.53 Noe McGonagle 13.30

Minigrommet Sean Forester Aldo Chirinos Malakai Martínez Sage Guinaldo

Junior Women Jordan Hundley Selena Moberly Kristel Stanley Maia Velarde

14.67 8.30 4.33 4.00

Minigrommet Girls Leilani McGonagle10.67 Emily Gussoni 8.10 Cloe Velarde 4.60

Boys Noe McGonagle Manuel Mesén Tomas King Bruno Carvalho

15.94 13.93 12.40 12.20

8.94 8.54 7.50 4.64

Longboard Cristian Santamaría13.90 Adolfo Gómez 10.34 Jay Culbreth 8.33 Esteban Leitón 7.40

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.

Hidden Garden (from page 19)

recently spent six years living on Isla del Coco, much of it underwater, communing with sharks and other denizens of the deep. His dolphin family appears on page 19. A dramatic HerreĂąo photograph of a hammerhead shark (below) graces the cover of National Geographic magazine for May, 2011.

On Saturdays, from 10 to 2, a vendor fair invites vendors to offer their wares in an informal atmosphere.

Products include natural beauty products; natural repellents; T-shirts and handmade clothing; homemade cheesecakes, peanut butter, chili sauces, yoghurts and goat cheese.

There is far too much art to cover effectively in an article, so go along and see for yourself. Hidden Garden is ďŹ ve kilometers west of the Liberia International Airport, less than an hour from Tamarindo.

Open Tues – Sat 10-4. Tel: 8386-6872 or 8386-6968 or e-mail to hiddengarden@the vanstonegroup.com. Website: hiddengarden.thevanstonegroup.com

Showing Off (from page 12

larger-gaited horses for topes. North American style rodeos are now a common feature in San Carlos, right down to the country music and cowboy duds.

Although breeding and showing the purebred horses is big business, and the horses range from tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars, anyone can find a place to show horses in the diverse horse culture of Costa Rica. The topes are egalitarian for both horse and rider; everyone is encouraged to participate and enjoy the show. Horse and rider show off but are not judged. Other shows of PRE, Costa Rican Pasos, Ibero-Americana, English Riding events, Rodeo, and Paint Shows are held at La Caraña, Pedregal, and smaller venues like Liberia and San Carlos. The horse lover has many opportunities to participate or just watch.

In a clinic at Finca Casagua, Manuel Trigo, a recognized trainer and teacher, defined the three traditional types of higher-level training for horses. Doma Artistica is the traditional higher-level moves typically made famous in the Spanish Riding School of Vienna and Spain. The beautiful Lipizzan stallions, trained in the Artistic style, are an offshoot of the Andalusian horse. Doma Classica is the higher-level training also known as riding English style such as seen in the equestrian events in the Olympics. The final, Doma Vaquero, is the formal higher-level skills of the Spanish vaquero, or cowboy, used in the bull ring and hacienda. Many new types of horse training and events have created an ever-growing list of shows demonstrating a variety of higher-level training skills, from Western cutting horses, pleasure riding and barrel races, to gymkhana and theatric horse shows. In Alajuela, Rancho San Miguel is famous as a breeding farm specializing in champion Pure Raza Español blacks and bays, and now offers an Equestrian Fantasy show for the public, featuring the various styles of riding and versatility of the Spanish horse. In the colorful shows, horse and rider become one and are like sculpted works of art and fine athletes.

The lights dim. Strains of a romantic Spanish guitar flow into an energetic flamenco. In the spotlight the formally dressed rider glides in on his magnificent white stallion. The show begins.

Now Begins the Study of Yoga Back Care - Part I Back pain can be debilitating. It is estimated that 80% of us will experience some kind of back pain in our lifetime. If you already have some pain or problem in your back, regaining length and space in your spine can be the first step to feeling better. In this and next month’s columns, I’ll describe a few simple poses which can help your back start feeling better.

1. Spinal Stretch: Lie on your back, press your feet against a wall and reach your arms away from the wall. Take about 10 breaths, rest, and do again.

2. Reclined Foot to Big Toe Pose I (Supta Padangusthasana I): You’ll need a long strap or belt. Press your left (L) foot into the wall. Bend your right (R) leg and put the strap on the bottom of your R foot. Extend your R leg up, holding the strap with both hands. Open the back of the leg fully (no bend in the knee). Keep your L leg pushing into the wall, press the inner thigh down and keep your toes and knee pointing up. Lift the kneecaps of both legs to activate your quadriceps muscles and stretch your hamstrings.

Keep the sides of your torso equally long, moving the right hip towards the wall to do so.

3. Supta Padangusthasana II. Hold the strap in your R hand, extending your L arm out to the side. Inhale deeply, and on the exhale extend your R leg up and out to the side, aiming your little toes towards the ground. Keep the L thigh and hip pressing down, use a block or low table to support your leg if needed. Hold for 5 breaths. Inhale to bring the leg back up, exhale and release the strap. Switch legs, doing I & II with your L leg in the strap.

4. Put the strap on the bottom of the R foot. Reach your R leg into the air, take the strap into your L hand and extend your R arm overhead on the floor. Inhale, lengthening both side bodies equally, and exhale roll your R leg over to the L side, coming onto the outside of your L hip. If you can, lower the R foot all the way to the floor, or support it, if necessary, on a block. Lift up through your R arm and lower down through the outside of your R hip to traction your spine and R side of your low back. Stay here for 5-10 breaths. Inhale to come up, switch the strap to the bottom of your L foot and do the other side.

We’ll add a few more simple and effective poses next month.

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

Persistence Pays Tom Peifer

The best fertilizer is the footprint of the owner - Confucious

N

ow there’s a tidbit of oriental wisdom with special relevance around this time of year in Guanacaste. In late April, the sun is due overhead, its rays beating down vertically. Desiccating winds stir the dust, capable of sucking the lifeblood out anything. We’re in the “seasonal equivalent of the Sahara” according to ecologist Daniel Janzen. If your footprints aren’t appearing in your landscape on a regular basis, plants can wither and die in the time it takes to go through your e-mail.

I’ll have to admit to a dose of hypocrisy. These days I’m more likely to be found at the computer, or reading ominous predictions of a future with increasingly constrained supplies of energy, water and food. Sources from divergent backgrounds emphasize the desirability of “Thinking globally but growing locally.” It is some solace to this erstwhile grower that I’m often contacted to dispense advice and provide plants for the true heroes of persistence. Even when things are at their driest, these folks have shovels in hand and a planting list prepared.

Long-timers know that the earlier plants go in the ground, the longer they have to get established. Deeper and more extensive root systems need much less water when our six-month spell of wall-to-wall greenery reverts to a seasonal Sahara. They’re keeping things growing while planning ahead, preparing the planting holes and ordering materials ahead of time. They’ll be ready to go with the onset of the life-giving rains, doing their best to expand a personal oasis, greening up Guanacaste, one garden at a time.

Let’s take a virtual tour around our neck of the woods and visit some stellar examples where persistence and planning have paid off.

On top of a windswept knoll near Cañafistula, a site I first visited almost 15 years ago, my old friends Paul and Lee Demming of Tropical House Imports, have been harvesting bananas galore over the past several years. The secret: some drought-resistant varieties from India, selecting a sheltered site, and a bit of water in the dry season. This year they’re planning on expanding the planting and incorporating more evergreen trees upwind from their home site, to provide both fruit and shelter from the force of the Papagayo winds.

Alex Urbaniak, the creative mind behind the Black Stallion Hills project near Villarreal, experienced firsthand the buffering effect of massed bamboo plantings this year. Having wet his finger and paid careful attention to the direction of gusts, he’s contemplating additional plantings, to get both that ‘Balinese look’ and the downwind protection that helps other plants to flourish. The

bamboo does double duty for Alex, furnishing tons of leaf-drop.

It might be a mess for the gardeners but provides an abundant source of nutrients for bananas located downwind.

Let’s pause for a break in our tour of the different island oases of our area. For those folks who are interested in getting bananas, bamboo or other plants to thrive on sloping sites with red soil, these days I’m recommending the following: 1. Lay out a contour line; if you don’t know how, look it up on Google, or give me a call.

2. Dig a trench at least a foot down and mound the soil on the downhill side.

3. Plant your bananas, bamboo, whatever, into the bottom of the trench and then fill it up with any ‘basura’ that is biodegradable.

Leaves, wood scraps, newspapers, you name it. Wind and water will carry more organic material and some soil into what will become a nutrient-rich sponge for the plants to root and bear fruit in. They will also benefit from greater soil moisture, for longer in the season, due to being rooted deeper in the soil profile.

Good luck and let me know how it works. Meanwhile, back to our gallery of local heroes.

In the hills behind Avellanas, as one observer put it, there is more plant-based erosion control along roads than anywhere else in the country. The credit rests with Donny Lalonde, who was loath to see his investment in roadwork washed to the sea with the torrential rains that delivered about 13 feet in 6 months last year.

Not content to rest on his laurels, Donny is doing the legwork for another round of planting. In addition to more vetiver grass on the roads, he has set his sights on restoring the canopy along the main public road through the project. Many of us can recall the ‘tunnel effect’ provided by the canopy over highways in a lot of areas, before the wave of progress brought wider roads, more power lines and piles of kindling in their wake. Donny is looking to plant a mix of trees that flower, bear fruit and provide the welcome shade during the inferno months of the Guanacaste summer. Another oasis coming to a roadside near you, all thanks to persistence and planning.

Closer to my home a smaller, home-size oasis is taking shape.

Having seen so many foreigners abandon their dream of tropical living, it’s gratifying to watch a vision become reality. Casey and Craig Henson, 30 years after homesteading in Vermont, dreamt of a respite from the winter routine; nine months of snow, slush (continued page 32)

by Jeanne Callahan

October F orecasts May F orecasts

Aries: 21 March - 20 April

This month begins with five planets and the moon in your sign, so your energy and plans continue to move forward with more clarity and purpose now that Mercury is in direct motion. Use the time to be assertive in your desires and walk your talk with decisive action. Best days are the 1st, 26th, 27th, and 28th, with the 28th being particularly abundant.

Visit Jeanne’s site at CelestialAdvisor.com

Libra: 23 September - 23 October

Taurus: 21 April - 21 May

Saturn in your sign is still creating restrictions to your progress while you work to fulfill obligations from the past. Partners are still testy and demanding as they do not want to compromise their desires and want you to jump through hoops for them. Think outside the box for solutions and rest.....Saturn will be in direct motion mid-June so you will come out of this slump. The 13th and 14th are your best days.

Gemini: 22 May - 21 June

Work and health issues occupy most of your energy this month with the stellium in Aries in your sixth house.

If you have employees, you will be frustrated by some of them as they don’t want to cooperate with your demands. Be clear in your communications and don’t get into silly arguments. Spend time with your significant other after the 15th. The 15th and 16th are your best days.

You still have some deep soul-searching going on this month as unconscious patterns of self-sabotage are revealed through the middle of the month. Then, as Mars, Venus and Mercury enter your sign you will have favorable experiences.

The last half of the month promises to give you solid foundation for the growth and change coming this summer. The 2nd, 3rd, 29th and 30th offer positive advancement.

Scorpio: 24 October - 22 November

Great month to network and get the word out about your abilities and your business. Find new ways to promote yourself now and through June to reap big rewards. Having a partner would also be an asset to you at this time. Those with writing talent can make big headway with creative ideas at this time. Push yourself and don’t goof off. The 4th, 5th and last half of the 31st hold good vibes for you.

Sagittarius: 23 November - 21 December

This is a solid month for career change and/or gains as the planets in Aries are in your tenth house of profession. Take steps to advance yourself and say yes to all opportunities to speak in public. If you are trying to sell your house, it would be better to wait until after the middle of June to do so when Saturn is in direct motion in your fourth house. The 7th and 8th are your most beneficial days of the month.

The main focus for your energy this month will be surrounding your home, real estate holdings, ancestors and father. This will create a bit of a drain from your professional life until the middle of the month when your attention is freed to explore the new opportunities that are coming in. The 19th, 20th and 21st are days to sign deals.

Cancer: 22 June - 22 July

Leo: 23 July - 23 August

This month holds a lot of potential for creativity, romance, adventure and travel. Give yourself some time off as the people you meet now will be helpful to you in the future. You need a shot of new blood in your life as you’ve been hiding away of late. Avoid high-risk behaviors and activities but do have some fun. The 17th and 18th are good days to begin an adventure.

Capricorn: 22 December - 21 January

Aquarius: 22 January - 19 February

This is a good month for travel abroad, higher education or contact with foreign cultures. If you are considering doing business from another location you will find what you are looking for. Negotiations will fare well at this time as the Aries planets trine your sun sign. Be generous with your time and money if at all possible.

The 9th and 10th are your best days.

Great month for idea generation, writing contracts or signing book deals. There are some restrictions to your activities involving foreign cultures, higher education, and legal issues so make sure you are well-informed if signing a contract comes up. If you want to sell your home, there would be greater interest after the 17th. The 22nd and 23rd are beneficial days for your endeavors to succeed.

Finances, taxes, legal issues and estate matters will occupy a large amount of your time this month as there are critical matters that need your attention. Those in partnerships may find something dissolving for them, or possibly you are just finally willing to let go of an unrealistic idea about your partner. Use the later part of May to take a trip for strictly pleasure, you deserve the break. The 11th and 12th are favorable.

Money and assets are on your agenda this month as some restriction regarding taxes, insurances, wills, and/or unearned income has you making a significant change in how you handle money. Be assertive in asking for what you deserve. The end of the month is a busy time, so do take care while driving as your exposure to incidents on the road increases. The 24th and 25th are your best days.

Virgo: 24 August - 22 September

Pisces: 20 February - 20 March

Namasté

Parents’ Corner Life of Max

W

hen Max enters a room all eyes are set on him; young and old admire his every move and are impressed by every word that he pronounces. When he is hungry, he expects his favorite food to be ready for him; wherever and whenever he feels like dancing, he dances, and everybody watches him and cheers his moves; waitresses in the restaurant blow him kisses, strangers applaud his style. When he gets tired, he expects everything around him to stop; he lies down on his bed, and expects his mom to caress him to sleep... Max is a true Superstar!

Sweet Max, who just celebrated his second birthday, is still in the stage of egocentrism, which is based on “the world revolves around me”, and he doesn’t expect anything other than every desire to be satisfied immediately. We all were like Max once – or we should have been, at least – as it is part of our normal cognitive and emotional development.

According to Swiss developmental psychologist Jean Piaget, egocentrism is the tendency of children to understand their environment only in terms of their own point of view. The degree of egocentrism is directly related to the child’s level of cognitive development. For example, in the infant stage (from birth to age two) children are just learning to recognize and interact with the environment and are thus completely egocentric. In the toddler and preschool stages (from ages two to six) children are able to represent the world to themselves in symbols and images, but are unable to distinguish their point of view from that of others. This ability will start developing between ages six to twelve, when egocentrism gradually decreases, and children are able to visualize a situation from another’s point of view. Empathy, which is the ability to fully “put yourself in somebody else’s shoes”, develops in adolescent years (ages twelve to nineteen), with the development of abstract thinking and the ability to analyze a situation from different perspectives.

As tempting as it may be to live the life of Max for ever, children who have not been appropriately guided through the egocentric stage will inevitably develop severe cognitive and emotional difficulties in their future life. The key for the successful transition from egocentrism to the preoperational stage, and from every stage to the next after that: parents who set appropriate limits, and are consistent about it. Your child will understand that a “no” doesn’t mean rejection, and will eventually make the right association between the “no”, and the limit that you are setting.

Max is beginning to understand and embrace a new joy: sharing with others. His future looks bright!

“From the moment of birth every human being wants happiness and freedom and wants to avoid suffering. In this we are all the same; and the more we care for the happiness of others the greater our own sense of each other becomes.” Dalai Lama

Msc. Mónica Riascos Henríquez Psicóloga – Psicopedagoga Tel. 83589550 consultariascos@live.com

Surviving

C hapter LXXVIII

T

COSTA RICA

he problem with writing about current events is by the time the article gets to you three weeks later it’s already old news. Much of this is caused by our editor’s totally irrational and uncalled-for insistence on a “deadline”. However the gentleman in question has recently redeemed himself by purchasing a brand-new, spanking-clean BlueGene/PSystem500TerraFlops super computer, the largest and most powerful machine of its type which was apparently on sale somewhere.

With the help of our new mega computer we have been able to digitalize certain social dynamic universal factors along with synthesized historical algorithms, and after pressing an impressive amount of buttons we are now able to predict the outcomes of many of today’s (mid-April) top news stories.

News of the World Great Britain as well as the entire world is still reeling from Buckingham Palace’s surprise cancellation of the Royal Wedding when it was revealed that the Crown Prince was still secretly married to Lolly Spice of the “Spice Girls”. After the shock wore off the plucky Brits went back to work producing large numbers of commemorative “Queen Lolly” mugs and salt shakers.

Japanese authorities report that Japan’s beloved monsters are leaving the Tokyo area due to high amounts of radiation.

Godzilla, Gigan, Mothra (and the two attractive tiny women from Mothra Island) recently held a joint news conference and announced plans to move to the United States where they planned to stomp on San Francisco and an “unnamed Midwestern city” to be announced later.

After a massive effort by the aspiring Republican presidential candidates to produce evidence that the current Chief Executive is not who he seems to be, it was revealed that Mr. Obama is a direct

News of the Future in Review Story by Jesse Bishop

descendant of King Kamehameha I, Hawaii’s “George Washington” after whom most of the state’s high schools and road systems are named. In a surprise press conference the President announced he would not seek re-election but would return to his home state of Hawaii to “Be the King”.

fluent Spanish with a solid knowledge of at least fifteen of the twenty-some verb tenses and will be required to crawl on their knees from San José to the cathedral in Cartago. Those interested are invited to go down to the main Immigration office, pick a number and wait forever.

He got out just in time as his chief Republican rival was about to produce absolutely positive proof that the President is actually a Chinese-Jewish-CommunistHomosexual-Transvestite. (writer’s note: I’ve had my suspicions all along!) (writer’s second note, for real this time: Aw go on! I’m just kidding! It’s supposed to be funny! Please don’t hit me).

Greater Metro Tamarindo News In a bid to put Tamarindo on the map the town is enthusiastically embracing its new image as the “Telecommunications Tower Capital of Guanacaste”. No less than twenty towers are currently in the making from the likes of CLARO, RACSA, AT&T, TELEMEXICO, CUBACOM, CHI-COMCOM, and TELECOMCARNE, just to name a few. In an effort to blend in with the community the towers will be painted to resemble local flora, fauna and local celebrities. The “Jaime Peligro Tower” was recently awarded the “Edifice of the Year” at a ceremony attended by many Tele-Tower corporate executives as well as the press.

The Tea Party announced its total support for a Trump/Palin ticket after which the Democrats breathed a sigh of relief.

If I were a Republican I’d vote for Mike Huckabee ‘cos he’s a bass player.

The Democratic front runners are currently Barbara Streisand, Jerry Brown, Al Franken and the recent surprise crossover Newt Gingrich, much to the relief of the Republican Party.

National News MOPT has announced that the new highway to San José (27) is now open.

Oops, no it’s not, it’s closed; apparently they closed it down to repair the rock slides that took out those surfers. Uh, no, it’s open! Wait a minute, I think they had to shut it down again, or was that last week? Maybe it’s either closed or it’s not.

Talks continue on the border situation between Costa Rica and Nicaragua where it was decided that the two presidents would soon meet for “Further Diplomatic Intercourse”. He should be so lucky.

New guidelines were finally issued for issuing the now-highly-coveted “Residency”. Applicants are required to speak

Playa Tamarindo has been issued a “Special Executive Waiver” that has enabled it to completely separate from the Municipalidad de Santa Cruz and call its own shots. Elections were held and the new mayor announced the new “Tamarindo for Tamarindoites” approach to city government. A sheriff was elected whose first official duty was to pleasantly ask the tourist police to leave, after which martial law was declared for “an undetermined time” and undesirable types soon began to mysteriously disappear. Thanks to tax revenues finally going to Tamarindo City Hall the town again began to prosper as all city department heads and their families received a brand-new Toyota Prado every year.

We hope this vision of the future, guaranteed 67% accurate by our new supercomputer, will help you prepare for the forthcoming rest of your life.

What’s in a Name?

Persistence pays. (from page 27) gloomy weather. This dry season they broke ground, built, and are currently putting the finishing touches on a modest home that had the roof on before the early rains. While Craig currently sports the look of someone who has a lifetime membership to a tanning salon, Casey has established the groundwork for an edible landscape. She’s working bamboo and hibiscus into wind and privacy screens and leading roof runoff into a transverse swale. There, bananas will help to further block the house from the road and benefit from the increased moisture. Craig envisions a future in the hammock, in the shade of the roof that he sweated like a dog to get up in record time. Casey, I have no doubt, will be creating and tending a food-producing oasis like none we’ve seen in our part of Guanacaste.

Special this Month! $1.90 per square meter

M a y ( a l l

t i m e s

2 0 1 1 l o c a l )

Sun

1st - rise 5:25; set 5:55 15th - rise 5:22; set 5:58 31st - rise 5:21; set 6:02

New: First quarter: Full: Last quarter:

Moon 3rd 10th 17th 24th

12:51 a.m.

2:33 p.m.

5:09 a.m.

12:52 p.m.

My own personal hero for persistence in gardening is Gregorio Campo, a guy who’s worked for me for more than a decade.

Propelled by his own initiative and informed by the take-home lessons of working with “that crazy gringo,” Gollo has become somewhat of a compost entrepreneur hereabouts. He spends his weekends rounding up cow dung with a handcart, had to struggle to convince his wife to not burn his piles of leaves and has turned his own small yard into a luxurious jungle of edibles, thriving in the compost-enriched soil—patiently developed out of barren hardpan. If Gollo can achieve these results—with zero budget, muscle power and by sticking to it—then there’s hope that Guanacaste can see a daisy chain of life zones sprouting up across the landscape.

Far from the travails of those of us striving to green-up Guanacaste, intellectuals and politicos of every stripe offer up a plethora of opinions in La Nación on the best strategy for Costa Rica to achieve ‘First World” status. (Here’s a juicy one: there is even a faction in ICE that has been lobbying for the eventual construction of a nuclear plant, you know, so we can have all those electronic goodies that the real first world-ers enjoy.) My experience globally is that rural people have a healthy—and well-founded—mistrust of urban politicians and urbane scribes. If you wait for politicians to invent, agree upon and implement a plan that addresses our common future, you’re more than likely to arrive there with a basketful of sound bites, fancy proclamations and empty promises. I’ll place my bets—and my future nutritionally-- on the folks with shovels in hand, an eye on the rains and a landscape full of food, hopefully not too far from the hammock.

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, permaculture and development. www.elcentroverde.org

Around the World ( a news digest)

L

aws you need to know! In Kansas, it is illegal to screech your tires. Fine $500 or imprisonment up to 30 days.

Don’t pee on my tire! In Fort Thomas, KY, it is illegal for your dog to ‘molest’ a vehicle.

In Rockville, MD, it is illegal to swear in hearing of other people.

Fine $100 or up to 90 days in prison.

A New York woman who claimed disability had her alimony cut when her husband saw her belly dancing on an online blogsite and took her to court.

In Beijing, for only a buck fifty you can buy a key ring containing a live fish, lizard or turtle in a bag filled with oxygenated water.

Three billion stamps printed by the U.S. Postal Service, with a picture of the Statue of Liberty, had the wrong statue! They had erroneously used a photo of a replica statue in Las Vegas. A spokesman said they would not recall the stamps, saying “We like this photo better.”

The annual elver-eating contest at Frampton, Gloucestershire, England, has been cancelled because the price of elvers (baby eels) has risen from a dollar a kilo a few years ago to $1,000, due to demand from Japan.

Again in Gloucestershire another ancient tradition, Cheese Rolling Festival, has also been cancelled, as the cost of the event became prohibitive. Round cheeses were rolled down a steep hill, to be captured at the bottom by villagers who rolled down the hill after them.

Asleep on the job! The FAA has launched an investigation into air traffic controllers’ conduct after three incidents of controllers falling asleep and failing to answer pilots’ requests. In one case, two jetliners had to land without tower control at Reagan International in Washington, DC. Catch ‘em young: An Applebee’s Restaurant in Michigan is in trouble after a toddler was served a “sippy cup” of margarita as part of a kids’ meal. His blood level was measured at .10, over the legal limit for adults.

Keeping up with Applebees: Just days later an Olive Garden Restaurant in Florida got a 2-year-old drunk by serving him sangria.

“The gentle reader will never, never know what a consummate ass he can become until he goes abroad.”

Mark Twain

From the Patio: Costa Rica The sun at sunset through and within the glass of wine. The clouds darkening before the under shaft of light. Distant surf whispers below and the Guanacaste trees diminish in the foreground. He knows his joints like an older man; the constant welcome ache of knowing. He longs for nothing. The nothing he already has and the nothing yet to come. Everywhere details are dissolving: the yellow allamanders more and more absorbed in the green, the jagged edges of the cliffs where the sun disappears, softer now. The screech of the white-breasted magpie jay punctures the enveloping indistinctness. It does not delay the dark or hasten the dawn.

Tom Mallouk

1S

2M

3T New Moon 4W

5T

01:36 07:32 13:49 20:03 02:16 08:09 14:26 20:39 02:53 08:46 15:02 21:16 03:31 09:23 15:39 21:52 04:08 10:00 16:16 22:28

7.5 1.3 8.3 0.7 7.8 1.1 8.6 0.4 8.0 0.9 8.8 0.2 8.1 0.8 8.8 0.1 8.2 0.8 8.8 0.1

6F

7S

8S

9M

10T 1st Qtr

04:46 10:38 16:54 23:06 05:25 11:19 17:35 23:46 06:07 12:03 18:19

8.1 11W 0.9 8.7 0.2 8.1 12T 1.0 8.5 0.4 8.0 13F 1.1 8.2

00:30 06:53 12:52 19:08 01:18 07:44 13:47 20:04

0.6 14S 7.9 1.2 8.0 0.8 15S 7.9 1.3 7.6

MAY TIDE CHART

02:12 08:41 14:49 21:06 03:11 09:42 15:54 22:12 04:14 10:44 13:59 23:16 05:16 11:44 18:00 00:17 06:15 12:40 18:57

1.0 7.9 1.3 7.5 1.1 8.2 1.1 7.6 1.0 8.5 0.8 7.9 0.7 8.9 0.3

16M

17T Full Moon 18W

19T

8.2 20F 0.4 9.4 -0.2

01:13 07:12 13:34 19:51 02:07 08:06 14:25 20:42 02:58 08:58 15:16 21:31 03:49 09:48 16:05 22:20 04:39 10:39 16:54 23:08

8.7 0.1 9.8 -0.6 9.0 -0.1 10.1 -0.9 9.3 -0.3 10.1 -0.9 9.4 -0.2 10.0 -0.8 9.3 0.0 9.6 -0.5

21S

22S

23M

24T Last Qtr 25W

05:29 11:29 17:44 23:56 06:19 12:21 18:35

9.3 26T 0.0 9.6 -0.5 8.8 27F 0.8 8.5

00:45 07:11 13:14 19:27 01:36 08:05 14:10 20:23 02:28 08:59 15:09 21:21

0.4 28S 8.4 1.3 8.0 0.9 29S 8.1 1.7 7.5 1.4 30M 7.8 1.9 7.1

31T

03:23 09:54 16:08 22:20 04:18 10:48 17:05 23:17 05:11 11:38 17:57

1.7 7.7 2.0 6.9 2.0 7.7 1.9 6.9 2.0 7.8 1.7

00:10 06:01 12:25 18:44 00:58 06:48 13:09 19:27

7.0 3F 2.0 8.0 1.4 7.3 4S 1.8 8.2 1.1

1W June New Moon 2T

01:43 07:32 13:51 20:08 02:25 08:15 14:32 20:48 03:06 08:56 15:13 21:27 03:46 09:38 15:54 22:07 04:26 10:20 16:35 22:47

7.5 1.6 8.5 0.7 7.8 1.4 8.7 0.5 8.1 1.2 8.9 0.3 8.3 1.0 9.0 0.1 8.5 0.9 9.0 0.1