Volume 20, No. 2
February 2015
Issue No. 219
Founded 1996
THE HOWLER Ced. Juridica: 3-101-331333
FEATURES
Publisher, editor and production David Mills
dmills@racsa.co.cr Tel: 4702-5771 8323-2795 Howler • Mono Congo
8 Dining Out
Different name, different game. Latitude Blue serves tapas and main dishes of seafood, pastas, grilled meats in plentiful servings.
14 Around Town
CONTRIBUTORS JEANNE CALLAHAN JESSE BISHOP MARY BYERLY ROBERT AUGUST KAY DODGE LYNDA ESPADA
ELLEN ZOE GOLDEN TONY OREZ TOM PEIFER JEFFREY WHITLOW BARBARA DEPPE SUSAN SMITH
Deadline for March: February 15 Howler advertising
The Howler offers a wide range of advertising sizes and formats to suit all needs. Contact David Mills • dmills@racsa.co.cr
Advertising rates & sizes Size 1/8 1/4 Banner 1/2 Full
Dimensions (cms) Width Height 9.4 9.4 19.2 9.4 19.2 19.2
x x x x x
6.15 12.70 6.15 25.80 12.70 25.80
Openings, closings, parties, music. The Gold Coast has it all, and bar-hoppin’ David is in the groove.
15 Surf Report
Guanacaste Circuito de Surf - interview; Costa Rican surfing awards; Costa Rica wins Central America Surfing games - again.
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Surviving Costa Rica
Our columnist bemoans the items of comfort which are not available in Costa Rica, such as left-handed pianos and screwdrivers.
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The Silent Forest
The weather is this month’s topic together with fracking, the price of gas, and the fiestas in Santa Cruz.
Price $ 100 140 140 230 400
Discounts For 6 months, paid in advance, one month is deducted. For 12 months, paid in advance, two months are deducted.
DEPARTMENTS 10 CD Review
30 Word Puzzle
11 Book Review
34 February Forecasts
12 August Odysseys
36 Yoga
17 Dharma Corner
40 Sun & Moon
29 Shape Up
42 Tide Table
Ads must be submitted on CD or e-mail attachment, JPG or PDF format at 266 dpi, at the appropriate size (above). 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: Seven Cave Bar and Grill Cover Photo: David Mills Cover Design: David Mills
Happy Valentine’s Day
Southwest Airlines are to run a flight from Baltimore-Washington Intl. to San José, flying 737-300 jets with capacity of 143. Southwest president claims that fares could be as low as $130 each way. •
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Coriport, the administrator of Liberia Airport, tells us that arrivals in 2014 rose by 15%. Arrivals in 2013 were 684,142, in 2014 they were 789,467. •
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This month we reintroduce a feature from years ago – Local Heroes. There are many people in our communities who do good work for others, and we will feature them in our columns. If you know of any, please submit their name, and story, to me or to Maureen Thompson (8310-5188 or costaricamom@gmail.com). Read about our first hero on page 24. •
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We have heard that water rationing is to be implemented soon in Tamarindo – and the dry season has just started. It is up to everyone to save water – when it’s gone, it’s gone. See the column on page 18 for hints on how to save it. •
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I wonder when the entrepreneurs are going to look into desalination as a solution to decreasing water supply. When you realize that such plants are big enough to supply water to large cities - 50 million gallons per day in San Diego - or units small enough to supply a submarine, they must be available for small towns, or even hotels. The technology is not new, and it needs just two components to make it work – salt water and electric power (or solar power) – both of which we have in large quantities. Come on, you geniuses, let’s get it done.
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Latitude Blue is a very spiffed-up Nibbana, with many changes implemented by owners Mike Holly, Karla Klotz and Craig Darby. We ate on a Friday night in the height of the season, with the wait staff rushed off their feet, but we had a fire show a music show to pass the time For openers there are three soups and six salads, Caesar, Helena, Southwest, Thai, Greek and Garden. For those who want something simple there is a sandwich menu with wraps and burgers, or typical Costa Rican dishes of arroz con pollo, or camarones con pollo.
A very wide selection of tapas include many that won’t be on the usual menu, such as coconut shrimp, tortilla chips, dip of spinach & artichoke, pig’s feet, onion rings, sliders, fried avocado, jalapeno poppers, squid, pinchos of dorado, ceviche, bruschetta, scallops. We opened with tuna tartare and a pot of mussels, plentiful and succulent. A pizza menu features eight of the regular favorites, but add your ingredients as you go at a small price. There are also seven pasta, risotto and curry dishes. For a fish selection there are fisherman’s dinner for two, grilled lobster, royal Pacific skewers, shrimp Nibbana, grilled red snapper, sea bass. My companion had the catch of the day, a filet of dorado. For the carnivores amongst us there are ribeye steak, filet mignon and pork chop in a mushroom sauce. I had the pork ribs, a huge serving of five ribs, falling off the bone, in spicy sauce. Dessert, totally unneeded after those ribs, was volcano cake and ice cream. Latitude Blue is on Tamarindo’s main street. Telephone: 2653-2222. Open seven days; all credit cards accepted.
The Condor Lodge Hotel is situated 800mts from Playa Conchal. We have 18 rooms – air-conditioned, private bathroom, hot water, queen bed. Our main building has a swimming pool for adults and children with the most beautiful panoramic view of Conchal Beach, Flamingo Beach and Potrero Beach. Our bar and restaurant has a varied menu and drinks, and we have the best pizza in the area. Our hotel is surrounded by a great quantity of secondary forest that transforms it into a special place to rest. However, in our area you have the possibility of activities such as deep-sea and inshore fishing, diving, snorkeling, canopy, mountain bike, horse riding, etc. OUR HOTEL CONDOR LODGE IS YOUR BEST CHOICE TO RELAX AND ENJOY!
CD Review
Tony Orez
Garifuna Soul
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hroughout their four-hundredyear history, the Garifuna people have earned a reputation for their sense of pride in their unique community. Created in the early Seventeenth Century when the survivors of two sinking slave ships swam to the Belizean shore and began cohabitating with the indigenous Arawat tribe, the Garifuna became a culture unto itself, unlike any other. They were persistent in keeping outside influences at a distance, which helped maintain a closeknit society, complete with a unique language. Today, less than two thousand people in Central America speak Garifuna as a primary language and the numbers are diminishing. Garifuna music has become a wonderful vehicle to help preserve the culture on a whole and to put it on a world stage. A predominant voice in a new generation of its musicians has been Aurelio Martínez, whose project Garifuna Soul is a nice microcosm of the culture. The project is in continual flux, with a variety of talented people making contributions at different junctures in time. Martínez has released an album by the same name, which is also a reflection of the ever-changing project. Recorded for the storied Stonetree Records label out of Belize, Aurelio has utilized a number of musicians, including a few lead vocalists other than himself, to allow every participant to put their own signature on the work. Aurelio Martínez was born near La Ceiba, Honduras in Plaplaya, a small town that still has no electricity. By the age of six, he was playing percussion in front of live audiences. He built his own guitar at the age of eight and moved to La Ceiba at fourteen to study music. Traditionally, Garifuna music is played at social functions or contains lyrics that revolve around the citizens or events in a community. Garifuna Soul is a nice slice of that lifestyle. Drawing on his musical family and heritage as major influences, Martínez has endeavored to modernize the music, even including a little Spanish guitar that “seeps” into the mix. Using no less than twelve different musicians for this collection of traditional and original scores, Garifuna Soul strikes a nice balance. Prevalently featured on the disc is Rolando “Chiche Man” Sosa, playing guitar, bass, percussive instruments, saxophone and providing background vocals. Stonetree’s founder Ivan Duran contributes sideman work on a variety of guitars, including the Maya K’ekchi’ guitar. The album was recorded at Sandy Beach Resort in Hopkins Village in Belize and the comfortable surroundings permeate into the music. The lyrics are personal and touching, with topics ranging from a son sitting on a beach at sunset, awaiting the return of his father, to a town festival, and even death itself (“When I die, sing me my song/So that I may go, never to return for a verse/So this is how the sun sets”). Aurelio Martínez has a real sense of community. He is the first Garifuna to be elected to the Honduran congress and takes great pride in representing the indigenous people in that country who formerly had no voice in their government. His pride in his community is also apparent in his musical work. “Garifuna Soul” and all Stonetree CDs are available at Jaime Peligro in Playa Tamarindo, where they will gladly sample the music for their customers.
Book Review
Tony Orez
Cafe de Costa Rica
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osta Rica has gained a world-renowned reputation for the outstanding quality and flavors of its coffees. Indeed, Costa Rica can boast that it is as unique, diverse and widespread as any other top-ranking coffee producer in the world. But how did this happen? Recently, ICAFE published “Café de Costa Rica / Costa Rican Coffee”, a pictorial and written history of the evolution of coffee in Costa Rica. The text is written in both English and Spanish, side by side. I feel it is an important book because it dissects, analyses the history of coffee here from many different angles and it does so in a way that does not take a scientist to understand. The book opens with brief explanation about the geological construction of the land itself that allows it to be an ideal coffee-growing region. I found this highly interesting. The book segues into the condition of the people at the time, their basic isolation, that also welcomed this new crop and income. The history and evolution of coffee production here proceeds, with individual chapters dedicated to regions of growth. In this way, it reminds me of the grape industry in the Napa Valley, where I am from, and how unique growing techniques and micro-climates help produce a variety of qualities in the fruit. The photography by Luciano Capelli captures the mood impeccably, the true Tico spirit of its people, the breathtaking landscape. The curators who provided historic photos, Central Bank Museum, who provided the unique vintage coffee stamps and Alvaro Castro Harrington who allowed the use of his incredible correo/café stamp collection, I feel, reveal the collective national pride in the history of coffee in Costa Rica. The subtitle for the book is “El Espiritu de una Nacion / The Spirit of a Nation” and I believe this small phrase encompasses the importance of coffee in this small Central American country and the social impact it has had. Unlike the banana exploitation that occurred here and throughout Central America by outside companies, coffee in Costa Rica has been grown from the grass-roots level, by local landowners and businessmen. It’s the Costa Rican way. It helped implement the country to become a democracy. As Yazmin Ross and Jaime Gamboa, the authors of this book, are quick to point out, “Independence and coffee arrived hand in hand” to Costa Rica. Costa Rica’s famous El Teatro Nacional, the erection of its first university and for its capitol to become the fourth city of its size to be illuminated electrically, after only Paris, New York and London, are direct results of the coffee production here. The same can be said of the completion of its crossnational train system. The visual presentation: the breath-taking photos, the historic memorabilia, along with the complete overview of the text present a stunning result. The impact of coffee in Costa Rica has been a huge contributor to the evolution of its people. There have been books in the past about coffee, about the people, about the history of Costa Rica. But none has hit the “tuning fork” like this one. Congratulations to all the people involved on this team effort! “Café de Costa Rica” is available at Jaime Peligro book store.
August Odysseys
Robert August kristenmattoxbrown@gmail.com
Follow Your Passion
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fter realizing that pursuing a career as a dentist was not my calling and that I wanted to spend my life in the surfing world, I got a job as a salesman at Jacobs in Hermosa Beach. At the time Jacobs was the largest manufacturer of surfboards and the shop had good vibes. The guys shaping in the back were very good, among them Donald Takayama and Hap Jacobs. I was just mesmerized watching them take a piece of foam and transform it into a surfboard. The shaping part of a surfboard is what gives the board its personality and style. I would just watch and watch and I really wanted to do it. But how do you learn? How do you start practicing on a blank? A piece of foam is expensive! You obviously are not going to be very good at the beginning. Being the salesman, I had an idea of what I could sell: a belly board, which was before the boogie board. My idea was to approach Hap Jacobs and tell him that I would make these boards and then I could sell them. He wouldn’t have to pay me until I sold the boards. After an OK from Jacobs, I then ordered reject blanks and cut them in half. Each blank was 10ft long and after cutting it in half, one end was super thick and the other end super thin. It was good practice because I really had to create something out of this irregular piece of foam. It was a long process to reshape this piece of foam. From start to finish, I used the power planer (which we still use today), so spending all this time I really learned the tools for shaping. The boards had nice professional glass jobs on them with a fin. Being the salesman, as soon as a kid walked in the door with his parents, I would walk them straight over and show them these belly boards. Soon after getting experience shaping belly boards, one of the shapers in the back decided to move to Australia as there was a void in shaping production there. All the good boards were coming out of California back then. I just begged and begged Hap to give me a chance. I would get up at daylight and shape and shape until the store opened at noon. It took me all day to make one board because Jacobs was picky and it had to be perfect. Whatever I didn’t finish I would go back to finish after the store closed. I loved it. The work was very physical and there was lots of dust and noise. I got to where I could shape pretty good and I stopped being a salesman. I soon was shaping 2-3 boards a day and getting paid $11 a board. That does not sound like much, but gas was twenty cents a gallon and I was paying $50 a month in rent in Hermosa Beach. As the years went by I got pretty good shaping and I had good visibility from the “The Endless Summer”, so I moved back to Huntington Beach and opened a retail store on Main Street using my name. Flash forward to today and I still enjoy the heck out of it. I now am shaping a couple of boards here and there at Witch’s Rock Surf Camp and getting great glass work from Juan Diego. It is still dusty and noisy, but I love it.
dmills@racsa.co.cr
Celso Borges, capped 70 times for Costa Rica, will play the 2015 season at Deportivo la Coruña, Spain. He leaves Swedish club AIK Solina.
Real Madrid forward Cristiana Ronaldo has been named World Footballer of the Year, after he won the third Ballon d’Or award. He was also presented with a pair of gold-inlaid diamond-encrusted boots by Nike, his sponsor. His achievements included 61 goals; he has 142 million followers on social media. The draw for the lowest-qualifying teams in CONCACAF took place Jan. 15. The first step towards the World Cup in Russia in 2018 sees Costa Rica, Mexico, United States, Honduras, Panama and Trinidad entering in Round 4.
Physical and Electronic Security Advice • Design • Construction and Implementation of Security Systems. • CCTV systems • Intrusion Systems • Assault Buttons • Restructuring CCTV Systems • Cable Structured for data • Active and Passive Systems • Information System Security
Asesoría • Diseño • Construcción e Implementation de Sistemas de Seguridad
• Sistemas de CCTV & Intrusion • Botones de Asalto • Venta de equipo Activo y Pasivo • Sistemas de Seguridad en Informatica
Seguridad Fisica • Electronica Guardaespaldas Physical Security & Bodyguard
• Bilingual officers • Security for industry & commerce
Playa Flamingo
Center Commercial Playa Flamingo Tel: (506) 2654-6267 / (506) 2654-6265 controlguanacaste@corporacionseguridad.net
AROUND TOWN Pick up your Howler every month at Supermercado Massai in Flamingo, the best in the zone with a great variety of national and international products. Open Monday – Saturday 8am - 9pm; Sunday 9am to 5pm. See ad page 13. Do you need a uniform with embroidered logo? Kapricho Creativos in Huacas has a great selection of products for your business – hats, shirts, polos and much more. See ad page 11. Rosty Seguridad private electronic and physical security for all your security needs – advice, design, construction and implementation of CCTV needs. See ad page 13. Open to the public! Hotel and Restaurant Condor Lodge!! Pool, restaurant and brick oven pizza, with great ocean views. Come visit in Matapalo!! See ad page 9. Es el momento de ampliar los servicios en su spa – Provell Soluciones Médicas le ofrece equipos estéticos de alta calidad y última tecnología. Visite nuestra web www.provellcr.com. See ad on page 21. Don’t be a statistic. Learn how to identify rip currents – be ready. See article on page 25. Every Tuesday enjoy the Famous Salsa Night at Maluco Caipirinha Lounge, behind Patagonia del Mar, Tamarindo, with live bands. Stand-up comedy show at Maluco Caipirinha Lounge, Friday & Saturday, 6/7 February, with the Mixed Nuts Theatre Group. Presale tickets at Jaime Peligro. Everyone is invited to join us at the La Paz Farmer’s Market every Wednesday from 3:00pm – 6:00pm. Many local vendors will be providing a variety of fruits, vegetables, fish, eggs, tea, vegan treats, spices, jewelry, artisan soap and much more. Interested vendors please email ferialapaz@lapazschool.org In Playa Potrero is a new Supermarket - MerKdo - in the old Vista Verde, now Centro Comercial Pacifico. New administration. Locales available for rent. See ad page 41. Seven Restaurant in Playa Grande open daily 8am to 2:30am. Offering comida tipica, seafood, pasta, pizza. “we have BBQ three days a week after 6pm, and a free boat ride from Tamarindo. Please make a reservation.” Wilbert and Karina (see ad page 33). Natural Pacific is a distributor of Italian products - for a visit from Raffaela Franze, call 8353-1696, Paseo del Mar, Huacas.
Surf Report Ellen Zoe Golden ellenzoe@aol.com
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n its second year, the Circuito Guanacasteco de Surf presented by Creatures joins the Puerto Viejo Pro and the Triple Crown of Nosara in localized contests once more. Last year organizers purported that the GCS would allow youngsters to get a taste of competition and, if it suited them, allow them to adapt the skills necessary to join the big boys in the countrywide Circuito Nacional de Surf. Additionally, the seasoned pros could compete in our area, which would promote the idea that this province has world-class waves. By the end of the first go-around in 2014, it appeared that both of those goals were accomplished. Officially they state: “Our mission is to encourage youth surfing and social interactions with friendship and good sportsmanship in a competitive environment. As well as invite the best surfers in the nation to our events to demonstrate the highest level of surfing in Costa Rica to our youngest competitors, and the future of surfing: Dolphins.” Now, in December, the Copa Witch’s Rock went off without a hitch and happily the waves cooperated. At 5 to 6 feet, and glassy with offshores all day, the contest had the perfect swell for Tamarindo. Angelo Bomelli won the Open. Kalani Abrahao won the Dolphins, the push-in category. “It’s one of the first tournaments I’ve done in Tamarindo with a high quality of waves, I was surprised at how perfect they were, especially since Tama is known for its small waves that are not very strong,” said Bonomelli. “The waves remained like this until the Finals, which were very difficult with Tomas, Jason and Michael.”
At the helm was Toni Vandewalle, one of the founders of the Circuito Guanacasteco de Surf. We chatted a bit about the growth of the tournament, among the notable changes being the full support of the Federación de Surf de Costa Rica, which organizes the Circuito Nacional de Surf, among other big contests around the country—and is backed by ICODER (Instituto Costarricense del Deporte y la Recreación). Toni Vandewalle: I would like to start with saying that CGS team started with Chelsea Lisaius and myself. Chelsea is doing most of the hard fieldwork and is the contest tabulator and administrative force. We have a team of young people, Ticos who work hard to run the contests, because there are many tasks and logistics. I want to make very clear that for me this is not a money-making business and I will never ever take a dollar from CG. I donate my time and energy to CGS for 3 simple reasons: 1. I want to give back to surfing, a sport that has changed my life 2. I want to give back to the Costa Rican community, a country I visited in 1993. I came on vacation for a long time, and then moved here 6 years ago and now am a resident. It’s an amazing country with amazing people 3. I wanted local contest for Dean (his son) and his friends to compete in. This year 2 other great guys with the same philosophy joined us: Freddie Wiggins and Josh Babyak. Both have helped and contributed enormously with CGS 2015. Ellen Zoe Golden: What would you say was the biggest accomplishment from last year’s Circuito Guanacasteco de Surf? TV: We are very, very proud that in our startup year we had between 100 to 170 registrations at each event! I would say that starting from
scratch our team managed to get better and better with each contest and we pulled off good quality events. Basically trying to make our contest as customer- or surfer-friendly as possible. With good consistent judges, starting on the dot at 7:00 a.m., respecting schedules, posting heat schedules for the day, and giving prizes within 30 minutes of last heat so everybody can go home early on Sunday, etc. Besides that we are very proud that we are the only contest that has a Dolphin category where parents can push in the littlest kids. We had enormous success with this and up to 30 kids participating. We had good venues but too many in Tamarindo to be a real Guanacaste series. EZG: What is the most prominent difference with this year? TV: 1. We improved our venues dramatically and I dare to say we have the best venues in Costa Rica to hold contests. We reduced Tamarindo events from three last year to one and the other venues are world class: Marbella, Santa Teresa, Avellanes and Playa Negra. Unfortunately MINAE did not allow us on Playa Grande and we could not find a local sponsor in Nosara. 2. A very big change is that all our events are now PRO AM with prize money for Open, Junior and Women. The reason is that we are getting the best surfers in the country to motivate and encourage the youngest kids (Dolphins) and upcoming talents (Groms, Boys, Girls, etc). So we are basically promoting both extremes; the pros and very best and the youngest, with everything in between. 3. Our goal is to keep improving our service to the surfer community. Therefore, we developed a website with online registration as well as live registration. (check surfcgs.com/register.com), and free download of official pictures. 4. We moved Dolphins to a one-day event on a separate podium; this way we can run their contest in 3-4 hours and parents really appreciate that. We also have the Masters the same day, because many of the dads compete in that category. 5. We improved our equipment; better horn and flags, a trailer to go to contest. 6. We are endorsed by the Federación de Surf de Costa Rica and have a very good relationship. 7. We are continuously seeking to improve: for the upcoming contests we will have pro announcer during the contest. Carlos Brenes, who is working for CNS, will be our announcer from Marbella on. He also takes care of our press releases after each contest. 8. We are always looking for the extra to give back and fulfill our mission. For example, we are organizing cheap bus transport and lodging for the contest in Santa Teresa to give opportunities to less fortunate kids to travel and compete. EZG: The price of inscriptions has gone up this year. Do you still offer scholarship for the local Tico kids who may not be able to afford it at the price set? TV: The price has not gone up for the amateur categories; it’s still $20. It has gone up for the Open, Women’s, and Junior because there is $2,500 prize. There is a membership added of $30 for which surfers get a t-shirt and access to official pictures, a feature we are still working on. And yes, we still offer 10 guaranteed free registrations to CEPIA and if we have open spots we accept more. This is mentioned on our website Surfcgs.com EZG: Who do you see as standout surfers from your contest? TV: Obviously the guys and girls on the podium but a special mention to Angelo Bonomelli, Thomas King, and Jason Torres. They showed a very high level of surfing to the Tamarindo crowd.
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By Nancy Cobb and Susan Adams
igh above, in the treetops of Tamarindo, Howler monkeys start their day with roaring barks that can travel up to 20 miles, warning others to stay out of their feeding territory. Replies from other troops can be heard echoing through the hills. Howlers, who make up the entire monkey population of Tamarindo, are the loudest and largest monkeys of Central and South America. Few may realize that Howlers sustain themselves completely on trees. Their diet is ninety-eight per cent leaves, enhanced by seasonal flowers, buds and seeds. The same leaves provide one hundred per cent of their drinking water. But the leaves are hard to digest, so the monkeys spend a lot of time lounging among the treetops, sleeping and grooming each other in their resting site while their bodies absorb the nutrients. They sleep among the boughs of the trees eighteen hours each day. During droughts such as we’ve experienced during the past three years, combined with continuous development, the scarcity of leaves forces them to the ground in search of water, leaving them vulnerable to dog attacks, electrocutions, and being run over by cars.
(continued page 19)
Dharma Corner
Sue Smith
No Coming, No Going
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n the past month there have been three poignant reminders to me of why it is so important that we live in the present moment. These reminders have been in the passing of a cousin, 18 years old, in a car crash; the passing of a beautiful 4-year-old child of a friend, in his sleep; and the passing of my husband’s eldest sister, 87 years of age. Death, as we call it, is no respecter of age. That is why each present moment is so important. “Living in the now” has become almost a pop culture phrase these days, but truly, right now is all we have for sure… moment to moment. Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, was asked about what happens in the after-life. He steadfastly refused to answer, explaining that if we live our lives guided by love and compassion for all sentient beings, the after-life would take care of itself. It is the love and life that we share in each moment that matters..all that matters. The following poem or contemplation is for all those in our community and elsewhere, who may have also experienced the transition of someone recently. It is taken from the book “Chanting from the Heart” by Thich Nhat Hanh and the Monks and Nuns of Plum Village. This body is not me I am not limited by this body. I am life without boundaries. I have never been born, And I have never died. Look at the ocean and the sky filled with stars, Manifestations from my wondrous True Mind. Since before time, I have been free. Birth and death are only doors through which we pass, sacred thresholds on our journey. Birth and death are a game of hide and seek. So laugh with me, hold my hand, let us say good-bye, to meet again soon. We will meet today. We will meet again tomorrow. We will meet at the source every moment. We meet each other in all forms of life. Namaste Pura Vida Sangha, a sangha in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh, meets on Mondays at 4:00 PM. For information contact meditationcostarica@gmail.com
Save Water!
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Some helpful tips
he water supply situation is getting serious, particularly in the areas of the country not served by piped water. Already, cisternas are making the trip into Tamarindo, much earlier than last year. There is talk already about water rationing in town. While we have no control over the supply and distribution of our water, we do have an enormous say on how it is used when it comes from our tap. Here are a few tips which will help you reduce your water consumption. There are many more, and most of them are a matter of common sense. To check if your toilet has a silent leak put a few drops of food colouring in your tank, wait half an hour and if the colour has appeared in the bowl you have a quiet leak and all you need is a new flapper. It’ll save its cost in a week. If you have to empty the kettle of water, and it’s cool, throw it on the garden or on house plants. Watch the water level on the washing machine. Don’t use the high setting for a small load. If you use the sprinkler to cool off, place it where the lawn, or plants, need the water. Water the garden in late afternoon when winds have died down and the sun is not so hot. When choosing or replacing fixtures use a dual flush system. It has two flush options: a half-flush for liquid waste and a fullflush for solid waste. Do not use running water to brush your teeth or shave. This can save four gallons a minute. Check the shower head. A WaterSense shower head, or urinal or faucet can save thousands of gallons in a year. Have a plumber reroute your grey water to the garden. Don’t wash dishes under running water. Fill one bowl with hot, the other with cold water. Steam vegetables instead of boiling them. They retain their nutrients and taste much better too. Collect the water you use for washing vegetables and fruit, and use it to water the garden. Call AyA (2653-1600) if you see a leak in the open. It’s up to you. Let’s save water.
(from page 16 Here’s how you can help! SalveMonos Tamarindo for ten years has worked to provide bridges so monkeys can travel above electrical wires, coordinated with the local electrical company to insulate wires and transformers at a cost, and reforest where possible in developed monkey zones. Refuge for Wildlife in Nosara rescues, rehabilitates and releases monkeys. Injured monkeys from Tamarindo are taken here. Your donations go directly to these two organizations and have 501C3 tax status. Mark your calendar for these dates! Facebook Tamarindo’s Original Residents hotmail.com
OwlHumm@
If love is blind, why is lingerie so popular? Author Unknown
Sistemas de Riego
Irrigation Systems
If you are a U.S. Citizen or Resident and you invest, work or live in a foreign country Do not fall into the IRS Trap Because you are abroad, you may have some additional IRS filling requirements. Failure to meet these requirements could cost you thousands of dollars! Banking and Other Investment Accounts If the total value of all your foreign bank accounts worldwide exceeds $10,000.00 (for even one minute of one day) you must report these accounts on the Report of Foreign Bank Accounts, also known as the FBAR. This includes any accounts you have signature authority over even if you do not own the account. The form does not carry any tax and is easy to file, but failure to do so is not easy to resolve. The interest or dividends you received during the year must be included on your individual tax return. See FinCEN Form 114. Foreign corporations If you are an officer, director, or more than a 10% stock holder of a foreign corporation, you are required to attach an additional set of forms to your tax return. The amount of information that you must supply on these forms depends on the amount of your ownership in the corporation and your position with the company. Failure to file this form can result in a variety of fines and penalties that can reach anywhere from tens of thousands to millions of dollars. You must file this form even if the corporation does not do business or make a profit. In some countries, it is customary to own personal assets in a corporation. These corporations do not conduct business and exist solely to own personal assets. These corporations must still be reported to the IRS by filing Form 5471. Statement of Specified Foreign Financial Assets Another recent form for reporting your financial assets is Form 8938. On this form you will report all of your foreign financial assets, such as: • Financial accounts maintained at financial institutions outside the United States, such as bank accounts, investment accounts and mutual funds; • Stocks, bonds or other securities issued by a non-U.S. person and not held through an investment account; • Any interest in a foreign entity, such as a foreign corporation, foreign partnership, or foreign trust; • Any financial instrument or contract that has an issuer or counterparty that is not a U.S. person. Much of the information on this form will already be reported on the FBAR or Form 5471, but you will need to report it again on this form. If you report it once but miss it on this form, you can still be subject to a $10,000.00 penalty! Costa Rica Phone: (506) 2288-2201 Panama Phone: (507) 836-5714 U.S. Phone: (786) 206-9473 E-Mail: USTax@lawyer.com Web: ustaxinternational.com
Christmas for All
Local Heroes
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We specially thank Country Day School, Reserva Conchal homeowners association, La Paz school, Educarte, Judy Sherril, Alex Hill, Black & White Party and many other people who donated food and time for this party! The next time is delivering school supplies, uniforms and shoes to all these kids on January 26 so they can start of the new school year.
Our first feature is about Barbara from Flamingo and who runs Barbara’s pet rescue. Barbara came here twenty years ago from Germany and immediately saw a need to help rescue poor animals that were injured, abandoned or abused. Over the years Barbara has helped rescue thousands of animals and prevents thousands more from being born through her spay and neuter clinics. Some of these animals are sick with no one to provide medicine or treatment for them. Some have been abandoned and found wondering around so skinny they could barely stand and others are senselessly tortured or abused. One poor dog had his ears cut off; another in her care now was dragged behind a car.
EPIA together with the group “Una Navidad para todos” (A Christmas for all) invited 350 children and parents from poor backgrounds to the annual Christmas party at the Huacas community salon. The event was a huge joyful party with bouncy houses, trampolines, clowns, music by Avelino, break dance, food and many gifts!
Thank you for your generosity and solidarity! Keep supporting CEPIA, we need you.www.cepiacostarica.org Facebook: CEPIA Costa Rica
ome people donate their time, energy and money to help improve the lives of people and animals in our community while never seeking recognition for themselves. We want to start a new column in the Howler where we take the time to recognize these amazing people and thank them for improving our lives and the community.
She not only helps dogs and cats but any animal in need of help. She rehabilitates them and then releases them back to their natural habitat. There is no animal Barbara has not helped including snakes, pizotes, squirrels, monkeys, raccoons. You name it and it has found its way to Barbara’s. A group of friends have decided to help Barbara by hosting a fundraiser at Tikis restaurant at the main corner in Brasilito, Sunday March 15th at 3:00. The cost is free and there will be a silent auction, raffle, 50/50 draw, music, food and drink specials. as well a portion of the day’s sales will be donated to Barbara. Please come and support this worthwhile cause, or if you cannot make the fundraiser but want to help Barbara please donate to tierrefuerbarbaraforanimals@gmail.com.
Love is a game that two can play - and both win. Eva Gabor
If you know a special person in our community that goes above and beyond to make our community a better place, please submit their name and story to Maureen Thompson at Costaricamom@ gmail.com.
ADIT Updates The Association is starting strong with the recycling campaign, every other Tuesday (13th & 27th of Jan; 10th & 24th of February) the ADI representatives will be in front of Banco Nacional to collect the community’s recyclable materials (paper, plastic, glass, cardboard, aluminum & tetra brick). Please log on to our Facebook page to see the specifications. Let’s Reduce, Reuse & Recycle!
Don’t Be a Statistic
Learn to Identify Rip Currents
Tamarindo has life guards! Finally Tamarindo has life guards, they have been working hard this holiday season, in December alone having around 25 rescues. Now they are working on prevention, by informing people how to get out of a rip tide and teaching them where they are. Oneida Park is getting cleaned up! Come help out with our Park Clean Up! We are cleaning the park Sunday, Feb. 8th! We need to strip things down to the “bare bones” and clean up all trash and depreciated equipment, signage, basic tree trimming. If you would like more information on the projects the Asociation is working on or how to donate you can email us at aditamarindo@gmail.com or follow are facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AsociacionDeDesarrolloIntegralPla yaTamarindo?ref=br_tf
ode to nick giammalvo & louis malle atlantic city a lemon in a window pane washes away her fish smell bare arms in a casino tempting lady luck eating taffy & learning to love in atlantic city with nick and louis malle nick and louis malle in atlantic city
written by geretta geretta from “Pardon me while I eat my young” a collection of 100 poems and verses
R
ip currents are the leading surf hazard for all beachgoers. They are particularly dangerous for weak or non-swimmers. Rip current speeds are typically 1-2 feet per second. However, speeds as high as 8 feet per second have been measured--this is faster than an Olympic swimmer can sprint! Thus, rip currents can sweep even the strongest swimmer out to sea. Over 100 drownings due to rip currents occur every year in the United States. More than 80% of water rescues on surf beaches are due to rip currents. How to Identify Rip Currents Look for any of these clues: a channel of churning, choppy water an area having a notable difference in water color a line of foam, seaweed, or debris moving steadily seaward a break in the incoming wave pattern None, one, or more of the above clues may indicate the presence of rip currents. Rip currents are often not readily or easily identifiable to the average beachgoer. For your safety, be aware of this major surf zone hazard. Polarized sunglasses make it easier to see the rip current clues provided above. Never swim alone. Be cautious at all times, especially when swimming at unguarded beaches. If in doubt, don’t go out! Whenever possible, swim at a lifeguard protected beach. Obey all instructions and orders from lifeguards. If caught in a rip current, remain calm to conserve energy and think clearly. Don’t fight the current. Swim out of the current in a direction following the shoreline. When out of the current, swim towards shore. If you are unable to swim out of the rip current, float or calmly tread water. When out of the current, swim towards shore. If you are still unable to reach shore, draw attention to yourself: face the shore, wave your arms, and yell for help. If you see someone in trouble, get help from a lifeguard. If a lifeguard is not available, have someone call 9-1-1 . Throw the rip current victim something that floats and yell instructions on how to escape. Remember, many people drown while trying to save someone else from a rip current.
NOAA
A Slice of Life Flip, Flop and Fly Lee Davidson Two days after I FLY from Toronto to Liberia for a much-anticipated Costa Rican vacation, I FLOP into a chair on the patio at Perla’s in Potrero where, as I savour my first Imperial of the day, I FLIP to see Donnie Walsh (aka Mr. Downchild) join the two men sitting at the next table. For those non-Canadian readers, or even Canadians who were not aficionados of 1970s blues bands, Donnie Walsh, together with his late brother, Rick (“Hock”) Walsh, were the co-founding members in 1969 of the Downchild Blues Band, a highly successful blues band during the 1970s, one of whose most popular songs was Flip, Flop and Fly* (affectionately referred to as the Canadian national anthem). Perhaps more widely known to North Americans are the Blues Brothers (Jake and Elwood, portrayed by Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi), but not as well known is that those characters were inspired by the real-life blues brothers, Donnie and Rick Walsh. Although I’d known Donnie was a part-time resident of the Potrero area in which he played occasional gigs while taking a break from the harsh Canadian winters, I’d not happened to encounter him during my recent vacations in the area. My closest encounter was 3½ years ago in Toronto when he showed up at Grossman’s Tavern to sit in with the long-standing Saturday afternoon traditional jazz band, but was too shy to express my admiration while standing next to him at the bar between sets. And now he was sitting a table’s-width away! Despite my efforts to be discreet, I sensed Donnie was aware of the glances my friend and I were casting in his direction until he politely asked, “excuse me, but do I know you guys?” to which I replied, “well, we’ve never met, but I’m from Toronto and a longtime admirer of you and your music,” a confession which sounded as cliché as it was spontaneous, but no less sincere, by which he seemed simultaneously abashed and delighted. Those introductory remarks led to an exchange of comments about the Toronto music scene, including Downchild’s recent 45th anniversary celebration with a performance at the venerable Massey Hall in Toronto and his upcoming return to Toronto to attend The Maple Blues Awards for which he has been nominated for Recording/ Producer of the year for Downchild’s “Can You Hear the Music”. Before departing, I summoned the courage to extend my hand to Mr. Downchild and express what I’d wanted to say while standing beside him at the bar in Grossman’s, a compliment he accepted graciously, almost incredulously, before inviting us to his New Year’s Eve gig at Marie’s in Flamingo. The vagaries of life are unpredictable, but I couldn’t help but marvel at the paths which had converged almost forty years and thousands of miles from when and where I first became a fan to express my admiration in person to Mr. Downchild. *Charles A. Calhoun / Lou Willie Turner
Surf Report (from page 15)
EZG: With the Nosara Triple Crown, and the Puerto Viejo Pro circuit, there are now contests focusing on the individual areas. What do you think is so special about the Guanacaste area for surfing? TV: As I said, I think Guanacaste has world-class surfing but also very contestable waves. We need about 18 hours of competition to run our events so it is important that the spot works at any tide and wind. Guanacaste and CGS offer a wide variety of waves from lined-up river mouth (Tamarindo), to peaky barreling beach breaks (Marbella, Avellanas and Santa Teresa) to reef breaks (Negra). In Guanacaste, we have a big group of very young surfers who are competitive and really good like Luke Guinaldo, Tiago Leao, Kalani Abrahao and in the 12-15-yearold age group Guanacaste has most of the top surfers in the country such as Malakai Martinez, Aldito Chirinos, Dean Vandewalle, Sean Forester, Tiago Carrique. Same for the girls: Coral Wiggins, Cassidy McClain, Zullay Martinez, Serna Nava. All these kids push each other to get better and better. The Circuito Guanacasteco de Surf would like to thank the following for helping with the first contest: Creatures and Costa Dorada, Witch’s Rock Surf Camp, Hurley, LimeCoral and Kill Dengue, Kelly’s Surf Shop, Hotel Tamarindo Diria, Papaya Con Leche, Matos Surf Shop, Ismena Arroyo, Che Boards, Surf Foam, Frijoles Locos. It is supported by the Federación de Surf de Costa Rica, CEPIA, and TIDE Academy.
Leonardo Calvo
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.
Photo: Wendy Solano
Most of you know by now that after 50 years of the World Championship Tour (WCT), there is finally a Latino World Champion: Gabriel Medina of Brazil. Medina accomplished this feat by winning three dates in a single year, which were in Australia, Fiji and Tahiti, and placing high enough in Hawaii’s Banzaii Pipeline contest to secure the win. “It feels amazing; I do not know what to say. I have great support here in Hawaii and Alejo (Muñiz, who beat the challenger Mick Fanning to give Medina the title) just did it for me. I love this crowd of people here and I love this sport ... now it all makes sense to me, “ said Medina said in his first statement as a world champion.
Phone us at: 2-653-8041 • kaydodge@racsa.co.cr www.paintedponyguestranch.com The best horses on Guanacaste’s Gold Coast!
(continued page 37)
Shape Up! Surf’s Up - Come and Catch a Wave Lynda Espada
H
ow many of us have admired the strong, well-sculpted physiques of surfers? SURFSET®, the newest innovation in the fitness industry, allows you to train your core like a surfer, but indoors in a fitness center. SURFSET® classes are at Revive Wellness and Fitness Center in Langosta Beach. As first seen on the TV show Shark Tank, SURFSET® is exclusive in Costa Rica to Revive Wellness. SURFSET® classes are performed on an actual custom-made surfboard which rests on top of three balance discs allowing users to select a level of intensity. Each Board is engineered to allow you to perform a wide array of traditional exercises with the added core benefit of working out on an unstable surface. The Board allows you to build aerobic conditioning, burn fat, build lean muscle, power, agility, stability & tone in addition to core & balance training. The Board is adjustable for all levels, even for someone with less than ideal balance and a lower fitness level. And it is fun and safe way to get in shape and learn how to surf at the same time. The Board is a wonderful rehab tool for bad joints and tissue injuries under the guidance of fitness professional. The workouts are high intensity but low impact, meaning you will get all of the physical benefits without damage and overuse of fragile joints. The Board is an awesome way to introduce or strengthen the core with the movements of surfing or as a complement to your regular cardio workouts. All of the moves mimic what a real surfer does on a board in open water, so the paddling, for example, builds shoulder definition, strengthens the lower back muscles, and increases cardiovascular fitness. Additionally, all of the up and down movements (pop-up maneuvers) engage the core and chest muscles, which helps to build explosive power. And the actual process of standing and riding “the wave” increases leg strength, flexibility, and engages all of the muscles. Also, some classes are offered combining static yoga poses with cardio and surf moves. Depending on your size and body composition, one can burn between 400 to 900 calories per class. No special surfing attire required. Wear something comfortable, similar to what you would wear to a yoga or fitness class. Tight fitting pants or shorts are recommended, so as to avoid tripping when popping up on the Board. And no shoes are necessary. All levels welcome. For more information and to reserve your space, check out their website www.ReviveWellnessLangosta.com or email: ReviveAtLBC@ gmail.com or call 2653-2485/8533-8797.
Word puzzle Fruit
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. arandanos banano carambola cereza chirimoya datil frambuesa frutadepan guanabana guayaba higo jocote limon mamonchino mandarina
mangostina maracuya melocoton mora naranja nectarina nispero papaya pina pitahaya sandia tamarindo toronja uva zapote
Recipe of the Month Lentil-Rosemary Beef Soup I know soup is not very popular here in Tamarindo. Who is crazy enough to eat hot soup when it is always hot outside? I guess we are at Sprout. Although we don’t have it every week we do love a good soup every once in a while. Hey, everyone is drinking hot coffee all day when it is scorching hot outside. Why not sip on a hot cup of soup? Here is a simple recipe which we put together this past week. No fancy name, no fancy ingredients, just simply good. Enjoy!! Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 kilo boneless beef shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes 2 cups chopped celery 2 cups carrots chopped 1 cup bell pepper chopped 1 large onion, chopped 6 garlic cloves, chopped 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves 11 cups beef broth 2 cups lentils Sea salt (to taste) Black pepper (to taste) Method: Heat the olive oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add the diced beef and cook until brown and until the liquid from the beef dissipates, leaving the beef slightly crispy around the edges. Removes the beef and then add the celery, carrots, onion, garlic, rosemary, and oregano to the pot. Saute until the onions are translucent. Return the beef and any accumulated juices from the bowl to the pot. Then add the beef broth. Bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the meat is just tender, stirring occasionally, about one hour. Add the lentils. Cover and continue simmering until the lentils are tender, about 30 minutes. Season the soup, to taste, with salt and pepper.
By: Chef Mike @ Sprout I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach. Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Barbara’s Pet Stories Goodbye, Lukas
The Streets of Tamarindo by Jeffrey Whitlow
Do you have a pet at home? A cat or a dog? Do you remember how you got it, what made you take that one you have now sitting on your feet? Was it, maybe, love at first sight? But then you lost it? I can tell you a little story about it: a skinny, skinny dog was tumbling next to a road some where nearby, a women saw this dog, but she had no chance to stop her car that moment. So she went back some days later to look again and she found this dog, now laying there in the roadside ditch, too weak to even lift the head. But when she was trying to touch this dog, he snapped. With a big towel dumped over the head, she was able to bring him into her car and she drove with this dog to a veterinarian. He just looked at this fur and bones and he said to her: bring it back where you found it, it will die anyway. Luckily she found my name and she brought this dog to my place. I went to her car, I looked at the dog, he looked at me...love!! Carefully we took him into my place, I gave him water and a small amount of food...he ate a bit, then he fell down and slept and slept. When he woke up some time later, I wanted to pet him, but he snapped after me, not hard, but like: do not touch me. I tried to find out what was hurting him, I could see injuries from burns, injuries from hits, he had a swollen hip, claws were missing...OMG!! And each time I moved my hand, he retracted his head. It took me a week to get his trust, then I could pet him very gentle. He gained some weight, he moved slowly into the garden to pee and poop, but I had no chance to pick him up, each time he howled in pain. Then again a week later I could pick him up and I took him to a good vet. Lukas, as I called him, had a bad stomach, pancreatitis or even cancer due to the long time without food and if “food” - only garbage. My Lukas was on medicine, he looked to me that he is getting better. But still most of the time he was sleeping. But he now came with me into the house, he was around with the other dogs, he was getting better. Lukas looked happy and I was happy. But then, exactly four weeks after he was found: from one second to the other Lukas vomited and vomited... blood came out with pieces of tissue... then he fell down, he was dead. I stood there, I did not know what to think, what to say... my Lukas… I cried and cried... He was one of my babies... now he was gone. I say to myself, he had at least four good weeks in his miserable life, he could experience what it means to be pet, to have a home, to have food, to have friends. Bye, Lukas, you will be forever in my heart!
barbara.s.animalrescuecenter@gmail.com
This month I would like to talk more about the program we have put into place for the less-fortunate people of Tamarindo. As my readers know, we started a program of food support, modeling, and mentoring for the homeless and less fortunate back in April of 2014. I felt that I was well-qualified to lead this effort, since I had spent over two decades treating medical patients in the U.S. In my previous experiences in this regard though, I had experienced a low degree of success and a great deal of frustration. That was because we were using the old model of treatment. We were treating addiction as a disease, and we focused on getting the person off the drug or substance, rather than focusing on why the person was using the drug or substance in the first place. The latest research shows that addiction is not a disease. Rather, it is a state of mind. Why would someone use drugs or alcohol to the point that it causes them social or physical harm? It is now obvious that the “addict” has no feelings of self-worth or self-respect. It’s not that they are suicidal, far from it, in fact. They want to live, but at the same time, they find life to be so painful and so hopeless that they can’t face it without being numbed. The first step in treatment, therefore, is not to try to persuade the person to stop using the drug or substance. The first step is to put them in touch with their lost sense of humanity. You do this by showing that person kindness, empathy, and love. Once the “addict” feels like a human being again, they will then care that the drug or substance is harming them and they will stop on their own. Most substance abuse treatment programs fail because the people providing the treatment are doing it for the wrong reasons, and they are following a failed paradigm, i.e. treating addiction as a “disease” rather than as a personality disorder. A person who is addicted needs love, empathy, and respect, as those are the biggest things that are lacking in their lives. Most mental health professionals are “doing it for the money”, by definition, and their professional training demands that they maintain a certain emotional detachment from their patients. This prevents them from giving their patients the love that they need. In my experiences with the less fortunate here, the first step was to let them know that there were people here who cared about them. We spent time with them and got to know them. We didn’t even talk to them about the substance(s) they were using. Instead, we concentrated on giving them back their humanity. They turned out to be very grateful, respectful, and easy to love. It was great to see the change in them. When we first met them, their eyes were dead and they moved like robots. It was easy to see that they were living in a nightmare. In each one of them though, a change would come at some point. It was like one day we were giving food to an automaton. The next day, we were feeding a loving and caring human being. Their eyes went from dull to sparkling, as their hearts welcomed back the hope that had been a stranger for so long. This work has been extremely gratifying, and I am so thankful for all of the help and support I have gotten from those of you who have taken an interest. Tamarindo is a better place because of your efforts...
Selected Poems from “Tell me about the telaraña” by Diana Renee moon prayer wash me like water feed me on flowers sing me a lullaby ponder me sleeping in the underworld there are snakes and all the bad nights of your life are still taking place better you fish from the banks please do not get in the boat
Take a fast free Zodiak boat ride up the river at Tamarindo estuary.
Feb. 1 - Big Super Bowl Party $10 all the platters Take in a Jazz dinner show with Saxophone Joe, and an after-party with Glasseye live in the cave bar.
Friday is live Reggae and BBQ. Sunday is live jazz and BBQ.
i will sleep for one hundred years like rumplestiltskin and when I wake i will need some coffee things should be different in one hundred years my hair will be white and possums will have made holes in the screens through which I can escape
(Sundays - all main courses $10)
Tuesday is live Reggae jazz and BBQ, Free Boat Ride
“Tell Me About the Telaraña” is available at Jaime Peligro’s Bookstore in Tamarindo.
Karina and Wilbert await you.
For reservation and boat ride call 2653-0236.
Playa Grande
Your Stars in February
Aries: 21 March - 20 April
Libra: 23 September - 23 October
This month has an overall creative artistic vibe to it for you as three planets in Pisces in your solar twelfth house and Jupiter in your fifth give an opening for new ideas to emerge through the dream state. It’s up to you, however, to take action to bring these ideas into reality later in the month when Venus and Mars enter your sign after the 20th. Pick the ones that give you a positive jolt of energy when thinking about them and go for it! Best days for you are the 21st and 22nd.
With three planets in your solar sixth house, you are working on some of the same issues as the Virgos are, balancing work, play, love, health and getting enough rest. You have good opportunities to connect with some powerful people who can help you pursue your career goals, which are pretty top of the list for you now. Creativity is high too, so explore lots of ideas as the flow should be pretty constant this month. Partnerships are tricky so watch your words carefully. The 7th, 8th and 9th are good for you.
This is a creative and busy month with great possibilities of connecting with new and influential business people and friends. There’s a bit of a delay in your progress until Mercury has completed its retrograde phase on the 11th, but after that you are free to make great headway in your professional life. Be cautious with your finances as Venus in Pisces until the 20th makes you want to buy beautiful things! Great days for advancement are the 23rd and 24th.
This is a lot of positive energy available for you now that should increase your general happiness, well-being and faith in the future. If you are planning on doing some improvements in your home it’s a good time for the planning aspects until the 11th, then implementing them after Mercury is direct. Creativity with lovers, children and adventure is all quite possible. Jupiter at the top of your chart is watching over you so life should go pretty well this month. Your best days are the 10th and 11th.
Your ruling planet, Mercury, is in its retrograde phase until the 11th, so you will feel a bit like you are stalled or blocked in your progress till then. It’s time to review what you’ve learned as Mercury is in your ninth house of higher education. Things will get easier once you’ve assimilated all the details and nuances so you can make it your own. Over all though, you should feel optimistic about some new possibilities in your professional life. Good days for progress are the 25th and 26th.
With Saturn in your sign, you are probably feeling more cautious and serious about what and whom you want in your life now. Less fluff and more substance is the order of the next 2.5 years as Saturn transits your sign. It’s like cutting sugar out of your diet, the first few weeks are hard but then it’s the norm and you feel great and love it! This month, however, is a good time for some entertaining in your home. Good days to do so are the 12th, 13th and 14th.
Money, assets, investments, wills, insurance, and taxes are a big focus this month as you take stock of what you want to leave behind and how you want to live in the future. This is not a negative time as one of your main concerns is all about security for you and your family as you like planning ahead. With several planets passing through your ninth house, you are likely to want to continue your education or plan a trip to an exotic ocean retreat. The 1st, 27th and 28th are your stellar days.
Again, money, assets, joint finances and investments are big time on your mind this month. Things should actually go quite well as you like to plan ahead and look at the big picture for your goals and financial strategies. Interactions with siblings may play a part in this month’s energy. There could be some issue in your home that makes you want to start looking for another place to live. Next month will reveal more about that situation. Your best days are the 15th and 16th.
You are going to focus quite a bit on your personal and business partnerships this month as the Mercury Rx happens in your solar seventh house. The full moon with Jupiter in your first house on the 3rd gives you a desire to assert yourself and state your needs as well. This month is a balancing act of yours, theirs and the common goals you both value. With Jupiter in your sign through July, you should remain positive and reap major rewards this year. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th are your best days.
With the Mercury retrograde happening in your sign through the 11th, you need to revise something about your body and/or your view of the world. This is a good month to take stock of your mental outlook in particular, and the new moon on the evening of the 18th can help you define the changes you need to make to have a healthier outlook. Be careful with money as three planets passing through your solar second house means expenditures increase. The 17th and 18th are your better days.
Work, health and habits occupy a big part of your time and energy this month as Mercury, your ruling planet, is having its first retrograde of the year in your solar sixth house. Committed partnerships may experience a bump as a major flaw is revealed that is not going to be sustainable in the long run. There is the temptation to ignore it but don’t. While perfection is never possible, you want someone who understands and works for progress. Good days for getting it right are the 5th and 6th.
Venus and Mars join Neptune and Chiron in your sign until the 20th so you should be feeling quite a vibrant combination of love and lust at this time. Careful about getting too swept up in this as it is a temporary condition that shifts its attention by the end of the month, still it’s energy that is there to be used and enjoyed! The new moon in your sign on the evening of the 18th has potential to be the most romantic day of the year for you, or at least a fun chick flick night! The 19th and 20th are also wonderful days to enjoy!
Taurus: 21 April - 21 May
Gemini: 22 May - 21 June
Scorpio: 24 October - 22 November
Sagittarius: 23 November - 21 December
Cancer: 22 June - 22 July
Capricorn: 22 December - 21 January
Leo: 23 July - 23 August
Aquarius: 22 January - 19 February
Virgo: 24 August - 22 September
by Jeanne Callahan jeannecallahan007@gmail.com
Pisces: 20 February - 20 March
Namasté Visit Jeanne’s site at CelestialAdvisor.com
Now Begins the Study of Yoga Chandra Namaskar Moon Salutations or Chandra Namaskar (bowing to the moon) are meant to be a cooling set of movements. Just as there are many variations of Sun Salutations, there are many variations of Moon Salutations as well. They are great to do to honor a full or new moon (the 3rd and 18th this month), an eclipse, or just when you need less heat and more cooling. Here is a simple form: 1. Begin in the middle of your mat in Mountain pose (Tadasana), face the long side, hands at the heart. Inhale, raise your arms overhead. 2. Exhale, bend over towards the right, imitating a crescent moon. Inhale back to center, exhale into crescent moon to the left, then inhale to center, arms overhead. 3. Inhale and step to the right, pointing feet outward while raising arms out to the sides. Exhale, soften the knees and squat, bending your elbows into Goddess pose. 4. Inhale as you straighten your legs, extending arms out to sides into a “star” position. Exhale as you turn your right (R) foot out to face short end of mat, and turn your left (L) foot in about halfway. 5. Inhale, lengthening the spine, exhale extend your R side torso over your legs to Trikonasana or Triangle pose. 6. Inhale and lift your spine lightly, lifting your L heel and bringing it a bit closer to the far end of your mat, then set the heel back down and turn your torso to face your R leg. Exhale and fold over your R leg into Parsvottonasana, or forward bend. 7. Inhale, lengthen the spine and bend the R knee, exhale and bring your L knee and top of foot onto the floor in a lunge. 8. Inhale the arms up, exhale into a backbend (if not comfortable for your back, stay upright). 9. Inhale and bring the arms back by your R foot, exhale, turn your feet and body towards the L, to face that long side of your mat. Bring your torso over towards your R leg, L foot on the mat, L leg extended, into a side lunge. 10. Inhale to center, then exhale over into side lunge to the left. 11. Now reverse back through each pose. From the side lunge, turn your feet to the left on inhale, on the exhale bring your R knee and top of foot down to the mat for the lunge. Inhale your arms overhead, and exhale into a deeper backbend. 12. Continue back through the forward bend, then triangle pose, to Goddess, to crescent to the L then R, then back to Mountain Pose arms overhead, then bring them back to the heart. Great to do outside with the moon overhead!
Namaste, Mary 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
Surf Report (from page 24)
Results Copa Witch’s Rock December 13, 14, 2014 Playa Tamarindo Open: Angelo Bonomelli Jason Torres Tomas King Michael Zaugg
Girls: Coral Wiggins Serena Nava Lia Diaz Zulay Martinez
Women’s: Cassidy McClain Jill Kepich Serena Nava Marary Jimenez
Mixed Groms: Luke Guinaldo Orion Eshel Josh Dawson Tiago Leao
Juniors: Leon Glatzer Dean Vandewalle Idan Poni Michael Zuagg
Dolphins: Kalani Abrahao Charlie Herman Julien Michaudeau Surya Folger Max Babyak Isaiah Dawson
Junior Women’s: Serena Nava Coral Wiggins Rony Koren Lia Diaz Boys: Dean Vandewalle Sean Forester Orion Eshel Weslyn Cardoza
Masters: Brad Hersch Christian Boos Ian Bean Jeff Allen Longboard: Forest Folger Alex Gomez Noldan Zuniga Victor Nuñez Ramirez
Best Wave Score: 10 points - Jason Torres - Semifinales Best Heat Score: 16 points - Dean Vandewalle - Boys Finals
Best Amateur Photo: Alvaro Jimenez Best Professional Photo: Martin Laborde Best Maneuver in the Metropolitana: Felipe Pozuelo Best Maneuver Bodyboard: Edwin Offer Best Maneuver Junior: Noe Mar McGonagle Best Maneuver Women’s: Nataly Bernold Best Air: Noe Mar McGonagle Biggest Wave: Isaac Vega Power Surfing: Carlos Muñoz Best Tube: Isaac Vega Best Wipeout: Danny Bishko Surfer of the Year: Carlos Muñoz For the ninth time in nine years Costa Rica has come home with from Central American Surfing Games as the winners (photo below). The Costa Rica national team ended up with 10 out of 13 gold medals in the waves of Puerto La Paz, Libertad, El Salvador. And then there was Leonardo Calvo, who won the gold in Open and Junior (photo page 17). In total, Costa Rica surfed away with 18 medals: 10 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze and 4 copper. The next edition of the Central American Surfing Games moves to Nicaragua in 2015, and then Costa Rica for a third time, in 2016. Gold Medals at the Central American Surfing Games: Open: Leonardo Calvo (CRI) Women’s: Leilani McGonagle (CRI) Junior: Leonardo Calvo (CRI) Junior Women’s: Paola Rodriguez (CRI) Boys: Aldo Chirinos (CRI) Longboard: Anthony Flores (CRI) Master: Geancarlo Loría (CRI) Bodyboard: Edwin Nuñez (PAN) SUP Surf: Dennis Picado (CRI) SUP Surf Women’s: Emily Gussoni (CRI) SUP Race: (Nicaragua) Sup Race Women’s: Edith García (CRI) SUP Prone: Kalani García (PAN) Ranking by Country: 1. Costa Rica 2. El Salvador 3. Panamá 4. Nicaragua
Look for the rest of the GSC to take place in the following locations: February 14, 15: Marbella sponsored by Tiki Hut March 7, 8: Santa Teresa sponsored by Kina Surf, Savory Food, and Surf Vista Villa April 25, 26: Avellanas sponsored by Lolas and Cabinas Las Olas May 9, 10: Playa Negra sponsored by Hotel Playa Negra The Costa Rica Surfing Awards 2014, which reflects the best of the best in the past year, took place in San José mid-December at Belle Lounge and Gallery. The winners were tabulating from online voting at SurfingRepública.com which took place fifteen days before the event. Most of you will recognize the names of the winners from my monthly reporting:
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.
Surviving
C hapter LMMXXVII
COSTA RICA
T
hat’s right, this column is a two parter, a word my spell check tells me doesn’t exist. (of course not; it is not a word - it’s two - Ed.) Nonetheless, those of you out there who may actually give reading this column a shot will find you’re actually getting two columns for the price of one, a service no other columnist in the Howler provides its readers. If you’ve actually made it this far you’ll have noticed that I haven’t really started on the subject matter yet. I may as well confess that once again it’s way past deadline with its increasingly unsympathetic e-mails from the editor and I really didn’t hit on this “Things You Won’t Find in Costa Rica” until a few moments ago, and the “two parter” with its non-existent word idea even more recently. They say confession is good for the soul so here it is, once again I’m having to write a column on the rush desperately trying to come up with somewhere between 875 and 1025 words, of which now I’ve reached 180. Some of the things you won’t find in Costa Rica can be pretty obvious to even the most recent arrival. Snow, Moose, (Mooses?), and Hockey, at least to our Canadian visitors, are items most missed and pined for. If you’re from Canada’s immediate Southern neighbor you may notice a huge lack of people that can talk good English or the fact that you can’t get the US television network NBC, thus forcing you to watch the Super Bowl in Spanish. Other items may be more subtle. You won’t find an army in Costa Rica. The closest thing you get here is the Fuerza Publica, the National Police who have about sixteen pistols and a couple of rusty AK47s in their arsenal. Due to a recently signed defense pact with China and the growing sinister menace emanating from the Republic of Panama, several divisions of Chinese Marines are currently bivouacked along the border of the two belligerent Central American nations.
Things you won’t find in Costa Rica
There is a large minority among us that includes many recent and current United States presidents, as well as myself, that that are consistently deprived of various essential items unable to be found here in Costa Rica. I am speaking of the left-handed.
Story by Jesse Bishop owlhumm@hotmail.com
local corn growing cartels to switch over to a product more palatable to the gringo palette.
MPHVMFPE is also responsible for the presence of lettuce, artichokes, chunky peanut butter and Budweiser, items formerly non-existent on supermarket shelves that are making our In my many years here in Costa Rica I have yet lives just a little more bearable. to find a “real” left-handed toothbrush, causing much undue hardship on my gums. The list goes When my wife and I first settled here in Playa on and on: no left-handed screwdrivers, pianos, Tamarindo in the waning years of the previous hats, tooth picks, Kleenex…. It’s a wonder we millennium there were no buildings or roads of the “right brained” can exist down here at and most of the hotels were tents on the beach. all and also explains the lack of visiting former Every night we would cook our meals on an presidents. open fire, usually an iguana stew with coconut husks added for fiber. Every now and then a I can see by my word count I’m approaching two or three week old edition of the Tico Times about half-way through this column so now would show up to give us an idea of what was would be a good time to start: going on in the real world but mostly people just sat around and stared at the ocean. Part Two: Things You Used to not be Able to Find in Costa Rica - But Now You Can. Ahhh the good ol’ days, but not anymore. Soon the snarling beast of progress showed Yeah I know the title is a little wordy but it did its head, suddenly there was cable, originally add an additional sixteen words to my goal of at a company from Rumania whose one channel least 900 words. was a bootlegged satellite signal of NBC out of Denver, Colorado. Suddenly there was direct Part Two should be a no-brainer to write, thanks access to the real world, or at least to who was primarily to the “Ministerio Para Hacer la Vida getting robbed in Denver. Más Fácil para los Extranjeros”, or the MPHVMFPE, the special Costa Rican organiza- And then the concrete showed up for the first tion created to make things easier for the non time and quaint and smelly palapas were exCosta Rican resident. changed for high-rise condominiums, some of which were actually completed, while roads The agency’s most recent contribution to the were built to accommodate the necessary trucks welfare of its foreign population has been the needed to complete the transformation. long awaited introduction edible corn. I’m not saying that we’ve now have everything Those of you out there who consider yourselves needed to successfully succeed here in Costa “corn heads” were recently thrilled to find Rica as there are a few things that could be “Elotes Dulce” available for the first time in local added or improved. It would be much easier supermarkets as opposed to the standard Costa on many of us extranjero types if everyone, Rican cow corn. and I mean not only the Ticos but the Euros and Argentinians, learned to talk good English. It was only after years of agricultural re-educa- My goal has been reached and I bid you tion that the MPHVMFPE was able to get the farewell.
The Winds of Change Tom Peifer peifer@racsa.co.cr
Two riders were approaching and the wind begins to howl… (Bob Dylan)
T
he New Year blew into our corner of paradise accompanied by some of the fiercest, near gale-force winds we’ve seen in quite a while. From an evolutionary perspective, you could argue that the high winds are a kind of ‘selection pressure’, weeding out, or in this case, toppling over, the weaker, or ‘less fit’ individuals that couldn’t take the new conditions. Speaking of evolution, for a while there I wondered if I’d be posthumously nominated for the Darwin Award, given every year to an individual who removes himself from the gene pool by doing something really stupid. A big chaperno tree snapped half way up and was elegantly draped across the high-tension lines leading into our neighborhood. I drove closer to get a better look, but the foliage of the tree was more than half blocking the road. I didn’t see any sparks or anything, so I figured, “What the hell” and punched the gas while scratching my way through the jumble of branches that, fortunately enough, was not sizzling hot with 14,400 volts of three-phase current. As it turns out, the super expensive, ‘monkey safe’, insulated cable that we opted for is also a godsend for earth dwelling primates who ignore the risks of playing with fire. We managed to lop off a few overhanging branches while awaiting the visit by the overworked emergency crews from Coopeguanacaste who really earned their pay for a week or two. When they showed up at 10 pm one night, it was a real pleasure to watch a couple of gutsy pros at work into the wee hours, risking life and limb to keep us all enjoying the creature comforts and diversity of gadgets made possible by the miracle of the grid.
were merrily whipping their way across the world stage in a few key areas as well. In the US, an electoral whirlwind swept into positions of power Senators and Congressmen committed to denying the existence of Global Climate Change. If history is any guide, we might expect efforts to slash budgets and put a muzzle on federal agencies— NOAA, NASA and even the Pentagon---that have been generating the studies, recording the data and raising the alarm for decades. During an ‘irrigation break’ from the heavy lifting of writing with a hangover, a bit of reflection on the “anti-science” tendencies in the US Congress, and, it might be added, with a large base in the US population, somehow brought to mind a few lines from a Bob Dylan song: Idiot wind, blowing every time you move your mouth, From the Grand Coulee Dam to the Capitol. Idiot wind, blowing through the dust upon our shelves, It’s a wonder we can even feed ourselves. Another stunning development in this relatively New Year has been the financial firestorm due to the dramatic global plunge in petroleum prices. Despite the tears of joy in the US that gas is sometimes down to below $2/gallon, it is far from assured that no dark clouds threaten a blissful return to the bygone era of Happy Motoring.
As it turns out, the winds that delivered a string of TKO’s to the local grid were simply a little local eddy spinning off a major event that had come down out of the polar regions, and sent a shiver through the spine of the continental US. The same kind of disruption of the polar jet stream that had Alaska warmer than Atlanta last year, was responsible for sending much of the US into a subzero holiday season, and, ultimately, resulting in the atmospheric conditions that sent so many of trees in Guanacaste to their fate as next year’s firewood.
The reasons for this plunge have been attributed to the Saudis pumping like mad in order to bring down prices and crash the Russian economy. Others have given credit to the growth in US domestic production due to the boom in “fracking.” As it turns out, most “expert analysts” are akin to your local weatherman talking about the sun, rainfall and wind in your immediate area. Harder to find are the “climatologists” in the financial and political realms, who can really grasp the complex interactions between energy, finance and politics.
While we were moaning and groaning about the inconveniences imposed by the weird weather here, Scotland was getting whacked with 110mph winds and freezing conditions. Another interesting chapter in the saga of polar climate disruption, the frigid polar air masses in the US ran into some warmer air, whipped up the winds that zoomed across the Atlantic and set their sights on the northern sector of the British Isles.
As it turns out, the whole fracking boom in the states has been highly capital intensive, provides nowhere near the kind of return on investment that conventional drilling used to provide, and worse, has been underwritten by yet another contorted network of loans, derivatives and ‘junk paper’ reminiscent of the whole real estate bubble that brought the world economy to its knees a few years ago. The vast majority of fracking enterprises are no
As we sawed our way back to normalcy, and the Scots were shoveling, scraping and salting away, the metaphorical gusts of change
February ( a l l
t i m e s
2015 l o c a l )
Sun
1st - rise 6:06; set 5:48 15th - rise 6:03; set 5:52 28th - rise 5:58; set 5:54
Full: Last quarter: New: First quarter:
Moon
3rd 11th 18th 25th
5:09 p.m. 9:50 p.m. 5:47 p.m. 11:14 a.m.
....
The Winds of Change...
(from page 39)
longer profitable, and estimates of total bank exposure run into the trillions of dollars. The fallout from this mess, in all likelihood, will be carried along on the swirling currents of change that determine the course of the year 2015. Meanwhile, returning to the local scene, the Fiestas Tipicas Nacionales, a yearly mega-feature of the socio-cultural life of Santa Cruz, has been embroiled in a huge controversy over where exactly to watch the bull riding, get drunk and party day and night. As I commented in one thread as to who exactly is to blame for moving the fiestas out of the town center, enough time, energy and money has been invested on both sides of the controversy to reforest the entire province. At times given to playing the role of devil’s advocate with my local friends, I keep reminding them that if they want to enjoy the trappings of the cattle-based culture which contributed to the identity of the region, they’d be wise to spend some time and energy seeking to restore some of the damage that it wrought over time. The above is especially pertinent given that we appear to be facing yet another year here in Guanacaste under the effects of the ‘El Niño’ phenomenon in the Eastern Pacific. The clouds of dust swirling through the newly designated “campo ferial” in Santa Cruz are very likely to be harbingers of the drier, dustier future that most researchers predict for our province. Notwithstanding the widespread denial currently ensconced in the US Congress and elsewhere, 99.99% of climate scientists concur, that for humans as a species, the idiot winds that will ravage through our collective future, ultimately, will be of our own making. To paraphrase Bob D., those who inhabit the future, won’t need a weatherman to know who unleashed the winds.
Alcoholics Anonymous Schedule of Meetings
Flamingo
Tuesdays: 5:30 - 6:30 pm (open) Fridays: 5:30 - 6:30 pm (open)
Tom Peifer is an ecological land use consultant with 20 years experience in Guanacaste. 2658-8018. tompeiferecv@gmail. com El Centro Verde is dedicated to researching and promoting sustainable land use, permaculture and environmentally sound development http://www.elcentroverde.org/
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 Wednesday: 10:30 - Open Meeting Thursday: 5:30-6:30 - Open Meeting Location: Behind Pedro’s Surf Shop Contact: Ellen - 2-653-0897 / Steve - 8377-1529
Love is a canvas furnished by Nature and embroidered by imagination. Voltaire
Now open in Playa Potrero. MerKdo Supermarket Nathalie Lecerf awaits to offer you the freshest and best products in Playa Potrero. Every day 8 am - 8 pm
MerKdo is on 1st Floor
Commercial Centro Pacifico (was Vista Verde)
Nathalie Lecerf new manager Locals available for rent.
Tel: 2537-2175 merKdo