Ferry Birds

 These birds were following the ferry.  

The ferry is no longer there since the Taiwan Government built bridge the Puente La Amistad.

Turtle Nesting in Costa Rica

 If you are travelling this is the time of year to see Leatherback or Hawksbill Turtles hatching their eggs along the Pacific Coast, see this video of my experience on my first trip to Costa Rica.

I had to downgrade it a bit due to Blogspot's file limitations so don't enlarge the viewer (it will look pixelated).

2022 IASNR Conference San José, Costa Rica

 Haven't been to this conference for over ten years, so the chance to go back to Costa Rica is appealing.  My last presentation at this conference was:

“Mineral spas to cosmetic surgery: is health tourism sustainable?” 15^th International Symposium on Society and Resource Management, Vienna, Austria, July 2009. 

and the year before

 “Eco-medical tourism in Costa Rica:  is it sustainable?” 14^th International Symposium on Society and Resource Management. Burlington, VT, USA, June 2008.

 

 

2022 IASNR Conference (formerly ISSRM if you search my blog).

San José, Costa Rica

 

(time for me to stock up on Costa Rica coffee, yum yum!)

 

Conference Theme – Sustainable Development in Practice:

Integrating People, Place, and Policy

The tentative schedule is found at this link.

Put this on your calendar and enjoy Costa Rica

On this date

 Typically this time of the year, we travel to a warm space.  Back in the 1990s. it might have been a trip to Florida, but when the temps were too cold, even there, we ventured further south to the Caribbean.  

There we found fresh fruits and vegetables, sandy beaches and snorkeling and best of all warm temps.

Here are some pictures from the 7 of January to help you warm up (currently 20 degrees F here).

I love fresh coconut water:

Oh yeah, a bit south west and Costa Rica and Arenal:

Costa Rica

While this country has long been known for ecotourism and medical tourism, there are tons of things to experience.  This volcano is longer considered active, but Arenal is still pretty neat to see.

I was fortunate enough to see it erupt back on New Years eve 1999 - 2000 from Tabacon Springs but on subsequent visits I just saw some steam.

Costa Rica continues to draw tourist who are loving it to death, but that seems to be the case of most fringe destinations, with 1.2 million visitors from the states, up from 0.75 million just ten years earlier. It is becoming less an ecotourism destination and more like just any other tropically one. 
Too bad.

Travel Advisory Map

While many world citizens are being warned against travel to the US due to mass shootings and other acts of domestic terrorism, the US is doing the same for Americans.

A new interactive travel map is sponsored by the State Department.

Red areas should be avoided and the cross hatch countries have warnings suggesting

Exercise Normal Precautions - Contains Areas with Higher Security Risk

I am surprised we don't have that shading for our country?

Costa Rica this winter

Been a while since we traveled to Costa Rica. home of the best coffee in the world, Cafe Rey.

Always a joy to connect in Miami (yikes), so I might try to shift to Charlotte if I can.  Much more sane.  Even with Global Entry, returning home is always a hassle.

Anyway, we will hit the volcano region and the Pacific coast to enjoy the best the country has to offer.

¡Pura Vida! 

Costa Rica Crime

We had pondered visiting Costa Rica this winter, but decided to go elsewhere.  It is a beautiful country, with friendly people, but alas, it is becoming more and more Americanized every year.

Tourists are loving it to Death.

Crime is everywhere and this report from Tico Times highlights (lowlights) 2014 Crimes.

Top environment news for Costa Rica in 2014

Tico Times is the English language newspaper in Costa Rica and provides us with news of interest for the region and the world.  Tico Times reports today the 5 top issues in Costa Rica.

Feliz Navidad!

Almost half of the world actually prefers instant coffee

WHAT?

INSTANT COFFEE?

Well, as reported in the Tico Times, Costa Rica and home to the best coffee in the world, the headline read "Almost half of the world actually prefers instant coffee."

And this was the week that delivered by semi annual delivery of the good stuff.

July 11, 2014 16:14 San Jose - Costa Rica Shipment picked up
July 11, 2014 20:05 San Jose - Costa Rica Processed at San Jose - Costa Rica
July 11, 2014 20:28 San Jose - Costa Rica Processed at San Jose - Costa Rica
July 11, 2014 22:12 San Jose - Costa Rica Departed from DHL facility in San Jose - Costa Rica
July 12, 2014 06:02 San Jose - Costa Rica Departed from DHL facility in San Jose - Costa Rica
July 12, 2014 12:42 Miami, FL - USA Arrived at DHL facility in Miami, FL - USA
July 12, 2014 12:58 Miami, FL - USA Clearance processing complete at Miami, FL - USA
July 12, 2014 14:11 Miami, FL - USA Processed at Miami, FL - USA
July 12, 2014 23:10 Miami, FL - USA Processed at Miami, FL - USA
July 13, 2014 06:49 Miami, FL - USA Departed from DHL facility in Miami, FL - USA
July 13, 2014 11:30 Cincinnati, OH - USA Arrived at DHL facility in Cincinnati, OH - USA
July 13, 2014 12:08 Cincinnati, OH - USA Arrived at DHL facility in Cincinnati, OH - USA
July 13, 2014 12:22 Cincinnati, OH - USA Processed at Cincinnati, OH - USA
July 13, 2014 16:51 Cincinnati, OH - USA Processed at Cincinnati, OH - USA
July 13, 2014 20:47 Cincinnati, OH - USA Departed from DHL facility in Cincinnati, OH - USA
July 14, 2014 07:32 West Hartford - USA Scheduled for delivery
July 14, 2014 08:30 West Hartford - USA With delivery courier
July 14, 2014 15:04 West Hartford - USA Shipment delivered

DHL Rocks!

Arenal may be quiet but what about Poás ?

Tico Times reports "National Seismological Network to monitor Poás Volcano with four new cameras."

For the future link see http://www.rsn.ucr.ac.cr/index.php/es/.

The site provides some really great educational material on volcanoes.

Arenal may be quiet but check out Poas

Costa Rica is a known ecotourism destination and while Arenal has been quiet, Poas is pretty active.  So why not take a trip to Costa Rica during the green season.

For info on the volcano (and others), check out this link.

Arenal Volcano in Costa Rica.

Life is Good .... my Costa Rica Coffee has arrived

In three days, I got my Costa Rica Coffee.  Here is the tracking record:

8069380130 - Detailed Report
Date		Time		Location Service Area		Checkpoint Details
October 08, 2012		13:36		San Jose - Costa Rica		Shipment picked up
October 08, 2012		17:55		San Jose - Costa Rica		Processed at San Jose - Costa Rica
October 08, 2012		21:34		San Jose - Costa Rica		Processed at San Jose - Costa Rica
October 08, 2012		21:39		San Jose - Costa Rica		Departed from DHL facility in San Jose - Costa Rica
October 08, 2012		21:56		San Jose - Costa Rica		Arrived at DHL facility in San Jose - Costa Rica
October 08, 2012		22:20		San Jose - Costa Rica		Transferred through San Jose - Costa Rica
October 08, 2012		22:49		San Jose - Costa Rica		Departed from DHL facility in San Jose - Costa Rica
October 09, 2012		00:47		Panama City - Panama		Arrived at DHL facility in Panama City - Panama
October 09, 2012		00:48		Panama City - Panama		Arrived at DHL facility in Panama City - Panama
October 09, 2012		01:39		Panama City - Panama		Arrived at DHL facility in Panama City - Panama
October 09, 2012		01:45		Panama City - Panama		Transferred through Panama City - Panama
October 09, 2012		01:46		Panama City - Panama		Departed from DHL facility in Panama City - Panama
October 09, 2012		07:58		Miami, FL - USA		Clearance processing complete at Miami, FL - USA
October 09, 2012		08:14		Miami, FL - USA		Processed at Miami, FL - USA
October 09, 2012		18:16		Miami, FL - USA		Processed at Miami, FL - USA
October 09, 2012		21:31		Miami, FL - USA		Departed from DHL facility in Miami, FL - USA
October 10, 2012		02:23		Cincinnati, OH - USA		Arrived at DHL facility in Cincinnati, OH - USA
October 10, 2012		03:01		Cincinnati, OH - USA		Arrived at DHL facility in Cincinnati, OH - USA
October 10, 2012		03:02		Cincinnati, OH - USA		Arrived at DHL facility in Cincinnati, OH - USA
October 10, 2012		03:08		Cincinnati, OH - USA		Processed at Cincinnati, OH - USA
October 10, 2012		03:32		Cincinnati, OH - USA		Processed at Cincinnati, OH - USA
October 10, 2012		05:51		Cincinnati, OH - USA		Departed from DHL facility in Cincinnati, OH - USA
October 10, 2012		08:45		West Hartford - USA		Scheduled for delivery
October 10, 2012		10:44		West Hartford - USA		With delivery courier
October 10, 2012		16:55		West Hartford - USA		Shipment delivered