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Nov
4
Transat racers expected to spend $25,000,000 in area
Posted by Editor | November 4, 2009 | Tags: Sports, Tourism | 2 Comments
The 2009 Transat Jaques Vabre sailing race starts in La Havre, France on November 8 and is expected to arrive in Limon 11 days later.
With it are expected to come some 20,000 visitors, 5,000 all the way from Europe. Those visitors have reserved local hotels rooms from Limon to Manzanillo and are expected to spend an estimated $25,000,000 while in the area. The estimates are based on the amount of economic impact that the race had on Salvador de Bahia, Brazil in 2007.
The race finished in Salvador de Bahia from its inception in 1993 to its last occurrence in 2007. The Costa Rican government is using these economic impacts to justify the investments they made to lure the race to Limon.
The biannual race is huge in Europe, considered one of the major sporting events of the year so will also bring lots of media attention and reporters to the area.
Transat route from La Havre France to Puerto Limon, Costa Rica
More: La Nación: Regata dejará más de $25 millones en el país
Nov
3
Demolition also averted at Suerre for now
Posted by Editor | November 3, 2009 | Tags: Local Business News | Comments Off
 Las Palmas has continued to assure callers they are operating normally. File photo courtesy La Nación |
With the owners, employees and supporters battling the action, the eviction and demolition of Hotel Suerre has now been called off.
At 2pm today, two busloads filled with police and a caravan of MINAE vehicles left town.
The saga continues…
La Nacion’s now out of date article from yesterday gives further background: Minaet desalojará hoteles dentro de refugio en Cahuita
Nov
2
Community Leaders Rally to Avert Suerre Demolition
Posted by Editor | November 2, 2009 | Tags: Local Business News | 1 Comment
While the eviction and demolition of Hotel Las Palmas is still planned for tomorrow, the demolition of Hotel Suerre has been put on hold.
Community leaders including the local tourism chamber of commerce (CATCAS) held emergency meetings with officials in the area and in San Jose and the proceedings against Suerre have been stopped.
Hotel Suerre employees and supporters took to the streets, in a caravan of cars honking horns, to celebrate the preservation of their hotel and their jobs.
Nov
1
Chocorart: A Refined Affair
Posted by Zoë | November 1, 2009 | Tags: Tourism | Comments Off
“Forget love … I’d rather fall in chocolate…” – Anonymous
Sitting at Chocorart looking out at magnificent rainforest I sipped my freshly made hot chocolate and sighed with pleasure… Chocolate and Humans were made for each other.
It’s the smell isn’t it, or is it the taste or the velvety feel of chocolate melting on your tongue? Ah, but it’s all of that and more. Our love affair with chocolate is an ongoing global passion … we give it as gifts, use it to express love or friendship and associate it with luxury. It’s indulgent, delicious, uplifting…chocolate makes you smile.
A tour around Chocorart in Playa Chiquita is a pleasure trip for the senses culminating in a wonderfully aromatic tasting session!
Following owner Marcos along woodland paths it wasn’t only the coloured cacao pods that caught our attention, but also the beauty of the surrounding forest, alive with butterflies and birds.
As we tasted the fruits of a cacao pod and chewed on a sliver of sugar cane there was a subtle aroma of chocolate wafting from cacao beans drying in the sun.
Meanwhile at the rancho Claudia had been busy….and on arrival we were presented with the purest hot chocolate I’ve ever had. Delicious, smooth and strong, it was a taste-bud sensation. As we listened to a little about the history of chocolate, Marcos crushed the beans and a heady perfume of chocolate filled the air.
No wonder the Aztecs considered chocolate as precious food for the Gods, using it in religious ceremonies and also in trade. And did you know that Costa Rica was the last country in the world to use cacao beans as currency? My mind drifts with the mouth-watering possibility of paying in chocolate…
Originally from Switzerland (also synonymous in my mind with chocolate) Marcos & Claudia are mines of information on ‘chocolatey facts’, having been farming their cacao plantation and creating organic chocolate here in Costa Rica for the past 15 years.
Their hand rolled chocolate batons, some with ingredients such as orange peel direct from their farm, are on sale in this area and further afield. Whenever I taste them I’m transported back to that fun sunny day that smelt of chocolate.
But before we leave, Claudia and Marcos have a final treat for us…A paste of organic chocolate and brown cane sugar with a slice of banana. It looks like the perfect chocolate mousse and tastes…yes, you guessed it: sublime.
There’s one little problem I should warn you about before you decide to take a Chocorart tour: you may find it very difficult in future to accept anything other than the purest in chocolate perfection. You have been warned: Once Tasted, Never Forgotten.
To take a guided tour of Chocorart:
Telephone: 2750 0075
Tour duration: Approximately 2 hours.
Advice: Wear closed shoes.
Price per person: US$22
Reduced rates for children: please inquire.
Spanish, English, French, Italian and German spoken.
Email: Chocorart@racsa.co.cr
 Article by Zoë Courtier. Zoë along with her husband Tom Keller are the proprietors of Geckoes Rainforest River Lodge. Two luxurious holiday houses with private plunge pools in a magnificent rainforest and river setting minutes from Playa Cocles. More information at www.geckoeslodge.com |
 Gecko Trail Adventures also offers a combination tour which includes a visit to a local indigenous Bri Bri family which grows their own Cacao and demonstrates the process of making chocolate from scratch as they’ve been doing it for generations. You can get details on that tour here. |
Nov
1
Suerre and Las Palmas Prepare for Bulldozers
Posted by Editor | November 1, 2009 | Tags: Economic Development, Local Business News | 12 Comments
The government is set to begin demolishing not only Hotel Las Palmas but also Hotel Suerre on Tuesday according to a participant of a meeting the day before yesterday with people from MINAE, the municipality and local business leaders.
Hotel Suerre was notified Thursday evening at 6:30 to begin vacating he hotel. They have already begun to take all the steps to comply as best as possible with the order but do not feel it is humanly / physically possible to prepare the hotel in time for Tuesday.
It was apparently never clear to them that they were included in the original order put out last month.
They say that they signed an agreement in 2005 which indemnified them; and that they paid a fine that went towards infrastructure improvements in Manzanillo.
At Hotel Suerre, there are 20-30 employees that are losing their jobs and the hotel is booked this month for the Regatta – and all those reservations are being canceled.
Oct
24
Gordo Malo Dies in Stabbing
Posted by Editor | October 24, 2009 | Tags: Crime & Punishment | 4 Comments
 Benavides body was taken to the OIJ morgue. Photo by Roger Amoretty. |
A local resident was found stabbed on Thursday and died of a knife wound to his chest.
The victim was Mágnum Enrique Benavides Zúñiga, known locally as Gordo Malo.
Authorities were unable to locate any witnesses to the attack. But there are plenty of possible motives as Benavides was alleged by many in the community to have been responsible for many break-ins over the years in Puerto Viejo.
More: La Nación: Sucesos Viernes 23 de octubre de 2009
Oct
16
Death at Cocles raises questions about lifeguard service
Posted by Editor | October 16, 2009 | Tags: Accidents and Natural Disasters | 28 Comments
The apparent drowning of a 50 year old man yesterday on Cocles Beach has some asking questions about the quality of the lifeguard services.
Cocles Beach is the only lifeguard patrolled beach on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, a venture paid for by local hotels and businesses.
Yet witnesses to the drowning yesterday said that while onlookers tried to resuscitate the victim, the guard continued working on craft projects in his tower and did not attempt to help.
Local surf conditions can be rather unpredictable, especially for tourists used to much calmer waters. This incident is another reminder to follow water safety rules.
The Talamanca News would welcome more information and comments on this incident, especially from those who may have witnessed it first hand.
Update: Further information was supplied by Eddie Ryan of La Costa de Papito hotel, which has been one of the steadfast supporters of the lifeguard program from the beginning. Ryan sadly confirmed that indeed a man died on Thursday on Cocles beach. But that essentially he did not drown but after eating a heavy lunch and drinking a few beers shortly before, either choked on the food or had a heart attack. He was in waist deep water and never screamed or made any gestures to indicate distress. His wife was seated on the beach near the shoreline and didn’t see what happened. Someone noticed he was floating and the lifeguard and a few other people dragged him out of the water and the lifeguard tried to resuscitate him to no avail.
Ryan said that while he was not there during the incident, he talked with different people about what had happened when he got to the beach.
Ryan also noted that the lifeguard program is operating at half speed for the last two weeks with only one lifeguard on duty instead of two because of insufficient funds. This will continue for at least 4 more weeks taking us into times of rough seas and dangerous currents compared with the flat sea conditions recently. With one lifeguard on duty only prevention service with flags and a whistle is offered because it is necessary to have two lifeguards on duty to safely perform a rescue.
If you would like to make a donation towards supporting the lifeguard service, you can do so using a credit card on the Puerto Viejo Satellite donation page. Puerto Viejo Satellite will cover the credit card processing costs so that 100% of your donation will get to the program. Local business owners who do not already support the program are encouraged to pledge ongoing support and can contact Eddie Ryan at La Costa de Papito.
Donation update. Thanks to the following folks who have donated through Puerto Viejo Satellite to support the program:
• Chet Ort $75
Oct
8
Second Saturday Garage Sale at Puerto Viejo Farmer’s Market
Posted by Editor | October 8, 2009 | Tags: Community Calendar | Comments Off
| October 10, 2009 | ||
| November 14, 2009 | ||
| December 12, 2009 |
The Artists’ Collective group has been making useful art out of reused stuff for a while now and some of it has appeared for sale at the Saturday morning farmers’ market.
Starting this Saturday they’ll be appearing at the Puerto Viejo Farmers’ Market on the Second Saturday of each Month. They’ll be sponsoring art workshops and garage sales. Bring stuff you no longer need to the Puerto Viejo farmers’ market this Saturday and the second Saturday of every month. You can donate the items or sell them yourself and keep the proceeds. And bring your kids for the reused art workshop.
If you’re interested in getting involved with the Artists’ Collective group and making and selling useful art out of recycled materials then contact Karla at 8884 0093 or ATEC (Alaine, Tirza, or Erica) at 2750 0398 or 2750 0191.
Soon they’ll also be selling their products in more local shops (already many items for sale at ATEC) and they’ll take orders for specific items.
They are also collecting your used items for to make art. Bring them to the Second Saturday’s at the market or to ATEC:
Tetrabrik (Clean and squished only)
Old pants (not nice enough to wear)
Used hammocks and towels
La Nación newspaper
The material from broken umbrellas
Broken ceramics (plates, coffee cups even)
Fabric
Small tuna cans
Etc.–other unusable things you think could be made into art.
Oct
8
Judge Orders Demolition of Hotel in Protected Area at Punta Uva
Posted by Editor | October 8, 2009 | Tags: Environment, Government and Politics | 3 Comments
 Hotel Las Palmas is located just off the beach. |
A judge of the administrative court has ruled that the Sistema Nacional de Áreas de Conservación (SINAC) is responsible for the eviction and demolition of Hotel Las Palmas located inside the Gandoca Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge at Punta Uva.
The decision was rendered by the court yesterday after a period of apparent inaction by the Ministry of Environment and SINAC to act on previous orders for the eviction of the hotel.
The judge, Lorena Montes de Oca, absolved of responsibility the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Telecommunications (MINAET) and its chief, Jorge Rodriguez. The information was confirmed by MINAET spokesmen and the Comptroller General of the Republic, which brought the suit.
The judge ruled that SINAC must coordinate with all institutions to ensure that “the demolition of the property proceeds as soon as possible”.
According to the MINAET spokesman, Ricardo Arias, the eviction order was scheduled for last week, but there was “a problem” in coordination with security forces.
The case dates back to 1985 when the Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy and Mines (MIRENEM) granted an occupancy permit for the Resort Punta Uva, SA. Eight years later MIRENEM withdrew the permission from the owner of the complex, Jan Kalina.
In 2004, the Sala I court ordered the eviction and demolition of the hotel. However, since then a series of legal moves and lawsuits have held up the eviction order.
More: La Nación: Jueza ordena demoler hotel dentro de área protegida
Sep
29
Rural Tourism Workshop
Posted by Editor | September 29, 2009 | Tags: Community Calendar | Comments Off
| October 2, 2009 | ||
| 8:00 am | to | 5:00 pm |
ICT in conjunction with our local tourism association (CATCAS) and with the tourism association of the North Plains are presenting a workshop on rural tourism.
Subjects will include:
- Rural tourism and rural community tourism concepts
- Scope of the rural tourism law
- Successful experiences in rural tourism and rural community tourism in the area.
The workshop will be a good opportunity to network with other rural tourism operators and share experiences.
The workshop will be held Oct 2 from 8am to 5pm at La Tirimbina Rainforest Center in Sarapiqui. Lunch and refreshments will be served.
Preregistration is required with Sr. Luis Lopez at 2299-5800 ext 426, email llopeza@ict.go.cr or Sra. Geanina Chaves at ext 427 or email gchaves@ict.go.cr.
Sep
28
Volunteer at the Recycling Center for a dirty good time!
Posted by Editor | September 28, 2009 | Tags: Community Calendar | 4 Comments
| September 29, 2009 |
A group of community members gets together every Tuesday at the recycling center to help them get on the mountain of recyclables!
This is an opportunity to be a active member of your community.
So bring music, get to know some neighbors, feel rewarded, make a difference…and to top it off some local masseuses are offering an incentive.
The work is dirty and gross but rewarding. After this we have no question on what is recyclable here on the Caribbean coast:
- Plastics #1 and #2–beverage bottles mostly
- Glass: separated to clear and color
- Aluminum
Material should be sent in clean, smash the plastic and aluminum, take the top off of the glass.
Things not recyclable at this time by ReciCaribe: tin cans, tetrabrik (those cardboard boxes for milk and wine), cardboard, light bulbs, dirty diapers, organic food stuffs, sand, batteries.
Thanks to:
Rolo and Denis of ReciCaribe
Frank of Cabinas Los Almendros
Pamela of Loco Natural Jungle Houses
Ashley of the Finca La Isla Botanical Garden
Bill of Pachamama (the first to volunteer)
Michael Cook–a good neighbor
Glenda of Soda Miss Sam’s
Alaine of ATEC
and thanks to Tom at Bread and Chocolate for donating treats to keep us going.
And thanks to ReciCaribe for doing what you do and the Biological Corridor too.
We’re getting the next group together. It’s hard work and my muscles hurt for days after, but an important experience for people who care about their community. So far going on Tuesday the 29th of September they have:
Robert of Banana Azul Lodge
Christina of Medicinal Bush Body oils
Walter the masseuse from Black Beach
Pamela of Loco Natural Jungle Houses
Alaine and Sheran from ATEC
Three different groups of masseuses have offered to give either a half price hour long massage or a free 20 minute massage if you come help volunteer!
Thanks: Walter in Manzanillo, Tup and Ro in Playa Negra and Dan and Julie and crew at Bliss Spa!
Please write or call and come get involved.
Contact Alaine at ATEC 2750 0191 or home 2750 0052 or cell 8320 4821.
Or the folks at the Corridor 2756 8033 or 2750 8136.
You don’t have to come on the 29th, you could go volunteer any weekday from 7:30 to 3.
Sep
28
Community Security Course
Posted by Editor | September 28, 2009 | Tags: Community Calendar | Comments Off
| October 6, 2009 | ||
| 2:00 pm | to | 4:00 pm |
| October 7, 2009 | ||
| 2:00 pm | to | 4:00 pm |
| October 8, 2009 | ||
| 2:00 pm | to | 4:00 pm |
The local tourism association, CATCAS, invites all the businesses in the community to participate in a Community Security Course.
The event is to take place Oct 6, 7 and 8 from 2pm to 4pm at the Perla Negra Hotel.
Those interested in attending can contact the Perla Negra or Sr Luis Videla at 27500002.
Sep
28
Food Preparation Course
Posted by Editor | September 28, 2009 | Tags: Community Calendar | 1 Comment
| October 1, 2009 | ||
| 9:00 am | to | 3:30 pm |
| October 2, 2009 | ||
| 9:00 am | to | 3:30 pm |
ICT and the local tourism business association, CATCAS, are presenting a food preparation course on Oct 1 and 2 in Puerto Viejo. The course will take place at Koki Beach Restaurant, opposite the Artesan vendors from 9am to 3.30pm each day.
The two full day course covers topics including
- Food safety
- Food microbiology
- Contamination and spoilage
- Maintenance and food preparation.
- Food Transmitted Diseases
- Cleaning and disinfection of food preparation areas
Attendance is open to those over 18 who work for a CATCAS-member business and there is no cost to attend.
Attendees must pre-register by Sept 28 by contacting Alejandra Aragon, phone number22750902 or via email KOKiBeach@gmail.com. Space is limited to 40 attendees.
Sep
21
How many years left for the 101-year-old Sixaola River Bridge?
Posted by Editor | September 21, 2009 | Tags: Uncategorized | Comments Off
The 101-year-old bridge that gaps the border of Costa Rica and Panama at Sixaola, Costa Rica and Changuinola, Panama is falling apart. This wooden floored bridge is such bad condition that only one truck can pass at a time. If two trucks are on the bridge at the same time, it is believed that the bridge will fall down.
The Panamanians come into Costa Rica to buy groceries, which they say are less expensive in Sixaola. The Costa Ricans go into Panama to buy clothing, shoes and appliances, which they say are less expensive in Changuinola. Many Costa Rican school children walk across the bridge daily to attend school in Panama. The Panamanians say their schools are better. Some Panamanian kids attend school in Costa Rica.
Tourists cross the bridge as part of the tourist track between Puerto Viejo and the Bocas del Toro islands in Panama. Tourists also generally remark how many things change as they cross the border. Business owners on both sides of the border wonder what will happen to their businesses if this critical tourist route were to close for an extended period.
Walking across the bridge is a lesson in faith… faith that the bridge will last until you walk back.
Everyone who works in the border zone wonders how much longer the decrepit structure will stand.
| Article and photos by Wendy Strebe. Wendy and Erich Strebe are the proprietors of Cashew Hill Jungle Cottages. Seven unique, one, two and three-bedroom, fully-equipped houses to choose from. More information at www.cashewhilllodge.co.cr |
Sep
11
Puerto Viejo being taken over by “Faux Green, Land Rover Liberal, BoBos”?
Posted by Editor | September 11, 2009 | Tags: Economic Development | 35 Comments
 Wild Horse investigating potential development site. Photo courtesy of Sean F. |
Writing in the Newburyport Current in Newburyport, Massachusetts, writer Michael Cook has bemoaned the passing of the sleepy little Puerto Viejo he once knew.
The article is certain to raise some hackles with caustic lines like: “[as] I sat on the upper level of the southern California “BoBo” chic restaurant in the new, glitzy mini-mall built, you guessed it, by an American “Faux Green, Land Rover Liberal, BoBo” who blew into town a couple of years ago with a trust fund as big as all outdoors and decided he was going to remake Puerto Viejo in his own image, or at least his California hometown’s image.”
Cook’s definition of a BoBo is a Bourgeois Bohemian.
Cook says that it “all began to change about five years ago when, with Costa Rica at the height of its hip and trendiness among American ”Faux Green, Land Rover Liberal, BoBo’s”, (not to mention some right wing American whack jobs with good government pensions who love the fact they can often shoot first and ask questions later here), many ”faux green BoBos” found themselves priced out of “Nueva Calfornia”, aka Costa Rica’s Pacific coast. ”
Gone are the dirt roads and “near total absence of cars” which allowed wild horses to roam the streets of town. Instead he observed so much traffic and development that “cars, quads, and, of course, Status Utility Vehicles, clogged the avenue so that pedestrians and bicyclists could barely pass through, never mind a proud stallion with his harem and foals.”
The full article can be found on the Newburyport Current site but I’m sure the article will generate as much controversy here amongst the pro and anti development camps as his original article bemoaning similar development in Newburyport did there.
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