Archive for September 12th, 2008
Friday, September 12th, 2008
The Beginnings of Democracy
Guatemala proclaimed independence from Spain for all of Central America on September 15, 1821. Costa Rica learned the news a month later. The first constitution, the Pacto de Concordia, was soon adopted. This led to the celebration of the first elections in December of 1821.
Few Costa Ricans had actively sought independence and the notification of Guatemala’s proclamation took them by surprise.
The first Chief of State of free Costa Rica, Juan Mora Fernández, was elected by Congress in 1824. He built roads and schools, gave land grants to anyone who would plant coffee, and promoted industry and commerce. (more…)
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Friday, September 12th, 2008
Costa Rica’s highest court on Thursday overturned an intellectual property law demanded by the U.S. prior to the enactment of the Central American Free Trade Agreement.
The Constitutional Court ruled that lawmakers improperly passed the bill — which included provisions on biodiversity — without consulting Indian groups.
Costa Rica has until Oct. 1 to implement the CAFTA trade pact, which other Central American countries already have enacted.
The nation has already changed other laws to open its economy to more competition. Thursday’s ruling dealt with the last remaining piece of such legislation.
The ruling was a victory for free-trade opponents who have tried to block the pact’s approval with court appeals.
Legislator Mayi Antillon of the ruling National Liberation party said it would be “practically impossible” for lawmakers to pass a revamped version of the bill in time to meet the deadline.
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Friday, September 12th, 2008
Friends of Robert Salberg, a retired Rockford cement contractor, are still in shock over the 62-year-old man’s death in Central America. Salberg was killed in Costa Rica early Saturday morning as he was spending time with a friend.
Salberg was staying in an apartment in Sabana Sur, a suburb of the capital, San Jose.
Neighbors told the newspaper that four men broke into the apartment, shot Salberg, and made off with two computers and Salberg’s wallet.
He is survived by a son and grandchildren, friends said.
Dan Johnson, owner of Loves Park Scuba, met Salberg about 15 years ago and taught him how to scuba dive, something he liked to do in Costa Rica.
“He had a lot of friends in the Rockford area, particularly in the construction area,” Johnson said. “He enjoyed the way of life down there.”
Memorials with Salberg’s family and friends are pending.
“Bob and I were just the dearest friends,” said Vicki Anderson, a close friend.
They had been to Costa Rica several times together, and Salberg had been visiting about once a month, she said.
“We just always had a lot of fun there,” she said. “It was his love.”
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Friday, September 12th, 2008
I was mistaken when I thought I would be eating mostly Latin food but Costa Rica has a phenomenal diversity in the foods that it serves. You would be surprised to find that there are many Asian restaurants and just as many European restaurants. The food is plentiful and the cost is reasonable. Of course every fine hotel has a restaurant on the premises but you will want to eat at the local restaurants.
In San Jose there are quite a few fine restaurants. Ristorante Bohemia is a fine European restaurant that serves a formal European dinner with a fine wine list. While looking for restaurants to try out, I repeatedly found Tin Jo’s on the list. This is a restaurant that seems to have stood the test of time and is still in business. The food is considered Pan Asian and you can find Chinese, Japanese, Thai, and even some East Indian food. The deserts are delicious.
I once went to a Cuban restaurant and found out the hard way that not all Latin food is like Mexican food. I embarrassed myself and asked for chips and salsa. Big oops, I got a dirty look for that one. The same is true of Costa Rica; don’t go expecting the native food to be like Mexican food. It could be considered bland and is healthier than the Mexican food that we usually eat here in the States. Costa Rican food is considered healthier because it is more fresh and natural. No canned peas here! (more…)
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Friday, September 12th, 2008
The Pacific coast of Costa Rica is fast becoming one of the hippest spots on the backpack merry-go-round. It’s a surfer’s paradise in Central America’s most laid-back holiday spot. Areas such as the Nicoya peninsula and Dominical further to the south are the real hotspots where the beaches are sublime and trees and rocks tumble down to meet the fine, white sand – Costa Rica has a reputation for its magnificent flora and fauna and there’s nothing to be disappointed about on that score here. Pelicans and frigate birds wheel overhead as the booming calls of howler monkeys resound from the nearby rainforests. For those not satisfied by the ocean alone there are also numerous hikes in the region and due to Costa Rica’s relatively small size you are never far away from the eco-tourism centers further inland. Sticking out like a spare limb into the temperate waters of the Pacific, Nicoya has a myriad of unspoiled beaches where the breakers roll in consistently offering great surfing for all levels of ability whether you’re a pale rookie paddling out for the first time or a sun-gnarled veteran. It is this variety that makes the area perfect for one of the world’s fastest growing sports and the region has had a fantastic reputation in the worldwide surfing community. A few years ago villages such as Santa Teresa were no more than a few fishing huts clustered together but with the boom of tourism in the area numerous services are now provided by locals offering the dusty streets a ramshackle charm – a perfect setting for the laid-back surfers and the ever-growing community of young visitors. For those just wishing to hang out then there a numerous beach restaurants and beer shacks where laid back tunes and chilled cerveza set the tone for the after hours entertainment. (more…)
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