A fisherman who rescued a dying crocodile from a river in Limon Costa Rica years ago now astonishes tourists by wrestling with and hugging the 450kg animal. Online footage shows 52-year-old Chito wading into the water, whistling to the croc named Pocho before wrestling with it. “Pocho is my best friend. This is a very dangerous routine but we have a good relationship. He will look me in the eye and not attack me. “It is too dangerous for anyone else to come in the water. It is only ever the two of us.” Chito rescued the crocodile after finding him with a gunshot wound on the banks of the Parismina river 20 years ago. He had been shot in the left eye by a cattle farmer and was close to death. The odd couple have now become a major tourist attraction, with several tour operators taking visitors on cruises to see the pair.
The Kansas City Star reports that another suspect in the Kansas City online sports betting probe being conducted by a Grand Jury has pleaded guilty in a federal court.
William D. Cammisano Jr. (60), who is alleged to be associated with a local organised crime family, entered a guilty plea this week, admitting that he had operated an illegal online sports betting business between March 1, 2006, and March 31, 2009.
Cammisano is alleged to have collected about $1.14 million in wagers that bettors placed through a toll-free telephone number or a web site, both of which routed to a wire room in Costa Rica.
Cammisano was the fifth person to plead guilty in recent weeks to roles in the gambling operation.
The Kansas City Star reports that in 1988, the FBI identified Cammisano as a lieutenant in an organized crime outfit. At the time, the bureau also identified his father, known as “Willie the Rat,” as the city’s top mob leader at the time.
In 1989, a federal jury convicted Cammisano of obstruction of justice, and he was sentenced to five years in prison. A judge later reduced the sentence by two years after an appeals court ruled that prosecutors had not presented enough evidence of his alleged organized crime activities to justify the heavier sentence.
In September 1994, his federal conviction prompted the Missouri Gaming Commission to ban Cammisano from the state’s casinos. Fighting that exclusion, Cammisano denied any connection to organized crime and praised his father as “a great man.”
After hearing the guilty plea, a federal magistrate released Cammisano on his own recognizance.
The Heredia-San José train will make six daily trips to and from San Pedro, east of San José, beginning next week, the Costa Rican Railroad Institute (INCOFER) said this week.
The train will continue east from the Estación del Atlántico – its current final stop near San José’s Parque Nacional – to the University of Costa Rica (UCR) and Latina University (ULatina).
The cost from Heredia, north of San José, to San Pedro, will be ₡ 350 ($0.64), although the Public Services Regulatory Authority likely will adjust the price after service begins, according to INCOFER.
In the morning, two trains will run from Heredia to San Pedro and one from San Pedro to Heredia.
The first train will leave from ULatina at 6:15 a.m. and arrive in downtown Heredia at 7:00 a.m.
From downtown Heredia, trains will leave for ULatina at 6:30 and 7:30 a.m. and arrive at the university at 7:10 and 8:10 a.m, respectively.
In the afternoon, two trains will leave from the ULatina, bound for Heredia, at 4:15 and 6:15 p.m. These trips will last 45 minutes.
There will be one evening journey from Heredia to the ULatina, leaving at 5:30 p.m. and reaching the university at 6:10 p.m.
Next week, INCOFER will also begin train service from the Estación del Pacífico – eight blocks south of Parque Central, near the Women’s Hospital –to the Estación Atlántico, which will continue to Heredia. The train will leave the Estación del Pacífico at 5:30 p.m. and arrive in Heredia at 6:30 p.m.
Service on the new routes will run from Monday through Friday. INCOFER said it will evaluate the possibility of more frequent service after a few weeks time.
March 1 is an important date for foreigners living and working in Costa Rica, as the new Ley de Migración y Extranjería takes effect.
Some of the changes contained in the new immigration law is the requirement of foreign residents working in Costa Rica to contribute to the Caja Costarricense del Seguro Social (CCSS) - social security. Foreign residents who do not contribute will no longer be able to obtain free medical services.
Also, foreigners are required to pay an annual us$25 fee that will go to the Fondo Social Migratorio that will raise some us$12 million dollars annual from the 486.000 foreign residents.
The new legislation also calls for a fine of us$100 per month to any foreigner who overstays his or her “legal” stay. North Americans and Europeans have a legal stay of up to 90 days, while only 30 days for most other countries.
The new law also requires hotels and others providing lodging to maintain a public register fo all foreigners, which can be reviewed by immigration officials at any time.
In addition, the Policía Técnica de Migración (immigration police force) will expand from the current 35 officials to 285.
Those individuals caught transporting illegals to and from Costa Rica to avoid immigration controls or using false or doctored documents, may face from two to six years in prison.
The objective of the law is to require foreigners living in Costa Rica to “formalize” their immigration status and contribute to the social system, and control the entrance of criminals.
The new law creates the “Tribunal Superior Migratorio” to hear immigration appeals
Subscribers to ICE’s 3G network can expect a refund within the next two weeks, as the state telecom has been ordered by the telephone regulator to issue a refund to customers of cellular internet and messaging.
The Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones (Sutel) said that the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) did not fully disclose its Kölbi service (ICE’s 3G) to its customers, fully explaining rates and plans as it should have.
The Sutel has ordered ICE to refund customers the amount paid since acquiring the service and the time the Sutel published the maximum rates last week.
ICE began selling 3G Kölbi in December to customers who wanted to move from the TDMA and GSM service which includes an internet connection. ICE only charged half of the ¢15.000 colones monthly fee as the service was not working at full speed.
However, the Sutel says that ICE did not disclose to customers the full cost of the service, not providing crystal clear information to its clients, the terms and conditions of the service to allow customers to make an informed decision.
The Sutel added that ICE cannot offer automatic bill payment for the internet service without first explaining to customers the payment method and getting approval.
The Sutel decision does not affect the cost or the billing for the cellular service, just for the internet and messaging services.
ICE has to first explain full the costs associated with the 3G internet and messaging service, complying with the regulations of the Ley General de Telecomunicaciones, that states an operator cannot automatically add or change service without first the express consent of the customer.
The law also requires the operator to provide a detailed monthly statement of all charges.
The Public Security Ministry is beginning the nationwide installation of 342 surveillance cameras as a means of curtailing the crime rate.
The cameras will be strategically located in the cities of San José, Alajuela, Heredia and Limón, and will be monitored 24 hours a day by 60 policemen.
According to the Costa Rica Electricity Institute (ICE), which is partnering with the ministry on the $9 million project, the system is modeled after similar ones in Colombia and London.
The system, in addition to allowing police to keep an eye on things, will also be used to gather evidence to be used in court against criminals.
The video information from the cameras will be stored for 30 days to allow judicial authorities time to obtain the material for their investigation in criminal cases.
“This is not new,” said Pedro Pablo Quirós, president of ICE. “We did thorough research … and believe this is an important way to fight crime.”
Quirós said it would be used as an evidence-gathering tool, lower the costs related to security personnel and help supervise critical operations.
“There will be electric eyes on different points chosen by security forces, both for roads, roundabouts, some buildings and corners of various neighborhoods with high incidents of crimes,” Quirós said
Janina del Vecchio, public security minister, celebrated their pending installation saying, “By announcing the Citizen Protection Video Project today, the government has completed another of its promises, which … was to bring more security to citizens…. I am proud to say (the Oscar Arias administration) has been able to complete 87 percent of public security challenges.”
Del Vecchio expects the installation to begin in August.
An earthquake measuring 5.5 degrees on the Richter scale was felt on Wednesday night near Santa Elena Peninsula in Guanacaste.
The movement originated 76 kilometers offshore and was reported in Santa Cruz de Guanacaste. The quake was due to a clash of Caribbean and Cocos plates.
So far, there have been no reports of injuries or property damage.
There are several ways to get to Costa Rica and you need to know a few things before you start out. First things first, you need to get your passport in order. This sounds rudimentary and not worth mentioning but you would be surprised how many people that I know personally that have planned and paid for their trip to Costa Rica and show up at the airport without a passport. Airline travel to Costa Rica and most other foreign countries by U.S. residents requires that the traveler hold a valid passport. You can get a passport at any U.S. Post Office in about three to six weeks. If you need it faster there are agencies that you can go to that will process it in as little as two days, but it will cost considerably more.
When contemplating airline travel to Costa Rica, it will depend on what airport you are leaving from. Delta flies the most planes there but you need to fly to the Atlanta airport and I personally dislike this place. It is so big you have to take a little subway train from one terminal to the other. It is noisy and unless you have a pass to the Admiralty Club, you will find yourself waiting many hours on hard plastic chairs surrounded by screaming infants and self important yahoos trying to impress you by talking as loud as they can into their cell phones about giant business deals they are supposedly putting together. So if you live on the West Coast, you may want to consider Continental Airlines. They also do not travel direct to Costa Rica, but their pit stop is at Houston International Airport, which is not only closer (three hours from the West Coast as opposed to six and a half hours to Atlanta) but also, in my opinion, much more comfortable and far less crowded and noisy.
Also, another requirement of airline travel to a foreign country is that after the flight back home you will be subjected to having to pass through U.S. Customs. In Atlanta chances are you will end up in a gigantic line of tourists and citizens and have to wait for over an hour just to get cleared (hopefully) and sent through to baggage. There you will have to pick up your bags and then redirect them to your final destination. You will also undergo another rigor of modern airline travel which is the Security line and again, at Atlanta, this is huge and snakes around for what seems to be several city blocks. Once again, Houston is much easier in regards to these two aspects and you will be glad you chose Continental. While airline travel to Costa Rica can be rigorous and even downright tedious for some, these tips can help you to make your flight more enjoyable.
There are many attractions for tourists in Costa Rica, and the museums are among the best options to learn about Costa Rica’s richness and identity while you spend a few days in the capital city, San José.
Here is a list of the 9 museums every tourist must visit while in San José; these are very conveniently located, to the extent that you can visit several on the same day.
1.Museo de Oro Precolombino/ Museum of Pre-Columbian Gold
This gorgeous museum is located under the Plaza de la Cultura, downtown. The underground building itself is striking; it creates a mysterious and dark atmosphere that brings out the best of the gold pieces, which seem to be floating inside their glass displays.
The aboriginal pieces represent all sorts of native animals like frogs, birds, snakes, insects, crocodiles, lobsters, and sharks.
2.Museo de la Moneda/ Coin Museum
This museum is located in the same building as the above, and has both, information on coins and interesting samples.
3.Museo de Jade/ Jade Museum
This museum is simply impressive, because of the Indian pieces it exhibits. It is located in the INS (National Insurance) building downtown. Costa Rica has no jade mines, thus, the incredible amount and quality of the jade present here can only be credited to trade, in fact, it is the biggest American jade collection worldwide.
The collection is enormously valuable for two reasons: the mineral is very rare, and the pieces have important religious and historical meaning for Costa Rica’s Indian and general population. They show animal figures too.
4.Museo Nacional/ National Museum
It is located at an old fort that still shows the marks of bullets from the Civil War of 1948. It is composed of several rooms devoted each to a specific topic. The archaeological room presents Indian relics made of stone and clay. The colonial room displays facts about the conquest as well as some pieces of religious art brought by the Spaniards. Yet another room is devoted to modern exhibits.
5.Museo de Arte Costarricense/ Costa Rican Art Museum
This museum harbors some of the best Costa Rican art. It is found in the urban park, La Sabana, in a gorgeous building that used to be the international airport many years ago. The building is a piece of art in itself, and honors the beautiful paintings and sculptures it houses.
6.Museo de Arte Contemporáneo/ Contemporary Art Museum
Located where the old National Liquor Factory used to be, the place is incredibly interesting. It is a compound of very artistic and stylish buildings surrounded by open grounds. Exhibits vary regularly, and there are two auditoriums that continually present dance and theater shows.
7.Museo de Ciencias Naturales La Salle/ La Salle Natural Sciences Museum
It is located in La Sabana and exhibits a taxidermy collection of animals as well as a preserved display of fish and reptiles. Very cool for kids!
8.Museo de Entomología de la Universidad de Costa Rica/ Entomology Museum of the University of Costa Rica
This is a small museum located in the basement of the University’s Music School. There, you can see a big collection of Central and South American insects. The admission is free, but opening hours are irregular.
9.Museo de Criminología/ Criminology Museum
This one’s for people with brave stomachs. It is located downtown and presents weird pictures and body parts! It also narrates Costa Rica’s history of criminology and law enforcement.
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Sykes in Costa Rica will be holding a job fair this Saturday beginning at 8am, offering 250 positions.
The job fair will be a the Sykes offices in Moravia.
Sykes officials say that many of those interviewed will be hired the same day, in some cases there will be an English level requirement and jobs applications will be hired with the option of perfecting their English at the Sykes Academy.
Orlando Uriza, human resources manager at Sykes, said that the new employees will work out of Moravia or Global Park.
Exports from the Central American nation were up in January, with the agriculture sector showing the most promising signs of growth
Despite a 9 per cent decline in overseas shipments last year, Costa Rica recorded a 22 per cent growth in export value in January as sendings rose to US$727.9m, according to figures released by the country’s Foreign Trade Promotion Office (Procomer).
Several of the country’s export sectors experienced considerable growth in the first month of the year, led by the agriculture industry, which recorded a 28 per cent and 69 per cent increase in pineapple and melon sendings respectively in comparison to January 2009.
Coffee and bananas, Costa Rica’s traditional export items, also showed signs of rebounding from a difficult 2009, when banana exports fell by 15 per cent and coffee by over 31 per cent, with both products enjoying a growth in shipments during January.
“The numbers indicate the possibilities for growth for the banana industry in new markets,” explained Marco Vinicio Ruiz, Costa Rica’s foreign trade minister. “These results allow us to continue with the established projections of the commercial agenda, which we expect to be favorable in the export market as we enter new markets.”
Of the export total, 40 per cent of shipments in January were sent to North America (up 181 per cent on January 2009), 19 per cent to Asia (+76 per cent) and 17 per cent to the European Union (EU). The balance was distributed within Central America and the Caribbean.
Earlier this year, Costa Rica also finalized Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations with Singapore and China, and this week will enter the seventh round of FTA discussions with the EU.
Before passing a health bill that could cripple our country with further debt, I think our legislators should look south.
I just visited Costa Rica where they have a social security system, including health care, which is financially supporting itself. The secret - the only people who receive benefits are those who pay into it through their jobs. Even the immigrant workers from Nicaragua who received a minimum wage were required to contribute in order to receive emergency services from a hospital. Our guide was bewildered, as am I, when we discussed the concept that people in our country who do not contribute to a system still receive services. A system based on something for nothing cannot and should not stand.
When are our leaders going to stop trying to reinvent the wheel and diligently search for a system, like Costa Rica’s, that has proved effective and economically sound?
A new Costa Rican solar power plan will see the light of day thanks to an approximately $9 million gift from Japan, officials from both countries said this week.
The “Project to Introduce Clean Energy through Solar Electrical Generation,” proposed last year by the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE), will enable Costa Rica to have its first solar power plant, which officials expect will help steer Costa Rica closer to its goal of carbon neutrality by the year 2021.
The first phase of the plan is called the “Miravalles Solar Project,” which will join ICE geothermal and wind power plant in Miravalles, in the northwest province of Guanacaste. ICE officials said the state-run institute has enough land there to install a micro solar generator capable of cranking out 400 kilowatts, which will help provide electricity for rural communities in the region.
Phase 2 of the plan – the “Solar Sabana Pilot Project” – will be built at the ICE headquarters in the western San José neighborhood of Sabana Norte. Workers will install solar panels on the institute’s high-rise building to “show residents of the greater metropolitan area the possibilities offered by solar energy,” according to a statement from ICE.
The institute has not set a date for these projects to start, as both phases are pending final details of the donation, ICE said.
Costa Rican Foreign Ministry officials expressed gratitude for the donation from the “nation of the rising sun,” Japan.
“This cooperation will allow us to achieve 100 percent use of clean, renewable energy, reducing part of our carbon emissions, with the goal of being the first developing country to become carbon neutral by the year 2021,” Costa Rican Foreign Minister Bruno Stagno said at the signing ceremony.
The donation comes through Japan’s Cool Earth Partnership, which is a $10 billion program to “cooperate actively with developing countries’ efforts to reduce emissions, such as efforts to enhance energy efficiency,” according to the program’s Web site.
“I hope through our cooperation that friendly nations such as Costa Rica can have access to technologies developed in Japan to combat climate change and achieve their objectives,” said Japanese Ambassador to Costa Rica Hidekazu Yamaguchi, who signed the agreement Tuesday along with Stagno.
Renewable energy – whether through hydroelectric, geothermal or wind power – makes up 94.6 percent of the total energy generated for Costa Rican consumption, according to Roger Carvajal, director of ICE’s Corporate University Division.
Starting Monday, with the new Traffic Law in effect, Costa Rica will be home to one of the world’s highest fines for talking on a cellphone while driving: ¢286.065 (approx US $520).
Still, that’s not the highest fine available — not using proper child seats and boosters, driving without a license or with an expired license will set you back a lofty ¢381.420 (approx US $693), higher than an average Costa Rican monthly wage.
Costa Rica’s Legislative Assembly has been working to reduce these prohibitive fines for the past 6 months, but haven’t been able to amend the Traffic Law in time. This means these high fines will be in effect for at least 15 days before being reduced, and possibly for another month. Owing to the rampant corruption of Traffic Police forces, the bribe amounts will increase accordingly, so expect many motivated traffic cops patrolling the streets looking for cellphone users.
Some of the new fines are below. Some of them are interesting given that they are part of normal Costa Rican driving behavior (such as those involving pedestrians and the car’s horn).
¢381.420 ($693): driving with blood alcohol content between 0.5 and 0.75 grams per liter (over 0.75 is punishable by 1 to 3 years in prison among many other punishments), driving over 120 km/h, not using child seats and boosters, riding a motorcycle without a helmet, driving with no license or expired license.
¢286.065 ($520): driving over 25km/h in school and hospital zones, talking on the cellphone, speeding, making U-turns, not having yearly mandatory insurance, not wearing seatbelts, not yielding to pedestrians at intersections.
¢190.710 ($346): littering on public roads, not having up to date Riteve car inspection, driving without reflectors (where applicable), driving on the beach.
¢152.568 ($277): driving without a windshield, unnecessary use of horn, parking where prohibited.
(Small note for Jeep users: driving with your windshield folded down should be OK because you are technically not “driving without a windshield” — it just happens to be folded. Don’t try doing that on freeways or without sunglasses though.)
Costa Rica is a thriving vacation destination, especially during the Spring Break. Many college students and couples flock to San Jose, Costa Rica for a memorable nature trip.
You will find Costa Rica’s amazing eco-system as well as its wonderful beaches along the mountain ranges between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. In Northern Costa Rica, in Guanacaste, there encompasses both interior and coastal areas, lush forests, arid plains, golden beaches, estuaries and rich mountains teeming with life. In fact, several of the most beautiful and largest nature reserves are situated here. This is along with spectacular beachfront resorts that provide scuba diving, fishing, golfing and windsurfing activities.
The wonderful Tabacon Hot Springs and active arenal volcano are also in close proximity to the coast. San Jose, its busy capital, is just three hours away to all these fascinating sites. In fact, about half of the entire population resides in San Jose, offering famous beach destinations like Jaco Beach and Puntarenas. You will also find oriented hotels and thrilling activities like golf, horseback riding and surfing among others. Costa Rica really has everything going for both its residents and guests.
Costa Rica is a haven to tourists on spring breaks, but also visited in other seasons. Going here can provide you with more excitement and culture as compared to a trip to Key West or Cancun. Whatever it is you are looking for, from natural landscapes to surfing activities, pristine beaches, throbbing nightlife and flavorful local culture, the country has it all.
Airline packages are more affordable in spring also. Airfare only costs about $350 to $550. Your expenses during your stay can only be as low as $25 per day. It is really a worthwhile dream vacation.
Costa Rica showcases the best of Latin America, offering a rich history, culture and food combined with the comforts of home. Not only is this place gaining praises for its thriving eco-tourism industry and stunning natural attractions, it is also highly regarded for being one of the most highly developed as well as safest nations in the continent. Contrary to speculations, the roads here are well-traveled and safe. With tourism as their biggest industry, their educational levels are quite high.
A Trip to San Jose
As Costa Rica’s capital city, it is considered as “the vibrant heart of the country.” It offers world class museums, beautiful architecture and the finest nightlife Costa Rica can offer. Hotels near Park Central have quality, convenient and valued services. A good example is Costa Rica Backpackers Hotel located at Avenue 6 Calle 21/23. You can call them at 221-6191. Another one is Casa Leon situated at Avenue 6 Calle 13/15. You can call them at 222-9725. In terms of nightlife, you can go to San Pedro or El Pueblo for a wide array of student bars.
More Facts about Costa Rica
The capital and largest city of Costa Rica is San Jose.
Costa Rica is noted as the only country without an army. This is because it was abolished in the year 1949.
Christopher Columbus and Columbus discovered Costa Rica during his 4th as well as final voyage towards the New World.
Nicaragua borders Costa Rica to the north while Panama borders it to the south.
Although they were not able to subdue its natives, Costa Rica was discovered last September 18, 1502.
In English, Costa Rica means “rich coast.” This is because the Spaniards became impressed with the gold ornaments that were displayed by the natives, claiming that it was the richest coast they have ever encountered.
Spanish is the main language of the locals. This is because it evolved from the Spaniards.
In the year 1821, Costa Rica was declared an independent nation. In fact, its separation with Spain was very peaceful.
For a brand new vehicle, a local of Costa Rica needs to shoulder 100% of its tax. This means that if a resident there will buy a $20,000 car, he will be able to have for a total of $40,000, including taxes.
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