2011 June | Quepolandia in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

Romulo Castro Unveils His Heritage

Romulo Castro, Herencia

By Jim Parisi

Although he was born in Mexico, Romulo Castro’s parents are Panamanian and he was raised in Cuba. He “came home” to Panama in the late Seventies but his collage of musical tastes had already been firmly put into place, both in his ears and in his soul. That multi-cultural embrace comes across strongly in his album “Herencia”, which he recorded with his nine piece band, Tuira. The CD is a blend of bossa nova, samba, rock and Panamanian folkloric music, all with a pronounced Caribbean backbone. His band is comprised of guitars and bass, keyboards and horns and an array of indigenous percussion. If this sounds like a potpourri, it is, but it is also anything but garbled. “Herencia” is Castro’s fourth CD and the twelve selections arrive like individual entrees rather than a mixed stew.

Filed under: Jim Parisi, Music Review on June 30th, 2011
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Cobra and Upward Facing Dog

Cobra

By Mark Goldstein

This month I would like to present two yoga poses to open your heart. Specifically Cobra and Upward Facing Dog.

We will be practicing these postures in each one of my yoga classes this month, and I encourage you to also include them in your own practices at home. A pose of the month gives those new to yoga a chance to try a new posture. For the seasoned yogi, I hope that it will serve as a chance to revisit and fine tune the basics of these postures. If we get to practice together for the entire month, then we can plan to experience a deepening and advancement of the poses as we go.

Both Cobra and Downward Facing Dog are commonly part of a sequence that we practice in Vinyasa Flow yoga that is called a “ Sun Salutation”.

Filed under: Costa Rica Yoga Journal, Mark Goldstein on June 30th, 2011
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The Eternal Problem of Poaching

You Can Diminish It, But You Can’t Stop It Completely

By Jack Ewing

In February of 2003 I had the opportunity to visit the Sirena Biological Station located on the Pacific side of Corcovado National Park on the Osa Peninsula. We met several University of Costa Rica biology students who were participating in. Dr. Eduardo Carillo’s long standing study of jaguars (Panthera onca) at Corcovado. They were searching for signs of the jaguar’s primary prey, the white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari,) more commonly known as the wild pig. For an entire week they saw only the smaller collared-peccary (Pecari tajacu.) When asked why the jaguars and their prey were suffering serious population reductions, the UCR students stated that poaching in Corcovado was out of control.

Filed under: Jack Ewing, Nature and Local History Stories on June 27th, 2011
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A free consultation with the House Doctor – June 2011

Hello fellow Quepolandiacs,

Just because the “Caja” is in crisis doesn’t mean the “Casa” is too. I promise not to lose my bed-side manner. (It’s more of a hammock-side manner anyway.) Just to keep your issues from requiring tissues, here are a few tips to keep your wallet safe and healthy.

I get the privilege during my house calls to experience the unique perspective of listening to my patients calmly explain to me how the last professionals that serviced their property “totally –expletive- expletived everything up!” ending in any messy scenario involving water, fire, electric, money, arguments, and sometimes strange disappearances of any number of proper nouns. Where is the accountability for failure in remodeling or simple home repairs? The simple answer you already know.

Filed under: A Free Consultation, House Doctor on June 27th, 2011
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Raising and Preparing a Kinkajou for a Life in the Wild.

By Pia Martin DVM KSTR Wildlife Vet

Kinkajous (Potos flavus) and in Spanish “Martillas”, are medium size mammals (40-55cms long, weighing 2-3kg), brownish colored from the Procyonid family. This means they are nocturnal, live in pairs or by themselves and are arboreal and terrestrial; just like raccoons (Procyon lotor) and coatis (Nasua narica). However, they have unique characteristics that make them very special in the rainforest. For example: although they are categorized as carnivores, they do not eat meat. Their diet is basically fruits, flowers, and rarely they will eat a bird’s egg or an insect. They have a 5 inch tongue that helps them get nectar from flowers making them pollinators. Their ankles and wrists can rotate more than most mammals helping them climb up and down trees and walk in branches easily. They also have a long prehensile tail that can wrap itself around a branch and hold on to most of the animal’s weight so it can hang and reach for a fruit in a lower branch.

Filed under: Kids Saving the Rainforest, Pía Martín on June 26th, 2011
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Meditation…Why do it?

By Shelly Workman

Scientists and doctors agree, more and more, that meditation is having a direct impact on the way the brain is ‘wired’. There has, in recent years, been a dramatic rise of the research and testing of meditation and the exact effects meditation can have on the brain and the heart. This connection helps to build up immunity and prevent diseases. Meditation is a reliable medication that has no side effects but can bring slow healing through the nervous system. There are various forms of meditation, all of which have separate characteristics that offer a unique method for healing. Stress has been proven to result in depression and fears. That depression from excess stress can result in physical injuries and negative health disorders such as heart disease. Meditation is proving to reduce the risks of such conditions by first reducing the stress. When your bran is relaxed, a dramatic improvement to your mental health occurs, which, in turn, reduces the risks to poor physical health as well.

Filed under: Holis Wellness Center on June 26th, 2011
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Four Important Steps to a Clear & Inviting Pool

By Costa Rica Pools and Construction

The four points below are the basics of excellent pool maintenance. Pay attention to these areas to help your pool look its best.

Circulation

Pool water must be circulated for your pool care products to work their best. The more your water in motion, the harder it is for bacteria and algae to grow. And the more water that passes through the filter, the more debris is captured. The best time to circulate water is during the day, for 10 hours or more.

Filed under: Costa Rica Pools & Construction, Pool Care Basics on June 22nd, 2011
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