Bienvenidos… Welcome to the rain forest, green season has arrived. So enjoy the peace of it and the lushness it provides. Our mornings are normally beautiful and the rain comes later in the day so get moving early and maybe have an afternoon nap ( guilt free in the rain). Our restaurants and tour companies are in full swing to make your stay here unforgettable and, without the crowds, much more enjoyable. Marina Pez Vela offers outstanding restaurants and tours, great shopping, and most important this time of year—underground parking and shuttle service. We recommend calling ahead to our fine restaurants beforehand because some will be closing briefly for a quick holiday for themselves and their staff. Being from the US I always enjoy this time of year. I look forward to the start of the NFL season. Even more so this year…being from Philly. Catch all the games at Sancho’s or Jolly Roger on the Hill or Double Hook at the marina.
Costa Rica celebrates their 196th year of Independence on September 15th. Quepos will be having its annual parade with children in traditional dress, floats, and festive marching bands. So if you are in the area come celebrate with a country that truly appreciates their Independence…. Viva Costa Rica!!!
October 31 is Halloween so start thinking of a costume and get ready for fright night in the jungle. Marina Pez Vela will be having their Halloween Bash complete with trick or treating for the kids and haunted house, as well as many bars and restaurants in the area. Always a great time.
We would like to thank Paul Gerace for another spectacular cover. We welcome our new advertisers this month Vista Cola Ballena and SuperMarket Pura Vida.
September/ October is a double month issue so we will be back to guide you in November. We hope you enjoy our magazine and it helps guide you through this enchanting paradise we call home. You can always follow and share us here or on Facebook. We appreciate and welcome your comments.
Happy Independence Day Costa Rica!!!
Peace and Enjoy…D
Filed under: Dave Bolger, Qué Pasa en Quepos
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Once upon a time there was a Bribri Indian chief named Pabru Presberi who was master of some big, exceptionally beautiful birds called “Pa”. Everywhere the chief went large groups of Pa flocked around him. Some were red and others green, and all were covered with stunning, bright colored plumage. One day some strange men with beards from a far-away place called Spain arrived on the shores of Costa Rica. Awed by the beauty of the Pa the Spaniards killed them for their feathers which they took to their homeland as gifts for the royalty. The word “la” in Spanish means “the” in English, so they referred to the birds as “la pa” which was later shortened to “lapa”. As time went on there were less and less lapas. The Spaniards had killed all but the large flock that followed chief Pabru everywhere he went. Eventually the chief led a revolution against the Spaniards, so they captured him and took him to Cartago where he was imprisoned. The lapas followed. Eventually the Spaniards executed the chief and the red lapas flew away to the Pacific coast and the green lapas to the Caribbean coast. To this day that is where they reside.
Of course, in English, the lapa roja (Ara macao) is the scarlet macaw, and the lapa verde (Ara ambigua) is the great green macaw. Their numbers have diminished drastically over the years to the point that the great green macaw is now listed on the IUCN red list as endangered. The scarlet macaws, which were once seen in large colorful flocks up and down the entire Pacific coast, have also diminished, but not to the extent of their green cousins. It is estimated that today there are about 600 scarlet macaws in the Osa Peninsula and 400 in Carara National Park. They disappeared from the area between Manuel Antonio and Uvita in the 1960s.
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Filed under: Jack Ewing, Nature and Local History Stories
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I feel sorry for people who have never washed their clothes in a sink or shower. To me that is a sign that you have never been on the road long enough. There is a sense of shared communion with wanderers in regards to week long jet lag, 24 hours of sitting on planes, of tramping around the world for the sake of it, because it is here to explore. In my thirty years of traveling I have never regretted a trip, nor have I ever been to a “resort.” Today it is easier, safer, and cheaper to go have an adventure. We can travel to get out of our comfort zones and let the days on the road simply unfold. I will go as far to say that my aspirations while moving about is to unlearn, I believe contrasts are the story of the world. The more challenges I can experience the better of a human I can be. My eyes can always see more, my soul can grow infinitely if I push it to do so. Stagnation has always been my enemy and when I travel I change, I grow.
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Filed under: Memoirs of a Masseur, Todd Pequeen
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By Benn Gilmour
A warm welcome to the stunning Pacific Coast of Costa Rica & the August edition of That’s Fishing!
We have plenty going on down here in Quepos & Manuel Antonio, the Offshore fishing has been great in recent weeks, there have been some HUGE Roosterfish & Snook caught inshore and at the time of writing, the Humpback Whales had just arrived in southern Costa Rica which are sure to provide some incredible scenes as they do each year, to those lucky enough to spend some time on the water.
OFFSHORE REPORT
June & July produced some great Offshore fishing and there was some great species variety caught by the Quepos fleet. Blue & Black Marlin, Sailfish, Tuna, Dorado, Wahoo, Snapper & Grouper made up most of the Offshore catches. There were periods of some great Sailfish action and during one Offshore day trip in June the 31’ GOOD DAY released 13 Sailfish with reports of 20+ Sailfish days by other boats during the month, simply incredible fishing for this time of year! August will continue to hold some good opportunities for Sailfish and Blue Marlin for those Anglers looking to check a Billfish off their bucket list.
There are still plenty of Dorado being caught during Offshore trips which are providing some great action and some nice eating for visiting Anglers. Simply take your catch along to any of the great restaurants in the area and they will be pleased to cook it up for you.
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Filed under: Benn Glimour, That's Fishin'
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By Anousha Al-Masud
To quote Ludwig Wittgenstein, ‘The limits of my language are the limits of my world’. Learning a new language is like finding a new key that can help unlock doors and open up your mind, introducing you to new adventures and people along the way. With over 400 million native speakers spread over four continents, Spanish is the second most widely natively spoken language in the world. Like English, Spanish has Latin roots and is therefore considered to be one of the easiest languages to master for an English speaker. But what is the best way to learn Spanish?
Of course, you have to start somewhere. In this post, we share how technology can be used as a great starting point whilst also revealing the best way to learn Spanish: immersing yourself in the country where that language is spoken. Intrigued? Read on.
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Filed under: Manuel Antonio Spanish School
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There have been so many beautiful days here lately in our little corner of the planet that it’s prompted me to think about weather, and of course, how it relates to music. The sunsets are spectacular, the critters and birds are super active and the rains aren’t intimidating yet. When I started looking through my songbooks and searching my leaky memory, I noticed the words ‘sunny’ and ‘sunshine’ are in about as many songs as the word ‘love’. ‘Course some of these songs are about the lack of sunshine in our lives, or the absence of love. “You are my sunshine—my only sunshine—you make me happy when skies are grey!” No sunshine and no love is a double whammy and darned hard to recover from.
Then there’s the ‘Sunny side of the Street’, ‘Sunny Skies’ by James Taylor, ‘Sunny’, the band Cream singing ‘Sunshine of Your Love’, or Stevie Wonder’s beautiful song ‘You Are the Sunshine of My Life’. Jonathan Edwards sang ‘Sunshine’, Donovan penned ‘Sunshine Superman’, and we were all ‘Walkin’ On Sunshine’. John Denver’s love of the natural world and his song, ‘Sunshine on My Shoulder’ connected us to the elements. He described the fickleness of weather and life—both bring us happiness and tears. A guy named Terry Jacks had a #1 hit in the USA and the UK in 1974 with a haunting song called ‘Seasons in the Sun’. It was an unusual theme for the pop music world—a dying man fondly recalls his life and loves, knowing it’s all nearly over with. The Walker Brothers had a hit in 1966 with ‘The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore’. These guys had weather on their brains, because the next year they followed it up with ‘Walkin’ in the Rain’. Country music fans might remember Dottie West’s song ‘Country Sunshine’, a catchy upbeat song that was used to the point of annoyance in ads for Coca- Cola to help us feel that their product would make our lives happier. Well, when rum is added, I suppose it could work that way. At least for a while.
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Filed under: Fiddlin' Around, Nancy Buchan
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By Julieta, Mamá Cacao, mamacacaochocolate@gmail.com
On the 7th July, the Salon de Cacao took place at Cafe Milagro. In its second year, this free to attend, mini-festival sets out to raise the profile and celebrate our local cacao and artisanal chocolate-makers.
The Puntarenas Province and Southern Zones used to produce large amounts of cacao, mostly for export. Some sources cite that cacao was the number one export of Costa Rica before coffee and bananas took over. But cacao was hit hard by a fungal disease called monilia in the late 70’s. By 1983 Costa Rican cacao exports had declined by 96%.
Cacao is back and thriving. We are now making some seriously good chocolate here
12 regionally-based artisanal chocolate makers brought their products on Saturday. There were also cacao-inspired talks—educating us on the cultural and historical relevance of cacao and on healthy & environmentally-friendly growing practices.
If you are looking to grow cacao and need advice, are interested in sourcing great chocolate, or would like to attend a chocolate-making workshop, please contact me and I will point you in the right direction.
If this inspires you to support the development of delicious chocolate forests here in CR with small farmers, please also consider sponsoring trees through Community Carbon Trees.
communitycarbontrees.org/plant-a-tree
Filed under: Guest Writer
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Merlin is a wild sloth that we have been tracking since February. Through the use of binoculars, we recently discovered that he had acquired a serious fungal infection. However, our team is actively treating him with special baths! He will lose a lot of hair in the process, but we know that with these treatments, he’s feeling a lot better already.
ADOPT MERLIN through TSI’s symbolic adoption program Adopt A Sloth on TheSlothInstituteCostaRica.org.
Follow Merlin’s story on Facebook & Instagram @TheSlothInstitute #SlothDiaries.
The Sloth Institute (TSI)’s mission is to enhance the welfare and conservation of sloths through research and education. TSI is located in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica. For more information please email info@theslothinstitute.org.
If you see a sloth who needs help: ALL or WHATSAPP +506 87756847/87SLOTHS.
Filed under: The Sloth Institute
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Fiery-Billed Aracaris are members of the Toucan family. I think of them as their smaller cousins. They are one of two types of Aracaris found here in Costa Rica. The other is the less colorful Collared Aracari.
Fiery-Billed Aracaris have a very limited range of habitation and are found in the rainforests on the Pacific side of southern Costa Rica
and in western Panama. This one was photographed in the Dominical area.
I find them to be mischievous, goofy, proud, prehistoric looking, and very social in their behavior. Their brilliantly colored beaks and
bright feathers are a stark contrast to the green of the rainforest. They are not graceful flyers and can often be seen hopping from one branch to another.
You will have a better chance of seeing them when they are most active. That’s when the weather is a bit misty and not too hot. They can often be seen feeding in papaya trees when the fruit is ripe and also in Cecropia trees.
Filed under: Let's Talk About Birds, Paul Gerace
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If you are able to find a perfect grill, preferably charcoal, don’t hesitate to try these classic Korean culinary delights. The bulgogi meat is sliced thinly and only needs a few hours to marinate. The kimchi is a fun science project to share with kids (and adults) and awaken our foodie curiosity.
Although soy sauce, sesame oil, gojujang paste, ginger and garlic, might not have been readily available in those times, I believe that Gengis Khan and his raiding mongols ate something similar… even the fermented pickled cabbage “kimchi” was essential to their diet.
Homemade Kimchi
Ingredients
- 1 whole Chinese cabbage (mostaza China) washed, and sliced into 1 inch wedges
- ½ cup sea salt (sal marina)
- 4 to 5 minced garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp of minced ginger
- 1 tsp of sugar
- 3 tbsp of water
- 2 tbsp of Gojujang paste OR 1 tbsp of red chili flakes mixed with 1 tbsp Asian fish sauce
- 1 peeled small carrot and cut into matchsticks
- matchsticks of daikon radish (optional)
- 3 whole scallions in ½ inch slices
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Filed under: Chef's Corner, Desiree Brassert
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By Karma Casey
Dead Hawksbill turtle. Photo Jhonny Lopez
Hi again Quepolandia readers! It’s Karma, the spokeskid from Kids Saving the Rainforest!
This month I have a very important message to share with you, and that is about the importance of boating safety and protecting the very special marine animals that share this beautiful place in the world with all of us.
I learned this lesson from a graceful animal called the sea turtle! Let me tell you how it happened. Recently, my amazing mama and I were walking on the beach when we came across two lifeguards carrying something large out of the water. We went over to see what it was, and we realized it was a large Hawksbill sea turtle!
There were three big gashes cut into the shell. We hoped at first that we could call one of the groups in the area that work with sea turtles to help rescue it. Unfortunately, this poor turtle was already dead and it was too late to help her. We asked one of the lifeguards named Jhonny Lopez, what had happened.
Jhonny teaches surfing lessons, and he also volunteers his time as a lifeguard helping to keep everyone safe on the beach. He explained to us that the turtle had been sliced by the propeller of a boat and had washed up on shore. Some people were not showing any respect to the body, bothering it a lot, and he and the other lifeguard had moved it to safety while the turtle was reported to MINAE, the government agency who helps wildlife. My mama had their number in her phone, so she sent a message right away!
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Filed under: Karma Casey, Kids Saving the Rainforest
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Bienvenidos…Welcome to our piece of paradise. We are sure you will have a great time. There are so many wonderful things Costa Rica has to offer and we have them right here. Amazing beaches to surf, stroll or just tranquilo. For an over the top view of Manuel Antonio National Park (National Parks Day Aug. 24th) try parasailing with Aguas Azules. World class sport fishing and a fleet of boats to get you there are waiting for you at Marina Pez Vela. We have tours from skydiving with Skydive Costa Rica to scuba diving and everything in between. Whether you want to relax and enjoy our nature in the mangroves or for a little more adrenaline try white water rafting with Tucanes Tours. Our mangroves and rivers are as magical as our coastline. To experience the jungle canopy there is nothing like ziplining (Titi Canopy Tours). Or the first of it’s kind EcoTram at Hacienda Barú (tell Jack we sent you). August is whale season so while you are enjoying your cocktail at our many fine restaurants with a view, pay attention to the coast you never know when a family of Humpback Whales will go swimming past.
We would like to wish all you mothers a very happy Mother’s Day (August 15th). We would not be here if not for you. So do not make mom cook; take advantage of our incredible selection of fine restaurants. She probably would not mind a massage either.
Need more reason to celebrate? August 3rd is International Beer Day, so try one of the many microbrews at Fuego in Dominical. Also, International Rum Day is August 16….”cheers, salud”.
We would also like to welcome our new advertisers Flutterby House, MiniPrice Store, and Sea of Green Designs. Thanks to Rodolfo Guzman for the Helmet Headed Basilisk cover.
We hope you enjoy our magazine and it helps guide you through this enchanting paradise we call home. You can always follow and share here or on Facebook. We appreciate and welcome your comments.
Peace and Enjoy……D
Today’s Tears Bring Tomorrow’s Rain
We are deeply saddened by the loss of one of our own. Staff writer Os passed away from a long hard fight with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Os starting writing for us in November 2011 and instantly become part of our family. He always had a smile and something nice to say, even at his worst. He is already deeply missed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Elizabeth and his family. It’s going to rain…
Filed under: Dave Bolger, Qué Pasa en Quepos
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By Deanna Fisher, TSI Marketing Director
It’s no wonder why folks from around the world are rushing to Costa Rica for their vacation destination. With sprawling coastlines, lush rainforests, and many natural waterfalls, Manuel Antonio offers a unique slice of heaven for every vacation goer. The chance to observe wildlife around every corner provides a fantastic experience many seek while in the area. With these opportunities however come the responsibility to treat wildlife with the respect they deserve and need. Here are 5 ways you can leave no trace during your time in Costa Rica:
1. USE LESS PLASTIC
Single use plastics are a growing problem world-wide. It is estimated that by 2030 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish. Do your part to use less by utilizing reusable shopping bags and/or refilling water bottles when out and about. Avoid using straws in beverages and be sure to throw them away in proper receptacles not leave them on the beach or alongside trails.
2. KEEP WILDLIFE WILD
Do not touch, get close to, or pick up wild
animals for a “better look”. It is stressful to the animal and is possible that the animal may
harbor diseases. Additionally, we can transmit bacteria that is harmful to them. Sick or wounded animals can bite, peck or scratch, sending you to the hospital. Instead, observe wildlife from a distance so they are not scared or forced to flee.
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Filed under: The Sloth Institute
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And Costa Rica Is Their Last Best Hope for Survival
By Jack Ewing
Biologist and tapir specialist, Charlie Foerster, once told me about an experience he had while standing on a high spot looking down over an embankment into a river when a tapir walked across a shallow area and continued into a deep pool until its head was submerged. Its elongated nose stuck out of the water like a snorkel until the animal reached the deepest part of the pool, and it too went under the surface. The water was clear and Charlie could see hordes of small fish surround the tapir and peck away at all of the ticks, lice and other external parasites attached to its hide, while the tapir blew bubbles. After a while the large mammal surfaced, took several deep breaths and sunk back to the bottom repeating the process a couple more times. Finally it walked out of the pool free of all its unwelcome hitchhikers. Now that’s what I call cool.
The Central American Tapir (Tapirus bairdii) sometimes called Baird’s Tapir, is the largest land mammal in Central and South America. They are about the size of a small cow—an adult will weigh up to 350 kg—but are shaped more like a pig. A long, prehensile snout, that has also been called a short trunk, is used to grasp vegetation and pull it into the tapir’s mouth. The front feet have three large toes and a fourth smaller toe located a little bit higher on the foot. The back feet have only three toes. This puts them in the same family as the horse and rhinoceros, the odd-toed ungulates. They love water and are seldom found far from it.
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Filed under: Jack Ewing, Nature and Local History Stories
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I expand my possibilities by cultivating the opposite in myself. When I was young I did not have much choice. As an adult I do, so I use my free will to be the antagonist from within. I understand that no matter how correct I think my decisions are, or how black and white a situation seems, there are always shades of grey or layers of circumstance that I may be unaware of. This requires humility beyond the four decades of lessons I have learned. A set frame of mind can be my own worst enemy. Cultivating the opposite moves my life towards the pursuit of liberation. Freedom from all lesser pursuits (that often revolve around money, food, sex, and power) can be greatly empowering. The value of seeking change and enlightenment enriches my days beyond what I have previously dreamed.
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Filed under: Memoirs of a Masseur, Todd Pequeen
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Bienvenidos… Welcome to the rain forest, green season has arrived. So enjoy the peace of it and the lushness it provides. Our mornings are normally beautiful and the rain comes later in the day so get moving early and maybe have an afternoon nap ( guilt free in the rain). Our restaurants and tour companies are in full swing to make your stay here unforgettable and, without the crowds, much more enjoyable. Marina Pez Vela offers outstanding restaurants and tours, great shopping, and most important this time of year—underground parking and shuttle service. We recommend calling ahead to our fine restaurants beforehand because some will be closing briefly for a quick holiday for themselves and their staff. Being from the US I always enjoy this time of year. I look forward to the start of the NFL season. Even more so this year…being from Philly. Catch all the games at Sancho’s or Jolly Roger on the Hill or Double Hook at the marina.
