By Milo Bekins Faries, Chair IAFN-RIFA, 2777-7259

The International Analog Forestry Network  (IAFN), with a donation from the Government of Netherlands and Cordaid.org, has recently opened its worldwide secretariat office in Quepos, located in the new office building facing la Escuela de Corea. The IAFN network (www.analogforestrynetwork.org) is comprised of 27 CBO’s (Community Based Organizations) and several individual members in six continents; all working independently on biodiversity restoration through Analog Forestry (AF).   Founded in 1996, the IAFN has three Costa Rican members, CATIE in Turrialba, ARBOFILIA in Carára, and the Centro de Capacitación de Bosques Analogos of Milo Bekins Faries, in Londres de Aguirre.

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Filed under: Guest Writer on November 24th, 2011
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By Sandy Franz

PAWS Clinic on September 25  castrated 28 more animals in Quepos. So, to add to the calculations of the Animal & Home Society, we have eliminated potentially 5,880,000 more cats and 644,000 more dogs.  Another small step for “animal kind”. Thank you to the volunteers and Dr. Martinez and Dr. Cordoba for making this difference for our community.

PAWS ACQUIRES NEW STATUS  In the U. S. , Pets of Aguirre Welfare Shelter (PAWS) is now listed as a Public Charity and has the status of 501(c) 3. This will now allow donations to be tax deductible and will open doors to many possibilities for tax exempt items and grants.

The PAWS Mobile Unit is ready for business, and will be travelling to the first mobile clinic in November.The exact date and location will be announced early in the month, so keep your eye out for our advertisements about the castration clinic.

Changing of the Guards At the last board of directors meeting, new officers were elected and they are:

• President-Jan Blackwell
• Vice President-Sandy Franz
• Secretary-Holly Myers
• Treasurer-Louise Zobrist
• Vocal-Pat Cheek
• Fiscal-Valerie Phillips

Volunteers needed for animal foster care, please call Sandy Franz, 2779-1412, 8376-0632.

Visit the PAWS tent at the feria each Saturday to see puppies, kittens, & adult animals ready for adoption.

For more information, call 2777-1113, 2777-1489, and see  the PAWS animals ready for adoption published here on Face Book.

HELP US HELP THEM –  PLEASE SUPPORT PAWS

Filed under: A Quick Pause for PAWS, Sandy Franz on November 24th, 2011
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There’s a new guidebook in the works by local nonfiction author Evelyn Gallardo, best known for her book, Among the Orangutans, which was set in the exotic location of Borneo.

Evelyn’s new book will be set in another exotic location but this time much closer to home. The working title is The Best of Manuel Antonio & Quepos 2012, which will feature the best restaurants, tours, activities, services, artists, musicians, etc. Evelyn and her husband David have lived in Manuel Antonio since 2004 and own two vacation rental homes here. In a former corporate life in California Evelyn was the marketing director for an international firm, an experience that has served her well in the marketing of her vacation rental homes. The goal of this guidebook is to attract tourism to all the businesses in Manuel Antonio & Quepos and to create buzz on the Internet about traveling to our dynamic destination.

But who’s going to read a guidebook about our little piece of paradise? The intended audience is potential and returning tourists. In addition, local businesses are welcomed to use the book as a marketing tool. Winners in each category will be given access to a “Best of…2012″ seal designed by local artist Adrian Valle to use on their web sites, business cards and other advertising material. This eBook will be downloadable from Amazon.com giving instant access to an international audience at an affordable price. The beauty of an eBook is that it can be easily updated online so that the information will remain current as opposed to guidebooks in print that run the risk of having outdated information by the time they become available to the public. Who knows? The Best of Manuel Antonio & Quepos 2012 may even become an annual publication.

So, who decides what the “best” is? That’s where you come in. Who knows Manuel Antonio & Quepos better than its residents? Nobody! So, cast your votes in the poll below and be a part of it. Don’t worry about filling in every single blank. Just vote on what you know. As an option you may add your name and/or business contact information if you’d like to be included as a contributor. The projected publication date is January 15, 2012 but be sure and check for the final publication announcement right here in Quepolandia.

The deadline date is now. Go ahead. Cast your votes before you get sidetracked by something else. Who knows? If we have enough contributors there may even be a publication party.

Complete the Poll after the jump.

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Filed under: Guest Writer on November 20th, 2011
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Spanish Sucks

By Os

Yes, I have found myself saying it, saying that Spanish sucks; even in my lessons when I noticed how many action words (verbos) and different endings (conjugaciones) we need to know to make it perfect.  But this column is not about perfection it is not about grammar or rules.  It´s about how español works and the way it is (and remember this:  It is what it is).   It is NOT about grammar nor exercises…

And I think (and I hope you do too) it’s interesting and useful in order to present some ideas on how to handle, understand, enjoy, and learn some español………..And as you can read, it is in inglés.

Before continuing let me introduce myself and this column: I call myself OS, I teach español around here and I named this column “SPANISH SUCKS” because everything I am gonna tell you will be 99% (noventa y nueve por ciento) true according to my background or the point I want to express.

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Filed under: Os, Spanish Sucks on November 14th, 2011
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By Matt Casseday

We live in a sort of throwback time here. Things taken for granted in the “developed” world–uninterrupted electricity, watching your favorite team play online, well-lit thoroughfares, mandatory high school education—are still considered a luxury—at least to those living in rural Costa Rica. Recently I was driving from Dominical to Quepos, on the “new “ road, the paved road, remembering how absolutely giddy I felt the first time I drove the new 40 kmstretch, grinning nonstop now that the bone-jarring 2 hour travail had been transformed into a 25 minute breeze. As was my custom when the road was bad,  I stopped for a break at the Savegre River bridge. There is a space with a ledge, right as you turn in toward the mountains, and it is a good place to sit, maybe have a long drink and a short smoke, and watch the river. At that spot, the Rio Savegre is bottoming out from its long savage run down the mountain. In the late afternoon grayness that followed the day’s rains I saw that the river, even here, was swollen and rushing and mud brown, carrying branches and small pieces of zinc and wood. Something had been destroyed upriver, possibly somebody’s rancho, another lean-to built too close to the riverbank.

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Filed under: Episodes, Matt Casseday on November 6th, 2011
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These Horoscopes are meant to be fun and enjoyed. They should not be taken too seriously.

SCORPIO - October 23-November 21

A hive of naked mole rats will move in with you today. You will find that they are relatively tidy creatures, but that its a trifle difficult to explain their presence to your friends.

RULING GEMSTONE: TOPAZ

SAGITTARIUS - November 22-December 21

Be playful at heart and you will reap the reward of having more friends under the age of 10. Beware of tour guides walking backwards in their guide commentary’s.

RULING GEMSTONE: TURQUOISE

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Filed under: Cosmic Confetti, Horoscopes on November 4th, 2011
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Bienvenidos/Welcome to our slightly soggy Paradise….rain- that necessary evil/good for the rainforest has been paying us a visit, but soon will be moving  on – as we try to enjoy the cooler weather and hope that it won’t wash out your vacation or cause any damage to the area or country.  We would like to announce the winners for the annual Chili Cook Off held at La Hacienda….1^st  Cody Whitmire, 2^nd Daniel, and 3^rd Papa—People’s Choice went to Louise Zobrist – congrats to all! This month brings the re-opening of many of our wonderful restaurants & those of us that live here are happy to have them back!…………if you are here over Thanksgiving – no worries- a Turkey dinner will be available….check with La Hacienda, Barba Roja, El Gran Escape & possibly Agua Azul  & Kapi Kapi– we promise you won’t go hungry. We would like to thank  Bernard Solco of NY & Holger Holstien for our great cover shot – Playa Matapalo with Manuel Antonio in the distance – very cool shot!

While visiting with our advertisers- please let them know you found them in Quepolandia – enjoy yourselves and check back with us right here and of course come back soon……..ciao……P

Filed under: Qué Pasa en Quepos on November 2nd, 2011
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