Quepolandia

The Harmful Effects of the Wildlife Selfie Craze

By Sam Trull, Sloth Director/Co-Founder The Sloth Institute Costa Rica

Recently there has been a proliferation of wildlife selfies being posted on social media sites, with Instagram alone reporting an increase of 300%. And thankfully, there has been a huge response from the global community on the harm these selfies impose on wildlife. We get that some people just don’t realize that taking selfies with wildlife is simply not only harmful but unethical.

A recent video uncovered by the investigative work of “World Animal Protection” tells a horrific story. Trees are being chopped down and sloths are being ripped out of trees and are passed around from tourist to tourist as if they were a toy. These sloths are wild animals and show all the signs of being in stress when taken from their environment. An average tourist thinks that the sloths outstretched arms are a sign of the sloths posing when in fact it means they are in high stress mode.

Orange and Sesame Chicken with Thai-style Chayote Slaw

This is an American-Chinese favorite, Asian fusion at it´s finest.

For 8 to 10 servings

Thai-style Chayote Slaw

Ingredients

1 Chayote
1 Carrot
2 tbs Thai fish sauce
2 tbs white sugar
2tbs lime juice
Peanuts
Cilantro

Directions

Slice chayote & carrot into small matchsticks.
Make a dressing with Thai fish sauce, white sugar, and lime juice.
Pour dressing over matchsticks and garnish with chopped peanuts and cilantro.

Chicken

Ingredients

1 kg of chicken thigh fillets, cut into nice chunks
3 tbs flour
3 tbs cornstarch (maizena)
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1/3 cup of soy sauce
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1/2 cup of water

Directions

Mix together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and powder, soy sauce, sesame oil, vegetable oil, and water until a smooth paste is formed.
Add the chicken pieces and let sit for about 30 minutes.
In a shallow pan, heat 2 cups of cooking oil and fry the chicken pieces in batches until golden. Keep warm.

Orange and Sesame Sauce

Ingredients

2 tablespoons of finely shredded fresh ginger
6 to 8 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
100 grams of orange marmelade, or a small jar
1/2 cup of soy sauce
1/2 cup of white sugar
1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup of ketchup
1/4 cup sesame oil
Toasted sesame seeds for garnish

Directions

In a saucepan, fry the garlic and ginger in a little bit of cooking oil until fragrant.
Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil.
Mix 3 tablespoons of cornstarch into 1 cup of water and mix well before adding it to thicken sauce.
Pour over warm chicken nuggets and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.
Serve with steamed rice and Thai-style chayote slaw.

Filed under: Chef's Corner, Desiree Brassert
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Karma Saving the Rainforest

By Karma Casey

Greetings! Karma Casey here, a spokes-kid for Kids Saving the Rainforest! You may remember me from my interview with Lexi Bacca a couple of issues ago. I moved to Costa Rica to help KSTR, and I’m 9 years old, just like Janine & Aislin when they started our organization way back in 1999.

It’s that time of year again: The holidays! If you are looking for a unique gift that makes a difference, you might consider sponsoring a sloth at Kids Saving The Rainforest! For a donation of at least $30, you will get a plush sloth, a photo and a story of a real live sloth saved by KSTR, a certificate, and fun facts about sloths!

To learn more, visit sponsorasloth.wordpress.com.

Although plush sloths are good to snuggle and hold, real sloths are not! They will become so stressed out they may even die. Also, it is very illegal to hold or touch wild animals. When an orphaned baby sloth comes into Kids Saving The Rainforest, they are given a plush animal to hold onto very much like the one you will receive. They cling to it like they would their mother.
Read More…

Filed under: Karma Casey, Kids Saving the Rainforest
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What’s Shaking at Marina Pez Vela? – December 2017

The cooling rains subside, the warm breezes and magical sunsets of the Costa Rica summer season begin lightingup the evening skies, we get ready for what is likely to be a record setting season here in Costa Rica and especially at Marina Pez Vela! We are incredibly excited to share some of the events we have planned for the coming months, many of which are community celebrations which have become part of our culture here at Marina Pez Vela. Given some of the obstacles and heart-warming manner in which our families and community responded during this past rainy season, we hope that Marina Pez Vela can continue to support this wonderful area and to create public spaces where we can all share and celebrate the beauty of this region, the spectacular ocean which embraces the project and the families who make this area so special.

Friday Night Outdoor Movie Nights are back!

Out with the rain, IN WITH FRIDAY NIGHT FREE MOVIES UNDER THE STARS AT MPV. This has become one of our favorite dry season traditions. Families, tourists, anglers all relaxing under the stars, enjoying all the restaurants, shops and services here at the project and free outdoor movies on the GIANT inflatable screen, every Friday at 7 pm.

Filed under: Marina Pez Vela
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Titi Conservation Alliance – December 2017

School children going to tree planting

Tropical Storm Nate

The Quepos-Manuel Antonio area, and the entire country of Costa Rica is just beginning to recover from the ravages of Tropical Storm Nate. It is apparent that it will take many years to repair and rebuild homes and infrastructure which were destroyed due to the heavy flooding and landslides. We would like to sincerely thank all the volunteers in our area, who have given so generously their time and support to those people in our community who have lost everything. Many others living outside the country have also expressed their concern and have donated funds to purchase needed food and clothing for those in need. Thank you all!

Members of Costa Rican Coast Guard & Ministry of Environment at tree planting.

TCA Tree plantings

TCA continued to plant more trees during this very rainy season! In September, students from Escuela Finca Mona and Escuela Portin de Naranjo joined together to plant 250 trees on Marcia Bennetts farm in Naranjito, located on the outskirts of Quepos. Also in September, our TCA employees assisted the Barahona family in planting over 800 trees on their farm located near the village of Londres, also in the heart of the Naranjo River Biological Corridor. Finally, our Titi Conservation Alliance tree crew, led by Ing. Juan Pablo Aguero, planted an additional 250 trees on the Gamboa family farm located in Tocori, near the village of Villa Nueva, assisted by members of the Costa Rica Coast Guard and Ministry of the Environment. We sincerely thank these new landowners who participated in our conservation efforts this year!

You can find more info on our website www.monotiti.org. For questions or to make a donation please contact Russ Jensen at director@monotiti.org or cell phone 506-8502-2034.

Happy Holidays to all from the Titi Conservation Alliance!

Filed under: Titi Conservation Alliance
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¿Qué Pasa en Quepos? – December 2017

Bienvenidos/ Welcome to paradise, we are glad you have arrived. The rains are slowing, the sun is shining, and the jungle is alive… so let the fun begin. Our pages are full of awesome restaurants of every flavor. Sunrice, Victoria’s, or Z Gastro Bar just to mention a few. Tour companies to take your vacation to the next level like Quepoa Expeditions or Titi Canopy. Transportation companies (Monkey Ride and the Marina Pez Vela shuttle) that will get you where you are going. Not to mention great articles to enjoy while chillin’ at the beach or by the pool.

The fish are jumping and so is Marina Pez Vela. The annual Bright Lights Boat Parade is December 9th. What a great way to kick off the holiday season and wrapping it up with a spectacular firework show to light up the skies of Quepos for New Year’s Eve so make sure not to miss it. Great time to feel the Pura Vida this country has to offer.

Our shops are great for your holiday shopping. Check out Mot Mot Gallery or The Captain’s Booty for that one of a kind gift. Also let us not forget the Toys for Tots boxes in the area and help brighten someone’s holiday.
We would like to welcome our new advertisers: Fuhgeddaboudit, Pat’s Pottery, & Rasta Adventure.

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 and at facebook.com/quepolandia. We appreciate and welcome your comments.

We at Quepolandia would like to wish our advertisers, writers, staff, and readers a Wonderful Holiday Season and an Incredible 2018!!!

Peace on Earth & Enjoy… D

Filed under: Dave Bolger, Qué Pasa en Quepos, Uncategorized
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Pest or Pal

Why raccoons are important and what to do when they invade your home.

By Paola Alvarado, SINAC officer and Sam Trull, Sloth Director of TSI

This may seem like a strange article to appear in the TSI Quepolandia slot, but this month we have teamed up with local SINAC officer, Paola Alvarado, to remind you that even the least popular animals play an important role in our ecosystem. Your first, and maybe only impression of a raccoon may be that of a ‘thief’ in the night. Raccoons seem to be masters at getting exactly where we don’t want them to be: inside roofs, walls, trash bins and even outdoor kitchens! They are so smart, that once they have figured out how to get into an area, it can be very difficult to get them out. They are able to unzip bags, open lids, if you handed them a key, they would probably even unlock doors (ok, maybe that’s a stretch)! But raccoons can actually benefit people by eating mice, rats and unwanted insects. It is always important to remember that ultimately, we have invaded their jungle home and it’s our responsibility to make the relationship work.

Spanish Sucks – November 2017

¡Happy New 70 Verbs!

¡Happy New Flashcards!

Parte IX

¡Hola amigos! How did you do filling the previous seven verbs? Remember to check your answer on thins link: http://www.oscostarica.com/printable-spanish-flashcards/

This month there are seven new verbs. Fill the boxes with the conjugations of the verbs in present tense…

Remember that I chose those 70 verbs based on the frequency of use, the importance of complexity and the pattern of conjugation… Every month I will give you seven flashcards to feel! Go to my website and compare your fillings with mine: http://www.oscostarica.com/printable-spanish-flashcards/

Spanish Sucks

Filed under: Os, Spanish Sucks
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Osa Gold

If you saw a small Irish man with a beard and bushy eyebrows who lives in the forest, loves the color green, and has a passion for gold you might think he was a “Leprechaun”. But if that forest happened to be on the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica, more than likely it would be my good friend Patrick J. O’Connell, commonly known as “The Goldwalker”. Unlike the Leprechaun he is not the keeper of the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, but he has lived the most extraordinary life of anyone I have ever known, walking from one end of the Osa to the other for 26 years buying gold.

Jack and Patrick

In 1964 Patrick and three friends drove to Costa Rica in a 1958 Dodge panel truck. All were veterans of the Korean war and out for adventure. They came to Costa Rica for the hunting. For three years he stayed in the Talamanca mountain range in southern Costa Rica near a place called Potrero Grande. Then Patrick moved to the Osa Peninsula where the hunting was spectacular.

As it is today the Osa of the 1960s was one of the most biodiverse areas on the planet but that is where the similarity ends. At that time there was no national park, no tourism, no roads, and most of the residents were fugitives from the law. After the civil war of 1948 many of the soldiers from the losing side fled to the Osa to escape execution. Additionally criminals of all sorts took advantage of the remoteness of the peninsula and went there to escape punishment. It was a place of exile. No criminal act was terrible enough to bring the police to the peninsula. If someone was killed in a barroom brawl the others just dragged the body outside, and in the morning someone would bury it. The government didn’t care.

That’s Fishin’ – November 2017

By Benn Gilmour

November is one of the favourite months for fisherman here in Quepos. A month or two in the boat yard getting our boats ready to go again for high season is long enough for any Captain and we cannot wait to go fishing again come November 1st!

The rains disperse as the month progresses to make way for the clear blue skies and flat calm seas that the Central Pacific coast is famous for. November is a transitional month, where water temperatures start to rise, baitfish numbers increase and lots of predatory fish hot on their heels.

EXCELLENT VARIETY IN NOVEMBER

Yellow fin tuna

We typically don’t see the crazy Sailfish bite that we do during January-April but there should be good numbers of Sailfish around and couple this with the excellent variety of species we have in November, Anglers should be in for some awesome fishing. Right now is the peak time to catch Blue Marlin on day charters from Quepos and there were some epic Marlin days recorded this time last year. You can expect some big Yellow Fin Tuna schools 30+ miles Offshore as well as pretty much the TOP month of the year for Dorado! We have had some great Dorado fishing during September & October along the current lines off Quepos and this action should peak this month when good sized fish should be here in numbers. Often some of the best Dorado action can be found less than 10 miles from the Marina Pez Vela, an added bonus—less running time & more fishing!

Take your kids fishing!

Inshore Fishing trips are a great option for families or those worried about spending a full day Offshore. Half day Inshore trips will give you 5 hours on the water, take you along the stunning coastline where you can target Roosterfish, Snook, Snapper, Mackerel, Jacks & more. With the bulk of the rains out of the way, water clarity will improve as the month progresses, large shoals of sardines will gather inshore with the big guys not be far behind!

The Blues

Sometimes we find ourselves down in the dumps. It may be a day, a week, or even a month but we as humans are susceptible to periods of depression. The last two months in Costa Rica can play into this malaise….a lack of sunshine, heavy rains, and a slow work schedule can often heighten restlessness. Waters run deep with depression and it can be hard to put a finger on exactly what is going on internally if we are in this rut. Common signs are: poor sleep habits, self-abuse through drugs, alcohol, and even food, irritability, loss of excitement over once enjoyable activities, sadness, angry outbursts, slowed thinking and movements, fatigue and physical pains to name just a few. Sometimes it is a challenge to take a good hard look at oneself and to admit that there is something wrong. Once we do we can turn the battle into our favor. Michael Jackson said it best in his song Man in the Mirror. The lyrics state, “I’m starting with the man in the mirror, I’m asking him to change his ways.”

Fiddlin’ Around – November 2017

There’s a big ‘ole country music guy from Clover Bottom, Kentucky who nowadays owns and operates a fishing boat in Quepos and plays guitar and sings at a few venues around town. He’s got a quick and genuine smile, a beautiful and powerful voice and he’s written songs that literally millions of people have heard and love. He’s funny, been around a couple of blocks, is friends with country music legends and is respected by them in return. His name is Ralph Simms, though he went by ‘Buck Cody’ back in the early days of his career.

Ralph came from a musical family—his Dad played dobro and had worked with the great Lester Flatt, and when Ralph was 17 he helped him sign with BMI Records in Nashville. His first song for them was called ‘Baby I’m Leaving’, and that’s what he did—moved to Nashville, put together a 5 piece band, and started playing wherever he could get gigs. Performing live was his main focus, and he spent years in the musical trenches, playing many hundreds of gigs from huge state fairs to seedy bars. He managed to find time to fulfill his BMI writing obligations and worked with fine producers like Larry Morton and with different notable publishing companies, including Prairie Dust Records. Ralph is one of those rare journeymen musicians who are at home on stage as a lead or rhythm guitarist, lead singer, background singer, arranger, and producer, and who also has successfully penned material recorded by other artists. He’s had several of his songs on the country charts, including The Fireman as done by Mac Vickery, and the huge hit version by George Strait of his song Amarillo By Morning. He’s played with many of the greats, like Jerry Lee Lewis, Hank Thompson, Conway Twitty, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Jerry Reed—just to drop a few bigshot names. He performed on the TV show Hee Haw, a cornball show about hillbillies which actually featured some great players and helped launch the careers of many still enduring musicians. Ralph was male vocalist of the year in 1984, his band won for best instrumentalists, and he’s had his share of fame and accolades—yet he says, “I’m happy to have made a living playing with great musicians who I admire and am moved by. I’m just a country boy from Kentucky who got lucky.”

Organizing Your Kitchen

Design Wise By Shelagh Duncan

We were back in Canada for our Thanksgiving this year and I was making the traditional turkey dinner for the family. I realized once I got started on the meal prep that I was very appreciative of the efficient way the kitchen was set up. It was a total no-brainer to find everything I needed, when I needed it.

An efficient kitchen does not happen by accident, but by design. It is more than just the traditional “Work Triangle”. It is a thoughtful process of what goes where and why, especially in a small kitchen. Every kitchen will be a little different and will depend on the personal cooking/cleaning-up style of the person(s) using it.

If you get frustrated searching for things or waste time having to rummage through messy drawers or cupboards to find what you need, here are some ideas to help you get your kitchen into shape.

The Story of the Wildlife Bridges

By Jennifer Rice PhD, President of Kids Saving the Rainforest

How did wildlife bridges come to Costa Rica you might ask? We at Kids Saving The Rainforest have the story for you.

Squirrel (Titi) Monkey using our bridge in 2005

In the year 2000, a group called Amigos Del Monos came to Kids Saving the Rainforest (KSTR) and told us that they could not get ICE, (the Electric Company), to help them put up monkey bridges. They felt that KSTR could get their attention.

Luckily, we could do so and the KSTR Wildlife Bridge Program was started. In the beginning, KSTR had a team to put up the bridges as you can see in a picture of Lenin putting up a bridge in 2002.

Much later ICE started working hand in hand with KSTR. Since then KSTR gives presentations to ICE’s environmental workers from around the country about the bridges. We also taught their workers how to save wildlife up on the electrical wires.

Spicy Korean Chicken Wings

Korean gochujang paste is my new obsession: think of a blend of sweet and spicy miso paste. I’ve seen it once at the mini price store (some years ago sighhh), but it does exist in San Jose. If you find it, grab it and share it with your loved ones. A small amount goes a long way.

Ingredients for the fried chicken wings

1 kilo of whole chicken wings
1 teaspoon of salt
1 pinch of black or white pepper
1/2 cup of cornstarch (maizena)
oil for deep frying

Instructions

Split the wings into drumettes and wingettes, discard the tips (good for making stock).
Pat dry with paper towels and let sit for a few hours in salt and pepper.
Pat dry again before tossing in cornstarch to coat evenly.
Heat oil until it spatters and cook wings in several batches until well done.
This should take at least 1/2 hour depending on size of wings. Check for doneness.