Costa Rica Feb 2012

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Since November, we felt that there has been too much snow, too much cold & wind, and too much staying in one place. So, we decided to escape to beautiful Costa Rica for a winter respite. What a fantastic country! There are 200 volcanoes in the country, with 5 still active. Protected wildlife preserves comprise 25% of the country’s land. Between hiking in forests (rainforests with high drop-off suspension bridges, cloud-forests, and dry forests), cruising on crocodile infested rivers through forests and wetlands, and beachcombing on the gulf and the Pacific, we were treated to much of the country’s and the world’s renowned species of wildlife. We saw, in their native habitat, many sloths, monkeys (spider, white-faced, and howler), crocodiles and caimans, turtles, and zillions of birds. The food was simple and tasty as well, maximizing the use of locally grown items as fresh tropical fruits, sugar and molasses, and fantastic coffee. The people were friendly and welcoming. Some indigenous peoples still exist. They were so spread out that they could not be used by the colonizing Spanish in 1500’s. Hence, they do not have similar histories as Peru and Mexico. They are currently experiencing illegal immigration problems that sound just like the USA’s. Nicaraguans come in illegally and take jobs that Costa Ricans don’t want to do (such as manually harvesting coffee beans and sugar cane.) Costa Rica is considered to be the “greenest” (ecological) country in the world; currently 90% of their power is from renewable sources: volcanic (geothermal), hydroelectric, and solar. Their army was abolished in 1949 and those funds were put into education and other social programs instead. Costa Rica (the Rich Coast) is only ½ the size of Kentucky, is quite diverse, and offers something for everyone. Pura Vita!