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The Biesanz family has lived in a gringo enclave in the Quepos area for quite some time. I know that Mavis was a very bright person and her son Barry does nice work with Costa Rican hardwoods. Her main area of study and publishing was in the social sciences. Here is a short review of [i]”The Ticos”[/i] Review: The Ticos: Culture and Social Change in Costa Rica
User Review – Goodreads
An interesting mix of both personal experience and scholarship, it’s a good overview of all aspects of Costa Rican culture. A bit of an expat point of view, but some good understanding. The Biesanz family even has a beach named after them in Quepos.
I think is better to rely on Ticos to explain them selves even tho Constantino wasborn and educated in Spain. “Nadie conoció mejor el alma tica que Constantino Láscariz”Sweikert………if you really want to learn about Costa Rica and can read in Spanish or feel like taking the trouble to translate, I recommend “El Costarricense” by Copnstantino Lâscaris. It is hard to find but I see 1 copy on Abebooks. The book is not about real estate, information tours or the hot spots in San Jose. It will give you an idea of what makes a Tico tick. Can’t believe I wrote that. It will be very worthwhile. I think the most difficult thing about adapting to a new country is developing an understanding of its people. This book will start you in the right direction. Just a thought……..
500/1$ Are you kidding. At this moment it is 552/1$ and thats about 10%. Merchants have to be careful with their prices in colones or they will be selling below re stock cost.
It is really difficult to predict just what will happen with the exchange rate. Here is a brief example of what can happen in CR with the exchange rate. During the Oduber administration in the 1970s the exchange rate was at 8.60 and had been for some time. At this time the Sandinista movement was gaining strength, the economy was in the pits and there were some bombings and serious social unrest in Costa Rica. Along came Rodrigo Carazo, an ex PLN member, handsome, macho and a great orator (sound familiar) He came to power in 1978 with the exchange rate still at 8.60 and then he decided to let the colon float. Also, very strict controls were placed on who could change dollars. Black market time, big time. Next came the money police. I knew bar owners who were arrested and tried for accepting $s for a bar bill. Entrapment for sure. Even with the controls the colon kept on going up. In 1982 Luis Alberto Monge Araya (Johnny Araya’s uncle) became president and the colon went to 60. Surprise suprise, one Monday the exchange rate opened at 40. The strange thing was that not many people said much. Go figure. Just goes to show that these things can’t be predicted. I lived it.
Most people agree that the colon was over valued but the way it has been devalued has spread panic. Also, could there have been pressure on the CB by certain sectors? Stranger things have happened. Seems like the Presidenta can’t get anything right. It might be good for tourists and those who recieve their income in $s but most of the Ticos will suffer. Also, Japanese, Chineese and Argentine products are paid for in $s. Local produce and manufactured products will increase in price. Oil and petroleum products and most others will go up in price and so will the hardwood table made in Sarchi ad infinitum……….. Gotta call it inflation.Speak for yourself Steve
The rest of us will be mildly interested in who wins
[/b]quote=”sweikert925″]Well today is election day in Costa Rica. So some of you who have expressed the fear that Villalta may win better be prepared for the stock market to crash, the sun to stop shining, milk to curdle and crops to fail.
The rest of us will be mildly interested in who wins.
Costa Rica seems to [url=http://www.ticotimes.net/2014/01/31/6-things-you-should-know-about-sundays-elections-in-costa-rica]go about electing officials much more sensibly than we Americans do.[/url]
I especially like the idea of the campaigns being only 4 months long, the bulk of the campaign expenditures being publicly financed, and – best of all – term limits for officeholders so that consecutive terms aren’t allowed.[/quote]
I just came back from Playas del Coco and surrounding areas and maybe I was in a different Liberia than the one to which you are refering. Had a decent and reasonably priced meal at a traditional restaurant (can’t remember the name “crs”, not El Bramadero) at the Interamerican/Airport highway crossroads. Also, I see the town itself as vibrant provincial center. Lots of tourists around, the Airport has really made a difference, many shops and just about all you would need except for maybe a Del Rey, Key Largo or Beetles Bar. “Por Dicha”.
[quote=”costaricabill”][quote=”sweikert925″]Thanks. Any of them you can personally recommend?[/quote]
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g309240-Liberia_Province_of_Guanacaste-Hotels.html
that the same link I posted on the forum earlier. Of course, the most “gringoish” is the Hilton Garden Inn, but several friends have told me that they had good experiences at Hotel Rincon del Llano when they stayed overnight for 7:00am flights.
I might suggest that the area around the Liberia Airport and the town of Liberia itself is absent of anything to do, no restaurants, no attractions, even no stores and no sodas.
I think I remember you saying you aren’t interested in the beach areas
– if I’m wrong I would urge you to take a taxi to Playas Del Coco or Ocotal or Hermossa (all within 25-30 minutes from LIR) and then work your way down the coast from there.
– if I am right, then I would arrange transport up to Tileran, Tronadora (sp?) or the Lake Area and start exploring there.
Check FlipKey and/or Airbnb and you can find plenty of small vacation rentals or small hotels or even “in home apartments” that are very reasonable and within walking distance of all the things that are absent in the area around the airport.
safe travels[/quote]
[quote=”Imxploring”][quote=”VictoriaLST”]I support the gold mining company. They had a legal contract. CR has a huge nation debt and resources in gold. The government can set up its own rules for reclamation and reforestation of the land when the gold mining is completed.[/quote]
A contract is a contract true Victoria… but when a company (a made up entity with no physical presence) is able to simple declare bankruptcy, disappear, and walk away from an environmental disaster we have a problem. Gold mining is a dirty, expensive, and environmentally unfriendly undertaking. All too often these companies do NOT honor their contracts when the reclamation is required… it’s expensive and isn’t producing income. They simply walk away or declare bankruptcy leaving the government or landowner holding the bag.
A small fish like Costa Rica would be an attractive target for such a company and scheme since the cost to pursue a claim against the company, should they default on reclamation, would be prohibitive and likely recovery by CR would be slim at best. But by then whatever gold is gone and the environmental mess is all that is left. Just look at all the “Super Fund” sites in the US that the government is stuck with cleaning up after companies do their thing, make a mess, take their profits, and disappear!
This is most likely why CR rethought the deal and is currently in this legal battle, the good news is with lower gold prices the company might be less likely to pursue this issue. Interesting point is the last legal battle Infinito had over a cancelled mine deal was in Venezuela… interesting parallel. BTW…. They lost!
Since the environmental problems with gold mining are well documented one must wonder why the original contract was even signed by the leader of a country that prides itself as being so environmentally friendly. Perhaps some oil or grease was involved? LOL
Long live Don Oscar…. sold out to the Chinese…. sold out to the mining companies!!!! How Nobel! I’m sure he’s enjoying a “healthy” retirement.[/quote
Oh, but he claimed it was in the…….”interés público”
[According to todays “La Nacion” and ex minister Rene Castro it looks as if maybe Oscar Arias may have quite a bit to do with the Infinito mess. You can check it out here in Spanish or Google translator. http://www.nacion.com/nacional/politica/Oscar_Arias-Industrias_Infinito-Rene_Castro_0_1350465078.html
b][/b][quote=”orcas0606″][quote=”waggoner41″][quote=”johnnyh”][quote=”orcas0606″]Maybe Infinito should sue Oscar Arias!!!!
[quote=”waggoner41″]It is one thing for individuals to pan for gold in the streams and rivers of Costa Rica and quite another to begin open-pit mining at the cost of the virgin forest.
The company clear cut a section of forest before permission had been decided and Costa Rica should be suing to have the forest restored to its original condition.[/quote][/quote]
Didn’t he win some kind of a prize? Peace prize I think, but so did Barry. Did his bank account grow as a consequence of his signing contracts with the mining operation? But then I’m getting cynical here. Hang me from the highest tree![/quote]
Has nothing to do with Arias or a peace prize.
Infinito got out way ahead of the legal proceedings against them and figured they were going to waltz in before the legal issues were settled and cleared about a hectare of virgin forest to start an open pit mine on the basis of a trade agreement between Costa Rica and Canada.
The Costa Rican Supreme Court ruled against them on the basis of destruction of the environment and they had to pull out.
Canadian organizations Mine Watch and The Council of Canadians are up in arms and telling Infinito they should back off.[/quote][/quote]
[quote=”waggoner41″][quote=”johnnyh”][quote=”orcas0606″]Maybe Infinito should sue Oscar Arias!!!!
[quote=”waggoner41″]It is one thing for individuals to pan for gold in the streams and rivers of Costa Rica and quite another to begin open-pit mining at the cost of the virgin forest.
The company clear cut a section of forest before permission had been decided and Costa Rica should be suing to have the forest restored to its original condition.[/quote][/quote]
Didn’t he win some kind of a prize? Peace prize I think, but so did Barry. Did his bank account grow as a consequence of his signing contracts with the mining operation? But then I’m getting cynical here. Hang me from the highest tree![/quote]
Has nothing to do with Arias or a peace prize.
Infinito got out way ahead of the legal proceedings against them and figured they were going to waltz in before the legal issues were settled and cleared about a hectare of virgin forest to start an open pit mine on the basis of a trade agreement between Costa Rica and Canada.
The Costa Rican Supreme Court ruled against them on the basis of destruction of the environment and they had to pull out.
Canadian organizations Mine Watch and The Council of Canadians are up in arms and telling Infinito they should back off.[/quote]
Maybe Infinito should sue Oscar Arias!!!!
[quote=”waggoner41″]It is one thing for individuals to pan for gold in the streams and rivers of Costa Rica and quite another to begin open-pit mining at the cost of the virgin forest.
The company clear cut a section of forest before permission had been decided and Costa Rica should be suing to have the forest restored to its original condition.[/quote]
I agree. This conversation is about as interesting as an abyssmal plain!!
[quote=”pharg”][quote=”sweikert925″][quote=”costaricafinca”]but we have been to Upala many times, and it is much higher that this, so I would advise you not rely on all information posted, as to be exact or even close and check for yourself.[/quote]
How do you know it is higher? Did you take altimeter readings yourself? If not then I don’t understand how you’re arriving at that conclusion.[/quote]
not to prolong this suddenly uninteresting thread, but Google Earth gives the altitude of Upala at 165-170′ depending on where you are standing.[/quote]
I use a digital altimeter on my Samsung Galaxy that I downloaded from Samsung Play Store. I have checked it out with known altitudes in Costa Rica and it seems to be quite accurate. Look for SDK Sakkie de Kock. It uses GPS satellites and reads in feet and meters.[
quote=”sweikert925″][quote=”pharg”]
On altimetry, a really good GPS would be my choice.[/quote]I’ve seen smartphone apps that claim to have accurate altitude readings, are you familiar with any of them?
[quote=”pharg”]However, as an oceanographer, I would prefer a depth sounder.:wink:
[/quote]I’ll remember that if any of my prospective future home sites are underwater (literally, not the kind where I owe more than the home is worth).[/quote]
Anytime YOU give YOUR money to SOMEONE ELSE, whether it is to the Villalobos brothers, Savings Unlimited, Freddie or Fanny for a mortgage or Coopeande for a CD you are at risk of losing your “camisa”. The greater the risk the greater the return. It isn’t all that difficult to understand that if a bank loans money at say 25% and pays 12% interest on CDs there is a lot of wiggle room.
[quote=”orcas0606″]Please tell me where I can find the $ CDs at 7%? The best I can find is abour 3.75% for a 36 mos CD. Also commercial banks (BNCR, BCR, Scotia etc.) have to charge a 15% tax. Cooperativas are exempt from this tax.
uote=”pdsnickles”][quote=”orcas0606″][quote=”costaricabill”][edit]
If you have all of that sitting in a checking account you could be earning some good interest if you desired. 7% +/- in a dollar savings CD and 12-14% in a colone CD at one of the “cooperatives”. Check out the rates and terms at Coopenae.[/quote][/quote]
My question is, are these CD’s completely safe as they are in the USA or is there a risk of losing one’s money with a CD in Costa Rica? I ask because it seems they pay more than in the USA and I am wondering how/why.[/quote][/quote]
Yes, really!!! I guess I shouldn’t have to explain but the 15% tax is paid on the interest earned.
quote=”pdsnickles”][quote=”orcas0606″]Please tell me where I can find the $ CDs at 7%? The best I can find is abour 3.75% for a 36 mos CD. Also commercial banks (BNCR, BCR, Scotia etc.) have to charge a 15% tax. Cooperativas are exempt from this tax.
[/quote]LOL. So you get 7% but pay 15%? Really?![/quote]
Please tell me where I can find the $ CDs at 7%? The best I can find is abour 3.75% for a 36 mos CD. Also commercial banks (BNCR, BCR, Scotia etc.) have to charge a 15% tax. Cooperativas are exempt from this tax.
uote=”pdsnickles”][quote=”orcas0606″][quote=”costaricabill”][edit]
If you have all of that sitting in a checking account you could be earning some good interest if you desired. 7% +/- in a dollar savings CD and 12-14% in a colone CD at one of the “cooperatives”. Check out the rates and terms at Coopenae.[/quote][/quote]
My question is, are these CD’s completely safe as they are in the USA or is there a risk of losing one’s money with a CD in Costa Rica? I ask because it seems they pay more than in the USA and I am wondering how/why.[/quote]
