March 10th, 2010, author : Victor C. Krumm
Where is the “happiest place on earth ?” Disneyworld claims it is and, though it is a great place to enjoy once in a while, the most satisfying place to live on the planet is officially tiny Costa Rica, winner of the Happy Planet Index.
The Index measures three factors in 143 countries, encompassing 99 percent of the population on the planet: high life expectancy, high life satisfaction, and a low ecological footprint. Costa Rica came out on top by a large margin.
Essentially, the Index asked three questions: 1. Where are the places with the world’s longest life expectancy ( premise: it is better to live longer than die young)? 2. During one’s lifetime, where are people most satisfied with the quality of their life (premise: living longer but miserably is not very satisfying)? 3. What is the cost to the world’s resources (premise: sustainable development is better than exhausting resources)?
Most folks probably think the wealthiest nations will rank at the top of the list but they would be surprised. The richest, most developed nations fall somewhere in the middle of the Index. The highest-ranking Western nation is the Netherlands – 43rd out of 143. The United Kingdom places 74th and the United States is a long way back in 114th place. Read more...
Tags: adventure travel, Beaches, costa rica, costa rica tourism, costa rica vacations, destination, ecotourism, Family, fishing, Medical Tourism, surfing, tourism, Travel, vacation
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March 9th, 2010, author : Frank Scott
I am a professional photographer in Costa Rica. The experiences on my tours are many since I never know what my group and I will happen upon. Let me tell you about one of these surprising events.
During one of our Costa Rica Photo Tours, my group drove to a photography location in the beautiful and pristine Osa Peninsula which National Geographic has called “the most biologically diverse place” on earth. To get there we drove through the tiny village of Ojochal near where I live.
One of my groups discovered that moving day for some Costa Ricans can be rather unique. As my group and I were passing through the village we saw an incredible sight. But before I tell you the story let me tell you a bit about the man who was moving.
The fellow who was moving was one of my neighbours, Senor Wilson (real Spanish name, don’t you think?), who has brought my wife and me flowering plants since we moved in. It was really funny the first day that he stood at the top of the driveway with plants in hand. He was so polite that he would not come down to the house without our invitation even though he was there to give us a present. Read more...
Tags: adventure travel, costa rica, costa rica photography, ecotourism, environment, family travel, living in costa rica, Nature, Photography, photography tour, tourism, Travel
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March 9th, 2010, author : Frank Scott
My life in Costa Rica has been an outstanding experience with a variety of adventures and events. I have photographed a number of beautiful and incredible sights and this is just one very small example of how close I live to it all.
As you know we have leaf cutter ants in the jungle and they are a very busy lot who work very hard all day long. This is a story about their strength and persistence that happened one day.
An ant we will call Bill, was travelling along with all of his buddies as they were devastating my favourite flowering tree near my driveway. Bill dropped his leaf to pick up something he thought might be more beneficial to the group, a matchstick, the strong wooden type. He began carrying it upright as if it were a leaf. I think he was a little confused but, of course, maybe I was the only one confused.
I wanted to lessen his load so I carefully picked up the matchstick. Astonishingly Bill would not let go and came with the match, his little feet trying to get traction in the open air. Read more...
Tags: adventure travel, costa rica, costa rica photography, ecotourism, environment, family travel, living in costa rica, Nature, Photography, photography tour, tourism, Travel
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March 8th, 2010, author : Frank Scott
All our luggage and camera gear is packed in the van by 8 a.m. and we are on our way to our first destination, soon to become a real life adventure. We are on a photography tour so everyone is talking cameras and pictures. This is the first day, we are getting to know one another, and the level of excitement in the van is high looking forward to the tour.
We are on our way to Arenal, an active volcano in Costa Rica, but there are a few stops along the way. First, we stop in Sarchi, famous for its tropical furniture, where magnificent, brightly decorated ox carts are made in an eighty plus year old water powered factory. From there, we drive to the little mountain town of Zarcero where the focal point is the old wooden church with its much-photographed double row of topiaries leading to its entrance. You can fill your camera’s memory card just at these two places with the colours and patterns in Sarchi and the fantastic shapes of the topiaries in Zarcero. Read more...
Tags: adventure travel, costa rica, costa rica photography, ecotourism, environment, family travel, living in costa rica, Nature, Photography, photography tour, tourism, Travel
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February 8th, 2010, author : Victor C. Krumm
Like so many of the planet’s greatest accomplishments, it began with an observation, so simple one wonders why nobody saw it earlier and so powerful it is still changing the world. It started with a unique man on a desolate but beautiful mountain called the Matterhorn. The world’s first eco tourist was Theodore Roosevelt and what we call “eco tourism” today leads thousands of people a year to a small sapphire named by Christopher Columbus five centuries ago: Costa Rica, the “rich coast.”
About 20 years before he was destined to become known as one of America’s finest presidents, Roosevelt traveled to Switzerland. He was already one of the earth’s most famous outdoorsmen who loved nature. So it was that the great man chose to conquer the famed Mount Matterhorn. When he did so, however, he ended up being chagrined by what he found on the mountain or, more accurately, what he didn’t.
The mountain was almost silent. Where once there had been many, there were no bears, wolves, goats, mountain sheep, or other wilderness creatures. Only ghosts of the past richness. But only memories. Read more...
Tags: adventure, costa rica eco tourism, costa rica ecotourism, costa rica tourism, costa rica vacations, destination, ecotourism, Family, tourism, Travel, vacation
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January 2nd, 2010, author : Victor Krumm
Popular Costa Rica has been a favored vacation destination for Americans, Canadians and, increasingly, Europeans, for two decades. Though it is one of the smaller countries on earth, about the size of West Virginia, its many attractions are world-famous: nearly 800 miles of uncrowded beaches on two oceans; parks and reserves covering more than a quarter of its land area; and a staggering diversity of plants and animals.
Many travelers come to see its volcanoes. Others come to experience terrific fishing. Others enjoy the great year round surfing, kayaking, ziplining high in the verdant canopies, and, of course, partying after dark. What happens in Costa Rica stays in this little country (unless you want to brag about your adventures on Facebook).
This little Central American country offers a vacation for every wallet. Certainly, there are spectacular hotels and resorts. For example, the Real Intercontinental Hotel outside of San Jose is where heads of state stay. There are five star resorts like the Papagayo Four Seasons Resort, La Gaia Hotel, and Los Suenos Resorts. But, many travelers are not interested in such luxury. If you are in the latter category or simply do not want to spend your time or money in such fancy digs, Costa Rica can be enjoyed very well on a much littler budget. Good news! Prudent budget travel is at hand. Read more...
Tags: Beaches, Budget Travel, costa rica, costa rica tourism, costa rica vacations, destination, ecotourism, Family, fishing, Medical Tourism, tourism, Travel, vacation
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December 1st, 2009, author : Victor Krumm
Are you stuck in a windowless office all day, fantasizing about clear water, fresh air, and sun? Do you enjoy angling or have you always wanted to try it? Consider taking a Costa Rica vacation this year because Costa Rica fishing is among the best in the world. This little place has an enormous variety of of fish to catch as Costa Rica is bordered by both Pacific and the Caribbean waters.
Sure, you can fish on a little frozen lake or stream by your house. Those little crappies and sunnies were fun when you were a kid. Bundling up like Santa Claus and sitting for hours on end over cold ice. Have you ever imagined what it would be like to catch a sailfish or giant marlin? Come on down to Costa Rica, you deserve some Costa Rica fishing. Read more...
Tags: costa rica, Costa Rica Fishing, costa rica vacations, ecotourism, Family, fishing, Nature, Sports, Tour, Travel, Travel Destination, vacation
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September 23rd, 2009, author : Frank Scott
by Frank Scott
I am a professional photographer in Costa Rica. The experiences on my tours are many since I never know what my group and I will happen upon. Let me tell you about one of these surprising events.
One of the destinations for my group in Costa Rica Photo Tours is the beautiful, pristine Osa Peninsula along the southern Pacific Coast of Costa Rica, a place that National Geographic says is “the most biologically diverse place” on the planet. In order to reach this location by vehicle we drive through the tiny village of Ojochal, which is very near my home.
Let me tell you about a unique way to move that some rural Costa Ricans still use. One day, when my photography group was passing through the village, we noticed a most unusual way of moving. But, to help you better appreciate what we saw, let me provide you with some background on the man who was moving. Read more...
Tags: adventure travel, costa rica, costa rica photography, ecotourism, environment, family travel, living in costa rica, Nature, Photography, photography tour, tourism, Travel
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