As my time in Costa Rica comes to an end, I feel inspired to share a bit about the character of the country. Though there are lots of great things to say about Costa Rica, for me it was the good-natured people and their sense of connection to nature and wildlife that made this a particularly memorable trip.
The People - In all my interactions, the people were friendly, warm, and extremely helpful. The country seems to have a common understanding of the importance of tourism to their economy and livelihood, and as a result they will often go out of their way to help tourists (in the country-side as well as the cities). It was not surprising to read that Costa Rica ranked number one for the second year in a row on the New Economics Foundation's Happy Planet Index. Interestingly, the 2012 survey placed a greater emphasis on environmental concerns, which leads to the next positive aspect of Costa Rican society: the sense of connection with nature. Connection with nature - Costa Ricans, or Ticos, use the expression Pura Vida (pure life) constantly (as a greeting, as a thanks, etc.) and this epitomizes how their close connection to the natural world. As with their understanding of the importance of tourism, Costa Ricans know that the vast majority of tourists come to see wildlife and the bounty natural beauty that the country has to offer. Costa Rica contains no less than 5% of the world's total biodiversity and an impressive 26% of its land area has been set aside for conservation. Related to the progressive conservation policies is a general appreciation for the amazing wildlife and creatures that inhabit the different ecosystems throughout the country. I was ecstatic when I read that just a few days ago the President of Costa Rica announced a ban on shark finning, which had been a tarnish on Costa Rica's good environmental reputation (http://www.ticotimes.net/Current-Edition/News-Briefs/Costa-Rica-bans-shark-finning_Wednesday-October-10-2012). On a more micro-level, many households seem to contain pets that have been rescued and you see less animals living on the streets than in other Central American countries. In short, it was the warm-hearted nature of the people and the strong sense of almost ingrained environmentalism that made exploring Costa Rica such an enjoyable experience. Adventures Ahead - tomorrow I head for Grenada which is at the Southern end of the Grenadines in the Southeastern Caribbean Sea. There I will meet Captain and Artist Doug Hazelton and his wife Bethanne and step aboard their beautiful ship Sindbad for 8 weeks sailing through the Caribbean Sea. Lot's more to come as I go along!  |
| They move so slowly that they have their own types of fungi and moths living on them...true story |
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| Now then...where to find a spot to stretch out |
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| Up close and personal with a Tarantula...not a Halloween decoration |
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| Can't help but think of Jurassic Park every time I see iguanas |
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| Island off of Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio, Pacific Coast |
