Why Costa Rica is not paradise on the earth anymore?

Why Costa Rica is not paradise on the earth anymore?

This Central American country I visited twice.2007 and 2009.First time I was like all the tourists who first saw Costa Rica, I fell in love with nature and people.

I must admit that the biggest impact on me was my friend who often travels to Costa Rica.He believes that regardless of all the virtues and vices, this destination is still one of the best in the world.

But consider that he is residing in USA and like all Americans rarely travel.

Maybe is one reason why we Serbs prefer Latin American mentality, rather than Western European or American.

At the arrival I was "armed" with two books about Costa Rica.

Links to authors can be found here:

http://www.liveincostarica.com/

http://discoverypress.com/books/

For the first time tourists coming to Costa Rica, warmly recommend them.

Some information about Costa Rica I found there and internet:

-Costa Rica people can enjoy one of the best climate in the world. (Average temperature in the Central Valley-San Jose is 24C). There are only 2 seasons: dry (high season) and rainy (green season).

- Costa Rica has more winter sunshine than Hawaii or Florida and fewer people.

-. Costa Rica is called"the Switzerland of the Americas"by many due to its neutral political status and spectacular mountains.

- This small country is a paradise for those who love nature, water sports and adventure.

- 2004 Costa Rica has received a prestigious award as the best country for adventure magazine awarded by the Pacific Business News.

- Travel Weekly's 2005 Costa Rica declared as the best destination in the world.

- The Economist in 2005 was ranked San Jose as the second most economical city in Latin America.

- Costa Rica is a small country and it is possible the morning on the beach, visiting volcanoes afternoon, at night you can dinner somewhere on the mountain in Central Valley near San Jose's.

Etc.

To return to the title of my post.

Is it expensive?

Yes of course!!!

Airplane tickets:

We can not compare the average income Americans with incomes of a Serbian citizens.

Airline ticket from Belgrade to San Jose is approximately 1000 EUR.For this amount of money can find at least 10 destinations in the world that are interesting and where I spend less money for vacation. Or as foreigners tend to say value for  the money.

Second time when I visited Costa Rica paid for my ticket from Phoenix to San Jose approximately 350 EUR.

Hotels:

Value for money on the example of hotels in San Jose located at the airport:

Average cost is 100 USD.Similar price you can get anywhere in the world.

I slept in 3 hotels near airport.
.Only one left an impression on me http://www.ramadaherradura.com/

The hotel is old certainly more than 20 years but can be seen that the great renovated and qualified staff.

Hotels on the cost may vary ,it depends what you want.

I had the luck that I slept private home:

http://docstewart.com/Jungle_Surf_Haven.html

I do not know if the house rent, but I must admit that was the best accommodation in Costa Rica.

Leisure time we spent in http://www.clubdelmarcostarica.com/

The owner is British and the staff are local people.

A friend with whom I was on vacation in a very good relationship with the owner and would be out of place with my hand to evaluate the work of the hotel and staff.

Only  I can say that we were treated like kings!!

Thanks to traditional Serbian hospitality that unreservedly gave  to us Mr. Miro (Serb from Uzice, which is the most famous resident of Jaco), we slept one week at http://www.bahia-azul.com/ .

In the province of Guanacaste I slept in http://www.grupocasaconde.com/en/ccm/descripcion.aspx

I must mention that I visited Costa Rica  in October 2007 so-called shoulder season and 2009 in May.Again shoulder season.

Characteristic of all the places we visited that there was little tourists.

From friends I've heard that a similar situation in the main season.

I suppose that prices jumped every year and that tourists are mostly Americans, who otherwise “have a snake in their wallets”, satisfied the beautiful Costa Rica and began to conquer new destination.

Food and drinks:

Price for alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks and foods are similar like in USA.

If you thought that you succeed with little money spent in L. America country, you are wrong.

Transport and traffic:

Transport to Puntarenas (Jaco) with private car costs about $ 80.

Of course you can use the local bus service, which is far more favorable than the private car transport.

I come from a country where a month at least 10 people killed in traffic accidents.

Since I know that number at least 3 times bigger in Costa Rica  compared with my country. Without any shame, I declare that we are the” Switzerland of the Balkans”.

Roads in Costa Rica are terrible and the drivers are the worst i ever seen in my life.

Real Estate:

On the Internet you can find houses  to buy for 1 milion  USD and more. Does anyone actually buy these houses?

Of course not!

2007 sales were weak and in 2009 I can say that supply and demand do not exist.

It is best to look at what is one written by locals in December 2008.

http://playasdelcoco.ticoblogger.com/2008/12/cuando-la-mula-bot-genaro.html

Cost of living:

Imported goods, such as Cameras, TVs, electrical goods, wine and cars are not cheap.

Electrical energy is jumped dramatically last year.

The food can not be said that chep.Maybe is slightly cheaper than in the USA.

Property taxes are low compared to North American standards. Depending on the area, average two bedroom homes are taxed at a rate of under $350 per year.

Is it the right time to invest in real estate?

These days, months, years?

Not,of course!!

Sea and beaches:

It is not clear why the Pacific coast is more visited than the Caribbean coast? White sandy beaches you can not see, the waves are big and swimming is not interesting.

Of course if you are not a surfer.

Criminal:

Since most of the time I spent in the Jaco, I can present my impressions.

Jaco is mainly an interesting destination for surfers and backpakers.

Drugs can be obtained at every step, very cheap.

A lot of Americans suspicious past,also.

Petty theft and various scams are common thing.

If  you googling "Criminal Costa Rica"  you will get  fresh information`s.

Costa Rica is currently all but certainly not a paradise on earth.

I have tried twice believe me.!!

El Avion

Pogled iz El AvionaTerasa El Avion

Čitajući nedavno http://www.budgettravel.com naleteo sam na jedan od mnogobrojnih spiskova najsibolji.Ovaj je pak bio spisak najčudnijih hotela.Još je čudnije što sam bio tamo!!Putujući prema http://www.manuelantoniopark.com s desne stane puta smo ugledali restoran "El Avion".Enterijer je zanimljiv,pogled prekrasan ali je od svega najbolja priča koja prati ovaj restorani  http://www.elavion.net/.

Camp Verde-Zapad kakav je zaista bio

Početkom 1865 goodine znajući da se odlično plaća sveža hrana u rudarskim naseljima,grupa farmera je odlučila da se naseli u okolini reke Verde i da se bavi proizvodnjom poljoprivrednih proizvoda i mesa.
Al` ne leži vraže to s indijancima nije ni malo dopalo.Čuj da se nekakvi bledoliki šepure po njihovoj zemlji ,obrađuje je i prodaju proizvode.To ne može!
Pokokali su ih skoro sve te je US army odlučila da napravi tvrđavu Camp Verde.Tonto Apache i Yavapai su bili potisnuti na desetine milja odatle.

Tako to rade bledoliki.

Iako je tvrđava zatvorena 1891 godine,četiri kuće i dalje stoje na svom mestu(ostale su idijanci spalili,pre nego je vojska došla),kao svedok davnih vremena.

Obilazak Camp Verde istorijskog parka je kratko trajao.
Na brdu se nalazi neka vrsta upravne zgrade koja je sad pretvorena u mali muzej.
Naspram nje su 4 kuće čiju unutrašnjst možete pogledati samo kroz stakla.
Ako vas baš zanima koje prvi počeo,gde se nalazi, itd posetite http://azstateparks.com/Parks

/FOVE/index.html ili http://www.visitcampverde.com.

Zanimljivo al` mi žao indijanaca.Ipak su oni naše garishe.

Adrew house-nije eksperiment

Da svi arhitekti nisu odvaljeni pokazuje i ovih par fotki.
Naime bio sam na žurci kod Andrew-a(izvinjavam se zaboravih mu prezime) i bio sam opčinjem kućom.Ljubazni domaćin mi je dozvolio da fotogarfišem.
Nisam nikakav stručnjak za arhitekturu ali meni ovo izgleda lepo.
A vama?

Arcosanti -eksperiment nije prošao

Kao pravi turista krenuo sam s obilaskom zanimjivih mesta u Arizoni.
Prvi na redu je bio Arcosanti.Eksperimentalni projekat http://www.arcosanti.org/project/background/soleri/main.html koji nikada nije zaživeo.
Zamišljen kao projekat koji ce nadomestiti probleme velikih svetskih gradova,trebalo je da pomogne budućim stanovnicima u kulturnim,socijalnim i ekonomskim aktivnostima.
Trebalo je kažem,jer sve je ostalo samo na lepoj zamisli.
Lociran oko 70 mija (110 km) severno od Phoenix-a, Arcosanti je nazvan “urbana laboratorija.” Njegova vizija je bila da napravi grad gde će živeti oko 5000 ljudi,raditi ,igrati se i uživati u harmoji prirode. Soleri je svašta nešto zamislio još ali kao što rekoh,eksperimet nije prošao.
Kada je gradnja Arcosanti-ja počela 1970, Soleri je očekivao da će biti završen za 10 godina , ali je manje od 5% od planiranog završeno do sada.
Ono što se vidi su završili volunteri koji su plaćali da da žive i rade tokom 5 nedelja,koliko je ta tzv. kretivna radionica trajala. Trenutno manje od 100 ljudi živi tu i uglavnom su olinjali hipici u ranim sedamdesetim i raznorazne protuve. Godišnje Arcosanti obilazi oko 50.000 turista . Kupuju raznorazne umetničke predmete i nekakva zvona koja bome dobacuju i do 500$ po komadu!!!
Stvarno ne znam ko to kupuje i da li uopšte kupuje?
Lova od volontera nije dovoljna da se projekat konačno zevrši.Vreme leti(i zimi i leti!!!)i čika Soleri koji je u ranim 90-tim(nedavno napunio) teško da će dočekati završetak svog projekta.
Dakle ako obilazite Arizonu ,slobodno izbacite Arcosanti iz vašeg rasporeda.Nećete ništa propustiti,verujte mi.