I have traveled quite a bit throughout Mexico, by bicycle and later by
RV. Today I am living in Oceanside, CA and am feeling the urge to find
myself a little hacienda close [but not too close] to the border. I
like Ensenada and when I visit there it seems to have enough culture
to sustain my interests. But when I lookup on the internet "Ensenada
Real Estate", they all are trying to sell the American lifestyle down
there.

Does anybody have a good strategy for finding a simple . . . even
plain old Mexican house in a neighborhood? I could use the most modest
of places because my long range plan is to bring my old Airstream down
there and dock it next to a palapa :)

I would like to live in the outskirts or central city. Not on the
coast. And I can't afford a fortune for the place. Anybody have advice?

Bob

----- Original Message -----

From: Central America Travel Tips

To: panamaorbust@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Wednesday, June

 

04, 2008 12:00 PM

Subject: Re: [panamaorbust] Getting down in Ensenada

You speak Spanish? If not, after riding around just viewing properties for sale, hire a Mexican local in the area to go around in his vehicle and get prices for you..if you show up in a "Rig" with US plates speaking "Spanglish" and grinning from ear to ear, the price will at least double,

In Guatemala when we bought "Tela" (Rolls of Fabric) years ago, we hired a local in a pick up truck to purchase it.

Also check out regulations for foreigners owning land in the area.

Always keep a low profile, and if you are going to live in a middle or working class Mexican barrio, learn to speak Spanish....pronto.

Bob Kiger <bob@...> wrote:

I have traveled quite a bit throughout Mexico, by bicycle and later by
RV. Today I am living in Oceanside, CA and am feeling the urge to find
myself a little hacienda close [but not too close] to the border. I
like Ensenada and when I visit there it seems to have enough culture
to sustain my interests. But when I lookup on the internet "Ensenada
Real Estate", they all are trying to sell the American lifestyle down
there.

Does anybody have a good strategy for finding a simple . . . even
plain old Mexican house in a neighborhood? I could use the most modest
of places because my long range plan is to bring my old Airstream down
there and dock it next to a palapa :)

I would like to live in the outskirts or central city. Not on the
coast. And I can't afford a fortune for the place. Anybody have advice?

Bob

Hi Jim,

Often I see such "From a travel Blog..." items posted, with no author
name indicated. Do we correctly assume these are yours? If not, would
it be convenient to indicate the author and perhaps a date?

Thanks,

Bill Halberstadt

--- In panamaorbust@yahoogroups.com, "Jim Jaillet" <jimj@...> wrote:
>
> San Crisobal de Las Casas
>
> Upon arrival in this pretty colonial town, we found the weather...
----snip----

It might be wise for me to just go down in my small CamperVan and find a rental at somebody's home in the barrio. That way I would have time to learn to speak better Spanish, get the "ins and outs" of where I would like to permanently settle and find [using your wise technique] a property that is just right for me.

 

I will start to immerse myself in Spanish soon. BTW any Mexican "match.com" type services on-line that are reputable?

 

Bob

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Central America Travel Tips

To: panamaorbust@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Wednesday, June

 

04, 2008 12:00 PM

Subject: Re: [panamaorbust] Getting down in Ensenada

You speak Spanish? If not, after riding around just viewing properties for sale, hire a Mexican local in the area to go around in his vehicle and get prices for you..if you show up in a "Rig" with US plates speaking "Spanglish" and grinning from ear to ear, the price will at least double,

In Guatemala when we bought "Tela" (Rolls of Fabric) years ago, we hired a local in a pick up truck to purchase it.

Also check out regulations for foreigners owning land in the area.

Always keep a low profile, and if you are going to live in a middle or working class Mexican barrio, learn to speak Spanish....pronto.

Bob Kiger <bob@cruiserbob.com> wrote:

I have traveled quite a bit throughout Mexico, by bicycle and later by
RV. Today I am living in Oceanside, CA and am feeling the urge to find
myself a little hacienda close [but not too close] to the border. I
like Ensenada and when I visit there it seems to have enough culture
to sustain my interests. But when I lookup on the internet "Ensenada
Real Estate", they all are trying to sell the American lifestyle down
there.

Does anybody have a good strategy for finding a simple . . . even
plain old Mexican house in a neighborhood? I could use the most modest
of places because my long range plan is to bring my old Airstream down
there and dock it next to a palapa :)

I would like to live in the outskirts or central city. Not on the
coast. And I can't afford a fortune for the place. Anybody have advice?

Bob

Hi Bill,

In the opening statements to our Yahoo Group, I indicate:
"In order to help us better understand the Mexico and Central America
of today, I will post real-life blogs as I run across them."
I do this to help those of our members who have not yet made it to
Mexico and Central America, but who hope someday to get there, better
understand what type of experiences might await them.

In order to locate these Blogs, I monitor about 18 different Google
Alerts and with an average Alert containing about 10 different
messages, that's about 180 messages, on average, I have to review
every day. In addition to my other Email messages, an average day
consumes somewhere between 1-3 hours.

Now, in addition, I am a full-time on-the-road Rver with only an
external WiFi antenna and can only access the Internet where I might
find an unsecured signal. It is not uncommon for me to go a week
without an internet signal and have 250+ messages waiting for me when
I return.

So I'm sorry, but the volume of incoming messages and lack of a
full-time dependable WiFi signal prohibits the added time required to
  provide this information.

99% of these random blogs are from backpackers who fly down and ride
the local buses and an occasional boater.

If you or any other of our members see similar messages that reflect
  current life in Mexico and Central America, you are encouraged to
post them on our group site for the benefit of all our other members.

Jim


--- In panamaorbust@yahoogroups.com, "Bill Halberstadt"
<Halberstadt@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Jim,
>
> Often I see such "From a travel Blog..." items posted, with no author
> name indicated. Do we correctly assume these are yours? If not, would
> it be convenient to indicate the author and perhaps a date?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Bill Halberstadt
>
> --- In panamaorbust@yahoogroups.com, "Jim Jaillet" <jimj@> wrote:
> >
> > San Crisobal de Las Casas
> >
> > Upon arrival in this pretty colonial town, we found the weather...
> ----snip----
>

Hi Bill,

In the opening statements to our Yahoo Group, I indicate:
"In order to help us better understand the Mexico and Central America
of today, I will post real-life blogs as I run across them."
I do this to help those of our members who have not yet made it to
Mexico and Central America, but who hope someday to get there, better
understand what type of experiences might await them.

In order to locate these Blogs, I monitor about 18 different Google
Alerts and with an average Alert containing about 10 different
messages, that's about 180 messages, on average, I have to review
every day. In addition to my other Email messages, an average day
consumes somewhere between 1-3 hours.

Now, in addition, I am a full-time on-the-road Rver with only an
external WiFi antenna and can only access the Internet where I might
find an unsecured signal. It is not uncommon for me to go a week
without an internet signal and have 250+ messages waiting for me when
I return.

So I'm sorry, but the volume of incoming messages and lack of a
full-time dependable WiFi signal prohibits the added time required to
provide this information.

99% of these random blogs are from backpackers who fly down and ride
the local buses and an occasional boater.

If you or any other of our members see similar messages that reflect
current life in Mexico and Central America, you are encouraged to
post them on our group site for the benefit of all our other members.

Jim


--- In panamaorbust@yahoogroups.com, "Bill Halberstadt"
<Halberstadt@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Jim,
>
> Often I see such "From a travel Blog..." items posted, with no author
> name indicated. Do we correctly assume these are yours? If not, would
> it be convenient to indicate the author and perhaps a date?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Bill Halberstadt
>
> --- In panamaorbust@yahoogroups.com, "Jim Jaillet" <jimj@> wrote:
> >
> > San Crisobal de Las Casas
> >
> > Upon arrival in this pretty colonial town, we found the weather...
> ----snip----
>

Coban, Guatemala

Buenas dias, family and friends!  Sr. Olson here again to hit you guys
with another update.  Lack of time and operational internet has kept
us from updating in quite some time.  Sorry to those who anxiously
check everyday, just as you check your facebook, hoping for any kind
of news from us!

Anyway, this Domingo finds us in Coban, Guatemala.  The last entry, I
believe, was done while we were still in Belize.  Oh, how much has
happened since!  I will give you a quick rundown.

We left San Ignacio reasonably early to catch a bus and then a short
taxi ride to the border of Guatemala.  We considered ourselves lucky
to only have to offer a bribe of $4US each to get our passports back
from the customs fellow.  It is supposed to be free for citizens of
the US to enter Belize, and we should have anticipated being given
some trouble and held out. But, we figured that eight bucks isn´t
worth causing a scene at the border.  You can understand, then, that
our first impression of Guatemala was a negative one.  We would soon
be proven wrong!  Despite all of the literature suggesting that
Guatemala is one of the more dangerous places to travel in central
america, Sr. Wolfe and I resoundingly agree that we feel much more
warmly welcomed and safe here than any other place we have been.  The
people are friendly, smiles and ¨holas¨ abound as we travel the
streets, and everyone is more than glad to help out a couple of
clearly lost white guys.  From the border, then, we had another long
ride to Flores.  It was made especially slow because the days of rain
had washed out parts of the road.  Eventually, we made it and a break
in the weather allowed us to find a place to stay without being
drenched.  Flores, for those who don´t know, is a picturesque little
island in Lake Peten Itza, and is the home base for most who do
excursions to Tikal.  We tucked in and prepared for an early rise to
head to the ruins.

We caught a 5am bus out to the ruins.  There is little we can say to
do justice to the ruins at Tikal.  They are one of the most popular
destinations in central america for good reason.  If Wolfe is doing
his job right now, he is loading up the pictures we have taken
thusfar.  Dang, it was gorgeous!  Miraculously, too, there weather was
ideal.  We were spared from rain for our time at the ruins, and clouds
saved us from the oppressive heat of the jungle.  We saw a bunch of
cool animals and wildlife at the ruins.  Wolfe and I were most excited
about our first leaf cutter ant experience.  They are all over at
Tikal!  Huge trails of ants carry pieces of leaves.  They travel the
paths so regularly and in such numbers they cut paths in the jungls
and grass that look much like deer trails.  That reminds me also, on
our trip to San Ignacio we stopped off at the Belize Zoo (I think we
mention that in the last entry).  The jaguar, anteater, etc., photos
are from the zoo.  No, as cool as it would have been, there weren´t
huge jaguars lingering around our hostels.

Anyway, after Tikal we jumped a bus down to Rio Dulce, a sweet little
town on the river on the east side of the country.  As we entered Rio,
so entered the beautiful weather.  We took a couple of days to lounge
about in the sun, lay in the dock, and visit a few of the local
attractions.  The first day we arrived we walked about an hour to
check out an old castle/fort that was a few miles down the river.  It
used to be an old Spanish fortitude, where the river narrowed, to ward
off pirates.  Naturally, anything related to pirates gets Wolfe and I
amped.  The fort was surprisingly complex and was laced with some
killer old cannons pointed out over the river.  The second thing we
saw, and more famous, goes by the name of Finca el Paraiso.
Basically, it is a really chill, crystal clear swimming hole in the
middle of the jungle.  But, get this, and it blew us away equally, the
water fall that cascades into the pool is hot!  Take a minute to soak
that in.  The falls source is a hot spring, and the water is as warm
as a hot shower, while the pool below is cool and refreshing.  Pretty
nuts, we thought.  Peep the pictures!  We met some really cool people,
too, in Rio.  We made closest friends with an English girl and a
Canadian fellow.  We always want to get pictures of our friends, but
don´t want to be those weird American guys who take pictures of/with
everybody.

From Rio another unforgettable adventure started.  There is a way to
get from Rio up to Lanquin, but it requires switching between four
buses and a whole lot of pain in the butt.  The other option, the one
we chose, is to ride in the back of a four wheel drive pickup across
rought terrain (a more direct route) for 5 short hours.  As we loaded
into the pickup we learn that the roads are all washed out and that we
must take the better travelled roads.  Cool, we thought, except that
the journey becomes 8+ hours and we will arrive in  Lanquin around
11pm.  This is fine with us, as well, until it starts to get dark,
freezing cold, and begins to rain.  Then, Sr. Wolfe gets sick.  We end
up suffering through most of the ride in the back of the truck,
bundled in all of our clothing and Wolfe´s sleeping bag, stopping
twice for Wolfe to vomit!  We arrive around 11pm, the rain pouring,
and Wolfe dry heaving on his knees in the streets of a strange new
city!  Haha!  We are glad it is over now!  We ended up finding a place
to crash, and would end up switching hostels for our second night.
Sr. Wolfe woke up feeling sick and weak, but scores better than he was
the night before.  The vomiting, at least was over.  The next day we
went and saw Semuch Champey, our entire reason for going to Lanquin
(which, by the way, is a tiny village in the middle of the jungle).
We caught a local minibus for the 9km ride to the site.  The bus,
being full of course, left us to climb on top with a bunch of local
kids for a bumpy, cliffs-on-both-sides whiteknuckle ride.  As in
Africa, the transportation is half of the adventure!  It is an
absolutely gorgous series of pools in the middle of nowhere....crystal
clear pools, waterfalls, cliffs rising all around....be sure to look
at the pictures.  Somehow, too, we are continually blessed with the
way the weather is working out...it was gorgeous at the falls but
began to rain steadily as soon as we were back.

We ended the night by chilling at the little restaurant/bar at our
hostel.  We met a bunch of awesome people...a couple of cool German
girls, this sweet English fellow who worked in Costa Rica and is now
chilling, and others still who had been chilling in Lanquin for
months.  One guy, even, had been there for more than a year and had
his first local soccer league game today.  We cashed in early, though,
Wolfe not feeling one hundred percent better and with plans to hit the
road early.  Then, just when I thought I had escaped the inevitable, I
lay down into bed to be totally owned by Wolfe´s sickness.  I felt
like I was kicked in the stomach by a horse, had the chills and
sweats, a headache, and got absolutely no sleep.  So goes life on the
road!  Thankfully wolfe was feeling better to the point that he could
nurse me a little.  That was just this morning.  We are here now in
Coban, as I said, both tired and weiry, but looking forward to a good
nights sleep and some more relaxing days in the coming week.

Gasoline Crosses $5.00 per Gallon Threshold
June 10th, 2008

Today Costa Rica awoke to gas prices that now exceed $5.00 per US
Gallon. Before I delve into this more, it is worthwhile discussing
world gasoline prices.

Caution! Rant coming!

As most expats, I watch the current political battle for the
Presidency of the United States. I watch as Barrack Obama and others
make their stupid claims that they will "do something" about the price
of gasoline in the US, now over $4.00 per gallon in 23 states. They
just don't get it. To me, it as is stupid as their claims that they
will stem the outflow of jobs from the USA to other countries. I have
news for them. The first will not happen without strong leadership and
new ideas (which neither candidate has even remotely shown) and it is
years too late the do anything about the second.

People love to blame big oil. It is so very convenient to blame those
big companies rather than accept responsibility for what is the real
problem. We are pigs, and this is not limited to those in the USA. The
same is true here.

The USA has about only 4-5% of the world's population yet uses 25% of
the world's oil! Oil is a commodity and nothing more. All countries
use oil and therefore all countries must buy oil on the world markets.
Demand affects this price as does supply. The new big kid on the block
is China, a country that is now flexing its economic and manufacturing
muscle and their needs are huge. Demand! They buy a LOT of oil and
that is not going to stop. In fact, it will be just the opposite. The
oil companies in the US, as the government of Costa Rica buy oil on
the world markets and they pay whatever is needed to meet their
demand. There is no real negotiation as someone else WILL pay the
asking price.

Great LeadersipSo who is to blame? George Bush? YES! Bush and every
single President of the United States for the past 25 years of so.
Also, every member of congress, Republican or Democrat. Not ONE of
these clowns has evidenced a modicum of guts and taken a leadership
position to wean us off oil, and that CAN be done. Look at Brazil, a
great example. Any action we start today will take years to bear
fruit, so our leaders bicker, blame each other, blame the other party,
blame the oil companies… whatever! Can you imagine a politician
standing up and saying that he or she accepts responsibility for the
lack of leadership? Many members of congress have been there for
years, decades even… and they do nothing! It is time to throw the
rascals out!

So what is needed and needs to be done? To answer that, we need to
look at both supply and demand. To drop oil prices, either supply must
go up, demand go down, or (preferably) both.

Supply

Drill new wells. Simple huh? It is not. Why? We now run afoul of the
environmentalists. Everyone wants to do something about the
environment. Hell, it is our earth, but oil is in places we want to
protect and the oil companies cannot drill there. Much easier to drill
in someone else's country right?

The result? We become subservient to that bonehead in Iran, the
Saudis, Hugo Chavez. An entire cadre of world creeps. In fact, is
there one major oil producing country that even likes the USA? Between
them, they exert enormous control on the USA and its economy. This can
not continue. We are at peril.

So the big decision needs to be made. If we are not going to use self
control and use less gasoline and oil products (reduce demand), we
need to increase supply, but only from our own country (USA). That
means drilling new wells in places that will give the
environmentalists heart failure.

Even here in Costa Rica, that decision may need be made as there is
evidence of offshore oil deposits on the Pacific coast. So far, Costa
Rica has not even permitted exploration. I wonder how they will think
when gasoline hits $9.00 per gallon. I cannot see how we can have it
both ways.

Then there is nuclear power! Oops, here come those pesky
environmentalists again. Coal? There is enough coal to produce
electric power for the entire USA for 90 years! It is also VERY cheap
and there have been new techniques to clean up burning coal. Not as
clean as nuclear, but much better than years before. Do you think that
90 years will be long enough to find some real leaders who will wean
us, forcibly if necessary, from suckling the breast of big oil? Well
certainly not in this election year if McCain and Obama don't stop
stroking us with platitudes and start addressing the real issues.

Besides, silly me! The environmentalists will never permit us to use
coal. Heaven forbid!

It also probably does not help that there has not been a new oil
refinery built in the USA in 30 years. Why?

Demand

Everyone complains about the high gas prices but that seems to be it.
Of course some folks have switched to using public transportation,
riding a bike to work, etc. Do you know a lot of them? I do not. I
keep in touch with people in the US and no one has really made a lot
of changes. Couple of canceled drive vacations.

Here in Costa Rica, they interviewed a bunch of people and asked about
the gas prices and how it is affecting them. The poorer folks already
use buses as they never had a car in the first place, but the others?
They are buying fewer clothes! No kidding! Rather than cut back on
driving, they are using discretionary spending to buy maybe one less
pair of shoes. Go figure. And Costa Rica has a huge and extensive
public transportation network. Get the impression that folks are
resistant to the process? Someone needs to do a similar poll or survey
in the USA.

But some places in the USA, Los Angeles comes to mind, were never
designed around a public transportation system. So how do they cut
back? CAN they cut back? If they could, would they? People love their
cars and love their freedom to hop in and get away.

Alternatives

So all this us with the alternatives. Hybrid cars are cool, but it
takes about two years for the increased cost of those cars to be
offset by the decrease in fuel cost. Down here it takes 3-4 years to
offet the higher price.

Work from Home. Telecommute?

Alternative fuels? Brazil uses a fuel made from sugar cane I think.
Far cheaper. Efficient. Clean. They are far less dependent on oil than
most any other developed country. Odd then that our US congress has
placed HUGE tariffs on the import of alternative fuels. Yup! Cross my
heart!

I can go on, but I am tiring of my own rant. We need leadership.
Someone who will maybe place a tax of 100% on any vehicle that uses
less then 35 miles per gallon. Imagine a world sans SUVs, gas
guzzlers, etc.

Back to Costa Rica. Today's increase is the sixth this year with
another most assuredly coming in July. Gas prices here are government
controlled and prices at all gas stations are fixed.

Gasoline today is $5.10 per gallon for super, $4.97 for regular and
$4.82 for diesel.

In July, you can pretty much be assured of an $.11 per gallon increase
across the board.

When I arrived in Costa Rica, I bought the car that I currently own.
Still runs great. To fill up cost me about 7,000 colones (about 8,000
colones in today's valuation or $15.23).

Today, it costs 30,000 colones or $57.47.

I was gonna go out and buy a new pair of shoes for my wife's birthday
this week.

Changed my mind

Wednesday, June 11, 2008
New vaccine could quell Montezuma's Revenge

Travelers to Mexico sometimes fear the bandits of the highway. More
likely they should fear the bandits of the bathrooms. Travelers'
diarrhea is a bane to those traveling south of the border. If clinical
trials of a new vaccine prove up as they have been, in the future you
may be able to kiss Montezuma goodbye.

Researchers at The University of Texas School of Public Health have
found that patients given a travelers' diarrhea vaccine were
significantly less likely to suffer from clinically significant
diarrhea than those who received placebo, according to a study
published in this week's edition of the Lancet. Happily, you don't
need to get needled for the fix--it's a patch-based vaccine.

The study, which followed 170 healthy travelers ages 18-64 to Mexico
and Guatemala, found that of the 59 individuals who received the novel
vaccine, only three suffered from moderate or severe diarrhea, while
roughly two dozen of the 111 who received a placebo suffered from
moderate or severe diarrhea. Only one of the 59 volunteers in the
vaccine group reported severe diarrhea, compared with 12 in the
placebo group.
Of the few vaccinated patients who became sick, the diarrhea lasted
only half a day on average, while those in the placebo group endured
two days of illness and more than twice as many loose stools. Although
not statistically significant, the frequency of new-onset irritable
bowel syndrome, a long-term consequence of travelers' diarrhea, was
three times greater in placebo than vaccine recipients.

The vaccine developer plans on phase 3 trials next year. If testing
follows the typical pattern, hundreds if not thousands of folks will
be involved to check for side effects as well as benefits. It could be
a while before the "if and whens" of the approval process are
completed. Meantime, hang onto the Pepto and remember, the expression
is, "Donde es el baño?

Goodbye to Central America

Sunday, Jun 01, 2008  20:51

So the time has come for a reflection on the last Central American
country on my trip , Panama , and indeed it´s a good point for some
overall thoughts on my trip so far as I leave one region for another.
When I was planning the route I figured I would whizz through Panama
pretty quickly - a couple of days in the highlands , a couple in
Panama City , see the Panama Canal and that would be that ... almost
an after-thought to the rest of Central America on route to South
America. In fact I have ended up staying in Panama for 18 days , which
is on a par with Costa Rica and actually longer than Nicaragua &
Honduras. OK so this was partly due to my decision to sail to Colombia
via the San Blas islands rather than fly , with the associated days
waiting for a sailboat , but also I have been very happy to stay so
long because it´s been surprisingly great. I´ve enjoyed the watery
delights & the mad party nights out of Bocas Del Toro , the tranquil
calm , scenery & the wet muddy trekking around Boquete , the contrasts
of Panama City (if not the sticky heat) , the amazing feat of
engineering that is the Panama Canal and finally the unexpected bonus
of the Caribbean coast , culminating in the truly idyllic setting of
the San Blas islands. Panama is quite a travel surprise , probably not
top of too many people´s itinerary unless they´re travelling from
Central to South America or vice versa , but I would say it´s a worthy
destination in it´s own right. I can´t believe it that the
Mexico/Central America part of my journey is actually now over - five
months , six countries and thousands of miles have all passed by so
quickly it´s frightening. I´ve trekked & hiked , seen the sights ,
wandered countless colonial cities & bustling capitals , crossed
borders , ridden a horse , been to Spanish School , rafted down a
whitewater river , paddled a canoe in pelting rain , climbed several
volcanoes including the highest peak in Central America , seen red
streams of lava up close & from afar , whizzed across the cloud forest
on a zipwire , taken a Mexican cooking class , met a Mayan saint ,
enjoyed mountain biking on a volcanic island and in the North Mexico
countryside , seen countless examples of exotic creatures , sailed ,
snorkelled , come face to face with a real shark , swam at sunrise in
Lake Nicaragua , ridden the totally spectacular Copper Canyon railway
, lazed on beaches , watched Mexican premier football, climbed down a
silver mine , rode up to the heights in a funicular and a cable car ,
visited zoos/sanctuaries/parks ,  enjoyed lakes/rivers/oceans , taken
photos in the very room where Trotsky got the ice axe , climbed the
world´s 3rd largest pyramid , hand-rolled a cigar , been fascinated by
indigenous villages, people & markets , relaxed in hot springs ,
showered under cold waterfalls , enjoyed a lot of really great food
and had one too many of probably a dozen different local beers ... and
finally of course it goes without saying I´ve greatly enjoyed meeting
so many new friends & like-minded travellers from all across the world
who have all helped to make this trip the absolutely fantastic
experience it has been ....and to top it all , I´m not even half-way
through my trip - bring on South America !

Weekend in Nicaragua

  Central America Caribbean » Nicaragua » Granada
  June 16th 2008 by rainbwbrght

Let's see, this was probably the most culturally shocking adventure
that I've ever had (not in a bad way at all)... So I'm not sure
"shocking" is the right word, but it was definitely different from
anything I've ever done, including my whole Istanbul experience...

So we got to the border in our transportation where the driver let us
out of the van. There was a crowd of guys surrounding the door before
we even got out of the van. It was okay though, they aren't aggressive
here, you just have to say "no gracias"...Anyway, we walked through
the border, paid our taxes to get out of Costa Rica and into
Nicaragua, got our stamps, and everything...There was a "no man's
land" of about 300meters that we had to walk through. I was a little
nervous about this, but in the end, it was all a piece of cake.
Granada is a beautiful European influenced city. It's one of the
oldest city's in America. I'll post the pictures when I get home... So
friday night we managed to go to a professional baseball game. Go
Tiburones (sharks)! It was really fun. Luckily we befriended one of
the staff at our hotel, and he took us around town all weekend. Then
on Saturday we did a tour of Nicaragua Lake (the second largest lake
in America, or the world I don't remember)... It was really cool.
Orwin (our guide/hotel staff guy) knew a lot of the history of this
area. I guess they were in a 20 yr war that just got over in 92 ( I
think)... So, the islands in the lake are owned by the rich people of
Nicaragua. Anyway, we went to a volcano, I think it was called Machua.
And then down to a sulfuric lagoon that was inside of a crater. There
we were able to swim. It was quite beautiful, and because the water
was sulfuric it makes your skin soft(: It reminded me of when I went
to that white place in Turkey, I have no idea what the name of it was,
but it was all white with sulfuric springs...So you think this was a
busy day, no wait...I still can't even believe that I did this, as if
going to a baseball game wasn't going to top this trip off...I ended
up going to a Cock Fight. Yes, a real Central American Cock Fight in
the backyard of some side road in Nicaragua. What's funny about this
is that a girl in our group happened to mention wanting to see one,
and our guide was on the phone in minutes figuring out directions to
the closest one. It was crazy. We were obviously the only North
Americans there. And I of course was wary of going, but had to because
I wasn't going to sit in the van with the driver. So yes, I paid the
10 cents to get in. I took a few pics, but when the poor little
roosters started going at it, I couldn't watch...So our guide got me a
beer and we sat off to the side while everyone was cheering and the
roosters were cockiling(or whatever they do)...I really didn't like
it. I almost started crying, but like I told the guide, I understand
it's just a part of there culture. And I found out that they actually
eat the one that dies. I still don't like it, I couldn't watch it at
all, but I understand. So I would never expect to know so much about
cock fighting. Like they have razor blades in there talon claw, and
the size blades depends on what kind of rooster it is. I'm not sure
that I explained it well enough, this was pretty extreme for me.

All in all Granada was amazing. The people were really friendly and
most of them knew English really well. The food was great. I had a
great steak there, I guess they're known for there beef... I'm really
happy that I was able to go and see all of it. And I wouldn't mind
going back someday.

It was going to Matagalpa that convinced me to forget the Corn Islands
altogether.

In order to understand that statement, you need a 3 sentence crash
course in Nicaraguan geography.  Here goes:  Nearly everything you´d
want to see in this country is on the West side.  The East side of the
country is divided up into 3 regions from North to South and there
isn´t a damn thing in any of them.  They are called Región Autónoma
del Atlántico Norte,  Región Autónoma del Atlántico Sur, and Río San
Juan.  (The first two are abbreviated RAAN and RAAS.)  The exception
to this are a pair of islands just off the RAAS coast, known as the
Corn Islands.  They are jewels of the Caribbean, with great diving and
emerald water.

The drive from León to Matagalpa was supposed to take 2 hours.  An
hour into the drive, Marisa and I suddenly realized that we had
arrived in the absolute middle of nowhere.  The roads went from bad to
absolutely horrible.  They were only partially paved--no more funding!
  Years of neglect left huge potholes that the driver had to weave
around.  There were several places where we had to yield to herds of
bulls.  I wondered about electricity out here, as many of the power
lines had been knocked over.  At some point, we saw a sign indicating
that we had 36km left---3 hours later we arrived.  The whole trip was
a 6 hour sweaty mess.  When I reviewed the map, I noticed that the
bold black line between León and Matagalpa was pretty short.  Much
shorter than the faint, dashed line that cuts from Managua to
Bluefields, the port of call to the Corn Islands.  I was later told
that it takes 3 days to get to the Corns.  Needless to say, I
scratched them off of my itinerary.  I could get to the Daríen region
of Panama in 3 days!

Matagalpa is famous for its coffee.  One of my favorite coffee places
in Chicago actually sells fair-trade from the region, and it is
delicious.  The amazing thing about Central America (and Peru for that
matter) is that despite its excellent coffee production, it is damn
near impossible to get anything other than NesCafe here.  Apparently,
every pound of coffee in Central America is exported, where it fetches
a competitive price in the developed world.  The exception to this can
be found by visiting a coffee plantation.  This is what brought Marisa
and I, admitted coffee addicts, to Selva Negra, a plantation just
North of the city.

Owned by a local German family, the place has been growing coffee
forever.  Unfortunately, we did not visit in prime coffee picking
season, so there were no tours, and the coffee was not in bloom.
Regardless, the place was beautiful.  We spent most of our time hiking
through the nature trails that scaled the mountain next to the
plantation.  Some of them ended directly into coffee fields.  Small
streams ran down the mountain in various places, which made me wonder
if they irrigate the coffee with mountain water.  These trails were
the least treacherous that we have attempted by far, and made for
quite a pleasant afternoon.  (No waterfalls, snakes, or sketchy climbs!)

We ended the day at a little German restaurant in the middle of the
plantation.  They served us a watered down cup of the local coffee and
a fruit smoothy.  The coffee was excellent, but it really could have
used some more strength.  Or maybe I am still suffering withdrawals
from my pre-Central America lifestyle.

Matagalpa is a bustling city.  The average citizen here seems to be
better off than in either Managua or León.  The streets are full of
stores, restaurants, and a fair number of hotels.  As usual, the
middle of the city is crowned by its own Spanish Cathedral. The
climate is cool here from the high altitude, and mountains  rise
beautifully around the outskirts of the city.  Interestingly, the
shanty towns of the city decorate the surrounding mountains.  Houses
made of tin, plastic, and garbage accent the lush green hillsides in
bright colors.  It is the most beautiful squalor that I have ever seen.

Only the bus station here was unpleasant.  A sign at the exit warns
you to get a cab inside the walls of the station to avoid being robbed
at gun point.  Our cab driver was impossible to deal with.  As we
exited the bus station, we mentioned the hotel that we wanted to go
to.  He said that he knew it, but then needed to review my map of the
city to figure out where to go.  This required the help of 3 other
people.  Two of them to look confusingly at the map, and one kid to
hit Marisa and I up for change.  Once in the cab, the guy took us to
the wrong hotel.  In fact, I´m not even sure it was a hotel, because
there was not a sign out front.  He ignored me when I told him where
to turn, and pretty much drove us where ever the hell he pleased.  It
was, of course, pouring rain outside, so we just kept haggling with
him (in Spanish) until we ended up at the correct Hotel.

Its funny how difficult this is... Consider catching a cab in Chicago.
  You just jump in and say "Dearborn and Adams," or whatever, and off
you go.  The first problem in Nicaragua is that there are no street
names.  Even in Managua, the capital city with a population of  1.6
million, there is not a single damn street sign.  This makes it
difficult specify a location, you know?  So, the 2nd option is "Favor
de ir a Hotel Blue Fountain."  Of course, the guy doesn´t know where
that is.  So, option number three?  "Just drive North, please."  In
the rain, we frantically looked for something recognizable on the map
so we could tell the guy where to turn!  (Marisa came through
brilliantly on this one.)  Not only are the street signs a problem,
but the cab drivers have deals with some hotels, so they have a place
in mind to take you, whether you like it or not.  This is probably why
our driver decided to go ignore us and take us to some dump on a side
street.  Sometimes the drivers will pretend not to understand you, or
say your hotel is full, or rat infested, in order to get you somewhere
you don´t want to go.  And finally, there is the matter of price.
Since there are no meters, it is important to negotiate a price before
you get into the taxi.  Generally, the prices are pretty fair, but
sometimes the driver will try to rip you off.  If you get in the taxi
without asking the price, you will pay more every time.  Apparently,
once the driver begins rendering the service,  you have to pay
whatever they ask, like it or not.  As you can imagine, Marisa and I
spent a lot of time walking.  It was a terrific way to see the city!

I just received an Email from Peter Hutchison, the Editor of
Footprints Guide Book Mexico & Central America.

He tells me the following words are in the Introduction Section.
Pretty neat!

"For a good, first-hand overview of the challenges of travelling
overland in your own vehicle, get hold of a copy of Panama or Bust, by
Jim Jaillet, www.panamaorbust.com, which covers the challenges of
preparing for and completing a year-long trip from the US to Panama
and back."

Monte,

Sorry...this blog is from an unknown backpacker and that's all the
info they provided.
Jim


--- In panamaorbust@yahoogroups.com, Monte Hensley <amepsi@...> wrote:
>
>  
> Jim,
>  
> Can you tell us what hotel you went to? price? Value? Would you go
back there?
>  
> Thanks,
> Monte
>
> --- On Mon, 6/16/08, Jim Jaillet jimj@... wrote:
>
> From: Jim Jaillet jimj@...
> Subject: [panamaorbust] From a Nicaragua Travel Blog
> To: panamaorbust@yahoogroups.com
> Date: Monday, June 16, 2008, 11:13 AM
>
>
>
>
>
>
> It was going to Matagalpa that convinced me to forget the Corn Islands
> altogether.
>
> In order to understand that statement, you need a 3 sentence crash
> course in Nicaraguan geography. Here goes: Nearly everything you´d
> want to see in this country is on the West side. The East side of the
> country is divided up into 3 regions from North to South and there
> isn´t a damn thing in any of them. They are called Región Autónoma
> del Atlántico Norte, Región Autónoma del Atlántico Sur, and Río San
> Juan. (The first two are abbreviated RAAN and RAAS.) The exception
> to this are a pair of islands just off the RAAS coast, known as the
> Corn Islands. They are jewels of the Caribbean, with great diving and
> emerald water.
>
> The drive from León to Matagalpa was supposed to take 2 hours. An
> hour into the drive, Marisa and I suddenly realized that we had
> arrived in the absolute middle of nowhere. The roads went from bad to
> absolutely horrible. They were only partially paved--no more funding!
> Years of neglect left huge potholes that the driver had to weave
> around. There were several places where we had to yield to herds of
> bulls. I wondered about electricity out here, as many of the power
> lines had been knocked over. At some point, we saw a sign indicating
> that we had 36km left---3 hours later we arrived. The whole trip was
> a 6 hour sweaty mess. When I reviewed the map, I noticed that the
> bold black line between León and Matagalpa was pretty short. Much
> shorter than the faint, dashed line that cuts from Managua to
> Bluefields, the port of call to the Corn Islands. I was later told
> that it takes 3 days to get to the Corns. Needless to say, I
> scratched them off of my itinerary. I could get to the Daríen region
> of Panama in 3 days!
>
> Matagalpa is famous for its coffee. One of my favorite coffee places
> in Chicago actually sells fair-trade from the region, and it is
> delicious. The amazing thing about Central America (and Peru for that
> matter) is that despite its excellent coffee production, it is damn
> near impossible to get anything other than NesCafe here. Apparently,
> every pound of coffee in Central America is exported, where it fetches
> a competitive price in the developed world. The exception to this can
> be found by visiting a coffee plantation. This is what brought Marisa
> and I, admitted coffee addicts, to Selva Negra, a plantation just
> North of the city.
>
> Owned by a local German family, the place has been growing coffee
> forever. Unfortunately, we did not visit in prime coffee picking
> season, so there were no tours, and the coffee was not in bloom.
> Regardless, the place was beautiful. We spent most of our time hiking
> through the nature trails that scaled the mountain next to the
> plantation. Some of them ended directly into coffee fields. Small
> streams ran down the mountain in various places, which made me wonder
> if they irrigate the coffee with mountain water. These trails were
> the least treacherous that we have attempted by far, and made for
> quite a pleasant afternoon. (No waterfalls, snakes, or sketchy climbs!)
>
> We ended the day at a little German restaurant in the middle of the
> plantation. They served us a watered down cup of the local coffee and
> a fruit smoothy. The coffee was excellent, but it really could have
> used some more strength. Or maybe I am still suffering withdrawals
> from my pre-Central America lifestyle.
>
> Matagalpa is a bustling city. The average citizen here seems to be
> better off than in either Managua or León. The streets are full of
> stores, restaurants, and a fair number of hotels. As usual, the
> middle of the city is crowned by its own Spanish Cathedral. The
> climate is cool here from the high altitude, and mountains rise
> beautifully around the outskirts of the city. Interestingly, the
> shanty towns of the city decorate the surrounding mountains. Houses
> made of tin, plastic, and garbage accent the lush green hillsides in
> bright colors. It is the most beautiful squalor that I have ever seen.
>
> Only the bus station here was unpleasant. A sign at the exit warns
> you to get a cab inside the walls of the station to avoid being robbed
> at gun point. Our cab driver was impossible to deal with. As we
> exited the bus station, we mentioned the hotel that we wanted to go
> to. He said that he knew it, but then needed to review my map of the
> city to figure out where to go. This required the help of 3 other
> people. Two of them to look confusingly at the map, and one kid to
> hit Marisa and I up for change. Once in the cab, the guy took us to
> the wrong hotel. In fact, I´m not even sure it was a hotel, because
> there was not a sign out front. He ignored me when I told him where
> to turn, and pretty much drove us where ever the hell he pleased. It
> was, of course, pouring rain outside, so we just kept haggling with
> him (in Spanish) until we ended up at the correct Hotel.
>
> Its funny how difficult this is... Consider catching a cab in Chicago.
> You just jump in and say "Dearborn and Adams," or whatever, and off
> you go. The first problem in Nicaragua is that there are no street
> names. Even in Managua, the capital city with a population of 1.6
> million, there is not a single damn street sign. This makes it
> difficult specify a location, you know? So, the 2nd option is "Favor
> de ir a Hotel Blue Fountain." Of course, the guy doesn´t know where
> that is. So, option number three? "Just drive North, please." In
> the rain, we frantically looked for something recognizable on the map
> so we could tell the guy where to turn! (Marisa came through
> brilliantly on this one.) Not only are the street signs a problem,
> but the cab drivers have deals with some hotels, so they have a place
> in mind to take you, whether you like it or not. This is probably why
> our driver decided to go ignore us and take us to some dump on a side
> street. Sometimes the drivers will pretend not to understand you, or
> say your hotel is full, or rat infested, in order to get you somewhere
> you don´t want to go. And finally, there is the matter of price.
> Since there are no meters, it is important to negotiate a price before
> you get into the taxi. Generally, the prices are pretty fair, but
> sometimes the driver will try to rip you off. If you get in the taxi
> without asking the price, you will pay more every time. Apparently,
> once the driver begins rendering the service, you have to pay
> whatever they ask, like it or not. As you can imagine, Marisa and I
> spent a lot of time walking. It was a terrific way to see the city!
>

In Love
June 17, 2008

I fell in love today.  It started out as an innocent crush, evolved
into a dangerous infatuation, and today turned into full-blown,
head-over-heels in love…with Guatemala, that is!  What an amazing
place this is.  I've spent quite a bit of time traveling throughout
Latin America, but I've never been so taken by a place and its people.
  It's hard to pinpoint exactly what has swept me off my feet, but it's
some wonderful combination of the breathtaking countryside, the
extreme warmth of the people, the crazy packed buses and terrible
roads, the conversations with random kids trying to sell me things,
getting drenched in a rainstorm and feeling like a little kid again,
and most of all, seeing first hand how incredibly strong women combine
ingenuity, drive, and a small loan to improve the lives of their
families.



I've spent the past week working out of the Friendship Bridge
Quetzaltenango branch office, and have travelled around to small,
rural villages in the beautiful highlands of Guatemala.  The
experience has been wonderful on so many levels.  I've had the
pleasure of running around rural Guatemala with various loan officers,
all of whom have been an excellent resource for finding where I need
to go and helping with translating for the many indigenous women who
don't speak Spanish.  They've also been great fun to chat with on all
the many, many long and bumpy bus rides.  Additionally, I've been able
to stay with a Friendship Bridge employee and her family out here,
which has been a great way to get a glimpse of real day-to-day life in
Guatemala.  They have treated me like a queen and I don't think I've
stopped eating since I arrived!  The best part of all, though, has
been going to people's homes/places of business and getting to hear
their stories.  There have certainly been some challenges, which I
think I'm learning to overcome a little more with each interview.



Some of the ladies are very shy, and simply say their business is good
and repayment is good and their families are good.  There's definitely
a skill to getting them to open up, and hopefully I'll continue to
learn how to do that better.  Some ladies, on the other hand, get
really excited to talk about their families and their businesses.
They are often very appreciative of their loans and very proud of what
they have done with it.  My favorite part is seeing the pride in their
faces when they talk about being able to send their children to
school.  And for those that can't, they repeatedly emphasize how
giving their children an education and better opportunities for the
future is their top priority.



Fortunately, most of the women I've talked with so far (approximately
35) have had pretty positive stories to tell.  Their businesses are
going relatively well, many of them are able to send their children to
school, loan repayment has been going well, etc.  But there certainly
have been a few in situations that I can't even fathom.  A story of
taking out a loan to purchase inventory for a little store a woman
just opened up to try to support her family, only to have all the
inventory stolen.  "Fighting" just to pay back the loan and feed her 8
children while her husband drinks away any money he earns.  And yet
this woman smiles a sad smile, graciously thanks me for what I'm
doing, and focuses on the dream that someday her children will have a
better life.  It's so unbelievably humbling to realize the real issues
people face everyday all over the world.  And it makes me feel ashamed
and ridiculous for many of my "needs" back in the U.S.  What a
privilege it is to get a glimpse of these women's lives, hear of their
struggles, be in awe of their successes.



A friend recently made a comment about balancing life's moments with
life's big picture.  The more I think about this, the more I realize
how easy it is to be wrapped up in life's long-term goals and plans,
often letting day-to-day moments slide by without notice.  At the same
time, so many people around the world don't have the privilege to
think much beyond getting food on the table each day and keeping a
roof over their heads.  Yet the women seeking these loans have made a
point to work to improve their lives overall, and it's unbelievably
inspiring to see the perseverance that drives them each day.   Since
I've been in Guatemala, each day has been an adventure, full of rich
experiences.  I can't stop thinking about how amazing it is to live in
each moment, soaking it all in.  Life is so pure, so simple, so real,
and I'm absolutely in love with it!

June 18th, 2008
Mexico freezes food prices
Posted: 08:53 PM ET

MEXICO CITY, Mexico (CNN) — Mexico is freezing prices on 150 food
products in hopes of dodging widespread hunger and social unrest, the
government announced Wednesday.

"They are frozen as of today and until the end of the year," said
President Felipe Calderon.

The products include oils, prepared beans, cans of tuna, juices,
soups, salsas, coffee with milk and other basic products that are
"enormously popular," Calderon said

The producers of some staples have promised to maintain the current
prices for several months and to revise them only if necessary.

Tourism boom threatens Costa Rica eco-paradise
June 20th, 2008 by Wayne · No Comments

Pungent brown sewage spews into the Pacific ocean. In the background,
cranes put up hotels and beachfront apartments.

Once home to monkeys, turtles and other rare wildlife, this stretch of
coast in northwest Costa Rica is developing so fast that it is
tarnishing the country's reputation as a destination for eco-tourists.

Some 1.4 million people visit Central America's richest country every
year, but they no longer come just for the national parks that cover
more than a quarter of its area and are home to almost 5 percent of
the world's plant and animal species.

They also want sand, surf and even real estate.

The biggest stimulus came when the airport at nearby Liberia began
handling international flights five years ago, putting the previously
little-known Guanacaste province within, for example, three hours of
Miami.

With tropical sunshine, sandy beaches and surf, developers saw a
chance to attract everyone from surfers and honeymooners to U.S.
retirees seeking a second home, transforming sleepy towns with names
like Tamarindo, Quepos, Playas del Coco and Jaco.

The result is rampant construction that environmentalists fear could
balloon into noisy, sprawling resorts with cruise ship ports and golf
courses like those of Cancun, Mexico, which guzzle water and pollute
the environment.

"These cases of poorly planned tourist developments in Costa Rica
could affect the well-deserved reputation as a pioneer in
eco-tourism," said Ronald Sanabria, a Costa Rican who works for the
Rainforest Alliance, an international advocate for sustainability.

Already, Costa Rica has lost up to half of its monkey population in
the last 12 years as developers expand into their jungle habitat,
according to scientists at the University of Costa Rica.

Light pollution from Tamarindo is making life harder for leatherback
turtles. The town's lights disorient the tiny hatchlings, sending them
toward the luminescence instead of out to sea, where they are safer
from predators.

"These large-scale tourism projects have big consequences for the
environment," said Fabian Pacheco, of the Costa Rican Federation for
the Conservation of Nature.

SURF'S UP

The issue is a familiar one in developing countries as they weigh the
benefits of tourist dollars that come with high-rise hotels against
the loss of greenery when virgin land is paved over.

Tourism is Costa Rica's top foreign exchange earner. Property
developers point to the big contribution the construction sector makes
to the economy, accounting for 5 percent of gross domestic product and
growing by 16 percent last year.

The tourist boom has also created jobs in a poor region. "It's been
good for the locals. Most of them are happy to have good, decent
jobs," said Denise Shante, 51, a Canadian property broker who sells
apartments priced up to $2.5 million.

As Costa Rica attracts more mainstream tourism, neighboring Panama is
aggressively promoting its own eco-tourism credentials.

The breakneck development has the government and even the tourism
industry worried.

When rains overflowed septic tanks in Tamarindo, tons (tonnes) of raw
sewage flowed into the ocean and the resort lost its "blue flag"
issued by Costa Rica's water utility to indicate healthy ocean water
conditions.

"Costa Rica can no longer project the pure image of an eco-tourism
paradise since reality shows investors are free to develop more and
more projects without clear rules," the Costa Rican Hotel and Resorts
Association warned in a report in May.

President Oscar Arias, whose government wants to cut the country's net
carbon emissions to zero by 2021, has begun a crackdown at newer
Pacific resorts, closing some businesses and ordering height
restrictions on buildings near the beach.

"Tamarindo and Jaco got out of our hands, but our scientists are
working on ways of assuring development that is compatible with
nature," Arias told Reuters.

The Costa Rican Chamber of Construction says unregulated building is
still going on, and in Tamarindo the most prominent feature is its
building sites swarming with laborers.

The town, world-famous for its surf, bustles with surfers and tanned
shoppers who fill its shops, bars and restaurants.

Some, like Shawn O'Neil, 28, a surfer from San Diego, California, say
it is unfair to rope off pretty beaches for an elite who can afford
expensive eco-resorts while shutting out those who prefer cheaper
all-inclusive hotels.

"People say how built up Tamarindo is, but it doesn't seem like much
after San Diego and Los Angeles.

A popular half days excursion from Antigua is a climb up active Volcan
Pacaya. The drive takes about 1,5 hours. The hike up starts at the
hamlet San Francisco at about 1800 m., where the visitors centre is
located. Local children will try to sell you 'plasticos' (plastic
ponchos) and walking sticks. Not a bad idea! Only upon arrival were we
informed that we wouldn't be summiting. No reason was given (we found
out later, though). Because we were the only ones speaking Spanish in
the group, we were the only ones who realized that we wouldn't be
summiting. The others only found out when our guide started turning
back. Our hike went to a saddle in the mountain at about 2300 m. The
hike up might have been short (about 3 km) but with the speed our
guide went, we were panting after a few 100 m.! We were sweating
inside our woollens and being raining upon from the outside so we were
thoroughly WET. The hike went in such a speed we couldn't really enjoy
the surrounding vegetation. Once we arrived at the saddle, luckily,
the rain had stopped and we had a good view of the cone in the
distance. Once we crossed a cow pasture, we noticed why we couldn't
summit: a huge gash had opened across the pasture, blocking access to
the cone. This was the highlight of the trip, looking into the gash
and seeing the 'serpientes rojos' (red serpents) of lava streaming
below. We thought that would be it, but our guide actually led us on
top of the hardened lava stream! The air was shimmering with heat
around and you could hear the lava crackle beneath your feet! Looking
down, you could see red streams running in cracks you were stepping
over! It was so hot the soles literally melted off my sneakers and if
you threw water on the floor, it evaporated immediately. When one
member of our group
broke through the hardened lava (he jumped without being burned), our
guide decided we'd had enough and we started on the way back.
Of course, the way back went way quicker and in about 20 minutes
we were back at the visitors center, tired but excited!

Practicalities:
Tons of travel agencies offer this trip, at $8-10 pp not including the
entrance fee to the park. The trip can be made on your own but because
of robberies that's not recommended. Better go as a group with a guide
who doubles as security. We used La Ruta Maya on the Parque Central.

Costa Rica Takes Action to Control Gasoline Usage Part 2
June 27th, 2008

This week, the government of Costa Rica asked for an increase of ¢145
in the price of gasoline, this to offset their recent request to lower
the price of diesel fuel by exempting diesel from government taxation.

The price of super gasoline would go up to ¢801 per liter and diesel
prices would fall by ¢97. Gasoline today is $5.10 per gallon for
super, $4.97 for regular and $4.82 for diesel. One US gallon = 3.79
liters, so after this change, a gallon of super will be ¢3,036 or
$5.88. With the regular monthly increase coming in July, $6.00 per
gallon gas is pretty much assured.

Currently, the cost for a gallon of diesel is $4.82, so this will drop
to about $4.11. Sounds like a nice windfall for those who chose to buy
dieseled vehicles right? Nope… the government giveth and the
government taketh away.

To further offset the loss of tax revenue from diesel, the government
plans another little surprise to those who own non commercial diesel
vehicles i.e. not your personal car or SUV. Marchamo for non
commercial vehicles will double. So if you are currently donating
$1,000 per year in Marchamo for your reasonably late model diesel SUV,
plan on taking a $1,000 hit come December. About 66,000 private cars
use diesel fuel. Last year, owners of diesel cars paid about ¢8,500
million in property tax. If approved, this will double to around
¢17,000 million.

Why is this happening? The idea here is that by reducing the cost of
diesel fuel, almost exclusively used by transport semis and delivery
vehicles, the resultant savings in transportation costs would be
passed on down to the consumer resulting in lower prices at the cash
register.

Call me skeptical, but I am way to olde to believe that what amounts
to a windfall profit for owners of dieseled vehicles will pass on
anything. I expect it to go into their pockets and not into the
pockets of consumers. As enforcement would be difficulty or
impossible, I am not expecting a reduction in food or other prices
real soon.

Whether this will come to pass is unclear, but at least the government
is trying to be inventive and try new strategies.

In the last decade, more and more American expatriates have come to
retirement and second home communities to enjoy the beautiful Mexican
beach resorts. The U.S. State Department reported in October 2004 that
385,000 live in Mexico year. That number is almost certainly higher today.




The reasons are clear. Mexico's proximity and hospitality attract US
citizens like no other country does. Familiar culture and shared
border make Mexico an attractive destination for Americans. Also,
Mexicans are very warm and friendly people which certainly help in
making Mexico one of the Top Tourist destinations all over the world.




Mexican beach resorts have another big factor in favour: weather.
Winters are warm and summer heat is tempered by the waters of the
Pacific, the Sea of Cortez, or the Caribbean.




Other factors that lure Americans and Europeans alike to the beaches
of Mexico is low prices of Mexico Beachfront real estate. Even though
in recent time property prices in Mexico have increased, the costs of
homes are still low when compared to similar homes in US and Europe
with same facilities. Icing on the cake is low property taxes
averaging about $300 a year on property of $300,000 and low monthly costs.




Mexico now boasts of almost all world class facilities, amenities and
means of entertainment. Satellites, cable television, Internet are
available for ex-pats to make them feel closer to home and keep them
abreast with the latest in their home countries. Almost all major
American food brands are available in well stocked supermarkets. Don't
be surprised if you run in to Wal-Mart in Mexico.

Why to retire in Mexico


To cope up with the huge demand, more and more huge ambitious projects
are developed. The main beneficiaries of this surge in development
have been southern Baja, from Cabo San Lucas to La Paz; Puerto
Vallarta, from San Blas to Manzanillo; Sonora, on the northern arm of
the Sea of Cortez, from San Felipe to Puerto Penasco; and the Cancun
to Tulum area.




All these reasons make, Buying Mexico Property for retirement a
no-brainer. All you have to do is find an excellent Mexico real Estate
agent, who will make you stay in this beautiful country a dream come true.



By: Jason Keiller

"The Impoverished of El Salvador: Economic Survival" -- by Dr. John
Hammock

The impoverished of El Salvador live under the daily threat of hunger
and destitution. Most survive on a daily ration of piecemeal work,
luck and pure guts. Women do the housework and contribute to economic
survival by washing the clothes or cooking the meals of the rich or
working the land with their husbands. In rural areas men work the
fields and in urban areas they work the streets for daily jobs.
Impoverished families stare daily at the possibility of hunger. Most
earn less than $1 a day.

The impoverished face the greatest risk from disasters. They are the
most vulnerable to earthquakes, floods, droughts, fires, environmental
degradation, economic dislocations and political decisions that
eliminate their daily livelihoods. There are no insurance schemes to
protect those most at risk. The national and municipal governments do
not prioritize assisting the most vulnerable.

El Salvador is a society in the throes into the maquila business.
While the rich are richer and consumer spending has skyrocketed, the
impoverished are no better off. With earthquakes at the beginning of
2001 followed by a drought that affected the first planting season, El
Salvador's government continues to pursue policies that destroy its
natural resources, thus making natural phenomena severe disasters. A
large trade deficit is offset almost in its entirety by remittances
from Salvadorans living in other countries (mostly the U.S.).
Migration has been not only an escape valve for the society, it has
also been a major financier of the Salvadoran transition into the
globalized economy.

Economic Survival

The people most at risk are hard working members of the impoverished,
working poor. Vulnerability is reduced when people own and accumulate
assets that they can protect. Vulnerability is also reduced when
assets can help to insure the person against the disaster and assist
in attracting other services from government. Yet in El Salvador, the
working poor live hand to mouth and cannot accumulate assets. Most do
not have steady jobs or income.

Following are how Salvadorans explain it in their own words. (Taken
from interviews conducted in 2002):

     "Before, people had cows and animals that helped them survive. But
as this has become urbanized we are left with nothing. Now women
either work in the homes of the rich or we sell. Some sell clothes or
ice cream. Some take care of kids or wash or iron or cook for people
in the urbanizations. I sell fruit. I go to the market every morning
and buy fruit, like watermelon. Then I have a place to sell at a bus
stop. I am lucky to have this place. Before, I used to sell on the
street. If I need to, I also wash clothes for others to make some money.

     "So, I have a long day. I get up early while it is dark to go to
the market and I sell until my daughter takes over in the afternoon.
Then I get time to come home to cook and to work on community issues."
(Mendez)"

     "I came to this community after the earthquake of '65. I was in my
house when I felt the tremor. I grabbed one child under each arm and
ran. none of us got hurt but the hut fell down. I had nothing. I was
helped by neighbors. I really lived off charity for a while. A friend
told me of this place, that this place was opening up. So I came,
thought it was not a great place, living in this ravine. I live in a
very humble house, but I have been fixing it up slowly. But every time
something happens the house gets ruined, with the heavy rains or the
earthquakes. I have seen it all here; but I have no place to go. So, I
stay. I make some money sewing clothes. People know that I make
dresses or whatever they need made. So I get a bit of business. But
now there are so many used clothes that business is almost
nonexistent. So, I have to wash or iron. Here you do what you have to
do to survive. No one has a full time job, but everybody hustles."
(Pastran)

     "I am originally from San Miguel. I am 48 years old and have been
here for 13 years. I have four children aged 22 to 16. They are all
still here. None of them has any steady job. They go out to find day
jobs to give us some money to survive. I have been a helper in the
kitchen in a restaurant, a pizzeria. That is how we manage to get by."
(Osorio)

     "I live all alone. I am 61. my mother died not long ago. My wife
died a while back. My kids are all grown up and gone. I have eight
brothers and sisters. Two are in Guatemala. We are close to the border
here, so they went up there to work and did not come back. One went to
the United States. he is in Virginia. he sends nothing here. I have a
small plot here. I do not have the strength to cultivate most of it;
so I only plant what I can. Mostly I plant sweet corn and millet. It
is just enough for me to survive." (Carran)

     "I have nine kids. The eldest is 18; the youngest is just one year
and four months old. Five are boys; four are girls. I am in my mid
30s. I was born here in El Chino. This community is dependent on the
sugar cane cooperative that we have here. There are 53 members of the
cooperative. The coop gives members a small plot for the family plot.
on it we grow sweet corn and millet. We also work on the sugar cane
fields. We get paid for three two week periods during the harvest.
This is paid at 415 colones ($50) for each two-week period we work.
That really is our only cash income for the year." (S. Ayala)

     "I am 25 years old. I am a single mom living with my mother. I
have two kids; the eldest is eight. I have been here for eight years.
I am not a member of the cooperative. I do not have a plot of land. I
work as a day laborer; sometimes I can get a job for two weeks at a
stretch. Sometimes I can get hired by the cooperative, other times by
others. I also fish and go to get shrimp. Fortunately, we live here
near the water and can go fishing. The shrimp are there. Also, the
community helps me. There is one woman particularly who has helped me.
This year we went almost a month with no food. This woman helped me by
giving me tortillas to survive." (Alfaro)

     "I am 58 years old. I came to this place when I was two. I have
lived here all my life. I have been with my wife for 19 years. We have
four children -- all of them are boys. The eldest is 18, the youngest
7. When Mitch struck, things were horrible. The water kept rising. The
police came to warn us and get us out. I sent my family to higher
ground. I stayed to make sure that my house was safe. It did not
collapse but it did fall sideways. It was damaged pretty badly. The
worst is that I lost my corn. This really was a disaster because that
is what we use to survive.

     "Our community runs right along the road. We live here on the edge
of this large private farm. As you can see he has fences running
around his farm so that no one can get in. Some of us work for him
when we can. none of us owns this land. He lets some of us grow food
for our families on small plots. I do not have to pay rent to him for
the two manzanas I farm; but it is his land. I grow sweet corn and
millet. I also grow chili peppers. These I do not eat. They are for
making a poison to control pests. I also grow some onions that I use
to help store the corn. I store the corn in a green plastic garbage
bag, mixed with onion. This year I grew a little bit of soybeans. I
use this to eat, for meat and milk. It tastes just like meat when you
cook it. And we like it. Most of what I grow is for our own use. But
every once in a while I get enough so that I can sell some."  (Fuentes)

     "Let me lay it out straight. If I go to buy one brick to build the
wall of our house, we don't eat that day. If I go out to buy three
bricks we die of hunger." (Castro)


But in El Salvador people do not die of hunger; they get by. They
survive by working hard in a variety of urban and rural jobs that will
never let them advance; but they keep people alive. The impoverished
cannot earn enough to accumulate assets; they have no economic power
to buy private insurance or insist on public policies and government
actions to reduce the risks that plague them.

Dr. John Hammock is an Associate Professor of Public Policy at the
Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at The Fletcher
School, Tufts University. He is currently on leave until September,
2008 and working with Sabina Alkire as a senior research associate at
the Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative. John was Executive
Director at Oxfam America from 1984-1995 and Executive Director at
ACCION International from 1973-1980. John is the president of the
board of EGR.

Renewing Residency
July 4th, 2008

It is a bit hard to believe, but in all the years I have lived here, I
have never had to make "the trip" to immigration (migración) to renew
my residency. I have always been "legal" but the rarely used form of
residency I began with was a true pain in the butt. Migración ran me
in circles for several years, never approving my residency, but
thankfully, never denying it either. Every time I thought they would
approve it, they came up some new requirement that was never even in
the law.

North Americans and others always have a real problem understanding
"how things work" in Costa Rica. In the USA, for example, laws are
more or less clearly defined. The "rules" are clear. If you go to
renew a drivers license, you know what has to be done, and you are
confident that all the clerks and others who assist you will follow
these rules. Nobody does things on-the-fly.

This is NOT the case in Costa Rica, and most assuredly it is not the
case when dealing with migración.

While there is certainly law underlying the activities in most
government offices, you can and often will be completely and totally
at the mercy of the person assisting you. That means the actions of
these people can be influenced by everything from "the word" passed
down from above to whether they had a fight with their spouse the
night before. In some cases, they simply do not have any idea what is
the law nor the correct process.

In some past administrations, there was a distinct policy of
xenophobia. This affected you whether dealing with immigration or
simply going to the CAJA. The administration encouraged this and this
was evident to all of us who lived through it. It flowed right from
the casa amarilla (Costa Rica equivalent of the White House) to all
levels, and it was often not fun to have to have to interact with any
government office.

Things changed under the current Arias administration, and it is
generally better now. Immigration certainly seems better from many
reports, but still, you must understand that every time you interact
with an immigration official, he can pretty much do as he pleases, and
you have little recourse, or none. A good example of this is at entry
points in Costa Rica. More and more perpetual tourists (those who
flaunt the law and never get residency preferring to leave the country
every 90 days to "renew" their visas) are being turned back at the
borders or having the immigration agent refuse to stamp their
passports upon re-entry. Some are simply told to go back and refused
admittance. The problem is that this seems to be entirely at the whim
of the official.

Anyway… back on topic… my permanent residency expired in July 2007.
Because of some glitches in immigration, everyone got a free year, so
my new expiration (vencimiento) was moved to July 2008, and I must now
renew my cedula.

The process seems simple enough, but when dealing with any government
office, there is always that feeling in the pit of your stomach. The
process begins with a phone call made by me to immigration. Seems
simple but may not be. To reach the immigration appointment person,
you must dial a 900 number. Yes, kids, a 900 number here is used as in
the USA. YOU pay for the call (5 colones per minute), and you better
not mis-dial or you'll get some porn business at $10.00 per minute!
Further, the use of a 900 number is blocked on many phones in Costa
Rica, especially if you do not own the phone number. That means it is
possible you will need to go elsewhere to make the call.

As my regular readers know, I urge the learning of Spanish, and after
today's call, I especially urge it before you have to renew your
residency. The process went smoothly. I dialed the number. A polite
young man named Alejandro took me though the process and I now have an
appointment in September. I need to make a deposit to the bank account
of immigration in the amount of $58.00. Their bank is Banco de Costa Rica.

As there is little more to do at this point but wait until September,
you will just have to wait for the update!

Pura Vida!

The past week in Nicaragua has been so full that it has left little
time for journalling. Today we left the Island of Ometepe in Lake
Nicaragua at 5am to arrive in the old Spanish colonial city of Granada
at 9am. After exploring the main cathedral and the art school both off
the central park and independence square, we boarded a 'chicken bus'
to Masaya. We took the bus too far, almost to the capital- Managua. We
got off and hitched on a 'chicken van' back to Masaya and walked at
least 2 kilometers to the Mercado Viejo, which is an old artillery now
used as an open air market.
The chicken bus back into Granada was even more full, a minibus packed
close to 50 with everyone standing shoulder to shoulder in the aisles
and two to a seat. It began to pour on our way in. Getting completely
soaked, I found myself in the midst of a parade with firecrackers,
music, drumming, and people dressed in red and black or Che Guevara
t-shirts waving red and black flags with hats that read FSLN. It was a
neo-Sandanista support parade, the new generation of Sandanistas
honoring the revolutionary party. Politics is a hard subject to escape
in Nigaragua. Their revolution was fairly recent and everyone has a
heated opinion.
After dinner there was yet another parade. The local students armed
with drums, battons, and choregraphed dances stomped down a side road
in different costumes - body glitter, monogrammed tanks, jester hats,
togas with leaves in their hair. At the end of the road was a stage
with a d.j. and winners of some beauty pagent. The fiesta was
sponsored by one of two locally brewed beers.
Tomorrow we have a private car, instead of the Tica Bus, picking us up
at 5am to help with the 10 hour journey crossing the border to Honduras.

Recycling in Playa del Carmen - How are we doing in 2008?

Over the past four years, I have seen the concept of recycling evolve
from a "silly notion" promoted only by a bunch of "gringos" to a full
on Cultural Revolution. Rarely a day goes by that I don't receive an
email from someone, Ex-pat or Mexican National, reminding me about a
recycling drive or a newly established drop-off area. When we arrived
here in 2004, the only "recycling" available to us was saving cans for
our babysitter, Lydia, to sell and turning in our cases of empty Sol
and Dos Equis bottles for fresh, cold, full ones.  Many people, when
they first move here, are shocked and disgusted with the amount of
waste and refuse that can be found littering any unclaimed sliver of
property. Since we moved to Mexico, I have heard more than a few
"interesting" hypothesis about why the Mexicans "appear" to care so
little for their environment and the beauty of their city and its
beaches. Many of these conclusions come from folks whose knowledge of
this area and its history is limited. Others, suggesting that Mexicans
are simply too lazy to clean up after themselves or too dirty to
notice the difference, are based in nothing more than ignorance and
racism.

I, of course, have my own theory. Let's turn back the clock about 60
years:

In "Anytown", USA convenience products were making a big splash in the
households of everyday Americans. Packaged, processed affordable meals
made cooking a snap and new fangled cleaning products promised to
shave hours off of the back-breaking, mind-numbing daily activities of
the average homemaker. The explosive popularity of television in the
home made attractive packaging for all these new products as important
as the product itself. The economy was strong. Consumption was high.
The "American Dream" was being lived to its fullest and advertised
nightly in every living room across the country! Any resulting waste
was picked up and removed systematically by well organized public or
private waste management companies. Once the garbage left the curb,
little thought was given to its destination by Mr. and Mrs. Homeowner.

In contrast, 60 years ago, the city of Playa del Carmen was a mere
speck on the map of the world. A small wooden dock servicing a few
families of fishermen and the chicle farmers, generally ex-convicts
banished to the jungle and the scourge of the region. Small coconut
plantations dotted the coast and milpa farmers worked the interior,
providing the food staple, masa, for their villages. The region was
dangerous and sparsely populated. People worked the land, raised
livestock and were completely self sufficient. The master-plan that
would become Cancun was not even a glimmer in the eyes of FONATUR.
Quintana Roo would not be recognized as a sovereign state in Mexico
until 1974!  As a point of reference, Alaska became the 49th United
State in 1959. With so few inhabitants spread out across such a large
area, their impact on the environment was minimal. The only waste
created was all naturally biodegradable. All meals were prepared,
cooked and served using hand-made earthenware vessels and large leaves
from indigenous fruit trees. Leaves and peels were tossed into the
jungle where they broke down and enriched the soil. When the beauty
and value of the Riviera Maya was finally realized by the outside
world, change came swiftly and with little or no regard for the people
who had called the jungle home for centuries. Development and tourism
brought demand for modern products and "first world" conveniences.
Local villages now had corner stores which sold new and fascinating
foods and beverages as soon as they became available. In their
excitement to try each and every strange delicacy that made it to the
shelves of the local tiendita, people gave little thought to the bits
of pretty colored paper and plastic these treats were wrapped in. And
so, as were thousands of years worth of banana peels and leaves before
them, they were tossed to the ground.

But we are making changes and we are seeing results. In 2006, Ana
Garcia, a young mother, originally from Mexico City, started a
grassroots organization called Biostandard: its mission, to give real
meaning to the words "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" in her new home, Playa
del Carmen. Her company and her ideas drew a lot of attention and
support, particularly from other young like-minded women living in
this area. Soon, the Biostandard founder and her enthusiastic team
were organizing seminars in the local schools, teaching students and
parents alike how to reduce the amount of waste we all create and in
doing so live healthier lives. Biostandard provided recycled,
biodegradable plastic products (plates, forks, spoons, take-out
containers) to some of the most prominent area businesses such as
Grupo Xcaret and Dolphin Discovery. They also distributed a line of
biodegradable household cleaning products to reduce our daily exposure
to chemicals that damage our environment and may cause health concerns
in the future. Ana now works with a similar organization MAREMEX that
evaluates the waste generated by local businesses, organizations,
schools, hotels and even families, then, designs and implements
recycling programs tailored specifically to the needs of those
particular groups.

In 2007, recycling and local supporters in the Riviera Maya got a real
boost from the Environment Agency of Solidaridad (EAS). In
coordination with environmental NGOs , private enterprises and
concerned citizens, an enormous collection of recyclable items was
organized to benefit of the communities of Playa del Carmen, Akumal
and Tulum. All the cardboard collected that day was donated to the
National Commission of Free Textbooks for the production of free
textbooks and educational materials. Local residents were offered
various workshops on creating handcrafts and toys from recyclable
waste as well as instruction on how to conserve local resources and
reduce waste in their everyday lives. At this time, the EAS announced
a groundbreaking initiative, the Municipal Waste Separation Program.
By installing "Clean Spots" in readily accessible public areas
throughout the city of Playa del Carmen, residents would now be able
to easily leave their clean, sorted recyclable waste, thus reducing
the amount of trash in the streets and in our municipal landfill.

Now, many of the schools run their own independent recycling programs,
supervised by the parents and teachers but staffed by the students.
The new Parque la Ceiba, just west of 307 and south of Juarez, has its
own internal recycling center, collecting not only what has been
discarded in the well-marked modern bins strategically placed around
the park but also recyclable items brought in from outside
individuals. Many homeowners who offer their villas and condos to
vacation renters have set up basic in house recycling facilities for
their guests' use and at least one of the major resort chains, RIU, is
making strides to reduce the amount of waste generated on their sites,
recycle what they can and encourage guests to conserve water and
electricity whenever possible. Why, one of Playa del Carmen's hippest,
chicest hotels, Basico, is decorated almost entirely with recycled and
reused items and materials!

It's not just the big cities and mega-resorts jumping on the recycling
bandwagon. In more remote parts of the Riviera Maya, the idea of
recycling seems to be making progress as well. Take a drive down the
Tulum beach road and near the entrances to many of the small hotels
and private beach homes, you will see small, often handmade, labeled
containers where items to be recycled are sorted and left for
collection. With wind and solar power the dominant sources of energy
to these beach properties, it comes as no surprise that local
residents and business owners have made the preservation of their
environment as a top priority. Tulum inaugurated its own Centro de
Acopio (Recycling Center) in July of 2007 in response to the growing
needs of a small town exploding into a city.

The Centro Ecologico Akumal (CEA) is at the forefront of recycling
efforts in the popular seaside town, Akumal, and its pueblo.
Attractive, clearly labeled bins have been set up in the village, west
of 307, and there is a serviceable recycling station for general use
just past the parking area for the main bay. It's not too pretty and
looks like it could use a bit more TLC but it is there and has been
well used for as long as I can remember. Residents and frequent
visitors to Akumal are among the most environmentally concerned and
conscientious in all of the Riviera Maya. Recycling, proper waste
disposal and the preservation of the reef, the beaches and the
wetlands is, and always has been, a top priority here.

In Puerto Morelos, as early as 1993, in response to growing concerns
about the quality of the ground water and the health of the community,
an aggressive campaign was begun in this town, just south of Cancun.
The Puerto Morelos Composting Toilet Project was initiated and
implemented with varying degrees of success and acceptance in this
tiny fishing village poised just beyond the shadows of Cancun's
towering hotels and skyscraping condos. Although initially met with
resistance, these toilets are now commonly used throughout the region
and have significantly reduced the amount of human waste making its
way into the precious potable groundwater. The delicate mangrove that
surrounds the town has been and continues to be the focus of great
concern, having been ravaged by hurricanes and destroyed by
unscrupulous developers.

60 years ago, in "Anytown", USA, were we any more environmentally
aware? What kind of recycling programs were in place in "Anytown" USA
in the 1950s? What plans did our parents have in place for preserving
the earth their children would inherit? What measure of success shall
we hold their conservation efforts to?

Here we are, about half way through 2008 in Playa del Carmen, Mexico,
trying to see how OUR efforts measure up. If you consider how abruptly
development has come and how quickly the residents of the area have
adapted and accepted the need for lifestyle changes, I think we are
doing quite well. I think the progress that has been made in awareness
and conservation of the environment is laudable but we still have a
long way to go. Too often still, the promise of profit wins out over
environmental concerns. Certainly education is the key and the
programs and seminars held regularly in local schools help to ensure
that future generations recognize the need and possess the skills to
preserve this beautiful area. Still, the struggle against what is
"easy" and what is "right" will always be played out as it is
everywhere in the world. "Clean Spots", municipal recycling stations
on the street corners and organized recycling drives are making
recycling much more convenient for locals and tourists to properly
dispose of items rather than have them left on the beach or tossed in
the street. Now provided with information and the proper tools, the
people of this region are grasping the concept of recycling
whole-heartedly. Community driven programs to preserve and improve
green spaces in the city are underway and gaining governmental
support. I have even seen signs promoting home composting programs in
the small town of Filipe Carrillo Puerto 1 hour south of Tulum!

So, yes, conservation, preservation and recycling are high priorities
for the residents of this region. With well-regulated controls on
commercial development, continued education for those people living in
more remote areas of Quintana Roo, the support of private and
governmental entities and the cooperation of everyone in the
community, the Riviera Maya will continue to be a beautiful place to
live and visit for many generations to come.

Some info that might come in handy if you're planning on visiting Tikal:

Visiting hours are from 6 o' clock in the morning till 6 in the
evening. Lots of people stay after hours (which is not allowed) to see
the sunrise on top of one of the pyramids.

Entrance fees are 50,- quetzales for foreign nationals and 15,- for
Guatemalan nationals. The museum charges a separate entrance fee (Q
10,- for foreigners and Q2,- for Guatemalans). It is small but worth
the entrance price. Tickets are valid for one day and are bought at
the main entrance of the park. They should be presented at the ticket
stand near the area of the ruins (where you can also purchase maps and
picture-books about the site). Tickets bought after 3 o'clock are also
valid for the next day (ask for this, no-one told us voluntarily).

At the visitors centers is a scale model of the site. Check it out. It
helps with some orientation (it's easy to get lost in the park). Also,
there are some small restaurants in front of the visitors center. They
offer better and cheaper food than at the visitor's center itself.

Ortega threatens clampdown

Over the weekend, in celebration of the 29th anniversary of the
Sandinista uprising that led to the end of the Somoza dicatorship in
Nicaragua, President Daniel Ortega delievered a speech that suggests
he is gearing up for a conflict with the growing opposition to his
government.

From Reuters:

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega warned his political adversaries on
Saturday that he would not allow them to depose him as opposition
groups planned street protests against his government. "We love peace,
but we are also ready to use the steel of war if they try to bring
down this" government, Ortega said in a speech.

From La Prensa:

El Presidente nicaragüense se declaró dispuesto a dar batalla en todos
los flancos, en lo que calificó como una defensa del "poder del
pueblo." "Donde nos busquen nuestros enemigos, allí nos van a
encontrar, donde nos busquen los vende patria, allí nos van a
encontrar, donde nos busquen los traidores, allí nos van a encontrar,
donde nos busquen los financiados por la embajada yanqui, allí nos van
a encontrar, dispuestos, como decía nuestro gran poeta Rubén Darío, a
levantar el acero de guerra o el olivo de la paz", añadió Ortega.

Ortega's remarks are seen by some as a direct response to the mounting
opposition against him and what the opposition claims as a string of
recent policies that are unconstitutional and anti-democratic.

SAN SALVADOR, July 4 (Reuters) - At least 15 people died and 28 others
were missing after intense rains in El Salvador, which swept a
passenger bus into a river on the edge of the capital, rescue workers
said on Friday.

Seven of the dead were killed when their bus was pulled into a river
on the impoverished outskirts of San Salvador on Thursday night as it
tried to drive through a flooded road crossing.

The force of the water smashed the bus, which was carrying evangelists
back from church, into a bridge and split it in two.

"I was the only one able to jump out," said 16-year-old Fabricio
Hernandez, one of 31 people on the bus, including three children.
Twenty-three bus passengers are still missing.

Interior Minister and civil protection agency head Juan Miguel Bolanos
said rescuers were trawling the river looking for more survivors. The
bus had been pulled out of the river.

Separately, eight people including a young girl drowned in a swollen
river in central El Salvador and five were missing after unexpected
rains across the small Central American country.

The Bug Man Cometh
July 7th, 2008

Ahhh Bugs! Bichos! Things with many legs! If you live here in the
tropics, they are as much a part of your life as the sun, the beach,
the mountains, and the bad roads! Certainly one of the most visited
web pages in The REAL Costa Rica is about the creepie crawlies that
are everywhere in Costa Rica. Not surprising I guess… hell, there was
even a snake in the Garden of Eden right?

Those of you who follow my writings probably already know about
Rolando, the Flying Cucaracha Affair, and the occasion tarantulas that
come avisitin' at Casa Ticogrande. However, for sheer annoyance,
nothing can top the ants (hormigas). that look at this house as a
giant smörgåsbord.

When I speak of ants, I am not referring to one or two… or fifty. I am
referring to, in some cases hundreds (or more).

The other night, I called Maria Luisa to the kitchen to witness a true
phenomenon. Starting at the base of the counter, crawling up the side
of the counter, across all three counter tops (maybe 20 feet) and
disappearing into a crack near the edge of the counter were ants.
Thousands of ants. I bent close and could hear them singing some sort
of marching song.

Our ants are not limited to the kitchen. Oh no! They travel! They come
out of the floor in my office, they live in my desk. They live in our
bedside tables and on occasion, they join us in bed as we watch TV!

They come in various sizes! Some are very tiny. Some are big mothers,
black and nasty looking! They crunch when you step on `em.

We also get other critters like the tarantula, an occasional scorpion
and some things that I know not the name. We also get the flying
cucarachas of course and those really BIG cucharachas about the size
of a box of matches. My wife won't let me touch those as she assures
me they eat the smaller cucharachas that gross out everyone. She may
be right as we never see those!

Drop anything on the floor and within seconds, it is covered with
hundreds of the really tiny ants. "Anything" here can also mean a dead
bug of any specie.

The kitchen thing did it for me! The next day I am on the phone to the
Cruz Verde. The Cruz Verde are the bug people, the CR equivalent to
the Orkin man. Cruz Verde means Green Cross in Spanish. I have no idea
from whence came that name, but there you have it.

They arrived on time, and we want about carefully locking up the dog,
both cats and the parrot. These guys take this bug thing seriously and
they spray inside, outside, in cupboards, along floors, in my desk and
nightstand… the works. Two guys - one hour. We are told that we can
free the animals from prison in an hour… but I wait three as our
animals are family.

Yesterday? No bugs! OK a few but clearly they did their job well which
they should have for the $60.00 they accepted as they left.

Today?  None.  Sixty day guarantee, and they want to be in my wallet
every six months.

Think I'll just wait until I hear that marching song again.