Guanacaste, Costa Rica

Main artery after blockage now free for traffic again. (2010-08-03)
One of the main roads of Costa Rica, which connects Nicaragua with the capital San Jose was not passable for at least three days towards the end of July. After heavy rains, the river Seco banks flooded all the roads. On of the main problems was the Dry River Bridge. Its bad condition has already been known since February this year. Since the rains, there was a gap of six meters close to the bridge. The closing of the Pan-American Highway affected the entire Central American traffic, since it was in the relevant section of one of the main arteries of the region.

Costa Rica launches 20.000 Colon banknote. (2010-07-28)
From 11th of August the highest Costa Rican banknote will be worth 20.000. A few years ago the measure of all things was the 5,000 Colon note, converted into Euro that would be around € 7 Euro. It was replaced at some time by the 10,000 Colon note. When you consider that in Europe a banknote of 500 Euro is already a standard, the introduction of the new 20.000 Colon note means one step further to facilitate the transfer of funds in Costa Rica.

Sun after heavy rains in Guanacaste. (2010-05-29)
After days of rain in Central America at least 23 people have died. Thousands of people were left homeless by the floods. From Guatemala to Panama strove emergency staff, even in tried to help in the least accessible towns available to help. A low pressure system southwest of Guatemala passed through Central America, causing torrential rains that arrived since last Sunday, the provinces of Guanacaste and Puntarenas, and especially roads and bridges damaged. A total of 88 communities are affected. Also at the Rio Nosara and the area Rio Seco.
Friday afternoon, the weather has changed and in large parts of Guanacaste seems to reflect the sun.

Municipalidad repaired road to the beach Buena Vista (2009-12-14)
The company Multiservicios Gedeon was commissioned by the Municipality of Nicoya in the streets of Samara Esterones de Buenavista embarrassment to the beach with great new tubes. These works are almost complete and then another company will repair the road and level out.

Problems with health insurance Seguro Social in Nicoya
(December 3, 2009)
Some companies and individual persons are complaining about the poor cooperation of the local public health insurance Seguro Social in Nicoya.
For example, a local company cancelled the inscription of an employee in the year 1998, confirmed by the local registration office of the Seguro Social. Nevertheless, during the following 3 months, the local Seguro Social office kept on sending invoices to this company, charging them 18.000 Colones for the insurance of an employee not working yet in this company. This was commented and claimed in several occasions with the staff of the Seguro Social. Almost 10 years later, the same company received an invoice from the local Seguro Social office with an amount of 500.000 Colones, for the insurance of another employee, who had already been insured with the Seguro Social. The responsible director of the Seguro Social in Nicoya, Luis Alberto Agüero Rojas, said the reason is the outstanding account of employees in 1998, and that this case is already on the court.
The health insurance Seguro Social is surely very good and useful, but if they want to be really “social”, they must find another way to get along with their members. A situation of mutual lack of cooperation between these two parts is certainly not beneficial, for nobody.
Your opinion is very important for us. Please tell us about your experience with public health insurance.

The current gas prices for Costa Rica (2009-11-14)
The exploitation of oil will reach as estimated by the International Energy Agency IEA in 2030 culminated with 105 million barrels a day. The price of oil, currently at $ 75 is expected in the near future to $ 100 per barrel rise in a few years is even a price of $ 190 per barrel forecast. Certainly that is the Public Services Regulatory Authority (Aresep) the price will adjust in mid-December. Plus Petrol will cost 673 colones, and then super 588 colones. Diesel is then at 511 colones.

The Dance Festival in Nandayure, Guanacaste beginns on 29 October (2009-10-19)
  It will attract around 6,000 visitors to the dance festival in Nandayure, Guanacaste witsch on 29 October begins. In this regional festival of dance and the young dancers will perform Guanacaste 50 groups, seven groups from Puntarenas, Heredia, San José and Cartago, but also from groups from Nicaragua, Guatemala and Hoduras, a total of 1,000 dancers.

Pure sunshine and low activities in the tourism sector (2009-10-02)
In Costa Rica, Guanacaste is, according to the tourism organizers announced at the time low activities. Apparently, many people dont have the money for the holidays. Firstly the tourists from the United States don't arrive at the moment because of the Great Depression. Some hotels have already been closed. On the weather can not lie, because so far in October is perfect for tourists. But the lack of rain makes many worries. Progressive climate change brings weather change in all parts of the world's and the fear of a new El Nino like in 2007 and make us hopefully think.

ICE Electricity prices will be reduced from today (2009-09-10)
The judge at the Administrative Court decided to reject the appeal against the ICE, the decrease the electricity price, thus the price of electricity decreases now to 7.2%. The ICE, the State Electricity Department has been the state monopoly and control over the electricity market for a long time. At the moment, the government tries to open the electricity market against a strong resistance. For commercial and public budgets that decision certainly is a positive decision.

Shopping with e-bay (2009-09-02)
Also in Costa Rica you can bid certain things on e-bay for cheap. You simply have to find E-bay in the Internet and look out the article you want to receive. When you found something suitable, you can participate in the bidding for action. It is suggested to add contact with the seller by email or phone (Skype) to discuss details. If you bought the item you want, among other things it can be paid with Pay Pal, which provides a significant buyer protection. For example, if the item does not arrive, you get your money back. In this way you can buy worldwide with E-bay in the Internet and you can be relatively sure that the goods arrive.

Costa Rica is the happiest nation (2009-07-08)
Costa Rica is a country with much happiness and satisfaction that has demonstrated a study of the organization of the New Economics Foundation. Every two years this study is published on the happiness of the people from 143 countries. Two years ago, Costa Rica had already managed the second place, this year Costa Rica is followed by the Dominican Republic on second place.
Life expectancy, satisfaction and dealing with the environment are criteria of the British organization. 85% of the polled Costa Ricans said they are happy and satisfied with their life. With a life expectancy of 78.5 years has Costa Rica the second highest life expectancy in the world. Germany has no good rank with 51, but still better than the U.S., with 114 as a great place waster.

Euro as currency in Costa Rica (2009-07-01)
The euro becomes popular as currency in Costa Rica popular, in some hotels you can already pay in euros. For some time you can have a euro account in the banks. Without any problems you can usually change the euro into national currency Colones you get for 1 Euro around 800 Colones. The exchange rate of 1 U.S. Dollar amounts 570 Colones.

ICE plans TV on the Internet (2009-05-30)
ICE plans TV on the Internet, with IPTV. Thus, it will allow consumers to view films without a certain amount of time. This new type of television will only work on the router, the broadband connection to the Internet. ICE plans to offer "triple play", which means the user gets the Internet, television and telephony via one service. Requirement for IPTV is high-speed Internet (broadband connection). The question is at what price ICE offers this service. We hope that this possibility can be realized soon, that it besides the cable another alternative to the satellite provider "Sky", because it is an inadequate concern.

Lot of activities of the MOP and I.C.E in Nicoya and Samara (May. 2009)
Currently there are in the area of Nicoya, Samara, a number of activities of the ICE (Electricity) and the MOPT (Ministry of Labor and Transport). From Nicoya to Sámara the road is nearly fixed with asphalt and should be ready in 2 weeks and the long waiting will hopefully come to an end. Also the road from the petrol station in Samara to Nosara will by repaired. With Lastre or asphalt it is still unclear. In the area Nosara and Samara are by I.C.E. new electric poles have been set and some lines have been fixed. There were power outages giving anger not only of those who just watch football on television.

How much are we affected? Opinions about the crisis. (May. 2009)
The global economic crisis shows its first effects in Costa Rica. Fewer less tourists, less rentals in hotels, car rental companies, in the restaurants and the tour operators are one of the effects. Many are wondering now what happens next and how much will you yourself be affected by the crisis? What exactly will happen nobody knows, but surely there will be strong and also changed the next year will probably still do not bring recovery. Some say perhaps it's not so bad, because as long as enough to eat and there is no real emergency exists can be seen on other things in life are concentrated.
And it was not so tragic if every hill in Costa Rica is a house and every Chinese drives a car. And whether the economic progress, more and more and more and more cars, constructions and concrete is really a step forward for the environment must be questioned. After all, the crisis also has its good sides. For example, the prices go down.
Basic foods such as beans, rice, eggs and fuel is cheaper now. The price of gas, for example, was revised downwards force and the ICE reduced the tariffs for calls abroad up to 30%. Only electricity prices are still high.

Garbage Collection in Sámara
In Sámara the garbage is going to be collected once a week, namely on Wednesdays. The population made their choice to bring the garbage just on Wednesday to the allocated places, so that the collection will run trouble-free.

Successful inauguration in the Salon Comunal Esterones
A small surplus has been generated at the inauguration of the Salon Comunal in Esterones last Saturday, 19 July, where approximately 200 people danced into the night and enjoyed the good food. Unfortunately it will reverd to the usual wrangles, but to all intents and purposes it was a successful music festival with the group K-orporacion, which made a profit, according to the statement of to the settlement of the Junta de Vecinos de Esterones de Sámara, with that the Salon Comunal can be further expanded.

Centre for recyclable materials.
One of the biggest problems in Costa Rica is garbage. Maybe that new recycling center in Samara Torito helps for materials such as:
Plastic: Add one-way bottles of beverages (water, gas, energy, yogurt and others). Who would be properly cleaned, are not received gallons white, chlorine and disinfectant.
Glass: These include glass containers, bottles and glasses. Glass windows and crystals. All right clean. Windscreens of vehicles, porcelain, ceramics and mirrors.
Metals: These are pieces of steel and stainless steel, aluminum parts (window frames, kitchen utensils, tools, etc.). Even cans of soft drinks, juices, beer cans reserve, tuna, beans and tin plates. clean and compressed. All kinds of iron, other metals such as bronze, copper and tin.
Electrical appliances: These include refrigerators, washing machines, fans, coffee machines, rice cookers, electric appliances, bicycles, etc. Not received contaminated materialized.
Children schools also coolaboran with collecting garbage, acquiring money for social projects.

Luis Eduardo Gutierrez again mayor in Nicoya
Lorenzo Vargas Rosales, Mayor of Nicoya, joined back by his office because of health problems to a term it on 8 February 2007 antrat. The problems remained, notably the waste problem after the closure of garbage dumps on February 21, the Ministry of Health was visible.

Britney Spears enjoys holidays on the beach Barrigóna
She enjoys his vacation in Guanacaste, Costa Rica with his former neighbor in Malibu United States Mel Gibson. The beach was visited by many paparazzi, but she is already accustomed, so I was very calm and relax the company of her sister and some of their relatives and friends.

Guanacaste with better roads
The Ministry of Building and Transport (MOPT) has announced that they repair the main roads in Guanacaste to make them better for to the public and the tourists. Great progress, the road from Hojancha to Puerto Carrillo. Between Lajas and Puerto Carrillo is the already paved. Even the beaches is in the vicinity of Junquillal should get asphalt and the route from Samara to Punta Islita.

Open air with Malpais in Samara was great success.
On 2 March came in concert Malpaís and various activities on the football field in Sámara approximately 1500 people and celebrated a successful open air concert by the communications center Alegria was organized.

Climate change in Costa Rica / Guanacaste
The unusual rain in February in Guanacaste is always includes on the ongoing climate change, in all parts of the world, the weather, and the whole climate is changing and thus also to the flora and fauna impact. The question is what impact Costa Rica/Guanacaste in the future. It remains to be seen whether the rainy season (May-November), or moves such weather forecasts in future no longer possible.

Phone cables missing
500 meters of phone cable were stealing as in Garza, Guanacaste a tree fell down and the phone cable cam down. Whole villages and their hotels were without phone and with it also without Internet. The ICE needed around 3 days to repair the damage.

Turtle day, playa Buena Vista
From de 30. November till 2.December 2007 in the Alegria in Samara Esterones on Beach Buena Vista. On the Program a Art auction to raise money for the turtle project at the Buena Vista beach to collect. Also Music, dance and et Sunday program for children. For more information Anette Nierhoff Tel: 00506-2 656 8191 + 8 899 89 86.

Back Gammon Buenavista Open
In November 2006 at the Hotel Costa Rica Samara 'Paraiso del Cocodrilo', Playa Buena Vista, Samara the first tournament of this kind took place. Punctually at 14.00 o'clock the players arrived. The starting amounted was 5000 Colones, however the prospect of gaining a profit 5 times bigger than the starting amount attracted many gamers. The whole profit of the event was used by the ALEGRIA association to support the local school in Esterones. The winner had donated the whole sum he won liberally. Due to the success of the event the tournament planers are thinking of a 2nd edition next year. Information in addition with Asociacíon Intercambio Cultural ALEGRIA: 8 899-89 86