My friend Emily and I traveled to Manuel Antonio in March of 2021. Read on to find out how the park was operating during the pandemic, where we stayed, which beaches are the best and if we got to see a sloth!
Situated in the center of Cartago’s bustling downtown, are the Cartago Ruins, or Las Ruinas de la Parroquia de Cartago (the Santiago Apostol Parish Ruins). Better known simply as “The Ruins”. People pass by them every day during their commute without a second thought. But if you stop and look, you’ll see they’re really quite … Read more
If you’re a first-time traveler to Costa Rica, you might be wondering “what’s going to happen when I land?” International travelers know the basic routine regarding immigration and customs. However, if this is your first Costa Rican voyage and you’re getting traveler’s anxiety–I still do–here’s the rundown. During Your Flight to Costa Rica First of … Read more
When I was chosen to be an exchange student back in 1984–you know what seems like the freaking “olden days” now, I was elated. Shortly after the adventure started, I found myself wondering if I had been given the short end of the stick when I found out that others in the group were headed … Read more
One question I still hear over and over is whether you should use colones or U.S. dollars when you travel to Costa Rica. Or, more often, “can I use U.S. dollars in Costa Rica?” Growing up within driving distance from Canada, it wasn’t unusual for us to interchange our money with Canadian. We’re close to … Read more
Here in Upstate New York, winter is tough. Our snow-weary hearts are hungry for warm weather, summertime cooking, gardening, fruits & vegetables. People are cabin crazy and you can only eat so many potatoes, winter vegetables and pink, tough tomatoes. After a quick jaunt to Manhattan, I can say with a smile that the shopping … Read more
I discovered cilantro back in 1984 during my first visit to Costa Rica. I had never heard of it and surely had never seen it back home. Strangely, there was an entire mystery surrounding cilantro before I eventually figured out what it was, months after landing. It started when I noticed there was a flavor … Read more
I am truly ashamed to say that in my 35-plus years of traveling to Costa Rica (and specifically Cartago), I had never visited Lankester Botanical Garden. Not only was Lankester located almost literally in the backyard of my Cartago host family’s home, but the first director of Lankester was Dora Emilia Mora Monge (de Retana) … Read more
What’s happening in Costa Rica with the COVID pandemic? Here’s a round-up of the latest developments. This thread has been updated periodically since the onset of the pandemic.
Getting sick anywhere is awful but when you’re on vacation, it’s the worst! If you’re feeling under the weather, here are a few of my favorite Costa Rican remedies available in almost every supermarket, pulperia and even Walmart.