SMF airport 2nd in US in animal collisions

Maybe it's a good thing I'm flying back to SFO next month. The AP reports:

Airplane collisions with birds or other animals have destroyed 28 aircraft since
2000, with New York's Kennedy airport and Sacramento International reporting the
most incidents with serious damage, according to Federal Aviation Administration
data posted for the first time Friday. And the problem appears to be growing.

The reason? The article explains that Sacramento International "lies beneath the Pacific Flyway used by millions of geese, swans, ducks, cranes, raptors and other birds that migrate with the seasons and stop to feed on crops in the farms that abut the airport." Maybe putting the airport in the middle of nowhere, far from downtown, wasn't the best idea after all.

On second thought, I'll take the minuscule risk of hitting a bird any day over having commercial jets fly over Land Park. Although perhaps they should consider extending hunting season around the airport.

If you must go to Jaco...

While we only spent a couple hours there Sunday, Jaco was pretty much what I expected--hot, dusty, and not the least bit charming. To be fair, we didn't go to the beach at all, and I would have liked to take some surf lessons there, but we ran out of time. I understand its appeal in having a built-up surf and tourist infrastructure (if you're into hotel towers and condos instead of small boutique inns) and being only a couple hours away, but I wouldn't recommend it for the top your itinerary.



If you're in Jaco for whatever reason or another, however, be sure to check out Taco Bar. On Sunday, we were stuck deciding between a soda and a Subway, but wandering down the streets, past the myriad surf shops and blatantly overpriced eateries, we found the open-air Taco Bar around a corner. Its prices were reasonable (4,400 colones, or a little less than $8) for either a heaping burrito or two tacos, along with free reign at the salad bar. Filling options include chicken, fish and seafood--both Avalon and I went with the mahi and were not disappointed. Niether was my appetite, as I was almost full already from the burrito before I even attempted to tackle the salad bar. Definitely worth checking out if you're in the area.

Did I mistime my European vacation?

Via NYTimes's Frugal Traveler, who took a 3-month European "Grand Tour" last year:

One year ago, the dollar was in the dumps. ... Today, however, a long European vacation is, in relative terms, far more affordable. The exchange rate is hovering around $1.35 to the euro, not necessarily because the United States economy has gained strength but because the global financial crisis has weakened the Continent’s currencies. Were I planning the trip today, I’d be in much better shape.

So, was my timing bad? Nah. My trip was "only" a month, and I got to visit my sister when she was studying abroad in Copenhagen. I wouldn't have missed that for the world.

It also helps when the parents are coming, too, and helping foot the bill. Thanks again, Mom and Dad!

The best of both worlds

Sorry for the lax posting of late. Work has been busy, but we've been lucky to have lots of visitors, so I really can't complain! I'll try to get a Semana Santa summary up soon. But first, a little blurb about this weekend while it's fresh in my mind:

The Los Suenos Marriott in Herradura, on the Pacific Coast, lives up to its "dreamy" name. It's by far one of the nicest hotels I've stayed in, and one of the top luxury spots in Costa Rica. Thanks to generosity and connections from my friend Chris who's visiting us this week, we were able to stay there this weekend. And, I'm not going to lie, it was nice.

The pool is a giant maze, the beds are huge and comfy, and there's a swim up bar. The service is great; my only only quibble would be the quality of the food at the hotel, considering the price(We walked over to the Marina area, however, and had two great meals). I wanted to jet down to Jaco Saturday to take some surf lessons, but, sadly, it was too tough to leave the pool.

Which gets me to my next point: it was amazing having two days off at a luxurious resort, but I worry that many of the people staying there don't go see the real Costa Rica. Yes, it's great chilling at the resort, playing golf, perusing the marina and nearby gift shops--but you can do that in Mexico and Hawaii.


Just a quick drive up from Herradura, however, is the Carara National Park. Unassuming, the park is not one of Costa Rica's big names and is easy to miss driving past on the highway. But, paying close atttention, you can spot the macaws soaring over your head on the freeway and get a little glimpse of what lies ahead.

I thought nothing would beat the macaws I saw at Osa. But seeing flocks of them flying over from a nearby lagoon, with giant lizards and crocodiles also within view, is tough to beat. And Carara is easy access--we hadn't planned on going there, so we only wore flip flops and didn't hire a guide. I wouldn't recommend it, but you can handle it in your beach wear (while getting odd looks from the head-to-toe-in-REI-gear "aventure vacationers"), and if you're lucky, see what we saw, all in only a couple hours.


Then, feel better heading back to luxuries of Los Suenos having "roughed it" a little bit. Our friends, however, are heading to Monteverde, which I'll blog about soon.

Semana Santa Claus may not come to town

Semana Santa, or Holy Week, is huge in Costa Rica. From what I understand, the country completely shuts down, and everyone heads to the beach. As such, it's a critical week for the country's tourism industry, which is having a tough year with the economic slowdown. As I wrote earlier this week for The Tico Times, Semana Santa may be a disappointment for many tourism outlets this season (sorry for the brutal pun in the headline, but I couldn't resist):

For many tourism outlets throughout the country, Semana Santa, or Easter
Week, is traditionally a final shot at full hotel rooms and busy restaurants,
before the heavy rains of the green season wash away the crowds.

This year, however, the economic slump has hit the tourism industry
hard. With an eye on their wallets, many travelers have elected to stay home in
order to save a couple bucks, and Easter Week is shaping up to be no
exception.

According to the National Tourism Chamber (CANATUR), 71.2 percent of
tourism-related businesses report that reservations are down compared to last
year's Semana Santa.

The chamber, which surveyed 52 tourism outlets, said that 19.2 percent
of businesses reported similar numbers as last year, while 3.8 have seen
reservations rise.

Those that reported a decrease saw reservations decline by an average
of 38.1 percent compared with last year. Hardest hit were tour guides, car
rental agencies and hotels, the chamber said.

Sue Kalmbach, owner of La Paloma Lodge in Drake Bay, on the Southern
Zone's Osa Peninsula, says reservations are down 50 percent compared to last
year's Easter Week. More and more tourists are waiting later to make
reservations, however, so she hopes that things will pick up over the next
week.

“We are exceptionally slow this year,” Kalmbach said. “I think people
are waiting, and I hope that, little by little, they keep coming.”

Montezuma's Revenge

Now that I've got your attention, I'll let you in on a secret: There is no revenge in Montezuma. (Unless you count when the direct bus to Montezuma from San Jose suddenly turned into a Mal Pais bus when we were in Cobano, forcing us to take a cab, but that was no biggie). While it's growing in popularity among budget travelers, Montezuma retains its surf charm, something of a Puerto Viejo on the Pacific Coast. There are deals, too. We stayed at Pension Arenas, which had simple private rooms with a shared (and dirty) bathroom for $10 apiece. That's Nicaragua prices.

Montezuma is located on the southern tip of Nicoya, and you have to take a ferry from Puntarenas to get there. Which, it turns out, is part of the fun--watching the sun set on a Friday afternoon, as gulls and pelicans swoop overhead. While the ferry takes longer than the hour you are told it will, it is nonetheless enjoyable and the time passes quickly.

Montezuma's highlight is its 50-odd-foot tall waterfall a short walk south of town. There's a brief walk through a creek and some smaller waterfalls to get there, then you suddenly turn a corner and realize you're in a magical spot. Beneath the waterfall is a deep pool for swimming, and, for the brave, jumping from the boulders and cliffs nearby.


The scene first reminded me of some swimming holes up along the American River. That is, until some capuchin monkeys showed up, scurrying through the trees high in the canopy above. Then, when we were heading out, we saw some up close as they came down to the creek for a drink. Such is the wonder of Costa Rica: Just when you think you've seen it all, there's another surprise around the corner.

The top 5 most annoying things about Costa Rica

Since I'm now just over the half-way mark of my time down here, I figured it would be good to sit back and reflect on the first two months. Lest you think I'm lounging away in paradise, Costa Rica is far from perfection, and has many frustrating aspects that I didn't foresee beforehand. And since, starting this weekend with my parents, we're soon to have a lot of visitors, I figured I'd give everyone a heads up on what to expect. Thus, I present to you, the top 5 most annoying things about Costa Rica.

1. Traffic/Tico drivers: Someone told me that "Costa Rica is fun... once you learn to drive like a Tico." But I don't think such skills could be taught. This isn't India, mind you, but it's not far off, and a far cry from what I found in Chile.

The biggest problem, though, isn't the drivers. It's the roads. San Jose's infrastructre was built long before the population skyrocketed to the 1 million-plus currently residing in the metro area. The same rings true for the country in general--it has largely overgrown its initial infrastructure development, and the roads and highways haven't caught up. If you're a Sacramentan, think of the stretch of I-80 right before Cal Expo (where, for some reason, they think an arena should go) where there is traffic at all hours of the day. Now, extrapolate that across an entire city, only the people drive like maniacs. That's San Jose.

I used to hate the honking, but when you're in a cab and some idiot is blocking the only lane in the street so he can run into the local convenience store to buy ciagarettes (there is no parallel parking here), by all means, I say, lay on the horn. Speaking of cabs...

2. Sketchy cab drivers: Taxi drivers in Costa Rica recently went on strike because they felt the government wasn't doing enough to crack down on the piratas, or unoffical, non-sanctioned taxi drivers. But, as far as I can tell, even offically liscenced taxis (you can tell because they're all painted red with a yellow seal on the side) aren't the most scrupulous bunch. Especially at night, they'll come up with some reason that they can't use their maria, or meter, and will charge you some arbitrary, absurd amount to rip you off. The worst are the vultures that cluster outside bus stops, hawking their services to the desperate, unwary tourist. Now, I've made it a habit to walk a few blocks away from the bus station and just hail a cab from the street. So far, that's worked.

3. Unreliability, or Tico time: No, not The Tico Times. But "Tico time" -- the fact that most Ticos run 15 minutes to a half hour late. I've had interviewees make me wait over an hour in their office, then tell me they're busy and would call me later. I've seen government press conferences start 40 minutes late, and arrived at the airport at noon only to learn that the press conference I was told was at 12:30 was, in fact, at 2:30. For a country that seems to eschew all things "complicated" they could do a little more to help themselves out.

4. Arbitrary adherence to random rules and regulations: This one is also somewhat transit related, as I can't count the number of times I'm on the bus, and it pulls into the stop behind another bus or taxy, but the driver won't open the doors. Instead, he'll wait the several minutes it takes for the previous bus to fully unload and load. Then he will pull up only a couple feet and open the doors, as if the small space made all the difference in the world. And yet the same driver will stop traffic if he pulls up to another bus at a red light and will chat away with the adjacent bus driver long after the light turns green.

But it's not just buses. Press secretaries will make me formally arrange an interview with a government minister or submit emails, giving me the bureaucratic run-around to ensure that whatever quotes I get are unoffensive, proper, and completely useless, only to have the minister give me his cell phone number and spout off, completely breaking the party line.

5. Prices: To be fair, this is more of a misconception than anything. But Costa Rica is not a bargain. If you're looking for dirt cheap travel, go to Nicragua. Costa Rica is wealthier and more stable than its neighbors, and such is the price of development, apparently, that things simply cost more. While you can get a solid lunch for 1,700 colones (about $3) its almost always going to be chicken, rice, and beans, and something more spectacular will set you back more. While it's still way cheaper than the U.S., I guess it's just more expensive than I thought it would be. Or maybe it's my pittance of an intern salary is going faster than I thought it would...

Bordering on insanity

You know something isn't quite right when a two hour border crossing makes the rest of a 9 hour bus ride feel like a breeze. But such was the case crossing the border from Costa Rica to Nicaragua, on our way from San Jose to Granada.

It sounded like it would be a piece of cake when one of my coworkers told me about the experience. "They collect your passports on the bus and take care of everything for you," I thought I heard. "You don't have to wait in line." That memory must have been my imagination.

The bus operator did, in fact, collect our passports. Twice, actually. First, they take everyone's passports to get stamped departing Costa Rica. Then, as you pass through Costa Rica's border post into Nicaragua (where it seemingly got hotter by about 10 degrees) they handed passports back, calling names out one by one on the bus. Next, you pay the $8 entry fee for Nicaragua (which they say is only for Nicaragua, but in fact there's one on the flip side for Costa Rica, albeit somewhat less) and they collect passports once more to get the entry stamp for Nicaragua.

At that point, we filed out of the bus. People milled about gathering their luggage out of the bus's baggage compartment, while Avalon and I were able to get a head start at the customs line since we only had carry on luggage. Convenient, but we had to wait for everyone to process, anyway. Customs itself was uneventful. You present your customs card and then press a big yellow button and try your hand at customs roulette, as a stop light will light up either green or red. Green means you're home free (relatively speaking, as you're free to go stand by the bus and wait for everyone else) but red means you go get your bags searched. Avalon and I both passed with green. But behind us, an old nun in a white habit pushed the button and was greeted with a red light. I assume she'll get her reward in Heaven.

Finally, after fending off locals trying to sell us gum, spirographs, and passport wallets, and waiting for the rest of our co-passengers to pass customs, a border agent passed out passports and we boarded the bus and ambled on to Granada. As we left, I noticed a mass of people lined up to get their passports stamped on the other side of the building where we had been. As bad as the border wait was, I imagine if you didn't have a bus company coordinating your crossing, it could be much worse.

Now, the border crossing on the return trip included a much quicker trip through the Nicraguan side, but logically, Costa Rica then wanted to make sure we weren't bringing anything nasty back. We also had to get out of the bus to get our passports stamped, which I didn't mind at all, except the guards were very anal about which way the line went. Costa Ricans tend to be arbitrarily anal about rules that don't matter at all, while simiulanously ignoring general principles and otherwise helpful rules. (Expect a blog post on this soon.)

We got our stamps (and yes, the 3 days out of the country does get you another three months on a tourist visa, or so it seems) and went to customs. Which, strangely enough, was much less organized than the Nicraguan side.

At Penas Blancas on the Nicaraguan border, Costa Rica customs consists essentially of a man in a dirty button down shirt and dress pants ordering everyone line up to put their luggage on a bench outside the office. Then, he first inspects not the luggage or its contents, but the manner in which the luggage is lined up. If it's on its side a certain way, or not maximizing the space of the bench, he will rearrange it. After several minutes of this aimless activity, the man dissapears. After 10 minutes doing God knows what, he returns, and he and his cronies rifle through the luggage briefly to inspect for whatever they inspect for at customs. Except, if you're like Avalon and I, standing in between the benches because no one told you to move or put your luggage down, then you apparently don't get checked, as we slid away surreptitiously without being searched. (Lord knows what we could have smuggled into the country and could be selling now for triple my Tico Times salary). All this time I was sweating profusely and trying to do the math in my head of how much the country pays the customs man and his cronies to do what a simple x-ray machine could do at a much faster rate, and how much said machine would cost or save in the long run. But, by the time I could finish my math, we were back boarding the bus and on our way to San Jose. This actually took a while. I am bad at math.

Border issues aside, we had a fantastic three days in Nicraragua. The country--well Granada at least--is cheap and charming. Expect further posts on our stay in the next day or so.