Welcome! Central America Forum is a community resource for old hands (locals and foreigners) and recent arrivals to share information about living in and visiting the countries of Central America: Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama.  If you want to live, retire, or visit and want to talk about residency, crime, culture, or find a trip advisor, this is your place to do it.  We welcome new members to join and contribute (even nicaliving refugees). To contribute, you can register, then create a blog or discussion topic, or post pictures, by clicking "Create content" in the left menu. For a list of "forum" discussion topics click "Our Forums" in the topmenu. For all recent posts, click "Recent Posts". New postings appear on the front page.

CostaRicaBlogger's picture

Paradise on Earth: Costa Rica Ranked Happiest Nation

Reuters (London) - published July 02, 2009

Costa Rica is very nearly paradise, not just for holiday-makers lounging on its beaches, but for its citizens who are extremely satisfied with their lot and also have a tiny carbon footprint.

The combination has earned the central American country first place in a new Happy Planet Index (HPI) published on Monday.

While leaders of the developed world attending G8 talks in Italy worry away at economic indicators like Gross Domestic Product (GDP), deflation and their implications for economic recovery, the second edition of the HPI lauds alternative standards that provide a new twist on the old adage that wealth does not buy happiness.

Costa Rica stands out for the highest levels of reported life satisfaction, a long life expectancy of 78.5 years and because 99 percent of its energy comes from renewable sources.

CostaRicaBlogger's picture

Costa Rica Crime Report

This morning I discovered my wallet missing from my previous days’ pants pocket here in Costa Rica.

A search of the house, car, etc. turned-up nothing. Gone was all my Costa Rica identification, local debit cards, U.S. credit cards … most everything important except for my passport (which remains at home).

In between canceling local bank cards and going to my local Banco Costa Rica to obtain a new Costa Rica Cedula (National Identification) and C.R. drivers license I called a friend to see if they could visit the Moravia, Costa Rica café I had sat in the previous night – just in case my wallet had fell out of my pocket at the restaurant and an honest customer or employee had turned it in. A stretch on many different levels.

Architect and Builder

I own property in Guanacaste.  I have met with four Architects in the past three years, the most recent in March 2909.  I have given them sketches of my ideas and some thoughts of construction materials.  My problem is that they all seem to want "South Florida Prices".  I would like to meet with an Architect/Builder who is more realistic with their pricing.  I have seen so many projects in CR that have been stopped because of the Economic Crisis.  I don't understand why they can't be more realistic.  By the way, all I have met with have been Tico's.

Any recomindations would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks in advance.

 

RTC

 

Honduran president has been arrested

President Zelaya was arrested this moorning by members of the Honduran army and taken to a military base on the outside of Tegucigalpa.

www.laprensahn.com

peterchristopher's picture

William Walker Movie Marathon: Burn and Harris / Cox

We've just held a William Walker movie marathon - featuring Burn with Marlon Brando, then Walker with Harris/Cox.

Both of these films are inspired by the myth of William Walker but neither attempts to present an accurate history of the man.  Burn was my favorite of the two.  Located in a fictional Caribbean island, it tracks a "Walker" character who tries to keep the slaves in line for politicians and corporate power - for a fee due to Walker.

Political crisis in Honduras

Political crisis in Honduras,  possible coup d'etat in progress.  

Any info. from Honduras residents?

 Thanks,

 Nica

 

peterchristopher's picture

Primary and Secondary Sources About Nicaragua

Here are a few items I've recently come across about Nicaragua worth taking a look at when considering Nicaragua and its historical relationship with the U.S.

Here is a semi-primary source called With Walker In Nicaragua by James Carson Jamison (who went with William Walker to Nicaragua in the mid 19th century).

Here is an unbiased semi-primary perspective by John Pilger about Nicaragua's "unique struggle to end the cycle of poverty and humiliation" -- well, except for the unbiased and unique part.  But if you're into gore or are a Somozista with no reservations, make sure you watch at minute 23 of the video.

peterchristopher's picture

Who Made the Latin American Poor People Poor?

Sometimes you read about the oppression of the Latin American countries at the hands of Spain, or the United States. Sometimes you read about the oppression of the Latin poor by their own aristochratic, monopolistic ruling classes.

Of course there's no one single answer to Who Is Responsible for The Poverty of the Latin Poor? But The question is an important one for understanding one's relation to those poor, whether one is from the U.S., Spain, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Norway, Iran, etc.

Are the precolonial Indian tribes responsible for the current poverty of the Latin poor?  Why weren't they wiser to keep their gold, to dedicate themselves to learning about the arriving adventurers and forming mutually beneficial relationships with them?  Or did those tribes actually form mutually beneficial relationships with those newcomers?

peterchristopher's picture

Request for Feedback About the Website

I just wanted to see if anyone has any feedback about a few items on the website.

First of all, regarding user profiles - currently, these are only accessible to registerd users who are logged-in to the site.  They are not visible to unregistered users or search engines.  Of course, anyone with an email address can register at any time on this website, so in a sense, what we have added to our profile (like to home page, name, etc) are still public.

I think in many cases, however, those who register would like to have their profile pages available to others - so that others can click to their home page / blog / etc.

One possible drawback would be that some users might not want to have their profile page added to search engines.  It might be possible to make the profiles publicly accessible, yet not accessible to search engines.  Or maybe it's no problem to have the profiles in the search engines.

CostaRicaBlogger's picture

Travel IN Costa Rica on the Cheap - Kids Fly Free Summer Airfare Program

NatureAir Announces Kids Fly Free Summer Program

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica, June 16 -- Today NatureAir, the world's first voluntary carbon neutral airline, announced that families in pursuit of a great summer deal are getting their wish with the airline's kids fly free summer savings program.

From June 15 through August 30, 2009 NatureAir is opening up its skies for children up to 11 years old to all destinations NatureAir flies IN Costa Rica with the purchase of two adult round trip tickets (all travel is within Costa Rica).

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