When the coffee mill is roasting in my little town in Costa Rica, you can smell the aroma throughout our hills and valleys. The sweet, pungent fragrance entices you to a steaming cup or two in the morning, and following tradition, another at 3 p.m. When I first moved to this small Central American land, I was puzzled by how it seemed the entire country stops at 3 pm for its “cafecito”. After nearly 11 years of living here, I find the local custom…

This weekend the port city of Limón kicked off its annual Carnival festivities, a 12-day Caribbean street party celebrating the kaleidoscope of cultures on…

The Peñas Blancas River in north central Costa Rica is a good example. The clear tropical river runs through the…

I want to be part of a Blue Zone.

What is a “Blue Zone,” you ask?

It is a place where people live happily and healthily for a very long time.

The term was popularized by author-educator-explorer Dan Buettner in his 2008 book, “The…

A friend of mine is a consummate travel fanatic. She’s traveled all over the world and knows the ins and outs of internet travel websites like nobody’s business. Nevertheless, she still uses a local travel agentwhenever she plans her family’s holidays. Going to Ecuador? She contacts a travel expert in Ecuador. Going to the Baltics? She used an agency specializing in the region. Going to Chile? Same thing.…

While the rest of the northern surfing world is gearing up for snowboarding for the winter, Costa Rica is heating up for the 2012-2013 summer season. Sunny days, blue skies and dry trade winds are soon headed our way … ideal for…

Most tourists to Costa Rica never see San José. They are whisked off from the Juan Santamaria International Airport outside the city to the “pretty” sights of the country;…