Howler0908Aug

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editor’s note

An apology It would seem that I hit on some very sensitive nerves in last month’s “Happy Independence Day.” Though the article was written from a humorous point of view, and was recognized as such by some readers, to others it came across as “full of ethnic hate”, and I am still pondering the huge interpretation gap between the two. English and Americans do share the same language with just a few small differences, but it seems that the cultural gap is bigger than I assumed.

Nonetheless, I hereby offer a sincere apology to all those who found it offensive, and particularly to the six who wrote to me about it. I obviously made a huge error in judgment in believing that readers would find it humorous and “tongue in cheek”, though some really enjoyed it. I will never again anticipate others’ sense of humour.

Yes, it was I, David Mills, who wrote this article, and the omission of a byline was just an oversight, nothing more sinister. I have never hidden behind anonymity.

I have read and reread the article since publication, and cannot see where it was “acerbic” or “hateful commentary”, but then again, I was the writer not the reader, so could not remain unbiased. One imaginative writer criticized my use of the words “fat”, “ugly” and “non-cultured” when, in fact, none of these words was actually used in the article.

I have traveled scores of times in all the United States, missing only Hawaii and Alaska, I own property in two states, have many friends in many states, and have enjoyed every visit I have made to your country. I agree that it is one of the most wonderful countries in the world, and have often taken issue with disillusioned Americans who would put it down. I have absolutely no wish, nor reason, to trash the country, its inhabitants or its culture. My father was born there, and I held American citizenship for several years while living in England. I have taken every opportunity to visit the U.S. on business and pleasure.

Don’t forget, my fellow Englishmen still don’t know which side of the road to drive on. And, yes, our dentistry is lousy. Yup, nobody is perfect.

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When I read in an e-mail that “...many Americans are no longer readers or supporters of the Howler”, I wonder if they ever were. The Howler is the first place people call when they want free advertising, a mention in “Around Town” or “What’s Developing” or a restaurant review. Over fourteen years I have donated free publicity to Tamarindo Lifeguards, Surfrider Foundation, Pro Mejoras de Tamarindo, Bingo, Kids’ Christmas parties, obituaries, Cepia, Country Day School, La Paz and other schools from Potrero to 27 Abril, and many other worthy causes, and have received very little thanks from these entities, and little paid advertising. Yet one misunderstood article drives people to search the web to send hate messages to advertisers. How sad.

August 2009

The Howler Since 1996

FEATURES 8 Dining Out

Less than one year old, Angelina’s in Flamingo is a comfortable restaurant serving excellent food amid great ambience.

9 Ouch! July 4 Fireworks

Indignation generated by last month’s Independence Day article, by some who took it the wrong way, is addressed by Kay Dodge.

14 Around Town Openings, closings, parties, music. The Gold Coast has it all, and bar-hoppin’ David is in the groove.

15 Surf Report

The long-awaited World Surfing Games have opened in Playa Hermosa, near Jacó, and a very keen Costa Rican team is ready.

25 Recession, Depression, Succession

In times of hardship, nature takes care of itself. Wouldn’t it be nice if we can learn from nature during the coming hard times?

26 Surviving Costa Rica

Our roving troubador is jerked back to his high school years as guitarist for his first band, The Incredible Fog.

27 Flamingo Mystics Help Local Towns

A little-known group of Mardi Gras revellers have fun while raising funds for schools and health clinics in local towns.

Cover Caption: Tamarindo’s Marge models the latest beach wear for making the scene on the Gold Coast.

Cover design and photo: John Lyman Photos www.johnlymanphotos.com

DEPARTMENTS 10

CD Review

11

Book Review

12 Yoga 13

Soccer

19 Puzzle 21 Tide Chart 24 August Forecasts 28 Sun & Moon 28 Rain Gauge 30 Christopher Howard

The Howler Founded in 1996 Vol. 14, No. 8 - August 2009 Issue No. 155 Editorial Office: Casa Equinox, Playa Tamarindo Guanacaste, Costa Rica Ced. Juridica: 3-101-331333 Publisher, editor and production David Mills dmills@racsa.co.cr • howler001@gmail.com www.howlermag.com Tel/fax: 2-653-0545 Contributors: TONY OREZ TOM PEIFER JOHN LYMAN ELLEN ZOE GOLDEN CHRISTOPHER HOWARD JEANNE CALLAHAN JESSE BISHOP NINA WEBER

Deadline for September: August 15

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All comments, articles and advertising in this publication are the opinion of their authors, and do not reflect the opinion of Howler Management.

www.tamarindobeach.net www.tamarindohomepage.com

David Mills

Dining Out Angelina’s Flamingo

p

A

ngelina’s Restaurant opened last November, but I hadn’t tried it until this visit. Having heard glowing reports it was a mustdo. And I’m glad I did.

Angelina’s is an open-air restaurant and bar on the top floor of the new Plaza Flamingo. As I entered my first impression was the comfortable “feel” of the décor – soft leather chairs, stylish cowhide lamps, interesting Guanacaste and pochote wood decoration and twisted bejuco touches. “All materials used in the restaurant are local,” says owner/chef Joseph Mucaria, “as are most of the ingredients we use in the cooking. We offer international fare inspired by local products.”

The hot breads with basil/tomato dip were tempting, but, after a couple, I forced myself to go slowly so as not to spoil my appetite.

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From the appetizer menu which includes Chinese wings, coconut shrimp, fried squid and spring rolls we chose tuna tartare, juicy chunks of fish and pineapple in sesame oil with ginger; and plato vegetariano, deep-fried balls which looked and tasted like meat balls but were falafel, with hummus and salad. Both came with delightful spinach wafers, and had interesting flavours to start the juices flowing.

Checking the menu, we were faced with a difficult decision from the wide range of offerings, but as my companion had already decided on the Royal Emerald Shrimp Pizza from the day’s special, we skipped the pizza menu with its choices of margarita; four Italian meats; four cheeses; Playa Flamingo with mozzarella, papaya and hearts of palm; Angelina; and Thai chicken. Also from the daily specials I chose the whole snapper which came with a pumpkin puree and papaya curry chutney. Other specials that day were filet of snook and torta de camaron. Rounding off the menu are four salads and the platos fuertes – filet mignon in a mushroom cognac sauce; Dorado Latino; seared yellow-fin tuna; chicken breast with orange espresso lacquer; grilled pork tenderloin with Dijon mustard demi-glaze; Pad Thai shrimp; New York strip steak in Malbec chocolate sauce; and Mar y Tierra, a filet and shrimp kebab with jalapeño rum glaze. In fact, there is something here for every taste.

We thoroughly enjoyed the experience, with excellent service, great food, quiet elegance and very comfortable seating.

At the long bar there is Happy Hour from 5 to 7 p.m., with 2 for 1 on selected drinks. Wednesday and Thursday are 2x1 pizza nights. A new cocktail bar is under construction next door, to open in November.

Angelina’s is open every day, from 11:30 to 2:30 for lunch and 5 to 10 for dinner. All credit cards are accepted. Tel: 2-654-4839 for reservations.

Ouch! July 4th Fireworks

Kay T Dodge

T

he fireworks on 4th of July along the coast were not limited to the sky. I had just returned from surgery in the US and had not had an opportunity to get a hold of the Howler for last month, when the phone calls and emails began to arrive. The foreign US American and a few Canadian residents were buzzing over what was meant to be a “tongue and cheek” article about the failings of our new world culture as we celebrate our independence day.

On a trip to Tamarindo I was given a copy by one of the disgruntled residents then, waiting for my grandson to meet me, I sat in the infamous Pizza Hut on the beach to find out what the buzz was all about. I, too, was offended by some of the comments, laughed at the foolishness of others, and pondered how Cricket became such a popular game in India.

What to do as a monthly contributor to the Howler? Write a rebuttal, point by point, or take the higher road and, smiling, insert my tongue in my cheek and add a few of my own comments concerning what has become one of the favorite family holidays in the USA - clearly, not one forgotten.

acid etch our newspapers on stones to print them, we’ve thrown out the type and typewriters, and we’ve moved the computer from an air-conditioned block house to our desks and palms.

And in Costa Rica, many foreign residents have not learned the language or pronunciation of their now home country.

Countries in power are always the ones that influence world culture, including those that sought to conquer and spread their influence – in Europe - the Romans, Goths, Anglo Saxons, French, Spanish, Dutch and others, spread across the globe bringing with them their unique culture. The USA is just the current one. Others will take their place, that is history. Many now are learning Mandarin or the correct way to drink tea or bow.

Perhaps, one day when power does change, and it will, things will be even more foreign.

What hand do the Muslims eat with? And where did forks come from any way? In Borneo, anthropologists found cannibalism was once a war ritual to gain an enemy’s power and a respectful part of the indigenous war culture; now it is evolved into tribal genocide and child soldiers putting their enemy on the BBQ. Somehow, I prefer a McDonald’s cheeseburger plain, thank you.

Is Independence Day in all the Americas important because the fledgling countries gained independence from their European conquistadores? Yes, in part, but I would add, more indepenGrowing up in the US America, I don’t ever remember steak dence from their “parent countries”. Most Costa Ricans and every day, but chicken every Sunday. Eating close to home colonial North American leaders were of European extract. is a good thing – beef in the cattle country of Texas and raw Times change, customs change. blubber in the far reaches of Alaska. In The Spanish, French, Portuguese Michigan, where I grew up, it was always How To Eat with Your Hands in India and British parents turned loose venison that would get us through the their rebellious children to evolve In a country like India, eating with hands is quite a tra- winter with a little cider or milk to wash on their own. I am sure many cen- ditional and an ongoing practice, despite the onslaught it down. What do you do with a culturturies ago the European countries of western culture and etiquettes. ally deprived girl that never drank wine did the same with their Roman and until she was 20 nor swore until she was Northern European conquerors.

Eating with hands is the most natural, hassle-free and twentyfour. convenient practice. By using your hand, you are able Ah, language changes too. Even to feel the temperature and texture of the food; you I think Costa Ricans like the idea that the now, I bemoan the lack of correct are in a position to mix different food items well. For US Americans have come to love their grammar in the youth of the USA. people with chewing problems (like lack of teeth), coffee. Now that organic, specialty cofI remember my favorite English crushing and mashing the food items and mixing well fees are available, grown just on one side teacher in high school telling us to with fluids to make a homogenous paste for easy eating of the volcano or a whole plantation’s bury the word “got” in a coffee can is conveniently done with the hand. crop reserved for a whole foods store, (also archaic) and never use it. I am Costa Rican coffee exports have soared. certain that Shakespeare would not Eat with the right hand: Where did all that tea come from? And understand the Cockney or soccer The traditional way of eating (in India) is to use only who thought of adding milk? language of modern Brits, and few the right hand. Even natural left-handers are trained use thy and whilst. Language and to eat with the right hand only, right from childhood. Isn’t it wonderful that we are able to culture will continue to evolve, il- Occasionally, in some segments of the society, use of laugh at ourselves and one another, and lustrated by the many changes in both hands to eat is permitted on specific counts... for take joy in our differences? We are blest the English language due to the more information go to that we come from countries that are computer revolution. Thanks to www.howtodothings.com. free enough to speak our minds and not some creative folks, we no longer C.V. Rajan be afraid to criticize....with a smile.

CD Review Gospel Music

in Costa Rica Tony Orez

R

eligious hymns and spiritual music have played a role in Costa Rican culture for more than two centuries. Traditionally, however, the practice of organized groups celebrating and singing these songs has been confined to within their respective church walls, primarily in Limón and San José. Enter music historian Manuel Obregon, who is also the president and founder of Papaya Music, Costa Rica’s premier music label. Obregon felt this musical legacy deserved to be shared with the general public. So he enlisted more than thirty participants from a variety of denominations to perform live for two nights for an audience at National Theater in San José, which is truly how gospel music should be heard: alive rather than canned, studio work. Appropriately, a recording of this event, “Wade in the Water” has recently been released.

The disc opens with the Reverend Phil Jones singing the title track. He also sings the lead vocals for “We Shall Overcome” and the closing song, “Amazing Grace”. Other standouts on the song list include Bill Withers’ “Lean on Me” and the traditional Gospel tune, “Fly Away”. Two Kirk Franklin original songs and a Caribbean Gospel medley help round out the song selections. A variety of vocal ensembles graces the performances on this CD, including a backing chorus of ten voices. In addition, Obregon spotlights Masterkey, a six-man singing group from Limón who formed their sextet in 1998, singing a combination of traditional and original spiritual songs in a bilingual style they call “Tico Gospel”. Their counterpart, T4, comprises the four Tucker sisters, singing a style of music that has AfroAmerican Gospel style enmeshed with a Jamaican/Caribbean influence.

Harline Tucker claims that their style of music can be played “only on the black keys of the piano”.

The music leaves a lot of room for instrumental solos, which are handled by Obregon on piano and organ, while fellow Malpais band member Fidel Gamboa plays flute and saxophone, with the guitar work performed by veteran session man Carlos Delgado. The house band for this project is composed of self-admitted “non-believers”, who expressed delight in being able to participate in the event. The music tends to transcend traditional gospel, adding elements of soul, rhythm & blues and even jazz to the mix.

The packaging has the unmistakable Papaya Music attention to detail. Obregon, a bit of a music perfectionist, also did all the arranging, producing and art direction. The disc comes with a booklet with its liner notes and lyrics in both Spanish and English. The eco-friendly jacket is a double fold-out that opens to reveal a clever photographic collage. In short, Manuel Obregon and Papaya Music have done it again, presenting a comprehensive package that preserves Costa Rican heritage by putting it on the map while adding a current spin to it that keeps it modern at the same time.

“Wade in the Water” and all Papaya Music CDs are available in Playa Tamarindo and Tilaran at Jaime Peligro, where they will gladly sample the music for the customer.

Book Review The Brothers Neville Tony Orez

B

eing a self-proclaimed music geek, I thought I knew a fair amount of information about the New Orleans band whose core is the four brothers Art, Aaron, Charles and Cyril Neville. Now the siblings, along with noted author David Ritz, have shut my mouth wide open with a highly detailed, tellall collective autobiography simply titled “The Brothers Neville”. I was not surprised at being surprised by all the musicians these brothers had seen perform or actually performed with: the list is ‘way beyond extensive. Just for a taste, though, between them, they saw legends like Smiley Lewis, Mississippi Fred MacDowell, Guitar Slim, Johnny Ace, Professor Longhair, The Dixie Cups and Charlie Parker. Impressive list of immediate influences. My nerdishness came through for me when I read they had played with Ray Charles, The Grateful Dead, The Rolling Stones, Jackie Wilson, Allen Toussaint and Dr. John (Mac Rebennack). But I did not know they had sung background vocals for Little Richard or played on a yacht at a private party for Paul and Linda McCartney. These guys have really gotten around and each offers his unique and personal, frank glimpses at events with these people during their five-decade careers.

The real shock for me came when the brothers discussed their drug use and addictions to hard drugs, primarily heroin. Each has experienced long-term stints as junkies. Art, the oldest brother, did a six-year term in Angola. All four brothers found separate venues to kick their habits, but some of the anecdotes are chilling, to put it mildly.

New Orleans is a cultural melting pot, also considered by some to be the northernmost Caribbean island. The Neville brothers are known for including varied styles in their musical stew. The book “The Brothers Neville” allows them to chart the voyage, beginning with jazz and blues and sailing through rock, soul, funk, country, pop, reggae and even American Indian, as they portrayed in their band The Wild Tchoupitoulas. Along the way, they are stung by an inordinate amount of other musicians, promoters, record producers, groupies, drug dealers and general scammers and hangers-on. The strength and inspiration of their family and family ties is the recurrent theme that appears to have kept them going. The narrative is segmented into pieces by each of the four brothers, each giving a personal perspective on an event in their collective lives. The book is put together masterfully by David Ritz, who is able to augment the stories into a cohesive, progressive history. Ritz has written bios for Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Smokey Robinson, Etta James, B.B. King, and Marvin Gaye, with whom he co-wrote the hit song “Sexual Healing”.

Through it all, the brothers maintain their dream of ultimately making music together at a financially successful level. Not surprisingly, it truly does happen after all four of them clean up. When these guys sing the blues, they are emoting from personal experience. Having survived a plethora of family and personal tragedies made it that much more appropriate.

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on the Beach

By Nina Weber Certified Yoga Instructor

YOGA AT CASA AZUL in Tamarindo Beachfront provides a combination of Dynamic * Challenging * Inspiring * Encouraging and Relaxing Yoga * Small groups and individual adjustments *Most important.: Yoga is fun !!!

The Yoga journey of Yogini Silvia Pie My yoga journey began in Miami, Florida where I was born and raised by an exiled Cuban immigrant dad, a Spanish mom and my older sister. My parents had to leave everything they knew and owned behind and start a brand new life in Miami with a three-year-old daughter and another on the way (me).

My parents’ experience has been a great lesson to me that no matter what external circumstances happen in your life, you can find a way to create the life you want. In part, I feel that is why I was guided to yoga. In my 20’s I did the “responsible” thing and got a “real” job in advertising. At first I did enjoy my work but there was something lacking and I was determined to fill that void. My search led me to yoga.

I was 25 when I began to practice and it was love at first asana. I moved to Los Angeles in 2000 and I began to practice daily with so many great teachers. In 2002 I enrolled in an intense teacher-training course from Planet Yoga in Hermosa Beach, CA. The training was Iyengar-based which focuses heavily on alignment. After the course I began teaching at a couple of studios/gyms in the area. One of the greatest joys as a yoga teacher is to see the look on a student’s face when they really open up in a pose. Several people told me life coaching would be a great fit for me, so I did my research and in May of 2008 I completed my certification. As a life coach, I support my clients in making effective changes by guiding them through a process which focuses on achieving desired goals and finding fulfillment in their lives. Both yoga and life coaching are about teaching skills that can improve the quality of a person’s life and can help make the most of this life’s journey.

To make the most of my journey, my fiancé (John) and I decide to make Santa Teresa, Costa Rica our home. We have loved the peaceful energy and powerful vibe of this place. I am so fortunate to have found two great spaces to teach yoga here, Casa Zen and Ranchos Itauna.

For more information email me at nina@tamarindoyoga.com. www.tamarindoyoga.com

Triangle Pose - Trikonasana how to do with Yogini Silvia One of my favorite poses isn Trikonasana.

I feel so many lines of energy flowing through my body. The strength in the legs, the opening of the hips and heart, the extension through the torso and the reaching of the arms. When breathing deeply in this pose, I feel like I can fly.

This pose has a good stretching effect on the spine. The straightness of the knees is vital while performing this pose, as this will allow your movements to be fluent and to stretch all the targeted muscles and organs. Bending to the left and right should be done gradually and fluently. The stimulation of the spinal nerves is also beneficial and it improves overall body flexibility.

To enjoy the full benefit of the triangle pose you have to position your body correctly. Your feet should be spread apart while you are pointing to your toes. Try to alternate the pointing motion from your left foot to your right one while keeping a constant rhythm and perfect balance. After you stretch your arms parallel to the ground you should inhale deeply, allowing the energy to strengthen your movements.

While exhaling aim to perform a slight bend to either left or right while sliding your hand down your foot. This motion requires a lot of flexibility in the lower back muscles area, so a good warm up session is absolutely necessary. But remember you can always find a modification (block) for each pose to your level.

Yogis who try this pose often notice the feeling of a lighter body, combined with a sensation of mild heat in the stretched muscles.

Geronimo Whitaker

Coaching Futbol in Costa Rica

W

hen I moved to Costa Rica I knew that there would be an opportunity to witness world class soccer. What I didn’t know was that I would be in a position to see it up close and personal, as a coach.

I am not a stranger to coaching soccer. In fact, I have been a coach for more than 25 years. My American Youth Soccer Organization ( AYSO) Certification states that I am a “B” level Coach, nationally certified to coach soccer and to train community volunteer coaches how to coach as well. When the opportunity presented itself to coach a youth team at our local field, I welcomed the opportunity. And so, on a bright sunny day in March, I walked over to the plaza, where I found 18 youngsters waiting.

The kids were quite familiar with the “cancha” (playing field) and were even more familiar with “el balón” (the ball). It took a few minutes of “free play” to see that I was not going to coach these guys on soccer techniques...they already were masters of the ball. My excitement grew, and so did my fear a little bit: Could I teach them anything at all or were they far and away more well-versed in the game than I? My greatest fortune was in the form of “Don Benicio”...a local man in his fifties who wanted to be sure that there were healthy activities for the teens in the neighborhood. He knew that the lure of gangs and drugs/alcohol were ever-present, even in our rural community. His plan: Keep the kids busy doing positive and healthy activities. This fit in quite well with my AYSO training, which is quite focused on bringing positive experiences to the child player...building character while having fun. When I found him ringing the bell at my gate, I was more than a little bit happy to become involved. Then, as we stood together on the field, surveying our little band of players, I thanked all the coaches who had been my teachers, knowing that my training was solid and that our purpose and intent was clear: “Let’s have fun!”

Since then, the path has only become more clear and more enjoyable.

The players, all very skilled from years of “mejinga” (informal “sandlot” games), were like sponges for a defined program of warm-ups, drills and most importantly, strategic tactics on the field.

Making the transition from the freedom of “mejinga” to hours spent learning team drills was not easy, in spite of the enthusiasm. I found that my Spanish vocabulary was horribly lacking in terms to describe (continued page 17)

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A ro T o u w n n d

by David Mills

That’s a fine job Witch’s Rock has done of improving the sidewalk outside the Surf Camp. About 30 meters of deep ditch have been covered over and readied for sidewalk and car parking, a very scarce commodity in that neighborhood. Additional lighting will be installed by Witch’s Rock. Joe tells me that people frequently fall into the ditch, in a badly-lit portion of the main drag, and several have been injured.

Marie’s Restaurant hosts a Mother’s Day Art Exhibit featuring recent works from Susan Adams and Galeria Pelicano on Saturday August 14th. The event, which will also include a wine tasting, will start at 5 p.m. on into the night.

Smokers! Visit Gamuccidecostarica.com and find out about the electronic cigarette that will give the nicotine “kick” but contains no tobacco, gives off no smoke and will not annoy anyone around you.

New Concept Salon is open to serve you opposite El Castillo in Potrero with a wide range of beauty treatments.

A new Nursery and Preschool opens this month in Villarreal. See Green Bay ad on page 17.

Do you like to sing Karaoke? Bar y Salon Villa Costa invites you to sing your heart out on Fridays and Sundays from 8 p.m. Dancing, too. On the plaza in Villarreal.

Gabriella Corrales offers you fine fresh-baked breads and pastries, decorated cakes, sandwiches and organic coffees, at Panes opposite Coopeguanacaste in the new commercial center Plaza Huacas. See ad on page 17.

Mother’s Day is celebrated in Costa Rica on August 15, so take the time to give a fine day to your mother,whether here or in another country.

www.howlermag.com

Surf Report Story: Ellen Zoe Golden

A

magnificent summer-like day came to a close in Playa Hermosa de Jacó on the second and last day of completion of the Christian Surfers surf contest called the Eterna Corona with Jacó’s Jason Torres (photo) standing on the winner’s podium with the 1st place trophy. In the end of a massive “give and take” that occurred between Luis Vindas (Jacó) and Torres, fought in the 20 minutes final heat, the winner was ultimately awarded rewarded ¢250,000 ($436).

Jacó’s Jairo Pérez and Tamarindo’s Isaac Vega (Costa Rica’s 2006 national surf champion) completed waves in the finals as well. Yet the show belonged to Vindas and Torres, who put in high combinations, scoring with waves between an average of 7 and 8 points. Ultimately, it was Torres—ranked by the International Surfing Association (ISA) as #5 in the world—who inched ahead by less than a point to earn Photo: Fabián Sánchez both the trophy and the money by way of control, innovation, and radical maneuvering, concluding what the Federación de Surf de Costa Rica officials are calling one of the hardest-fought battles in the history of this annual event.

“This is one of my favorite events because my spiritual beliefs inspire me to attend and give everything I’ve got, and I remember that years ago I changed my life with this when negativity was my reality. Thanks to associations like these, today hundreds of surfers who were once involved in drugs and vandalism are changing their way of life to praise God and to dedicate themselves to surfing,” expressed the new champion Torres in his speech.

Torres, Pérez and Vindas were all pre-selected as members of the Costa Rica National Surf Team and may already be surfing right now at the finals, competing for their country at the World Surfing Games Costa Rica 2009, taking place in Playa Hermosa through August 8.

Although the Open category put hundreds of spectators on Playa Hermosa, it was the Junior division that presented a fresh style of surfing from the new generation Anderson Tascón (Jacó), Carlos Muñoz (Esterillos), Anthony Segura (Jacó) and Noe Mar McGonagle (Pavones). These kids all were scoring high in their final heat. During the 20 minutes there, Tascon, McGonagle and Segura played to the public, looking like the winner would be among these three.

Nevertheless, Muñoz hoped by three waves he’d make the points and by that third one he annihilated any work of his opponents with an aerial reverse with a grab that the judges awarded with a 7.77 in the last 30 seconds.

When Muñoz was awarded his trophy, and the prize courtesy of Wooster Surf Boards, he gave the surfboard to his friend from Esterillos, Maikol Torres. “Thank God, I managed to obtain my own surfboard sponsor a few months ago, and Maikol is my friend who has been surfing incredibly and needs this tool to get ahead,” said Muñoz, who is also the current Costa Rica National surf champion for 2008-2009.

On the Women’s side, Jacó’s Nataly Bernold was the best of the Corona Eterna, after beating Lisbeth Vindas (Jacó), Mariana Samudio (Jacó) and Elisa Luna (Jacó). Bernold, Vindas and Samudio were preselected for the Costa Rican National Surf Team. Bernold, a frequent challenger to Vindas, dominated the series this time.

In Grommets, the Under-14 years of age category, Noe Mar McGonagle—all of 13 years old—took home a new surfboard, for winning this division. Anthony Flores, a Longboard competitor, received the first place trophy. Flores was pre-selected Tico Team member.

Again, Howler deadlines preclude me from reporting on the World Surfing Games Costa Rica 2009. Right now, I’m in Playa Hermosa observing the competition. You should go to www.isasurf.org and catch up with watch Costa Rica is doing. Here are some updates on the teams, written prior to the contest kick off.

“Yes, yes, I will be in Costa Rica for the ISA World Surfing Games representing Peru in this great event,” affirmed Sofía Mulanovich (right), the Champion of the World Surfing Games Ecuador 2004 and the Association of Surfing Professionals World Championship Tour Champion as well.

With the integration of one of the most famous surfers in the world—Mulanovich has won the Surfer Magazine Poll Awards the past three years—the Peruvian adds a cache to the Costa Rica version of the World Surfing Games.

For the surfer herself, she is pleased to return to the Games in a Latin American country.

“I am pleased to represent Peru in Latin American countries. Although it is a different experience, it is a place where they speak to you in Spanish. And at the same time, it is better than competing in countries that are far away,“ the Peruvian declared.

(continued page 18)

Letters In defense of the Publisher/Editor Let me begin with three caveats: First, I have been reading The Howler since its inception. I thought that I had the most complete collection of the magazine but discovered, much to my chagrin and, yes, disbelief, that Chris Spilsbury had one issue more than yours truly.

Second, in the distant past, I did contribute the occasional article to The Howler – and I do mean contribute, as I received no pecuniary remuneration. (I think the only writer who gets paid is Jesse Bishop, but then he’s a starving musician and probably needs it).

Third, I am an American but am also a Southerner, a Tar Heel to be specific, so my loyalties may be called into question by some unfortunates above the Mason-Dixon Line.

All that being said, I count myself as pretty patriotic. I vote in every election, even the local ones, and I pay more than my fair share of taxes, even on my Costa Rican income.

So, imagine my surprise when I returned to Tamarindo last Saturday to discover from all and sundry that David Mills should be summarily lynched for his deprecating, nay scandalous, “Fourth of July” article in the magazine. This vigilante news piqued my curiosity, to say the least, so I went in search of a July copy of the offending publication.

I found sais copy in El Coconut and procceded to order a glass of white wine and read David’s purported anti-American diatribe. How disappointing! The article was just his usual, mildly amusing, tongue-in-cheek fare. Fellow gringos, where’s your sense of humor? David can’t help it if he is English by way of Canada – you’d have an inferiority complex, too.

So let’s cut the old boy some slack. It’s a sad country that can’t laugh at itself. Did I hear someone say “Sweet Home, North Korea”? Pura Vida!

David Robert P.S. The magazine is called “The Howler” after all.

David, I loved your article. Now, I am going to go out and get really pissed! LOL!!!!!

Larry David Mills you’re my hero!

Happy 4th of July -

D

(from page 13) what they needed to know. Fortunately, Ben (or “Uncle Ben” as I affectionately referred to him), spoke some English and gave me a leg up on many terms. The kids themselves were energetic and willing to teach me while I coached them.

The combination proved to be a winner. From the first meeting, our relationship blossomed and we began to develop a solid team concept and trusting relationship.

The team, “Uncle Ben”, my wife and I have become a unit. This past Sunday, as we all packed into Ben’s van, heading up the windy roads of the Costa Rican countryside, bound for a game with our neighboring community, I marveled how sweet and beautiful life can be...bringing simple and yet profound rewards to my life and those who surround me. The round ball, the grassy field...the pure energies of friendly but hard competition...My blessing in life are quite clear.

The little pueblo of San Roque Abajo sleeps as I write this. Our little group has now grown from 18 to 63. Some of the older kids accepted my invitation to learn how to coach, so I am blessed with many capable and knowledgeable assistants. The field has been transformed through their efforts into a thriving location, used daily, a focal point for all of our positivity. My joy is that with the sunrise, we will all gather at the field for another day of practice... “Gracias a Dios”.

Surf Report

(from page 15)

At the same time that Mulanovich won the World Surfing Games in Ecuador, she was able to pull through the best year of the WCT, the Women’s World Tour. With this, she obtained two of the most important surfing titles in the world, a feat obtained solely by Peru in the history of the sport.

With that kind of history to live up to, the country of Peru has summed the best and most recognized of their surfers to profit at the Billabong ISA World Surfing Games Costa Rica 2009. In doing so, they are a likely favorite to enter the Top 10.

The Peruvian National Surf Team are: Open: Gabriel Villarán, Javier Swayne, Alvaro Malpartida and Matías Mulanovich. Women: Sofía Mulanovich and Analí Gómez. Longboard: Picolo Clemente and Tamil Martino.

Among these names, Peru has offered up Latin American, PanAmerican and ASP Junior title winners with surfers Villarán, Swayne and Gómez.

With the World Surfing Games 2009 having drawn 35 countries to Playa Hermosa, Venezuela offered the name of Francisco Bellorín, a surfer who dominates the Asociación of Latinamerica de Surfistas Profesionals (ALAS) Latin American circuit. Argentina, another Hispanic giant that performed with excellence at the Huntington, California, World Surfing Games in 2006 and have evolved remarkably since then, brought 2006 Latin American Champion Martín Passeri and the Latin Longboard BiChampion Martín Pérez.

The multiple Chilean Junior ALAS Champion Manuel Selman is a member of his team’s national selection. Selman is currently surfing the WQS, where he is today proudly representing South America in the ASP circuit. Panama brought with them the unique surfer of the region, Gary Saavedra, who is the 13-time Panamanian National Surf Champion, and “The Most Professional” surfer, according to ALAS. In 2005, Saavedra obtained the Pan-American Subchampionship.

Nicaragua has taken advantage of their logistics and made their first appearance at the World Surfing Games. Their team is composed of the Central American Junior Champion Rex Calderón, who is also a Champion in Open and Junior in Nicaragua as well.

18

Here are some more team lists: Bahamas 1 Blake Sands 2 Corey Engle 3 Joshua Sands 4 Warren Knowles 5 Sarah Cox 6 Joshua Sands 7 Brad Boyd

Open Men Open Men Open Men Open Men Open Women Longboard Longboard

Barbados 1 Stefan Corbin 2 Simon Coles 3 Christopher Clark 4 Jonathan Reece 5 Chelsea Tuach 6 Kenneth Tuach 7 Kevin Jones

Open Men Open Men Open Men Open Men Open Women Longboard Longboard (continued page 20)

Word puzzle Miscellany

All words from the list below can be found in the word block on the right.

Answers may be forward, backward, upwards, downwards and diagonal. abrelatas atrocious beneďŹ cial blanco capillary convenience copycat delantero furgon gallon gauge huelgista jackass laguna leniency

luchar minestrone pensive propiedad pulga retrocede sacerdote tantrum telegrama terremoto tirabuzon tormenta trie wriggle yankee

Surf Report

(from page 18)

France 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Jeremy Flores Mickael Picon Marc Lacomare Maxine Huscemot Pauline Ado Lee Ann Curren Antione Delpero Remi Arauzo

Open Men Open Men Open Men Open Men Open Women Open Women Longboard Longboard

Ireland 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Fergal Smith Liam Joyce Stephen Kilfeather Ronan Oertzen Nicole Morgan Tahlia Britton John McCurry Emmet O’Doherty

Open Men Open Men Open Men Open Men Open Women Open Women Longboard Longboard

Japan 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Kai Ojima Syuuhei Kato Yoji Oosedo Yuki Kobayashi Nao Oomura Minato Takahashi Yuku Okazaki Yuta Morimoto

Open Men Open Men Open Men Open Men Open Women Open Women Longboard Longboard

New Zealand 1 Billy Stairmand 2 Guaranga Ormond 3 Jay Quinn 4 Matt Hewitt 5 Daisy Thomas 6 Laura Rishworth 7 Daniel Procte 8 Thomas Kibblewhite

Open Men Open Men Open Men Open Men Open Women Open Women Longboard Longboard

Nicaragua 1 Rex Calderon 2 Luis Chamorro 3 TBD 4 TBD 5 Jose Hernandez

Open Men Open Men Open Men Open Men Longboard

South Africa 1 Brandon Jackson 2 Rudy Palmboom 3 Damien Fahrenfort 4 Ryan Payne 5 Rosanne Hodge 6 Nikita Robb 7 Justin Bing 8 Michael Hill

Open Men Open Men Open Men Open Men Open Women Open Women Longboard Longboard (continued page 23)

Partnership of Passions

F

or more than a decade, Canada has been harboring its own dynamic duo. Originally from Vancouver, Tara Leigh and Lane Patrick paired up more than ten years ago as romantic and business partners, striking a balance in their profound differences to spark creative genius in each other. A year ago they visited Tamarindo and recognized it immediately as the place that embodies the creative spirit they share. Now they are here to showcase their individual and collective creative dream.

Tara is an edgy fashion photographer whose discerning eye and love of avant-garde styles have put her works on the cover of many a magazine. As a Rock & Roll aficionado, I am in awe of her work with Alice Cooper and Daman Moore, to name just two notable rock stars who have worked with Tara. Lane mastered his culinary skills at Four Seasons, Toronto, and now revels in the opportunity to have free rein in the creation of his dishes, his individual works of art, which he plans to prepare stylistically as a fusion of traditional French cooking and modern tropical flavor. I believe that another big key is his pledge to keep the prices at a reasonable rate.

found an open spot at Edificio las Olas, next to Supermercado 2001, at the beginning of the road to Langosta. The couple plans to extend the front patio area then hang a canopy over it and add new landscaping, for comfortable outside dining, viewing and general lounging. They will be open every day of the week except Mondays. Breakfast will start at 7:00 a.m.

Elevation Gallery and Café will occupy the bottom level, offering Lane’s culinary pursuits while the walls will compliment the atmosphere with a potpourri of artistic portraits, impressionistic photos and edgy images of fashion and art. Upstairs, Tara will fill Rain Dolls Boutique with adventurous twists on contemporary fashion design. Freedom of expression and creation seem to be the bonding theme throughout the two shops. Ms. Leigh will offer both women’s and children’s rainwear, boots, beachwear, dresses, yoga wear and jewelry. She even has a line of umbrellas, some that open into the shape of a rose and others that come equipped with built-in flashlights. It’s avant-garde beachwear meets couture design in Costa Rica!

The couple plans their opening day for August 15, which in Costa Rica is Mother’s Day. They will provide a free mimosa to every mom who comes to visit them that day. It’s a perfect opportunity to welcome them to the community and check out their creative, outside-the-borders approach to life, liberty and the pursuit of a good meal.

But wait, there’s more! Tara’s affection for fashion and style and exploring adventurous twists on artistic designs led her to the conclusion that she also needed to open a boutique or she would simply implode. So, the only remaining dilemma was to find a location in Playa Tamarindo that could harbor this collage of diverse artistic expressions. And voila! They

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Stealing from Charity!

A

fter four years of really hard work, tons of enthusiasm and a real desire to provide the kids and teenagers better opportunities for their future, CEPIA has become an important participant in Guanacaste’s development. Around 500 kids benefit annually from the ten different programs that our organization provides. The good results of these four years of work are reflected in the trust and support received from the communities throughout this time.

Unfortunately, CEPIA’s good name and reputation is being used by a group of malicious individuals to defraud and deliberately steal money from the poorest and most needy persons. CEPIA has denounced these shameful practices but the swindlers are still out there robbing people. CEPIA’s reputation could continue to be damaged if these frauds are not stopped.

It is important for CEPIA to clarify the following: • CEPIA does not ask for cash to any needy family or person in exchange for help. Do not ever give any money to anybody that tells you it’s in exchange for CEPIA’s aid.

Our organization is no aid seller.

• Any goods (books, t-shirts or donation boxes) that we sell or exhibit in hotels and stores to fundraise are clearly identified with the CEPIA logos and contact data. Please confirm directly with us before selling or exhibiting something at your store or business on our behalf.

Until now, CEPIA is aware of two types of scams. We are trying to reach as much people as possible with this information to stop these people. We urgently ask you to please spread this information as much as you can. Please inform us of any suspicious or unusual activity using the good name of CEPIA. Don’t forget our contact information: Tel: 2653 8533; Tel/Fax: 2653 8365.

Address: 300m west from the Cruce de Huacas, behind the Guaymí Restaurant, Santa Cruz – Guanacaste.

Max Chaves, Ana Francis Rosales or Lucía Blanco will be there from Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. addressing any questions you have. Don’t hesitate to call us!

You can visit our website to find out more about our programs and the organization www.cepiacostarica.org

Surf Report

(from page 20)

Switzerland 1 Jurg Diemand 2 Roland Hauser 3 Christian Bulling 4 Stefan Vogel 5 Andrea Rodriguez 6 Celine Gehret 7 Stefan Vogel 8 Sven Grossenbacher

Open Men Open Men Open Men Open Men Open Women Open Women Longboard Longboard

Trinidad & Tobago 1 Chris Dennis 2 Jason Apparicio 3 Che Lovelace 4 Alan Davis 5 Micheline Ferreira

Open Men Open Men Open Men Open Men Open Women

When Australia announced the eight-member surf team that is currently competing at the World Surfing Games Costa Rica 2009, it had among it four current Association of Surfing Professionals World Tour surfers along with the two open Longboard surfers who are experienced ASP World Tour competitors.

Team Coach and World Surfing Champion Barton Lynch was enthusiastic with the team announcement saying, “We are stoked with the team we have been able to put together. This team is well balanced with a solid combination of experience and youth. Importantly, we have excellent friendships in place among team members that will ensure a cohesive and spirited team to defend our title”.

And finally, Meet the PacSun USA Surf Team: Open Mens Ben Bourgois Cory Lopez Austin Ware Nat Young Open Womens Courtney Conlogue Sage Ericson Longboard Toni Silvagni Steve Newton

That’s all I’ve got. Looking forward to hearing what you think.

Keep those emails coming at EllenZoe@aol.com. Send your comments, information, errors or praise, because I can’t do this column without you, the real surfers.

by Jeanne Callahan

October F orecasts August F orecasts

Aries: 21 March - 20 April

The energetic vibe for you greatly supports networking, connecting with people from the past, creative projects and short trips/errands around your community. The full moon lunar eclipse on the 5th will activate your eleventh house of friends, groups and causes and so encourages you to get involved with like minded people in future endeavors. Consider joining a humanitarian cause. The 9th, 10th and 11th see you in the most positive light.

Taurus: 21 April - 21 May

Visit Jeanne’s site at CelestialAdvisor.com

Libra: 23 September - 23 October

Venus is at the top of your chart this month. Be very visible , sending gift baskets, cookies, or treating others to lunch to win support.

Mars is also an ally for you so self-promotion should go well. The eclipse on the 5th happens in your fifth house of creativity, speculation and children so those are the areas of life that will undergo some change in the next six months. Keep stress under control so the Saturn/Uranus opposition in September doesn’t generate too much chaos in your nervous system. Use the positive vibes of the 22nd and 23rd to relax and recharge

This month you need to focus on your career prospects and new ways to generate cash flow. You will see that there are several new areas to focus on so stay alert to the current needs of the marketplace. You will have to change something to be successful in the future. The lunar eclipse on the 5th happens in your tenth house so that further supports a change in professional status or career. If a door opens on something new, you just might find the new venture more to your liking anyway!

The 12th and 13th bring such opportunities to you.

Scorpio: 24 October - 22 November

You are energized to take action and make some changes in yourself, your appearance and your home. Major “makeover” time? This is a great time to spruce things up that are getting beyond shabby chic in the home. If you are dissatisfied with anything in your home or appearance, change it. Belief systems could use an overhaul too as the eclipse on the 5th happens in your ninth house of higher consciousness, travel and ideals. Start right at the beginning of the month and go out on the 14th and 15th to experience feedback from your social groups. Enjoy!

Sagittarius: 23 November - 21 December

Venus has now entered your sign so participating in more family and social gatherings will bring you much joy this month.

The lunar eclipse on the 5th happens in your eighth house of other people’s money, taxes, self mastery so there might need to be a review of your current status in those areas. Be conscious of the fact that you sometimes cling too tightly when you feel your security/nest is threatened. Take time off on the 16th and 17th to pamper yourself.

The cosmic vibe for you has a definite financial signature of caution but also a potential for growth. This is a slow steady climb you are looking at with potentially huge rewards in the fall. You are learning who to trust right now. The eclipse on the 5th happens in your second house of resources, money and values so expect some changes in the next six months. You are securely positioned to succeed. The 2nd, 3rd, 29th and 30th are your best days for the month.

Gemini: 22 May - 21 June

Cancer: 22 June - 22 July

Leo: 23 July - 23 August

This month with the sun traveling through your sign you get the recognition you so crave for any endeavors you are promoting. Look for ways to be in the spotlight, particularly if you are needing to get involved with a new project or humanitarian cause. The eclipse on the fifth happens in your 7th house of partnership and others so realize you have unfinished business to take care of there. Use the lunar energy of the 18th, 19th and new moon on the 20th to forge new and positive understandings.

Virgo: 24 August - 22 September

Will it ever end? People are too demanding. I’m so tired, I’m not even going out anymore....those are the most common statements uttered by most Virgos these days. What has been taken from you in the last two years has changed the landscape in your life. The eclipse on the 5th happens in your sixth house of work/health/employees so address any problems there immediately. Your career gets a boost from Mars and Venus traveling through that house and you rejoin the world, however cautiously at first. The 21st is your day to shine.

This month may find you considering a change of residence. The move could be job related as Mercury and the Sun are moving through your tenth house of profession energizing changes there. Finances are strained as your partner may not be able to pull their weight right now. The eclipse on the 5th does happen in your 4th house of home, family and roots so that indicates some change will take place over the next six months. Keep a positive attitude and learn some new skills. The 24th and 25th are supportive days, remember who is helping you right now.

This month will have new professional responsibilities or a new project that will test your attention to detail. While things don’t have to be perfect they do have to be correctly defined so that people can understand what you mean. Good communication seems to be the theme now so just keep everyone in the loop and provide documentation along the way. The eclipse on the 5th happens in your third house of siblings, neighbors, and short trips so expect to be busy in those areas for the next six months. The lunar position supports your efforts on the 1st, 27th and 28th.

Capricorn: 22 December - 21 January

Aquarius: 22 January - 19 February

This month has a rather fun signature for you, especially if you are traveling or spending time with children. Maybe you need to just play a little yourself instead of just being the intellectual all the time.

Your creative abilities are enhanced by Venus’ and Mars’ respective positions in your fifth house. And the eclipse on the 5th happening in your first house offers a opportunity for a fresh perspective on your appearance and identity. That can always be fun if you let it.

So take personal action to make these things happen. It will be a positive move towards attracting a potential partner too. Good days for a makeover are the 5th, 6th and 31st.

Pisces: 20 February - 20 March

This is a great month for social gatherings in your home. You need to make the effort to connect with more new people so offer some unusual theme for a party. Work routines are undergoing some changes this month so don’t be surprised if you have to change your schedule. The eclipse on the 5th happens in your twelfth house of dreams, the unconscious and self-undoing. Don’t be a victim now or you’ll be suffering with your decision for the next six months. The 7th and 8th would be a great day for that party!

Namasté

28

Recession, Depression, Succession Tom Peifer Been down so long down looks like up to me - Richard Farina

M

y geometry teacher, Brother Thomas, would have been proud. About 15 years ago, recently installed in Guanacaste, his former student came up with what has come to be known as “The Peifer Theorem.” - The longer the gringos are in

Guanacaste, the more they act like the Guanacastecos.

This behavioral pattern shows up in a number of ways. You start to note a certain lassitude about the arrival time for appointments.

Often there are valid reasons, just like in the local culture. The car broke, a tree fell down across the road, the dog had to go to the vet, a neighbor needed to go to the emergency room. Whatever.

I find more interesting the adaptations to a gradual squeeze in the margin of comfort that the foreigners take for granted and strive to maintain. It is discomfiting to adapt when that margin shrinks, disappears, and the future begins to look like rice, beans, walking and riding the bus. Just like the Guanacastecos......

Please forgive a slight digression, both in time and space. A long time ago, in a classroom far, far away I took a course on Chinese rural history based on interviews with peasants who lived through the Revolution. The instructor, Paul Pickowicz, first made us read a novel, “The Painted Bird”, by Jerzy Kosinski. I remember it as horrible tale of all this gruesome stuff that happened to a poor kid struggling though the countryside of Eastern Europe during the dislocations caused by WWII. Dr. Pickowicz defended his sadistic literary selection in stark terms. “I want to permanently disabuse you of the romantic notion that life in poor rural areas is some sort of pre-modern paradise of happy-go-lucky neighbors laboring in perfect harmony for community well-being.” Adios to the notion of holding hands in a circle and singing kum-bay-ya.....

My take on the matter, after 15 years in a small town here in Guanacaste: you can take that statement to the bank. Sure, there are exceptions. Sure, people are friendly and warm and able to enjoy life at a much lower level of consumption than their overdeveloped country cousins. Nonetheless, rural existence in this area was a harsh battle with the elements and a competition for resources. Local sayings persist, often with double meanings, such as “robando pasto” or stealing grass by opening fences and letting your cows into another’s pasture. At this time of year it is not uncommon to fill a sack in another fellow’s field and sell fresh corn on the cob.

Divisive struggles over land have rent families into the prosperous winners and the newly landless losers.

All of this would come as no surprise to my erstwhile college professor. Even less so to the inquiring minds who attempt to peer into the not-too-distant future of diminished energy supplies, economic contraction and the disruptions provoked by climate change. I don’t accept the premise that there is a deterministic relationship between levels of resource consumption and “nice-ness”, or civility or willingness to share with others. All the same, when there is less cake to go around, when some insist on grabbing bigger shares, the scene around the crumbs under the table is a frenzied version of every man for himself.

So now that the umbilical cord to the tourism and real estate industries has developed a big embolism it should come as no surprise that those parts of the expat population whose sustenance is reduced to a trickle start to get ‘creative.’ Let’s look at a few examples.

One friend who is a builder finished a house remodel for a guy whose development is—how to put it—less than thriving in the current downturn. How long he has to wait for the $30K that the guy owes him is an exercise in wishful thinking at best.

Another works for a developer and has the unenviable job of haggling with the sub-contractors, desperate to find work, and then informing them afterwards that the project can’t pay them presently.

A third bought a business from an old friend who had cooked the books and promised healthy returns. The returns were nowhere to be found and neither is the old friend.

At the more petty level you see more people walking out on tabs at bars and restaurants, not paying their workers, fencing property of dubious origin and taking small loans that they can’t repay to friends. Some are gravitating to the ‘informal’ economy: translation - dealing drugs. Pimping out their fellow humans is perhaps not too far in the offing.

Depending on which economists or analysts you choose to believe the recovery is right around the corner, or maybe towards the end of 2010. Or, then again, perhaps this is a watershed event in modern history. The future is definitely there, somewhere, but it ain’t likely to resemble the past. Just one example, during all the fanfare of the recent upturn in the stock market, behind the scenes, corporate CEO’s have been bailing ship on their own companies’ stocks.

Hardly a vote of confidence that the green shoots of recovery will bloom into a prosperous Tomorrowland future version of the good ol’ days. Apart from the much ballyhooed activity on Wall Street I have seen graphs of rising unemployment and plunging economic activity that make the Great Depression look like a cakewalk.

Different kinds of ‘feedback’ are helping to reinforce ongoing downward trends in the economy. Every week more people are laid off, more can’t make their house payments, more houses are foreclosed upon, the saturated home market becomes yet more saturated, driving prices lower and putting more homeowners further underwater on their mortgages, resulting in lower property tax revenues to cities and states which then have to lay off more workers.

You get the picture. The trickle-down effects are ‘off-shored’ to our neck of the woods and set into motion the fighting over the scraps mentioned above.

Nature has an interesting way of working through cataclysmic events; it’s called ‘succession.’ After a tree falls in the jungle, or a landslide on a mountain, a forest fire, or yes, even after the (continued page 28

Surviving

C hapter LXXVIII

I

COSTA RICA

got one of those unexpected e-mails the other day from the guy that used to play drums in The Incredible Fog, the band I was in at high school. He sent me a link to a website that featured the group’s history, what little there was of it as well as its discography, this being a history of what were referred to in those dim and ancient days as “records”. For those leaning toward self-abuse or serious boredom you can check it out at: www.peachfuzzforest.blogspot.com/2008/01/ incredible-fog-when-suns-gone-down.hmtl Seeing those long-forgotten photos brought back memories of simpler days when gas was thirty-five cents a gallon, FM radio was the next big thing and The Beatles ruled everything.

By the time I made it to Langley High School I’d been playing guitar for a couple of years and was hot to start a band. My sister and I hooked together with another guy, Bob Hall, on guitar and a bass player named Jamie Fisher.

After some deep and painful memory dredging I now recall the drummer’s name was Jack Tarbox. We called ourselves “The Apple Pie” and Jamie’s aunt sewed us matching vests with a large cherry on them. Apparently she couldn’t find apples, and we must’ve played a few times before it became obvious that Jack the drummer couldn’t hack it.

I remember some event was coming up that Jack said he couldn’t handle, but he would drive us in his Dad’s GTO up to the Delaware beaches to pick up another drummer, on vacation with his folks, to do the gig. We piled into the car with Jack barely able to see above the dashboard and took off for the beach at a hundred miles an hour. Literally.

The distance to Bethany Beach, Delaware, from McLean, Virginia, was about 150 miles; we were finally stopped by a Maryland State Trooper who told us an overhead police plane had clocked us at 115 mph. I don’t know why, but they let Jack off with a warning, and we did pick up the drummer and do the gig, the same drummer mentioned in this column’s first line, Jon Chase.

Jon had been playing with a bunch of older college types in a band called “The Id” but accepted the job with us; we were all mostly

The Incredible Fog Story by Jesse Bishop

in the same grade. We did change our name to “The Incredible Fog”, a name I came up with, although I do remember originally suggesting “The Incredible Fawn”, making me wonder what the heck I was thinking of in those distant times.

audition. We’d already done a little recording in studios in Washington of songs the band had written and, at the audition, we were the only group that had its own tunes. Next thing we know we’re on a train to New York to record a record!

We were in the 10th grade (except for my sister Miriam - a year older) when we entered in a “battle of the bands” against one of the older more-established groups “The Sounders” - High School Lettermen Types who dressed alike, didn’t move around a lot and emulated the pre-drug-fazed Beach Boys, while we were doing lots of Beatles and the newly arrived psychedelic stuff like Cream and Jimi Hendrix. To our surprise we won and proceeded to play the many weekend sock hops and community and church center dances.

We were booked into a hotel in downtown Manhattan and over a three-day period recorded two songs in an honest-to-god real deal studio. We ended up recording a song written by my girlfriend’s brother, a romantic ballad called “When the Sun’s Gone Down” and a protest song, “Tommy Black” that my sister and I wrote when we were camp counselors in Waynesboro, Virginia, both complete with the then-obligatory thundering symphonic string section.

Our junior year we added another girl, Elaine Allen, to the band; she lived down the street from us and had been studying very serious classical piano with an eighty-something former Russian Princess who had studied with Sergei Rachmaninov. She was a little over-qualified but worked in quite nicely and could play the introduction to “Inna Gadda Da Vida” perfectly.

It was about this time our booking agent was approached by a man from ABC Probe records in New York who was looking for groups to record in the DC area. Our agent got all his bands together, including us, for an

The record was released in my senior year.

It didn’t hurt to be walking up to pick up a first-time date with your song playing on the radio in her house. Senior year brought band changes, my sister was off to college and the keyboardist decided boys were funner than playing in a band, so off they went and we added a new singer, a guy this time as well as a similarly sexed pianist. We kept playing quite a bit, and the summer after graduation we jumped in the band VW bus and headed to Nashville, this time to record an album on an independent label. The label owner came in to record the single, once again a ballad called “Princess of a Fool”, written by the keyboardist John Carpenter. After getting the single out of the way he turned the sessions over to his not-quite-so-adept associates. We were by then a very psychedelic enterprise with some pretty complex arrangements as well as great singing by the newest singer, one Brad Lyon. Although the single was released to extremely moderate success the album never came out, although the band’s soundman did send me a copy of it some twenty-five years later. Eventually all good things came to an end. The bass player left for Yale, the fellow who wrote our first single joined the band for its swan song year and eventually the band broke up.

It was too late for me. Instead of becoming a useful member of society I kept at it and can still be found playing Rock and Roll music to anyone still interested in putting up with me.

Flamingo Mystics help local towns

E

verybody knows Mardi Gras, “Fat Tuesday”, and the parade with which New Orleans is so closely connected. But how many people are familiar with The Mystics, an essential component of the event?

The Mystics are a nation-wide (U.S.) philanthropic organization with some chapters outside the United States. They were formed in Mobile, Alabama, in 1993 and their various chapters organize Mardi Gras parades in many towns.

The Mystics of Flamingo was started in 2004 by “The Boys of Table One” at the Mariner Inn. Since then they have organized the annual parade which wends its way from Flamingo to Potrero, or maybe to Brasilito. As with other Mardi Gras parades, it is a fundraiser; in 2009 it generated $14,000.

Normally, whatever is raised by a local chapter is matched by the central organization.

This year, due to the economic situation in the United States, this practice unfortunately was not followed.

Proceeds from the Mystics of Flamingo are distributed among deserving causes in local towns. This year, four children from the school in Brasilito were given scholarships to high school. Furniture was donated to the school and the school was painted and repaired as necessary and furniture donated. In Potrero walkways were built in the cemetery.

But the piece de resistance in 2009 was the Brasilito Health Center. Previously it was a one-room building in poor shape, totally unsupported by the Health Ministry, with outside waiting room and prone to severe flooding during the rains. It has now been rebuilt to include a reception area, bathrooms, pharmacy, infirmary, refrigerator, and it is wheelchair-friendly.

So, when Mardi Gras is held in February next year in Flamingo, go along and join in the fun. Build a float, join the parade, ride a horse, enjoy food and drink and know that you are bringing comfort and happiness to local people.

“Laissez les bons temps rouler”

Remodelling & Home Repairs Carpentry • Block Walls Stonework • Ceramic Tile Drywall • Concrete Any Work Undertaken Free estimates Rex Barnes - Tel: 2-653-1432

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(from page 25) catastrophic explosion that left the island of Krakatoa as lifeless and sterile as ground zero at Hiroshima, nature has a time-tested strategy and tool box of techniques to restore the damage. Just ask the guy out there chopping for his corn planting later in the rainy season. He’s fighting succession. Or better yet, try the archaeologists who hacked out climax rain forest to uncover Mayan cities that extended for miles. In the case of nature it appears true indeed that time heals all wounds.

In natural succession, the first ‘green shoots’ of recovery bear little resemblance to the ecosystem they are replacing. Two strategies are worth mentioning. There is a mad scramble to capture all the light energy now reaching the ground. Simultaneously a burst of activity and proliferation of organisms that take advantage of newly available resources in dead plant matter. The energy and resources are passed along chains of organisms with a minimum of loss to the system as a whole. Let’s don’t be too anthropomorphic here or grossly oversimplify the intricate process of ecological succession.

What’s the take home message?

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If, as many observers insist, we’re in a kind of slow-motion cataclysmic series of interrelated trends and events, the future is going to be different. Smaller, more agile and interlinked businesses will have an edge on their high-overhead competitors that have a harder time trimming their sails and plotting a new course. To the extent that the lifeblood of investment from outside is reduced, the smart strategy is to insure that this “energy source” is channeled into local activities and enterprises which recycle the cash stream locally and promote sustainability over time.

In natural succession, the seeds and sprouts are often already in place to take advantage of the changed conditions. Some of the sprouts of a more sustainable future for local businesses are already beginning to thrive. Developments which took the long-term view and planted trees can now offer building materials to their clients right from their future front yard. Others have incorporated palm, fruit and forest tree nurseries into their mix of amenities.

Some developers are working bio-fuel crops into the landscaping plans while another I met plans to have an in-house solar energy business. Devoting even a fraction of the resources for ornamental plants into what is called “edible landscaping” within developments would not only boost local food production, but open up possibilities of value-added products and help restore the vitality of local marketing networks.

This is not meant to be an exhaustive list. The idea is to spark reflection, communication and action steps that help assure a livable future for our communities and our region. When faced with a depression, you can always look to nature for solace and inspiration.

After all, nothing succeeds like succession.

Tom Peifer is an ecological land use consultant with 14 years experience in Guanacaste. Phone: 2658-8018. peifer@racsa.co.cr El Centro Verde is dedicated to sustainable land use, agriculture and development Web site: http://www.elcentroverde.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous Schedule of Meetings

Flamingo

Tuesdays: 5:30 - 6:30 pm (open) Fridays: 5:30 - 6:30 pm (open)

Location: Hitching Post Plaza Unit 2, Brasilito Contact: Don H. at 2-654-4902

Tamarindo

Saturday: 10:30-11:30 - Open General Meeting Monday: 5:30 Open Meeting Thursday: 6:30-7:30 - Open Meeting Location: Behind Restaurant Fiesta del Mar Contact: Ellen - 2-653-0897

Is Costa Rica safe?

By Christopher Howard M.A.

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Crime exists everywhere, not just in Costa Rica. Most victims here fall prey to petty criminals because they don’t take the right precautions. There are common-sense measures residents can take to reduce their chances of becoming victims.

Take added precautions if you live in a neighborhood where there are many foreigners. Thieves associate foreigners with wealth and look for areas where they cluster together. Organize a neighborhood watch group in your area. If you leave town, get a friend or other trustworthy person to house-sit. Mountain areas are less populated and usually more isolated. This makes them prime targets for burglars and other thieves. Design or retrofit your house with redundant protective devices such as bars, an alarm system, a dog, and a gate and fence. Private home security patrols can provide an alarm system and patrol your area for a monthly fee. Some offer very sophisticated monitored surveillance systems.

If you own an automobile, you should be careful. Thieves can pop open a locked trunk and clean it out in a few minutes. If you live in a city, make sure your house or apartment has a garage with iron bars so your car is off the street. When parking away from your house, always park in parking lots or where there is a watchman. Never park your vehicle or walk in a poorly-lit area.

Avoid walking alone especially at night and even during the day. Stay alert for pickpockets who hang around bus stops, parks, and crowded marketplaces.

You are especially vulnerable when you are exiting or getting in to a car.

Look around before you exit. A pocket-sized deterrent pepper spray would thwart a thief who pounces while you are getting out of the car. Have the pepper spray or Mace ready with the safety off. A well-dressed person could easily be a thief in disguise.

Here are some safety tips while out in public places.

1. Dress simply.

2. Never flaunt your wealth by wearing expensive jewelry or carrying exposed cameras. You are announcing that you are an easy mark.

3. Conceal your money and never carry it in your back pocket. It is best to carry money in front pockets or under your clothing in secret pouches. Carry small amounts of money in several places rather than all your money in one place.

4. Be very discreet with your money. Do not flash large amounts of money. When withdrawing cash at the bank, ask the cashier to count the money again slowly; it is not advisable to count it again in view of others. Every time you finish a transaction in a bank or store, put away all money in your purse or wallet before going out into the street. Carry a single credit card and at least 10,000 colones. Don’t carry bank credentials and PIN numbers unnecessarily.

5. Don’t show your cellular telephone in the street. Should the cellular ring and you are walking in the street, answer and ask the person calling to ring back later.

6. Always look at the hands and eyes of anyone walking towards you; if they have their hands in their pockets, it is possible they are carrying a weapon.

7. Never carry any original documents, such as passports. Make a photocopy of your passport and carry it with you at all times.

Thieves often work in teams. One will distract you while the other makes off with your valuables. Never accept help from strangers or listen to offers from people you encounter on the street. Never pick up hitchhikers. Men should also watch out for prostitutes who are often expert pickpockets. If you are a single woman living by yourself, never walk alone at night.

White-collar crime exists in Costa Rica, and predators are ready to take your money by helping you make an investment or buying land. Just because someone speaks good English does not make him or her a good person. Be wary of business deals that seem too good to be true, or any other get-rich-quick schemes such as real estate projects, high-interest bank investments or property not belonging to the person selling it. If potential profit sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Always do your homework and talk to other expats before you make any type of investment. But don’t trust them because they are an expat. There seems to be something about the ambience here that causes one to trust total strangers. The secret is to be cautious without being afraid to invest. Before jumping into what seems to be a once-in-a-lifetime investment opportunity, ask yourself: Would I make the same investment in my hometown? You’ll hear high-pressure sales tricks. They will tell you had better hurry and buy their properties because there is no more good land for sale in Costa Rica. BS! Despite all this talk, Costa Rica is still one of the safest countries in the world. The firm AON Corp., in its study “The Risk of Terrorism Worldwide,” ranks Costa Rica and a handful of other countries as the safest in the world.

Christopher Howard is the author/publisher of the bestselling The New Golden Door to Retirement and Living in Costa Rica, and The Guide to Costa Rican Spanish. Mr. Howard conducts retirement and relocation tours. For more information go to www.liveincostarica.com, or call toll-free 800-365-2342. Send him an email: liveincostarica@cox.net