The Howler
Volume 18, No. 8 Issue No. 202
August 2013 Founded 1996
TAMARINDO COSTA RICA www.howlermag.com THE HOWLER Ced. Juridica: 3-101-331333
FEATURES
Publisher, editor and production David Mills
dmills@racsa.co.cr Tel: 2-653-0545
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14 Around Town
CONTRIBUTORS
Howler • Mono Congo
JEANNE CALLAHAN JESSE BISHOP MARY BYERLY ROBERT AUGUST KAY DODGE
ELLEN ZOE GOLDEN TONY OREZ TOM PEIFER JEFFREY WHITLOW MONICA RIASCOS BARBARA DEPPE
Deadline for September: August 15 Howler advertising
The Howler offers a wide range of advertising sizes and formats to suit all needs. Contact David Mills • dmills@racsa.co.cr
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15 Surf Report
Esterillos surfer Carlos Muñoz makes the cover of Surfer magazine; Jason Torres is first Tico to top the ALAS championship.
17 Who Ate My Guanacaste Tree?
A plague of tiny moths is chewing its way through Guanacaste trees leaving them bare and leafless.
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Surviving Costa Rica
Ask Uncle Jesse. Readers send their emotional, personal and romantic problems to Uncle Jesse, who gives his usual sarcastic or facetious reply.
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In Grave Danger of Falling Food
With the problems besetting world food supplies, we are urged to start growing our own fruit and veggies.
DEPARTMENTS
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Ads must be submitted on CD or e-mail attachment, JPG or PDF format at 266 dpi, at the appropriate size (above). All comments, articles and advertising in this publication are the opinion of their authors, and do not reflect the opinion of Howler Management.
www.tamarindohomepage.com
Openings, closings, parties, music. The Gold Coast has it all, and bar-hoppin’ David is in the groove.
75 120 210
Discounts For 6 months, paid in advance, one month is deducted. For 12 months, paid in advance, two months are deducted.
www.tamarindobeach.net
Dining Out
Cafe Conchal is a delightful new restaurant serving ‘small plates’ concept in Huacas with a choice of air-conditioning or outdoor terrace.
10 Art Review
23 Slice of Life
11 Book Review
24 Doctor’s Orders
12 August Odysseys
28 Sun & Moon
19 Poetry by Diana Renee
28 Rain Gauge
20 August Forecasts
29 Word Puzzle
22 Yoga
31 Tide Chart
Cover Caption: Bouquet from Floristería Cristal - 2653-8762 Cover Photo: Floristería Cristal Cover Design: David Mills
Parents’ Corner Importance of Art in Children’s Development Humans are creative by nature, and ART is a natural expression… even without formal art classes, children will constantly experiment with colors, shapes and textures, sounds and movements, as driven by an inner urge to create and transform. As children start experimenting and exploring the world through their senses they develop an awareness of the world around them, as well as an understanding of their inner self. In this process, art is, without any doubt, the best way to connect with our emotions, to understand them, and to find inner balance. Children must be given lots of opportunities and resources to express themselves freely …art is a safe place, and it makes children feel confident and happy. Parents and teachers need to encourage children to draw, paint, and color or even sculpt, in whatever form they are interested in. Children should also experiment with music, dancing and acting… three wonderful allies in cognitive and emotional development stimulation. You don’t have to turn the living room into a studio, and you don’t have to spend a lot of money in supplies… if children are given the time and space for free expression, they will surprise you with the most incredible creations and transformations just using what they have available: crayons, chalks, watercolors, play dough, old clothes and hats, strings and beads, tin cans and pots. Art can be the key to a child’s mind and, in some cases, the only way of communication. While children often find themselves incapable of smooth expression, art helps them to express themselves in a safe environment. We expect schools to provide our children with artistic experiences, but we, as parents, have a responsibility to expose our children to this wonderful media ourselves, beyond the Art classes and extracurricular activities. Here are some tips on how parents can encourage their children in artistic expression: 1. Limit TV and video game time; these activities have the potential to become addictive and can interfere with the development of healthy communication skills and a healthy life style. 2. Provide your child with a basic art kit: crayons, watercolors, pencils, brushes, paper, scissors, glue stick, play dough. 3. Have a dress-up box for your child: old clothes, hats, belts, shawls, make up, old sun glasses. 4. Some simple instruments will allow your child to experiment with sound: a toy drum with sticks, maracas, a tambourine and a flute would make the perfect “music-adventure kit”. 5. Expose your child to art in its different forms whenever you can: go to a concert, visit a gallery, listen to Mozart, Vivaldi, Bach or any of the great classics (children are very sensitive to classical music), watch a dance performance… and, of course: sing and dance with your child on a daily basis! Let your child unleash herself and watch her evolve into an expressive personality… this could be your best gift to your son or daughter! “Every human is an artist. The dream of your life is to make beautiful art.” Miguel Ángel Ruiz. Msc. Mónica Riascos Henríquez Psychopedagogist – Member of ASOLAP – Code 2024 consultariascos@live.com
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nce again the topic is roads, and while there was encouraging news in last month’s issue, we can’t but wonder who makes the idiot decisions about our roads. Around Semana Santa (great time to do road repairs – the busiest week of the year) they came to the road on which are Sharky’s, Fisch, etc, built sidewalks and filled with a road base. Just when we thought they would top off with asphalt, the machines and workers went away and left the road untopped. With the first rains the fill washed away and left a badly cratered surface. Seems that they had run out of money for the asphalt. A couple of weeks ago a crew arrived in Tamarindo and commenced to asphalt the main road into town, which had no need of attention as it was in good condition. Nonetheless, the workers continued for days until the road was resurfaced. A worker told me “the Muni had a lot of left-over asphalt so they sent it here.” Residents with any vestige of brain are wondering why this new, unneeded, asphalt couldn’t have been used on the earlier unfinished stretch. Pura vida!
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An unsightly problem I see every day on Tamarindo Beach is the vast number of cigarette butts dropped in the sand. It’s easy to toss your butt away without thinking, but if you consider that the plastic (cellulose) filter takes 10 years to biodegrade, this is a very environmentally unfriendly thing to do. Apart from being unsightly, ingestion of plastic butts by fish and birds can cause death. I have seen smokers who claim to be “green” carelessly toss their butts on the beach as if it doesn’t matter. It does! What’s the solution? Maybe carry a baggie to bring the stubbed-out butt to a trash can.
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Don’t you just love Tamarindo?
Dharma Corner Touching the Earth
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iving in Costa Rica is such an opportunity to experience many of the natural wonders of the planet we know as our home, and that we call Earth. There are so many microclimates, geological manifestations, types of diverse plants and animals, right here in this relatively small country. However, if we take a moment to reflect...to be mindful...we can see that it is all connected and that we are a part of it, just as it is a part of us. We “Inter-are”. Pick a cloud....there are plenty to choose from right now... and contemplate it. Where did it come from? And when you no longer see it, where has it gone? Well, it came from the ocean’s water vapor - the same ocean that gives us fish, and is there for us to surf on. And once you no longer see the cloud, it is likely that it may have turned into the rain that flows in the local streams and back to the ocean. But, it is also the fresh rain that waters the garden and mixes with the Earth’s soil to nourish the plants, plants that provide beauty, oxygen for us to breathe and foods for us to eat. Even when you look at a beautiful flower, you can see the rain (the ocean), the soil (former plants, volcanoes, Earth), the sun and the air. The flower isn’t just a flower. So, “what is the point?”, you may say. The point is that everything is part and parcel of everything else. This is because that is. And without our beautiful Earth that adds support for it all, we might not be. And so, we should be mindful of her care....our Mother Earth. For in doing so we care for ourselves and all that we hold dear and enjoy. And caring for our Mother Earth is simple and something we can all do. It doesn’t take joining an environmental movement. Just a few things from everyone on the planet could preserve her. Things like picking up some trash you see on your path, eating in a vegetarian way (even just one day a week), go one day a week without using electricity, set a “car free” day once a week. After all, she supports each and every one and we are a part of her. We Inter-are. So, next time you take a walk (anywhere) imagine your feet touching and giving the Earth a kiss with each step. And when you see those clouds, think of how many ways they will become a part of you...and your dog and your horse and certainly the ocean where we play. Namaste
Help us build the Guanacaste Community Center!
Donate Now!
cepiacostarica@gmail.com
Café Conchal is newly opened in Paseo del Mar in Huacas, a very pleasant place with indoor air-conditioned dining or outdoor on the terrace overlooking green Guanacaste pastures. Stuffed leather chairs add to the comfortable ambience. Chef Brad Lloyd hails from Calgary, working there and in Vancouver as chef at Four Seasons. He moved to Costa Rica twenty years ago and ran the prestigious Chalet Tirol in Heredia, then moved to Hotel Melia Conchal in Brasilito. His cuisine at Café Conchal is typical café and wine bar with small plates concept, no large platas fuertes but a selection of smaller dishes. The menu comprises bruschetta, tuna tartare; salmon & bocconcini; ceviche sampler; enyucadas; beef sliders; crusted sea bass; grilled beef, chicken criolla. Pastas a r e mushroom ravioli and fettuccini Bolognese. We shared a selection of tiradito of salmon; mussels (in white wine garlic sauce); goat cheese crostini; bbq pork sliders (tiny delicious burgers of pulled pork); fish of the day (mahi-mahi); Brad’s Mac ‘n’ cheese - penne with shrimp in cheese sauce.
Casagua Horses The greatest variety of tours and riding experiences for all ages, featuring spectacular countryside, howler monkeys, colorful small towns and fun-filled fiestas.
Desserts are chocolate fudge cake; apple tart; New York cheesecake; artesian ice cream; Brad makes his own ice cream. We sampled four flavours – passion fruit, ginger, lemon, orange - and finished with a rich caramel pecan pie. Throughout the meal Brad’s professionalism showed – in presentation, décor, service and food. Everything was excellent and delicious and made for a delightful evening.
Cantina Tour - Nature Tour Fiesta & Tope Rental - Old Tempate Trail Tour Located near Portegolpe on the main road, opposite the Monkey Park, just 20 minutes from the beach.
Phone us at: 2-653-8041 • kaydodge@racsa.co.cr www.paintedponyguestranch.com The best horses on Guanacaste’s Gold Coast!
Café
Conchal, tel: 2653-5013/8841-5971, serves breakfast, lunch and dinner; open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., closed Sunday. All credit cards accepted. Facebook: Café Conchal and wine bar.
Barbara’s Pet Stories A Big Snout
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here is a couple of Zebra Finches in an extra cage. I have separated them from the others, as they have a nest full of eggs. Being just the two of them, they are more into hatching the eggs. Every morning I put fresh water into the bowl, seeds and fruit on the little plates. The female finch always awaits me and always tries to get out of the cage. Most of the times she kind of runs under my hand out of the door, and hops to the ground, then sitting there and waiting for me to pick her up and put her back into the cage. It seems like a game to her. I have to be careful not to step on her, as she is so tiny, only a bit more than an inch big. This morning my Great Dane came with me to the cage with the finches. His name is Marmaduke, and he is fascinated with these little birds. Sometimes I can see him just standing in front of the cage and watching the finches fly around in it. This morning Marmaduke came with me, with big eyes looking into the cage. The female was waiting, and right I after I had opened the cage door, she jumped out. I almost got a heart attack, as the Great Dane was standing there, now staring at the finch on the ground, with his big snout wide open. ¨No, Marmaduke, do not even think about it! No!! Aus!!!¨ His big eyes now stared at me, like he was saying to me: “What do you want? I just look at her.”
I grabbed the finch, as always, and I put her back into the cage. But just before my hand was out of the cage, the finch flew out again, landing right in front of Marmaduke’s head, who was now lying on the ground. As if she was teasing the Great Dane on purpose, she hopped in front of him a bit to the right, a bit to the left and then, of course!! Marmaduke snapped after her and gone she was, into his snout! OMG! I almost yelled: Marmaduke, Aus! Pfui, spit her out, now!! Marmaduke looked at me with his big cute eyes, saying: come on, let me have some fun. I calmed down and spoke in a lovely voice to Marmaduke: Please, spit her out, please. Well, he opened his snout, and the finch jumped out, shook her feathers, as she was wet with the saliva, then she looked at me: “OK, I am ready to go back into my cage, get me up!”
It’s Never Too Late to look after your body
Ageing is a normal biological process, but physical activity allows older adults to enjoy a better quality of life. Exercise for the older adult is a combination of elements, physical as well as psychological, and includes the development of physical qualities such as strength, balance, resistance and, from this, the independence to more easily carry out daily activities and bring better socialization, reduction of illness and a more active mind. Weight training is beneficial at all ages, but with older people it reduces weakening of the muscle and increases its functional capacity.
Start today!
Jerson Pérez Physical Personal Trainer
Art Review The Universe According ‘ Tony Orez to Yann Riou
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ann Riou has been living in Playas del Coco since 2004, moving there from San Martin. For nearly a decade, he has established himself as a successful painter, with an exhibit last year at Galeria 1824 at Hotel el Punto in Liberia and earlier this year at Playa Flamingo Beach Resort. But this talent remained a hidden one during his youth and became his form of expression in his adult life. Like his father and his father’s father, Yann Riou was born a fisherman and a sailor. He comes from a family in Brittany, France, with generations of Celtic maritime history and tradition. Growing up literally on boats, he sailed with his father and grandfather, exploring the world on a variety of vessels, including fishing and sailing boats and merchant ships.
At the age of thirty-five, he was living in Tahiti and started an artisan’s shop, carving small canoes and boats and then mounting them on driftwood and other wooden backgrounds. Simply as a diversion, he decided to draw and paint a scene on one of those backgrounds: palm trees on the beach with the ocean behind it. And thus began the self-taught career of Yann Riou, painter. However, when he left Tahiti, this gift went into hibernation. It wasn’t until the age of fifty, after undergoing major surgery on his spinal column, that he picked up the paint brush again, this time experimenting on canvas, alternately with watercolors, acrylics and pencil drawings. Yann has traveled the world and those maritime experiences are displayed in their bright vivid colors on his canvasses. This was my first impression of Yann’s works: the paintings beam life. The paintings all contain a message or mood in them as well. “Aquaplaning”, for example, is not only a study in light and motion, it also reminds us the sea is immense and eternal and that we are only here for a moment. Truly, the ocean appears carved, the wind speaking to us. There is an attention to detail that brings each painting to life. As a former shipbuilder, Yann’s knowledge is extensive and first-hand and this, I believe, is a driving force for him as a perfectionist. Of his worldwide travels, Yann told me that some of his favorite locations are Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia and of course, Costa Rica. He also told me that his travels to Indonesia and India have influenced his artistic style of using bright and luminous colors. He considers the marine artist Marin Marie and the Impressionist Gustave Caillebote as two of his major influences, along with Celtic culture in general. His time spent on the sea, contemplating the vast oceans teeming with life, is conveyed in each stroke of his paintings. Every motion is coherent: the waves, the wind, the formation of clouds. Every painting is a celebration of life itself. To learn more about Yann and view some of his work, check out his Facebook site or see some of his paintings that are on display at his second exhibit in Playa Flamingo Beach Resort and at Jaime Peligro book store in Playa Tamarindo.
BookReview Tony Orez
Blood Meridian a quarter-century old
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ormac McCarthy’s fifth novel was released in 1988 and went all but unnoticed. Recently, Random House decided to put out a 25th anniversary edition. I’ve read several other McCarthy novels and liked them all, to varying degrees, so I gave this one a chance. The protagonist, referred to only as “the kid” throughout the novel, leaves his father and his home in Tennessee at the age of fourteen and heads Out West. In a short amount of time, he is recruited by a renegade Army Captain to finish what the U.S. Government failed to do, in his estimation, when they signed a treaty with Mexico. The Captain’s definition of justice seems slightly askew. McCarthy depicts the Old West in a cynical light that probably comes closer to the truth than most history books do, as this band of private soldiers massacre, for a price (per scalp), Native Americans and others residing along the Mexico – U.S. border, circa 1849-1850, including peaceful agrarian natives, wagon trains, and unprotected Mexican villages. When they cash in their scalps at the little border towns that have recruited them, the debauchery begins as they bathe, eat and drink and drink and drink, then rape and pillage and even start shooting each other, as the locals start boarding up their own houses and businesses. You know: good, clean fun. The reader witnesses as the band thins and then grows again until ultimately they brutally take over a ferry operation on the Colorado River near Yuma, Arizona, where they mandate fees according to whim. Eventually, they amass a treasure but are driven off, into the desert, by surviving locals and the real U.S. Army. In the desert, they are left to divide their spoils, then figure out a way for each to go his own way, without being overtaken, robbed and killed by his fellow renegades. Mr. McCarthy’s descriptions of topography and geography, of astrology, animal life and the weather straddle a weird chasm between science and poetry: it is instructive and descriptive without being intrusive and it all flows like a gentle river. The actions of the vigilante band, on the other hand, are horrific, to put it very mildly, and the author holds nothing back in describing their collective insidious behavior, in all its soulless detail. And it degenerates from there, as they de-evolve into creatures without consciences, led or usurped by an obese antagonist, a hairless anti-Buddha named Judge Holden. He is a learned man who seems always curious to learn more about the immediate world around him and shows no compunction whatsoever in discerning a line between right and wrong. The critical reviews for “Blood Meridian” in 1988 were lukewarm, but in time, the novel garnered readership and acclaim, eventually being hailed as Cormac McCarthy’s masterpiece. I think it was a bold, extremely well-crafted piece of literature that deserves its accolades. I also believe that Random House was prudent to re-release it to a new generation of readers.
August Odysseys
Robert August
My Son Sam
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hen my son Sam was growing up, I encouraged him to try whatever activity that he was interested in. Given that I was a pretty good surfer and Sam’s mother was athletic as well, Sam was a natural athlete. He soon gravitated to playing football, basketball, baseball, and of course was a good surfer. One day, when Sam was about fourteen, I got tickets for the Padres-Detroit World Series game down in San Diego. Our seats were right behind first base and I believe the final score was 13-9. The whole experience was so exciting. After the amazing game, on the car ride home, I vividly remember Sam saying to me, “Dad, I made up my mind. I am going to be a pro baseball player.” Chuckling, I replied back, “Sure, as long as we are aiming high, when I grow up I want to be an astronaut.” Well, a little while after that game, Sam really started to concentrate on baseball. He gave up basketball and football, and hardly would go surfing with me anymore. Most of his free time was spent at the ballpark practicing with his friends. As a result, he developed into a really good baseball player, excelled in high school and his team even won the State championship. The next thing I knew, a couple of years later, Sam was headed to spring training with the Houston Astros. I remember standing at the airport saying goodbye and getting kind of weepy! I travelled to watch him play in places I probably never would have visited, like Sarasota, Florida, Asheville, North Carolina and Jackson, Mississippi. Sam played baseball for ten years, was the starting pitcher, and after three elbow operations decided to stop playing. As a father, I am sure glad that I let Sam follow his passion!
Local Happenings
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espite being between seasons in the national games, there was plenty of excitement during June/July. It seems that Tamarindo has become a favourite location for training camp; La Liga enjoyed our beach in June, followed by league champions Heredia and Belén, who tried to adopt Lila as team mascot. Sorry, muchachos, but the Howler mascot stays right here.
Then came the Copa de Oro between Concacaf teams. A scandal arose when players from Belize reported they were approached by a man who tried to bribe them to lose. What a joke – Belize, ranked 130th by FIFA, needs no bribing to lose. Against the U.S, they lost 6-1, then lost to a pathetic Costa Rican team only by scoring into their own goal! This game was played in Salt Lake City, where Sele captain Saborío is a local hero as he plays for Real Salt Lake, but in front of his home crowd he played a very poor game. Since joining Real Salt Lake following an outstanding career with Saprissa, Saborío has become the leading all-time scorer for the team. Next thrill was when London team Fulham F.C. visited Costa Rica to play exhibition games against Cartago, Liga and Saprissa. Costa Rica player Brian Ruiz plays on the Fulham team, so there was a lot of interest in the “local boy makes good” games. Prior to Fulham, Ruíz played for Dutch team Twente, whom he led to the league championship title. In the friendlies, Fulham beat Cartago 3-0 and La Liga 3-1, but tied with Saprissa 2-2 in a slow and uninspired game, then won on penalty shots.
AROUND TOWN CRGAR invites you to its annual Charity Golf Tournament. August 9 is the cocktail party at Pangas Beach Club in Tamarindo; August 10th is the tournament at Reserva Conchal, followed by an Awards Luncheon. Please contact Lindsay Cantillo at 8829-8103, Erika Araya at 8375-6737, visit www.crgar.com or write crgargolf@gmail.com. Delta will start to operate a weekly service non-stop between Minneapolis and San José. Leaves Minneapolis at 7:40 a.m., arriving in San José 1:10. Leaves San José at 2:25, arrives Minneapolis 8 p.m. Volcano Brewing Company, which has been brewing fine beers near Tilaran, is to move to Tamarindo, where it will expand the production of its delicious beers at Witch’s Rock Surf Camp. The hotel/microbrewery in Tilaran will close its doors on August 28. CicloCorea in Villarreal offers cycle tours. Call 2653-4679 or 89179654. See ad on page 13. The Club at Mar Vista offers lunch and dinner Wed. thru Sun., special brunch on Sundays. Sunset views, high-quality food and drinks; bring the whole family to enjoy an afternoon or evening in the infinity pool or lounging on their extensive patio! Open W-Sat 11am, Sundays 10am. Local artist Susan Adams along with the Hidden Garden Art Gallery is currently exhibiting her artwork at the Liberia International Airport in a show entitled “Jungle Mist & Savannah Summer” running through the end of September. Contact www.hiddengarden.thevanstonegroup. com or Ms. Adams’ own www.theadamsartgallery.com. Water problems? Water Pump Solutions offers installation and service of water tanks. Call 2653-6689/9067, see ad page 19. Café Conchal in Paseo del Mar in Huacas is now open for dinner; air-conditioned and WiFi. See ad on page 19. Shopping in Santa Cruz? Enjoy lunch or dinner at Restaurant & Marisquería El Milenio, the best Chinese food in Santa Cruz. See ad page 23. Problems with termites, mosquitoes and other pests? Fumigadora Santa Cruz offers the solution with fumigation and advice. See ad page 13. Restaurant Gazebo in Garden Plaza is available for private parties and special events. Telephone 2653-1626 / 8487-3815. Mother’s Day is celebrated August 15. Floristería Cristal offers express service to send Mama a beautiful bouquet. Tel: 2653-8762. Congratulations to El Coconut Restaurant for the Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence Award. See ad on page 6.
Surf Report Ellen Zoe Golden (ellenzoe@aol.com) It’s only been a minute since we’ve heard from Carlos Muñoz, the Costa Rican surf champion from Esterillos. But you can’t miss him on the cover of this month’s Surfing magazine (left). Just five Hispanics have been featured on the cover of either Surfing, Surfer or Transworld Surf. Muñoz is one of three Ticos competing on the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Qualifying Series (WQS) international circuit right now. At the end of June, he made his way to the 6-star event called Los Cabos Open of Surf, which took place in Zippers Beach, Costa Azul, San José del Cabo in Mexico. All in all, he was fantastic, surfing against some of the best in the world. In the man-to-man heats, Muñoz smashed Ezekiel Lau of Hawaii in the Quarterfinals, going head-to-head in the Semis with Vincente Romero of Spain where he lost, but ended his run in 5th place in the total contest. The next WQS for Muñoz was the 6-star Reef Pro El Salvador, which took place in early July at Punto Roca. In an extraordinary showing, he made it all the way to the face-to-face Quarterfinals where he lost to the well-known Josh Kerr of Australia. With this 7th place finish (out of 144 competitors), Muñoz is now ranked at #81 on the ASP Men’s World Rankings. If you have any doubt this kid is real, check out this video of Carlos Muñoz made by his sponsor Volcom: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?feature=player_embedded&v=mjWm-fey3_w Muñoz was joined at the Reef Pro El Salvador event by Malpais’ Anthony Fillingim, who is now also working his way through various dates of the WQS. Since he was not seeded on this international circuit, Fillingim had to compete for a wildcard placement in the main heats and he passed with flying colors. However, in the next round of 96 professionals, he fell to 4th among the powerhouses Josh Kerr of Australia, Gabriel Villaran from Peru, and Ricky Whitlock from the United States. Also to be noted with high regard, is the fact that our little star Noe Mar McGonagle (photo top) from Pavones tried his hand at a WQS date, this one the 4-star Surf Open Acapulco in Playa Revolcadero, Mexico. His report: “I finalized my participation in the 4-star WQS in Acapulco. I finished in 9th place! I’m super happy to end up with
a good result in a WQS. Pura vida to all. Thank you for the support!” Since he just started with a couple of dates on the WQS, McGonagle is ranked only 254; still not bad out of 650, more than halfway up the chart. In other good news: After they tallied up the points for the Reef Classic in Mexico, it looks like Jacó’s Jason Torres placed high enough in the contest to top the Asociación of Latinoamericana de Surfistas Profesionales (ALAS) rankings at #1. This is an extraordinary accomplishment because no Tico has ever won the ALAS Latin Tour. Let’s keep watching as the year progresses. On our home turf of Costa Rica, the Circuito Nacional presented the Copa Olympus tough in Esterillos at the end of June. And it looks like we now have a frontrunner to win national championship. After winning the Esterillos date last year, Jacó’s Jair Pérez took the trophy again, and with this win of the 7th date of the countrywide competition, he secures a solid lead at #1 for in the overall rankings this year. It was not an easy win in Esterillos. The final heat featured Fillingim, Esterillo’s Danny Bishko and Limón’s Jordan Hernandez. He was challenged by the other guys the whole heat, and only after scoring high on the last two waves in the final five minutes did Pérez lock in first place. “The truth is I was super nervous,” recalled Pérez. “I was never calm because I always want to get put up good scores at the start, but in the last 6 or 7 minutes I got the scores I needed, and I could win. Hopefully with the achievement at this date I can now be national champion.” Although things look bright for Pérez to accomplish that national championship goal, you never know how things are going to pan out after everyone competes in the Gran Finals at Hermosa and when the best six contest scores are tallied. The Top 10 rankings for the Open as of the completion of Esterillos: 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) 10)
Jair Pérez 6861 points Noe Mar McGonagle 6455 Luis Vindas (Jacó) 6360 Ramon Talani (Jacó) 6053 Gilbert Brown (Puerto Viejo) 5925 Jordan Hernandez (Limon) 5243 Anthony Fillingim 4935 Alberto Muñoz (Esterillos) 4695 Olman Morales (Jacó) 4673 Danny Bishko 4653. (continued page 18)
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A new species of dinosaur has been unearthed from the deserts of Utah. Nicknamed “big nose, horn face”, its official name is nasutoceratops. Described as a cross between an elephant and a rhino, it was about 5 meters long and weighed in at 2.5 tonnes, but was a vegetarian. Researchers at University of Warwick have found that CIA boss Allen Dulles was fascinated by the fictional spy James Bond and asked CIA scientists if they could duplicate some of 007’s gadgets. A museum in China has been shut down after many of its exhibits were found to be fakes. One vase from the 27th century BC was inscribed with its maker’s name in Chinese characters that didn’t exist at that time. A new design of wet suit will help reduce the incidence of shark bites, according to Australian scientists. A combination of selected colours causes the suit to blend in with the ocean’s natural background, confusing the shark and making it difficult for it to attack. A man in Brazil was killed when a cow fell through his home’s asbestos roof onto his bed. A knife has been developed by scientists with the ability to ‘sniff out’ cancerous tumours. Burning its way through tissue, it can detect the difference between smoke from cancerous and healthy tissue. University of Birmingham (UK) researchers have discovered an ancient ‘calendar’ created about 10,000 years ago in a Scottish field. The oldest calendar in the world, it could mimic the phases of the moon. Gonna buy ten copies for my mother...Several stores around the U.S. are boycotting the latest Rolling Stone magazine because its cover features Boston Bomber suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. A Pennsylvania man who sells auto parts on e-Bay briefly became the richest man in the world when PayPal accidentally credited his account with over 92 quadrillion dollars. But before he could spend it all the mistake was noticed and the transaction reversed.
Who ate my Guanacaste tree?
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Kay Dodge de Peraza, Ph. D
t is hard to believe it was 1998 when I first experienced a plague in Guanacaste. When I arrived home from my daughter’s wedding in Michigan, the middle of July, our large Guanacaste tree which shades our riding ring and area we prepare the horses for tours, was being attacked by a plague of gusanos. These small green inchworms were voraciously eating all the tiny leaves, then dropping from the tree on fine threads. When they reached the ground or any other solid object, the worms began to swarm. The sticky webs covered everything. When I looked up into the massive tree almost half of the tiny leaflets were gone and thousands, no, millions, of caterpillars were covering everything on the ground. The saddles, blankets, chairs, the pilas and even the horses were covered with fine webs and creeping green gusanos. The silky, sticky webs stuck to my hair and clothing, creating an environment, which I thought, soon would be covered with a cocoon. In the following days, the hungry explosion of green worms ate and ate all the remaining leaflets and the fine center stems of the compound leaves littered the ground. As we drove to Santa Cruz and Liberia the following week, it was obvious that the plague of gusanos was devouring most of the Guanacaste trees in the region. The majestic trees with their characteristically spreading branches and massive gray trunks stood like pale ghosts among the other lush green trees of the rainy season. Esteban commented he had never seen the denuding of the Guanacaste trees on such a grand scale. During the first two weeks of August in the twilight and evening, the invaders began to make their metamorphic change into small tan moths. Thousands of these nondescript moths fluttered in front of me as I walked below our Guanacaste tree. In the local bar, the lights attracted the swirling masses of moths, presenting a final frantic dance before they prepared to lay eggs for their life cycle. Tourists who rode with us that week said they could hardly finish their wonderful dinner at Hotel Capitån Suizo because the restaurant also had been invaded by hundreds of thousands of the moths. I assured them it was a short-term phenomenon, and Tamarindo was not normally home to such invasions. The locals call the moths, papalote, an annual event, however not as dra
(continued page 21)
Surf Report (from page 15) And there was an upset in both the Women’s categories at the Copa Olympus tough: 13-year-old Emily Gussoni (photo page 25) of Jacó won 1st place in the Women’s final heat, beating out #1 ranked Leilani McGonagle (Pavones), a returning-to-competition Nataly Bernold (Jacó) and the upstart Paula Duarte (Jacó). The 10-time champion from Jacó, Lisbeth Vindas, only made it to the Semis and 5th place. Gussoni also won the trophy in the Junior Women’s division. “I’ve been training very hard these past few months. I changed my coach and I am commited more to the different waves where I train. Also, I’m doing physical training, and these are the reasons I finally got the results,” explained Gussoni. In another noted performance, Tamarindo’s Malakai Martínez won yet another Mini-Grommets division 1st place. That makes his 5th time at the podium to take the 1st place trophy. There is no doubt he is once again the Mini-Grommets national champion. Congratulations Malakai. Also, Anthony Flores (Jacó) secured his sixth 1st place trophy, and his second national championship. Way to go Anthony! The Circuito Nacional Olympus 2013, presented by Adrenaline Rush, now moves to Playa Hermosa in Jacó on July 26, 27 and 28 to run the Gran Final Reef, where all national champions will be selected.
Copa Olympus Tough June 22, 23, 2013 Esterillos Open 1) Jair Pérez 2) Jordan Hernandez 3) Anthony Fillingim 4) Danny Bishko
Boys 1) Leonardo Calvo (Jacó) 2) Bruno Carvalho (Jacó) 3) Malakai Martinez (Tamo.) 4) Sean Forester (Tamarindo)
Women’s 1) Emily Gussoni 2) Leilani McGonagle 3) Nataly Bernold 4) Paula Duarte
Mini-Grommet 1) Malakai Martinez 2) Oscar Urbina (Jacó) 3) Sage Guinaldo (Jacó) 4) Jacob Kelly (Jacó)
Junior 1) Leon Glatzer (Pavones) 2) Noe Mar McGonagle 3) Mario Vega (Esterillos) 4) Josué Rodriguez (Jacó)
Longboard 1) Anthony Flores 2) Adolfo Gomez (Jacó) 3) Enrique Pacheco (Jacó) 4) Alex Gomez (Jacó).
Junior Women’s 1) Emily Gussoni 2) Leilani McGonagle 3) Paula Durarte 4) Mary Ottley (Jacó)
(continued page 25)
Selected Poems from “Tell me about the telaraña” by Diana Renee I wouldn’t jump off a bridge for you or dash out in front of a speeding train but i would fall off Mauricio’s bike at 12 am en la pura plaza and gash my toe and bleed jamás no me busques me subí al sol como agua and will come down on nights with heavy clouds. You will see me sometimes smile pero jamás me tocarás. no me busques me fuí sin huellas como el viento. i have told you i live in trees, in each of them. you will search for me in fruit pero jamás me encontrerás. almas antiguas Yo era su madre en el tiempo de los tigres. Me llenó el cuerpo como un río y lo saque un día de mis entrañas con las manos. Lo lavé en el mar y lo alimenté de mi pecho hasta que podía caminar. Era mi primero y le atrapé peces con las manos. Le abrí semillas con piedras. Lo perdí entonces y ahora lo encontré. Mi sangre lo conoce porque es mío. Nuestras almas son más antiguas que el amor. Son más profundas que el espacio entre las estrellas.
Your Stars in August
Aries: 21 March - 20 April
Libra: 23 September - 23 October
Taurus: 21 April - 21 May
Scorpio: 24 October - 22 November
Gemini: 22 May - 21 June
Sagittarius: 23 November - 21 December
This is a month for strange happenings and reversals of circumstances as the Uranus retrograde in Aries, making squares to Pluto and Jupiter, is the defining energy. With Pluto, it feels heavy but because Jupiter is present, there’s great potential for a positive outcome, whatever the circumstances. Tempers and relationships lighten up in the last week as Venus in Libra smoothes out ruffled feathers with sweet words and a tender touch. Best days are the 23rd and 24th. Relationships present a test for you right now as it feels hard to connect with your significant other this month. You are both needing some physical distance and psychic space from each other. You’d be wise to keep a journal of your feelings, dreams and impressions to get a perspective on this time period. This difficulty too, shall pass. Taking a pleasure trip at the beginning of the month would be valuable for your spirit. Your most fortunate days are the 25th, 26th and 27th. Better work habits and discipline with your health are the order of the month as you gain ground with your finances and professional life this month. You have an inspired vision for yourself leading the way and you simply must follow it, step by step. It’s an adventure and you thrive on that kind of stimulation so just remain open and say yes to the opportunities that come along. Days to go for it are the 1st, 2nd, 28th and 29th.
Cancer: 22 June - 22 July
With Saturn now direct in your second house of finances, you can start climbing out of the hole you’ve been in over the last couple of years. Three planets in your tenth house give you a voice and a story that will be heard. There’s still upset in your partnership house and more secrets will be revealed regarding certain women in your life, but this smoothes out the last week of the month. Taking it one day at a time is really the best way to go. Good days are the 10th, 11th and 12th.
Though you might be feeling very worn out and tired, you are coming out of a pretty dark period now. If you let your creativity guide you, this can be a very fruitful and productive time. Travel is favored this month and you can make some great connections that will serve you well in the future. Share your story and don’t be afraid to ask for help. The 13th is a bit heavy but the 14th restores your faith in things working out. You are likely to be very reclusive for the next several months as Saturn transits your twelfth house. The water trine of Saturn, Neptune and Jupiter is happening in the houses of endings so the next twelve months will mark a definite end of an era and time of reflection on your life. You might even have to do a little caretaking for someone close to you. In any event, there’s something to be gained by you showing up and doing the right thing. Best days are the 15th and 16th.
With three planets in your sign now, there’s a big emphasis on family, security and communication. However, some shocking revelations may create some drama and chaos in your close relationships and in your professional life. Something is changing and with that change comes liberation…which in some ways is very disturbing to the Cancer archetype. So, get ready to have something uprooted. Good days to rest and renew yourself are the 3rd, 4th, 30th and 31st.
Capricorn: 22 December - 21 January
Though you have some rather heavy responsibilities at home right now it would be a good month to schedule some time away, possibly in a different culture to appreciate all the positive things you do have going for you at home. There’s a deep need to understand this particular passage of life as well as the intense feelings of fear that are rising in you. Spend some time alone and don’t squash your emotions; experience them and let them clear. Best days are the 5th, 6th and new moon on the 7th.
Saturn is at the top of your solar chart so you could be experiencing a pinnacle of professional success over the next twelve months, if you’ve been working hard along the way. There’s recognition associated with this transit as well as more responsibility, but you get back what you give per the laws of karma. The major downside with this transit is that it takes one out of their home life to a great extent. The 19th and full moon on the 20th are your most favorable days.
Leo: 23 July - 23 August
Virgo: 24 August - 22 September
You get the wonderful blessing of having Venus in your sign for the next seventeen days to make you a magnet for good vibes from others. This is an excellent time to travel with a friend or friends and let your hair down and just be comfortable and cared for. However, with the Uranus Rx squaring Mars, don’t take risks as this aspect has a bit of an accident-prone energy around it. Overall, the month has a very positive feel to it. Best days are the 8th and 9th. by Jeanne Callahan (jeannecallahan007@gmail.com)
With Saturn transiting your eleventh house, you can start to manifest some long-held dream or desire. Friends become more important to you as do your siblings and love partner. You will be feeling quite grateful for their support and trust and open up in new ways to emotional intimacy. Plan some time away just for pleasure with your mate. The 17th and 18th would be great days for that.
Aquarius: 22 January - 19 February
Pisces: 20 February - 20 March
This is a very romantic and pleasurable time for you as the water trine happens in your first, fifth and ninth houses, making for romance, fun and fruitful travels abroad. I’d definitely plan a trip somewhere exotic to really enjoy this rare occurrence. Cash flow might be erratic, however, so do make sure you know your bank balance and available credit before you leave town! The 21st and 22nd are very pleasurable days.
Namasté Visit Jeanne’s site at CelestialAdvisor.com
Guanacaste Tree...
(from page 17)
matic. Later that month, I was heartened because the leaves returned with the August rains. Small new stems with their tiny leaflets emerged among the ghostly remains of webs and bare branches. Fortunately, the trees recovered and it seemed like just one of the many interesting cycles of nature. In 2010, the invasion struck again, but this time I knew “who ate my Guanacaste tree.” The plague of gusanos returned in full battle dress, inching along, spreading their sticky webs and eating all the area’s Guanacaste trees. Having experienced the explosion of the papalote fifteen years ago, I was assured that the Guanacaste trees would survive. With the early heavy rains this year, the gusanos appeared a little earlier and now, in mid-July, the moths are finishing their cycle. I thought perhaps, they were on a 15-year cycle, but that was presumptuous, I just had to wait 3 years to see them again, but with a much less impact. The papalote life cycle is just one of the many fascinating life cycles of Guanacaste and the diverse tropical ecosystems.
Now Begins the Study of Yoga Yoga on the Road #1 - in Flight Vacations are awesome; however, sometimes the getting there is hard on the body. Whether you travel first class or economy you end up sitting for long periods of time, and we often get to our destination feeling stiff, tired, and like you’ve been crammed into an uncomfortable space for far too long. So here are some ways to stretch yourself out both in your seat or in the aisle. These stretches work for long car or bus rides as well as for airplanes, and are good for people of all ages. 1. Breathing. Sit up tall in your seat. Close your eyes. Take 5-10 nice deep inhales and exhales. Allow yourself to just feel your breath as it comes in and goes out. Notice if you are holding any tension in any part of your body, and breathe into that spot, then release the tension as much as possible with your exhale. This is great to do if you feel any anxiety. 2. Spinal Wave. Sit up tall, away from the seat back, with your ankles under your knees, hands on your thighs. Inhale and push down into your heels and sit bones, bring the pit of your abdomen (POA, just below your belly button) in and up, and lift your chest. On your exhale, bring the POA towards the back of your pelvis, tucking under with your sit bones and bringing your upper back forward. Do this 10 or more times,
allowing the movement of your pelvis and spine to be fluid. 3. Side Stretch. If sitting, do this with your elbows clasped; if standing extend your arms and clasp your hands. Inhale length, exhale stretch to one side. Stay for a couple of breaths, then inhale back to center, and exhale to the other side. Do twice on each side. 4. Twist. Sitting tall inhale and extend your spine up and down, exhale and twist to one side. Hold for 3-5 breaths, and exhale back to center. Repeat on the other side. This is especially good to do hourly if you know your back tightens up while traveling. 5. Toe and heel tapping. Just what it says! Lift your toes, then your heels. Repeat at least 10 times, and match your movements to your breath. Add in rolling your ankles in a circle in one direction 5-10 times, then switch directions and repeat. 6. Leg hug and hip stretch. Lift one of your legs and hug into your body. Keep your low back lifting as you do this, and hold for three breaths. Then take that leg and cross the ankle over the opposite thigh – if this is already a good stretch for your hip, just stay here for five breaths. If you can, take this into a gentle forward bend. Repeat on the other side.
Bon Voyage and Namaste, Mary Mary Byerly is one of the owners and the yoga teacher at Panacea. An oasis of tranquility and health 10 minutes from Tamarindo. Discover Paradise and Bring a Peace Home www.panaceacr.com • 2653-8515
A Slice of Life Christmas Shopping Symbiosis David Mills
R
oanoke Island in North Carolina is home to several tourist attractions. It was here in 1585 that the first British colony was settled. Now Jamestown, VA, has that honour, because the one at Roanoke disappeared without trace, within a year of its founding, taking with it some 110 settlers. Over the centuries, thousands of investigations have failed to find where they went, or why. A nearby attraction is the Fort Raleigh National Historic Site with its Elizabethan Gardens and reconstruction of the colony’s village in Manteo, the only town on the island. Since July 4, 1937, this park has staged a live outdoor drama production called “The Lost Colony”. But to many tourists the main attraction in Manteo is the Christmas Shoppe. Open year-round, this store sells everything you could wish for in Christmas ornaments, and a ton of stuff you would never wish for. Dreaded by most men, the place is a magnet for women who come from far and wide to explore the many tiny rooms full of lights, decorations, Santas and tree stuff, while hubby tags along, bored out of his mind and hoping for an early end to the shopping. A few years ago the enterprising owners saw a big business opportunity and built a German microbrewery opposite the Christmas Shoppe. Now, when you see a car pull into the parking lot, the wife heads into the Shoppe, while the husband goes into the Weeping Radish for a litre of freshbrewed lager or dark ale and a bratwurst with sauerkraut, hoping the wife will spend a lot of time shopping. She, in her turn, shops happily without the encumbrance of a bored hubby. Symbiosis at work
Doctor’s Orders Jeffrey Whitlow, M.D. jwhitlow82159@gmail.com
The Pill Problem
F
or the next couple of months, I want to talk about what I call “the pill problem”. That is my term for the fact that the medical profession and the general public believe that every physical and psychological problem can be solved by some type of pill. I was first confronted with this belief when I was a third-year medical student. During my education, the first two years were spent in classrooms and labs. The next two years consisted of “clinicals”. That is, we followed older and more experienced doctors as they performed their duties in the hospital and in their offices. At that time, I was following Dr. C.M. Young III, a family practitioner in Louisville, KY. I was with him one day as he made his hospital rounds, and I walked into the room of an elderly lady who was also under the care of several specialists. Each of those practitioners had prescribed her a pill or two related to their particular specialty. I asked her how she was doing, and she looked at me and said, “Doctor, what am I supposed to do with all of these pills?!?”, gesturing to a small paper cup filled with pills of all sizes and colors. I had no credible answer to her query. At that time in my life and education, I was too credulous and unsophisticated to understand that the field of clinical medicine had been hijacked by the pharma industry and by the corporate greedhead mentality that pervades American society. The details of this phenomenon can be reviewed at http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig6/ bender2.html and in the book World Without Cancer by G. Edward Griffin, particularly Chapter 18, “He Who Pays The Piper”. (As usual, Mr. Thomas Smith told me about this info.) It has only been in the last few years that I have gained a full understanding of the disservice that the medical profession has rendered to its patients, based upon that information and my own research and study. If I had known then what I know now, I would have sat beside that lady’s bed and I would have asked her about her dietary habits and lifestyle choices. For all of you who are taking pills on a long-term basis for medical conditions that your doctor says can’t be “cured”, I ask that you honestly examine your lifestyle, identify your bad habits, and correct them. For all of you doctors who are prescribing pills for “diseases” that are really nothing more than the physical manifestations of a lifetime of bad dietary habits and poor lifestyle choices, I ask that you honestly examine your clinical mindset and adjust it to reflect the reality that human beings must follow their natural diet, and they must not engage in unhealthy activities like smoking and drinking to excess. Hold your patients to that standard, and refuse to accept anything less. Not only are pills unnecessary, but they are actually dangerous poisons. We rely on our liver and kidneys to remove wastes and poisons from our bodies. These man-made chemicals, which in the vast majority of cases have never been tested on humans long-term, can be directly toxic to the liver and kidneys on a short and/or long-term basis. Literally scores of these toxins have been removed from the market after it has been proven by clinical experience that they are far more dangerous than the conditions they were designed to cure. (Google: “Withdrawn drugs”) Next month, we will continue this discussion, focusing on particular pills and ailments.
Surf Report (from page 18) Emily Gussoni
Surf For Youth July 6, 7 Marbella
Open 1) Anthony Segura 2) Ronald Brown (Puerto Viejo) 3) Red Gazardo (Esterillos) 4) Gilbert Brown (Puerto Viejo) Women 1) Kailani Jimenez 2) Chelsea Lisaius (Tamarindo) 3) Christina August (Tamarindo) 4) Marie Barry (Tamarindo)
Photo: Alfredo Barquero
Groms 1) Francisco Sanchez (Tamarindo) 2) Selasie Quijada (Tamarindo) 3) Noah Quijada (Tamarindo) 4) Mauricio Rodriguez
You really have got to hand it to Waves Costa Rica’s owner Andrea Díaz, who not only runs her business daily, and coaches the CEPIA surf team, but she also organizes surf contests to help the community. Just a month ago, she put together a contest in Tamarindo to heighten awareness for sexual abuse of children.
Groms Girls 1) Rony Koren 2) Katie Herman (Tamarindo) 3) Marie Barry (Tamarindo) 4) Christina August (Tamarindo)
Her CEPIA team features José Armando Fallas (16 años), Henry Ríos (12), Francisco Sánchez (14), Anthony Rodríguez (14), Harvey Rojas (11),), Isayana Juárez (15), Zulay Martínez (12), Agustina Errea (16), Marcela García (15), Tania González (17) and Jorge Quedo (16).
Masters 1) Brad Hersch 2) Marcel Guinaldo 3) Jeff Allen 4) Denis Leon
And just completed was the second annual Surf for Youth tournament in Marbella organized by Díaz and co-sponsored by Marbella Tiki Hut Restaurant. Surf For Youth continues the conscientious work to help young kids by promoting the practice of surfing while stressing the importance of staying in school among a new generation of competitors in Guanacaste. There were 64 competitors who congregated at Marbella from all over Costa Rica including, but not limited to, Jacó, Boca Barranca, Esterillos, Nosara, Garza, Tamarindo and Hermosa de Jacó. Among this lot, Anthony Segura (photo right) of Esterillos won first place in the Open and earned $500 in doing so. According to Andrea: “Clearly as time goes on we have to earn the respect of the sponsors and the community of surfers who constantly ask for details about the contest. I feel like we are sowing a good seed for the growth of the sport.” Additional sponsors helping support Surf For Youth contest are Quiksilver, Punto Surf, Reserva Conchal, CEPIA, Hotel El Manglar, Marbella Surf Inn, Lomas del Sol, Camelo Bikinis, Wipeout Films, 7 mares, Pacifica Azul, Papaya Con Leche, CR Surf, Balance Boards, Ruta Del Sol, Black Flys, The Westin Golf Resort & Spa Playa Conchal and Vista Bella.
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.
Surviving
C hapter MDCCCXVI
COSTA RICA
“Ask Uncle Jesse” is a new column appearing this month in response to the many letters our readers have been sending asking advice about Costa Rica, emotional situations and just basic things people want to know. Please remember Uncle Jesse is a rock musician and not a registered therapist. Question: Dear Uncle Jesse, Why do the natives here in Costa Rica drive so badly? They either drive too fast or too slow, stop in the middle of the road whenever they feel like it, never use their turn signals and often drive on the wrong side of the road in reverse. It’s very frustrating and kind of scary. Driver in Potrero Dear Driver in Potrero This is only one of many similar letters I’ve received over the years. I wish I had an answer for you. The problem is you’ve just described how I drive. Q: Dear Uncle Jesse, I’m a fifty-two-year-old man, extremely full-figured and without much hair. I don’t dress very well, live on a tiny fixed income and I sometimes forget to bathe for days at a time. My problem is I’m extremely attracted to beautiful, lithe, very sexy twenty-year-old Italian women but I can’t speak a word of their language. What should I do? Lothario in Tamarindo Dear Lothario, Hmmm, boy that’s a tough one. Let me think it over and I’ll try to have you an answer in next month’s Howler
Ask Uncle Jesse
Q: Dear Uncle Jesse, How come you’re always writing about yourself and never about me? I’m a lot more interesting. Name withheld by request Dear NWBR I’m sorry if I’ve caused undue pain and promise to swallow poison in the near future. Q: Dear Uncle Jesse, What is the average distance of the planet Venus from the Sun? My wife’s husband has been bugging me about this for months. Not Just Stupid in Huacas. Dear Not Just Stupid, 66 million miles, give or take a parsec. Q: Dear Uncle Jesse, Why is man born just to suffer and then die? It really bums me out. Depressed in Brasilito Dear Depressed, Ouch, I never thought of it that way. Maybe I’ll swallow that poison a little sooner than I had planned. Q: Dear Uncle Jesse, I am very attracted to the cute saxophone player in the Banana Kings (int.) and would very much like to meet him, settle down and have his children and grow old together. Could you arrange it? Desperate Beauty Dear Desperate Beauty, Sorry darling, you’re not his type. You’re still breathing.
Story by Jesse Bishop (owlhumm@hotmail.com)
Q: Dear Uncle Jesse, Don’t you think Costa Rica would be a nicer place to live if the roads were better, there were Walmarts everywhere and people spoke only English? That way it’d be more like Ohio. Visiting Genius from Akron Dear Visiting Genius, What great suggestions! I think you’ve hit the nail on the head with a very big hammer. My landlord’s cousin’s brother-in-law is a Costa Rican Supreme Court Justice and we’ve sent him an email with your ideas and expect a response some time next week. Q: Dear Uncle Jesse, I’m currently married to three different women here in Costa Rica and have just been told this might be illegal. Is that true? Triple Bliss Dear Triple Bliss, As we all know, other than the one that applies to gravity, there are no laws in Costa Rica. Give my regards to all the wives. Please send your questions along with a $50 wisdom fee to: Ask Uncle Jesse, c/o The Howler, Tamarindo GTE, Costa Rica. Q: Dear Uncle Jesse Are you optimistic, stupid or trusting enough to believe that the $50 will get through me to you? Cash-greedy Magazine Editor
In Grave Danger of Falling Food Tom Peifer (peifer@racsa.co.cr)
The title is borrowed from a documentary film about Permaculture: a design approach to developing food production systems which have the stability, productivity and resilience of natural ecosystems.
I
n truth, my own relationship with permaculture has followed a decidedly non-linear course. In the late ‘70s a good friend forwarded a copy of Permaculture I, the book that was to spawn a global movement. That volume lay moldering in a trunk for two years while I globe-trotted in search of the unridden waves of Santosha and a few other remote destinations. Once having ‘been there and done that’ it was back to the books and hands into the soil. The conscious design approach and wealth of different techniques influenced much of my work around my suburban lot in San Diego. “Zones” of plantings and rainwater capture, trellises with kiwi-fruit to cool certain rooms, and bananas and papayas tucked into a south-facing nook that helped them survive the occasional harsh winter in a ‘micro-climate’ designed just for their needs. In truth, the tricks and techniques in the ever-growing Permaculture opus combined with my yearning for waves in warmer waters. With the books back in a trunk, I headed south, for greener pastures and a larger palette on which to try out my design skills. In truth, the designs and techniques don’t just leap off the pages into your yard or farm and magically transform everything into a Garden of Eden before your eyes. The wetdry tropics impose their own seasonal challenges, timing is everything and the term ‘site specific’ comes into play from the bottom to the top of a hill and from one slope to another. But successes far outnumbered failures and motivated me to take on one of the challenges mentioned by Permaculture guru, Bill Mollison, in the film referred to above: “Well, we always did really want to become developers!” It might sound counter-intuitive that someone who is probably in an NSA archive, on some ‘eco-freak hit list’, would want to carve up some land and build homes. Well, the fact of the matter is that agriculture and ecosystems, just like businesses, are all about inputs and outputs - both material and financial. Permaculture design strives to integrate the built environment into the natural environment in ways that capture resource flows and enhance both food production and the surrounding ecosystems. The obvious example here in Guanacaste is the re-use of water and ‘waste’ out of the home into ‘waste water treatment’ systems that capture the available resources and turn them into, say, bananas which
thrive in a moist, well-fertilized environment. Another approach is to establish a verdant patch of greenery, strategically sited to cool down the warm summer breeze before it wafts into your home. One of the most appealing facets of the whole thrust of permaculture has been the development of perennial polycultures—think edible forest systems—in which you have food production from the numerous levels of a carefully designed, multi-storey Garden of Eden. The food forest may not be the global solution that die-hard promoters of Permaculture claim it to be, but it can certainly be an attractive—and tasty—complement to a residential development here in Guanacaste. Several factors bear mentioning. In our area, the array of techniques to deal with the seasonal challenges of water management -- earthworks to capture and infiltrate runoff in the rainy season, and the costs of irrigation in summer--are beyond the budgets of small farmers. Developments are another story. Part of “development” is, in fact, pushing a bunch of dirt around, providing access to, and suitable sites for, human habitat. With a bit of foresight and an eye for both the lay of the land and the behavior of water, developers can do themselves, their clients and those living downstream a big favor by contouring the design of the project into an elaborate network of ‘rainwater harvesting’ earthworks. I can only hazard a guess at the thousands of plants, manhours and dollars that are spent on landscape installation and maintenance in the developments around here. Suffice to say that even a small fraction of those resources, diverted into ‘edible landscaping’, and combined with the aesthetics and skills that landscaping professionals bring to the table, would be sufficient to surround their clients with a yearround, bountiful harvest of fresh produce. Sadly, my one experience at urging the head of landscaping for a nearby (continued page 28)
August ( a l l
t i m e s
In Grave Danger...
2013
Sun
l o c a l )
1st - rise 5:33; set 6:07 15th - rise 5:34; set 6:02 31st - rise 5:34; set 5:53
New: 1st quarter: Full: Last quarter:
Moon
6th 14th 20th 28th
2.5
s
3:51 p.m. 4:56 p.m. 7:45 p.m. 3:35 p.m.
It just seems like an obvious win-win approach for both developers and their clients. Given the constant increases in food prices, the scares, scandals and recalls of tainted food products and the growing concern and global opposition around eating GMOs, factoring a bit of food forest into a project no longer seems like such a hard sell.
RAINFALL - June/July 2013
c 2.0 m
project to incorporate fruit trees into his planning was met with the reply that “they’re too messy.” Ten years later the homeowners association is clamoring for more fruit trees and scraping together the funds to ensure that “better late than never.”
RAIN GAUGE
3.0
Maricle Meteorological Observatory Villarreal de Santa Cruz
1.5
Total rainfall: 15.5 cm (6.1 inches)
1.0 0.5 0.0 16
20
25
30 1
June
5
10
July
Year-to-date 2013: 55.5 cm 2012: 8.2
Rainfall Jun/July 2013: 15.5 cm 2012: 8.2
(from page 27)
15
Where I call home, at the edge of the jungle, I wish I’d had greater luck in practicing what I preach. Nonetheless, within fifty yards of my ranchito, I can harvest four different varieties of banana, root crops for starches, lemons, mangoes, guanabana and a selection of leaf crops for salads, soups and stews. The extra bit of good news is that the edible landscape also tends to support your local wildlife population, from birds and butterflies to squirrels and monkeys. Really, as I see it, the only downside is the possible need to don a hardhat sometimes, when you’re walking around your forest garden, in “grave danger of falling food.”
Tom Peifer is an ecological land use consultant with 18 years experience in Guanacaste. 2658-8018. peifer@racsa.co.cr El Centro Verde is dedicated to researching and promoting sustainable land use, permaculture and environmentally sound development. 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: 5:30-6:30 - Open Meeting Location: Behind Pedro’s Surf Shop Contact: Ellen - 2-653-0897 / Steve - 8377-1529
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. amphetamine anecdotal anfitrion asamblea catatonic contradictorio edificio fortuitous fraternal galantear hormiga huelga humanidad inconsciente libidinous
license lucidity menacing orilla panoply precipitar psychedelic second spirit stagger terremoto tortoise tortuous tropezar tornillo
1T
2F
3S
4S
5M
04:00 10:29 16:52 23:11 05:05 11:30 17:53
2.2 7.8 1.9 7.0 2.4 7.7 1.9
6T New Moon
00:11 06:06 12:25 18:46 01:04 07:00 13:15 19:33 01:50 07:47 13:59 20:13
7.1 2.4 7.8 1.7 7.4 2.2 8.0 1.3 7.8 1.8 8.3 1.0
8T
7W
9F
10S
02:30 08:28 14:40 20:50 03:08 09:07 15:19 21:26 03:44 09:44 15:56 22:01 04:20 10:21 16:33 22:35 04:55 10:58 17:09 23:10
8.2 1.4 8.6 0.7 8.6 1.0 8.8 0.4 8.9 0.7 8.9 0.3 9.1 0.5 8.9 0.2 9.2 0.4 8.8 0.3
11S
12M
13T
14W 1st Qtr 15T
AUGUST TIDE CHART 05:31 11:36 17:47 23:47 06:09 12:16 18:28
9.2 0.5 8.6 0.4 9.2 0.6 8.3
16F
00:27 06:50 13:01 19:13 01:12 07:37 13:51 20:05 02:04 08:33 14:49 21:07
0.6 9.0 0.8 8.0 0.9 8.7 1.0 7.7 1.2 8.5 1.2 7.5
18S
17S
19M
20T Full Moon
03:06 09:37 15:55 22:17 04:16 10:47 17:05 23:28 05:29 11:55 18:12
14 8.3 1.3 7.6 1.5 8.4 1.1 7.9 1.3 8.7 0.7
00:34 8.4 06:37 0.8 12:58 9.1 19:12 0.2 01:32 9.1 07:37 0.3 13:55 9.5 20:06 -0.4
21W
22T
23F
24S
25S
02:25 08:32 14:46 20:56 03:14 09:22 15:36 21:43 04:01 10:10 16:22 22:28 04:47 10:55 17:08 23:12 05:32 11:41 17:54 23:56
97 -0.2 9.9 -0.7 10.2 -0.6 10.0 -0.9 10.4 -0.7 9.8 -0.8 10.3 -0.6 9.7 -0.5 10.0 -0.2 9.2 0.0
26M
06:17 12:27 18:41
9.5 0.3 8.6
31S
27T
00:40 07:03 13:14 19:30 01:27 07:53 14:05 20:25 02:20 08:48 15:03 21:26 03:20 09:49 16:07 22:23
0.6 8.9 0.8 7.9 1.3 8.3 1.4 7.3 1.9 7.7 1.9 6.9 2.4 7.3 2.1 6.8
1S Sept
28W Last Qtr 29T
30F
2M
3T
4W
04:28 10:54 17:13 23:37 05:35 11:54 18:11
2.6 7.2 2.1 6.9 2.5 7.3 1.8
00:31 06:32 12:46 18:59 01:18 07:19 13:32 19:41 01:58 08:01 14:13 20:18
2.3 7.1 7.6 1.5 7.7 1.7 8.0 1.1 8.2 1.1 8.4 0.7