Howler1507july

Volume 20, No. 7

July 2015

Issue No. 224

Founded 1996

THE HOWLER Ced. Juridica: 3-101-331333

FEATURES

Publisher, editor and production David Mills

dmills@racsa.co.cr Tel: Office - 4702-5771 Celular - 8323-2795 Howler • Mono Congo

8 Dining Out

For a change of menu, we pigged out on sushi this month, at Tiki’s Restaurant in Brasilito.

14 Around Town

CONTRIBUTORS JEANNE CALLAHAN JESSE BISHOP MARY BYERLY ROBERT AUGUST KAY DODGE LYNDA ESPADA

ELLEN ZOE GOLDEN TONY OREZ TOM PEIFER JEFFREY WHITLOW BARBARA DEPPE SUSAN SMITH

Deadline for August: July 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

Advertising rates & sizes Size

1/8 1/4 Banner 1/2 Full

Dimensions (cms) Width Height 9.4 9.4 19.2 9.4 19.2 19.2

x x x x x

6.15 12.70 6.15 25.80 12.70 25.80

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

15 Surf Report

Costa Rica was the undoubted winner at the World Surfing Games in Nicaragua, with phenomenal performances from the whole team.

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Surviving Costa Rica

We are taken on a trip to Paradise, but it isn’t all you had expected, so chill out, relax, embrace Pura Vida - this is Costa Rica.

35

What is Goin’ On?

Our columnist wishes he believed in God, when he ponders drought and flooding, the Kardashians and the FIFA screw-ups.

Price $ 100 140 140 230 400

Discounts For 6 months, paid in advance, one month is deducted.

For 12 months, paid in advance, two months are deducted.

DEPARTMENTS 10 Book Review

32 Yoga

11 Music Review

36 Sun & Moon

17 Dharma Corner

36 Rain Gauge

30 July Forecasts

37 Shape Up

31 Word Puzzle

38 Tide Table

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.tamarindobeach.net

www.tamarindohomepage.com

Cover Caption: A Riot of Colour Cover Photo: David Mills Cover Design: David Mills

Anexion de Guanacaste - July 25 Two new companies, Air Panama and Air Costa Rica, will fly out of San José. Air Costa Rica will fly to Guatemala, Managua, Panama City and Miami; Air Panama daily to Panama City (Albrook), starting July 1. Both will offer lower costs than their competitors.

United announces that it will fly from Denver to San Jose, beginning Dec. 18, an over night flight on Friday at 11pm, and departing Saturday 7:20am for the return flight. And a flight Denver to Liberia on Saturdays at 9:15am, return flight leaving Liberia 12:30pm.

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Many thanks to regular columnist Jeffrey Wilcox, who is taking a well-earned break from writing for The Howler.

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Senara - Servicio Nacional de Aguas Subterraneas - has issued an instruction that permits for development be halted for a while in the Canton of Santa Cruz to allow the aquifers to recover.

The mayor of Santa Cruz and the Consejos of the Municipality agreed in a session last month that permits of construction, for big developments, be allowed to continue, as the problem is not serious.

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After all the fuss over Soccer, perhaps we can get on with the games. We continue publishing the upcoming tournaments such as the Copa de Oro, to be played this month in the U.S. and Canada. See page 13 for fixtures.

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But football is not the only sport at which Costa Rica shines. Congratulations to surfers Carlos Munoz, Leilani McGonagle, Lisbeth Vindas, Jason Torres, Noe Mar McGonagle, Anthony Filligim, who have placed Costa Rica firmly at the top of the world. Noe Mar says “Maybe now people will see surfing as it is, the sport that most attracts tourists to the country, and which needs help to keep growing.”

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And congratulations also to Andrey Amador, our wonderful cyclist, who placed fourth overall in the gruelling Giro d’Italia.

Service on the beach, in your hotel, in our store “your well-being is our promise” PACKETS 90 MINUTES RELAXING MASSAGE - SCRUB - FACIAL SPORT MASSAGE AND COMPRESS - 1hr WAXING DEPILATION FACIAL

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REFLEXOLOGY HANDS & FEET CLEANING AND COLOR OF NAILS

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SPECIAL PRICE FOR STUDENTS AND LOCALS Find us on Facebook: SPA Natural Tamarindo

Tiki’s is not just a restaurant/bar – it has a view of Brasilito Beach and, if you are there at the right time, amazing sunsets. And a really delicious choice of dishes; on this visit we concentrated on the sushi menu.

Appetizers: miso soup; edamame; tuna poke; seaweed salad; sashimi salad; geisha salad.

We had spring rolls (deep fried with vegetables, sweet and sour sauce); and gyosas (dumplings of pork).

Rolls: Spicy tuna; Philadelphia; Alaska; the Hulk; dining Nemo; dragon; rainbow, sunny California; crunchy roll; green goblin; hungry birds; geisha lips; tiger; spider; Godzilla. We split an enormous plate of caterpillar (eel and cucumber with avocado), California tempura (crab and avocado deep fried in tempura batter) and monster roll (salmon, tuna, crab, massago and avocado deep fried in tempura).

Hand Rolls: Spicy tuna, salmon and ebi tempura.

Nigiri and Sashimi: Salmon, tuna, white fish, white tuna, unagi and Hamachi.

Sushi Boat Combos: Love Boat is a 24-piece combination of Philadelphia, Alaska, tuna sashimi, nigiri and rainbow.

Yacht – 40 pieces – monster, California, nigiri, tekamaki, dragon, sashimi.

Titanic – 60 pieces – Philadelphia, spicy tuna, Alaska, California, green goblin, California, nigiri and sashimi.

Rice comes as a chicken teriyaki bowl, salmon teriyaki or beef teriyaki.

And wash the whole delicious meal down with a cup of sake.

Tiki’s just north of the plaza in Brasilito. Pasta night and Karaoke Thursday; live music events Saturdays. Tel: 2654-9062; costaricamom@ gmail.com; FB: tikiseasidegrill.

Music Review

Tony Orez

Paranda

N

early all music is a melting pot, a new image of its influences and predecessors. In Central America, Garifuna music is unique in that it is a blend of African and indigenous music without any influence from the European cultures that became dominant in all the Americas. The offspring of the indigenous Awarak tribe and African slaves who survived from two sinking slave ships, the Garifuna have always preferred an isolated existence. As these people enter the Twenty-first Century and near extinction, Ivan Duran and Stonetree Records in Belize have undergone painstaking labors to at least preserve the music by recording it. Likewise, a spin-off of Garifuna music came into existence around the middle of the seventeenth century when Spanish guitar and musical styles lent themselves as a variation on Garifuna music, and a style called Paranda was born.

Ever vigilant to preserve disappearing Central American musical genres, Stonetree has released a compilation CD called, quite simply, “Paranda”.

The lineup of musicians is, in itself, a revealing portrayal of this fading musical style. Most of the performers on this disc are getting on in their years, with very few students left to carry the torch. Paul Nabor, who is featured several times on the Paranda disc, is a religious leader in Punta Gorda, the small village in Southern Belize where he resides. He is also seventy-two years old and the last living Parandero there. Garbaga Williams was exuberant about having his songs preserved. He explained that due to his arthritis he could no longer play guitar, that his friend Dale Guzman would play his songs. Since the recording of the CD, Garbaga has passed away. Tall and thin, Jursino Cayetano, 60, is one of ten children and the last living Parandero from Guatemala. And Junie Aranda, at the age of 57, is one of the youngest of the living Paranda legends. Aranda was born and raised in Dangriga, the largest Garifuna center in Belize. The last musician there to play Paranda music, he is teaching it to his son. And there is a new generation of Garifunas who are eager to learn the music. But the number of torchbearers keeps dwindling.

The music on the CD is the result of two years of research, traveling and recording on Duran’s part, to small Garifuna villages spread throughout Belize, Honduras and Guatemala. The percussion comes from handmade drums, shakers, turtle shells and conches with a definite, distinguishable West African style to it. As with traditional Garifuna lyrics, the subject matter of the songs deal with local events, from the death of an aging sister to, as Junie Aranda describes them, the “getting back songs”. When someone in Dangriga crosses his path, he writes a song about it. In no time, everyone in town hears about the neighbor who owes Junie money or a former employer who did him an injustice. The songs all have a very personal texture to them, especially the laments. You can almost hear Paranda singing its last breath.

Hear it at Jaime Peligro book store in Playa Tamarindo.

Book Review

Tony Orez

The Girl on the Train

P

aula Hawkins has been a professional journalist for more than fifteen years.

She recently published the novel “The Girl On The Train” and it has become the new “it” novel, heralded as the next “Gone Girl”, last year’s “must read” novel, which I reviewed (positively) in an earlier edition of The Howler.

Being a bookstore owner, I need to know about these things, these popular new novels, these chance-taking authoresses. Before reading the press and doing my homework, I read the book and independently recognized the similarities with “Gone Girl”, sensed the similarities. Proclaimed them to customers as I read Paula’s book and drew conclusions on my own.

Female writer. Missing gorgeous woman. The story told in alternating chapters by independent characters.

But the similarities end there. Except that both have been wildly successful. Rachel commutes from Ashbury every day on the same train into London, passing her former home, her first and only. She doesn’t focus on that so much anymore since her ex-husband and his new wife are living there. But she tries to check in on the backyard of the house just five spots down on the same road of a couple for whom she has proffered names (Jason & Jess) and admires, giving them each romantic jobs and a seemingly idyllic lifestyle.

In her fantasy. For twenty seconds. Every Monday through Friday when her commuter train passes her old haunts.

Since the divorce, Rachel boards in a single room with a sympathetic ex-college chum, is devastated by the abandonment of her husband and is now drinking way too much. She’s a wreck. Alcohol and depression are collectively taking over.

I admire Hawkins for her portrayal throughout the novel of the life of a person battling with alcohol and the social implications it bestows – in Rachel’s case as a credible witness. Because one day while commuting to the job Rachel barely possesses any more, she sees something, something irregular in the backyard of her idyllic couple. Has she been spying, snooping? The situation becomes serious without Rachel. Rachel’s dismissible, she’s a mess.

The twists and turns, the subplots and revelations keep the reader engaged but I believe that it is in the way the story is told, the signature and voice of the writer, that makes it engaging.

In writing this review I tried to do my homework but found it difficult to find much out about Paula’s history. Her guarded PR stated that this was her first plunge into modern pseudo-murder enthralling thrillers. I had to work hard to discover that she had written three trashy romance novels.

I commend her for that, for those, a trilogy that she claimed kept getting darker. I would wear them as insignia on my shoulder straps, like giant dazzling medals on my lapels if I were her.

Paula as authoress does a great job of constructing a story, leaving morsels of detail and creating subplots to dare the reader to turn the next page.

For me, construction makes it all palatable

I am looking forward to her next release.

Security Last week, the Security Committee (CST) held a meeting with officials from various law enforcement agencies: Touristic Police, Public Police and the Immigration Police. The meeting coordinated between the three departments in method for sharing information, needs and achievements. Furthermore, the groups agreed to meet every month in order to help improve the security in the area.

On June 11th three private security companies were introduced to a group of company owners at Tamarindo Diria Convention Center. To finance this plan CST has begun fund-raising for the funds to launch this initiative. The CST estimates that a donation equivalent to 0.25% of annual sales from every business in Tamarindo would be enough to fund a full year.

Lifeguards ADI is promoting the selling of T shirts to collaborate with the maintenance of Tamarindo Lifeguard Program. The T shirts are available in Witch’s Rock Surf Shop, Costa Rica Surf Shop, Matos Surf Shop and Surf Culture Surf Shop. The Association is looking forward to build a second tower in order to have even more control and security across the beach.

Oneida Park Some days ago the park lighting was repaired.

A new cleaning day will take place on Saturday June 27th from 8am till 12md.

Environment Recycling: The recycling program will take place on Tuesday July 7th from 9 am to 12 noon in front of the National Bank of Costa Rica.

Events ADI thanks the community that showed up at the fundraising event on June 13th. The Association specially thanks to Laura Sibley from Liquid Weddings for organizing the party. ADI also thanks Dragonfly, Chops, Crazy Monkey, Papaya con Leche and Eventos de Artesanos for their help.

ADI launched a padrinos/sponsors program for companies and privates with monthly donation categories: bronze (30 dollars per month), silver (60 dollars per month) and gold (100 dollars per month).

To continue working on these and other projects for our community, ADI needs your contribution and / or donation. Please contact us at email: aditamarindo@gmail.com or call tel. 8319-4015.

Follow our progress on Facebook: Asociación de Desarrollo Integral de Tamarindo or on our website www.playatamarindo.org

The schedule for the Concacaf Copa de Oro is: July 7 Dallas

7 Panama 9 United States

Haiti Honduras

July 8 Los Angeles 8 Costa Rica

10 El Salvador

Jamaica Canada

July 9 Chicago

7 Trinidad 9 Mexico

Guatemala Cuba

July 10 Boston

6 Honduras Panama 8 United States Haiti

July 11 Houston

6 Jamaica 9 Costa Rica

Canada El Salvador

July 12 Phoenix

6 Trinidad 9 Guatemala

Cuba Mexico

July 13 Kansas City 7 Haiti

9 Panama

Honduras United States

July 14 Toronto

6 Jamaica 8 Canada

El Salvador Costa Rica

July 15 Charlotte

6 Cuba 8 Mexico

Guatemala Trinidad

Quarter-finals July 18 Baltimore

July 19 New York

5:00 8:00 4:30 7:30

Semi-finals July 22 Atlanta 6:00 9:00 Third Place July 25 Philadelphia

4:00

Final July 26

7:30

Philadelphia

On the deck outside Aqua Disco

AROUND TOWN The store for Handcrafted Soap - Alegria - has two locations, in Plaza Garden just behind Automercado, and in Plaza Conchal.

For gifts and personal pleasure, see ad page 27.

Guanacaste Bienestar for emotional health counselling in all different health issues. Life Coaching and Team Coaching, Art and Music Therapy, Youth Group Leaders, etc. See page 27.

What is Carboxytherapia? The best non-invasive treatment for cellulitis and stretch marks - see full details on page 18.

Bar and Restaurant Pura Vista, at Hotel Esplendor, is open to the public. Happy Hour every day and the best sunset views.

In Tamarindo Circle spa Sea Escape offers packets - massage - manicure - ask for the discount for locals. See ad page 11.

For comfort, style, privacy and security you need Rolltech rolling shutters. See ad page 11.

Petit Paris has moved, and is now in the Commercial Centre Arenas near Banco de Costa Rica in Flamingo. For the professional touch for your hair and body. See ad page 17.

For all kinds of property in Guanacaste or the Central Valley, see Sharon at Real Abel Property. See ad on Page 21.

The best treatments for cellulitis, stretch marks, acne and blotches can be found at Pacific MediSpa, in Playa Tamarindo and CIMA Carrillo. See ad page 18.

Uniforms with logo embroidered - caps, polo shirts, T-shirts at Kapricho Creativo, Huacas, 175 east of Communal Salon.

See ad page 29.

“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”

Dr. Seuss

Surf Report Ellen Zoe Golden ellenzoe@aol.com

J

ust when you thought that Noe Mar McGonagle couldn’t get any better than #12 on the World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series (QS) ranking, the dynamo from Pavones goes and pulls out the best-showing ever for a Tico in the International Surfing Association (ISA) 2015 World Surfing Games in Playa Popoyo, Nicaragua, last month.

That performance took place at the week-long competition, which ultimately saw Costa Rica’s national surf time rise to the top of all 27 countries and earning not one, but three gold medals and subsequent Fernando Aguerre World Team Trophy and the International Olympic committee (IOC) President’s Trophy. The hardware included the gold for overall team, Noe Mar’s Open win, and for winning the tag team ISA Aloha Cup as well. Conditions were for the most part, perfect, but for the exception of a few days when the country’s typical offshore winds switched onshore due to Hurricane Blanca in the Pacific.

The team included Noe Mar, Jason Torres (Jacó), Anthony Fillingim (Malpais), Carlos Muñoz (Esterillos), as well as Leilani McGonagle and Lisbeth Vindas.

They were pegged as the Dream Team even before arriving for their work in Nicaragua. Afterall all, look at the pedigree: McGonagle shining on the QS, Torres ranked #1 on the Circuito Nacional 2015 kolbi, Fillingim the Asociacion Latinamericana de Surfistas Profesionales (ALAS) champion, Muñoz who has already broken all Costa Rica surfing records, Leilani who has more world medals than any other tico, and Lisbeth Vindas, our 11-time Women’s national surf champion. The coach this year was Wade Sharp, most notable for his work in grooming South Africa’s team, as well as former world champion Jordy Smith.

Honestly, everyone did their part to win that gold medal. Torres and Vindas may have dropped out early, but their heats were powerful and scored needed points for the team. Fillingim was a lynchpin for the gold in the Aloha Cup, while Carlos Muñoz (Esterillos) looked to be a final hopeful until a controversial call in Round 9 of the Repercharge Heats, when he thought he was interfered with by another surfer, but in fact the judges ruled that Muñoz inflicted the foul. Carlos was penalized with his wave score reduced and ended up in 4th place in the last chance Repercharge.

Regardless, Muñoz earned high praise from the ISA announcers who raved during his heats: “He’s really putting Costa Rica surfing on the map. He’s one of the best surfers in the world.”

As the days drew to a close, the overall gold was in the rides of the brother and sister team of Noe Mar and Leilani who were shredding the waves from start to finish. Each of them made it to their respective finals.

Leilani (photo above) remained last for most of her final heat, but with her back against the wall at ten minutes left she hit the bottom then the lip enough times to rate a score good enough to come in 2nd place behind Tia Blanco from the United States. The silver makes the 5th world medal to grace her neck.

“The wave is amazing,” Leilani said afterwards. “I was super stoked that all the girls got to show their stuff and yes, I had a missed opportunity for the gold, but I’m super stoked with how it turned out.”

The highlight of the event was the Open final. Noe Mar has a reputation for being a strong man, with a lot of flow in his turns and he knows when to go vertical, all components necessary to pass heat after heat, including this one with defending 2014 Gold Medalist Argentina’s Leandro Usuna, Portugal’s Nicolas Von Rapp, and Australia’s Shane Holmes.

Noe Mar made beautiful wave selections, and with three waves within the first seven minutes had already locked up his win. His opening strike was 8.17, followed by an 8.33. He wrapped it up with his lethal backhand, and was fired up enough to score 9.93, throwing away his first score for an end result of 18.26.

“Thank God for sending the good waves,” said the new world champion. “This win was the work of many years. I couldn’t have done it without all the amazing Ticos on the beach and the support from Costa Rica. Without them this would not have been possible.

This win is for you Costa Rica!”

“We are a small country, but we have a big heart, “ he added. “That’s what I did it for, Costa Rica. And for the future of surfing in our country, to help the surfers. It will get more support from the sponsors for surfers to do the QS. This says, ‘hello, here we are, and we can do the (WSL) CT (Championship Tour) too.’”

(continued page 24)

A Slice of Life The Bar with One Glass David Mills On a blistering April day, we dropped our bicycles outside the country bar and stumbled in for a refresher. “Hola, Don David,” greeted the bartender, “the usual? Imperial y baso con hielo.”

“Si, por favor.”

The bartender looked around the tiny bar, then called out “Donde esta el baso,” to the few customers around a small table. “Aquí,” came the answer, “Alberto lo tiene.”

“No, that’s OK,” I protested, “I’ll take it without ice. Or un plastico.”

“No problema,” said Alberto, “I’ve just finished my drink,” as he passed the glass to the bar.

The salonera washed the glass, dropped in some ice and passed it to me. Under the gaze of Alberto and the other locals, I didn’t enjoy that beer as much as I had hoped.

Dharma Corner

A

Sue Smith

What is Mindfulness?

s the Earth hurled thru space approaching the Mayan calendar date of 12/12/2012 new popular vocabulary words crept into the media, conversations and everyday discourse... words with a sort of spiritual sound to them like cosmic awareness, oneness and mindfulness. And while the date has come and gone, our consciousness of some of these words has now been raised.

Maybe there’s been a shift in the universe after all, a shift in our awareness of these spiritual notions. So let’s just look at what one of these words might mean to the human species.

Mindfulness. What is Mindfulness?

As defined by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, mindfulness is “the energy of being aware and awake to the present moment. It is the continuous practice of touching life deeply in every moment of daily life. To be mindful is to be truly alive, present and at one with those around you and with what you are doing”. Eckhart Tolle describes this notion as “living in the now”.

This all sounds good, but what does it mean in terms of how you live your life every day you might ask. One way is that when you are mindful of your thoughts, you can change them. No longer do you have to think or respond in the same old habitual way. So being mindful will, as Eckhart Tolle says, lead to living in the now.

You can’t be mindful while focusing on what happened yesterday or what might happen later today tomorrow or next week. And for those who are control freaks that’s good news....by being mindful you have more control over now.

By being mindful and in touch with your life as it is in the moment, it is possible to consciously choose what actions you wish to pursue rather than simply reacting mindlessly. How liberating is that???

So how do you start being mindful?? One minute at a time. Set a time frame and for that time observe yourself. Be aware of what you think, what you do and what others around you do. If you have negative thoughts, change them...on the spot. Replace them with something positive. Little by little you can become more and more mindful of your life as you live right now.

Life is for living....may you choose to live it now.

Namaste Pura Vida Sangha is a Buddhist Sangha in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh. The Sangha meets for meditation Mondays at 4:00pm at the CEPIA building in Huacas. A new Sangha has also formed and meets on Wednesdays at 9:00am in Surfside, Potrero.

For information contact meditationcostarica@gmail.com.

Carboxitherapy An Ideal Treatment for Cellulitis

Based on the use of carbon dioxide (CO2) as a therapeutic gas, the hypodermic application by carboxitherapy is the best treatment possible for cellulitis. It has no side-effects and is harmless to the human body. It is painless and the results are almost immediate.

Actually, carboxitherapy is one of the best therapies to combat cellulitis, excess of fat in the body, flaccidity and the aging of the face and body.

There is one non-surgical method which consists of the subcutaneous therapeutical use of CO2.

Indications

Cellulitis Localized obesity (reduces measurements) Flaccidity Stretch marks Micro-varicose veins Pre- and post-liposculpture (improving results and avoiding fibrosis)

The origin of this therapy is in the thermal spas of Royal, in France, particularly in the decade of the ‘50s, when a group of cardiologists applied the therapy to patients who suffered different sicknesses related to bad blood circulation and the accumulation of fat.

Carboxitherapy is administered using specially prepared equipment, which permits a regular speed of flow, time of injection and monitoring of the percentage of dose administered.

The CO2 works in the zone affected and is rapidly eliminated.

How is it administered?

The CO2 is injected subcutaneously with a sterilized needle similar to that used for insulin, connected to a small tube plugged into equipment specially designed for this use. The apparatus allows a regulated flow of CO2 (contained in a tank), time of injection and monitors the amount of dose administered.

Carboxitherapy does not present any toxicity or secondary effects, only a slight pain in the area of application.

The ideal treatment is two or three sessions per week with a duration of 30 minutes per session.

How does it work?

The penetration of CO2 in form of gas produces a hyperdistension of the adjacent subcutaneous tissues liberating bradiquina, serotonin, histamine and catecolaminas which stimulate the beta-andrenergicos, producing lipolysis (destruction of the fat cells).

From the site of the injection the CO2 spreads easily into the adjacent tissues, exercising their function.

The introduction under the skin is completed by a movement of manual massage that helps distribute the carbon anhydride and makes it circulate.

The CO2, on entering into contact with fat, spreads, and part of it goes into red blood cells.

On contact with hemoglobin, it gives up oxygen to the tissues.

This oxygen enters into metabolic reactions, as well as producing a stimulation in the combustion of fat.

The first results can be seen immediately. The quality of the tissues improves, the skin becomes more flexible and the affected areas become slimmer, treating in an efficacious manner the problem of cellulitis and improving, as well, the circulation of the blood.

This gas helps to improve the intracellular exchange and the cellular nutrition of people with cellulitis.

Price of Treatment

The price of the carboxitherapy treatment is four sessions for $200.

Some of the other treatments offered by Dra. Paula Avila are: Laser HAIR REMOVAL BOTOX & Facial Fillers with Restylane (r) Lipolitic Mesotherapy for fat deposits MICRODERM & Facial PEELINGS Skin Resurfacing and Stretch Marks Treatment with ELLMAN CO2 LÁSER (FDA Approved) CRYOLIPOLYSIS Freeze your fat here in Guanacaste!!

Call for appointment - 2667-0767

Dra Paula Ávila

Médico Cirujano Estético - Cod 11619 Especialización en Medicina Estética y Anti Aging UK - U.I.M.E / Argentina.

Master Degree in Láser Surgery Col • legi Oficial de Meges de Barcelona.

Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona / España.

Pacific Medispa Clinic Medical Doctors & Pharmacy Playa Tamarindo, Guanacaste,CR WhatsApp: 7075-1911 & 2667-0767 medicallasercr@gmail.com www.pacificmedispa.com Fbk- Pacific Medispa Clinic.

Leave Seashells on the Seashore Dr. Herbert Weinman, MD, MBA thedoctorisinsharkfm@gmail.com

Bursitis and Tendinitis Bursitis and tendinitis are common inflammatory disorders of the body’s musculoskeletal system that can flare up suddenly, causing local pain, swelling, heat and stiffness.

In some instances, an attack can be the result of trauma and chronic irritation, or rarely, infection. Symptoms can be acute (sudden), subacute (gradually increasing in severity and lasting several days to weeks) or chronic (lasting several weeks to months) and are usually related to certain body movement or position.

Although bursitis and tendinitis are often spoken of together and treated similarly, the two disorders occur in different structures of the body.

A bursa is a sack, pouch or potential cavity filled with a lubricating fluid that overlies and protects a bony structure.

The bursa cushions the motion that takes place between muscles, tendons, bone and other surfaces, allowing smooth motion free from friction.

When a bursa becomes inflamed, the disorder is known as bursitis. A tendon is a band of tough, white, tissue that connects muscle to bone. Muscle fibers merge into one end of the tendon, while the opposite end is attached to a bone. The tendon conveys the action of muscles to bone.

Another disorder of the tendon sheath is the formation of a ganglion - a ballooning the sheath forming a “lump” that fills with fluid. Sites of ganglia include the wrist, upper surface of the foot and back of the knee. Joints are the most common location of ganglia.

Ganglia are harmless and much more of a nuisance than anything serious. Their size may vary, but they are usually no larger than a pea. A ganglion may be hard or soft and most often is painless. After a doctor determines that the lump is a ganglion, it may be drained with a needle, although it may recur and disappear again without treatment. In rare instances, the lump may have to be removed surgically.

When bursitis and tendinitis are mild or chronic and not the result of infection, treatments such as resting the painful joint and taking anti-inflammatory drugs or other analgesics are helpful.

If the bursitis and tendinitis is acute, and the possibility of other diseases causing the symptoms is ruled out, there are number of useful treatments that can be used: rest and protection, cold compresses, anti-inflammatory drugs, prescription analgesics, or draining and steroid therapy. A physician may inject a cortisone preparation at the site of tenderness which should also provide relief. Most attacks are complicated by limitation of motion. It is wise to avoid motion for a few days to assist the healing process.

By Jay McLeod

S

ome time ago, while having a spot of tea in an outdoor restaurant in Playa Grande, I grabbed “The Howler” and read the editor’s note about seashell depletion on beaches. A woman sitting at the next table said to me, “I am not reading that magazine anymore because I don’t agree with the editor about not collecting seashells.” Before I could inform her that it’s against the law to take shells from a national park or to leave Costa Rica with shells from any beach, some local guys sitting across from me jumped in with, “If everybody took the shells there would be no more shells on the beach.”

As the discussion turned from a lecture to a pleasant group chat on the environmental impact of collecting seashells the woman came around and vowed never to remove seashells from any shore again.

Collecting seashells for a keepsake has always been a favorite pastime of tourists visiting beaches, but now with more than a billion tourists around the globe each year the implications of the accelerating loss of seashells due to tourism is enormous. So one has to ask, “Does the depletion of seashells play an important role in the ecosystems?” The photo alone of the hermit crab speaks volumes but yes, these pretty little seashell treasures do in fact play an important role by providing a diversity in the ecosystems: they provide nutrients such as calcium carbonate for living organisms in the sand; they help anchor sea-grass which helps stabilize erosion; shorebirds use them to build their nests; they provide hiding places for algae and small creatures; and of course provide protection and a home for hermit crabs.

I have already noticed the depletion of the Auger shell here on the beach in the Las Baulas National Park. There was a time not so long ago when you could walk this beach and see hundreds of these white long spike-shaped Auger shells cluttered together on the beach at low tide. What a brilliant sight to behold. Not so much anymore as many of these shells have been taken.

So, continue to search the beaches for beautiful seashells but please take a photo and leave the seashells on the seashore.

By Susan Adams

J

airo Araya, Assistant Manager of Capitan Suizo, a passionate supporter of everything natural, recently talked with me on the current condition of Howler monkeys in our area. Sitting at a table on the beach, we were joined by the owner, Ursula Schmid.

The air was full of bird and Howler monkey sounds, shaded by huge native trees, and organically maintained lush tropical gardens. Such is the philosophy of the Schmid family, who came here in 1992 from Switzerland with two young children and a dream to coexist with nature.

He explained how the building boom of 2006 saw the cutting of trees in the wildlife corridors, disturbing the natural pathway trees once provided. Sadly, this resulted in many deaths by electrocution, cars, and dogs. Searching for remedies, Capitan Suizo worked with biologists from National Universities of Costa Rica, and the local government of Santa Cruz and MINAI . Together they designed and tested four prototypes of primate bridges, until one of Paja, a palmlike material, was accepted and used by the Howlers!

Just when things were looking up for the monkeys, we have had a serious drought, due to the phenomenon El Nino. He even recounted sad stories of mothers unable to nurse their babies, found dead in trees due to infection by parasites.

Don Jairo’s eyes lit up with enthusiasm as he noted that this season has brought the abundance of new leaves supplying ample water and nutrition for the Howlers, especially nursing mothers. While rainfall still has not been up to normal standards, he is hopeful.

(continued page 25)

Sign Language In a Bangkok temple: it is forbidden to enter a woman even a foreigner, if dressed as a man.

Near Cork airport, Eire: Watch out for aircraft.

Tokyo hotel’s rules and regulations: guests are requested not to smoke or do other disgusting behaviors in bed.

On a public footpath near Canterbury, England: Unaccompanied dogs will be shot.

Sign on washrooms at Bodleian Library, Oxford: Men Readers, and Women Readers.

In a cemetery: persons are prohibited from picking flowers from any but their own graves.

On the menu of a Swiss restaurant: our wines leave you nothing to hope for.

In a Tokyo bar: special cocktails for the ladies with nuts.

Hotel, Zurich: because of the impropriety of entertaining guests of the opposite sex in the bedroom, it is suggested that the lobby be used for this purpose.

Airline ticket office, Copenhagen: we take your bags and send them in all directions.

On the main road to Mombasa, leaving Nairobi: take notice: when this sign is under water, this road is impassable.

On a cement truck: Get a load of this!

In the lobby of a Moscow hotel across from a Russian orthodox monastery: you are welcome to visit the cemetery where famous Russian and Soviet composers, artists and writers are buried daily except Thursday.

Selected Poems from “Tell me about the Telaraña”

by Diana Renee clay fields los hermanos invite me to the clay fields. i swing up into the truck and land in a sea of whispers. all around, secrets are being told in the language of grass. it is bad luck for us to talk, here. i chew on dry stalks and watch the strong brown arms of men shovelling earth. i stand still as a tree and grow leaves, send roots down through soil and clay to water. the moon is right for digging and i sink my fingers into the pure gray magic. i become keenly aware of the lives of grasses and mountains.

Surf Report (from page 15)

The announcer summed it up best when it was clear that the team had won the gold medal: “Costa Rica put on some of the best performances all week long.”

These gold medal wins have the Costa Rican government reassessing their position on hosting the ISA World Surfing Games here in 2016. Prior to Nicaragua, the government declined the opportunity to return the championships here, citing lack of funds, which was strange considering the surf competition brought in over $70 million in its last go-around, 2009, in Playa Hermosa.

Final team standings (Top 10 - of 27) 1. Costa Rica - 3,468 pts. (Gold) 2. Portugal - 2980 (Silver) 3. United States - 2,919 (Bronze) 4. Peru - 2,913 (Copper) 5. Australia - 2,793 6. Argentina - 2,563 7. Ecuador - 2,281 8. New Zealand - 2,242 9. Chile - 2,143 10. Mexico - 2,125 Individual medals Open Male Gold: Noe Mar McGonagle (CRI) Silver: Nicola Von Rupp (POR) Bronze: Shane Holmes (AUS) Usuna Leandro (ARG)

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.

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.

Open Female Gold: Aunt White (USA) Silver: Leilani McGonagle (CRI) Bronze: Ella Williams (NZL) Copper: Chelsea Tuach (BAR) Aloha Cup Gold: Costa Rica - 50.17 pts.

Silver: Peru - 46.40 Bronze: Australia - 40.77 Copper: Argentina - 34.59 Shortly after the World Surfing Games, the international focus here turned to Zippers, Baja Mexico and the Los Cabos Open of Surfing, a WSL QS for Women, Men and Junior Womens.

Phone us at: 2-653-8041 • kaydodge@racsa.co.cr www.paintedponyguestranch.com The best horses on Guanacaste’s Gold Coast!

(continued page 33)

(From page 21) Some things Jairo would like us to know: • Reforesting needs to be done correctly with a specific variety of trees that are nutritious and native to the area.

• Help is available for monkeys in distress and he can be reached 24 hrs. at 8466-3175 and jaraya@hotelcapitansuizo.com.

• Special equipment is essential to safely remove a monkey from a hot wire.

• Help is also available for all species.

Recently, Nature Air, Capitan Suizo and the Veterinarian Hospital in Heredia coordinated to fly an ocelot with a fractured jaw to the hospital for surgery.

• To enhance the diet of monkeys, specific fruits can be hung from trees.

You can go onto Capitan Suiso’s website at - www.hotelcapitansuizo.com to read about their amazing journey that brought them closer to the nature that they treasure. Also to help monkeys locally contact SalveMonos.org and Salvemonos on Facebook.

Refuge for Wildlife is a nonprofit rehabilitation center in Nosara, Costa Rica - info@refugeforwildlife.com Facebook me at Tamarindo’s Original Residents

“Lo más importante que aprendí a hacer despues de los cuarenta años fue a decir no cuando es no”

Gabriel García Márquez

A Special Day at the Beach On Saturday, May 23rd, The Shine Project Foundation, in cooperation with CEPIA, Surfoam Central America, Avellanas Surf School, Lola’s Restaurant, and local volunteers, provided a fun-filled day at the beach for children with special needs and their families at Playa Avellanas in Guanacaste, Costa Rica.

When Rob and Cheryl Williams, founders of The Shine Project Foundation, met Courtney Caw Borquet, President of the Board of Directors for CEPIA, and a mother of a child with special needs, they discovered that they had a shared dream of hosting a special event on the beach and started putting the pieces in place. Curtis Custer, of Surfoam, jumped on board next, and provided transportation, food and logistical support to ensure the event would run smoothly.

The families were transported to the beach by Yorleny Hidalgo.

Bags with event t-shirts and participation bracelets, snacks, a check-in area, shade tents, and a spot where toys and surfboards were ready on the beach, had all been prepared, and soon volunteers and participants spread out to enjoy activities such as surfing, playing in the sand, and floating in the water.

Victor Nuñez, of Tamarindo Lifeguards, kept his eyes on the water, while Dr. Diego of Tamarindo, was ready to respond to any situation.

The kids were equipped with life jackets for added safety, from Marlin del Rey and The Costa Rican Sailing Center.

Mauricio, from Avellanas Surf School, provided surfboards and, with Cairo Borquet, lead a team of instructors, who gave everybody an opportunity to try surfing, most of them for the first time.

After hours on the beach, hamburgers, hot-dogs, fries, pizzas from Lola’s, and chips and salsa from The Beach Box, were served for lunch.

The smiles on the beach told the story, and the joy on the children’s faces as they experienced the rush of riding a wave, water splashing on their bodies, and sand on their feet, was inspirational.

But the beach is more than fun. For people affected by conditions such as autism, down syndrome, or cerebral palsy, the sensations natural to the beach are stimulating and therapeutic.

For event coordinators, the day was about uniting the community and raising awareness for the special needs population. These children need resources and services such as regular physical therapy, assistive technologies, and improved access to the world around them. It is Shine and CEPIA’s hope that the day’s events moved people to help these kids more.

Thank You to the volunteers who made this event possible. The goal is that the event will grow, and that more families of children with special needs can participate in the future. If you’d like to learn more visit www.theshineprojectfoundation.org. Consider contributing to Shine or CEPIA, and help them help others to Shine!

Guanacaste Bienestar Centro de salud emocional Guancaste Bienestar es un centro de Salud Emocional dedicado a proporcionar ayuda profesional en el área de salud mental, a través de apoyo psicoterapéutico y el Coaching. Teniendo por objetivo lograr el equilibrio interno de las personas de una manera cálida y eficaz.

GB cuenta con distintos servicios, todos ellos fuertemente ligados a la salud emocional del individuo: Psicologia clínica Coaching personal y para equipos.

Grupo Jovenes Lideres Terapia de Arte y Musica ( Mandalas y Guitarra) Idiomas La Psicologia clínica se dedica al cuidado mental con asesoramiento para diferente problemas de salud.

El coaching es una metodología que te ayuda a sacar lo mejor de ti, tanto a nivel profesional como personal, generando cambios profundos a corto plazo.

El departamento de coaching ofrece Life Coaching, Coaching para equipos y capacitaciones.

GB también cuenta con ‘’Jovenes Lideres’’ especializandose en formar jóvenes lideres de la comunidad a tomar conciencia social, gestión emocional y trabajo comunitario de favor de los colectivos y personas mas desfavorecidas.

La Terapia de arte es una Guia de autodescubrimiento a través de la música y los mandalas, que se utiliza como liberación del estrés, miedos y otros problemas de comunicación.

Por ultimo ofrecemos clases intensivas de idiomas para mejorar su comunicación.

Estamos a su servicio, Contactenos sin compromiso y con gusto le atenderemos http:// guanacastebienestar.com Facebook: Guancaste bienestar centro de Salud emocional

Cámara de Comercio y Turismo de Playa Tamarindo Making Our Beaches Safer The number of drownings on our beaches is between 50 & 60 persons. Experts say that this figure can be significantly reduced, that every 500 meters there should be an equipped lifeguard station.

The number of drownings in this country is similar to the United States or Australia, while we have only 5 percent of the coasts in comparison with the U.S. and only 7 percent of the population of Australia.

The CCCT assisted by the Ministry of Tourism met to address this problem. Hernan Imhoff, president of CCCT, said “…we are very satisfied with this assistance which demonstrates the willingness of all to pull in the same direction.”

Oceanographer Omar Lizano, of the Marina Center of Investigations at UCR, explained how wave action creates strong rip currents along the coasts.

Other experts agreed that a major campaign is required to inform tourists of the dangers, and that lifeguard stations be installed every 500 meters with lifejackets, jet skis and more.

Tamarindo has installed one tower with two lifeguards and another is to be built shortly.

Feria de Turismo Expotur 2015 Expotur International Tourism Fair was held in May, bringing together many foreign tourism industry representatives looking to sell Costa Rica in their countries. Expotur has 30 years’ experience in Latinamerican tourism, selling Costa Rica culture, tourist products, and gastronomical offerings. Twenty booths were available for companies to show their offerings, the most in the history of the fair.

The Tamarindo Chamber of Commerce is an initiative of a group of businessmen with the view of developing our beach town in a sustainable manner to bring acceptable conditions to the thousands of visitors – national and foreign – who form the economy of the zone. CCCT has offered solutions to the challenges that confront the community, such as security, road infrastructure and water supply, among other things. Contact them at 7108-5868.

“Un campeón tiene miedo á perdir.

La demás tiene miedo á ganar” Billie Jean King

Children with Disabilities & Youth Programs

W

e would like to bring to your attention two particular programs now at CEPIA’s Community Center in Huacas, a short drive from Tamarindo and Flamingo.

The Physical Therapy program for children with disabilities has been active a couple of years, but we are looking to extend the program.

CEPIA would like to give a new perspective to these children often living in social exclusion. Currently, seven children are benefiting from our program. Five additional children would like to attend physical therapy, but we need additional funds for therapist hours and transportation. CEPIA can pick up the five children with disabilities in a small bus and offer them physical therapy by a professional and occupational therapy with volunteers, as well as a monthly outdoor activity for all thirteen young people together. You can support this program, by supporting one child for $70 per month. Email us to help chose the child you will sponsor. Cepiacostarica@gmail.com Youth in social exclusion has been a priority for CEPIA the last eight years. More than 100 young people graduated from our youth program, and this helped 70% of them get back on track. Teenagers that dropped out of school, and are at risk to participate in gangs, steal, or sell drugs or sex to survive can find a place at CEPIA. They are able to receive the attention they need, which is often not given at home, and skills to improve their lives. The independent UNIMER investigation confirms these findings (www.cepiacostarica.org, under Menu: Investigation). Many of the kids from the program go back to school, intern at businesses, or find a job. The teens are all living in Huacas, Villarreal, Santa Rosa, Brasilito and other area villages.

Today, we start a new youth group. Twenty teenagers will benefit from a variety of activities, workshops, and outdoor trips. CEPIA will be able to offer academic and emotional support to these kids that really need it. We have raised $8600 so far. We only need $4200 to succeed in offering the full program to these at risk teens.

Than you for your generosity and understanding!

Last month, Shine project from Florida and CEPIA worked to bring 13 children with disabilities and their families to enjoy a wonderful day at Avellana Beach.

For the first time in her life Marjorie enjoys a swimming pool During a CEPIA field trip. Her mother holds her head above water while she becomes accustomed to it. Marjorie has infantile cerebral palsy.

Barbara’s Pet Stories Poison!

Sad words this time. Do you remember some months ago my story about using poison to get rid of animals in the garden or in the house? Well, this time it hit me, or better to say, some of my rescued animals - 3 dogs and 2 cats. They had been through hell already before they were rescued from a road ditch or found in a trash can or were taken away from kids that were misstreating them.

It all started with one of my big dogs. All of a sudden she had white gums, a blown-up belly, could hardly walk and she had many more symptoms of poisoning. But poison on my property?

Never!

The abdomen was filled with blood, it had to be punctured, the vet recommended to put the dog down... Put the dog down, that had been dragged behind a car, the face had been hit with machete, that now had “a life” at my place? No! This dog, “Vicky”, was put on IV and the second day being at the vet-clinic she pooped out fur..like a big mouse or a small rat...now everything made sense...

Vicky is paralized now, she can not walk anymore.

The other dog that must have eaten a poisoned mouse or rat had epileptic seizures for almost two days and every hour, she is now slowly getting better. She is still suffering from gastritis, and she will never be the same again.

The third dog had really bad diarrhea and vomitus, he did not make it (as a puppy he was taken away from a kid, that had beaten one eye out of his head and had destroyed one ear, too).

Both cats (found in a trash can as babies) suffered three days; one cat is now ok again, the other one did not make it. Can you image how I feel?

Seeing these little souls lying there, suffering with undescribable pain. Because someone put out poison to kill mice or rats...ever thought they will suffer, too? Can you imagine how much sorrows the owners of pets go through, when their dog or cat unfortunatly ate a mouse that died of poison? It can take about two weeks until all of this poison-crap is out of the body, if the pets will survive.

Now I speak for myself, I can tell you, a lot of tears, prayers and time I spent with those, the two dogs and the one cat, who made it. Please: No more poison. Your neighbor’s kid could play with a dead mouse and put it in its mouth, too. Ever thought about this?

Use life traps...

tierefuerbarbaraforanimals@gmail.com

Your Stars in July

Aries: 21 March - 20 April

Libra: 23 September - 23 October

With your ruling planet, Mars, emerging from the rays of the Sun now, you are feeling energized to take action in your solar fourth house. That is the house of family, real estate, home, your father and ancestors. Maybe it’s time for a family reunion! Venus and Jupiter in your fifth says there’s plenty of good energy for fun, too. However, take care around the 13-18th when Mars opposes Pluto and you are likely have to deal with some kind of confrontation. Great days for you are the 7th and 8th.

This should be a busy month for you as Mars and the Sun are at the top of your chart now, energizing the house of public image and profession.

Watch how you say things between the 13th-18th as Pluto opposes Mars then. As this Pluto is moving through your fourth house of home, some problems may surface regarding your residence. Keep calm and carry on, as the Brits say! Venus and Jupiter in your solar eleventh bring friends and allies to the aid. Best days for you are the 21st, 22nd and 23rd.

With your ruling planet, Venus, traveling close to Jupiter this month, things should be going rather well personally, with work, your health, your home and family matters. This is also a good time to meet new people for work and friendship. Life moves along with ease and pleasure.

This suggests you need to be more selective in your taste in all ways and pay attention to your digestive health and hygiene for the next six weeks. Best days are the 9th, 10th, and 11th.

Saturn, in its retrograde status now, has dipped back into your sign to complete some personal business not finished in December of 2014. Review what was going on in your life then that got glossed over or dismissed as not important. It needs to be addressed. Venus and Jupiter in your tenth house of profession and public image bring some accolades or promotions your way. The Sun and Mars in your ninth beckon some foreign contacts or higher education as well. Excellent days for progress are the 24th and 25th.

Taurus: 21 April - 21 May

Gemini: 22 May - 21 June

Mercury continues to move through Gemini and your solar first house till the 9th, when it then enters your second house where it will increase your ability to make money and focus on what you value. Venus and Jupiter, together in your third house, allow you to communicate with ease and success. Neptune’s retrograde in your solar tenth house has you feeling a bit invisible but it’s just asking you to define yourself in a more clear way. The 12th and 13th are your most positive days.

Cancer: 22 June - 22 July

Scorpio: 24 October - 22 November

Sagittarius: 23 November - 21 December

Your ruling planet, Jupiter is traveling in Leo with Venus this month. There should be many blessings and social invitations coming your way, so accept them all! Saturn has dipped back into Scorpio, giving you a breather from the lessons and setbacks of late. There are financial issues that need your attention regarding wills, insurances, and investment income so take the time to educate yourself. Get enough rest now too as fatigue has a way of making you grumpy! The 26th and 27th are your stellar days.

Capricorn: 22 December - 21 January

There’s an aggressive aspect to your vibration this month with Mars in your sign. It could cause you to try to hold your loved ones too close.

Just know this is going on so you don’t over react and that the effect is heightened between the 13th and 18th. Your money house is well-aspected with Venus and Jupiter there, which could bring about a shopping binge if you aren’t careful. Ultimately, it’s a good time for you with the best days being the new Moon on the 15th, and the 16th.

With Venus and Jupiter conjunct in your solar eighth house, you have the potential to receive some windfall money via wills, insurances, dividends, etc. Avoid negotiations between the 13th and 18th as there’s an opposition from Pluto to that Mars which can bring out the worst in people. Uranus retrogrades in your solar fourth house, bringing some changes to your living quarters or an abrupt move is possible after the 26th. Good days are the full moon on the 1st, the 2nd, 28th and 29th.

With Venus and Jupiter together in your sign this month you have an abundance of charisma going for you so make the best of it. This a cycle with Jupiter that comes around every twelve years but this time it is extra special as Venus retrogrades back into Leo at the beginning of August, thereby extending the benefits of the transit through the beginning of October. This is a great time to launch a new product, a service or make public appearances. Great days for that are the 16th, 17th and 18th.

The Venus Jupiter conjunction in Leo happens in your solar seventh house bringing in more harmony in relationships for the month. Venus goes retrograde here, then until Sept 14 in Leo so you will have plenty of time for enjoying the feminine aspects of your partner. This is indeed a blessing.

Work and health are big concerns right now and if you have to make an adjustment to feel better, do it. There could be some digestive upset. Best days for you are the 3rd, 4th, 30th and 31st.

Leo: 23 July - 23 August

Virgo: 24 August - 22 September

With Mercury, your ruling planet, in your tenth house of profession and the public, you are highly visible now. People who ignored you during the recent Mercury retrograde will be seeking your advice and counsel.

There are more opportunities to network and make inroads into new business groups or make new friends. When Jupiter gets into your first house in the middle of August, you will feel like a big weight has been lifted from you. Beneficial days are the 19th and 20th.

by Jeanne Callahan jeannecallahan007@gmail.com

Aquarius: 22 January - 19 February

Pisces: 20 February - 20 March

Neptune now retrograde in your sign settles down a bit as the confusion left over from the square from Mercury is waning. Decision-making gets easier as a result. Issues with your children surface this month and you may find one of them needs some help. Work issues are easily resolved with Jupiter and Venus in your sixth house so there is flexibility if you need it. You are thought of in high esteem now. Great days to enjoy life are the 5th and 6th.

Namasté Visit Jeanne’s site at CelestialAdvisor.com

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. annually aumento borracho button carretera catastrophe colon communicate ejecutivo extricate founding futura highway inauguracion increible

invertir mesonero mezcla palabra pensar pertain pugilism reunion servicio suddenly taller tantalus televisora tension waitress

Now Begins the Study of Yoga Historical Perspective Part ll The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, are considered one of the main texts which yogis study. The philosophy of the Sutras is closely connected with Jainism and Mahayana Buddhism; Patanjali and Buddha are believed to have been contemporaries. While all of the information contained in the Sutras was not new, Patanjali organized it all together into one place and intended it to be an outline for the use of teachers. The Yoga Sutras consists of four chapters of 195 sutras (meaning “threads”) or aphorisms. The title of the work itself is indicative of how the teachings can be considered. On one hand each sutra can be thought of as a piece of the thread that connects all 195 of the sutras. On the other hand, you can think of each sutra as one of 195 threads woven together to create a tapestry. Either one of these similes is useful when studying the Sutras, as there are themes running through them, as well as many intertwining concepts connecting the whole fabric.

As with all teachings of their period, the Yoga Sutras were always passed down orally from teacher to students. These writings were intended to be shared by teachers with their students to provide a framework for deeper study. Students typically memorized and chanted the Sutras, while their teacher concurrently expounded upon whatever part or parts were being learned. Today, there are numerous interpretations of the Sutras to be found. As they are so profound, they are a text that can be worthy of lifelong study.

The first four sutras are believed to be the essence of classical yoga.

1.1 Atha Yoga Anushasanam Be prepared, as the truest lesson of yoga follows (where the title of this column originates).

1.2 Yogas Chitta Vritti Nirodhah Yoga is the stilling or control of fluctuations of the mind.

This sutra has been adopted as THE essence of yoga by most yoga traditions, assigning yoga as an experience, rather than merely an intellectual undertaking.

1.3 Tada Drashtuh Savrupe Avasthanam Then the seer is established in his true nature.

With this, Patanjali is saying that the part of you that witnesses this stilling is your true Self, and that this is yoga. Our experience is free from the interpretations and misperceptions of the mind, and we are in our pure authenticity.

1.4 Vritti Sarupyam Itaratra When one is not in yoga, we remain identified with the fluctuations of the mind.

Consciousness can get lost in the illusions of the mind, and we mistakenly think these illusions are real. The message is that our reality is shaped by how we perceive our world.

The Sutras are considered as a sort of “cookbook” for how to live your life. Due to the depth of the 195 threads, it was always considered necessary to study them under a knowledgeable teacher who could explain them for applicability to life. If you have never studied the Sutras before, and are looking for ways to understand more about yoga than just the asanas, consider contemplating one aphorism a day. Can you find relevance today in something written 2000 years ago?

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

Surf Report (from page 24) New to the QS is Jaco’s Emily Gussoni, who ground through two rounds of completion before falling out in Round 3. She moved this far on a last-minute entry the day of her heats and was pretty pleased with the showing. “I’m really happy, it’s my first time competing here,” said Gussoni. “I came here just to compete in the Junior event but they had the space (in the Women’s) so I told my mom I’m going to do it. I just got in and since it’s my first time I didn’t want to sweat it a lot.”

Another newcomer to the QS completion is Tamarindo’s Tomas King (photo below). In Los Cabos, he competed for five days, and he, too, passed two rounds of tough challengers. King’s performance was good enough, however, to bump him up three notches in the QS Junior rankings from 21 to 18.

Said King: “The fact that I got this result is a great incentive because they noticed the fruits of my very hard labor. Also, these competitions bring together the world’s best competitors, and it is the circuito that has the highest levels in the world. Now it is time to take my strength and go further in the next contests.”

Last month in the Costa Rica’s Circuito Nacional de Surf kolbi 2015 the little brother of Carlos Muñoz carried on a grand tradition of winning surf contests. Alberto came in 1st place in the COPA Fox in Jaco, and made his family proud.

“When he won, it was an amazing feeling,” Carlos recalled. “I got chicken skin. I tried to coach him a little bit, and we were really connected. “I’m super excited for him, super stoked because he’s my blood.”

Added Alberto: “Today is a special day for me to win and to do it in front of my brother Carlos and my mom, who were on the beach. The truth it was a tight final, they were the best surfers in the country and that is why I am so happy to win. This is dedicated to my family.”

Result of COPA Fox May 16, 17 - Playa Jaco Open 1. Alberto Muñoz (Esterillos) 2. Olman Morales (Sta Teresa) 3. Ariel Gutierrez (P. Hermosa) 4. Jason Torres (Jacó)

Boys 1. Agustín Cedeño (Panamá) 2. Dean Vandewalle (Tamo.)

3. Malakai Martinez (Tamo.)

4. Joseph Méndez (Jacó)

Women’s 1. Lisbeth Vindas (Jacó) 2. Emily Gussoni (Jacó) 3. Leilani McGonagle (Pavones) 4. Nataly Bernold (Limón)

Grommets 1. Malakai Martínez (Tamo.)

2. Dean Vandewalle (Tamo.)

3. Oscar Urbina (Puerto Viejo) 4. Gabriel Córdoba (P. Viejo)

Junior 1. Leonardo Calvo (Barranca) 2. Bruno Carvalho (Jacó) 3. Alex Rocha (Jacó) 4. Joseph Méndez (Jacó)

MiniGrommets 1. Samuel Reidy (Dominical) 2. Orion Eshel (Nosara) 3. Darshan Antequera (Jacó) 4. Aaron Ramirez (Jacó)

Junior Women’s 1. Leilani McGonagle (Pavones) 2. Paula Duarte (Jacó) 3. Emily Gussoni (Jacó) 4. Coral Wiggins (Jacó)

MiniGrommets Femenino 1. Valentina Resano (Nica) 2. Lia Díaz (Tamarindo) 3. Paulina Summers (P. Viejo) 4. Candelaria Resano (Nica)

As of this writing, the next day of the Circuito was taking place in Playa Guiones, Nosara. For up-to-date results, go to www.surfingcr. net.

Finally just a quick note about the ISA World SUP and Paddleboard Championships, which took place last month in Riviera Nayarit, Mexico. This was only the 2nd time that Costa Rica sent a team, which included Alvaro Solano, Brian Sandoval (SUP surfing on waves); Edita Garcia (SUP Women’s surfing on waves and SUP Women’s Distance race); Rolando Herrera, Joseph Cerdas (SUP Distance race and Paddleboarding). Solano is a 2-time Costa Rica national champion in traditional surfing, while Edita holds the distinction of being the national Women’s champion for SUP. In the end they placed 19 out of 27 countries, but keeping in mind the great showing of the Costa Rican’s in the World Surfing Games this year after improving each and every year, there’s great hope for our national SUPers.

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.

“Si siempre intentas ser normal, nunca descubriras lo extraordinario que puedes llegar a ser”

Maya Angelou

Surviving

C hapter CCLVIII

T

COSTA RICA

his particular column is mostly for the recently arrived who, now that they’ve finally made that big move to paradise, should be made aware of certain cultural idiosyncrasies and conundrums that they may not be aware of. This place might be “paradise”, but the “paradise” you’re getting has been rather haphazardly put together by others who may not necessarily have been on the same page as you. With this in mind your humble columnist would like to help ease them through this often puzzling process of orientation.

Congratulations! You’ve come here to a life full of high expectations for your new life abroad. Lower them quickly. This will make everything much easier for you in the long run, especially those hoping to make it more than six months.

Expectations you may consider abandoning include: Always having water and electricity. My wife and I recently returned from a visit to Louisville, Kentucky, in the United States, where we were given a tour of the area’s famous 19th Century Pump House reservoir. It was pretty exciting stuff but only served to make us realize that Tamarindo will probably never be served near as well.

As of lately water seems to have fallen into the “available when possible” category and depends mostly on where you live and which of the eleven or so competing water companies you’ve been allotted to. Chances are you’ll have water most of the time, so don’t sweat it too much.

This “expect less” approach should also be applied towards continuous electricity expectations and internet service. It is suggested that one find something to do other than stare at a blank screen or mobile device during the periodic “outages” of the aforementioned utilities.

“Getting up and walking around” is popular as well as “reading a book because I’ve misplaced my Kindle”.

Things will eventually improve. When you first started coming here to the Pacific Gold Coast

Expectation Counseling and Lifestyle Advice Story by Jesse Bishop owlhumm@hotmail.com

things like the condition of the roads and the clever variations of dangerous driving were all part of the charm that has prompted you to move here. It is not uncommon after an extended period of time that the “familiarity breeds contempt” syndrome kicks in, and you find yourself wishing that those oh-socute mud potholes would just go away, and wouldn’t it make sense to just pave the road.

To this we have both good and bad news. Every now and then the Municipalidad of Santa Cruz will grade the dirt roads in Tamarindo as well as the fabled road to Langosta and for a couple of weeks things will improve.

Remember this ain’t Des Moines, Vancouver, Paris (France and Texas), Istanbul, LA, London or Tokyo. And never will be. Learn to live with what you have and not what you wish you had. It has been suggested that women of a certain age have a harder time adjusting to the Pura Vida Lifestyle. Many times this has to do with a lack of available grandchildren or disinclination toward Dengue fever.

Also: The roads will never be any better or worse than they ever have been. It can be good, it can be bad, at least it is consistent.

Still not sure which is the “good one”.

Those of the male persuasion will also have to realize that just about everything you need is either three times as expensive as it is back home or not available ‘till next month.

As for the local drivers, they never get any better; you just end up being one of them.

Forget everything you learned back in the ninth grade in Driver’s Ed. None of the rules you learned there apply to here.

Once again we’d like to offer an alternative course of action.

“Defensive driving?” Forget about it, don’t even try it, it’s just not done. You drive as fast as you can and pass wherever it feels good. Once you shed these unwanted driving practices it’s actually pretty easy to slip into “Tico Mode”, and as you progress you will also master the art of stopping in the middle of the road and the much more-demanding “driving very slow”.

And now we come to “Lifestyle Advice”, which I, as one of Tamarindo’s Leading Philosophical/Intellectual Lights, am wellsuited to give. Your humble servant.

Chill Out! Okay, so the guy down the road was just ax murdered, you haven’t had water for six days and you think the construction workers next door have eaten your dog.

Pura Vida! Don’t get carried away, things like this happen all the time and have been happening as long as I can remember. Just go with the flow and things will most likely be better in a couple of weeks.

Women of a “slightly less” certain age seem to bemoan the lack of men of a certain distinction and caliber, or correct hair color enhancers.

Embrace paradise. Learn to live off the land by ignoring your previous existence and start “going native”.

Ignore the major food groups and just eat lots of Bananas... or Hearts of Palm… or any number of weird-looking fruits for sale on the side of the road that Wikipedia doesn’t know about.

Or put Lizano sauce on everything. Of course if you follow above’s advice that means only on bananas.

Forget water, which we’ve already revealed as unreliable. Drink Guaro, the only truly local drink of choice among the locals ever since it was revealed that Imperial Beer is actually brewed in New Jersey and then shipped back on returning banana boats.

Even better, mix guaro and Lizano over ice with a dash of (Costa Rican) bitters, garnish with a banana and serve it to the latest addition to our slightly damaged community here in Playa Tamarindo.

What’sLif Goin’ On? Tom Tom Peifer Peifer tompeiferecv@gmail.com tompeifercv@gmail.com

May you live in interesting times - Ancient Chinese curse

Sometimes you just blurt stuff out and then kind of sit back, surprised at what you just said. Happened to me around mid-day.

I was on the way back from Santa Cruz with a young single mother who’d suffered a nasty cut with a machete that got slippery, went airborne and then embedded itself in her lower leg. Her mom, a fervent evangelical Christian was riding shotgun and we were commiserating about the state of the world. Now, in the past, this lady has minced no words about the fact that I don’t adhere to the sacred doctrine as transcribed by the inspired writers in the Good Book. Nonetheless we were kind of on the same track for a bit, shaking our heads in unison, mulling over the past and present calamities that just seem to be multiplying like fruit flies on a fallen mango.

Finally, at one point it just popped out: “Sometimes I honestly wish I believed in God, must make it a lot easier if deep inside you think someone has things under control.”

In spite of my outburst, my passenger remained mum while my thoughts stayed on course, going a mile a minute.

Two days before, in my customary Saturday spot at the Feria in Tamarindo, I had fielded the usual barrage of questions from people who are also enthusiastic about growing their own food. The queries cover a wide range, from people who want a better mix for a few pots on their patio to gung-ho growers aspiring to convert a barren hillside into a food forest. All in all it is way more fulfilling than trying to make accurate change for multiple items in different currencies. You say what you know from practice, share what you understand from ‘book learning,’ and throw up your hands in admission when you honestly don’t have a clue. I can tell you for a fact, gardeners and farmers worldwide—and plenty of other people to boot-are throwing up their hands and honestly wondering what the hell is going on.

Locally, it seems like we went over the outlook for the rainy season in last month’s article: strong El Niño condition, probably a long “veranillo”, or break in the rains, and then a relatively weak ending to the rainy season in October. Given that scenario, don’t plant now what you can’t irrigate in case things get real dry. OK, those are the

predictions. But, who would have foreseen, in the midst of this pretty modest amount of rain that we’re receiving here, that 100 miles to the north, Managua would experience severe flooding affecting the entire urban area just 3 days ago?

For that matter, who would have predicted that the prolonged drought in Texas would end in a diluvian downpour that wiped out farms, homes and a family or two as well as the historical rainfall records? So what can we predict for Guanacaste? And what will things look like when our drought breaks and we return to “La Niña” conditions?

As I tell my friends in California, happy as clams that the strong El Niño effect usually portends a healthy dose of much needed rainfall up there, “Be careful what you wish for.” Just look at Texas.

Meanwhile, gardeners just don’t have the time to philosophize about climate change. They’re too busy dealing with it on the ground.

A friend in Vermont just told me that it’s becoming obvious that where he lives, chickens are soon to be completely unviable. It has been unseasonably cool and wet and his normally healthy, free-range flock is suddenly beset with a host of health issues. He reckons that ducks are the wave of the future as his neck of the woods turns into something more like a temperate rain forest. On the opposite side of the continent, another amigo reports a warm 97 degrees Fahrenheit in early June from his patch of fertile soil in the state of Oregon. Given the scorching temperatures, ground hard as a rock and early lettuce looking like it got hit by Agent Orange, he figures he missed his golden opportunity to grow okra, or something up to the challenge of the increasing heat. But, sometimes you just gotta’ wonder, what is going on inside people’s minds, when the majority of folks simply don’t seem to notice that for much of the month of May, Alaska was hotter than Atlanta.

OK, I’ll admit that of late in the US, next to everybody has been very occupied, and arguing over, the spicy news du jour that shifted the spotlight away from the daily do (continued page 36)

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What’s Goin’ On?

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Sun

1st - rise 5:26; set 6:09 15th - rise 5:29; set 6:09* 31st - rise 5:33; set 6:07

ings of the various Kardashians, to beam in on a remodeled former sports icon now known as Caitlyn. Talk about the ultimate comeback-cum-lane-change. Word on the street is that chic brand names in the fashion and cosmetics industries, clawing for increased market share and ever envious to appear at the cutting edge culturally, are beating a path to his/her door, six-figure contracts tightly clutched in neatly manicured fists. Face it, the on-screen reality is way more attention grabbing than the slim pickens from the real world that you have to struggle just to see through the smoke and mirrors of the mass media.

* latest sunset of year - 12th at 6:09 Full: Last quarter: New: 1st quarter:

Moon

1st 8th 15th 23rd

RAIN GAUGE

3.5

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2.0

Total rainfall: 14.6 cm (5.75 inches)

m 1.5 s

8:20 p.m.

2:24 p.m.

7:24 a.m.

10:04 p.m.

1.0 0.5 0.0 16

20

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Year-to-date 2015: 20.8 cm 2014: 4.6

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Rainfall May/June 2015: 14.6 cm 2014: 4.6

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Classic case in point, all the fanfare and falderol about uncovering massive corruption at the highest levels in FIFA, the international soccer federation, just days after the expiration of the statute of limitations for busting the bankers, financiers and ratings agencies involved in the multi-trillion dollar ‘near death experience’ of the global economy. In terms of the bottom line, the FIFA scandal is chicken feed by comparison, but nary a peep on the subject in the media, nor somebody on the sidelines saying, “hey, wait just a minute here, what ever happened to a change we can believe in?” Go figure.

In this day and age, gardeners can’t afford the luxury of being asleep at the wheel. Like Confucius said, “the best fertilizer is the footprint of the farmer.” You’ve got to know what’s going on and, increasingly, how to adapt fast to changes as they’re coming down. All in all, growing a garden offers great lessons that apply to life in changing times.

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)

Letter

Tamarindo

I stumbled across your magazine yesterday in a small supermarket in Potrero. I have been pleasantly surprised today while I got my morning cup of coffee and read through it. For one thing, it is more than just an advertisement booklet (which in truth is what I thought it would be). Instead, it has nice, relevant contents on many different subjects. Anyway, I wanted to shoot you an email to congratulate you (and your team of contributors) on “The Howler”.

Contact: Ellen - 2-653-0897 / Steve - 8377-1529

Carlos Angulo

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

Saturday: 10:30-11:30 - Open General Meeting Monday: 5:30 - Open Meeting Wednesday: 10:30 - Open Meeting Thursday: 5:30-6:30 - Open Meeting Location: Behind Pedro’s Surf Shop

Shape Up! The Most Frequently Asked Questions in a Fitness Center Lynda Espada

D

uring a recent conversation with my chiropractor, who also used to be a personal trainer, we got into a discussion on the recurring questions people ask personal trainers. As I had not yet had a topic for my column this month, I thought I would address a few of those questions in this month’s article and follow up with a few more next month. Having been a trainer for close to twenty-five years, below are some of the questions and answers to most often asked questions by clients in the fitness center.

How do you know if you have a large, medium or small body frame?

Do not assume because you are 5’ 2’’, you are a small body frame. Your body frame is determined by your bone structure and can impact your ideal weight and your total body mass index, as well as your clothing size. But knowing how to take a simple measurements can help you determine whether you are large or small boned. Accurately judge your body frame size to develop a reasonable goal weight, understand how your clothing fits and improve your overall body image. There are several was to calculate your body frame using charts, but an approximate and simple way to determine your frame size is by wrapping your fingers around your wrist. If your thumb and index finger overlap, you likely have a small frame. If the two meet, your frame size is probably medium and you are large boned if they do not meet.

Can I buy one of those ab machines with electrodes to get six pack abs?

Unfortunately, no. I used to tell people when asked that question, if it was that easy, personal trainers would be out of business and we all would be walking around with model bodies.

The only way to get a nice six-pack is through a well-balanced healthy diet and exercise.

If I Lift Weights, Will I Get Bigger Muscles?

Whether or not you will get big muscles depends on three basic factors: genetics, gender and training intensity, genetics is mostly manifested as muscle fiber type; people with predominantly fast-twitch fibers acquire larger muscles more easily than people with predominantly slow-twitch fibers. In relation to gender, males acquire larger muscles than females do, because males have greater amounts of testosterone and other sex hormones that influence protein metabolism. Training intensity is the only factor you can control. So go ahead, ladies, and pick up some heavier weights.

Be sure to check by next month for a continuation of the most common questions and answers to those questions.

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