Phone Number Portability - Soon for Costa Rica!

Costa Rica residents will soon be able to take their phone number with them

November 26^th, 2012  Costa Rica residents will soon be able to change telephone service providers without having to change their phone number, which is known as number portability. 

The Telecommunications Superintendence (SUTEL) has received numerous offers from companies that are interested in managing the number portability system. 

Telecordia Technologies, Informatica El Corte Ingles, Teletech D.O.O and Consorcio CESA Porting are all interested in administrating the system. A committee comprised of representatives from the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE), Movistar, Claro and Tuyo Movil will be in charge of selecting the firm that will operate the system.

 If those operators do not form such a committee, SUTEL will select the company that will operate the system.

 The deadline for bids by companies that wanted to manage the system was November 9^th, though no deadline has been set in the selection process.

 Eduardo Castellon, spokesperson for SUTEL, said their goal is to have the system in operation by February of 2013, but did not rule out the possibility of delays.

 The company selected to manage the system will have 3 months to put the system into operation, and one month for testing.  Given this, it would seem more likely that the service would be introduced in mid-March.

 Number portability is a now a right for telephone subscribers, established in the General Telecommunications Law.

Pick your climate!

Wonderful Rainbow Country as we sit on the edge between the rain forest and dry forest!

Costa Rica is a very diverse country especially when it comes to weather and country side.  There are 13 climatic zones in Costa Rica ranging from Tropical Dry Forest to Rain Forest with a lot of choices in between.  You need not travel far to experience the change in climate  This morning we left our mountain home near Rincon de La Vieja National Park.  Last night had been quite cool and we slept with a fairly heavy quilt.  This morning we got up to light rain, wind and cool - very refreshing but cool enough for a sweater and to put on the electric heater to take off the chill. I guess we Canadians are getting thin blood:-) We once lived in High Level, Alberta near the 60th parallel where the temperature in winter often dropped to below minus 40 C or F in the winter so the 20 degrees centigrade this morning should not have bothered us.  Today was an office day for me at our REMAX Hacienda del Mar office so off we went heading to the beach.  As we drove off the rain was coming in misty waves with the wind and our Nicaragua worker was dressed warmly including  toque:-)   We could see sunshine off in the distance toward the beach so we knew we would hit the warm soon.  At about the 400 meter level or 1,312 feet ASL we hit the sun and left the cool - this was only 12 kilometers or 7 miles from the house.   The sun was warm and windows went down.  We were soon in Liberia only 21 kilometers or 13  miles from the house and we were just about ready for a/c.  We drove the final 30 kilometers to the beach with the windows down.  Once we reached the apartment for unpacking the warm air hit us and on came the apartment floor fan.  I helped unpack then drove to the office with the a/c running.  What a change in a short time and distance.  Welcome to Costa Rica where you can pick your weather - Pura Vida! 

Life in Paradise – A Horse Lover’s Dream Achieved!

 San Jorge Cowboys - Herb and Rafael 

 Chalana getting her nails done by Huber

Prieto - our 4 year old gelding - I call him my sports model! 

One of the things I really love about Costa Rica is that finally I have achieved my lifelong dream of owning horses.   Ever since I was a little boy way back in the 1950s I wanted a horse.  We lived on a grain farm in Saskatchewan with no farm animals so the chance of getting a horse were slim and none and slim just left townJ  However I did pester my mom and dad for a lot of years for a chance to own a horse just like Little Joe on Bonanza (still on TV down here and I love to watch it for the old memories). As an adult, over the years we lived all over Alberta and Saskatchewan with no time, money or space for a horse.  At one point in time we lived on a nice acreage for 9 years in Bragg Creek, Alberta, but there was no room for a horse and boarding was out of the question with costs in the $400 to $500 per month range for boarding not to mention other costs like shoeing,  cutting manes,  medical issues etc.   When we moved to Costa Rica, owning a horse never occurred to me until we had spent some time here in Guanacaste which is a horseman’s dream.  Horses were and are a big part of the culture - they are used extensively on ranches and farms around the country.   So when we bought a farm in the mountains and I started riding the neighbor's horses, my dream came back.   We bought a nice creole mare about 1 ½ years ago for the huge sum of $300 and she is a great gentle horse – sure footed and intelligent.  I would trust her with any of our grandchildren.  This year we bought another horse from our neighbor for $500 - a four year old gelding that needed some work.  Now he is like a big puppy and a pleasure to ride as he has the Spanish gait that you see on TV or all around Costa Rica.  Monthly costs to maintain these great beasts are minimal.  Our neighbor, Huber, looks after shoeing the horse and all we pay for are the shoes and nails.   He expects nothing in payment but we do have a few shots of Johnny Rojo (Johnny Walker Red Scotch) after he is finished.  Rafael, our trusted Nicaraguan worker, looks after cutting manes and together we look after tick control and other minor issues.  We have free pasture for the most part and when we need a little extra our other neighbor, Jose, charges us 10,000 colones per month ($20 USD) for both horses.    Because the horses are doing what comes natural – grazing the open range - their medical bills are negligible.  Unlike horses that are kept in stables and stalls for extended periods, our horses are always moving and do not experience the problems other horses experience when they are locked up for long periods.    Riding in the mountains and jungle of Costa Rica in the early mornings is at times a mystical experience with the birds singing and the howler monkeys grunting like some huge intimidating beasts. So if you are horse lover – Costa Rica is calling!  

Hey its Grapefruit and Mandarin Season at the mountains!

Remember Christmas oranges when you were a kid?  When I was growing up in Canada mandarin oranges always meant Christmas was right around the corner.  At that time Canada imported them from Japan and we called them Japanese Oranges and we loved them!  Limits were put on us as these treats were expensive back then -  only 2 per day per kid!  Now that we live in paradise we can eat all the oranges per day we want!  Our neighbor has a couple of huge trees and this year they are full!  We picked 2 large pails in a matter of minutes and these oranges are delicious, when you peel one the aroma brings back the days of Christmas.  Even better we can eat all we want per day!  Lots of seeds but sweet and tasty these are  natures oranges not some genetically enhanced fruit..  Now the grapefruit are in season as well and our neighbors have trees that are laden with these natural fruits.  Now we are starting to make juice and I am sure we will make over 50 gallons this year again.   A great healthy drink that can be combined with vodka for an even healthier treat!   Do not miss an opportunity to visit the mountains when you come to Cost Rica.  Only a one hour drive and filled with adventure and tasty healthy treats. Pura Vida!

The Big Rains are finally here in Guanacaste!

So far in Guanacaste the rainy or green season has been dry and causing concerns for the up coming dry season.  Well this week the concerns have been alleviated as Tropical Storm Sandy has been hitting us for the past week giving us considerable amounts of moisture.  As I write this blog this morning the rains have been constant over night and now well into the morning.  Some minor flooding but no issues.  I am sure in the mountains the rains are just as heavy if not more so.  We need the rains in the mountains to replenish Lake Arenal water levels as this water provides electrical power for much of the country.  Plus the City of Liberia depends on the mountains for their supply of fresh water.  An elaborate system of canals gathers the waters of Rincon de La Vieja and delivers them to Liberia via gravity feed.  This system provides 70% of Liberia's fresh water so come on rain! Rainy days in Costa Rica sure beat the snowy days in Canada.  At least here we do not shovel rain:-)  Pura Vida 

Hike to the top of Rincon de La Vieja Volcano

 Here is an adventure you will not soon forget!  Hiking to the top of Rincon de La Vieja Volcano in the middle of the Rincon de La Vieja National Park is a challenge for the hardiest hiker.  The best time to under take this trek is during April and May when the skies tend to be more clear and you can see the Pacific to the West and Lake Nicaragua to the North.  The hike starts at the Rincon de La Vieja Ranger Station just north of Hacienda Guachipelen.  It is about a 1 1/2 hour drive from the beaches.  The hike is not easy and will take 8 hours or more.  This is not a hike for the unfit!  Be sure health wise you can handle the extensive up hill hiking and in some places you will need to do a little difficult climbing.  The hike starts off in a gentle climb through beautiful rain forest trees and vegetation.  After 4 or 5 kilometers it changes into wind swept volcanic rocks and vegetation.  Near the top as you can see in the pictures it is barren rocks like the Rocky Mountains we are familiar with back in Alberta.   Remember this is the mountains and bring necessary clothing as the weather can change quickly and you could see rain even in the dry season coupled with the altitude and winds, it can get chilly.    The hike signs say it is 10 kilometers to the top from the Ranger Station but in my opinion this distance is a typical Tico guestimate and the distance is considerably further.  We left at 8:00 AM and returned by 5:00 PM - very tired after a long day filled with adventure.  We had our good friend Danny as a guide and would highly recommend you take a guide with you.  They are available at the Ranger Station start most days.  We highly recommend this Costa Rican Adventure - Pura Vida! 

 

 

More Scarlet Macaws in the wild!

Nicoya peninsula now has 60 more free scarlet macaws

The Nicoya peninsula now has 60 more scarlet macaws in the wilds. The birds were released at the Los Delfines golf course at Playa Tambor near Paquera on the east shore of the peninsula.

The birds were raised by the Asociación Pro Conservación de la Lapa Roja. The scarlet macaw (Ara macao) is a threatened bird, but it also is one of the signature birds of Costa Rica. In fact, Los Delfines even has such a bird on the front page of its Web site.

The Ministerio de Ambiente y Energía said that several
government officials were present at the release, including José Lino Chaves of the ministry.

The birds were raised from chicks locally. The largest population of scarlet macaws, of course, is in the undeveloped Osa peninsula.

The association has been working to protect the birds for at least 15 years. This is not the first time that a group was released in the same area. The association also works to reforest areas.

The birds live in holes in trees, so the group also constructed bird-friendly houses that are hoisted up to a safe height.