Adios Costa Rica

Wednesday we said goodbye to Costa Rica and a friendly hello to Mexico.  Once again we had an eventful flight where one segment of our journey was very rough and when we hit an air pocket we had a good fall.  It was enough of a fall that a passenger actually screamed!!  And, when we landed a couple of the passengers bolted for the door while we were still taxiing and had to be told to sit back down.

We enjoyed our stay in Costa Rica but found that for a country that boasts being eco-friendly it is hardly that.  Yes, it is full of wonderful birds and all sorts of land and ocean creatures, but their garbage is a huge problem as it is in all the Latin American countries that we have journeyed to in the past.  The local fisherman down our way sees no problem in throwing his expired batteries on to the beach, or burning his plastic next to his beached boat.  Our crocodile tour on the Tarcoles showed evidence of discarded tires cast aside on the banks of the river.  Half the beaches are littered with garbage, and it is an uphill fight for those who live there and are trying to make a difference.  San Jose dumps their garbage into rivers and it makes its way to the ocean and then washes up on near beaches.  It's sad but true!  Occasionally, you will see recycle bins, but all the recycling goes into the garbage because they do not have a recycling program.  It is only there to appease tourists.

Costa Rica has also been hit the the turmoil of the economy in North America.  Many  condo developments are half done and deserted, leaving a ghostly shell of a building to mold and rot away.

Prices in Costa Rica were another concern of ours.  Food in restaurants and grocery stores are as pricey and even somewhat more than back home.  A 13% tax and 10% service charge is also added on to all your meals, bringing a 23% added cost to the food you eat.  I really don't mind spending money on a decent meal that is tasty, but when you order a simple hamburger and the bun crumbles when you bite into it because it is so dry, it makes me mad to pay that kind of price.

Now don't be put off by these written words.  If you have been dreaming of a Costa Rican holiday, by all means go!!  But don't be fooled by all their eco jargon.  Hopefully, if enough people keep complaining about some of these problems (especially their garbage) maybe they will get it and really do something to clean it up instead of talking about it.  It is truly a wonderful country with lots to offer.