Nicaragua held the 1st International Tourism Show in its capital, Managua. The aim was to promote Nicaragua’s beauty through us, international tour companies from Canada, United States, Peru, Guatemala, Costa Rica, El Salvador and Honduras, including some media partners, by giving us the chance to interact with a range of local exhibitors such as hotels, transport companies, local operators, and community-based projects, anxious to show us the product they had to offer. We had the pleasure of meeting distinguished tourism industry officials, such as the president of the National Tourism Board, the Vice-president of Nicaragua, and the Ambassador to Guatemala. You could see the pride they felt for their country and that they really wanted this event to be a successful one, and it was indeed.

With the potential to be the hot new destination in Central America, Nicaragua is working with Rainforest Alliance to promote themselves as an ecotourism destination, alongside countries like Costa Rica. Unfortunately Nicaragua is still seen by some as a territory of guerillas and political issues, but that face is in fact what they are trying to change, by giving people the opportunity to explore its multiple volcanoes, rain and cloud forests and beautiful beaches on both the Caribbean and the Pacific coasts. Sad to say, but most of the time media plays a big role in how a destination is presented, and that is what they are dealing with now by trying to show that their country has a lot of what its neighbor offers, including safety.
So… what did I think? The beauty of Nicaragua is outstanding! As we were landing at the Augusto Sandino International Airport, the panoramic view of the Momotombo Volcano and the Xolotlan Lake gave us a very good impression of what to expect on the following days. And it wasn’t just the panoramic view that made us feel welcomed instantly; it was also its people, their friendly faces and the service we received upon arrival and throughout the show.

I especially recall a meeting I had with Maria Ismelda Ayala Castillo, a charming woman who was promoting her homemade rosquillas (rosquillas are similar to an Italian biscotti, designed to be accompanied by a hot cup of coffee). I was just so happy to know that these kind of community projects have a space and the opportunity to be at these trade shows, I got a business card from Doña Maria Ismelda, and I couldn’t contain myself from hugging her and having my picture taken with her, it reminded me of my mother.
If you have the chance to visit Nicaragua, you absolutely must visit Omepete Island. With an area of 276 square km, the island is located in Lake Nicaragua along with the Conception and Maderas Volcanoes, featuring also a rich archeological background, tropical beaches and natural reserves and forests.
The island’s population is just 37,000 people, who sustain themselves by fishing, producing high quality agricultural products and by international tourism. Ometepe is full of destinations to discover, such as Altagracia with its traditions and heritage, where they have established a Pre-Columbian museum exposing ceramics, statues, and petro glyphs found on the island. Santo Domingo is a beach paradise: An unpaved road takes you to the most secluded beach, bordered by the two majestic volcanoes, where you can also be adventurous, and try zipping down the canopy cables, windsurfing and even kite surfing!
I have to say that I was impressed by the beauty of this country, its people and service. Next time I will have to explore, in more depth, the northern part of the country. I didn’t get a chance to visit… such as Leon and the Corn Island Have you been there?

I’ll begin with our first night at the Finca Rosa Blanca, near San Jose. We loved it and were sorry that we
could only spend the night. It’s a real gem, and got our trip off to a good start.

Another marvelous memory was our stay at the Bosque de Paz, in the cloud forest. It is a special
place, close to nature, secluded and peaceful. The owners were there, and treated us like family.
We never would have known about it on our own. I’m so glad we got to stay there. There was
a young man, native to the place, who is a naturalist and gave us a wonderful nature hike, and let
us see a microscopic orchid he collected that is extremely rare.

From there, we headed toward Arenal, stopping on the way for what turned out to be an
absolutely delightful afternoon with Dona Mara and her family (daughters, grandchildren), with a
home-made delicious lunch in her covered, open-air patio (with kitchen!). Dona Mara is a
gracious and kind lady who made us feel like part of her family. She helped us make our own
tortillas (a first for me, I buy them in packages at home!) and gave us a bountiful lunch of local
cuisine. Then she gave my daughter and I earrings she had made in the colors of the Cost Rican
flag as souvenirs. This experience was certainly unique and not one we would have had on an
ordinary tour, or on one we had planned ourselves. It was unforgettable and it still makes me
smile to remember it.
A few words abut our guide, Julio Madriz. A more knowledgeable and congenial travel
companion cannot be found. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of the flora and fauna,
geography and history of Costa Rica and shared it in a casual and interesting way, helping us
sample a forest-found fruit and see tiny creatures hidden to the untrained eye. He had boundless
energy and patience and made us feel like new-found friends. I hope you are lucky enough to
have Julio as your guide. He added so much to our trip.

The grand finale was a few nights at Punta Islita resort, where we had arranged to stay in an
individual villa, complete with a plunge pool with a gorgeous view of the forest and beach, and
hand-hewn beds of native woods, in air-conditioned comfort. It was low-key and charming, with
a resident troop of monkeys in a mango grove on the property.. The lovely beach ( very warm
and calm water) and amenities of the resort made it the perfect place to unwind and relax before
heading home.

All in all, it was perfect, just what we hoped for, and more. A wonderful time and now,
wonderful memories.

In the next few months, six new bills will enter into circulation. The current old bills of ¢1.000, ¢2.000, ¢5.000, and ¢10.000 will be replaced, and two new bills valued at ¢20.000 and ¢50.000 will be introduced. At present rates of exchange, these bills are worth a little under $2, $4, $10, $20, $40 and $100 respectively. The bills will be of different sizes and colors and will have an ecological image on one side, relating to one of the six major ecosystems of the country. On the reverse will present an image of an important historical person of our nation. Old bills will be gradually phased out of circulation.

Below is a brief description of what the bill papers would look like.

1000: Dry forest, showing one of our Tico National Symbols, the White-tailed Deer ! It is an endangered species in CR, so you may want to send some down here!
2000: Coral Reef and Shark
5000: The Mangroves, with a White-faced Capuchin monkey.
10,000: Rain forest and the famous 3 toed Sloth.
20,000: Subalpine/Paramo, showing the endemic Volcano Hummingbird.
50,000: The Cloud Forest, showing a beautiful Blue Morpho butterfly.

During the Christmas holidays, our family of 4 took a trip to Costa Rica. We were 2
middle-aged (but in pretty good shape physically) and active adults, and a 19 and 17 year old. It
isn’t easy to plan a trip that will satisfy all of the wishes and wants of 2 adults and a college age
and a high school age teen. Usually, we plan our own trips, but this one called for some savvy
and well-informed assistance.
We had read in Conde Nast Traveler magazine about some travel agencies that specialized in
Costa Rica, so I took their recommendations and called 4 places. I gave each one a description of
our group, and our wish lists and priorities, as well as the time frame. We then carefully read and
evaluated the proposed tips itineraries and budgets.
Greenspot stood out from the beginning. We liked their suggestions, and felt that they “got”
what our family is like and what we were looking for. And they were so pleasant and easy to
deal with.
The trip turned out to be absolutely wonderful- we’d do it all over again in a minute! We were so
happy with all of the choices of accomodations and activities. What made the trip so enjoyable
and stress-free was that the logistics were flawless. Greenspot made sure that, at every transfer,
we were met by drivers who knew exactly what to do and where to go. They were always there,
waiting for us, pleasant and prepared to do their jobs. So we could relax and just enjoy
ourselves.

Read more about some of our highlights of the trip next.

It would work as a tool to teach the children of the community about how to preserve what it’s been so hard to get, our land.
The museum will expose the history and development of the area, through the eyes of those founders who worked hard to make sure that their families had a place to live and be part of. The founders had the opportunity to give the community a message which was mainly said in these words “Let’s value and preserve what we have now, and teach the rest of the world that our community has been built to give visitors the opportunity to learn about our culture and our identity, and pass this along for many generations to come.
The construction would take close to 5 years, and would be located in the town of Chachagua, just 20 minutes from the town of La Fortuna and the Arenal Volcano.

We hope to see you there!

Off to a quick visit to my hometown. As you all know, I was born and raised under the shadow of the majestic Arenal Volcano in Costa Rica, in the small town of Chachagua, located just 15 minutes from La Fortuna. Last week my mom informed me that the President of the Community Board, wanted to get in touch with us as he knows GreenSpot is trying to help the town of  Chachagua to become the next sustainable tourism destination in the area. It is important to mentioned that so far, La Fortuna is the most visited town in the Arenal Area, but one of Green Spot’s goals and vision is to help nearby communities to benefit too, but this time by helping them to create and offer sustainable tourism, where they can have a closer interaction with the culture, by having the clients visiting local families to learn how to make tortillas, having local meals, and by visiting the local schools. 

Because of our vision, the president extended us an invitation to be part of the committee, who on Saturday morning would be inaugurating the museum that would offer every visitor the opportunity to learn how the Arenal Area was founded. 

Learn in more detail about the project on the following days. Keep tuned.

In an effort to spread the word about Brazil’s natural beauty, GreenSpot.Travel and EMBRATUR (the Brazilian Tourism Board) are giving away two framed photographs (The value of each photo is about $800) by Peter Guttman.  A magazine reviewer recently proclaimed, “View the world through Peter Guttman’s eyes once and chances are you’ll want to wear those glasses for the rest of your life.” The photos were displayed as part of the annual meetings at the United Nations last year.

How to participate?
We are looking for the most creative picture that describes the beauty of the Amazonian country of Brazil. Every picture should have an explanation of what you as a “photographer” captured on that moment, trying to explain what’s really the beauty behind that picture. 
Don’t have a picture taken in Brazil? Described in a paragraph what would be the perfect place to go in Brazil and why.
Please submit your entries at info@greenspottravel.org

By playing a critical role in Lapa Rios’ Wildcat Research Experience 2010, we will reward you with a free night of accommodation and your meals for one day at Costa Rica’s award winning Lapa Rios, with a minimum of four night stay between May 2nd and May 15th, 2010.

Lapa Rios has been supporting a local team of wildcat researchers and conservationists for several years and we would like to further involve our guests in the Jaguar, Puma and Wildcat Conservation Efforts through this once in a lifetime experience. 

During your four night stay at Lapa Rios in May 2010, you will be able to enjoy all of the regular tours and activities at the lodge, and we will also involve you in a variety of special activities revolving around Wildcat Conservation, such as: 

• Attending a briefing on the status of the wildcat research and conservation program on the Osa Peninsula with project directors Aida Bustamante and Ricardo Moreno. 

• Setting up and checking the heat sensor triggered cameras in the Lapa Rios Wildlife Reserve. These cameras are used to monitor the movement of jaguar, puma and other wildlife in the reserve and the Osa Peninsula. 

• Hiking into the rainforest and helping collect wildcat footprints in the rainforest.
• Learning how to conduct an analysis of the wild cats’ diets in the rainforest. 

• Working along side locals who might have been hunters before and now are active in the conservation of the wildlife, flora and fauna of the Osa Peninsula.

• Participating in talks given at local schools, community groups and hotels about the wildlife conservation program.

• Setting up and testing the program that monitors the movement of peccaries (medium sized, wild piglike mammals) with the help of GPS collars, in the reserve and Osa Peninsula. 

For further Information and reservations, please contact us at info@laparios.com. For more information on the Wildcat Research conducted on the Osa Peninsula, please visit here.

Driving toward the mountains of Talamanca, 45 minutes from Quepos-Manuel Antonio, is the town of Londres, and the Rural Tourism Project of Los Campesinos Private Reserve. Created by three local costarricans, who wanted to share their tico traditions, great food, and their stories about growing up in the area and the old Costa Rica, but most important to give visitors the opportunity to experience the authentic side of the country, by spending a day hiking among farms, creeks, waterfalls, and wildlife in the primary and secondary forest. Los Campesinos reserve is located on a majestic mountain range between the Naranjo and Savegre rivers watersheds. The Reserve is part of the community of Quebrada Arroyo, and is managed by Don Miguel Mora, his brother and his wife Doña Juanita. Visitors have the opportunity to interact with the locals, walk in a hanging bridge, and if you feel even more adventures, you could experience a traditional manual tram (kind of a metal tram suspended by ropes) to get across the Savegre River. A day of memorable moments that could be added, if you are staying in the Manuel Antonio Area.
See our suggested itineraries, and asks us for more details at info@greenspot.travel

Came back from Costa Rica, three days ago, and to our surprise the airline had new regulations while flying. According to the flight attendant, the rules apply to all of the airlines while entering the U.S.

-  No iPhones, Blackberrys, etc for the duration of the flights.

- You can’t stand up for the last hour of an international flight. You are not even allowed to go to the bathroom.

-Nothing should be on your lap, or/and hands for the last hour of the flight either.

-You are not allowed to talk or interact with first class passengers and vice versa.