World News

I’d been deathly ill for a fortnight with food poisoning. Having foolishly asked the universe, in a meditative state, ‘should I become a vegetarian?’ the cosmos answered, rudely.A week later, I saw death, not in space but in time,...

Every year native English speakers hankering for an exotic life in a beautiful and politically stable Central American country flock to Costa Rica. Most have trust funds, pension plans, or money saved up and just sort of "live" there....

Costa Rica is an angler's dream come true. The country's Pacific ports and beach resorts provide access to some the best deep sea fishing in the world, while the canals and rivers of the northern Atlantic coast feature world-class...

Arriving at the creek at the edge of town at the zenith of the day, I’m surprised by the warmth, clarity, and quietness of the afternoon. As I drop down off the paved bike path, a large woodland hawk...

How two friends made a dream about early retirement come true in Central AmericaThe first thing I see each morning when I step out on the porch of my home in Costa Rica is the ever-changing Gulf of Nicoya.As...

Costa Rican Word/Common Spanish Alternative/Translationabanico/ ventilador/ fan (box or ceiling) enojado/ enfadado (Spain)/ angry birra/ cerveza/ beer boñiga/ estiércol/ manure bomba/ gasolinera/ gas station cabecera/ almohada/ pillow calzones (not the food)/ ropa interior/ underwear (bottoms) carro/ coche, auto/ car faja/ cinturón/ belt (clothing) largo/ lejos/ far, far away macho/...

For those who choose to retire in Costa Rica, the ability to stay in touch with loved ones, run an Internet-based business or just peruse world news is critical to a happy retirement. In this column I will cover...

The mountain reservoir is low. Ten or fifteen meters of steep hillside lie exposed, and the light brown soil is pockmarked with stumps from trees cut down over fifty years ago.But the bowl is still beautiful, and a stiff...

For hundreds of years, torrential weather has shaped Costa Rica’s valleys and canyons, creating a landscape whose twists, dips, and bumps are ripe for rafting opportunities. Some of the country’s most well known rivers – including the Reventazon, Pacuare...