#san juan pools san antonio

[coolantoniomartin]

Jeanette Santiago (born August 13, 1972 in San Juan, Republic of Puerto Rico), born Antonio Santiago, is a former amateur boxer, actress, singer, wikipedian, professional model and boxing and fashion writer and critic. Among the things she loves are her family, airplanes, boxing, music, movies, acting, writing, friends and women. Her ex girlfriends or significant girls in her life include Thelvenytssie Hernande, Loyda Morales, Rosemary Guerrero, Jennifer Gibson and Amna Zamir, a native of Pakistan.

At age 7, Jeanette formed part of the children's chorus at Santa Juanita Disciples of Christ church in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, which allowed her to sing at the El Morro Castle in San Juan and at the Edificio de Fomento, among other places, and on a Sandra Zaiter television show on Puerto Rico's channel 7.

At age 9, she was diagnosed with diabetes. However, this hasn't deterred the positive spirited Jeanette to live a full life with as much fun as possible.

Most of her teenage years, Jeanette lived at Bonneville Apartments in Caguas, Puerto Rico. She also lived at Bayamon, Humacao and at Los Robles Apartments in Cayey, Puerto Rico.

At age 12, Jeanette entered a boxing ring for the first time in her life, but after receiving a few good punches, she thought it over and gave it up, and started to pursue an acting career. She did not abandon the gym before having a tremendous fight with a guy named Rafael, in Cayey, however...the fight in 1986 between Jeanette and Rafael inside that ring was so good, a lot of people who saw it said they reminded them of Rocky and Drago in Rocky IV. They were Jeanette’s nine longest minutes of her life, and in round three, they even wrestled each other to the floor, where they kept on hitting each other until separated, and then promptly went back to swinging at each other with everything they had but while on their feet. The fight was declared a draw by everyone who saw it, but Jeanette is very proud to have been a participant of it even if it was only a 'draw'. After returning to Caguas, Jeanette went back to the gym in Cayey to say goodbye to everyone, and there it was :a small picture on the wall depicting Jeanette and Rafael swinging at each other..:)

In Cayey, Jeanette was the leader of a group named the "T-Birds", after the gang portrayed in the movies Grease and Grease 2. Her group mates were Javier, Ruben (nicknamed "Macho"), Ricardo ("Ricky") and William, who sadly died in a swimming pool accident months later. Her girl-friend Thelvenetsy Hernandez was likewise the leader of "The Pink Ladies".

It should be mentioned also, that in Cayey, Jeanette tasted musical fame for the first time. Her girl-friend Thelvenytssie had a school band. It included her friends Hilda Rodriguez (coincidentally, this was also the maiden name of Jeanette's grandmother from his father's side), Ana and Carmen Rivera (Ana, also coincidentally, also shared her name with Jeanette's grandaunt from her mother's side). She wanted to spend more time with Jeanette and she attended some of her boxing sessions in Cayey. So she wanted her to do the same for her and so, she (Jeanette) started attending her band's practices all the time after which she asked Jeanette to join it. With Jeanette becoming the first-and only-male member of what then became "The Fantastic Five" (before that, it was "The Fantastic Four"), Jeanette enjoyed wild popularity among the girls at Benigno Fernandez Garcia middle school in Cayey. The group actually released a poster once (using the Walgreens' photo services, which produce posters, coffee cups and other things off personal photos) , which was widely distributed in the school. Jeanette (bad boy pose) laying back against a tree, Thelvenetsei hugging her neck and the other girls sitting in front of them on the ground.

Months later, Jeanette, at age 14, joined the adult singing choir at Ebenezer Methodist church in Caguas.

In Caguas, Jeanette enlisted at Gerardo Selles Sola Junior High, where she continued being a well liked student and teenager-she introduced herself to other students on her first day there by wearing a blue jacket and dark sunglasses inside the classroom and announcing herself as the "Teen Wolf"- but a harrowing event early in 1987 changed her life as a student: One late January morning in 1987, as she was being dropped off by her grandfather, she suffered a low sugar reaction and fainted. Her grandfather quickly transported her to the local, municipal hospital, from where she was placed in an ambulance and escorted by a pair of motorcycle policemen who happened to be there for another patient, to the local regional hospital. This event prevented a relationship she was developing with a girl named Zoraida to go on and, eventually, it also stopped Jeanette’s school going days: As Jeanette had to go up stairs to take class every day, teachers became afraid that next time, she could faint while on the stairs and they decided it was best for her to study at home and come on Fridays to school to drop off his homework. Jeanette had the late miss Ramirez of social studies to thank for her efforts towards that decision to be taken.

To this day, Jeannette is thankful to her late grandfather for driving her to the municipal hospital, therefore saving Jeanette's life, but she wishes she could know who the doctors, the ambulance driver and the policemen that day were too so she can thank them.

Months later, at the 9th grade graduation ceremony, Jeannette was awarded a "comeback of the year" special medal in a ceremony attended by Caguas mayor, Angel O. Berrios himself.

Jeanette attended high school at the old CEM in Caguas on Saturdays only from 1987 to 1989-at a class where she was the only male member all those years-giving her ample time to befriend other teens of every age and a chance to meet other women her age and to engage in her other interests: studying the history of boxing, acting, singing, dancing and playing basketball.

Jeanette has been in many plays, and in 1998 earned a model's degree from John Casablancas' Elite Model Management, hoping this would help her career move forward. It didn't, but in 2001 she was able to find a small role in one major film, Eight Legged Freaks. Incidentally, Jeanette also appeared, as an un-paid extra, in the 1982 film Una Aventura Llamada Menudo, during the film's last scene at Luis Munoz Marin International Airport.

For a short time, long haired Jeanette-as Antonio- was also a member of a teen band that had 7 boys, all but one boy residents of Bonneville Apartments in Caguas. The band was named "Corporation S.O.S." (and "Compania Al Rescate" in Spanish) and included 16 year old Jeanette, her brother, 9 year old Jose, 12 year old drummer Josue Rivera, 14 year old guitarist Marcos Padilla Jr., 12 year old rapper Eduardo Montanez, 15 year old keyboardist Carmelo Lopez and 21 year old Pablo Jose "Junior" Diaz. Although they all sang lead at various songs, Jeanette was the main lead singer, and the band tasted a small measure of popularity among girls around their small town. But they couldn't go forward and shortly after, they broke up , remaining just as friends. Since, Josue Rivera was rumored to have passed away, but he is alive. Because of the boy band long haired fashions of the era in Latin America, Jeanette-as Antonio- adopted a more androgynous look which was fairly popular among the girls who knew him. Considered a bass at the church choir, Jeanette sang as countertenor instead at the band because of the type of music (Spanish pop-rock) Corporation S.O.S. performed.

The rationale for the band's name was that "Just like a corporation, (we) all do different things in the group. And we are here to save Spanish rock music and sing it the way it's supposed to be (thus S.O.S. was added)".

This music group also took acting classes at a municipal arts school in Caguas, under the tutelage of the well known theater actor Carlos Cruz, since they foresaw a future that also included perhaps acting in film and television. Jeanette remembers spending many hours rehearsing singing and dancing moves during this era.

The formula this group used was to simply listen to songs on weekdays, then have the musicians on the band emulate the musical sounds with their instruments during a recording session, usually carried out at one of the members' homes. Then, if they had an act at a birthday party or the such, they'd bring the musical tapes with them; that way, they could all dance and sing to their songs while the musicians (Marcos, Josue, Carmelo and Pablo Jose) could be also heard on the background playing the music.

"Corporation S.O.S" tried to emulate the success of other teen boy bands of the time such as Menudo, Los Chicos de Puerto Rico and Los Chamos. Their songs were Spanish covers of other artists' hits, such as "Padre Benitez", a song in which band members confessed their love for a church going girl to a fictional priest and which was a cover of Billy Ocean's Caribbean Queen. Another example was "Jesus", a prayer-like song that was actually a cover of The Beatles' Hey Jude (they also covered other Beatles songs), as well as "A bailar!" (a cover of The Hooters' And We Danced) and "Chica del Campo" (a cover of The Pet Shop Boys' West End Girls) and Jeanette sang lead on "Muchachita", which was a cover of Elton John's Nikita. Jeanette met Rafo Muniz around this era, and so Antonio and his bandmates appeared on a television show named Control Remoto during 1989, shown on Puerto Rico's WAPA-TV, where they were allowed to sing a version of Chantelle's merengue song "Queriendo y No (Aunque Tu No Quieras)", which Jeanette sang on lead that day. The reason the band was given by Rafo Muniz for only that song to be allowed on that show was that the show had it's own in-house band and they had rehearsed the Chantelle song the week before but not the other songs, plus Muniz had permission from Chantelle to play their song on his show. Luckily, this was a very famous song at the time and the kids knew the lyrics to it.

Among other songs the band covered were Toto's Africa and Madonna's Who's That Girl ("Quien es esa Nina?"), Survivor's Eye of the Tiger ("Ojo del Tigre"), Bon Jovi's Bad Medicine ("Eres Una Medicina Venenosa Para Mi") and Starship's We Built This City ("Construimos Esta Ciudad del Rock"), Bananarama's Cruel Summer ("Cruel Verano-Y Yo Aqui Sin Ti"), Nothing's Gonna Stop Us ("Nada va a Parar Este Amor"), Boy Meets Girl's Waiting For a Star to Fall ("Esperando Que Una Estrella Caiga"), The Dream Academy's Life In A Northern Town ("Hey, Mama"), The Hollies' The Air That I Breathe ("Jugar al Parchis Contigo"), Cyndi Lauper's Girls Just Wanna Have Fun ("Los Muchachos Queremos Pasarla Bien") and Dennis DeYoung's Desert Moon ("Bajo La Luna"). Two Spanish-language songs the group did cover from time to time was Luis Miguel's La Incondicional, which Jeanette sang on lead, and Miguel Bose's "Amante Bandido", sung by Jeanette's brother José.

As of 2022, the kids on that band remain friends. Jose works as a salesman for Alaska Airlines; Carmelo is a policeman (and a former singer with a local police rock group in Caguas) in the United States; Eduardo a tattoo artist in the United States, Pablo Jose a teacher at Universidad de Puerto Rico's Caguas branch, Josue works in the United States as a handyman, Marcos owns a auto parts store in Caguas, Puerto Rico and Jeanette writes at Wikipedia while keeping trying to further her acting and modeling career.

Although the band had few fans, some of them were fervent: Jeanette received, among other things, cardboard posters with her name and hearts on it from fans, and one time, a rabid fan who felt ignored by her attacked her and bit her on her arm at a parking lot before she was separated by others who were nearby. In another incident, Jeanette, her brother Jose and their band-mate Josue were at a Kay Bee Toys store at Plaza Centro Mall in Caguas when they were recognized by the same fan who bit Jeanette and by a couple of her friends and had to beat a hasty, comical getaway from the store. At malls and locations near Bonneville Apartments, this type of thing happened to them from time to time.

Among the things that brought Jeanette joy during that era were singing, dancing and hanging out with fans.

Apart from the boys in the band, Jeanette's best friends in Caguas included Yuyo, Juan Carlos, Ramon Berrios, Carlos Martinez, Heriberto Cruz, the Campagne (pronounced Champagne) brothers, (Avelardo, Avidair and Alexis), Libertario Sauri, William Luciano, Victor Manuel "Manny" Flores,the Gomez brothers (Ezequiel and Edwin), the Ortiz siblings (Lizzy and Edwin), Elizabeth Santiago, Manet, Silkya Hoyos , Sylvia Berrios, The Negron-Perez siblings (Ahmed, Samuel, Heira and Helga), Angel Benitez, Ariel Benitez, Angie Quinones and many others.

On April 29, 1990, Jeanette was involved in an emergency landing at Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport, incoming from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Upon approach, she and the other passengers were ordered on a head between the knees landing position. The Eastern Airlines Boeing 727 in which she was flying  then had a hard landing and many overhead bins opened roughly. Emergency vehicles were awaiting the plane on the runway, nevertheless the plane landed safely and everyone was uninjured. The plane was later towed to a maintenance hangar. Eastern's employees told passengers that due to a major congestion at the Atlanta airport the Eastern jet in which Jeanette was had to spend an inordinate amount on go around and the plane apparently fell low in fuel, requesting immediate priority landing afterwards. This was done by the plane's pilots probably to avoid another tragedy like Avianca Flight 52 which had crashed in similar circumstances just months before.

Jeanette became an ice cream saleswoman, occasional model and autograph collector during the 1990s, a time in which she met several celebrities, such as Bill Clinton, the six former Menudo members who formed El Reencuentro (plus several other Menudo and band director Edgardo Diaz during a separate meeting) Wilfredo Gomez, Gladys Knight, Silvester Stallone, Hilary Duff, Muhammad Ali, several NBA and WNBA stars and more, in addition to talking on the phone with such celebrities as Elizabeth Smart, Richard Steele, Ivan Calderon and Juanes as well as talking with Princess Anne of England and with Kenneth McClintock and Puerto Rican governor Luis A. Ferre in person. She also underwent a religious retransformation at the time and claimed to people that the most important person she'd met was God. The 1990's and early 2000s were generally a crazy and sometimes chaotic time for her where she experienced life in the fast lane: she lost her virginity, was engaged to a woman after meeting her only two weeks before and clubbing, raves and parties were the norm for her. Jeanette around this time started experimenting in the gothic sub-scene of the 90s, influenced by her fiancé at the time Rosemary Guerrero and by the movie The Craft (and, specifically, the character "Nancy Downs"), and she enjoyed such musical acts like Marilyn Manson, Eminem and Kittie during that era, before re-finding God in her life. As of 2020, Jeanette still tries to buy gothic and emo looking clothing from time to time but has re-adopted the androgynous look of the late 80s when she was in the Caguas band, and she sports shoulder length long straightened hair again. Many times, people confuse her for a cisgender woman. As of 2021, Jeanette wore her hair similar to actress Robyn Lively's in her film Teen Witch, somewhat similar to her hair-do on this photo:[1] Because of a period with the coronavirus, during 2022 it became impossible for Jeanette to maintain that hairstyle, and she re-styled her hair in early January 2022, opting to change her hairstyle to a still long but more manageable style instead.

During Jeanette's years as an ice cream man, she developed what many around her called " (the then) Antonio's 'teen-idol' fan club", a group of mostly teenaged girls who'd come to his ice cream truck sometimes to see her.

As a professional model, Jeanette participated in a few local fashion shows and television commercials.

On March 13, 1997, Jeanette was playing street basketball and her brother Jose little league baseball at an adjacent park, when Jeanette and a number of basketball players were witnesses of the UFO event now known as the "Phoenix Lights". That night, the group saw a "V" shaped aircraft descend just over them, then disappear on the dark skies, leaving a trail of lights of different colors.

In mid-1999, Jeanette, by then 27 years old, tried to revive her years in a teen musical act and formed a band named "Five-Four" which was comprised of her and a teenager boy and three teenaged girls, all Phoenix area locals. Some original songs were written and the band's name registered by Jeanette with the Library of Congress' copyright office, but nothing came of the project. The idea for this group was to form a band that would be a mix of The Backstreet Boys or NSYNC and The Spice Girls, acts that were popular at the era.

1999 also was the year when a lot of the craziness, turmoil and wild moments happening with, to and around Jeanette during this era took place as she led a walkout off a church in protest of the church's policy of kicking members out for minor transgressions such as laughing during services and then got involved in fist fights in swimming pools, hotel rooms and at the church itself. 1999 was also the year in which she attended some of the wildest parties she was to.

On December 12 of 2002, Jeanette was playing American Football when she tried to stop a player from scoring a touchdown, got run over, hit the ground with the back of her head and suffered a concussion. But she kept playing and was ok.

In January of 2003, Jeanette was involved in an unfortunate incident when a guy named Bobby Lane, arguing for Jeanette to pay him two dollars, told Jeanette he didn't (f word) care if Jeanette was a diabetic and he dint (f word) care if Jeanette's sugar went low, then smacked Jeanette across the face and provoked a brawl inside a moving car, after Jeanette tried to make sense with him by telling him that she needed those two dollars to buy candy in case her sugar did go low. While Jeanette's fists went bloody after hitting Bobby on Bobby's head, Jeanette deeply regretted this incident, as she hates street violence. It was quite a dramatic scene-Jeanette was pulled away from the car by her brother and ex band-mate Jose as she kicked Lane's groin and kept yelling at Lane until she was placed on a sidewalk. Despite hurting Lane more than Lane hurt her, it was Jeanette who ended up at the hospital, because she ended up with her knuckles’ skin torn off and her knuckles bleeding.  

April 3 of 2003 Jeanette visited the doctor, who, despite finding Jeanette in otherwise great physical condition, told her that the football fall suffered on December 12 caused her small, non-life threatening brain damage.

Around this time, Jeanette developed a severe addiction to Xanax, which she later overcame by going through an outpatient rehabilitation program.

April 21 of 2003, Jeanette and her family suffered an Anthrax scare at home, when a lady threw a white powder just outside their home door. Four cop cars came after a call was made by Jeanette to the 911 emergency system. It was determined the powder is probably just baby talc. The lady was also reported by other neighbors to have been bothering around the rest of the day.

During this era, Jeanette was a member of two large, international, extended groups of people who were co-related, mostly teenagers, who colloquially called themselves "The Beverly Hills 90210 of Phoenix". These included-at various times-her, her brother Jose, sister Nilda, girlfriends Rosemary Guerrero and Jennifer Gibson, sisters in law Leah Warner (who tragically died in 2010), Lora Shimkus and Heather, brother in law Nick Skrdla and others, such as Bobby Lane, Shane Manson, Paul Willmore Jr., Danielle Newby, Brandon Goad, Chinese-American Lily Yen, Myshell Lynn, Jamye Enk, the Chinese Tim Mak, Vietnamese Hua Hong, Japanese Ayanori Watanabe, as well also as Mexican-American Ivonne, twins Vanessa and Ivy Brown, Kurt Rowdell, Kurt's girlfriend-Mexico's Marisela Estrada, Heather's ex Stevie, and Stormy, among others. This motley crew of people mostly adopted a devil-may-care attitude and lived to have fun mostly. Not all of them were in Jeanette's group of friends at the same time; a few of them never even met some of the others but they were in Jeanette's circle of friends. The core members of the first group were Jeanette, Jose, Nilda, Paul, Bobby, Shane, Heather, Danielle, Lily, Tim and Myshell.

Among that first group's favorite activities were meeting celebrities for autographs, going to the movies and to restaurants late at night, bowling, speeding at highways and freeways, going on egging and toilet paper throwing trips, clubbing (at the time, there were several nightclubs in Phoenix that catered both to adults and to teenagers) partying, gambling and attending nude bar shows (in the latter three activities, only the group's over 21 years old members participated) and attending church at First Baptist Church in Glendale-including sports nights on Fridays where they enjoyed American football, baseball and basketball games-where the first group met the members of Jeanette’s secondary group of friends.

Separate from those two groups, in 1997, Jeanette joined a group of goths from his neighborhood that also included Stevie plus Stevie's brother Brian and others like Big Steve, Big Steve's brother David, Nicole and others.

Jeanette's group of friends roamed all over metropolitan Phoenix, breaking havoc all the way from southern Peoria and by the train tracks in Glendale to the economically rich areas of Scottsdale and south to Chandler by way of the I-10 freeway. There were a couple of instances when they even had run-ins with the police, but they were never charged with any misconduct. For their adventures and partying lifestyle, the groups usually used a red Pontiac Firebird convertible, an El Camino car or Phoenix's public bus system, although on one memorable incident, Jeanette, Jose, Tim and Hua were riding in Hua's car when Hua turned to the right while over a bridge and almost flew onto the freeway below them.

Her father is Tony, who Antonio was proud to say that decided to join the Wikipedia project on May 23, 2004.

Jeanette un-officially became a candidate for President of the United States when she voted for herself at the 2004 United States Presidential Elections. Jeanette is an identified Democrat and a vocal supporter of Puerto Rico's Independence movement. She again voted for herself in the 2012 Presidential campaign, which this time would have counted as an official vote since Jeanette was over 35, unlike at the 2004 elections.

jeanette was proud to initiate Wikipedia’s own version of Sportscenter.

As of February, 2006, Jeanette became a writer at the boxing website, ringsidereport.com. She left the site and later started being harassed by the site's managers. Jeanette became a writer for Doghouseboxing.com, where she joined her friend, legendary actress Sunset Thomas. At Doghouseboxing.com, Jeanette wrote the popular weekly entertainment and boxing gossip column, "(the then) Antonio's Reliable Source". A fashion fan also, Jeanette around this time joined a fashion and entertainment website as a fashion critic. The site was named Backseatcuddler.com, and Jeanette was somewhat of a peculiarity, being both an internet boxing and fashion critic at the same time.

In July, 2011, a shooting originated in front of Jeanette's house. Jeanette ran inside and she jumped on her sleeping, 6 year old niece Nina, to shield her. Luckily both were uninjured.

Jeanette nicknamed her dogs, "Cookie" "Cookie Kardashian" after the Kardashian sisters, "Jonas" (2008-2019) {originally named "Jonas" by her niece Nina after Joe Jonas) "Jonas Escariot" after Judas Escariot , "Zidian" (2008-2022) "Zidian Zarate" after one of Jeanette's favorite boxers, Mexican Carlos Zarate, "Max" "Max Factor" after cosmetology legend Max Factor, "Chance" "Chance Callahan" after the character "Harry Callahan" of the "Dirty Harry" film series and "Hulk" Hulk Hogan after the legendary wrestler.

Jeanette is an accomplished Street basketball player and in 1986 earned a medal for playing for a second place team in a junior high school tournament, along with team-mates, friends and neighbors Avidair Campagne, William Luciano, Libertario Sauri and Alfredo "Alfi" Rivera (older brother of her later band-mate Josue Rivera). Excluding 2021 due to the Covid-19 situation, she has been playing street ball for 36 years, the 30th anniversary of her first street ball game ever taking place on April 14th, 2014. In 2014, playing with a lot of pain on multiple areas, Jeanette averaged 5.9 points (counted on 2 and 3 points shots), 2.0 assists and 12.8 rebounds per game, on 61 percent shooting.

As of 2019, despite several extra injuries to her shoulders, feet, fingers and toes, she continued to play street basketball on an almost daily basis, against teenagers, men and women of all sizes and ages. During 2020, because of the COVID-19 situation, she only played in one game.

On November 5, 2021, Jeanette tested positive for the coronavirus She went into isolation immediately. She has recuperated and was, at the time, expected to test negative soon.

On Mother's Day, 2022, Jeanette was re-tested for Covid-19 and came out negative. She was battling a hard flu at the time.

*El grupo de los banquillos

"El grupo de los banquillos" is (or was) a very exclusive group of teenagers at Bonneville Apartments that hung out by an area named "los banquillos". Only teens who were considered "cool" were accepted there. When Jeanette first moved there in 1984, she was not accepted at first. At that time, members of that group included Elizabeth Santiago, Rafael "Rafa" Abreu, brothers Edwin and Tito, Norma Iris Gonzalez and others. The group had a similar membership structure at the time to that of the very Latin boy bands in which Jeanette was later involved in that members changed constantly, in this case usually by moving away from the apartments, or when "sponsored" by another member into becoming one. Jeanette moved to Cayey in 1985 but, upon returning to Caguas in 1986, was, again, not initially invited to join, despite having a few good friends in the group, such as Heriberto Cruz and Libertario Sauri (Elizabeth Santiago, who had been a very good friend of Jeanette, had also moved to Cayey by the time Jeanette returned to Caguas). But, in late 1988, her friend Silkya Hoyos, whom she had first met at Los Robles Apartments in Cayey, moved to Bonneville Apartments and was quickly accepted into the group. She, in turn, "sponsored" Jeanettes membership and so she was quickly accepted also. Jeanette has been forever thankful to her for that gesture. The people who hung out at "los banquillos" included her, Silkya, "Luis Loco", Cano, Virgen Rosa, Libertario Sauri, Manet and others. Jeanette was later able to promote someone into the group herself, her band-mate Carmelo Lopez. Members of this group had to dress "cool" and speak about music, arts, movies and-(usually among the males)-sports. Jeanette experienced both great happiness (what in Puerto Rico they call "la pavera") and depression during this time of her life, with a lot of unstoppable laughter, but also experiencing some personal pain during the era due to a broken heart caused by a girl she loved named Angie Diaz, sadness which was alleviated when she joined the band "Corporation S.O.S.".

Personal life

As far as her sexuality, Jeanette identifies as straight, with sexual and romantic experiences with women. She was once, however, bisexual. Gender-wise, she identifies as transgender (a woman inside a man's body) with non-binary tendencies. Jeanette is what in LGBTQ circles is described as a "trans-bian" eg. a transgender female who likes women. Her internet nickname in transgender-friendly pages is, well, "Jeanette", after the Spanish singer, who is one of hier favorite singers.

Ever since she was about three years old, she identified as a female but did not know how to outwardly express this.

Accordingly, she sometimes dresses male and other times, female.

She has been involved in a number of relationships, including one on her younger days with a fan of his named Angela. She was engaged to Rosemary (Rosa Maria) Guerrero for six months in 1996 and 1997, having met her only two weeks before their engagement, and they almost got married during August of 1996, about one month after they had met. They went to a court to get married by a judge, but upon arriving at the judge's office, they decided they were not ready for marriage and, holding hands, ran from the place. She also had an on and off relationship to another lady for many years until meeting Amna Zamir of Pakistan. Ultimately,  she and Zamir also broke up.

Working as an ice cream saleswoman led Jeanette to dating a number of her clients. This and her many antics as a "bombastic, loud, funny and crazy showwoman" saleswoman led her to claim on a number of times that she was "the long lost (sister)" of such people as Madonna, Macho Camacho and Gloria Trevi (the latter two of whom Jeanette met in person) among others.

Jeanette has no children of her own.

*Culture

Culturally-wise, she enjoys the American culture but specially all the Hispanic ones-specially, among those, the Puerto Rican and the Mexican ones. Being Puerto Rican but having lived 31 years in Arizona where she has met several Mexican friends and celebrities, (as well as one Mexican fiance, Rosemary Guerrero), she identifies first with the Puerto Rican culture, secondly with the Mexican and Mexican-American ones, and thirdly with those of other Latin-Hispanic countries, although, again, she also enjoys American culture and finds British and Australian culture interesting as well. She has been told by some Puerto Rican family and friends that her Spanish accent has taken a bit of a Mexican tinge, which, after 31 years living in Arizona, can be expected. she, her brother and sister have also spent time touring Sonora, Mexico, where they enjoy the people, the tourist sites, food and beaches.

Since dating Guerrero, and influenced by movies such as The Craft, Jeanette has enjoyed shopping at stores such as Hot Topic, Spencer's and the such. Jeanette enjoys the goth culture but does not demonstrate it in public as much as she used to during his young age.

*Religion

Jeanette believes in God deeply and identifies as protestant Christian. She has been baptized at various churches, including Disciples of Christ as a child, United Methodist as a teen and the Baptist church as a young adult. She prays on an almost daily basis.

Her religion notwithstanding, she once dated a Muslim woman, Amna Zamir of Pakistan, dating her secretly. Due to their difference in religions, her parents did not know that they were dating, as they thought the couple to be just friends.

[behardonyourself]

I AM AN IRONMAN...

I don’t even know how long I have been waiting to write this post.  I think I launched my website in March or so, and I remember thinking how cool it will be if I get to write this post a few days after Ironman Arizona.

The journey is well documented on my blog and my Facebook page.  I think everyone gets it - I was in the worst shape of my life.  A lot of people that haven’t seen me since I left San Antonio in 2013 may not get that, but I hadn’t touched a weight since October of that year.  To be honest, I hadn’t done much of anything since then.  

First off, I’m not completely crazy.  I’m ultimately just some dude.  Completely human.  I’ve told my story about running in December and not being able to go 1/4 of a mile.  That’s completely real.  Now, I kept this one quiet, but it’s important to understand that I thought about making a change in October of 2018.  I took off running and cramped IMMEDIATELY.  It wasn’t 500 feet.  It hurt so bad.  I then started to convincing myself that “I’m not a runner”, that maybe I was too heavy, running wasn’t healthy, the injuries over the years have taken their toll, etc, excuse after excuse.  This journey that happened almost never got started.  I was ashamed and embarrassed, but still felt comfort in the idea that I’d figure another way out “to get back in shape”. 

I mention that fateful five hundred feet because I know a few of my friends have decided that they wanted to run and felt that exact same feeling of excruciating agony and walked away from any idea that they would eventually find comfort in the most basic exercise that we do as humans.

Many of you are familiar with the struggles in my personal life - 10 days into me actually being committed, my wife fell off of a ladder and absolutely destroyed her tibia, fibula, and just about every other part of her leg.  At that time, our daughter Ava was only 5 months old.  A lot of people use kids as an excuse not to workout, and trust me, it was tempting.  Lisa was immobile.  Ava was a handful (all 5 months olds are).  Peyton had to be driven to school 30 minutes away (and picked up).  So finding time wasn’t an option - the only way to do what I needed to do was to make time.  Again, all of these things are on my blog but I think they are important for context.

So my story isn’t that of a runner or a cyclist that had dabbled in a few triathlons and decided to take the next step.  Actually, it’s the opposite.  I had NEVER ridden a road bike until April.  I hadn’t run since 2004.  I hadn’t swam a lap in a pool since 1995.  

I simply knew I had to do something that scared me and motivated me enough to make me change.  

You know what?  I did that - in December I signed up for a 5k Spartan race.  Really.  That was in June and I signed up for it thinking it was going to take me every damn bit of that 6 months to get ready.  I’ve called it the race that changed my life.  I started training like an actual Spartan.  Funny thing is that the body responded quickly, and a few weeks later, I realized that I’d probably be ok to do Spartan by June.  So I went absolutely insane, and in January, decided that I wanted something bigger.  I was standing in the Bahamas with several co-workers, and they hadn’t seen me in a couple of months due to Lisa’s injury.  Juan asked me “what are you training for” and I told him either an ultra marathon, or an Ironman, or “something”.  I think he though I was crazy.

Yep, Ironman it is.

Now, if 6 months was plenty of time to get me ready for a 5k race, there’s no one in the world that would’ve believed that I could possibly do an Ironman by the end of 2019.  Until about 9pm on November 24, I wasn’t sure that I could do it.  I didn’t know the first thing about triathlons, much less Ironman.  

Obviously, I did that tiny sprint tri in Denton - and with a 200 yard swim, I hesitate to even refer to it as a triathlon, but it was a “race” and it was a great experience and I met some awesome people - Jeff, Brad, Michael, and a few other people that I’ve actually become crazy close with.  

In true Boyd fashion, I never hired a coach.  Now, I had 400 people telling me how important it was to hire a coach and I had to hire a coach, and there’s no way to do it without a coach, and you are 10x more likely to succeed with a coach, and a coach, a coach, a coach, a coach, a coach.  Every fucking day someone told me how important it was.  And you know what?  It probably was.  So I chatted with people from every sport and talked to triathletes.  Lisa was who I talked to about swimming.  A guy I grew up with in the mountains of Harlan County, Jon Carroll - was my go-to for running.  I discussed bike stuff with many different people.  I was fortunate enough to have a few former Tri pros be willing to answer questions for me, but typically they told me that I was doing way too much, that I am hard headed, that I’d end up injured, that they’d suggest something different, etc.  One told me to stop asking him for advice because I wasn’t following it.  Hell, I even had a sherpa - my buddy Bart always offered to come pick me up when I broke down on my bike.  Luckily, I figured out how to fix most things, but he always checked on me, always listened to my boring training stories, always encouraged me and he and his wife even prepared my food the night before I left because I SUCK at cooking.  

So who attacks something like Ironman totally blind and without a clear cut plan?  Yeah, I’m totally that guy.

But this was never about training my body - Ironman was my way to make my mind as hard as steel and I knew that if I put my body through it every single day and just refused to quit, that finishing Ironman would just be a formality.  While other triathletes are worried about all of these stats and protocols, I was just worried about getting up and getting the fuck after it every single day.  Completely pushing myself to the limit as many times as possible hoping to do my best to replicate what it would be like on that training course.

Was it the perfect way to train?  No.  Of course not.  I wouldn’t suggest it, and most people would probably do better by paying someone with experience.

For me though?  I wanted to shoulder every single bit.  I wanted to risk the blame if I failed for the treasure when I crossed the line.  I am a self-taught guy.  I taught myself to bench press 600lbs.  I didn’t pay someone else a dime to get my dead lift to 800lbs when that was my focus.  I just went in every single day and spent hours upon hours of forcing myself to become strong.  This was no difference.  I ran until I couldn’t, and then ran some more.  I just didn’t stop swimming.  No distance was too far on my bike, and I always pushed harder and harder.

The funny shit is that I completely understand and am educated in the science behind the training.  I completely get it.  But I also knew that my body would follow my mind into the depths of hell if it was strong enough to go there.

In December, Ironman seemed ridiculous.  That guy was 270lbs (I was 201 the day I left for Arizona).  That guy was not doing an Ironman, but he had to become someone that could bare the crucible of 140.6 miles.

Whenever you’re putting yourself through the pressure cooker of a long ass training cycle, you’ll have distinct moments that will ultimately make you or break you.  I remember mine vividly.  Running was rarely “fun” or “easy” for me.  It was “more fun than other times” and “easier”, but never EASY.  I can think of times I would come to the intersection of where I could come to my house or I could go out for another lap and add another 1.5 to 2 miles if I turned left.  I always turned away from my house when I had to make that decision.  I can’t count how many times I decided “one more lap” in the pool and it turned into 1000 more yards.  I’d cramp and keep swimming.  I knew that something shitty could happen in Town Lake in Tempe so I wanted to be prepared.  Something shitty did happen, and I conquered it.  The bike?  I fell in love with it immediately.  It was never a task or a chore.  It is my love and it’s something I’ll stick with for the rest of my life.

Now it’s time to be completely transparent here.  I was totally overwhelmed with the idea of the swim.  On the day before the race, we did our practice swim and I freaked the fuck out.  I panicked.  Now, I swam at a decent pace, but I knew that if I didn’t calm my mind, that shit would break me and I’d have to live with knowing I didn’t get through the first part of the race.  Getting kicked in the face did not help.  I was terrified all day Saturday and all morning Sunday.  But I had to attack it - fear grows when you give it time and I knew that if I didn’t conquer that swim it would haunt me for the rest of my life.

On race day, I felt pretty good.  I was nervous about the swim - not the distance.  I had swam the distance a few times.  Never in open water, and never with 3000 other people, but I knew I had the endurance.  

Racing is a lot like life.  You can be doing everything right and shit will happen.  You can use it as an excuse and convince yourself that is why you didn’t succeed or you can use it for energy.  I was given a gift of an excuse just a few minutes into the race when another racer and I were tangled up, and he completely pulled my goggles off.  I remember thinking “you have got to be kidding me”.  Of anything that could happen, I would’ve ranked this the absolute worst thing.  I swam to a support canoe and told the guy “I’m not quitting, just calming my mind”.  Again, I was freaked the fuck out but I knew that if I was going to swim this 2.4 mile race in 63 degree water, it was going to be without goggles - so I put my face in the water, and started banging the fuck out of that stuff.

My eyes were killing me - probably from the toxic waste that is Tempe Town Lake, and a bit from the cold water, but I kept trucking on.  For much of the race, I had to utilize my backstroke out of necessity - not from an oxidative standpoint, but to give my eyes a break.  Once my eyes cleared and I was able to see my Garmin, I realized that I was easily going to make time.  Not the 1 hour 25 minutes I had expected, but under the 2 hour 20 minutes that are allowed from the time you entered the water - once my goggles came off, that was the target.  Nothing else matters - survive the water, get to the bike.

The funny thing is that at one point in the lake, I just laughed.  I thought “who the fuck loses their goggles that early and keeps going?”  Me, motherfucker.  I sang, smiled, and just kept moving forward.

The best story of the day came after the final turn.  I had someone frantically yelling or grunting.  Now, I had ear plugs in, so I wasn’t sure where it was coming from, so my first thought was that I had somehow missed a buoy and the support crew was going to send me back.  Thankfully, that wasn’t the case.  Someone had actually caught my goggles and he recognized that they must be mine since I didn’t have any, and he gave them to me.  Yes, they were my actual ROKAS.  Kind of disoriented, I put them on my head.  Funny thing is I actually pulled them over my eyes when I got out of the lake (the swim was over).  

After that, I just savored the day.  The bike course was great and I was very fast.  I smiled, chatted with other riders, pounded the fuck out of the hills and cruised down them.  At no point on that bike did I feel tired, dehydrated, or in any kind of pain or danger.  Maintenance was always on my mind, but I didn’t focus on what I feared - I focused on what I wanted.  And what I wanted was to become and Ironman on this day.

The run was much the same.  I kept waiting to hurt or feel pain, but I didn’t.  I was in great spirits.  I met a guy Mike on the run course after he and I kept passing each other, and at one point, we just stayed together and talked the whole way.  Funny that he is from San Antonio and we have a mutual friend on Facebook.  My goal was finishing - I felt great, but at about the 13 mile mark, I caught a little twitch in my calf.  I did not want that to become a cramp that could shut me down, so I went conservative, ignored time, and we just kept a simple, easy pace to get across the finish line.  It was a great time, and I was excited to see that his fiancee also crossed the finish line to complete her first Ironman as well.

In the military, we used to say that you don’t rise to the level of your expectations, you fall to the level of your training.  My training was the crucible that hardened me for that race.  Race day was legitimately a formality that was standing between me and reaching a bucket list goal of becoming an Ironman.

Disclaimer, I hate stupid positive sayings that people that have never accomplished shit come up with.  Laws of attraction bullshit, eat an elephant one bite at a time, etc.  Motherfucker, thinking about being an Ironnman would’ve kept me fat and depressed.  It took me breaking myself down and looking in the mirror and accepting that I had become a fat piece of shit to get this done.  Man, fuck all of that happy thought nonsense. Attack, attack, attack.  Figure out the bullshit details later.  You tear 10 bites off that motherfucker if you are fortunate enough to get to that beast.  Doing that shit on social media isn’t the same thing as kicking ass in real life.  That “rise and grind” post at 4am doesn’t mean shit if you pull the covers back over your head.  You have to go out and suffer.  Your body will react to that invigorating workout on a machine in a nice gym, but your mind will only respond to going into the darkest cave that you can find.  Calories burned doesn’t always mean that you’ve hardened the mind enough to make sure that you’re actually ready for what may come at you.

Race day was simply amazing.  I took it in.  I smiled.  I thanked people.  I encouraged people.  I didn’t let one second pass me by.  I was actually sad when I hit that red carpet, but to hear Mike Reilly say “Boyd Myers, you are an Ironman” was completely surreal.  I can’t put it into words.  

The crazy thing is that I don’t feel like I’ve arrived or that I’ve made it to anything.  Hell, part of me thinks “Why have you squandered to much time? What else am I capable of?”

My official finish time was 15 hours and 3 minutes.  Finishing under 17 hours is all that mattered to me - to become and Ironman.  

What’s next?  Haha, well, that’s where it gets fun.  I’m looking at Ultraman.  In short, it’s a 3 day race: -Day 1: 6.2 mile swim and 90 mile bike ride -Day 2: 170 mile bike ride -Day 3: 52.4 mile run

I am going to take a few days to weigh options and look at timing.  I am considering taking a real season of training and prep, but I do know me, and I’ll just get back the fuck after it.  No, don’t advise me on what I “should” do, because that’s not really how I’ve lived my life.  I won’t listen.

Look, there is not a fucking thing in the world standing between you and your goals except the excuses that you keep selling yourself on as to why you can’t reach them.  That’s it - we are capable of so much more than we know.  People label me as uber-driven, obsessed, crazy, and a lot of other things, but I don’t have anything in me that isn’t in anyone else in the world.  Whatever you’ve been thinking about, attack it.  It doesn’t have to be Ironman.  It doesn’t have to be fitness related.  All that I know that is if I didn’t take those first steps, I would’ve never crossed that finish line.  Fuck, in December of 2018, a 140.6 mile race was all but impossible.  But now, I just know I can do so much more.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask!

[theembcnetwork]

Soar Your Monthly Sales and Maximize Marketing Using “Value-Add-Incentives" With Marketingboost.com Founder Marco Torres from THE EMBC TV NETWORK on Vimeo.

Marco Torres is the Founder of MarketingBoost.com, he has helped thousands of business owners worldwide boost sales and scale their businesses by as much as 5-fold through the use of incentive-based marketing. He teaches entrepreneurs how to soar sales & marketing through the use of “Value-Add-Incentives” instead of discounts. His Facebook Groups combined are home to more than 80,000 active business owners who are raking in sales with his advice and amazingly affordable travel incentive subscription program.

He was recently interviewed on Entrepreneurs on Fire with John Lee Dumas about Value Add Incentives vs Discounting Prices. He is the Co-Founder of Marketingboost.com. He has taught thousands of entrepreneurs how to Improve Sales & Marketing. More about Marco. Marco Torres has been an entrepreneur since age 9 when he started his first business as a paperboy. By the age of 12, he had the biggest paper route in San Juan Puerto Rico where he grew up and was featured on the front page of the newspaper for his accomplishment.

Born in San Antonio Texas from Mexican heritage Marco inherited the spirit of adventure from his parents. His dad Charlie was transferred with General Electric GECC, to San Juan Puerto Rico to take over the Caribbean market. His parents packed up and left their home and family to move across the sea to the small island of Puerto Rico in the 1960s. That set the stage for Marco to grow up with the spirit of adventure and entrepreneurship.

After a year or so of college, Marco decided he wanted a different path and convinced the family to open Mexican Restaurants on the island. In 5 years between him, his brother David and Mom Sonia they had 5 restaurants in Puerto Rico, St Thomas, St Croix. USVI.

Marco then went on to open an after-hours nightclub, in San Juan, by the age of 23.

He later moved to Florida to bring up his young family and ended up in the travel industry running telesales and marketing for a big private corporation. He developed the internet marketing strategies in the late 1990s and early 2000s that brought in nearly a Billion dollars over 8 years for this company before branching out with some new partnerships to launch Bookvip.com in late 2008

He and his partners grew the fastest growing travel company in North America from 2010 to 2020 with Bookvip.com. One of the early challenges for bookvip was the need for reviews and video testimonials so they created their own travel incentives to reward travelers to film a selfie video from the resort’s pool, beach, or other backdrop and publish them bragging about Bookvip and the resort they were staying at. This turned out to be hugely successful and before long they were leveraging tens of thousands of video testimonials on their website and reaching sales of 250 million with over 1 million travelers to date.

The light went off in Marco’s head as this travel incentive idea could be a stand-alone business that they could offer to other small businesses which eventually became what Marketingboost.com is today.

Marco aka “Capt. Marco” (the avid sailor) now spends most of his working time helping small and medium-sized businesses boost sales, and improve conversion rates without spending more money with the use of the Travel incentives his firm provides with a low-cost subscription model starting at only $37 a month.

He and his partners have revolutionized the incentive industry by making a complimentary hotel stay certificates from 3 to 7 nights in over 125 worldwide destinations, plus hotel savings cards, and restaurant vouchers incredibly affordable, allowing the small business to stand out from the crowd and compete with the big boys. marketingboost.com/ marketingboostsolutions.com/

[staycationfiberglasspools]

Why Choose San Juan Fiberglass Pools in San Antonio?

Is there something that lacks feel in your backyard? Consider how a San Juan fiberglass pool would change it. This is a feature item that may enhance your outdoor living area—it's more than just a pool.

San Juan Fiberglass pools are well known for their outstanding quality and longevity. Because they are made of high-quality fiberglass, they are stain- and crack-resistant. San Juan fiberglass pools may be installed in a fraction of the time compared to concrete pools, which can be a messy and drawn-out procedure. As a result, you may take advantage of your new pool sooner.

In the fiberglass pool market, San Juan Pools has established a stellar reputation for quality. Selecting a San Juan pool from Staycation Fiberglass Pools entails making the following investments:

Built to Last in Texas Weather

The weather in San Antonio can be harsh on swimming pools, but San Juan fiberglass pools can withstand the test. Because they are made of premium materials, these pools resist:

Chipping and cracking

Fading in the strong sunlight

Damage resulting from abrupt temperature shifts

This implies that even in the Texas heat, your pool will continue to appear fantastic and function well for many years.

Enjoy More, Clean Less

You can spend more time enjoying yourself and less time on upkeep when you have a fiberglass pool from Staycation Fiberglass Pools in San Juan. These pools' non-porous, smooth surface makes them:

Unable to grow algae

Simple to keep and clean

Decreased need for chemicals

Embrace more poolside leisure and bid adieu to never-ending cleaning!

San Juan Great Lakes Pool: A Classic Choice

When looking for a roomy and adaptable aquatic sanctuary, homeowners frequently choose the San Juan Great Lakes pool Models. Its traditional rectangular shape provides lots of space for both active and relaxing activities. The Great Lakes pool offers the ideal setting for everyone, whether you're a family enjoying entertaining water games, an enthusiastic swimmer searching for laps, or just lounging on a lounger beside the pool.

San Juan Pool Installers Near Me

Are you prepared to update the San Antonio backyard? Your go-to resource for realizing your pool fantasies in the area is Staycation Fiberglass Pools. Our team of committed experts creates the ideal pool for your lifestyle by fusing unmatched knowledge with great service. We're dedicated to providing you with a pool that surpasses your expectations and turns into the focal point of your outdoor living area, from design consulting to skilled installation.

Invest in Your Backyard Bliss!

A San Juan fiberglass pool is an investment in your lifestyle and the value of your home, not just a swimming pool. Picture endless summers full of fun, leisure, and treasured memories. Your backyard may become a private haven with a San Juan pool where you can relax after a hard day, host guests, or just enjoy the sun. A gorgeous San Juan pool will elevate your outdoor living area and improve the curb appeal of your house.

Get in touch with Staycation Fiberglass Pools right now to find out more about our offerings. Let's collaborate to build the ultimate backyard retreat. 

[tamarindorentals]

(via Guanacaste National Parks) Guanacaste National Parksby admin | Jan 1, 2021 | national parks, Travel | 0 commentsNote: As of Dec 1, 2020 the following parks and reserves are open with restrictions – Arenal, Barra Honda, Ballena, Las Baulas, Braulio Carrillo, Cabo Blanco, Cahuita, Camaronal, Carara, Cipanci, Corcovado, Diriá, Gandoca-Manzanillo, Grecia, Guayabo, Iguanita, Irazú, Isla del Coco, Manuel Antonio, Monte Alto, Monteverde, Ostional, Poás, Los Quetzales, Rincón de la Vieja, Santa Rosa, Tapantí, Tenorio, Tortuguero, Turrialba.Map of Costa Rica’s Protected Areas

Leaders in ConservationCosta Rica’s National Parks and other protected areas serve as a model of sustainable conservation.The world owes Costa Rica a debt for the social conscience, political will, original economics, and plain old hard work that have led to the protection of a larger percentage of the land as natural habitat than in any other country.The incredible ecological diversity is recognized as an irreplaceable treasure by the people and government of Costa Rica and international organizations including the World Wildlife Fund, Conservation International, The Rainforest Alliance, Worldwatch Institute, Organization for Tropical Studies, MacArthur Foundation and the Nature Conservancy.Other countries including the United States, Canada, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, and Panama have also contributed much to the growth and protection of the wilds of Costa Rica with debt for nature swaps, grants, and scientific, economic and political expertise.National Parks DayEvery August 24th is Costa Rican National Parks day and entry into all parks is free for residents and international visitors!Palo Verde National ParkPalo Verde National Park has a unique dichotomous character.  It’s simultaneously a spectacular wetlands and one of the best examples of tropical dry forests remaining anywhere in the world.  This dual nature is a result of the R��o Tempisque flooding over land located in a relatively arid climate region.The park, like many in Costa Rica’s system consists largely of reclaimed pastureland. Fortunately, in the case of Palo Verde, the haciendas that preceded the park were somewhat different than the clear-cut ranches of the volcanic highlands. The underlying limestone, and the drier climate of the region gave rise to native forests where trees were sparser and there was more grass and forage in the natural ecosystem. Clear-cutting was not always necessary to ranching, and the park escaped it’s tenure as pasture with less damage than most.Birds Dry Season and RainyBirds are the biggest attraction at Palo Verde National Park. In the wet season the floodwaters of the Río Tempisque spread to form extensive marshes that welcome migrant birds from the Americas at the onset of winter. As the December through May dry season (called summer in Costa Rica) progresses the marshes shrink to isolated patches and pools, and the migrants depart for their summer nesting grounds in temperate climates.Many of the resident tropical bird species nest on a small mangrove island in the Río Tempisque. Isla de Pajaros (bird island), as it is known provides a safe place for Cattle Egrets, Roseate Spoonbills, Wood Storks, Green-backed Herons, Anhingas, Great Egrets, and Black-crowned Night-Herons to breed. Other birds you can expect to see in the park include White Ibis, Glossy Ibis, Black-necked Stilt, Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Snail Kite, American Widgeon, Northern Shoveler, and Blue-winged Teal.In the dry season, many of the trees have dropped their leaves, and the wildlife is concentrated around the ever-shrinking water sources.  One of the best strategies for spotting the many species of mammals that Palo Verde National Park protects is to sit quietly near a water source. You may spot Variegated Squirrels, Howler Monkeys, White-nosed Coatis, White-tailed Deer, White-throated Capuchin Monkeys, and Collared Peccaries.Cycling Across the ParkPalo Verde National Park is one of our favorites. When we first visited, there was a little known and unused back entrance to the park, across the Bebedero river. We rode and carried our bicycles across the whole park to the campground near the ranger station (Read about Biking Palo Verde Park).The entrance and the trails it serves are now closed except for official research, but you can rent mountain bikes from the Organization for Tropical Studies station to explore other parts of the park.Getting to Palo VerdeAlthough the back door from Bebedero has been effectively closed, there is another very interesting way to enter the Park. On the Nicoya side of the Río Tempisque, you can hire a boat at the dock in the pueblo of Puerto Humo and power your way upriver to the Park. Arrange with your boatman ahead of time to get a close-up look at the Isla de Pajaros (Bird Island), and perhaps continue upriver past the park where the vegetation closes in and you are sure to see crocodiles.Best Time to VisitPalo Verde is located in one of the driest regions of Costa Rica but when it does rain here the roads can be impassable.  Birdwatching is also better in the dry season because there are many migrants who arrive from up north to escape the snow in December through May.Stay in the Park – OTS Lodge and CampingThere are a few parks and reserves in Costa Rica where it’s possible to spend the night in relative comfort and thanks to the Organization for Tropical Studies, Palo Verde is one of them.  Lodging, meals and guide services are all available by reservation (See details – OTS Palo Verde Lodge).If you’ve got the gear, camping is also an option.  The campground near the ranger station provides access to potable water, showers and restrooms.Guanacaste National ParkMother with infant spider monkeys in the Murcielago sector of Santa Rosa National park on the trail to Bahia/Playa Hachal. Geoffroy’s Spider Monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) are called mono aranya in Spanish and are also known as Black-handed Spider MonkeyGuanacaste National Park was created in 1989 to connect Santa Rosa National Park with the high elevation cloud forest of Orosi and Cacao volcanoes and across the continental divide to the Caribbean rainforest of Northern Costa Rica. The hope is that together these two parks protect enough land to ensure sufficiently large habitats for wide-ranging species such as jaguars and mountain lions, while simultaneously creating a biological corridor for birds and insects to make local seasonal migrations between the dry forest and the evergreen cloud and rain forests.The park owes its existence in large part to Dr. Daniel Janzen. He successfully raised donations telling international contributors he would show the world “how to grow a National Park.” He launched his campaign when international beef prices were low, and many of the ranch owners were eager to sell their degraded grazing lands. His goals of recreating more of the severely threatened tropical dry forest habitat from cattle pasture, as well as forming a biological corridor are now coming to fruition. Happily, biologists have commented that the habitat is regenerating more quickly than they had hoped.Janzen was also aware that the changes in the land that would benefit the wildlife would leave many ranch hands without work and have a major impact on local communities. His foresight ensured that one of the goals of the park is to encourage local participation in environmental programs, and train and employ locals as park personnel. This attitude is important, because although the National Parks of Costa Rica are part of the world’s heritage, they are also an important part of Tico’s everyday lives.Hiking, Nature Walks and BirdwatchingThe main attraction of Guanacaste National Park is a good brisk walk or a leisurely stroll. The large range of elevations result in trails that cross several ecosystems as you climb from the dry Pacific forests near the border with Santa Rosa National Park to the high elevation cloud forests near the peaks of Orosi and Cacao volcanoes. You can cross the continental divide and climb down to rainforest typical of the Caribbean side of Northern Costa Rica.Among the dry forest inhabitants are Collared Peccaries, Howler Monkeys, White-nosed Coatis, White-tailed Deer, and Variegated Squirrels, Long-tongued Bats, and Capuchin Monkeys. You will almost certainly spot dozens of birds in a hour or two of walking including White-throated Magpie Jays, Orange-Fronted Parakeets, and Crested Caracara (roadside hawks). At higher elevations you may spot Squirrel Cuckoos, Tanagers and Groove-billed Anis.rainfall and weatherThis is one of the hotter drier areas of Costa Rica, and the whole Guanacaste region has more predictable seasons than the rest of Costa Rica. The chance of rain is much less during the dry season from December to April, but the higher you climb, the more likely you are to get wet… any time of the year.Although it is fairly likely that it will rain on any given day during the rainy season (AKA the green season), it is also fairly likely that it will be a short shower in mid-afternoon. The rainy season which lasts from May until November is also usually interrupted by a two or three week dry spell in late July or August called the Veranillo de San Juan (Saint Joseph’s little summer).Quick Facts Guanacaste National ParkGuanacaste is a large park that protects 32,512 hectares where elevations range from 300 to 1659 meters (984 to 5443 feet).  The habitats represented here are cloud forest, pasture/farm, and regenerating tropical dry forest.Santa Rosa National ParkTropical Dry ForestSanta Rosa National Park protects some of the last remaining tropical dry forest in the world. The small patch of oak forest near the entrance to the Comelco Ranch is probably representative of the original habitat of much of the park. Ranchers burned most of the plateau region, and African pasture grass (Hyparrenia rufa) and the fire resistant Bignoniaceae trees define the current landscape. Nearer the beaches the habitat becomes more native-like.Guanacaste National Park was created in 1989 to connect Santa Rosa National Park with the high elevation cloud forest of Orosi and Cacao volcanoes and across the continental divide to the Caribbean rainforest of Northern Costa Rica. The hope is that together these two parks protect enough land to ensure sufficiently large habitats for wide-ranging species such as jaguars and mountain lions while simultaneously creating a biological corridor for birds and insects to make local seasonal migrations between the dry forest and the evergreen cloud and rain forests.Beaches-Turtles, Scuba and SurfingThere are two important sea turtle nesting beaches in Santa Rosa, Naranjo and Nancite. The latter is one of two beaches in Costa Rica (the other is Ostional) where Pacific Ridley Sea Turtles come ashore each year in large arribadas to lay their eggs.These mass arrivals can include thousands of individuals in a single night, usually on a new moon in late summer.The beach at Naranjo is also famous for surfing, and the area near witch’s rock was a filming location for the cult surfing classic ‘Endless Summer II.’ There is a campground at Naranjo beach.From outside the park you can arrange scuba-diving trips to Islas Murciélago, (the Bat Islands), off the Santa Elena Peninsula.Hiking Trails and MapsThere are a number of excellent trails in Santa Rosa National Park for day or overnight trips.1:50,000 Topographical maps are available online from Omni Maps (sheets CR50 3048 I, and CR50 3048 IV cover most of the park, but CR50 3048 II, and CR50 3048 III are required for the southern edges)When to VisitThis is one of the hotter drier areas of Costa Rica, and the whole Guanacaste region has more predictable seasons than the rest of Costa Rica. The chance of rain is much less during the dry season from December to April.Although it is fairly likely that it will rain on any given day during the rainy season (AKA the green season), it is also fairly likely that it will be a short shower in mid-afternoon. The rainy season which lasts from May until November is also usually interrupted by a two or three week dry spell in late July or August called the veranillo de San Juan (little summer).Getting ThereLocation – Santa Rosa National Park is located at the northwestern tip of Costa Rica 118 miles (190 km) northwest of San José (136 miles, 219 km by road). Nearest towns Liberia & La Cruz.Driving directions – From San José, take the Interamerican Highway (1) north 136 miles (219 km) passing through San Ramon, Cañas, and Liberia to the signed left turn at the entrance road. Bus – Unfortunately there is not a direct way to reach the Santa Rosa Ranger Station by bus. Buses from San José or Liberia to La Cruz and the Nicaraguan border will drop you at the turnoff from the PanAmerican Highway and you’ll have to walk or hitch-hike the 4miles (7 km) to La Casona. Air – The nearest airport is LIR outside Liberia.Quick Facts Santa Rosa National ParkOne of Costa Rica’s larger parks, Santa Rosa covers 49,515 hectares with a wide range of habitats including beach, mangrove estuary, marine, pasture/farm, and tropical dry forest.History at Santa Rosa National ParkSanta Rosa may owe its early designation as a National Park to an attempted invasion by U.S. troops. The battle that occurred here is a source of great pride in Costa Rica, and the historical significance of the park helped win its protection by executive decrees in 1970 and 1977.William Walker was an American lawyer who had designs on an empire. In June of 1855 he arrived in Nicaragua, propped up a failing regime, and set him self up as Commander-in-Chief. With this tenuous authority, he planned to convert all of Central America into slaving territory and use the slaves to build a canal from Lake Nicaragua to the Pacific (the San Juan River is navigable from Lake Nicaragua to the Caribbean so this canal would have linked the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans as the Panama Canal does today).With the financial backing of the Confederate Union of the southern United States, Walker sent an international army of mercenaries into Costa Rica. When word of the invasion reached the capital, President Juan Rafael Mora organized 9,000 civilians to march to Guanacaste. At the hacienda of Santa Rosa on March 20, 1856, the mercenaries were routed in a 14 minute battle. The victorious Ticos pushed Walker’s forces across the border into Nicaragua where they made another stand in a wooden fort in Rivas. On April 11, 1856 a drummer boy named Juan Santamaría, from Alajuela volunteered to set the fort afire, and although he successfully flushed the mercenaries he lost his life in the battle. He is remembered as a hero.Walker returned to the United States, where he practiced law for a while before returning to Central America in another takeover attempt. In 1860, he was captured by the Honduran government, found guilty of treason and shot. Interestingly, another central figure in this history met a similar fate. President Mora lost political favor and his job after the battle. When he tried to regain control of the country in a military coup, he was captured, tried for treason and died in front of a firing squad the same year as Walker.Amazingly, this single incident encompasses much of the military history of Costa Rica. While Ticos are proud of their war heroes, and established Santa Rosa National Park in part to protect La Casona and the other buildings where the victory occurred, they are even prouder of their remarkably peaceful history.La Casona Hacienda was the site of the most famous battle in Costa Rican history. Now it’s a museum and part of Santa Rosa National Park. This historic building was the site of the ‘epic’ Battle of Santa Rosa in 1856 and has been preserved as a monument. There are displays of military paraphernalia and everyday life at a Tico Hacienda in the mid 1800’s. Keep an eye out for the Long-tongued Bats that roost in the eves of the buildings.Diria National ParkOne of Guanacaste’s Least-Known Attractions.  Northern Guanacaste and the Nicoya Peninsula have several well known national parks: the history-rich Santa Rosa, the caves of Barra Honda, the marine preserve and turtle nesting grounds of Las Baulas and the wetlands of Palo Verde — now one of the top birding destinations in the world. But few know about or have visited the wonderful Diria National Park near Santa Cruz. It is the least visited locale in Costa Rica’s national park system, with even fewer tourists than the rarely visited La Cangreja Park, which was featured in the December 2018 Howler issue.The 5,500-hectare park (over 10,000 acres) was created only recently, in 2004. A key objective was to protect more than 380 species of trees that forest the area — many original old growth saved from the deforestation of the mid-20th century — as well as several rivers flowing out of the mountains creating the Santa Cruz region’s water supply. Diria National Park is also the home of rare and endangered bromeliads and cacti, along with a special group of orchids that can survive the extreme dry season conditions.For anyone visiting the northern Nicoya area, a day trip to Diria can give you a totally different Costa Rica experience.When to goIf you’re seeking a great place to hike or mountain bike, see lots of birds and animals along with rare and endangered plants or even just cool off from the heat, you will enjoy Diria. The park has two major areas: the lowland tropical dry forest around the casona (park ranger station) and the tropical humid forests covering much more mountainous terrain, rising to 1,800 meters (almost 6,000 feet) above sea level.The casona vicinity has three hiking trails that follow the rivers through the dry forest. The longest trail leads to beautiful Brazil Falls, requiring a demanding hike through rugged conditions. The park’s main facilities are located at the casona, accessible only by fording a river. Many opt not to drive through, especially in rainy season. The casona has restrooms and is equipped for overnight stays and meals if booked in advance, especially for groups.The rest of the park site can be reached by driving, or more recently, using a system of bike trails extending upward … and further up. You can drive to the crest of the Nicoya Peninsula’s highest mountain ridge, looking back to the mainland and even sighting Palo Verde National Park.

Animals and birds abound throughout Diria and change with the elevation. Howler monkeys, iguanas, anteaters and deer can be seen. Birding is also great here, with more than 140 species that include pale-billed woodpecker, barred antshrikes and long-tailed manakins. All are easily seen in the park, as well as the beautiful elegant trogon, which is found only in the northern Nicoya Peninsula.How to get thereFirst drive to Santa Cruz, from the west taking route 152/route 160 east, or from the east taking route 21. From there, take the road south to Arado; drive around the Arado soccer field and you will see a sign to Diria National Park. The road becomes gravel for the final 6 kilometers. Follow signs to Diria National Park (a 4WD vehicle is recommended). Signs to the park casona take you to the lowland trails (remember you must cross a river) and those marked Los Angeles lead up the mountain. When you reach the ranger station, don’t be surprised if it’s unoccupied; the park has few rangers and those on duty are likely out patrolling, especially when there’s a risk of forest fires during dry season. Many park visitors leave their admission fee on the desk.For anyone visiting the northern Nicoya area, staying in Tamarindo or other beach spots, a day trip to Diria can give you a totally different Costa Rica experience. It can even cool you off a bit, as a bonus for enjoying some real wilderness.When to visitAs applies to most places in Costa Rica, the best time for visiting Diria is between December to April. However, visiting in the rainy season can be a treat if you visit Brazil Falls, which quickly dries out in summer. The downside is that rainy season conditions can be difficult for getting around and the roads might be impassable.Rincón de la Vieja National Park, Guanacaste18 / 41Waterfall inside Rincon de la Vieja National ParkEcological diversity abounds at Rincón de la Vieja National Park, one of the parks in the Guanacaste Conservation Area.This park is a must-visit destination when you are in the Guanacaste Province.Best Hotels in Rincón de la Vieja National ParkPriceHotel Hacienda Guachipelin$$Check PriceAt over 34,000 acres, Rincón de la Vieja has room for two volcanoes, 32 rivers and streams, and an incredible variety of flora and fauna.A number of activities can be enjoyed at the park such as hiking, horseback riding, enjoying hot springs, swimming, picnicking, and camping.   Rincón de la Vieja National Park VideoPlayUnmuteLoaded: 10.73%Remaining Time –2:53FullscreenGuachipelin Adventure Combo PassThe best all day adventure combo that includes ziplining, horseback riding, white water river tubing, full buffet lunch, hot springs & volcanic mud bath.Get Your PassRincón de la Vieja is approximately 15 miles northeast of the city of Liberia, which is the capital of the Guanacaste Province.Explore Both SidesWith its location and sheer size, this national park allows you to experience both the Caribbean and Pacific sides of the Cordillera de Guanacaste.The west side of the park on the slope of the volcano that fronts the Pacific Ocean is more arid than the eastern Caribbean-facing side, which means that it has a dry season from February through April.The dry season on the west side allows for great hiking conditions for those that want to hike the slope of the volcano. Atlantic trade winds on the eastern side of the park provide it with an average of 200 inches of rain per year, keeping vegetation lush and growing all the time.There is no distinct dry season on the east, so the tropical ecosystems on that side continually stay damp.The park is serviced by two ranger stations, one in the Santa Maria sector, and the other in the Las Pailas sector.Hiking and horseback riding trails fan out from the Santa Maria ranger station and traverse 5,000 feet in vertical elevation. Picnic areas are also available to rest and rejuvenate before hitting the trails again.Next to Las Pailas ranger station, campground facilities allow you to spend the night in the park.Rincón de la Vieja National ParkWhere to StayView HotelsSee Incredible Flora and FaunaRincón de la Vieja hosts a wide variety of tropical forests, including dwarf cloud and montane ecosystems.Exotic and rare flora and fauna find refuge here including kinkajous, pumas, a variety of monkeys, sloths, tapirs, and jaguars.Rare emerald toucanets and blue-crowned motmots glow in the sunlight along with vibrant fuschia and purple Guaria Morada orchids. Laurel and Guanacaste trees form canopies for birds and mammals to live in.Sightsee and SwimVarious water features are major attractions at the park and include a freshwater lagoon, waterfalls, hot springs, and boiling mud pits.Barra Honda Caverns National ParkThe area of the Tempisque Basin where the Nicoya Peninsula joins the mainland has a foundation of relatively soft limestone. Water has cut extensive caves through Cerro Barra Honda and the other small mountains creating the best know feature of this National Park. However, the park also has well maintained hiking trails. The protected tropical dry forest (though mostly secondary) within its borders is some of the last in the world, and very different from the rain and cloud forests that attract many ecological tourists to Costa Rica.The CavernsThe soda straws, pearls, roses, needles, cave grapes, curtains, terraces, stalactites, stalagmites and other calcareous formations of the more than 40 limestone caverns are the main attraction at Barra Honda National Park.The caves are all in relatively good condition because their vertical entrances are difficult to negotiate. This is also why you need climbing gear, a guide, and permission from the Parks service in advance to enter them.The caves range from a few feet to over 780 feet (240 meters) deep. Pozo Hediondo (Fetid Pit) Cave was named for the aroma of the guano deposited by thousands of resident bats.Until the caverns were discovered and explored in the late sixties, many believed that Cerro Barra Honda was a volcano because of the roaring sounds made by the bats as they departed the caverns en masse, and the fumes from the caves they occupied.Hiking at Barra HondaThe network of hiking trails used to access the caverns are great for exploring one of the rarest habitats on earth, tropical dry forest. The juxtaposition of capuchin monkeys and cactus seems odd, and some of the trees flower only after they’ve dropped all their leaves. Any time of year you can hope to see howler monkeys, deer, racoons, peccaries, kinkajous, agoutis, and anteaters.Maps are available at the ranger station. The main trail is an undriveable continuation of the entrance road that leads through mostly secondary forest to cerro Barra Honda (1,450 feet, 442 meters) where you are rewarded with spectacular views of the Tempisque valley.When to Visit and Where to Stay at Barra HondaThe caves are not open in the wet season because of the danger of flooding by the torrential rains that carved them from the stone. If you are a spelunker the dry season is your best bet.Cabinas and Camping – If you are traveling on a budget, spend the night. It’s one of the few places you can get a bed and a roof inside a National Park. At the ranger station a few minutes up a good gravel road from the entrance (closed from about dusk until 8:00 am) there are four rustic cabinas with bunks for six or eight each.These provide an excellent opportunity for travelers who don’t have either camping equipment, or the money for a lodge or ecocamp, to spend the night in the forest. When we stayed we had the place to ourselves and were on a hiking trail by around 5:15 am (about 15 minutes before sunrise) in order to catch the increased activity of the forest’s residents. We also felt comfortable walking on the broad main trail after dark, when you hear and see a whole new group of birds, insects and animals.There is a camping area next to the ranger station, across the road from the cabinas.If you don’t stay in the park, Nicoya is the closest alternative with lodging options in most price categories (nothing on the top end however).Getting ThereDriving directions From San José, take the Interamerican Highway (1) north just past the turn for Las Juntas de Abangares. Turn left on 18 towards San Joaquín and then follow the signs for the spur to the new Tempisque bridge. Once you rejoin the main road, continue southwest about 10 km then turn right towards the villages of Barra Honda and (also known as Nacaome) Santa Ana, and follow signs for the park entrance. The park headquarters is through the gate (closed at dusk) less than a mile up a good gravel road (4WD not required) on the left.Bus Unfortunately there is not a direct way to reach Barra Honda by bus. You can get a bus from San José to Nicoya, then there is one bus a day (12:30 p.m.) from Nicoya to Santa Ana which is about a 30 minute walk from the entrance.Daily departures from San José, Terminal Alfaro at 6:30 a.m., 8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m., 156 km, 6 hours, $5.20, Alfaro Bus, telephone (506) 2222-2666Quick Facts about Barra Honda National ParkThe protected area is 5,600 acres (2,300 hectares, 8.75 square miles, 7 times the size of central park NYC) with elevations ranging from 20 to 442 meters (66 to 1450 feet). The habitats represented here are margin/edge and regenerating tropical dry forest.Hours The gate is open from 8:00 a.m. until dusk, if you are staying in the park, the rangers leave the station door open until they go to bed around 8:30 p.m.Hiking trails Maps are available at the ranger station. The main trail is an undriveable continuation of the entrance road that leads through mostly secondary forest to cerro Barra Honda (1,450 feet, 442 meters) where you are rewarded with spectacular views of the Tempisque valley.Habitats Tropical lowland dry forest, pasture, limestone caves.Tenorio Volcano National ParkQuite possibly our favorite national park.  I know, I know, they can’t all be our favorite, but…Tenorio has everything you could want in a tropical forest natural area and every time we visit we find something new to love.  Hiking to the sky blue Celeste waterfall is a highlight, but the hanging bridges in the rainforest and trail to Lago Danta through the cloud forest from the Heliconias entrance are equally amazing.For decades the area was nearly undiscovered but in 2018 twelve years of bridging river fords and improving roads culminated in the completion of the asphalt all the way to the park entrance.  Visits exploded and by April of 2019 the park service was forced to impose quotas on the number of hikers and birdwatchers allowed on the trail.Celeste WaterfallAt a glance these are what puts the region around Bijagua on the list of the best places in Costa Rica.  From ranger station at the west entrance of Tenorio National Park (El Pilón) to the azure tinted cataract a couple of kilometers to the south.You can make a loop out of the trail by continuing south to the teñiderios (Teñi de rios – dyeing of the rivers) then west along the other bank of the river to the hot springs and out to the road at the west entrance near Catarata Celeste Lodge.  The road leads north to the new car bridge over the river and back to the ranger station.Hiking TrailsThe “Crater Hike” is only available with special permission along with an indigenous guide but well worth the extra effort.Main Park Entrance (El Pilón)The best way to experience the area, in fact the only way to see much of it, is on foot.  You don’t have to be a Sherpa to visit the azure blue catarata río Celeste in Tenorio National park or the rainforest shrouded slopes of Miravalles volcano but you do have to walk because they’re only accessible by trail. Anywhere you walk in the area you’re likely to see birds and other wildlife (even in or near town).The hiking trail to Celeste waterfall and the other attractions around the main entrance is described above.Heliconias & Lago DantaThere is a little known entrance to the park at Heliconias Ecolodge Community Project.  They have a network of excellent trails leading through their private protected forest to a series of hanging bridges through the rainforest canopy.  On our last visit we went on the bridges trail under the stars and it was Awesome.Starting at the top end of the Canopy Bridges trail there is a 3 km spur that climbs up to the national park boundary and on to Lago Danta (Tapir Lake).  We’ve never seen tapirs here but we’ve seen fresh tracks and they are more common here than nearly anywhere else in Costa Rica outside Corcovado National Park.There are also many abandoned or nearly abandoned roads where you can walk or mountain bike around Heliconias, Bijagua or any of the remote lodges and Miravalles National Park is literally right across the street.Natural Hot SpringsNOTE: In 2017 the park service closed the east entrance and the trail to the hot springs due to overcrowding.The hotsprings here really are natural.  Commercial operations in the region have started the inevitable process of taming the geothermal mineral waters for spas and some of the pools in the National Park are off limits due to dangerously high temperatures, but there are still places along the lower Río Celeste where you can relax your tired muscles in completely natural hot springs (see map at bottom of page).For your own safety please respect all closures, warnings, and regulations posted by the park administration.BirdwatchingWe considered adding an extra star to the rating system just for this region because five out of five doesn’t really do it justice.Costa Rica is know for its incredible diversity of micro-climates, ecological zones and habitats and this valley between two volcanoes is a perfect example.The continental divide follows the slopes of volcán Miravalles down to the southeast to a point where Tenorio starts rising just outside Bijagua (in front of the Tenorio Lodge in fact).  It’s not dramatic geographically and you won’t notice it as you’re driving or walking because the valley is quite broad here, but this dip in the continental divide is a mountain pass from the Caribbean slope to the Pacific.This creates a natural flyway from Lago de Nicaragua, Caño Negro and the other wetlands in the northern Caribbean lowlands to the Pacific coast and Palo Verde wetlands along the Río Tempisque.  It seems unusual at first to see a flock of Roseate Spoonbills juxtaposed against the mountains but once you look a the geography it’s not surprising that this area hosts species from a wide range of habitats.Getting There and When to VisitNOTE: On April 11 2019 the National Park announced on its official facebook page that limits would be imposed on the number of visitors to reduce overcrowding.  No more than 500 people will be allowed in the park at one time and no more than 1,000 per day.The map that’s linked above includes a zoomed out view showing the main ways to arrive in the area along with driving directions from Arenal volcano and the Pacific beaches.Bijagua is right on the continental divide and Tenorio National Park is split by it but tends to have more wet Caribbean/Atlantic climatic association than dry Guanacaste.  It’s always possible it’ll rain but pretty unlikely it’ll be drenching downpours for extended periods.Tickets & Hours for Tenorio National Park/Celeste Waterfall Pilón EntranceThe Park is open every day (including weekends and holidays) from 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.  The last entry is at 2:00 p.m.Citizens and Residents ¢800 ($1.20) Non-Residents $US12 Children under 12 are freeThere is no online ticketing or reservation system for Tenorio or the Celeste waterfall trail.  Arrive early or join a tour group (agencies have access to advance purchase to guarantee entry).The town of Bijagua and the Tenorio region were directly in the path of Hurricane Otto on Thanksgiving Day 2016. Ten people were killed and couple of tiny communities in northern Costa Rica were devastated by the impact.The area is well on the way to a full recovery and one of the best things you can do to contribute to the local economy is visit and spend money! The Crater “Trail”The top of Tenorio Volcano and the trails leading to it are closed to the public.  We entered by special permission with an authorized guide and a baquiano (indigenous guide) who knew the route across the wandering maze of tunnels through the elfin cloud forest at the top.If you have a chance to climb to the steep walled crater to the volcanically heated warm water lake at the top we highly recommend it.  There is one trail that begins near the teñiderios west of the main entrance.  It is clearly marked as off limits, nearly unused, and peters out into a maze of game trails after a few hundred meters.We entered through private property on the south side of the volcano and went by horseback for the first few kilometers across pasture.  Once we entered the forest we tethered the horses and continued the ascent on foot.Because so few people are allowed into the area we were not surprised by the abundance of wildlife – even endangered and shy squirrel monkeys were calmly watching us from the tree tops.You can soak in a sulfuric hot spring a little under two miles down the trail and then enjoy a refreshing dip in a nearby waterfall or stream.Waterfalls with swimming opportunities are frequent along hiking trails. More evidence of geothermal activity in the area are the bubbling mud pools along the trail.Map of the Area

Click to enlarge map – Map of the AreaWitness Volcanic ActivityThe ancient Rincón de la Vieja volcano last erupted in 1983, with a minor ash and lava emission in 1991.Today, adventurous visitors can take a day-long hike to the top of the summit via a six-mile trail that originates at Las Pailas. The journey along the trail will reveal several different ecosystems. You will see Von Seebach, the main crater of the volcano, periodically spew steam as evidence of its geothermal activity.Those completing the hike will be rewarded with views of the Nicoya Peninsula and the Lago de Nicaragua.If the skies are exceptionally clear, you will be able to see Los Jilgueros Lake and almost all of Costa Rica. If you are considering taking the hike, be sure to bring adequate water to stay hydrated, and a warm water-resistant outer layer of clothing.In a country of national parks and wildlife preserves, the Rincón de la Vieja National Park is like no other in Costa Rica.You will long remember the wild flora and fauna in this premier park in the Guanacaste Province.CABO BLANCO ABSOLUTE NATURAL RESERVECabo Blanco Absolute Natural Reserve is located on the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula.  This was the first national protected area in Costa Rica.  It was created in 1963 prior to the national park system, which still carries on to this day.  The reserve was created to protect the area from deforestation, mainly due to the efforts of the late Olof Wessberg, who collected funding from several European countries to enable the protection project.  The closest towns to the reserve are Montezuma and Mal Pais.Create Your Perfect VacationAdventureAll-InclusiveRomanceBeach TimeSurfingNature & WildlifeOr call toll-free1-866-853-9426The Cabo Blanco Reserve protects 3,070 hectares or 7,586 acres of land.  The elevation of the reserve ranges from sea level to 5 meters or 0 – 16 feet.  It protects rainforest, beach, mangrove, and river habitats.  There are several groomed hiking trails.The isolated reserve is home to plenty of wildlife.  There are three species of large felines including margays, jaguarundis, and ocelots.  Capuchin and howler monkeys represent the primates.  In addition there are anteaters, armadillos, raccoons, kinkajous, pizotes, and deer.  There are many reptiles including black and green iguanas, whip-tailed lizards, and boa constrictors.  Many species of birds have been identified in the reserve such as  scarlett macaws, crested caracaras, magpie-jays, long-tailed manakins, and elegant trogons.  Along the shore, there are brown pelicans, sandpipers, frigate birds, brown boobies, and laughing gulls.Cabo Blanco Absolute Natural Reserve is government managed.  The reserve is open from 8 AM – 4 PM, Wednesday through Sunday (closed on Mondays and Tuesdays).  It has a ranger station that is equipped with basic amenities including public restrooms.  The entrance fee to the reserve is $12 per person.  There are no overnight facilities.  Most visitors stay at hotels in Mal Pais or Montezuma.MORE ABOUT THE CABO BLANCO RESERVEThe reserve is in an ideal location for trees to flourish as it is located between tropical dry and wet forests. The park is home to over 140 different species of trees, including the wild plum, trumpet tree, lance wood, and the sapoditta – famous for producing the material that is used to make chewing gum.The reserve is famous for the white cape; a group of rocks located at the southern tip of the reserve that serves as a dwelling ground for a plethora of bird species. The two beaches of Cabo Blanco, Playa Cabo Blanco and Playa Balsitas are excellent locations to witness hundreds of pelicans as they soar while scouring for fish.There is a beach at the southern tip that has rocks with large fossilized oysters and other ancient marine shellfish.  While these are quite a sight, you are not permitted to remove them.AT A GLANCERegion: Southern Nicoya Peninsula Closest town: Montezuma and mal Pais Size in hectares: 3,070 (7,586 acres) Year established: 1963 Elevation in meters: 0 – 5 (0 – 16 feet) Private managed: no Government managed: yes Rangers station: yes Overnight facilities: no Public restrooms: yes Entrance fee: $12pp Days: Wednesday – Sunday (closed Mondays and Tuesdays) Hours: 08:00 – 16:00 Hiking trails: yes Boat tours: no Average temperature range in Fahrenheit: 70 – 90 Average yearly precipitation in millimeters: 2,800 (110 inches) Habitat: mangrove, rainforest, beach, riverHOW TO GET THEREFrom San Jose, take Rt. 27 west to the Puntarenas exit.  Take this exit, Rt. 17 west to Puntarenas and follow all the way to the ferry.  Cross the Gulf of Nicoya on the ferry to Paquera.  From Paquera, take Rt. 160 south to Cobano.  Turn left on Rt. 624 and follow to Montezuma.  From Montezuma, continue south on the dirt road passing through Cabuya and eventually to the reserve entrance.  A four wheel drive vehicle is necessary on this road.WEATHER AND PACKING LISTThe reserve is located in a transitional area from rainforest to tropical dry forest.  Day time temperatures regularly reach the low 90s and night time temps are usually in the upper 70s.  The reserve receives an average of 2,800 mm or 110 inches of precipitation each year.  The driest months are December through April and July.Visitors to Cabo Blanco should pack a bathing suit, towel, shorts, tee shirts, appropriate shoes, rain gear, sun block, and insect repellent. Visit our packing list for more ideas.Fun Fact: The blanco part of the name Cabo Blanco is a result of a section of cliffs and rocks which are permanently colored white due to bird droppings.Las Baulas National ParkToursLeatherbacks are the main draw for most visitors to Las Baulas National Park. Guides offer tours of Las Baulas National Park during leatherback nesting season (October 20 – February 15). Tours to see nesting leatherback turtles are always at night but actual times vary according to high tides. The total number of visitors is restricted to 30 persons per turtles (in groups of up to 15 persons each) and unregistered visitors are not allowed. To make a reservation, visit the Las Baulas National Park headquarters at Playa Grande or call (+506) 2653-0470, ext. 101 up to 8 days before the desired tour date to make a reservation. If you are unable to make a reservation prior to your arrival in country, we recommend visiting the Las Baulas National Park headquarters upon arrival to make your tour reservation in person. Please note that The Leatherback Trust is unable to make reservations for third-parties with Las Baulas National Park. We sincerely regret any inconvenience.Plan your visit around the typical nesting and hatching of each type of sea turtle.Visitors may be asked to wait at the park headquarters until scientists or park guards spot a turtle on the beach. The maximum waiting time can be up to 6 hours. Books, board games and snacks are great ways to pass the time. On some occasions, turtles may not appear on the beach and visitors may be sent home. Visitors are not charged unless turtle sightings are confirmed.© Kip Evans Photography | Mission BlueTo protect the turtles, visitors are reminded to always follow instructions from park guides and guards. Remember to keep a safe distance from nesting turtles and speak in low voices only when necessary. Flashlights and flash photography are restricted on the beach and visitors are asked to stay out of the turtle’s field of vision. Nesting turtles enter a trance as they lay eggs and visitors may see biologists measuring the length of the turtle’s carapace, checking for identification and counting the eggs. Scientists are unable to answer questions during this time, so visitors should direct questions to their local guide or wait until the tour is over. As soon as the nesting turtle begins to cover her nest with her front flippers, visitors are asked to retreat to allow her a full range of motion to camouflage the nest and return to sea.© Andrea Gingerich | Andipantz.comHelp HatchlingsVisitors can help protect turtles by following the rules and spreading the message of conservation. If you see turtle hatchlings on the beach, please keep dogs or other potential predators away and call a ranger at Las Baulas National Park headquarters at (+506) 2563-0470, ext. 101 or The Leatherback Trust’s team of biologists at Goldring-Gund Marine Biology Station at (+506) 2653-0635.© Andrea Gingerich | Andipantz.comOther ActivitiesApart from turtle tours, visitors are invited to surf, swim and enjoy the beautiful beaches of Playa Grande, Playa Ventanas, Playa Carbón and Playa Langosta. Many visitors enjoy snorkeling at Playa Carbón and kayaking in the bays. Please note that the beaches are closed at night to protect turtles during nesting season.© Andrea Gingerich | Andipantz.comThere is also excellent birdwatching in Ventanas Estuary or Tamarindo Wetland. Local guides spot crocodiles and monkeys on tours of the Tamarindo Wetland. Visitors can also schedule a wetland tour by calling Las Baulas National Park at (+506) 2653-0470, ext. 101.←12345678910→Take an Estuary TourVentanas estuary provides critical habitat for American crocodiles. Herons and roseate spoonbills nest in the Tamarindo estuary. Howler monkeys call as night falls.Images by C. Díaz-Chuquisengo 2014Share:Email thisTweet thisShare thisSee alsoConservationWe conserve the world’s most imperiled populations of sea turtles through research, habitat protection, education and advocacy.ThreatsLeatherbacks face different threats specific to each stage of their lives and the habitats they occupy during those stages. To save the leatherback, we must reduce threats in all habitats turtles occupy across their entire life cycle.Get InvolvedJoin us as a volunteer in Costa Rica or through our interactive exhibits online. Support our work by buying Leatherback Trust gear or making a donation today.The Leatherback Trust Inc. is a US 501(c)3 non profit organization – EIN 22-3741033Follow UsAdsenseLatest ListingsEl Castillo HostelHotel Paraiso del CocodriloCampamento Carey AsvoHotel Flying CrocodileFrank’s Secret Beer GardenChef RodolfoLocosCocos CevicheriaSand Dollar CoveJon Sandvik CabinCosta de OroWorld Reach SEO & Digital MarketingRandom ListingsEl Castillo HostelBoutique Hotel AnaYLas CatalinasOcean Course at Peninsula PapagayoVista Bahía Beach ResortHuetares Hotel & VillasWyndham TamarindoRipJack InnSharky’s Sports BarFeatured ListingsWorldReach SEOPlantacion Properties Tamarindo – Christie’s International Real EstateLa Locanda Ristorante PizzeriaTamarindo Luxury VillasJoin our newsletter!Full of tips, must-see spots, and things to do on your trip.JOINSubmit a CommentLogged in as admin. Log out?

[phgq]

GM Torre likely top pick in PCAP draft

#PHnews: GM Torre likely top pick in PCAP draft

MANILA – Grandmaster (GM) Eugene Torre could very well be the headliner of the first Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) draft.

Unless the team has a different plan in mind, Antipolo looks to take the 69-year-old chess wizard as the first overall pick of the draft set to be held at the Quezon City Sports Club on Sunday.

Torre holds the distinction of being the first Asian to earn the grandmaster title and remains among the barometers of how Filipinos should succeed in chess, making him the logical choice as the top draft pick.

If ever the Cobras indeed pass on Torre, however, they still have a bevy of GMs to choose from in Mark Paragua, Joey Antonio, Rogelio Barcenilla, Darwin Laylo, John Paul Gomez, Oliver Barbosa, and Julio Sadorra.

Also part of the draft pool are International Masters (IMs) Rico Mascarinas, Paulo Bersamina, Jan Emmanuel Garcia, Vince Alaan, Yves Ranola, Chito Garma, Ricky de Guzman, Cris Ramayrat, Angelo Young, and John Marvin Miciano, as well as GM candidates Haridas Pascua and Ronald Dableo.

Other titled male players who declared for the draft are Edgardo Garma, Jerome Balico, Mari Joseph Turqueza, Jayson Salubre, Richard Natividad, Ellan Asuela, Cesar Mariano, Elias Lao, Rudy Ibanez, Carlo Lorena, Nelson Mariano III, Emmanuel Emperado, Zulfikar Sali, Deniel Causo, Eric Labog, and Karl Victor Ochoa.

Meanwhile, Women's IM Jodi Foronda headlines the distaff players who threw their names into the draft.

Joining her are WIMs Shania Mae Mendoza and Catherine Perena Secopito and Women FIDE (International Chess Federation) Masters Cherry Ann Mejia, Allaney Dory, Kajoy Acedo, and Mira Mirano.

Iloilo will pick second overall, while QC, the host of the draft proceedings, will choose next at number three.

The rest of the draft order is as follows: Iriga, fourth; Negros, fifth; Cordova, sixth; Rizal, seventh; San Juan, eighth; Mindoro, ninth; Lapu Lapu, 10th; Surigao, 11th; Manila, 12th; Camarines, 13th; Olongapo, 14th; Cabuyao, 15th; Toledo, 16th; Cagayan, 17th; Zamboanga, 18th; General Trias, 19th; Isabela, 20th; Cebu, 21st; Caloocan, 22nd; Pasig, 23rd; and Palawan, 24th.

The inaugural PCAP season will begin on January 12.

Due to the pandemic, matches will be done online. (PNA)

  ***

References:

* Philippine News Agency. "GM Torre likely top pick in PCAP draft." Philippine News Agency. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1125231 (accessed December 19, 2020 at 06:21PM UTC+14).

* Philippine News Agency. "GM Torre likely top pick in PCAP draft." Archive Today. https://archive.ph/?run=1&url=https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1125231 (archived).

[elarea]

Final del Campeonato Nacional de Selecciones (1930)

Los campeones (Foto I Diario El País). Gracias al aporte de Pablo Segovia y Marco da Silva Lucas comparto hoy una valiosa información que en breve será añadida a El AreA. Un día como hoy, 27 de octubre, pero de 1930, se disputaba la final del Campeonato Nacional de Selecciones de Uruguay entre Río Negro y Canelones, ganando los primeros por 3-2.

A continuación tienen más información e imágenes.

En esa temporada también participó Montevideo y lo hizo con dos selecciones: la de la A.U.F. y la formada por un combinado de la Liga Universitaria y la Liga Tranviaria de Football. Río Negro fue campeón Nacional (Copa William Poole) y campeón del Interior (Copa Óptica Bruzzone). Según comenta el amigo Marco da Silva Lucas, que adelanta parte de su libro "El fútbol de adentro. La otra historia del fútbol uruguayo", como primicia exclusiva para El AreA:

El colosal Estadio Centenario, palco de la primera Copa del Mundo, fue el escenario principal del tercer Campeonato Nacional en 1930. Participaron en esta ocasión los seleccionados de: Artigas, Canelones, Colonia, Cerro Largo, Flores, Lavalleja, Maldonado, Paysandú, Río Negro, Rivera, Rocha, Salto, San José, Soriano, Tacuarembó, Treinta y Tres, Montevideo (A.U.F.) y Montevideo (L.U.F./L.T.F.).

Momento del segundo gol rionegrense (Foto I Diario El País). La primera fase del certamen se jugó íntegramente el 12 de octubre: Montevideo (L.U.F./L.T.F.) eliminó sorpresivamente al bicampeón Montevideo (A.U.F.) (2 a 1); Canelones a Salto (3 a 1); Río Negro a Rivera (4 a 3); Treinta y Tres a Paysandú (2 a 1); Artigas a Flores (3 a 2); San José a Tacuarembó (5 a 1); Soriano a Maldonado (3 a 1); y Colonia a Rocha (3 a 0). En esa instancia, Cerro Largo y Lavalleja igualaron 2 a 2 y postergaron la definición. El segundo partido entre ambos, jugado el 14 de octubre, decretó la clasificación de Lavalleja que triunfó por 3 a 0. 

Con la eliminación de Montevideo (L.U.F./L.T.F.) en la segunda fase del campeonato a manos de Colonia, quedó decretado que, por primera vez en la historia, el interior había derrotado a la capital en una competencia nacional. Canelones, que eliminó a Colonia en semifinales, y Río Negro, que había derrotado a San José (2 a 1) y a Treinta y Tres (1 a 0), fueron los grandes finalistas. 

El 27 de octubre, una vez más con el Gran Parque Central como palco de una definición y con doce mil asistentes, Río Negro ingresó a la historia grande del fútbol uruguayo al coronarse campeón nacional y, por ende, también del interior, luego de derrotar a Canelones por 3 a 2. 

Río Negro (3): Alcides Ugalde, Juan José Pini, Juan Carlos Molinari, Ceferino Vázquez, Pedro Alegre, José María Zabaleta, Anacleto Caché, Emilio Moratorio, Santos Márquez, Juan Carlos Cabrera y Eduardo Torres. 

Canelones (2): Fernández, Curado, Rocatti, Zunino, Alberti, Aizcorbi, Tessa, Suiffet, Barceló, Tuana y Ferreira. 

Goles: E. Moratorio (RN, 20´), A. Caché (RN, 55´), Tuana (C), Rocatti (C) y E. Moratorio (RN, 85´). 

Árbitro: Aníbal Tejada.

El equipo campeón (Fuente I Marco da Silva Lucas). Además de los once rionegrenses que ingresaron al campo de juego en la final, hicieron parte del plantel campeón en Montevideo: Manuel Evaristo Miller y Alfredo Aureliano Latorre; no viajaron por falta de medios y permanecieron en Fray Bentos a la orden: Norberto Benvenutto y Víctor Galli. Completaban la delegación: Evaristo Quiñones, director técnico, preparador físico, masajista y equipier, y Antonio Bordes, delegado. El Presidente de la Delegación fue el Dr. Eduardo Levratto. 

Río Negro se concentró en el Hotel Dante. El regreso del equipo campeón desde la capital hasta Mercedes fue por tren y en todas las estaciones fueron homenajeados por multitud de aficionados.

[ryecolombia]

Parque Carlos Sarmiento Lora

October 27th

Day 65: This morning I didn’t make the 6:25 drive to San Juan this morning with Simon and Antonio. Instead I savored an extra hour and a half of sleep and left the house at 8:00 with Gloria to meet the rest of my class at a park on the outskirts of Tuluá.

I sat outside of the front gates with our professor Raúl, Andres, and Tom and waited for the rest of the students to arrive. Only about half of my class showed up.

At 8:30 we paid the 8k peso fee and entered the park. Surrounded completely by a tall defensive hedge, the park was expansive. Valentina, Paula, and I strolled along a stream and past a cafeteria, pools, soccer fields, and a playground as we made our way deeper into the park.

The boys walking ahead of us stopped at one of the fields to play soccer and we stationed ourselves at a nearby table. Paula brought uno and rummy de lujo so we spend the morning playing. The boys occasionally joined us when they tired of soccer.

At 12:30 Gloria picked me up. We swung by San Juan for Simon and then drove home for lunch. Talking, laughing, and playing board games with friends, it was a very relaxing way to spend my Friday morning.

fiel: faithful

[jrgarcia]

Take a Walk on the Southside of San Antonio

I have lived in or near San Antonio my entire life and only recently learned about the hidden treasures located in its Southside region. Thanks to the South SA Chamber of Commerce I was able to take a weekend tour of the various parks, restaurants, and fine arts that south San Antonio has to offer – while staying in a beautiful hotel. I took a walk on the Southside and here’s what I saw. Here are 10 things to do and see in South SA.

  Embassy Suites by Hilton San Antonio Brooks Hotel & Spa

I stayed at the Embassy Suites by Hilton San Antonio Brooks Hotel & Spa located across the street from the former Brooks air force base just off I-37 and SE Military Drive. It was graduation weekend during my stay so the place was buzzing with families carrying balloons and ceremonial knick-knacks through the lobby. The first thing that took me by surprise was the this Embassy Suites offers a free reception to guests everyday from 5:30-7:30 pm at the bar that includes a selection of wine, margaritas, and well drinks. Finger foods and snacks are also provided to compliment drinks. I’ve stayed in my fair share of hotels and I’ve never seen that before.

Facebook: @EmbassySuitesBrooks Instagram: embassysuitesbrooks Twitter: @EmbassyBrooks

King size bed in the room made me want to hibernate. The only complaint I had about the room was the excess number of doors that made it feel like a maze. The Embassy Suites’ restaurant, the Nineteen17, offers cooked to order breakfast with everything you need to start the day. Real bacon, pancakes, assortment of pastries, fresh fruit, cereal, eggs, and fresh tasting juice all displayed in a large kitchen hall with plenty of seating to accommodate guests.

So often you hear people complaining about how noisy restaurants are getting, but at the Nineteen17 I did not notice this problem. Even with kids present. Obviously you don’t have to be a guest in the hotel to enjoy Nineteen17’s hospitality when it comes to food and happy hour specials.

Location: 7610 South New Braunfels, San Antonio, TX 

Facebook: @Nineteen17SA Instagram: @nineteen17sa Twitter: @Nineteen17SA

  Salt Cave at Pure Sol Spa

Apart from great food and comfy beds, the Embassy Suites by Hilton San Antonio Brooks also features a spa. The Pure Sol Spa offers a wide array of massages and wellness treatments that really put the “ahhh” in spa. They even offer a facial treatment designed for men that use a whiskey infused face mask, and every spa bed is heated for an added touch of luxury.

    Pure Sol’s signature is the Salt Cave. A room modeled to look like a salt cave from floor to ceiling designed to engulf the senses with the nature minerals of real salt. The room is kept cold as you lay back in a chair covered in a warm blanket listening to gentle soothing music amidst the scenic tranquility of the Salt Cave. I left that room breathing better than ever. Works wonders if you suffer from allergies.

    The only day Pure Sol is not open is on Mondays and you don’t have to be a guest in the hotel to take full advantage of their services.

Location: 7610 South New Braunfels, San Antonio, TX

Facebook: @puresolspabrooks Instagram: @puresolspabrooks Twitter: @EmbassyBrooks

  Garcia Art Glass

No major city is complete without an art scene, and San Antonio is no different. We toured Garcia Art Glass to see (in real time) the artistry involved in creating a sculpture through glass blowing.

    Watching glass blowing done by masters of the craft is a truly captivating experience to witness first hand. You can also see them work if ever drive past their shop. Which has been family owned and operated by women since day one. Call ahead if you want to find out the best times to watch the artists at Garcia Art Glass spin fire into art. Or stop by to check out the impressive art gallery that is their front reception at 715 S Alamo St, San Antonio, TX.

Facebook: @garciaartglass Instagram: @garciaartglass Twitter: @garciaartglass

B&B Smokehouse

If you’re exploring the Southside of San Antonio and looking for places to eat, South SA offers a vast diversity of culinary delights. B&B Smokehouse is a South SA institution that has been around since 1958.

  Family owned and operated, B&B has recently opened a new building with additional parking to supply the demand for their delicious Texas BBQ. I know that saying one place offers the best BBQ in Texas is like someone claiming they make the best pizza in New York City. However, B&B Smokehouse has the best barbeque chicken I’ve ever had in my personal life. Same goes for their fresh squeezed lemonade!

    One thing I saw that gave me great peace of mind was when I was in the bathroom and had to wait behind a kitchen employee who was thoroughly washing his hands like he was preparing to go into surgery. I like that.

Location: 2627 Pleasanton Rd, San Antonio, TX

Facebook: @BBSmokehouse Instagram: @bbsmokehousetx Twitter: @smokehouse_b

  Casa Azul de Andrea

  Casa Azul de Andrea is a small café in South SA that offers great food and an art gallery. The café is a tribute to artist Frida Kahlo and each room has portraits of her done by local artists (and are for sale). We stopped by for Sunday brunch to enjoyed mango mimosas with barbacoa quesadillas, and corn in a cup. If I had to sum up this place in one word it would be – refreshing. Like walking into a supermarket on a hot summer day and being cradled by industrial grade air conditioning.

Location: 1036 S Alamo St, San Antonio, TX 

Facebook: @CasaAzuldeAndrea Instagram: casaazuldeandrea

  Seersucker Gin Distillery

Did you know San Antonio had a gin distillery? Did you also know that Seersucker Gin is the world’s first to make “Southern style” gin? Seersucker Gin Distillery is a little darling in South SA.

  The distillery started giving out tours to people in 2017 where you will be shown, and explained, the full process of making their signature southern style gin – and then taste it. The property is beautiful with a large blue barn shaped building, manicured lawn, and white fence that ties the whole scene together perfectly. A place that makes you want to be sitting on a rocking chair while sipping on gin spiked lemonade. Delightful!

Location: 8501 Cover Rd, San Antonio, TX 

  Facebook: @ SouthernStyleGin Instagram: @seersuckersoutherngin Twitter: @seersuckergin

  Southside Craftsoda

Craft soda is on the verge of being the next hip thing in the food world and Southside CraffSoda is proud to be made and bottled in South SA. Their product, Texa Cola, is a craft soda that incorporates citrus and real honey into their cola giving it a new-at-first taste with a thirst quenching finish. They bottled the first Texa Cola in March of 2019 and already have their product sitting on shelves in select HEB and Central Market stores in town. This craft soda is so good on its own but when mixed with bourdon, rum, or even Pinot Grigio (yeah, that’s right), Texa Cola is simply outstanding. I look for it every time I got to my HEB.

Facebook: @SouthsideCraftSoda Instagram: @southsidecraftsoda Twitter: @SouthsideSoda

  Mitchell  Lake Audubon Center

You don’t need to travel outside city limits to get in touch with nature thanks to places like the Mitchell Lake Audubon Center. This park offers both hiking and driving trails to explore the property. Mitchell Lake Audubon is known best for its bird watching opportunities. The abundance of nature and birds makes it a unique place in South SA and certainly one worth visiting in the summer. Just remember to pack sun block and bug spray. Admission is only $5 for adults and $2 for children.

Location: 10750 Pleasanton Rd, San Antonio, TX 

  Facebook: @mitchelllakeaudubon Instagram: @mitchelllakeauduboncenter Twitter: @MLAudubonCenter

  Hot Wells of Bexar County

I had never even heard of the Hot Wells of Bexar County until I arrived. One of San Antonio’s newest and the most fascinating parks. The remains of the sulfur water Hot Wells what was once a luxurious spa resort for the elite of the 19th and 20th century. People like Teddy Roosevelt and Charlie Chapin who visited and swam here so many years ago.  

What is left of the original buildings are now the center piece of the park and give visitors a glimpse of what it must have been like. Separate pools for gentlemen and ladies, smaller windows, and walk ways. Future plans for this park is to open up another spa and give guests a taste of what luxury in the 1890’s was like.

Location: 5503 S Presa, San Antonio, TX 

Facebook: @BexarCountyTX Twitter: @BexarCounty

  Mission San Jose

  San Antonio’s most famous mission the Alamo has several other missions in its shadow, like Mission San Jose. Protected by the National Parks Service, Mission San Jose gives Sunday mass every week in its church. It is also a popular photography spot as I saw multiple students taking their graduation photos while touring the grounds of the Mission. There is also a trail that connects the four Missions in South SA: Mission Concepcion, San Jose, San Juan, and Espada. Trails that can be hiked, biked, or walked.

Location: 6701 San Jose Dr, San Antonio, TX

Facebook: @SanAntonioMissionsNPS Instagram: @missionsnps Twitter: @MissionsNPS

  Confluence Park

Confluence Park is a beautiful place to visit, a modern park with nature as its foundation. River Foundation is proud to offer this park venue to nonprofit and educational partners for free. This is a park designed to give back while providing a service in providing a place of green for the community. Even located in the middle of the city the only sound I could hear at the park was the sound of rushing water from the river below.

Location: 310 W Mitchell Street, San Antonio, TX

  Facebook: @sariverfoundation Instagram: @sariverfoundation Twitter: @sariverfound

  Southside San Antonio

These were only a taste of what South SA has to offer. I spent most of my time in Northeast SA and no idea all these wonderful places were here. South SA is still San Antonio, but it definitely has its own vibe and sense of style. I cannot recommend these places enough.

I would like to give a big thanks to South SA Chamber of Commerce for showing me around this part of the Alamo City.

10 Things To Do in Southside San Antonio. Food, Parks, and Spas! Take a Walk on the Southside of San Antonio I have lived in or near San Antonio my entire life and only recently learned about the hidden treasures located in its Southside region.

[davehodgetts-blog]

The breeze whispered my name. I could also hear the sea calling and the sun waving an invite. The itchy sunburn from previous getaways instantly responded. It temporarily reduced the pain. It convinced me, as if it talked, “You can tolerate more.”

Sipaway Island drone shot

My adventurous self, who knows no restraint when it comes to travel—as long as I have extra budget to splurge—went out to search for another underrated destination. ‘Twas summer anyway!

Sipaway Island beaches and mangove areas

My feet brought me to Sipaway, an island that floats off the coast of San Carlos City in Negros Occidental.

Finding travel information about Sipaway is a bit of a challenge. I could find a decent blog that gives insider information, things to do and travel tips. But still I went to the island to see what it has to offer.

The foot bridge and massage cottages of Whispering Palms Island Resort

I kept my expectations low and was open for possible misadventures.

However, when I was in the island, real fun became reality.

Things to Do or See in Sipaway Island

Ermita Beach

For only 20 pesos, you may enjoy the fine, white strip of Barangay Ermita. The clear shallows is perfect for swimming, especially if you travel with your kids.

The rectangular structure is Barangay Ermita Pier, on its right is Basilia White Beach Resort, and on its left is Ermita’s white strip.

Paraiso De Antonio

The tall palm trees, short white strip, mangrove-clad seascape, and gentle summer breeze work perfectly to give you a relaxing, laid-back stay.

Paraiso De Antonio, Sipaway Island

The overnight camping fee is 150 pesos, while the 30-minute visit for picture taking will cost you 10 pesos.

Mangrove Forest

Sipaway has a wide conglomeration of mangroves. The marine trees paint the beaches green. Foot paths are installed in some areas for you to walk around conveniently.

Sipaway Island Mangrove Forest and Langub Beach

Century-old Balete (Banyan) tree

The century-old Balete tree seat on the school grounds of San Juan Elementary School. The campus was open when I visited over the weekend. There was no guards, and I was able to get in without any issues.

I am not sure how the system works on weekday though.

Whispering Palms Tour

The resort is a destination on its own. If you cannot stay for a night, you can avail the day tour pass for only 200 pesos. However, you cannot access some facilities that are exclusive for overnight guests.

Whispering Palms Island Resort Premises. Stunning!

You can visit the resort’s sanctuary and see some endangered species, such the Visayan warty pig and the Philippine spotted deer.

Stilt cottages of Whispering Palms Island Resort during low tide

The stilt cottages, mangrove park tower, and beach volley are all for free. You can also enjoy kayak, biking for a small fee.

Where to Stay in Sipaway

Whispering Palms Island Resort

I would suggest you stay at Whispering Palms Island Resort. The property is a destination on its own right. The fascinating, tall palms trees around the property makes a stunning backdrop for your photos. The also have two seawater pools. The stilt cabanas and massage huts also offers good vantage points of the ocean.

Top view of Whispering Palms Island Resort

There is mangrove tower within the property as well. It offers a stunning view of Sipaway Island. You can also enjoy both the sunrise and the sunset at the view deck of the tower.

Whispering Palms Island Resort Pool. This saltwater pool is exclusive for overnight guests only.

Bringing is food is not allowed when you stay at their Standard, Deluxe, Family Deluxe, and Bungalow accommodations. The food at their restaurant is a bit pricey though. Meals per person start at 200 pesos.

However, if you stay at their native huts, you are allowed to cook your own food.

Paraiso De Antonio

If you are game for camping, Paraiso De Antonio offers a nice camping ground. You can spend the night there for only 150 pesos per person.

Paraiso De Antonio

Home stays

You may contact the following home stays to book in advance:

Edna Arañez Inn +63 948 525 7335

Basilia White Beach Resort +63 916 461 1742

Yulo Parana Beach (they don’t publish a contact number, you may visit then directly)

How to Get There

The three nearest airports are Bacolod, Dumaguete, and Cebu. Bacolod, however is the closest.

From either Dumaguete or Bacolod, hop on a Ceres Bus to San Carlos City. If you came from Bacolod, make sure sure that you choose a bus with via Don Salvador route. Other routes take much longer.

This is Sipaway Island – just a right mix of viridescence and ultramarine

If you came from Cebu, take van to Toledo City, and then transfer to a ferry to San Carlos City.

If you visit Sipaway after your Manjuyod Sanbar adventure, return to Bais City, and then from the highway, hop on a bus to San Carlos.

If you came from Kansalakan Enchanted River or Hinakpan Mystical Hills, return to Guihulngan City proper, and then wait for a bus to San Carlos City.

Vibrant and colorful Sipaway sunset

From San Carlos City, take a passenger outrigger boat to Sipaway Island. The fare is only 15 pesos. Travel time is less than 15 to 20 minutes. The boat leaves every 15 or 30 minutes, depending on the season, from 06AM to 06PM.

Notes, Tips, and Reminders

Whispering Palms Island Resort provides a stunning venue for your photo shoots.

There’s no ATM in the island. Hotels don’t accept credit cards. Make sure that you bring enough cash. When we visited Sipaway, we stayed at Whispering Palms Island Resort. We booked and pre-paid our accommodation via Agoda.

Though Bacolod is the nearest airport, you can also get to Sipaway via Cebu and Dumaguete.

Areas of interest nearby are Kansalakan Enchanted River and Hinakpan Mystical Hills of Guihulngan, Bojo River and Hermit’s Cove of Aloguinsan, Campo Labo Sandbar (also in San Carlos City), Campalabo Sandbar in Pinamungajan, Mount Kanlaon, Mayana Peak, and many more.

To move around the island, you can rent a motorbike or tricycle depending how many you are in the group. The short, one-way transfer will cost 15 pesos, while the long transfer, say you travel from the northern tip to the southern tip of the island, will cost you 25 pesos.

Cellular signal is decent on the northwestern edge of the island, the section that faces San Carlos City. It is intermittent on the other side.

BE A RESPONSIBLE TRAVELER OR TOURIST. Always remember to internalize and follow the “traveler’s creed”: Leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but pictures, and kill nothing but time.

For more inspiration, please watch our video

 The post Sipaway Island, Unconcealed but Often Unnoticed: A Travel Guide appeared first on Freedom Wall.

[texasborderbusiness]

Company Recognized Outstanding Educators and School Districts with Cash Prizes and Grants Totaling $430,000

H-E-B Chairman and CEO Charles Butt

Texas Border Business

Austin, Texas — On Sunday, May 5, H-E-B announced statewide winners for the 18th annual H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards during an awards ceremony at the Fairmont Hotel in Austin. During the ceremony, H-E-B Chairman and CEO Charles Butt handed out $430,000 in cash awards and grants, and congratulated eight educators, two school districts, one early childhood agency and a public-school board for being among the best in Texas. The program has given away more than $10 million in cash and grants to Texas teachers and schools since 2002. 

Daniel Pink delivered the keynote address to a ballroom packed with hundreds of educators, elected officials, community leaders, and H-E-B employees. Pink is the author of several provocative, bestselling books about business, work, and behavior that have won multiple awards and have sold more than three million copies worldwide.

The following winners were selected from a pool of 58 finalists by judges who include former winners, school administrators, and university and community leaders.

The 2019 H-E-B Excellence in Education Award Winners Are: 

H-E-B Excellence in Education awards, Sunday, May 5, 2019, at the Fairmont Hotel in Austin, Texas. (Darren Abate for H-E-B)

Rising Star    The Rising Star Category recognizes teachers with less than 10 years of experience. Winners received a $5,000 check for themselves and a $5,000 grant for their school.  Rising Star Elementary: Vanessa Gruner, JC Kelly Elementary, Hildalgo ISD  Rising Star Secondary: Tasha K. Jones, Tuloso Midway High School, Tuloso Midway ISD   

#gallery-0-13 { margin: auto; } #gallery-0-13 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 100%; } #gallery-0-13 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-0-13 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */

H-E-B Excellence in Education awards, Sunday, May 5, 2019, at the Fairmont Hotel in Austin, Texas. (Darren Abate for H-E-B)

H-E-B Excellence in Education awards, Sunday, May 5, 2019, at the Fairmont Hotel in Austin, Texas. (Darren Abate for H-E-B)

H-E-B Excellence in Education awards, Sunday, May 5, 2019, at the Fairmont Hotel in Austin, Texas. (Darren Abate for H-E-B)

Leadership    The Leadership Category honors teachers with 10 to 20 years in the classroom. Winners received a $10,000 check for themselves and a $10,000 grant for their school.  Leadership Elementary: Celena Miller, Cesar Chavez Elementary, Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD  Leadership Secondary: Dr. Nghia Le, Booker T. Washington High School and The High School for Engineering Professions, Houston ISD   

#gallery-0-14 { margin: auto; } #gallery-0-14 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 100%; } #gallery-0-14 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-0-14 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */

H-E-B Excellence in Education awards, Sunday, May 5, 2019, at the Fairmont Hotel in Austin, Texas. (Darren Abate for H-E-B)

H-E-B Excellence in Education awards, Sunday, May 5, 2019, at the Fairmont Hotel in Austin, Texas. (Darren Abate for H-E-B)

Lifetime Achievement    The Lifetime Achievement Category salutes teachers with more than 20 years of experience. Winners received $25,000 in cash for themselves and a $25,000 grant for their school.

Lifetime Achievement Elementary: Andrea Greimel, Carvajal Early Childhood Education Center, San Antonio ISD

Lifetime Achievement Secondary: Jodi Ramos, Coke Stevenson Middle School, Northside ISD

#gallery-0-15 { margin: auto; } #gallery-0-15 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 100%; } #gallery-0-15 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-0-15 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */

H-E-B Excellence in Education awards, Sunday, May 5, 2019, at the Fairmont Hotel in Austin, Texas. (Darren Abate for H-E-B)

H-E-B Excellence in Education awards, Sunday, May 5, 2019, at the Fairmont Hotel in Austin, Texas. (Darren Abate for H-E-B)

School Principal  Winning principals received $10,000 in cash for themselves and a $25,000 grant for each of their schools.

Principal Elementary: Irma Davis, Dishman Elementary School, Harlingen CISD

Principal Secondary: Laura Gomez, South Houston Intermediate, Pasadena ISD

H-E-B Excellence in Education awards, Sunday, May 5, 2019, at the Fairmont Hotel in Austin, Texas. (Darren Abate for H-E-B)

Early Childhood    The winning early childhood facility received a $25,000 cash prize.

SEARCH’s House of Tiny Treasures, Houston   

H-E-B Excellence in Education awards, Sunday, May 5, 2019, at the Fairmont Hotel in Austin, Texas. (Darren Abate for H-E-B)

School Board  The winning public school board received a $25,000 cash prize.

Del Valle, ISD, Del Valle

H-E-B Excellence in Education awards, Sunday, May 5, 2019, at the Fairmont Hotel in Austin, Texas. (Darren Abate for H-E-B)

Small School District  The winning small school district received a $50,000 cash prize.

Roma ISD, Roma

H-E-B Excellence in Education awards, Sunday, May 5, 2019, at the Fairmont Hotel in Austin, Texas. (Darren Abate for H-E-B)

Large School District  The winning large school district received a $100,000 cash prize.                                                      

Socorro ISD, El Paso

About the H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards

H-E-B launched the Excellence in Education Awards program in cooperation with the Texas Association of School Administrators in 2002 as a positive way to support public education in Texas. It has become the largest monetary program for educators in the state, spotlighting best practices and celebrating the passion and creativity of Texas educators.

H-E-B asks customers, Partners (employees) and community members to nominate teachers, principals, districts, early childhood facilities and school boards in Texas. Each nominee is sent an invitation to complete an application online and is asked about their professional experiences, educational philosophies, and achievements both in and out of the classroom. 

A team of judges reviews the applications, narrowing the field to semi-finalists. From that pool, five regional judging panels comprised of former winners, administrators, and university and community leaders not affiliated with H-E-B select 40 teacher and principal finalists. Finalists and their schools receive a cash prize of $1,000 to $2,500, depending on category.

Three separate panels select eight school districts and five early childhood facilities as finalists, awarding $2,500 to $5,000 in cash prizes. Up to five school boards may also be recognized, and awarded $5,000 towards the district they serve. Additionally, one or more school boards may receive a special judge’s award totaling up to $25,000. Site visits are conducted to determine winners.

Teacher and principal finalists are invited to compete on a statewide level for larger cash prizes totaling more than $400,000. A statewide panel of judges, not affiliated with H-E-B, conducts a personal interview with each finalist to select winners.

Eight winners — two principals and six teachers — are announced along with two school districts, one large and one small, a public school board and an early childhood facility, at a celebratory dinner.

Each winning principal—one elementary school and one high school—receives $10,000 in cash for themselves and a $25,000 grant for their schools. The winning large school district receives a $100,000 cash prize and the winning small school district receives $50,000. The winning early childhood facility receives $25,000 and a school board could be awarded up to $25,000.

The six winning teachers include one elementary and one secondary teacher in each of three categories:

The Rising Star Award — honors exceptionally promising teachers with less than 10 years of experience. These winners will each receive a $5,000 check for themselves and a $5,000 grant for their schools.

The Leadership Award — honors teachers with 10 to 20 years in the classroom. These winners will each receive a $10,000 check for themselves and a $10,000 grant for their schools.

The Lifetime Achievement Award — salutes teachers with more than 20 years of experience. These teachers will each receive $25,000 in cash for themselves and a $25,000 grant for their schools.

H-E-B Names Winners in 2019 Excellence in Education Awards Company Recognized Outstanding Educators and School Districts with Cash Prizes and Grants Totaling $430,000

[staycationfiberglasspools]

Upgrade Your Backyard: Fiberglass Pools San Antonio

Thinking about transforming your outdoor space? Consider the timeless beauty and easy maintenance of a fiberglass pool from Staycation Fiberglass Pools. Fiberglass pools offer a sleek design aesthetic for your San Antonio home, creating a backyard oasis you'll love.

Choosing the Right Pool

Selecting a fiberglass pool involves a few key considerations. Pool shape can significantly impact your backyard's overall aesthetics, while pool size should reflect your available space and how you intend to use the pool.

Finding the Right Contractor

Partnering with the right contractor is crucial for a successful fiberglass pool installation in San Antonio. A reliable pool builder like Staycation Fiberglass Pools should possess experience, expertise, and a solid reputation. Look for a contractor skilled in both pool construction and design to bring your vision to life.

Qualities of a Reliable Pool Builder

A trustworthy pool contractor will have:

A proven track record of successful projects

Positive customer reviews

A portfolio showcasing their work

Knowledge of inground fiberglass pool installation specific to San Antonio

Excellent communication skills

A commitment to quality

Steps in Selecting a Pool Contractor

Research local San Antonio pool companies.

Gather quotes from multiple contractors to compare pricing and services.

Ask friends or family for recommendations.

Contact Staycation Fiberglass Pools directly to discuss your project and inquire about timelines and the installation process.

Installation Process

Understanding the fiberglass pool construction process is essential before embarking on your backyard oasis project. Installing an inground fiberglass pool involves several steps requiring precision and expertise for a smooth and efficient outcome.

Understanding Fiberglass Pool Construction

During installation, the pool contractor will excavate the designated area in your backyard. Your chosen fiberglass pool design will then be carefully placed into the designated space, along with any additional features like waterfalls or spa elements.

Steps in Pool Installation

Once the fiberglass pool is set in place, the contractor will finalize the installation by connecting the necessary plumbing and ensuring you understand the warranty details. A thorough inspection of the pool and spa features will be conducted to guarantee everything functions perfectly before completing the project.

Maintaining Your Fiberglass Pool

Regular maintenance is key to preserving the quality and longevity of your investment. To maintain your fiberglass pool, regularly clean the pool surface, monitor chemical levels, and inspect for any signs of damage. Keep the pool area free of debris and ensure the filtration system functions efficiently.

Scheduling Regular Maintenance

Consider scheduling routine maintenance with a professional swimming pool contractor to handle more in-depth tasks like equipment checks, water testing, and addressing any potential issues promptly. Staycation Fiberglass Pools can provide expert care to keep your pool in optimal condition.

Contacting a Pool Specialist

A pool specialist from Staycation Fiberglass Pools can provide valuable insights and services to enhance your pool experience.

Get a Free Quote for Your Fiberglass Pool

Connect with Staycation Fiberglass Pools in San Antonio to get a free quote for your fiberglass pool project. Understanding the costs involved helps you plan your budget effectively and make informed decisions about your pool installation.

Partnering with a Premier Pool Company

Choosing Staycation Fiberglass Pools, a premier pool company in San Antonio, ensures you receive high-quality services and exceptional craftsmanship for your fiberglass pool. From custom pool designs to professional installations, we can bring your backyard oasis vision to life.

[tetrisfinished]

COSTA RICA 2019

yasir and i just came back from costa rica - our first international trip together! (not really counting pakistan, because....well it’s not worth counting it). and so, as per tradition (re: green/california) i want to remember my trip so i’m going to record the stuff here!

feb 5th, 2019

had our flight with delta, toronto > atlanta (4 hour layover) > liberia

arrived in liberia at around 9:30 pm at night and went straight to our hostel (hostal nanku) and fell asleep

feb 6th, 2019

woke up in the morning and headed to alamo car rental to get our rental for the week

got our rental and headed to our first destination; tenorio volcano national park

the weather was just gorgeous; sunny and clear skies and the drive was great

did our first hike at tenorio and saw these gorgeous falls (after going down 65698465454 steps - climbing back up them was a bitch and a half)

for me, i was too tired to continue after the first part of the hike, but yasir went on to the end to see all the different attractions

i sat there and waited for him to get back and rested my head - i hadn’t had breakfast that day and it was a hot hike so i guess that might have been why i felt sort of lightheaded

once he was back, we finished up and went back to the entrance from where i purchased cheese empanadas that a woman was selling at the park entrance (they were delicious, tasted like the sweet dawn bread that you eat in pakistan!)

then we went to arenal and on the way stopped at this little roadside cafe called cafe y macadamia with gorgeous views (below)

by the time we got to arenal (stayed at arenal observatory and lodge) yasir had already fallen asleep and i got my first taste of actual driving in costa rica; i.e. driving at 60 in total darkness which roads that had little to no shoulder that were twisty and turny and just sort of amazing/creepy to drive on!

we checked in and went to sleep pretty immediately (i think i showered first, actually)

feb 7th, 2019

we woke up and had breakfast at the lodge - this was by far both of our favourite places to stay at during our time at arenal

breakfast was done in their eating hall/dining room which opened out to an observatory deck with the arenal volcano right across from us (pictures of our room and lodge deck view below)

we finished up our breakfast with coffee on the lodge deck and then went on our free guided walk of the property

this was great! the tour guide took us through the walk and we saw toucans (first time) and danta falls and then we got to take a tractor ride back to the lodge reception (pictures below)

after this we went back to our room and rested for a bit before going out and climbing the nest - which is this lookout built on the lodge that’s i think 28 floors high!

from the top you can see arenal volcano, cerro chato, and lake arenal and gosh such beautiful views

from here we visited the arenal observatory lodge museum (which was basically a bunch of pictures and then a viewing area for again the volcano); you might think this would get tiring but gosh how often do you get to see such a gorgeous volcano - we tried to make the most of it!

then i went swimming in the lodge pool and spent some time in the hot tub while yasir stayed on his phone (which he did for MOST of the trip - drove me insane and caused a bunch of fights as well)

then we decided to go into the city la fortuna to grab some dinner and incidentally that day my sister javaria was there too; so we had dinner with her and her friend (who was doing the trip with her) and talked about what we’d done/seen so far

the dinner was at this place called nanku; it was delicious and i thoroughly enjoyed it!

then my sister treated us to ice cream (dinner was my treat :p) and they left and yasir and i went back for more ice cream 8- ) lol 

when we got back to the lodge, we realized that in my planning of the trip i had fucked up and not planned any place to stay for the following night - so we proceeded to book a night in monteverde and then subsequently cancel after we found out that half the path there is dirt roads and i got worried our 2wd wouldn’t be able to handle it

instead we booked a night in san jose (as it was on the way to manuel antonio - our final destination out of the 3 cities)

after that we went back to the lodge and again fell asleep

feb 8th, 2019

the next morning we grabbed breakfast and then again enjoyed a coffee on the lodge deck

throughout the trip the best weather we experienced was in arenal - nice and windy and sunny and just gorgeous

then we went back to our room to climb a smaller version of the nest lookout on the lodge where it looks out onto lake arenal (instead of the volcano) (picture below)

again gorgeous views *insert heart eyes emoji* and once we were done we went back to our room to pack and get ready to check out

once we were done, we checked out and went into the city la fortuna again just to sight see and explore a bit before our coffee/chocolate tour at don juan farms

the chocolate and coffee tour was pretty cool! we learned that neither of these items was indigenous to costa rica but are significant exports from there and saw how both these items are made

after the tour, we got into the car and went to san jose for the night

feb 9th, 2019

woke up in san jose the next morning (it was a mission and a half to try and find our air bnb the night before, but we managed :p)

the night before i had looked up stuff to do and found that there was a free walking tour in san jose in the mornings

so we went to that; it was really cool! we walked around the city and the guide explained some of the history

his name was guillermo (hope i’m spelling it correctly) and he was very very knowledgeable and nice and i would definitely recommend the tour again :) 

it lasted about 3 hours and then we walked around on our own for a bit and then grabbed lunch from mcdonald’s and then a crepe from pops (this baskin robbins equivalent chain there)

then once again we headed back to the car and went to manuel antonio

feb 10th, 2019

in the morning we had booked the catamaran cruise that went around the beach and we got to do snorkeling 

it was the coolest experience in the world! i thought from my greece scuba diving mishap i wouldn’t be able to snorkel, but i was surprisingly OKAY! 

yasir, however, was not :p (unsurprisingly) lol he was with the instructor the wholeeee time and was continually being made fun of :p 

after snorkeling we got food from the cruise and then headed back to the marina

then we were dropped back to our hotel (casa mare novstrm) and at the hotel we showered and got ready to go to manuel antonio national park to do the tour

at manuel antonio national park i was hoping to do the tour but unfortunately we got there around 2:30 pm and the park closes around 4 pm - so we were advised by the parks admission people that it maybe wasn’t the best time to go in

so we didn’t and i fell into despair thinking my whole costa rica trip i wouldn’t see a SLOTH! (note feb 10th was a sunday and monday all parks are closed so that was shitty because the following day was also our last day in manuel antonio)

then we decided instead to just go to the beach and play in the water; which was super fun

and while we were just lying on the beach watching, yasir found some courage to actually do the parasailing that was happening along the beach

so we did parasailing! i had originally booked my parasailing alone for the following day, but then i figured i better not lose the opportunity while yasir still has some courage in him to do it now, and so we did it together

the experience was amazing - i loved it so much!

after parasailing, we came back to the beach and played in the water some more, watched the sunset and then decided to eat at one of the restaurants along the beach (delicious food)

then we came back to the hotel and fell asleep

feb 11th, 2019

in a last ditch effort to see the sloth, i booked a group guided tour at a private property in manuel antonio

we hiked up to punta quepos and saw the ocean all around and the rainforest and oh man it was soooo beautiful and so hot

and WE FINALLY SAW A SLOTH - actually we saw THREE!

that hike was about 3 hours long, then we came back to the hotel i showered and checked out and once again we were on our way back to liberia

on the way we stopped at pops for ice cream though :p 

once we were back in liberia we got dinner at this burger place and then strolled around the city and then checked in to our last hostale (dodero)

we checked in and then we went back out to get some ice cream (just now realizing two desserts in one day, wow) from mcdonald’s and then return our rental car at alamo

we got a ride back from the alamo representative and fell asleep

feb 12th, 2019

woke up the next morning bright and early and finished up our packing

took the bus to the airport (made a scene because gave the incorrect amount of colones lol embarassing moment of the day, complete)

and then at the airport grabbed (a $59) breakfast

then got on our flight for atlanta where we would proceed to have a 9 hour layover (+ flight got delayed because some storm was happening in canada)

in any case though, we left the airport in atlanta to explore and went to the coke museum

which was a pity because when we got there i saw the CNN building and upon googling found that they do tours too! except by the time we got out of the coke museum, the tours had ended - maybe next time atlanta! 

then we grabbed some food at the popeyes/burger king and were on our way back to the airport where we rode the terminal train once end-to-end and then dicked around the airport

our flight was delayed an hour and then we boarded and sat in the dormant place for almost an additional hour

reached toronto around 2:30 am feb 13th and baba was there to pick us up and bring us home - where we immediately fell asleep (but i guess not immediately because we first had some biryani that mama had made)

and that was our trip! i loved it and hated it and loved it. i loved it twice as much as hated it (mostly because yasir was on the trip with his phone, not with me) so i guess it was well worth it :p 

i would 100% recommend costa rica to anyone as a great tourist destination! and i hope everyone goes to see what a great, educated, peaceful country looks like. and how the people are so chill and kind! 

and that’s all! finally finished this post :p 

much love,

-k

[caminoiri]

Camino 8-9-10-11 - Torres Del Río- Logrono-Najera-Santo Domingo- Belorado

Camino day 8 - T Del Río to Logroño July 12 A very unforgettable day. We got to stay at an air conditioned hotel - except Myles:(. Strange feeling to be in the town where Gabi spent two years and she is not here! We took a picture in front of her apartment, ate pinxtos and had Rioja wines non-stop, went to medieval "La Guardia" walled city, found our new Camino friend Juliette and gave her back the walking stick Brooks carried for two days and said farewell to our dear friends Brooks and Becky. They left with the Camino spirit engraved in their hearts and souls. They will be back. Camino Day 9 - July 13- Logrono to Najera. We left early, 5.45 am and stopped for a powerful breakfast in one of the small towns. With Logrono out of sight, we tried to get to our new destination before the sun got unbearable. We found our new basque friends Jazmina and Marino. Had fine walking with them. More farmland and a fairly large walk to the albergue Puertas de Najera- 8 Euros, very clean. Beautiful town with riverside cafes. There is a 12th century monastery which we visited and we watched a medieval dance practice. Camino day 10. July 14- Najera to Santo Domingo de la Calzada. Left at 5.30 and had breakfast in Azofra and continued to Santo Domingo. This section, we walked with Michelle and Kathleen last year. We went pass Ciruena, close to where The Eguia family has their summer home. Send a text to them telling them we were on our way to Santo Domingo and left to meet with Nacho's parents. Meeting Antonio and Teresa is always fun and this time was no different. We checked into a monastery albergue and went sight seeing. We then sat at an out door cafe to have tintos and eat and all of a sudden the Eguia's arrived. They got our text, jumped on their car and went on a hunt in town from albergue to albergue until they found us. What an amazing unforgettable surprise. We laughed and laughed until we had to go to bed before 10 pm!! We also said good- bye to sweet Juliette. We will see her again in the future! Camino Day 11 - July 15. Sto Domingo to Belorado. Antonio and Teresa walked with us and really enjoyed it! No pains! Anahi joined us as well and it is was soo nice to spend time with her as well! We talked and talked! Jazmina and Marijo joined us along the way. It was so nice to spend hours talking with the Laquidain's before we arrived to Cuatro Cantones, a fabulous albergue en Belorado that Nacho Solloa found for us. We said good bye to the Laquis; we will see them in a month in Sevilla, and hello to Nacho and Conchita. He had a fabulous lunch, walked around, talked and talked. Myles spent sometime in the pool with his new friends. We said goodbye to Belen and Anahi and Nacho and Conchita. Gotta go to bed!! Camino Day 11 Belorado to San Juan de Ortega Late start today but beautiful walk through the forest. Uphill most of the way but very serene. We went through several villages and settled to stay in San Juan de Ortega, population 20. The albergue has room for 70, hence at its peak it more than triples de size of the town! Arrived at 1 pm and took a good nap

[lyonelgarolg]

Preguntas random del primer día de clases

1. Nombre de 5 diarios latinoamericanos - El Universo, Ecuador. - Clarinx, - El Mercurio - O Globo - El comercio 2. Mencione 10 países de África - Angola - Argelia - Benin - Botsuana - Burundi - Cabo Verde - Burkina Faso - Chad - Camerún - Comoras 3. Escriba el nombre de 10 presidentes de USA y el partido político al que pertenecen ~ Republicanos ~ - Abraham Lincoln - Donald Trump - Herbert Hoover - Warren G. Harding - William McKinley ~ Demócratas ~ - Franklin Pierce - James Buchanan - Grover Cleveland - Woodrow Wilson - Barack Obama 4. Mencione 5 Dioses griegos - Afrodita - Zeus - Hades - Poseidón - Hestia (Contraparte humana no entiendo y no me sale) 5. Mencione 5 cómics no ligados a historias de súper-héroes - Mafalda - Garfield - Mafalda - V for Vendetta - Underworld 6. Mencione 5 diarios ecuatorianos - El Expreso - El Comercio - El Universo - La extra - El Telégrafo 7. Mencione el nombre de 5 documentalistas - Eniac Martinez - Ernesto Ramirez - Patricia Aridjis - Gerardo Montiel - Nacho Lopez 8. Nombre 5 programas de TV de opinión - Palabra Suelta - Pulso Político - Visión 360 - Mundo al revés -Madrid Habla 9. Mencione 5 tipos de violencia -Autoinflingida - Interpersonal - Física - Verbal - Colectiva 10. Nombre en orden cronológico los presidentes de Ecuador desde Rodrigo Borja - Sixto Durán - Abdalá Bucaram - Fabián Alarcón - Rosalía Arteaga - Fabian Alarcón - Jamil Mahuad - Carlos Antonio Vargas - Lucio Gutierrez - Carlos Solorzano - Carlos mendoza - Gustavo Noboa - Lucio Gutierrez - Alfredo Palacio - Rafael Correa - Lenin Moreno 11. Mencione países provenientes de: ×× África ×× - Angola - Argelia - Benin - Botsuana - Burundi - Cabo Verde - Burkina Faso - Chad - Camerún - Comoras ×× Centro-América ×× - El salvador: San salvador - Honduras: Tegucigalpa - Nicaragua: Managua - Costa Rica: San José - Panamá: ciudad de panamá ××Sur-América ×× - Argentina: Buenos Aires - Chile: Santiago - Ecuador: Quito - Brasil: Brasilia - Bolivia: Sucre ×× Europa ×× - España: Madrid - Polonia: Varsovia - Russia: Moscú - Turquía: Ankara - Alemania: Berlín ×× Asia ×× - Arabia saudita: Yidda - Armenia: Yereván - China: Hong Kong - Bhután: Timbu - Azerbaiyán: Bakú 12. Nombre de 5 filósofos y sus contribuciones -Mencio: Pensaba en el ser humano es bueno por naturaleza y debe desarrollar una conducta razonable y recta - Pitágoras: agenio de pesos en las matemáticas, elaboró la hermandad pitagórica y fue un gran aportador a disciplinas científicas. - Isaac Newton: postulación de gravitacionalidad y bases de la mecánica clásica - Galileo Galilei: Leyes del movimiento y análisis astronómicos - Platon: aportes en la educación y enseñansa de la gnoseología y epístemología. 13. Nombre 5 canciones de música protesta - Sí se puede, de Miguel Bosé - Laissez faire, de Ornamento y Delito - Polvorado, de Nacho Vegas - Subo escalas, bajo escalas, de Manolo García - Firme aquí, de Los Enemigos 14. Nombre 5 canciones de Lady Gaga - Poker Face - Bad Romance - Judas kiss - Born This Way - Alejandro 15. Menciona cinco figuras importantes para el movimiento indígena - Pacha Mama - Athaualpa - Pachakutik - Luis Macas -Rigoberta Menchú 16. Nombra cinco partidos políticos desaparecidos del Ecuador - Federación Nacional Velasquista - Movimiento Fuerza Ecuador - Movimiento Popular democrático - Partido Liberal Radical Ecuatoriano - Partido Roldosista Ecuatoriano 17. Mencioné 5 cabezas de Estado mujeres -Suiko (japonés: 推古) -Japón- Emperatriz -Seondeok (coreano: 선덕)- Silla -Reina - Isabel I (junto a Fernando V)- Corona de Castilla- Reina -Isabel I (inglés: Elizabeth I)- Inglaterra -Reina -Isabel Martínez de Perón-Argentina presidenta 18. Nombra cinco periodistas importantes - Julian Assange - Ralph McGill - Katharine Graham - Orianna Fallaci - Indro Montanelli 19. Nombra 5 ganadores de Pulitzer - Ernest Poole - Newton Booth - Margaret Wilson - Willa Carter - Edith Warthen 20. Menciona cinco personas que hayan ganado el Nobel de la paz - Barack Obama - Estados Unidos «Por sus extraordinarios esfuerzos para fortalecer la diplomacia internacional y la colaboración entre los pueblos».112 - Élie Ducommun- Suiza «Secretario honorario, Oficina Internacional por la Paz» -Jean Henri Dunant- Suiza «Por su rol en la creación del Comité Internacional de la Cruz Roja» -Juan Manuel Santos -Colombia «Por sus grandes esfuerzos para finalizar la guerra civil de más de 50 años en Colombia.» -Frédéric Passy Francia «Por ser uno de los principales fundadores de la Unión Interparlamentaria y también el primordial organizador del primer Congreso Universal por la Paz» 21. Menciona 5 personajes de lord of the rings - Angbor -Bill Helechal - Arwen - Dúnhere - Derufin 22. Da el nombre y país de líderes de la Segunda Guerra Mundial Alemania, Italia, Japón fueron los paises ejes y los aliados: Francia, UK, USA, Unión sovietica Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Hitoito, Albert Lebrun, Jorge VI, Franklin Roosevelt, Iosif Stalin