PLAYA HERMOSA, GUANACASTE – On Saturday, November 16, 2013, on a gorgeous Guanacaste beach day filled with nothing but clear blue sky and sunshine, the community of Playa Hermosa gathered together on its “beautiful beach” to celebrate its 11th year of garnering Costa Rica’s Ecological Blue Flag status (out of 12 years since the program began) and to proudly raise the Blue Flag over its lovely beach. Only beaches with a 90% score succeed in acquiring the distinction and receive the Ecological Blue Flag. Beaches awarded the Blue Flag are then monitored on monthly basis for sustained maintenance. This year, and for the first time, Playa Hermosa scored a perfect 100%!

The day started with the usual hustle and bustle of setting up tables, tents and an awesome pig roaster before the dedication by Silvia Laferierre and the students from the Escuela de Playa Hermosa Guanacaste took place. Silvia is President of the Asociación de Vecinos y Empresarios de Playa Hermosa and Blue Flag Committee Chairperson.  The dedication was led off with a blessing of the flag by Father Reynoldo Rodrigo Roman Diaz, parish priest at Playa Hermosa’s Catholic church, Parroquia San Antonio de Padua. After the blessing, the children sang the Hymn of the Annexation of Guanacaste which for us ‘Guanacastecos’ is our “second national anthem”.

And with that the flag was raised on a brand new flag pole placed proudly and strategically at the center of the beach so that residents and visitors alike can see and appreciate the Ecological Blue Flag while they enjoy the peace, beauty, safety, tranquility – and cleanliness – of Playa Hermosa.

After the flag raising, it was time for the kids to do a couple of Zumba numbers in front of the now sizable audience that had swelled on the beach. Aracely Alcocer, owner and instructor at Hermosa Zumba & Yoga Studio led the kids in a couple of dance numbers to the music of Shakira and Elvis Presley. The kids were well-rehearsed and nailed the performances that had everyone on their feet clapping.

While all of this was transpiring, local residents Dennis & Cintia Haines were stoking up the coals on Dennis’ new pig roaster, inside of which a 75 lb. juicy, suckling pig was slowly turning into pure Heaven. The mouthwatering pork would be sliced up to make juicy tacos de cerdo (pork tacos). Folks were lined up in advance to purchase a 500 colones banana leaf (or two or three) on which the sumptuous delicacy would be placed. Funds from taco sales would benefit the kids at the Escuela de Playa Hermosa Guanacaste  via the Official Escuela de Playa Hermosa Project.

The goal of the Official Escuela de Playa Hermosa Project is “…to help enrich the lives of our students by offering cultural exposure through various activities. Although English and computing skills will always be a priority, we will dedicate equal energy to nurture the children’s creative interests and their enthusiastic spirits, by introducing programs which will help develop their potential in music, art, dance, sports and respect for the planet.” And they were off to a great start in achieving their goal on Saturday.

But while some people were drooling in anticipation of filling up on their porcine culinary delicacy, Duber Nunez and Manuel Solera from Hermosa Zumba & Yoga Studio were setting up for a Zumba workshop that would cancel out anything gained during the taco feast. Zumba aficionados – male and female alike – lined up to donate 1000 colones to the kids at the school in order to have fun, get fit, work up a sweat and melt away those unwanted inches.

Talk about a day of community building!  There was a little bit of something for everyone, no matter what their age or nationality. It was a wonderful day for everyone, children and adults alike – though it was a little tough on the pig.

Mike Poynton is Owner/Principal of Paradise Social, a digital marketing, SEO and website design company in Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste. He is also active in his community and serves on the Board of Directors of the Asociación de Vecinos y Empresarios de Playa Hermosa. He periodically contributes articles to the Costa Rica Star.