The rise of the middle and upper classes in various Latin American nations, like Costa Rica, is translating into positive news for pets. Economic prosperity means that business is booming for the pet food and supplies industry. Upscale pet hotels and grooming spas for dogs may have once been dismissed as staples of the excesses of Western industrialized nations, but they are now cropping up in ...

A study of 100 beaches in Costa Rica from 1996 to 2011 by the National Water Laboratory indicates that 91 percent of all beaches enjoy great water quality in terms of the presence of fecal coliform organisms. The study, which was published in La Nacion, involved 6,847 water samples collected in different bodies of water along both of our coasts, and it was checked against historical data from the ...

In Sala Cuarta (Constitutional Hall) yesterday, the magistrates lifted the order preventing the signing by the Executive Branch of file 17371, the future “Ley General de Control del Tabaco y sus Efectos Nocivos en la Salud” (the Tobacco Control Law). President Laura Chinchilla expressed her satisfaction with the decision by Constitutional Hall, which paves the way for signature, publishing and imp...

The AHPPA animal shelter in Costa Rica (Facebook), referred to locally as the Refugio, invites animal lovers to attend the annual event, Mutts Party! The event will be held on Saturday March 24th 2012 at the Zamora Estate in Santa Ana, Costa Rica. The fund raiser event is specifically targeted to help offset costs for the A.H.P.P.A. mobile Spay & Neuter Program, an effective project implemented...

SANTA ANA – The most senior man in Costa Rica celebrated his 112th anniversary on this Earth with a birthday party at the TGIF restaurant in Escazu on Saturday, March 10. Jose Uriel Delegado Corrales is a resident of a senior living center located in Piedades, Santa Ana. Don Jose Uriel's birthday party also served to celebrate the noble work of the senior living center that is managed by pious...

In a recent article that appeared on the online edition of The Chronicle of Higher Education, Professor David P. Barash of the University of Washington points out a correlation between our Ley 8101 de Paternidad Responsable (Responsible Fatherhood Law - PDF) and current enrollment figures in our public grade schools. Compared to last year, enrollment in our schools decreased by almost 13,000 stude...

Buying meat in Costa Rica can be like a lottery – unless one has a trusted carnicero there is always doubt whether the meat will be tender and succulent or tough as shoe leather, hence the nickname “mystery meat” – especially when buying from a pulpería. But after yet another recent experience of eating an almost inedible but expensive steak, I decided to delve into the matter and was amazed, ...

A dear reader named Sharon recently left a question on the Facebook profile of The Costa Rica Star about the questionable practice of private health facilities charging money upfront for ambulance transportation or even medical procedures. She also wanted to know about the insurance policies accepted by private hospitals like CIMA, Clinica Biblica and Hospital La Catolica. Sharon thinks that the I...

UPDATED: Click here to read more about the Tayni Red Bean in Costa Rica. James Marshall, PhD is an alert reader who recently pointed out the following: "A story in several news publications today is about the new red bean (tayni) that will be grown here in Costa Rica. Conspicuously enough, nothing was mentioned about the origins of this new seed. Upon researching the creator of this new seed...

Author's Note: A lot of the information on this article comes from the Environmental section of the digital news daily El Pais and the National University. The alleged naming of Costa Rica by Christopher Columbus during one of his final voyages of discovery is often the subject of tongue-in-cheek jests by Ticos who know better. "He had no idea", goes the saying, particularly when making referen...

SAN JOSE - Among the many blessings Costa Rica is known for, excellence in gastronomy is not one of them. When it comes to the culinary arts, the vast majority of Tico offerings are limited to dishes that highlight freshness and simplicity, but not much else. For all the quality ingredients that our land produces, the rigors of French cuisine or the innovations of Peruvian chefs are mostly absent ...

During the summer months, algae blooms frequently wreak havoc on coastal communities all over the world. In Costa Rica, there are several factors that exacerbate the problem. Santa Teresa, Costa Rica. Feb 12th, 2012 - Over the past few days, the communities on the southern end of the Nicoya Peninsula, and the Gulf of Nicoya have suffered from a massive algae bloom that has wreaked havoc on loca...

The idea for this article came from the Costa Rica Living Yahoo Group, where Monsanto was discussed in detail by members of the public at large around the world. We felt compelled to bring this discussion external from the closed forum on the Yahoo group to dispel any misconceptions. The Costa Rica Star does not have an opinion in this matter, we are neutral and non biased, the content below is th...

Nature made Costa Rica’s beaches beautiful, and the local government is making sure that they also remain clean thanks to the Bandera Azul Ecologica (Blue Ecologic Flag) program. The PBAE was created in 1996 with the objective of preventing or stopping pollution and to safeguard the public health. The program (which is an adaptation of a similar one launched in Europe back in 1985) has been promot...

Every Saturday in Escazu central there is a large gathering of farmers and tradesmen from in and around San Jose valley who come to sell their products and services. This is a very good time to get some of the best produce and meats available in Costa Rica for a reasonable price. Starting at around 8am just north of the Catholic Church in the center of Escazu, you will find a sea of booths with va...

Less than a decade ago, choosing a bottle of wine in Costa Rica was neither exciting nor satisfying; the quality was disappointing, the choice minimal and it could even end with the throwing of the beverage down the drain. Some supermarkets offered an unexciting choice of Chilean and Argentinian wines that were just about drinkable while the European and US choice was more often than not an ex...

This article is sponsored by SurgeryCR.com Medical Tourism Facilitators. The Intercontinental Hotel in (Escazu) San Jose Costa Rica has been chosen as the site where the PROMED Council and the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT) will host this year’s annual International Medical Tourism Travel Summit Conference. The summit/conference will take place from April 23rd through the 25th in the l...

Costa Rica experienced her first heartbreak of the new year with the sad passing of Carmen Naranjo, one of the country's most important literary figures and a highly respected citizen whose work to advance the interest and welfare of the citizenry will never be forgotten. Ms. Naranjo passed away from complications related to cancer. A national vigil has been scheduled for Wednesday evening at the ...

According to La Nacion and the Costa Rican Red Cross, 2011 had 19 fewer overall reports of violent deaths than 2010. In total, 2011 had 967 records of violent deaths while 2010 had 986. December was one of the months with the highest amount of incidents, a whopping 90 (16 more than 2010, though overall the year ended with less). Two of these deaths took place on the 31st. However, between July ...

The underlying mechanism of a promising study into cancer treatment was dissected in a scientific paper by Tico biomedical researchers years before it made headlines. Ever since Canadian researchers at the University of Alberta announced their progress on the effects of dichloroacetate on human cells in 2007, there has been quite a bit of scientific controversy over the future of cancer resea...

A traditional Costa Rican meal that is prepared around Christmas and the New Year is leg of pork, heavily seasoned, and marinated for days. Each canton or city of Costa Rica has their own versions of this food recipe, but we are going to look at the recipe that comes from San Ramon Costa Rica and the Mora family. They believe that cooking anything first comes with love and tender care on all of th...

On a very thorough article by Vicki Berrong in the December 19th edition of the Wall Street Journal, she mentioned a few key points about retirement planning which prompted her to take the plunge and move to a place near Playa Naranjo on the beautiful Gulf of Nicoya. Ms. Berrong describes herself as a 60 year old American who at one point laid out a 10-year plan to pay off debt and pick a con...

You don’t have to go to South America to try some of the best food coming from that region as in Costa Rica you can find excellent options in international restaurants, and when it comes to enjoy either the Peruvian or the Argentinean cuisine, the options offered below are the stand outs in the central valley of San Jose. (more…)...

In a globalized world where hamburgers and fries rule the fast food markets, chicken wings are now becoming just as popular, and this is no different for Costa Rica, where this dish continues to gain the acceptance of locals and foreigners alike. If you happen to be in the country and want to try the best bbq or buffalo chicken wings in town, this article is for you. Don't forget your paper towel ...