Broken News
(All the News That's Fit to Reprint)
Costa Rica Passes Whistleblower Law
In an effort to monitor and control corruption at all levels, the Assemblea Legislativa voted and passed for the second time (under the Costa Rican Constitution -it must pass two readings) Law No. 23,449 – “Protección de las personas denunciantes y testigos de actos de corrupción contra represalias laborales” (Law for the protection of persons who report or witness to acts of corruption, against labor retaliation). In other words, a protection of Whistleblowers law. The last steps to formalize the law are getting the President´s signature (will happen) and publication in La Gaceta where every new law is required to be shown.
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| Assemblea Legislativa in Session |
The new law is covered under Article 404 of the Labor Code (Código de Trabajo) which specifies that employment discrimination is prohibited for reasons of age, ethnicity, sex, religion, race, sexual orientation, marital status, political opinion, ancestry, social origin, health condition, disability, union membership and economic situation.
To this is now added acts of corruption or giving testimony about them.
Democracy in action. Buena Nota amigos.
Addendum on Corruption: The Americas Society/Council of the Americas publishes a corruption index called the Índice de Capacidad para Combatir la Corrupción (CCC) or Capacity to Combat Corruption Index and did so for 15 Latin American countries in July of 2023. Costa Rica came in second most favorable (6.76) after only Uruguay(6.99). Below Costa Rica the list came in as: Chile(6.67), Peru(5.53), Republica Dominicana(5.42), Panama(5.39), Argentina(5.07), Brazil(4.83), Colombia(4.78), Ecuador(4.68), Paraguay(4.61), Mexico(3.87), Guatemala(2.84), Bolivia(2.56) and Venezuela(1.46). Nicaragua was not listed in the top 15.
San José Hits Top 10 Expensive Cities List
British magazine "The Economist" recently performed their annual worldwide Cities Cost of Living Index and reported that San José, Costa Rica came in third in the list of cities that had the highest increase in cost-of-living ranking in the world.
Although not stated specifically, the implication was that San José is the third highest cost of living of all cities. What!!?? So then GG found their ranking table which is reproduced below:
So, the ranking their talking about is how many places in the ranking table that the city moved up versus last year which is the last column to the right. On the other hand, the actual Index, which I presume is much more reflective of the actual cost of living comparisons, for San José is 67 versus 100 for New York and San José lists as one of the lowest in the ten cities posted lited above.
Reading this brought to mind an old adage used by statisticians and other number crunchers: "Statistics Don´t Lie Amigos, Liars Statisticate."
Pelagic Rock Star Fishing Tournament In Quepos
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| Winners Whooping It Up! |
Pelagic is a major manufacturer of fishing clothing and gear headquartered in Costa Mesa, California. They also run fishing tournaments in various countries including one based in our own Marina Pez Vela here in Quepos which has come to be known as the annual Pelagic Rockstar Tournament. This year the Rockstar was held from January 11-14, again based out of Marina Pez Vela.
Serious fishermen and women come from far away places to compete in this event which this year offered over $1 million in various prizes. The upper photo right shows the list of boats that qualified for this year´s Rockstar. Note #41, The "FISH TANK", which turned out to be the the first place winner, with a heavy emphasis on the bill-fish class. The boat and group associated with the boat was out of Los Sueños near Jacó. The lower photo right shows the group with a copy of the check they received for $321,610 as winners.
Methinks that with that kind of winnings they just might be looking for an even larger "FISH TANK" for next year. Congratulations amigos!
Municipal Elections Set For 4 February
With a detailed agreement between Costa Rica´s TSE (Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones, the government organization that is responsible for structuring, supervising and controlling elections here) and the OAS (the Organization of American States who will witness the election) the municipal elections country-wide will now happen as planned on 4 February, 2024.
Costa Rica has national elections for President and the Assemblea every four years (the last national election was in 2022) and also elections for municipal offices every four years but offset two years from the nationals. The elections this year will elect 6,212 local authorities, including 84 mayors.
GG cast his first ballot in the national election of 2022 (my guy won - yeah!). Guess I better learn-up on who is running for what besides the mayor who I´ve already chosen in my mind.
¡Pura Vida!
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Economic Drumbeat
(Costa Rica Business Happenings)
Aguinaldo Dos?
In Costa Rica the Aguinaldo, also known as the "13th month" salary or Christmas Bonus is mandatory for payment by both private and public employers. Essentially the amount is simply 8.33% of the total amount paid to an employee from December 1 of the previous year to November 30 of the current year. It is due for payment before the end of December the current year. An added benefit of the Aguinaldo is that it is not taxable. The system is a result of long-ago negotiations between the government and the unions and has been replicated in a number of countries around the world.
But for some there´s even more. Public (government) employees also receive a second bonus (Aguinaldo Dos? - my term, it´s more widely known as the "Rosario Escolar" or School Bonus). It was instituted in negotiations with the union and by decree in 1994 during the administration of President José María Figueres Olsen and can be assumed that the intention was to provide parents with money to buy school supplies. Same calculation applies as the other Aguinaldo, i.e., 8.33% of last annual salary total (including the other Aguinaldo). "This one is also not taxable but can be attached for various deductions such as Caja, embargoes, alimony payments and deductions for affiliations, such as unions, cooperatives and associations, among others."
For more on the Aguinaldo idea go HERE.
Gasoline Prices Dropping
Our non-refining yet price-controlling refining company (RECOPE) announced in early January that the price of fuels would be decreasing early in February for regular and diesel gasolines while super gas would increase. The table below shows that regular is down 22 colones/liter (16 cents/gal) while Diesel will drop 25¢/l or 18 cents/gal. Super, on the other hand, goes up 28¢/l or 20 cents/gal.
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Oh well, it´s a better trend than going the other way.
CRC/$ Exchange Rate Continues to Favor Colones
The exchange rate for colones and dollars recently hit a new low: ¢512.54 would be forthcoming to sell one dollar while to buy a dollar with Colones would require ¢519.39 colones. This is down from nearly 700 colones per dollar experienced in mid-2022 and the lowest on record in the last 10 years.
Local economists note that the country is enjoying(!?) higher international reserves in its central bank, on the order of 14 billion dollars, an all time record. That is expected to keep the dollar cheap for the near future. It does, however, have a negative effect on much of Costa Rica´s businesses, chiefly, tourism, the export sector, and free zones, all of whom would lose competitiveness and promote less employment as a result as a reult of a weaker dollar and stronger colone.
Vamos a ver que passar amigos (we´ll see what happens).
¡Pura Vida!
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Latin America Updates
(Major Events In Neighboring Countries)
Colombia
U.S. State Department Advisory: Avoid Dating Apps. The U.S. State Department recently issued a travel advisory for Colombia warning Americans traveling to Colombia not to use online dating apps while in the country after multiple (eight) “suspicious deaths” have occurred. While the deaths have not yet been linked together, several of them point to possible drugging, robbery, and overdose, and several involve the use of online dating applications.
The State Department advisory noted that “Criminals use dating apps to lure victims to meet in public places such as hotels, restaurants, and bars, and then later assault and rob them. Numerous U.S. citizens in Colombia have been drugged, robbed, and even killed by their Colombian dates.”
The advisory offers suggestions and local embassy contact info here: U.S. Embassy Bogota, Colombia Tel. +57-1-275-2000 or 601-275-2000; and https://co.usembassy.gov/.
Fire State of Energency Declared. The Niño weather effect that promotes very dry weather in some parts while producing wet weather in others is being credited with a series of forest fires in Colombia that have destroyed over 6,600 hectares (+16,000 acres) in the country recently. The government has declared a state of emergency and requested international aid in the face of dozens of wildfires spreading throughout the country. More than half of the country’s municipalities are on red alert over the fire threat, with the areas around the capital hit hardest.
In the area where the capital, Bogota, is located, the fires have already consumed about 600 hectares (+1,600 acres) of forest and columns of white smoke billowed from the mountains surrounding Bogota on Wednesday, with people in the commercial district seen masking up against the thick haze and ash
Guyana
Press reports were abuzz last month that tensions were developing between Guyana and it´s huge neighbor to the west, Venezuela. The Maduro government in Venezuela had engineered a referendum they claimed the Venezuelan people passed by a huge majority and which supported the belief that the western part of Guyana really belongs to Venezuela.
The referendum supported an old (1899) claim that the eastern border with Guyana was actually much farther east of the current one, eliminating Guyana´s claim to the disputed Essequibo area (shown in orange on map below. Pundits noted that the renewed interest in this claim happened shortly after oil was found in the disputed region.
In recent happenings, Venezuela announced that they would be holding military exercises in the Eastern Caribbean near the north coasts of both countries. To add to the tension Great Britain (Venezuela was a former British colony) sent warship HMS Trent to the area causing the Venezuelan government to react negatively to what the they described as an "unacceptable threat" to their sovereignty.
To try and cool things down, representatives of both Venezuela and Guyana met recently "on the Caribbean island of St. Vincent and signed an agreement that said they would solve their dispute through nonviolent means." Let´s hope so amigos.
Nicaragua
Remittances Hit Record In 2023. Money sent home to the old country by Nicaraguan immigrants hit a new record in 2023. For the 11-month period ending in November remittances reached $4.2 billion, a 47% increase over the previous year according to the Central Bank of Nicaragua. According to the same bank´s tallies, almost 60% of the remittances came from the U.S. and almost 20% came from Costa Rica.
Nicaragua immigrant displacements in recent years have also been record numbers and remittances reflect the growing number of former Nicaraguan residents residing elsewhere.
Campaign Against Catholic Priests Continues. Nicaraguan police detained (detained is the Central American Spanish word commonly used for "arrested") four more priests on New Year´s Eve day reaching a total of 12 over three days. Reports were that priests Mikel Monterrey, Gerardo Rodriguez and Raul Zamora, along with Monsignor Miguel Mantica were taken from their respective homes. All four were from the capital´s Archdiocese of Managua.
Nicaraguan President Ortega has accused priests of organizing themselves and orchestrating a coup whilst the bishops said they only had asked the president for justice for those who died during the earlier (2018) protests, and also for early elections.
Panama
Canal Crossings Are Limited Further. The number of ships allowed to pass through the Panama Canal has once more been reduced due to the effects of El Niño, i.e., a drought period that began taking hold in 2023 in Central America. The Canal is dependent on supporting lakes that feed the canal when the ships pass through the locks. If the lakes get too low the amount that is withdrawn from them must be reduced and that is done by reducing the number of ships crossing. The same lakes that fill the canal also provide water for more than 50% of the country (of more than 4 million people).
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| Freighter Awaits Its Turn at Centennial Bridge |
The El Niño weather phenomena can produce drought in some areas while at the same time increasing rain in others. The number of ships allowed to cross has declined in several steps from the 38 per day considered normal to the latest 24 per day set on Wednesday, January 22, 2024, a decrease of 36%. The Canal is one of the most important shipping routes in the world and the canal administration has stated that the total number of crossings has dropped in the first quarter versus the previous year by 20%. They also forecast a loss in revenue of as much as $500-700 million in 2024.
To read more about El Niño go HERE.
¡Pura Vida!
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Feature: Gallo Pinto Health Benefits
(It´s Not Just Rice and Beans)
For several years now, usually once per week, GG sits down for breakfast at a small restaurant called La Macha (The Clam) in the central Quepos bus station complex. Here I always order the following: "Pinto con Huevos con Tamates con Maduros y Salsa Lizano" (Gallo Pinto with scrambled eggs with tomatoes with ripe plantains fried in butter and with Lizano Sauce). Pinto is,of course, the traditional rice and beans meal accompaniment.
It didn´t take too many weeks of this practice before the exchange with the owner/waitress became this: She: "¿El Mismo?"; Me: "Si!". They now know and remember the plate I like, that the pinto has to be garnished with Lizano Sauce and that it has to be accompanied by a mug of black (no sugar or milk, "Pura Costa Rica") coffee. The Lizano sauce is peculiarly Costa Rican and is one made from a number of fruits and contains a light vinegary taste, the combination with pinto being particularly right and very Costa Rican. The resulting plate is similar to the one pictured right with the avocado and papaya taking the place of the scrambled egg/tomato mixture I usually get.
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| Dan Buettner |
Recently I read an article that touted the health benefits of Gallo Pinto and was titled "Gallo Pinto - Benefits of the Healthiest Breakfast In the World".
This brazen headline might have been rather easily discounted were it not for the fact that the author of the article was none other than Dan Buettner, a world-renowned researcher, author and speaker on what makes centenarians, that is, those that live to be older than 100. Buettner has been working in this field for over 20 years and his efforts helped give rise to identifying "Blue Zones", i.e. geographical regions across the globe where the probability and incidence of increased life span has been statistically proven to be superior to national and world averages.
Buettner´s efforts have led to the designation of these regions as Blue Zones by the United nations and which currently number five worldwide. Here are the current five Blue Zones as identified by the United Nations and Buettner:
Ikaria, Greece. (9 miles off the coast of Turkey in the Aegean sea), these people are well known for adhering to a Mediterranean Diet;
Okinawa, Japan. predominant diet of sweet potatoes, soybeans, mugwort, turmeric, and goya (bitter melon), a high concentration of vitamins and minerals and, especially antioxidants which explains why they live so long. Some of the oldest women in the world live in Okinawa!
Ogliastra Region, Sardinia (Italy). Claimed to have the highest concentration of centenarian men in the world; on a traditional Mediterranean Diet that also produces lower rates of diabetes, cancer, and death for people under age 65.
Loma Linda, California (USA). An Amish population following a biblical diet of grains, fruits, nuts, and vegetables.
Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica. While the ingredients mentioned below are common in the Nicoya diet also, studies of these people also point to social factors like: strong faith communities, deep social networks, and regular, low-intensity physical activity. See more on this group HERE.
The commonality of ingredients among the blue zones is:
- Whole grains, such as corn, wheat and rice
- Green leafy vegetables
- Tubers like sweet potatoes
- Beans
Here are the effects produced by these natural diets, particularly Gallo Pinto, according to Buttner and medical observers:
- Decreases bad cholesterol, triglycerides
- Controls Glycemia levels (blood sugar)
- Satiating food (relieves hunger), helps weight control
- Antioxidants in beans improve the immune system and reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer
- Provides energy and vegetable protein at a low cost
Verbally they put it this way:
“Gallo pinto provides healthy plant-based protein, with about 12 grams of protein per cup. It has amino acids that combine to form complete proteins. Most people do not get enough complete protein in their diets. Black beans contain the same pigment-based anthocyanins (antioxidants) found in blueberries (arándanos in Spanish)."
“Pinto is considered a ‘super food’ because when you stir a cereal like rice with a legume (bean), several types of amino acids are mixed and a protein of high biological value is generated. A study says that eating beans twice a day can reduce the risk of heart attack by 63%. It is also high in fiber, helps reduce cholesterol, controls blood sugar levels, and promotes the growth of the intestinal microbiota."
Buettner claims to have visited one Ernesto Guevara (yes, that´s the infamous Che Guevara of Cuban revolutionary fame) in Costa Rica in 2015 when Guevara was 105 years old. He obtained Guevara´s favorite and simple recipe for Gallo Pinto. That recipe can be found HERE. GG went through a period of making his own Pinto from scratch for a couple of years but I found that the local stuff is so good and tasty and available at low cost that its too easy to just have it prepared with breakfast, lunch or dinner accompaniments at places like La Macha. I just defer to their prowess.
Here´s the basic recipe for Gallo Pinto:
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil (I use extra-virgin olive oil)
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans (or one 8-ounce can black beans, drained)
- 3 cups cooked long-grain white rice
- Salt and pepper (optional)
- 1/2 avocado, sliced, for topping (optional)
- Chilero hot sauce (optional garnish)
- Chopped cilantro (optional garnish)
Steps:
- In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until it starts to soften, about four minutes.
- Add garlic and cook for another five to seven minutes, or until vegetables are browned.
- Add Worcestershire sauce and beans; turn heat to low and stir. Cook for two to three minutes more.
- Add rice and stir to combine. Cook and stir until rice and beans are evenly distributed and heated through. Season with salt and pepper.
- Top with sliced avocado, hot sauce and chopped cilantro, if desired.
- And don´t forget the Salsa Lizano
Total cook time: 20 minutes.
Makes: 3 servings
There´s nothing addictive in Gallo Pinto but there is a mental process that occurs when you first savor, then again, that combination of pinto splashed with Salsa Lizano - after that first taste it´s: "I´m Home!".
¡Viva Gallo Pinto!
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Rumble and Weather Talk
(Shaky Happenings & Weather Observations About the Pacific Rim)
Rumbling - 4.92 Quake in Guanacaste
The Observatorio Vulcanológico y Sismológico (OVSICORI) or Costa Rican Observatory for volcanic and seismological incidents reported a 4.92R (Richter Scale) tremor originating at 7.44 pm in the northwest quadrant of Guanacaste Province about 26 km (15 miles) from Tamarindo.
The US Geological Survey reported the shaker as a 4.3R magnitude. Often the number from USGS is somewhat lower that from OVSIORI. Not being a volcanologist, GG is not sure why there should be a difference - maybe the USGS´s TMD - Tremor Measuring Device needs new batteries? According to reports the tremor was felt in a wide area of the Central Valley but no significant damage was reported from the quake and no reports were received that it was felt in the Quepos area.
Check Out Recent Earthquakes All Around the
World Posted by the U.S.G.S.
Recent Quakes |
Weather - There´s No Doubt It´s Summer
While our neighbors in North America suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous snowstorms, we have to report we Ticos are in the midst of summer. This means of course that it is hot and locals are apt to be wearing so-called farmer´s hats (left) or ladies might even revert to paraguas (umbrellas) duly flared for protection from the strong sun (right).
¡Pura Vida!
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Search the GGC Archives for Topics That Interest You
You can use our Archives to search for anything that has been written in more than 320 feature articles of the Golden Gringo Chronicles plus find Broken News items and ROMEO restaurant reviews. Enter your topic or item to search in the Google Search Routine below and follow the links offered from the search results.
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anything that the
editorial staff (that's GG) thinks is inappropriate for this format. Send proposals, comments, suggestions, ideas, meaningless statements and jocular observations concerning the Chronicles to GG here: gg@goldengringo.com.
International Living Magazine Ranks Costa Rica
(#1 Best Place To Retire for Ex-Pats)
by Lawrence Leslie
Lawrence Leslie is a new friend that I met at an International Living Magazine "Fast-Track Costa Rica" conference in San José a couple of years ago. IL´s Fast-Track events are run for a number of countries and give potential retirees and others interested in living here a weekend of extensive exposure on a broad range of experiences and helpful information. Lawrence liked it so much that he ended up moving here and now is a resident in Quepos about two blocks from where GG lives. Here is Lawrence´s report.
Costa Rica is number one for best place to retire – again!
We’re back on top, baby!!! According to the International Living Magazine’s January 2024 edition, Costa Rica is the number one spot to retire for 2024. We were also number one for 2021 and have been ranked in the top 5 for at least the last 10 years consecutively (I didn’t research past 2014 thinking 10 years was a good cutoff). Paradise, indeed. The runner ups, in order, are Portugal, Mexico, Panama, and Spain. (Disclaimer: The author does not work for and is not paid by International Living, although I have used them as a research resource for retiring outside the US.)
International Living uses a detailed and extensive list of criteria to make their selection of the top 15 places to retire. These include:
Housing: ease of owning and value, rent (2 BR, 900 sq.ft. furnished apartment in mid-range), and owner and renters’ rights.
Visas: how fast and easy, how accessible for tourist visa, ease of extending, permanent visa options, and retiree benefits.
Cost of Living: they give their contributors (expats that retired to the country in question and work for IL) a questionnaire tailored to retirees.
Affinity: again, from their contributors, a gut feeling about finding English speaking and expat friendly people/clubs/businesses/etc., and the range of restaurants.
Development and Governance: banking and government stability, internet, and transportation.
Climate: options, so expats are not limited to one type.
A recent Yahoo Finance article also ranked San José, Costa Rica, in their top 20 cities to retire to. Yahoo Finance only ranked one city per country for cost of living, rent, and climate. An interesting factoid: San José was one of the first three cities in the world to get electricity, and the first in Central and South America. Of course, it doesn’t stay on every day; Costa Rica has more power outages than anywhere in the US that this author is aware of. Even paradise isn’t perfect!
So, paradise may not be as far away as you think; it is closer to fly from Miami to San Jose, Costa Rica, than to fly from Miami to Chicago. And, as a recent expat, I can confirm that Costa Rica has a lot to offer.
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Thanks for your input Lawrence and the interesting factoid on electricity here.
¡Pura Vida!
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¿Que es Eso? Department (¿What is That?)
What the heck is that?
A bottle of beer?
Rubbing Liniment?
Answer in
What´s-in-a-Word
Section Below.
¡Pura Vida!
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Health Stuff
| Note: The information given in this section is offered as news information only and does not indicate GGC confirmation or denial of the accuracy of the treatment or a recommendation to pursue it, nor can we or do we guarantee the efficacy of the results nor validity of the conclusions proffered.
(How's that for a disclaimer amigos?) |
Health Authorities Still Vigilant Concerning COVID-19
The COVID-19 virus has not left us completely, in fact some 600 cases were diagnosed in Costa Rica in the early weeks of 2024. The COVID Variant involved now is called the JN.1 variant and, according to health authorities, is: "...within what was expected, in accordance with the epidemiological behavior of the virus." Also according to them, “These bivalent vaccines continue to generate immunological protection against COVID-19 and are therefore recommended as an effective preventive strategy.”
Accordingly the the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS), our Health Ministry began distributing 22,000 doses of Pfizer brand bivalent vaccines.
Go here to read more about the JN.1 variant.
¡Solo Bueno!
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Travel Quote of the Month
¡A Cachete!
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GGC Bookshelf
GGC Publications Group is the parent organization that publishes the Golden Gringo Chronicles as well as a number of books and paraphernalia related to the Chronicles and Costa Rica. The GGC Bookshelf also includes works from a number of other authors that belong to the Quepos-Manuel Antonio Writers Group in which GGC has been a founding member.
Here are the books currently on our bookshelf:
All of the above books are available on Amazon.com and the "Read More" links above will lead you to them. You can find more detail on all of them on our GGC Publications Page.
GGC Products Store
GGC Publications also offers some accessories and paraphernalia related to the Chronicles and with Costa Rican themes, to wit:
T-Shirts:
a. Golden Gringo Chronicles with Logo
b. Official Golden Gringo with Monkey on Banana Hammock
c. ¡Quepo en Quepos! ("I Fit In Quepos!") with Photo of Quepos
d. Wanna Monkey Around? - Come on Down! (shown) with Photo of White Faced Monkey, e. It's OK to be Slothful with photo of Three-Toed Sloth.
The t-shirts are available in several themes, colors, styles and sizes. See them all
HERE.
Coffee Mugs:
a. Golden Gringo, b. Wanna Monkey Around?, c. It's OK to be Slothful
See them all HERE:
What's life without a great cup of Costa Rican coffee? And it tastes even better in a Golden Gringo Chronicles mug!
To see ALL the products available in the Golden Gringo Store go here: GGC Store.
¡Solo Bueno!
What's-in-a-Word
"Tell me and I forget; teach me and I remember; involve me and I learn"
– Benjamin Franklin
Answer to Que Es Eso
Why it´s a bottle of Salsa Lizano, the sauce mentioned in the first article above. It combines with Gallo Pinto to produce a flavor
that is truly and uniquely Costa Rican.
To See the Ingredients: Costa Rican Salsa Lizano • Mommy's Memorandum (mommysmemorandum.com)
¡Pura Vida!
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ROMEO Corner
(Retired Old Men Eating Out)
Raphael´s Terrazas, Manuel Antonio
Location: Manuel Antonio Beach Road approx. 50 meters down the hill from the Entrance to Costa Verde Hotel.
Parking: Limited Parking in Front of Restaurant.
Hours: Monday-Sunday, from 12:00 (Closes 22.00 hrs)
Contacts: Tel.: 506-2261-8641; Email: raphaelsterraza@gmail.com; Website: Facebook
Reviewing ROMEOS: Annie C., Bob N., Carol C., Glen N., Karen M., Karl M., Kathy P., Lawrence L.
To Review Our Rating System Go Here: R.O.M.E.O. Rating System
Forward Note:The ROMEO Luncheon this month started off with a big BANG. About 8 of us made it to the designated restaurant, Raphael´s Terrazas, which is on the decline-side of the MA Beach road less than a mile from the main beach. After a while waiting for others to show up GG began to receive text messages from various ROMEOs that the main road from Quepos was blocked. Reports were that a car had literally exploded sending a flame high into the air; no further details were forthcoming. The temporary shutdown of the road resulted in 10 other ROMEOs turning back so our original group of eighteen was reduced to 8 for the event.
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| View From Raphael´s Terrazas |
Raphael´s Terrazos is located, prominently, on the edge of a hill on the Pacific side of Manuel Antonio Hill (or mountain, if you like). The view is of green all the way down to the Pacific shore with virtually all the local islands scattered about an area running from the tip of MA Park to the tip of the Quepos promontory, truly one of the best views around.
The composite score for ambiance came in at 4.1 out of a maximum of 5.0.
The menu is neither complicated nor extensive but offers a good selection of plates and salads with a definite emphasis on seafood and combinations thereof.
GG selected pasta with baby shrimp and chunks of salmon in a white sauce (turned out to be closer to an olive oil/butter sauce). The platter that came contained a very ample amount of spaghetti (enough to take half home for another lunch) with a goodly amount of shrimp/salmon. Very tasty.
Other ROMEOs chose tuna taco plates, shrimp salads, fish taco plates, arroz con pollo, tuna salad and a fish casado.
The composite score for food quality came in at 4.4/5.0, the highest group rating of the four possible (Ambiance, Food Quality, Service and Cost) at this meeting.
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.jpg) .03 |
| $$$.1 |
Value Index= 130 |
We were served by a gentleman named John (he insisted his name was not Juan) who was courteous, helpful and friendly. One ROMEO took a couple of points off his personal rating for service when he was advised that there were no more napkins or toilet paper (might they have been affected by the road blockage?)! The composite score for service came in at 3.6/5.0 making the overall rating for Ambiance, Food Quality and Service (4.1+4.4+3.6)/3=4.03).
GG´s bill for a gin michelada (limone juice, ice, ginger-ale and salt around the rim) came in at 10,750 colones including 13% sales tax and 10% required service charge, a total of about $20.75.
Raphael´s Terrazas remains a good restaurant with tasty seafood at a reasonable price and offering truly one of the best and classical views of the splendor which is Costa Rica´s Pacific Coast.
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Pura Vida!
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