"Mamon Chino", A Healthy Sweet Costa Rican Treat!

The "Mamon Chino", also known as “Rambutan”, is a colorful and interesting exotic fruit found on medium-sized tropical trees producing one of the most popular convenience snacks found in Costa Rica. Thought to be native to Malaysia, this fruit is also commonly found in Indonesia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia. The Mamo Chino is closely related to several other edible tropical fruits including the Lychee, Longan, and Mamoncillo. The name rambutan came from the Malay word rambut, whose literal translation means hairy, logical when you see the distinctive “hair” that covers the skin of this small fruit.

Description:
A hearty tree growing to an average height of 30-60 feet, the flowers are small and emit a faintly sweet pleasant scent. Mature trees in fruition brim with oval shaped fruit bunches that grow in a loose hanging clusters of around 10-20 specimens. The rather thick and clean peeling skin is generally reddish, orange or yellow in color and is covered with a thick hairy texture, making this fruit easy to identify. The coveted flesh of the fruit is translucent, whitish or a very pale pink, with a sweet, slightly acidic flavor, similar to that of grapes, but with it’s own uniquely tropical flavor. Be careful not to ingest the large single seed found buried within the sweet fleshy part, as it can be mildly poisonous when raw, but can be eaten when cooked properly. (I have personally never tried that, so anyone who has, feel free to chime in on how that works!) The seed is also said to be high in certain fats and oils valuable for industrial uses, as well as the oils are used to manufacture soap products. Beyond that, the roots of the Rambutan tree, as well as the bark and leaves are touted to have various medicinal uses and have been used in the production of certain dyes and coloring compounds.

What to do with the fruit:
A mainstay at Farmer’s Markets countrywide, roadside fruit stands are another great place to find the freshest Mamon Chino. Traditionally eaten by easily peeling the fruit with your fingers (it practically peels itself into two pieces) or you can often see locals open them with a quick flick of their teeth, popping the fruit directly into their mouth. The sweet creamy pulp of the fruit is easily enjoyed by putting the whole fruit inside the mouth and sucking on the pulp, remembering not to swallow the large seed. Disposing of the seed takes a practiced spitting launch, or better educated friends discreetly discard it into their hand or the bag the fruits came in. Despite the light color of the fruit's flesh, remember to be careful, as the juice will stain a dark brown color, the reason indigenous Indians used to use Rambutan to dye cloth. Though most commonly eaten fresh in Costa Rica, you can find Mamon Chino jams and jellies, and it is now even canned in some locations. It would be important for me to mention……when using the common Costa Rican name (Mamon Chino), its important to know that the word “mamón” in some Spanish-speaking countries can be slang for a “person who sucks”, or more commonly it can refer to a “large breast”. Just giving a fair warning to my friends before you go to the Farmers Market yelling “I want Mamones”!

Production:
When CAFTA (Central American Free Trade Agreement) was in negotiations throughout the region, Costa Rica noted that this new agreement presented an excellent opportunity to expand the production of this little known fruit to International markets. Costa Rica, having little actual data on the production of this fruit within the country had the government entity known as “MAG” (Ministerio de Agricultura), launch a nationwide in-depth study to find out more about the cultivators of this crop, with the hope of bringing them the economic benefits that would result from expansion to an International marketplace. The results of this extensive study, primarily conducted in Costa Rica’s “Brunca and Atlantic Región”, was the first stage of a strategic crop development plan conducted by Ingienero Leonte Llach Cordero for the National Program of Tropical Fruits, a division of MAG. The initial results are listed below:

Results of Study (Dec 2003)
• Total Cultivators 354
• Estimated Hectares in Production-720
• Approximate Total Production per year-5.5 millon kilos
• Number of Adult Trees (over 4 yrs)-46,365
• Number of Trees under 4 yrs-49,839
• Amount of Cultivators with less than 20 Hectars-350
• Amount of Cultivators with more than 20 Hectars-4
• Most productive season-July to September
• Percentage of Local Market Production-+90%
• Estimated number of trees per Hectar-100 trees

The results of this study were extremely helpful in furthering the development of this tropical fruit to be competitive in an international market. As the Ministerio de Agricultura (MAG) began a program to distribute some 40,000 tree starts to farmers, their enthusiasm, pioneer attitude and excellent farming practices, helped to dramatically increase overall production by a whopping 20% in only 6 yrs. This impressive number converted Costa Rica to be the top producer of Mamon Chino in all of Central America. Costa Rica now exports an incredible 1800 tons of this delicious fruit yearly.

So my friends, the next time you see these hairy little fruits at your Costa Rica Hotel, the local Farmer’s Market, local “Pulperia” (market), or a roadside fruit stand…… Stop! Buy!! Eat!! Don’t be afraid of them!!! Not only are these tropical delights delicious and convenient to snack on, but they also have specific nutritional qualities, as well as ancient medicinal uses that might come in handy one day. Just please remember no yelling “I want Mamones!” while in Costa Rica when you go shopping, or you might end up with a black eye!!

Author: Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

Sources:
http://www.mag.go.cr/biblioteca_virtual_economia_desarr_sociolog/rambutan_censo.pdf
http://www.simas.org.ni/revistaenlace/articulo/1091
http://costaricahoy.info
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rambutan
http://nal.usda.gov

Sloths of Costa Rica...I wish I could be one in my next life!

What the heck is a sloth?

Sloths are slow-moving, medium sized mammals. While they are warm-blooded, their blood is typically colder than other mammals, making them less susceptible to biting insects. Like other mammals, they have live births and produce milk to nurse their young.  Sloths are highly adapted to life in the jungles of Central and South America and are very common in certain parts of Costa Rica. Their diets consist mainly of vegetation, which while plentiful, is not very nutritious. Since they do not get much energy from that diet, sloths have a very slow metabolism. It takes up to 30 days to digest a single meal. Their hands and feet are well adapted to allow them to hang upside-down from trees most of their lives. Sloths will only descend from their arboreal homes about once a week to urinate and defecate.  Can you imagine?

 

Washing Baby Sloths:

The fur of the sloth is another highly specialized adaptation for this animal. The long outer hairs are grooved to allow water to drain away from the body. The hair near the base of their spines crests to form a “drip tip,” which allows rain water to flow off the back. Algae grows in the grooves on a sloth’s fur, providing extra camouflage for the canopy-dweller. Sloth fur also exhibits specialized functions; the outer hairs grow in a direction opposite from that of other mammals. In most mammals hairs grow toward the extremities, but because sloths spend so much time with their legs above their bodies, their hairs grow away from the extremities in order to provide protection from the elements while the sloth hangs upside down.

The Sloths of Costa Rica, also known locally as "Ozos Perezosos" ("Lazy Bears") and not known for being quick and nimble, though they are rather athletic in their own way.  Sloths have short, flat heads; big eyes; a short snout; long legs; and tiny ears. The species found in Costa Rica have stubby tails (6–7 cm long) handy for digging the hole when they defecate, and sloths' bodies usually are anywhere from 50 and 60 cm long.  There is something absolutely fascinating about these big hardly noticeable fur balls that appear too sleepy to budge from their perches in the high tree branches that makes them a favorite of all that have the pleasure to spot one. 

Aviarios del Caribe-Sloth Sanctuary in Cahuita:

Judy Avey Arroyo, a 63-year-old Costa Rica resident (she's originally from Anchorage, Alaska) has spent many years studying these incredible creatures, and this was never even part of her life plan.  In 1992, three local girls near Avey's Caribbean Costa Rica Hotel spotted a three-month-old sloth in the road. The girls carried the orphan to the hotel in search of help, and thus began Avey's study of this misunderstood mammal and her the start of her very popular Aviarios del Caribe Sloth Sanctuary, which has become a cult favorite among sloth enthusiasts and visiting tourism in Costa Rica.

Many of the sloths brought by locals or even travelers from up and down the country’s Caribbean coast to the Aviarios Sanctuary, are just a few months old when they arrive, while others are injured adults. Sometimes they have been badly electrocuted after climbing electrical or telephone cables, or have been crippled by a bad fall, or hit by a car.  There are so few options for these beautiful creatures to rehabilitate in the country, with the only other available sanctuary located on the Central Pacific coast of Costa Rica (recently certified by MINAET, the governing entity in Costa Rica) being located outside of Quepos & Manuel Antonio and is managed by the very popular Kids Saving the Rainforest (kstr.org).  These two facilities are two of only a handful of folks that will even accept these injured animals for rehab and are legally allowed to do so.

Sloths belonging to the Choloepus Genus and the Bradypus Genus arrive to the sanctuaries year round (these are the only types found in Costa Rica). The Choloepus is commonly called a two-toed sloth, although Avey points out it’s more like two fingers, as the animal’s lower limbs each have three toes. The Bradypus has three “fingers” (or "toes") and a sort of smiley face and appears to be wearing a mask around its eyes, so those are not as hard to spot, though both species are difficult to notice when living in the wild.  For both types of sloths, the fingers and toes are curved, claw-like bone appendages with fingernail coatings, which help sloths cling to branches and stuff a variety of tree leaves into their mouths. Sloths can also use the claws for defense against predators, especially should they find themselves on the jungle floor, though the most common predators are the harpy eagles, which can swoop down and snatch these large creatures right off a sturdy tree limb. Although the sluggish herbivores are rarely ever the first to attack, they will eagerly use their long claws if needed for self defense. Their natural self defense is further aided by an algae that grows within their furry coat and helps hide their scent from possible predators, such as ocelots and jaguars.  Naturally, it's humans that have long been one of the sloths' biggest threats, with the continuing loss of habitat.

The three-toed sloth is active during the day, unlike the nocturnal two-toed sloth, and so the three-toed specie is more commonly spotted by passersby. This sloth only eats leaves from trees and lianas, but may feed on one hundred individual trees of up to thirty species, eating leaves of different varying ages. Sloths live, feed, mate, and reproduce near the upper levels of the forest canopy and rarely come down from the canopy except for defecation. They often move to a new tree only to keep balance in their diet, and this is generally only every 2-3 days. Home ranges for sloth individuals can overlap considerably and females tend to be more social than the males. Sloths may prefer different food sources within the same home range, as they tend to feed on what their mothers taught them to eat while growing up.

Though large for an arboreal mammal, the three-toed sloth must also be light for it to be able to live on easily breakable branches where it can sleep for some 12-18 hours per day.  So for that reason, the sloth has overall reduced muscle mass. These unique creatures also have an enormous gut capacity, nearly 30% of their total body weight! The sloth's diet of leaves is digested very slowly, so they need a have this large capacity. Due to their slow metabolism, the sloths have thick fur to insulate them for when their body temperature drops at night.  That is why often you will spot a sloth basking in the sunlight of the day, before curling up in a ball in the tree for the night to conserve their limited energy.

When not sleeping, sloths move only when necessary and even then very slowly.  They have about a quarter as much muscle tissue as other animals of similar weight. They can move at a marginally higher speed if they are in immediate danger from a predator (4 m or 13 feet per minute for the three-toed sloth), but they burn large amounts of energy doing so. Their specialized hands and feet have long, curved claws to allow them to hang upside-down from branches without effort.  In fact, their nails are so adept that hunters can shoot a sloth and it will often remain hanging in the tree!   While they sometimes sit on top of branches, they usually eat, sleep, and even give birth hanging from limbs.

About once a week, the sloth descends from its elevated living space, digs a small hole with its stubby and erect triangular stump of a tail, defecates and urinates in the hole, then covers it with leaves using its hind legs and returning as soon as possible to its safer elevated home. This process lasts less than 30 minutes, but is the most dangerous moments in the sloths life as it is during this time the sloth is most vulnerable to predators. While mortality of young sloths is high, individuals that survive are recorded to live as long as 9-11 years in captivity, and as many as 20-30 years in the wild.

Several kinds of moths have a symbiotic relationship with this species and live as adults on the sloths. These arthropods leave the sloth to deposit their eggs once a week on the sloth's dung, at which time the hatched larvae feed on the dung, pupate, and later emerge as adults, to fly in search of another sloth to make their home. A single sloth may carry 1000 or more species of moths, beetles, mites and other small insects you do not want to share your skin (or bed) with!  Because of the cyanobacteria and other parasites, sloth fur serves as a small ecosystem all its own.

 
Adult males are characterized by a patch of shorter hair on their backs that is colored pale to bright yellow, with a dorsoventral black stripe through the center. Adult females lack such a marking, so that is the easiest way to determine the sex. It is essentially impossible to distinguish the sexes of young and juvenile sloths because there is no external genitalia.

An adult female spends approximately half the year pregnant and the other half rearing her single (but on rare occasion twin) offspring. Young sloths can begin eating leaves when they are only two weeks old. As the mother carries the young with her, she shows it which trees and lianas are fit to eat within their home range and when the baby is around 6 months old, the mother suddenly leaves the young to her home-range and moves to establish her own new home range nearby. The young and mother maintain contact through vocalizations, and the young continues to use this portion of the mother's range for a while and then eventually gives up the bond and departs to live on its own.  Their home range can contain over 100 favorite types of meals for the sloth, but by far the most common would be the Cecropia (Guarumo in Spanish) tree, which also happens to be the easiest to spot these beautiful animals due to its large open limbs.

Thank Claire Trimer-Sloth Wrangler

The History of  a Costa Rican Sloth Sanctuary by Judy Arroyo:

Over twenty years ago a small sloth was brought to my door. I cupped the tiny animal in my hands and knew I had to do something. This baby sloth, who many of you know as Buttercup, was dying of starvation. Her mother was most likely dead and I was faced with a huge challenge. At the time, little was known about sloths, much less baby sloths. I was advised to let the baby go, that I would not be able to feed her, that I would only be prolonging the inevitable. I looked down at her little face and knew that I would do anything in my power to save this tiny sloth.

Buttercup had a few difficult months. Using books, common sense and intuition, I was able to concoct a diet that brought her into adulthood. Today, she holds the record of being the sloth to live the longest time in captivity. She reigns supreme over our veranda at the Sloth Sanctuary.
As the years passed, we became the “sloth people”. Orphaned and injured sloths were brought to us for rehabilitation. In 1997 we started an educational program to teach local people and tourists that baby sloths are bad pet choices. We raised awareness about poaching and habitat destruction. The Sloth Sanctuary became a gathering place and international hub for sloth research.

Today we are responsible for over 130 sloths. Many have been maimed by electric wires, or tortured by cruel humans. They require our constant attention. We love taking care of these adorable gentle animals, but we need your help.

Please consider supporting us as we care for these beautiful animals, and become a virtual member of our team. Help us raise awareness in our local community so the needless cruelty and the pain will stop. 

You can learn more about the Aviarios del Caribe Sloth Sanctuary or make a donation at http://www.slothsanctuary.com/.  The sloths thank you!!

Also,  for those aficionados of sloths that just can't get enough of these adorable creatures, I definitely recommend you join http://www.slothville.com for the latest and cutest to be found in the sloth world! 

And for those that live or will be visiting the Manuel Antonio area, please don't miss the chance to volunteer in our area at  the ever popular Kids Saving the Rainforest found at Hotel Mono Azul or check it out at http://www.volunteer4kstr.org!!  They can arrange individual or groups tours of the sanctuary with their resident veterinarian and helpful and enthusiastic volunteers!

Author:

Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years.  Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica.  Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

Sources:

Animal Planet

www.animal.discovery.com

www.slothsanctuary.com

www.theglobalpost.com

www.oregonlive.com

www.wikipedia.com

www.kidssavingtherainforest.org

Waiting for the Rainy Season to Start? Just listen for the "Yigüirro", Costa Rica's National Bird!

Costa Rica, a relatively small country, has some of the best bird watching opportunities in the entire world. The Official List of the Asociación Ornitológica de Costa Rica contains 857 species registered for an area of only 51,100 km2.....that's smaller than the state of West Virginia! This means Costa Rica boasts the greatest density of bird species of any continental American country, more than you can find in all of the United States and Canada combined!

This would bring visitors to believe that the Costa Rican

National Bird would be one of the more colorful and impressive species found in this small paradise......maybe a Resplendent Quetzal? A Keel Billed Toucan? Scarlet Macaws? Perhaps a Fiery Billed Ari Cari? But nooooo.......Costa Rica's National Bird is the Clay Colored Robin!!

If a plain old Robin sounds pretty boring for a National Bird, you would be right!! This rather dull colored and outwordly unimpressive bird is the last one you would think would represent a country with such an abundance of species to choose from as it's representative "ave".

In general appearance and habits, the Clay Colored Robin (scientific name: Turdus Grayi) resembles other thrushes such as the

American Robin. Averaging 9-10.5 inches in length, and weighing around approximately 6 ounces, the plumage is a dull brownish color, with a faintly streaked throat. The bill is greenish-yellow with a dark base, the legs are faint pink or flesh-colored, and the irises are reddish---all useful identification points, but just further proof that this is just a boring brown bird!

But wait!! Unbeknownest to most foreigners, the Clay Colored Robin has special abilities that make this species a very popular

bird throughout Costa Rica. In fact, in 1977, the Costa Ricans chose the "yigüirro" as a national symbol (over many much more colorful birds that inhabit this paradise) due to its strong and melodious song that always comes during the start of the rainy season. Due to it's tendency to comfortably live near houses and settlements, this species ability to "call in the rains" is not only handy for local farmers but everyday folk as well, so keep that umbrella handy!

In Costa Rica, the clay-colored robin is most commonly found in the Central Valley in human-altered areas like gardens and coffee plantations, but this species can be easily found countrywide. The bird has increased its range up over 6,500 feet in areas where forest has been cleared, so from sea level to higher elevations, the Clay Colored Robin gets around!

The typical robin's nest consists of a cup made of strips of vegetation bound with mud. A clutch is two or three eggs, with

incubation around 13 days. The young leave the nest after 13 more days, weighing a mere two ounces or so, looking much like their parents with some additional spots on the wings and breasts. Two or three broods are possible over the course of a productive nesting season.

Although not as bold as the robins of North America and Eurasia, the Clay-colored Robin in Costa Rica is still a friendly garden bird. They forage on the ground for worms and other invertebrates but tend to eat more fruit than other common robins. Clay-colored Robins will gorge themselves on backyard fruiting trees such as Oranges and Guayabas and also visit fruit feeders, so they are not hard to attract at all. These birds nest at the end of the dry season so their young can benefit from the abundance of food available at the start of the wet season.

The "Yigüirro" song is also considered good luck and a blessing. Yiguirros are probably one of the bird species that practice more the ECC or "Extra couple coitus", which means that both males and females look for mating with other birds out of their couple. The yiguirros can be quite territorial, which is one of the reasons they can be heard singing a lot, as they have to mark their territory or their couple will easily forget about them. Besides that, yiguirros have many beautiful songs used for different purposes, such as when threatened, when looking for a mate, before they go to sleep, at sunrise and even the peculiar rain call that they are famous for. Some of these songs are very complex phrases, full of color, which made yiguirros very popular caged song birds. For an extensive variety of these bird songs click here!

So if you’re coming to Costa Rica for some birdwatching activities, you’ll definitely want to keep an eye out for the ubiquitous

Clay Colored Robin, and for even more convenience you will know when to be carrying your umbrella. You might also want to have a copy of the new field identification guide published with Zona Tropical and Cornell University Press. It’s small enough to fit in your back pocket, yet deals with essentially all the species that one might see from the mainland. The illustrations alone will often suffice for identifying the bird you have just seen, but, on the facing page of each plate, range maps and texts are provided that should help to clinch the ID of whatever bird you are seeking. Of course, the book is available at Amazon, but you might want to consider ordering through ABA Sales, so that some of the proceeds will go towards supporting birding activities and conservation efforts.

So in summary, birding in Costa Rica is an extraordinary experience, offering bird enthusiasts unique opportunities within relatively short distances, involving very diverse habitats in the six ornitologic regions of the country, from sea level to high mountains.

Exciting guided tours and itineraries take you to wonderful locations where you are able to enjoy the best of birding and nature found in the middle of nowhere, or around literally every Costa Rican hotel throughout the country. And don't forget to listen for the melodious song of the famous Yiguerro, or you could get stuck in a rain shower without your umbrella!!

Author:
Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

“Gallo Pinto”, who cares who invented it, just pass the Lizano Salsa Please!

“Gallo Pinto” is easily identified as one of the most traditional dishes of both Costa Rica and Nicaragua, but is found throughout the Latin American countries. This economic dish consisting of a mix of rice and beans with a variety of other condiments that help make it unique to each country in which it is being prepared, has even become popular in most every Latin American Fast food restaurant. During the cooking process, the rice takes on the color of the beans, giving the dish a speckled appearance, hence the name, “Gallo Pinto”, or “Speckled Rooster” in English. This wildly popular dish has a long history and has been an important part of popular culture of numerous Latin American countries, although its actual origin remains a bit uncertain. In Costa Rica and Nicaragua, ask anyone and the debate begins as to who “invented” the ubiquitous Gallo Pinto!

Found in every Costa Rica Hotel restaurant, local “sodas”, or on just about and breakfast table in both Costa Rica and Nicaragua, this standard breakfast staple has a variety of other latin names and ingredients that help differenciate it around the World. Here are a few examples:
• Costa Rica: “Gallo Pinto”. Using spices such as sweet chile, garlic, culantro and onion.
• Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica: Commonly referred to as “Rice and Beans” it is prepared with the milk of coconut and often times spiced with Panamanican Hot Chilis.
• Nicaragua: Prepared similar to Costa Rica, but almost always with red beans.
• Colombia: “Calentado” (heated)
• Cuba: “Moros & Cristianos”, which refers to the “bean & rice” and often contains cumin, laurel and other spices.
• El Salvador: “Casamiento”, which basically means a marriage of the rice & beans.
• Guatemala: Also known as the Basic “Arroz & Frijoles, on the Caribbean coast they also add the coconut milk and call it “Izabal”.
• Honduras: “Casamiento” like El Salvador or along the Northern Coast just “Rice & Beans”.
• México: “Pispiote”.
• Panamá: “Gallopinto” (one Word) anda long the Caribbean coast “Rice & Beans” with Coconut milk.
• Puerto Rico & Dominican Republic: “Frijol gandul or frijol de palo”.
• Perú: “Calentado” or another variance known as “Tacu-tacu”.
• Puerto Rico: “Arroz con habichuelas” (another way to say Rice & Beans!). República Dominicana.

Suspected Origins
The origin of this plate has never been completely verified or proven, so although the Nicaraguans insist it was their creation, the true origin is thought to have come from Costa Rica during either the times when the Atlantic Banana Companies were a prominent force in this country or it may have originally been brought with the slaves from Africa to the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica during the construction of the railroad along that coast. Mentioned in literary works in history books, the origins of Gallo Pinto were thoroughly investigated by Patricia Vega of the National University of Costa Rica, and original writings of Gallo Pinto date back to the late to early 18th & 19th centuries.

Alternative History
Another traditional legend from the 1930’s, claims the name of this dish had it’s origin in San Sebastián, one of the older rural suburbs South of San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica. According to this well told legend, a rich landowner invited many people to celebrate San Sebastián day at his “Quinta”, where it was announced that they would kill the “painted rooster” (ie; Gallo Pinto), which they had been fattening up for months for this happy occasion. So many people showed up for the celebration, that the rooster was going to be insufficient to give each guest a piece of it’s fine meat. Scrambling for a solution, the cooks made an emergency mixture of rice and beans meant to mask that there was really not enough meat to go around.

Of course, people noticed that they did not get any of the coveted “fattened” rooster meat and felt deceived, and from that day forward took to ridiculing the host family asking “Have you tried the Gallo Pinto of Don Bernabé?, It is made of only Rice & Beans”. The name “Gallo Pinto” caught on and has stuck over the centuries and now is even common place at fast food joints!



Recipe Sample
There are many ways to prepare Gallo Pinto, much depends on what country you find yourself in, or perhaps what ingredients you might have available at the moment. The original recipe generally contains more rice than beans.

Ingredients for Beans
2 Cups of Black or Red Beans (small)
1 Tablespoon of oil
Salt to taste
1 Stalk of Celery
1 Onion
3 or 4 Sticks of Thyme
3 Cloves of Garlic
Sufficient water

Preparation of Beans
Soak the beans in water for 6-8 hours or overnight. The following day, change the water and begin to lightly boil them in a large pot or use a pressure cooker. Heat the oil and fry the chopped onion, garlic and celery, and add them to the beans. Make sure to have a sufficient amount of water covering the beans, usually at least double the height of the quantity of beans. Add the salt and thyme to taste toward the end of the 2 to 4 hours of low boil when the beans are becoming softer. (Salt can make the beans take longer to soften, so add near the end.). If prepared in a pressure cooker, allow around 45 minutes for the beans to completely cook. Drain the beans, keeping some of the cooking liquid for later.

Ingredients for Rice
2 Cups of uncooked Rice (better cold)
3 Tablespoons of Vegetable Oil
3 Cups Water
1 Large Onion Chopped
½ Cup Chopped Onion (keep separate)
1 Chopped Sweet Chili (split in two parts)
4 Cloves of Garlic
Salt to taste.

Preparation of the Rice
Fry the ½ cup chopped onion and garlic cloves in the oil. When the onion crystalizes, add half of the chopped chili. Add the rice and fry everything for around 2 minutes stirring well. Add water to about one finger digit above the level of the rice, bring to boil and then reduce to a low flame for approximately 20 minutos or until the rice is the texture you prefer. When done, turn off heat and leave covered for 10 minutes without removing the lid to allow the rice to finish cooking. Rice is BEST if cooled and left in the refrigerator overnight.

Mixing Step
Heat a small amount of oil in a large fry pan. Add the remaining chopped vegetables and fry for around 2 minutes until onion crystalizes. Add the cooked (drained) beans and other spices to taste and allow to cook until somewhat dry and most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the cooked (cold) rice and mix well, heating as you go. If you like your Gallo Pinto a little more moist, add some of the liquid from the beans and continue cooking to add moisture and a little more color. At the last minute add finely chopped cilantro to taste and cook slightly until sostened, then serve.

Most Costa Ricans serve this with a small dollop of sour cream (natilla) and of course, you must serve it with the famous Salsa Lizano or it just won’t be the same!!

The rivalry between Costa Rica and Nicaragua has not died down over the years. In 2003, when the Costa Ricans, under close watch by representatives of the Guinness Book of World Records and a handful of notaries and lawyers made approximately 965 pounds of rice, beans, sweet chile, garlic, salt and pepper in their attempt to make a new world record. Annoyed by the feat and that Costa Rica then claimed that gallo pinto was their national dish and creation, the Pharaoh’s Casino in Nicaragua announced that they will outdo the Costa Ricans. As stated by Pharaoh’s representative Javier Lopez, "We are going to prepare the biggest gallo pinto in the world because it is 100-percent Nica!" Two weeks later, 15 chefs from Managua’s hotels and restaurants prepared 1,200 pounds of rice and beans, which fed 9,000 people.
But year after year the neighboring countries battle raged on, each one making a larger batch of Gallo Pinto then the next. Although the Guinness Book of World Records officially states that Nicaragua holds the world record for making the
largest pot of gallo pinto, this remains in question. The World Record recorded on September 15, 2007 (proclaimed "Gallo Pinto Day" in Nicaragua) when a steaming vat fed 22,200 people in a widely publicized event again held at the Pharaoh’s Casino in Managua. To answer that achievement, Costa Rica blew away the competition in 2009 by feeding 50,000 people after cooking 3,300 pounds of rice and 2,640 pounds of beans. It was prepared by several dozen chefs at the Hotel Ramada Plaza Herradura, located west of San José. This was considered such a huge feat that the Pharaoh’s Casino in Nicaragua currently has no plans to try to best it, or to even continue its "Gallo Pinto Day."

Argue if you may…..it’s Costa Rican! No, it’s Nicaraguan! But honestly…..Gallo Pinto is simply one of the culinary gems of Latin America and should be enjoyed by all wherever the heck it came from! Don’t forget the Lizano Salsa!!

Here is an easy to follow video on how to make Gallo Pinto. Note that it is the “National Nicaraguan Dish”, though they show the many countries that consume this delicious Latin Breakfast staple! Buen provecho!!



Author:
Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

Costa Rica’s answer to Brown Sugar…..Tapa de Dulce!!

Most people would think that the famous Costa Rican coffee would be the obvious morning drink, but actually, the traditional breakfast drink is called Agua Dulce ("sweet water"). Made from the “typical” local ingredient “Tapa de Dulce”, these familiar (or not so familiar) molded small cakes of firm compacted brown sugar product are very similar to the North American "brown sugar" we buy in a bag.

Also known in many Costa Rican homes simply as “Bebida”, the sugary cane liquid is extracted, boiled, evaporated and eventually poured into conical molds, which are cooled, at which time the tops are cut off making them tapas ("lids"). The traditional drink of “Agua Dulce” is made by cutting or scraping off a bit of the tapa and gently dissolving it in boiling water or hot milk. Delicious!

Know by many names throughout the world, Tapa de Dulce can also be called “Panela”, “AtadoDulce”, “Raspadura”, “Rapadura”, “Chancaca”, “Papelon”, “Piloncillo”, “Panocha”, “Empanizao”, “Melaza y Cuyo” and many many other varying names depending on the region and/or country you are in at any given moment.

Consisting completely of Sugar Cane juice, to make the popular molded Tapa disks old traditions held to using oxen or sometimes donkeys or mules to run the small rural processing “plants” better known as “Trapiches”. Not being easy to extract the sugary juice from the cane stalks, the animals were much more efficient back in those days, but alas…today it is almost completely a mechanized process being much more efficient and sanitary then using the animals. Back in the early 1900’s, Costa Rica had more than 1600 Trapiches, but today they have almost completely dissappeared, and a national cry has gone out to not let this tradition completely disappear. Costa Rica Hotels and Tour Operators have projects in the works to incorporate the Trapiche Farms in to rural tourism centers, directly sharing the experience with visitors from around the world. Unfortunately, this idea is far from fruition at this point.

Not a totally empty calorie sugar product, Panela or Tapa de Dulce differenciates itself from ordinary white sugar with measurable amounts of glucose, fructose, proteins, as well as minerals such as calcium, iron, phosphorous, and trace vitamins such as absorbic acid. It’s said to have “medicinal” properties as well, but more on that below!

When preparing a cup of Agua Dulce, add a small chunk shaved off the molded Tapa de Dulce sugar block and mix with a small amount of hot water, working it until it’s the consistency of honey. Then either add hot water (“Agua Dulce”), or hot milk (“Bebida”) and enjoy! In the Atlantic region of Limón, the Agua Dulce is served cold and mixed with lemon juice and a hint of ginger. This is known as “Agua de Sapo” (Toad Water) or “Hiel” and is another refreshing way to enjoy sugar cane juice. But why stop there? Do you have a cold? Mix the Agua Dulce with lemon juice and an ounce of “Guaro” (Cane Liquor), which is said to be the best remedy in Costa Rica and sure to make your pains go away!

Colombia is the leader in the Panela industry, providing an important source of employment for that country with around 350,000 people working in approximately 20,000 Trapiches or Panela Farms.

In fact, the city of Palmira, Colombia broke the world record in 2009 for the largest and heaviest Panela, with a molded sugar cake that measured 10 feet and 20 inches and weighing some 715 kilos! This required more than 70 tons of sugar cane, and 90 people working for 28 hours consecutively to complete.

So are you ready to try this tasty little treat? To buy your own Tapa de Dulce, head to your nearest typical “soda”, Costa Rican supermarket or the Pulpería (corner store). If you aren’t lucky enough to be in Costa Rica, you can buy Tapa de Dulce online at:
http://costaricasuperstore.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1087
http://www.ticoshopping.com/Crude-Sugar-Tapa-de-dulce-21-2-oz

VIDEO FOR GRIPE (a cold):


AUTHOR:
Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.


SOURCES:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Costa_Rican_cuisine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panela
http://recetasdecostarica.blogspot.com/2009/05/agua-dulce.html

Calling all Cookie Monsters…Costa Rica’s most Famous Cookie Company!

If you’ve ever traveled in Costa Rica, you likely are familiar with Pozuelo products. Perhaps you didn’t even realize it, but if you’ve eaten cookies, crackers, small cakes or other dessert treats off store shelves, then you have surely been eating products of the famous Pozuelo Group! Easily one of the most respected brands in Costa Rica, Riviana Pozuelo has been an integral part of “snacking” in Costa Rica for an amazing 95 years!!

History of the Cookie:
One of the first widely known “foods” worldwide are commonly known as “cookies”. Starting as a kind of long lived flat bread, this food item was most often distributed to crews of ships, as well as groups of soldiers whether out on the high seas or fighting on the battlefield. These days, the term “cookie” can refer to a wide range of food products consisting of a wide variety of shapes and flavors, and most often produced in private homes, bakeries or in larger industrial factory operations. The technical definition of “cookies” (also sometimes referred to as “biscuits”) states according to the Dictionary of Nutrition and Food Technology that "cookies” are products containing very little moisture, consisting of flour and being rich in fat and sugar. (Yummy!) A further reference in the Spanish Dictionary lists the “cookie” as deriving from a 1636 French word "galette" (galleta in Spanish) in which they are considered to be an unleavened bread product.

In more primitive times, the use of raw forms of flour enabled ancient tribes and nomads to prepare a hardened dough that although not particularly palatable, was travel friendly and easily stored with no refrigeration or special preservation measures. Before that, the grains had simply been finely ground and eaten by mixing with water or milk, and forming a kind of porridge. Upon the discovery of fire, “man” used this doughy mixture to form the first unleavened bread, shaping it into small cakes or round cookies, spreading it on hot flat stones, then covering them during the cooking process, resulting in what we would consider equivalent to our most basic cookies or crackers of today. Frankly, the new ability to “cook” the biscuits drastically transformed this food’s overall quality, quantity, durability and most importantly, it’s taste, forever guaranteeing the cookie’s place in food history!

Who is Riviana Pozuelo anyway?
One of the leading companies in Costa Rica, their success is the result of the extensive efforts by a well trained staff of employees whose goal is to produce daily world-class biscuits or cookies. Their human resource strategy has created a company culture based on productivity and high standards of customer service and consumer satisfaction. DCR Pozuelo Cookie Company S.A. is a subsidiary of Grupo Nacional de Chocolates S.A., focusing on the production and marketing of cookies and crackers for domestic consumption in Costa Rica and increasingly more and more for export worldwide. Located in one of the most recognized industrial zones in Costa Rica called La Uruca, folks can “smell” the company as they drive through this area located on the outskirts of the capital city of San Jose. Pozuelo also has regional warehouses located throughout the country and for many years this company has been exporting a high percentage of their production throughout Central America, Panama, the Caribbean and the Latin American communities in the United States.

Commitment to Quality:
Since the inception of this prestigious company, Pozuelo has worked to provide their customers the best cookies, crackers and snack foods, always meeting the highest standards of national and international quality. Based on this commitment, Cookie Company DCR Pozuelo, S.A. obtained the ISO-9002 : 94 quality standard in August 1999, after several years of dedicated work and production changes by it’s employees. The certification was given by INTECO (Standards Institute of Costa Rica) and AENOR (Spanish Association for Standardization), two internationally recognized entities. Subsequently, the development of the new version of ISO standards, the DCR Pozuelo Cookie Company in 2002 obtained recertification with an even higher international quality standard of ISO-9001: 2000.

Business History:
With the idea to offer a product of unparalleled flavor and texture, in the year 1919, businessman Felipe Pozuelo, a Spanish national, founded a biscuit factory in the small town of San Jose, Costa Rica. Thus was born the "Cookie & Confectionery
Factory Felipe Pozuelo and Sons Ltd". Originally only a small building located on the well known street of Paseo Colon in front of the Hospital San Juan de Dios, in 1949, due to growth and the need to meet the high demand for their products, the owners were forced to expand their infrastructure and factory machinery. To that end, acquired in 1960, land situated at the perimeter of the capital city in La Uruca, became the new home to Pozuelo Cookie & Confectionery and their offices and production factory remain in this same location to this day. In 1964, the company was sold to Grace & Co. and six years later, in 1970, was acquired by the U.S. company Riviana Foods, Inc., out of Houston, Texas. Since that adquisition, all products made by the Company are now marked with the label "Riviana Pozuelo". With that well needed cash infusion, this food company has continued to expand it’s services, product line, while working with its subsidiary, Grupo Nacional de Chocolates S.A., they continue invest in food companies based in Colombia and have expanded to become a part of the conglomerate known as Grupo Empresarial Antioquia.

Company Activities:
Riviana Pozuelo is a company which over the years has been characterized by its great interest in broadening channels of communication and relationships with its customers. To do this, Pozuelo created a series of Educational Events, with team leaders in charge of giving visitors a tour of their factory, as well as having a team of Special Events Coordinators to develop different activities in the market further engaging customers and consumers, while enabling the company to reward their customers for their loyalty and preference for their products. Some of the activities are designed as a collaboration to increase sales overall. Examples of this include the “Ruta del Sabor” and “Cookie Week”. Other events like the Tour Chiky ® and "Growing Together Cremito ®, focuses on bringing fun and learning to their valued consumers.

Educational Events:
Riviana Pozuelo invites teachers to bring their students for educational tours of the cookie and cracker factory to learn the process of production of their many delicious sweet products. This educational tour is part of an overall strategy in their Sales and Marketing department, likely forever etching the brand in the minds of all Costa Rican children, guaranteeing future sales of their sugary products! This tour is conducted in the "World of Fantasy Cookie Pozuelo ®”, a specially designed room that welcomes visitors from throughout the country, creating a fun and informative learning environment for students and their teachers.

Cookie Week:
Cookie Week consists of fun filled promotional activities inviting consumers to try the different Pozuelo products be it in store front promotions, stands at special events, or the “Caravan Parade” where clowns and other company mascots put on a show, provide free products and have an extensive give away known as "muuuucha galleta." (Lot’s of cookie.) The company also arranges performances at school events, where children enjoy the show known as “Growing Together with Cremito Pozuelo”®. So watch for Riviana Pozuelo items at your local supermarkets, where you can often find special product promotions, contests, raffles for great prizes and even win free trips!!

Route of Flavor:
The “Ruta de Sabor” is a similar activity run during a single day, a weekend or sometimes for a week, at which the company offers extraordinary activities and attractive promotions for customers. The Taste Trail serves to increase sales and strengthen the business image for their customers.

Growing Together in School Program:
The Growing Together program began more than fifteen years ago. It is designed to have contact with the elementary students at their own school, using fun-filled activities, contests and prizes, including "muuuucha galleta." (Lots of cookie!) Its main objective is to promote values important to the development of children such as respect, humility, honesty, responsibility, ethics, morality and family bonds among others. It also seeks to develop a positive mindset in the social and educational development of all children. The event brings together children, parents and teachers in positive learning environment. The Pozuelo Cookie Company also sponsors events that provide institutions an attractive medium in which to raise funds for good causes, without making any investment or outlay of cash.

Tour Chiky ®:
A complete variety show designed by the Pozuelo team for the older kids of different schools throughout the country. It seeks to motivate the adolescent mental health and enhance athletic and artistic skills in a fun filled environment with many incentives and prizes. This activity offers young people a healthy form of recreation, where teenagers release their energy and encourages positive interactions between peers and teachers, all in an environment that combines the delicious taste of cookies Chiky ® with the best music, animation and entertainment. It is important to note that these events also give schools the opportunity to raise funds for purposes that benefit the school institution.

So is that a great company, or what? Not only does Pozuelo have delicious sugary products, but they hold themselves to a high standard of quality, provide excellent customer service, as well as engaging ways to interact with their consumer base. So the next time you are in your local pulperia, supermarket, Costa Rica hotel, many restaurants in Costa Rica, or visiting friends pantry, don’t forget to look for all the great Rivana Pozuelo cookie, cake, cracker and other YUMMY products…. your taste buds will thank you forever!!

Author:
Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

Horseback Riding Tours in Costa Rica? Try Rancho Savegre and Gallop the Beach of your Dreams!

There are so many great tours in the Manuel Antonio/Quepos area of Costa Rica, that I periodically like to share some of my favorites with my blogging friends. This month I have chosen to feature the horseback riding tours offered by Rancho Savegre Tours, located just North of Quepos in beautiful Esterillos, Costa Rica.

Background:
Rancho Savegre Horse Tours is owned and operated by Mr. Diego Solis, a Costa Rican businessman, skilled horseman and a bonified nature lover. Diego actually studied and worked in economics having received a University Degree in that area, but after years of trying to please his family with the 9-5 office lifestyle, Diego decided that he could be much happier pursuing his true love…….horses. Having grown up around horses on the family Costa Rican

farm, the benefit of living near a popular tourism area allowed Diego to start his own business, sharing his extensive horse skills and knowledge by offering ecologically sound horse tours along the beaches and jungles of the spectacular Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Though still actively teaching part-time classes in economics to students in Costa Rica, Diego spends most of his time tending to his own horse farm and it’s many equine (and other) inhabitants. Diego and his staff of talented equine tour guides take pride in carefully tending to every detail of your horseback riding adventure, ensuring an unforgettable vacation horse experience for visitors from around the world. Their stable of well cared for and beautiful professionally trained horses are perfectly schooled to accommodate all levels of horseback riding experience. Careful attention is given to not only the health and condition of the horses, but the riding equipment, extensive trail systems and typical Costa Rican meals offered during your customized horseback riding excursion.

The Man Behind the Horses:
Diego has actively promoted many horse, cowboy, parade and rodeo events throughout Costa Rica for many years, raising funds for numerous charitable causes, entertaining at local community events and eventually enjoying mentions in several prestigious magazines who came to recognize the high quality and uniqueness of his many horse endeavors. Having professionally trained horses for the National Iberoamerican Breed Horse Cup, Diego also promotes the Costa Rican Criollo horse breed (the most common Costa Rican Horse Breed) via his horseback riding tours, sales, breeding and general promotion of this hearty little breed of horse at the many events he attends.

Costa Rican Horses:
The Criollo is the native horse of Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay, and easily the most common breed found throughout Costa Rica. It may have the best endurance of any horse breed in the world next to the Arabian. In fact, due to the criollo's low basal metabolism, it may even be a better long-distance horse than the Arabian in prolonged

races, making it an excellent breed for endurance competitions that can last over a week in duration and allowing no supplemental feed or performance enhancing drugs during the competition. The breed is very well known for its hardiness and stamina, as well as it’s ability to live in extremely challenging conditions of harsh weather, low feed quality, lack of water and areas with common parasite and tick infestations that would negatively effect most other horse breeds. It’s resistence to harsh conditions makes it the perfect breed for the harsh tropical conditions found in Costa Rica.
The word Criollo originally referred to human and animals of pure-bred Spanish ancestry that were born in the Americas. Over time, the meaning of the word came to simply refer to all native breeds of the Americas. The Criollo in the equine world is typically a small, hardy horse with a brawny and strong body, broad chest and well-sprung ribs. They have sloping strong shoulders with muscular necks, short and strong legs with good bone structure and resistant joints, low-set hocks and sound hard feet that hold up to both marshy ground or the rocky hard ground commonly found throughout Costa Rica. The medium to large size long-muzzled head has a straight or slightly convex profile with wide-set intelligent eyes. The croup or withers are sloping, the haunches well-muscled, and the back is fairly short with strong loins. The Criollo is considered an intelligent, willing and sensible mount, averaging a meager 14.3 hands high, with a maximum height for the males of around 15 hands. Today, the horse is used mainly as a working-cow horse, but it is also considered an excellent choice for pleasure and trail horses, and they are also considered excellent for rodeo and endurance competitions.

Horseback Riding Tours:
Diego Solis welcomes you to enjoy all of Costa Rica's Nature Experiences on the Rancho Savegre Horse Tours and hopes you will choose to visit his own little piece of Paradise along the beaches and mountains of Monterey de Esterillos. Each tour is customized based on the requirements of the individual riders. Detailed riding instructions are carefully explained for each level of riders experience, and each tour offers a bilingual guide to help you enjoy your tour to the fullest. Your outing includes a delicious traditional Costa Rican meal prepared in a “typical” Costa Rica setting and prepared in the old style Costa Rican traditions. Tour sizes are purposely kept small with a maximum 10 people (usually less) assuring your safety and personal attention throughout the ride. Offering mountain rides, isolated beach tours, or a combination of both, Diego has recently added a special tour designed just for Honeymooners or those looking to have a special romantic equine adventure.

Mountain Ride:
This tour is perfect for both beginners as well as advanced riders that

want to enjoy great panoramic ocean views along safe forested trails, on healthy well trained horses. Wildlife such as toucans, deer and coati mundi are often sighted while crossing forest and cattle pastures, before arriving to the Chiris River where riders are invited to take a refreshing swim. Riding time : 2 hours, transportation, fruits and water included

Waterfall Hiking Tour:
This tour takes you to the amazing waterfalls located on the Parrita

river. Hikers enjoy a beautiful tropical forest and crossing cattle fields while learning about the flora, fauna and cattle industry in Costa Rica. It is an easy ½ mile walk. Tennis shoes or hiking boots are a must. Important: Bring a swim suit. The natural ponds are a great place to swim! Departure 11:00 am, minimum of 2 persons, transportation, fruits, water, and entrance fee to waterfalls included.

Beach Riding Adventure:
The beach tour starts with a short trail ride through the ranch on the

way to arriving at our isolated beach destination, the almost completely deserted black sand beach of Esterillos. Known for rare Scarlet Macaw sightings, this beautiful wide beach has been awarded the coveted Blue Flag, which honors Costa Rican beaches that have passed strict ecological standards. This area serves as the perfect backdrop to gallop freely along the warm waters of the Pacific shoreline. Riding time: Approx 2 hours. Lunch, transportation, fruit and water is included.

Surf & Turf:
This perfect mix of mountain and beach riding starts at Rancho

Monterey, approximately 20 minutes south of Jaco and 40 minutes North of Quepos. The ride begins crossing through cattle fields along forested back roads on wide safe trails revealing spectacular ocean and mountain views along the way and offering many opportunities to gallop for the more experienced riders. Sightings of local deer, monkeys and the colorful Scarlet Macaws are not unusual as well as other wildlife and birds. As we cross small rivers and creeks, guests come upon more impressive forested vistas and then the ride descends down the rolling hills eventually arriving at beautiful Esterillos Beach. This pristine black and white sand beach is almost always completely deserted, making galloping along the shoreline one of the highlights of this horseback riding adventure. Guests will enjoy the lush vegetation and small mangrove estuaries that line this isolated beach. The trails on this tour are easy to navigate for both beginner and advanced riders on our well trained horses. Riding time: 2 ½ -3 hours. Lunch, transportation, water and fruit are included.

Ride in Paradise "Not Just Another Tour":
For that special person or occasion, riders can arrange a private

Sunset Ride with wine and special snacks, followed by a bonfire at the beach. Below are some pictures of one such ride, the honeymooners comment was, "It is the most memorable part of our wedding and honeymoon". Discuss your plans with Diego and he will set up a custom event that you will remember for the rest of your life. Tour operates depending on season and weather conditions.

For all tours: Pictures and videos are available at the end of your ride, so your memories will last a lifetime!

Summary:
Rancho Savegre is truly one of the premier horseback riding tours available in Costa Rica, and is a very popular tour recommended by area Costa Rica Hotels. Offering quality horses, fabulous deserted beaches, lush rainforest and mountain locations all with the added benefit of being conducted by professional riders/guides in small private riding groups. As a champion horseback rider and trainer myself, I can personally highly recommend this tour to other riders no matter whether they are young or old, beginner or experienced, those who are looking to truly experience the wonders of Costa Rica while enjoying the unique companionship that horseback riding offers will love this tour. For those interested, feel free to contact Diego with any questions you may have or you can reserve by emailing ridingadventure@gmail.com or at info@costaricahorsevacation.com.
Rancho Savegre Costa Rica Horseback Tours
www.ranchosavegre.com
Costa Rica 8834-8687 or 2799-9500
USA 011-506-8834-8687 or 011-506-2779-9500
Email: ridingadventure@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/horsebackranchosavegre

Author:
Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.