on Wednesday, December 16, 2009 by Rayna Levin  Costa Rica has no shortage of coconuts. Coconut palms can be found growing in all of the coastal regions. One of the most nutrient rich and healthy oils you can eat is coconut oil, due to presence of lauric acid, capric acid and caprylic acid, which offer beneficial properties such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, antifungal, antibacterial,etc. Some health benefits: Coconut water (Pipa) is ... read more.

on Friday, December 11, 2009 by Rayna Levin  Looking for something fun to do in Costa Rica over Christmas? Don't miss the Gran Tope Nacional 2009 or San Jose horse parade held on Dec 26 in central San Jose. It's an all day long party full of food, dancing and music as more than 5000 horses dance and show off their talents as they march down the street. Bull fights are also popular this time of year and near New Years are some of... read more.

on Wednesday, October 28, 2009 by Rayna Levin  We just updated our previous post 'Road Conditions in the Central & South Pacific' - check it out if you are planning to travel in the south Pacific region of Costa Rica. The Parrita bridge is now OPEN between Jaco and Quepos The new road is open, but not yet paved between Matapalo and Dominical.  ... read more.

on Tuesday, October 20, 2009 by Rayna Levin  Here is the real deal on the road conditions in the central and south Pacific regions of Costa Rica.I just drove this stretch of highway last week.  From Jaco south to Puerto Jimenez on the coastal highway Jaco to Parrita: paved road in pretty good shape. The bridge in Parrita is almost finished, but as of October 2009 it is still one lane and causes backups. The bridge in Parrita is O... read more.

on Tuesday, October 13, 2009 by Rayna Levin  So the next morning, after her little party was over, Eugenio called me and said she was apparently healthy and needed to be released into the wild and I could either come get her or they could release her into the forest at the refuge. We all agreed it was best to release her as close as possible to where she originally came from so I drove back to the the refuge and picked her up, and of cou... read more.

on Tuesday, October 13, 2009 by Rayna Levin  It's a Sloth, NO... It's a kinkaju, NO... IT IS an Anteater!!!! I got a call the other day from a friend asking me if I knew how to care for or where to take a baby sloth that some friends of ours had found on the ground near their eco-lodge in the Sierpe Terraba Mangrove Forest (south Pacific, Osa Peninsula). Now I have a special affinity for sloths (I fell in love with these beautif... read more.

on Thursday, August 13, 2009 by Rayna Levin  Another of my all time favorite flowers is the Dutchman's Pipe (Aristolochia spp.) It's one of the coolest looking flowers you will ever see. There is native species in Virginia (Aristolochia duror) that I loved, so imagine how happy I was when I found out that here in Costa Rica we have one too, and it's gigantic! The Dutchman's Pipe of Costa Rica (Aristolochia grandiflora) is a... read more.

on Wednesday, August 12, 2009 by Rayna Levin  One of my favorite flowers is the passion flower (Passiflora spp.). They come in all colors and sizes, and grow as a woody vine.  There are more than 500 species of Passiflora worldwide, and 60 of those produce edible fruits. There are about 50 species in Costa Rica. The species differ in color, size and shape, but all have very unique, intricate flowers.   In Costa Rica, we kno... read more.

on Wednesday, August 12, 2009 by Rayna Levin  When I lived in Virginia, I was a landscape designer and was crazy about plants. All kinds. From native trees and wild flowers to exotic garden ornamentals, I just could not get enough.  But then, when I moved to Costa Rica, surprisingly enough, that passion faded. I guess I was preoccupied with learning a new language and adapting to a new culture.  Well, now that I'm feeling... read more.

on Thursday, August 06, 2009 by Rayna Levin  Costa Rica welcomes the 2009 Billabong World Surfing Games.  The official games started Aug 1 at 10am when surfers from around the world began competitig in the Men's and Women's Open.  Seven more days of surfing will follow. Throughout the week, a variety of entertainment events will take place, including things like: Folkloric Costa Rican dances presented by ICE, Ethnic mu... read more.