A different kind of survival adventure or back packing adventure.

[tallgrass]

The horse you will use in CR.

Costa Rica’s horse quality is renowned. The Costa Rican Criolla is small and sure footed, a big contrast to the large American saddle horses. The Criolla is a cross between several Spanish breeds and the Peruvian stepping horses. Many reach only 12 to 14 hands with hearts and spirits that defy their size.

And they have the very special gait, the paso or Criolla gate, that makes seven hours in the saddle as comfortable as in a car. There a Belgian work horses ,paints,Apps 1/4 horses , Pasa Finos as well in CR. We watched a parade called a Tope with more than 5000 horses and over 20,000 beautiful women.

[tallgrass]

Newspapers for Americans in Costa Rica. The first one has real estate listings as well does the 3rd. On line prices about one third higher than in person.

http://www.amcostarica.com/

http://qcostarica.com/edition/

http://www.intertica.com/

[tallgrass]

A way to offset the cost of your Adventure.Get your Teeth tuned up! American trained Dentists!

I have read that Dental work that will cost you $38k-$40k in the USA can be done for about $12k. Some Clinics even arrange to pick you up at the airport. take you to the Clinic and have an Apartment for you stay in.I haven't been to one nor do i recommend anyone. Google for info and Dentist reviews.

So if you need a significant amount of dental work done, the answer could be treatment out of the country, where costs run about 30% to 50% of U.S. prices.

[tallgrass]

Your wife will like shopping here. They say used but 99% is totally new from factories in the USA and Europe. The used stuff is returned items only. A pair of Cargo shorts costing $17-40 in USA are $2.00!

I recommend this place.

http://news.co.cr/ropa-americana-use...osta-rica/321/

[tallgrass]

Snakes: I forgot to tell you about the Snakes.

On average, Costa Rica has an estimated 500 snake bites per year, and less than 1% of those are fatal.
As to the anatomical site of bites, an estimated 50% of cases occur in the feet and 30% occur in the upper extremities

TERCIOPELO!. Most snakes will chose to leave if they can, the terciopelo often chooses to hold it's ground and bite. That's why they are responsible for the vast majority of bites in Costa Rica. The people who work in the fields around say that that kind of behavior is normal with that species.

http://news.co.cr/learn-about-the-ve...ta-rica/27473/


https://www.google.com/search?q=terc...oQsAQIPQ&dpr=1


TERCIOPELO Photos
https://www.google.com/search?q=snak...YQsAQIMg&dpr=1

Bring or buy Hammocks after you get here.

[tallgrass]

Rechargeable batteries and a Solar charger will be your friends. I priced 2 AA Rayovac's for $4.50.

[Batch]

I think it is prudent to post fruits and vegetables that are readily available in the campo that a guy living off the land in a survival vacation can use for food and medicine.

Sour Sop or Guanabana, South Americas, have used the bark, leaves, root, seeds and fruit to tame heart disease, asthma, liver issues and arthritis. Guanabana is also helpful for treating sleep disorders, fevers and cough, lower cholesterol & strengthen intestinal flora.

Noni fruit:
This fruit is loaded in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.
Traditional cultures and homeopathic remedies have long used noni juice and powders to heal a number of issues…lower blood pressure, boost the immune system, relieve arthritis pain, balance blood sugar levels, assist the digestive system & reduce allergies. It helps prevent and combat certain diseases including urinary tract infections, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, diabetes, and liver problems. This beauty has been used as an alternative treatment for cancer; to slow or stop the spread of cancer cells.

Wild Costa Rican Cilantro
http://ranchodelicioso.com/wild-cila...tro-silvestre/

Culantro, as it’s called in Spanish grows wild here like a dandelion, but without the flower. Many people have it growing around their houses.

Giant Grenadilla

Giant Grenadilla is a native to Costa Rica, and is a member of the Passionfruit family. The pulp of the fruit can be made into various recipes when it’s ripe and sweeter, or used as a vegetable when it’s still green.

Wild Avocado:-.The wild avocado in Costa Rica is found only between 4,500 and
5,000 feet;The wild one Has a hard shell.

Papaya Seeds: DIY Black Pepper
The seeds taste super spicy raw but once dried and ground make a great black pepper substitute for salad dressings. How, you ask? In a strainer, rinse gelatinous coating and any papaya meat residue off seeds. Set out in sun, if possible, to dry. It may takes a couple days depending on heat and humidity.

More survival foods etc later.

We have two species that are close to the sour sop. The custard apple or sugar apple and the pond apple. The pond apple used to be a very prevalent tree in the everglades. Making up vast pond apple forests around the south western rim of Lake Okeechobee. This is still a very abundant tree. There is a 112 acre pond apple forest just outside of down town Fort Lauderdale called Pond Apple slough. Cooking improves the taste of pond apples. But, they are said to be the least desirable of all of the Annona species.

We also have wild papaya that is very common in some of the areas I frequent. The fruits do not get nearly as big as the cultivated ones. But, the whole plant is useful. The sap was powdered and was the original commercially sold meat tenderizer. You can wrap meats in the leaves to tenderize also.

Culantro is a weed that grows in my flower beds. I use it in place of cilantro. It is a bit stronger than cilantro. So, use less.

[Rick]

If you want REALLY GOOD rechargable batteries check out eneloop.

[edr730]

I've had a root canal and cap for $100 in Managua, Nicaragua. I don't recall the dentists name but he came recommended and was on Calle (street) Linda Vista in the barrio of Moraza. Managua is only 6 hours from San Jose, Costa Rica by Tica bus which is a nice bus. I've had a few caps done down there.
I've had a doctor come my place and fix me up. He gave me a shot and left some more filled shringes for me for a few days and for everything it was $30.
Costa Rica is more expensive than other places in Central America, but many larger cities are cleaner and more Americanized with more tourists and people living there from other countries. Which means more people who speak english.
Nicaragua is next door and is the land of volcanoes and lakes. They also have the Miskito coast the home of black indigenous blooded people with an equally mixed language. They were once part of the contras. Nicaragua is a country with far fewer drugs and gangs than the U.S. They're having a bit of a spitting match with Costa Rica nowdays.
Guatemala is the land of many indiginous: Mayan. It has great ruins and volcanoes and the very nice town of Antigua. Guatemala has it's share of gangs and drugs.
Honduras and El Salvadore has the most gangs and drugs. It's the land of where our recent immigrints came from.
I've been through those countries down there and I wasn't always where I wanted to be or where I thought I was or where I should have been. Over years, words and conversations started coming out of my mouth.
One of the places I've been to in Costa Rica was Volcanoe Arenal. Kinda cool, it glowed at night as you could see the rivers of lava coming down. Yes, it's a good retirement area down there if you have a mind to. On a vacation, there's an awful lot to see and it's very reasonable.

[tallgrass]

Most of us just don't know how good we have it! I just got back to Costa Rica from Managua Nicaragua.(i got back thhis mornng at 10;00 am)A 15 minute taxi ride took me through some of the worst slums i have ever seen in person.I saw a farm tractor and trailer picking up trash bags but after that i never saw a trash truck of any kind nor trash receptacles or dumpsters. I saw piles of trash out side small local grocery stores and markets and none of it in bags just individual pieces of trash. Men were cleaning the streets yesterday and by this morning that trash had been replaced with more trash! Horse carts with very skinny horses.I saw 3 wheel motorcycle taxis that looked pretty cool. At the airport were machine gun igloo looking buildings with no one in them. Our baggage was ran through a scanner but no one was watching the scanner screens.
I can still remember the smell of the common slum areas. It will take a while!
Hug your wife, your kids and family and be very thankful for what you have.
I am!

[tallgrass]

I would like to see more of Nicaragua but i think i won't go back to Managua.I did see plenty of lakes from the air. Only a few even looked like they had any docks or people living on them. I think i will maybe use the Tica BBus for my next border run. They just opened up a new crossing at Las Tabillas Nic people driving from San Jose say it can be done in a day.You actually leave CR at Los Chiles.

[edr730]

Whenever I was in Managua I had trash pickup. Regular trash truck with a bell that lets you know it's on the street. In better barrios the streets are cleaner. Probably the worst trash I've seen is at all the bus stops where people always drink their bags of water and throw them on the ground. Lots of them along with other plastic trash.
Nicaragua is the poorest country in Central America and hence the cheapest for about everything. Skinny horses and cattle are common throughout Central America. Poor people too.
The three wheeled motorcycle taxis first appeared about 15 years ago and they call them Tuk tuks in Guatemala where I first saw them. In Nicaragua they are called Taximotos. They are not allowed in Managua as far as I know. You may have been taking a short taxi tour in a poor pueblo outside of Managua.
I'm not too familiar with CR, but have been in Heridia and Northwest which was pretty nice. Los Chiles are near the old border called Penas Blancas. Las Tabillas is not familiar to me.

[edr730]

I checked my memory by internet and Los Chiles are quite a long ways from Penas Blancas. I did read about the new border as well. It's been a while. I'm lucky I can remember any names or locations at all.

[tallgrass]

I didn't see any on the main roads on Managua or at the airport. I saw them in the residential area. We madea left out of the airport and went about 3-4 miles and the made a left and then multiple rights and lefts.Supposedly up in the hills. I stayed at a old colonial home i found on Airbnb for $23 per night.
I live in Heredia.Mira Flores district. Eventually out of town some where, i plan..

They are not allowed in Managua as far as I know