I’m back! Sorry for the three week delay but things got hectic as I traveled around Costa Rica as I made the trek back to the U.S. I didn’t find the time to sit down and record a new podcast until now. The good news is that I came back from Costa Rica jam packed with great information and interviews that I already 12 podcasts in my queue! This podcast is longer than usual but I had a lot of stuff to go over and since I haven’t had a new podcast in three weeks I figured it was okay if I went over my self imposed time limit of 15-20 minutes.

Episode #13 features my Costa Rica trip recap, the Costa Rica news round up, and Costa Rica Spanish lesson #12.

• 00:00 – Intro to Episode 13
• 00:27 – Intro Music by Solo Marimbas (traditional Costa Rica folklore music)
• 01:44- Marimba Talk
  
• 01:53- My Costa Rica Trip Overview
• 34:41 – The Costa Rica news roundup.
• 37:25- Costa Rica Spanish lesson #12
• 38:06- Wrap up (wrap up music by BobbyBlue)

Click below for more details and pictures.

Hola everyone!

I’m back in the states and I have a lot of great information, interviews, and tips about Costa Rica coming up. For this episode I decided to provide information about my latest trip to Costa Rica. I also cover some topics left open during episode #12 regarding flying to Costa Rica via Spirit Airlines and renting a car in Costa Rica. Plus I share my travel itinerary and stories about my trip from San Jose down to Jaco on to Puntarenas to catch the ferry to the Nicoya Peninsula towards Playa Tambor and our stay in Barcelo Tambor, Tangeri Jaco, and Copacabana.

The Costa Rica news roundup features a few of the news stories coming out of Costa Rica this past week.

In the Costa Rican – Tico Spanish lesson I’ll show you how to order your bill at a restaurant or bar so you can fit right in.

For music I’m featuring a beautiful traditional Costa Rican folklore song played on marimbas. The marimba is a musical instrument in the percussion family. Keys or bars (made of wood) are struck with mallets to produce musical tones. The keys are arranged as those of a piano, with the accidentals raised vertically and overlapping the natural keys to aid the performer both visually and physically.

Marimbas are played in other Central American countries like Guatemala and they appear to have come from Zimbabwe in Africa but Costa Rica Marimbas music is very popular and this Costa Rican folk music has a long tradition in Costa Rica.

Thanks to BobbyBlue who let me me play his Himno Nacional chorus of “pura vida, pura vida” over and over.

Episode 12 features…

• 00:25 – Intro to episode 12
• 00:26 – Intro Music by BobbyBlue
  
• 00:57- My Costa Rica Trip 101
  
• 13:20 – The Costa Rica news roundup.
• 15:42- Costa Rica Spanish lesson #11
• 16:32- Wrap up

Hello everyone,

Episode 12 is about a week overdue, I’m sorry for the delay but things got hectic around here and I’ve been preparing for my trip back home to Costa Rica thus the delay in getting the latest podcast done.

During the My Costa Rica Trip 101 segment I discuss my reading materials and what I’m loading on to my iPod for my flight down so I thought I would list that in this post.

During the podcast I mentioned the Alamo coupon code online. Here is the link to the 20% discount from Alamo and Visa. I’ll let you know if it worked in Costa Rica. I’ll let you know how the flight goes using Spirit Air.

The book I bought for my trip:

The 4-Hour Workweek
By Timothy Ferriss

I’m also taking a few magazines I enjoy like Mens Health and Wired.

I’m also loading up my iPod with some great podcasts. My iPod is already full of music from Costa Rican Salsa to Heavy Metal, I have an ecclectic music taste.

Here are some of the podcasts that I’m taking with me to Costa Rica. If you enjoy podcasts check these out these podcast shows they are all ¡pura vida!

Coverville features cover songs, it’s interesting to hear a different artist covering a song and it’s gets pretty wild like a bluegrass artist covering AC/DC. This was one of the first podcast shows I started listening too.

Baseball History Podcast- cool podcast about beisbol check episode 0727, that’s me taking you on a tour of Hiram Bithorn Stadium in Puerto Rico!
TWIT (This Week In Tech) – cool podcast about tech stuff.

I listen to couple podcasts about podcasting so if you’re interested to learn more about podcasting from the tech side…

Podcast 411 - cool podcast features interviews with popular podcasters. I’ve found about some great podcasts listening to this podcast.

Podsqod - this one covers the latest gear and gadgets for podcasters.

Here are some other location oriented podcasts like Costa Rica Talk Radio that I listen to and enjoy:

Alaska Podshow - all about Alaska, Scott Slone does a great job. As I get more experienced I hope to produce quality podcasts (audio and video) like Scott does!

808 Talk - awesome podcast about Hawaii. Costa Rica is compared a lot to Hawaii for it’s natural settings, volcano’s, and beautiful beaches. I’ve never been there but it’s on my list of places to visit.

The ZA Show Podcast – great podcast about South Africa. I never thought I would be interested in visiting but after listening to these podcasts I want to go to South Africa!

Five Hundy by Midnight - Vegas baby! Tim Dressen and his wife, Michele have a great podcast about Las Vegas. Plus they’re Minnesotans so we have that connection.

The Amatuer Travler Podcast – one of the early podcasts I started to listen and gave me the idea to do a Costa Rica podcast.

Phedippidations - I enjoy running and this podcast is fun. Steve Runner does his podcasts while running! Steve has inspired me to do a running in Costa Rica podcast. I’ll be recording that when I’m there next week so you can expect to hear me panting and running through Costa Rica (dodging cars and buses) sometime in late June or July.

There are others for sure but these are just a few that I enjoy. That’s the nice thing about a plane ride, I get to catch up on my reading and podcasts!

In the Costa Rica news roundup I talk about the record high prices for fuel in Costa Rica by RECOPE. Just like in the states the price of gas has gone way up and it’s a lot higher than in the U.S. I also talk about the CAFTA referendum and whales (not the San Francisco stranded whales in the news the last couple weeks).

I wrap up episode 12 with the 11th Costa Rican Spanish lesson.

I’m off to Costa Rica on the 3rd of June so my next posting will be from home sweet home in Escazu, Costa Rica.

• 00:00 – Introduction and Preview of Costa Rica Talk Episode #10
• 00:25 – Featured song: Patriótica Costarricense composed by J.A. Mendoza and M.M. Gutiérrez
• 02:30 – About the song Patriótica Costarricense
• 02:55 -Costa Rica’s Northern Zone Explained
• 11:15 – Costa Rica News Roundup (The Arias Adminstration reacts to the recent rolling blackouts, Pura Vida is the word of the day by UrbanDictionary.com; latest U.S. Dollar – Colon exchange rate)
• 13:21 – Tico Spanish Lesson #9
• 14:02 – Wrap Up (feedback, contact info, ¡saludos!)
• 14:42 – Outro theme by BobbyBlue

This podcast features a wonderful rendition of the classic Costa Rican anthem, Patriótica Costarricense. You can hear another version preformed by Orquesta Sinfónica Juvenil y el Coro Sinfónico Nacional here but I like the version in my podcast better. The official version is more traditional symphony preformed by Costa Rican National Orchestra.

I wrap up my tour of Costa Rica’s regional zones in the Northern Zone.

The Costa Rica News Round up for the week of May 1, 2007: The Arias Adminstration reacts to the recent rolling blackouts, Pura Vida is the word of the day by UrbanDictionary.com; latest U.S. Dollar – Colon exchange rate.

UPDATE: AM Costa Rica reports that the Costa Rica blackouts end as two new power plants go online!

Costa Rica Spanish lesson #9: BUENAS

Wrap up and sign off.

I’m off to prepare episode #11, we’re now into the double digits for shows, ¡pura vida!

P.S. Help me promote Costa Rica Talk Radio, if you like the podcast please “digg” the show and/or vote for it at Podcast Alley, click on “Vote”. And of course at iTunes. Thanks!

• 00:00 – Introduction and Preview of Costa Rica Talk Episode #9
• 00:33 – Costa Rica’s Caribbean Zone 101 (background info, culture notes, travel tips, music, and more)
• 06:48 – Intro the featured song by Limon, Costa Rica Calypso Legend
• 07:27 – “Nowhere Like Limon” preformed live by Claypso Limonenses legend Herberth Clinton Henry AKA “Lenky”
• 09:26 – Lenky Bio
• 10:32 – Costa Rica News Roundup (CAFTA, New species found in Isla Del Coco, Caribou Coffee Costa Rica Sweepstakes, US Dollar/Colon exchange rate)
• 15:09 – Costa Rica Spanish Lesson #8
• 16:08 – Wrap Up (feedback, contact info, ¡saludos!)
• 17:05 – Take it away BobbyBlue – ¡Pura Vida!

Total length of episode #9: 17:35

Click on “Continue Reading” for more detailed program notes and pictures corresponding to the topics talked about during episode #9.

Learn all about Costa Rica’s Caribbean Coast Zone. It’s only 88 miles from San Jose but a world away as compared to the rest of the country. Featured song is “Nowhere Like Limon” by Herberth Clinton Henry AKA “Lenky” preformed live for the Calypso Limon recordings by master pianist Manuel Obregón and calypso expert Manuel Monestel. They preformed and recorded with five Limon Calypso legends including Lenky. The CD is hard to find and the original recordings, even harder! I hope you enjoy this gem of Limonense Calypso from Lenky.

Picture of Claypso Limonenses legend Herberth Clinton Henry AKA “Lenky”.

In the Costa Rica New Roundup, I talk about the historic referendum on CAFTA. I also discuss the new species of life form found in Isla Del Coco by Costa Rica scientists. Plus I share my experiences when I visited Caribou Coffee for a skim milk latte (cafe con leche) and I was given the chance to win a free trip to Costa Rica via Caribou Coffee’s sweepstakes. I excitedly scratched off for my instant win but alas it wasn’t meant to be so I’ll have to buy more coffee or pay for my own trip, that’s no fun! Check to see if there is a Caribou Coffee near you!

My loser ticket…

Costa Rica Spanish Lesson #8 – In keeping with the Limon theme: El que va para Limón, pierde el sillón. Listen to the podcast for a definition and pronunciation.

Show Length: 19:10

Main topic covered is the two seasons in Costa Rica. Costa Rica has summer (dry season) and winter (green/rainy season) but there is more to the two seasons than weather since availability and prices for popular hotels vary a lot between the two seasons. I will explain the season and discuss the best times to visit Costa Rica and when to stay clear of the beaches.

This podcast show’s news summary covers the Costa Rican government (MOPT) decision to bring a private company to oversee the construction and management of the new airport in Liberia. I also cover events and what to expect during Semana Santa in Costa Rica in April. Semana Santa is Easter Week and it’s a big deal in Costa Rica.

As always I’ll have the Costa Rica / Tico Spanish lesson so you can learn to talk like a Tico.

Music: Himno Nacional de Costa Rica by BobbyBlue.

• A review of the travel guide book, Costa Rica for Dummies.
• 10 Common myths about Costa Rica according to the dummies book.
• The latest news from Costa Rica
• Costa Rican Spanish lesson #3.
• Show tune “Chile Relleno by Ritchie Hernandez

Costa Rica podcast show #4 is finally here. It’s about 3 weeks late. I was having technical difficulties but all is well now and episode #4 is online and on the air.

In this episode I review the Costa Rica for Dummies book by Eliot Greenspan. I focus on his 10 common myths about Costa Rica.

The latest new roundup and the exchange rate as of 03-07-2007.

Music for the show is courtesy from the Podshow Podsafe Network.

Costa Rica chosen as the best destination in Latin America by the International Tourism Fair held in Spain.
Costa Rica Inflation Report
Obama for President makes it to the Front page of local Newspaper, La Nacion.
Uk-Costa Rica direct.

Brangelina Tour hits Costa Rica

Podcast Tico Spanish Lesson #2

Featured song: Banana by Carne Cruda.

In episode #3, I cover the latest news from Costa Rica. Two topics discussed:

Costa Rica Travel: At the International Tourism Fair (FITUR in Spanish), held in Spain, the U.S. Travel Weekly chose Costa Rica as the best destination in Latin America

Costa Rica Inflation: The Central Bank of Costa Rica set 8 percent as the inflation goal for 2007.

Brangelina visit Costa Rica
Brangelina Tour hits Costa Rica with Famous Hollywood actors visited Costa Rica to visit Colombian refuges and stay at the $5,000 per-night Four Season resort on the Pacific Coast.

Looks nice, don’t ya think!

Tico Spanish Lesson #2. Listen for your free lesson

Exchange rate:

Buy: ¢517.26
Sell: ¢521.17
Date: 10/Feb/2007
Source: B.C.C.R.

Show Notes

Length of show: 31 minutes

• News Roundup
• Costa Rican – Tico Spanish Lesson
• Topic A – Costa Rica on eBay