No comments about Golden Door to Retirement & Living in Costa Rica: Costa Rica the Golden Door to Retirement and Living.

3 comments about Footprint Costa Rica Handbook.

1. (Planeta.com Journal) - This guide distinguishes itself with beautiful photos and a healthy respect for the needs of the ecotourist. Well-researched and well-written, the book is highly recommended. Independent travellers will find practical advice and tips for all budgets, organized tours will find good local information to get the best from their stay.



2. Without a doubt, "Footprint" is the best mass-market ecotourist guide available for Costa Rica. Another superior book that will also interest ecotourists, conservationists, amateur naturalists and history buffs, who wish to learn more about this irresistible country is, "Costa Rica: The Last Country The Gods Made."



3. In preparing for a four-week trip to Costa Rica I bought three travel guides: Moon Handbook, Lonely Planet and Footprint. Of these, I found Footprint to be the least useful and did not bring it along to Costa Rica. Unlike the other two guides, I found its descriptions of places to stay, eat, and visit to be too brief to get much of a sense of what the places were really like.

4 comments about The Life of Costa Rica.

1. Holding claim to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, I was disappointed that this book did not have more Costa Rican beach shots. I did enjoy the unique perspective of covering the culture from a human standpoint, but I would have enjoyed a little more diversity.



2. If you want a touristic brochure you may want to order something else. But if you want to see the "Life of Costa Rica" and enjoy the natural and human side of this unique country, you'll like it. Going through this book is like telling a great photographer to get the essence of her country and translate it for you in a way you'll enjoy and will want to see again and again. Saying that Costa Rica is just beaches and parrots is like saying that the U.S. is just hot dogs and football. If you want to see what Costa Rica means to a costarican, things you enjoyed or missed while being here, or the things you'll want to see the next time you come, this book is a great start.



3. Costa Rica is a beautiful and complex country with an outlook that is unique in the Americas. It is hopeful, proud, respectful of its natural beauty - and complex and contradictory. I've traveled to Costa Rica several times and I was completely impressed with how the pictures captured Tico life. I think a more powerful testimony, however, was provided by my friend, a Costa Rican living in America for over a decade: When I showed him the book, it brought him to tears with homesickness.

   Few books tell better stories or capture more with pictures.




4. I've been to Costa Rica for seven times in the last five years, and of all the beautiful images unique to Costa Rica, many which are portrayed in this lovely book, why select such an ugly photo for it's cover? The colors of the flag are red white and blue I understand, but I don't want it on my coffee table because of the cover....Ug! It turns me off.

5 comments about Living and Investing in the New Nicaragua.

1. Nicaraguans have long fought the exploitation of the U.S. government. Now they face the exploitation of U.S. citizens looking for a cheaper version of paradise. Nicaragua doesn't need more foreigners buying up its beaches, colonial homes and tourist facilities. You are not helping Nicaragua by using it as your own personal playground or investment.



2. 
   ". . . quality Latin women are difficult to meet."
   
   Unklike other reviewers on this page, I do not find this statement from Mr. Howard's book "applaudable," rather, it is offensive, racist, and totally indicative of the sleazy, sloppy undercurrent running through this book that caters to tax-evading ugly Americans looking for "companionship" with a girl a third their age. Fortunately, not all gringos moving down are like this; many good-hearted folks are coming down too, people that are sensitive to the grinding poverty of their new adopted country and are doing something to try to improve the situation instead of just buying it all up at rockbottom prices.



3. . There are parasites all over (at least) southern
   Nicaragua.These leeches (no, leeches suck blood only
   to survive; these exploiters do it to get filthy
   rich--with the emphasis on filthy).
   
   There's a book you may have seen--it's "Living and
   Investing in the New Nicaragua", by Christopher
   Howard, another gringo living in luxury in Costa Rica.
   Someone gave me a copy of the book, and, boy howdy,
   it's awful.
   
   Howard claims to be an expert on Nicaragua (and Costa Rica) but shows his disconnect with the country by making several obvious, stupid, factual errors in the first 3 pages--
   errors almost anyone should spot right away. And the mistakes continue throughout the book. He goes
   on to thank the U$ Embassy for its "useful
   information" (lots of anti-Sandinista/pro-neocolonialist historical revisionism , of course).
   
   He says that "learning a little Spanish" would be
   helpful, but is not necessary, as one can just hang
   out, getting drunk and obnoxious with other ex-pats and leave the work to the servants (for a dollar a day).
   
   Howard counts among his friends some the Yankee and
   Canadian crowd that have pretty much raped San Juan
   del Sur. They bought beautiful acreage for pennies and
   are selling "lots" for $70,000 and up; they've set
   up/taken over restaurants and bars that compete with
   long-time local businesses--and get the bulk of the
   gringos' cash. There are Centruy 21, ReMax and other U$ realestate company signs all over. As always, the locals
   are marginalized, and pushed aside, more every day.
   
   So far, he seems to have forayed only as far north as
   Granada, thank goodness.
   
   Yes it's scary, sad and disgusting, but it ain't gonna
   stop. It's following the time-honored tradition of
   capitalist empire: kill tens of thousands of people, wreck the economy, destroy much of the infrastructure, get the country on its knees, thentake it over for virtually nothing, all "legally".
   
   If one wants to know Nicaragua from a human and humane perspective, and wants to get the reality of this wonderful country--and give it the profound respect it deserves--then read the other book displayed on the same page as Howard's atrocity: the excellent Moon Publication Nicaragua guidebook, written by Joshua Berman and Randy Wood. THEY know what they're talking about.
   
   By the way, I have been traveling to and through Nicaragua for the past 20 years, coordinating a solidarity/sister-city project with a beautiful town in the northern part of the country. I have many wonderful friends--the real people of Nicaragua--who lead honest lives, and deserve a better future than the one the vampires have in mind for them.
   
   Howard doesn't have a clue. DON'T buy this book. DON'T support the rape and pillage of Nicaragua.
   
   ....
   
   Timoteo



4. Books like these are largely responsible for many of the negative stereotypes many Latin Americans have of U.S. Citizens. Nicaragua is the 2nd poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere. Anyone who can retire there in luxury amid such horrible poverty should do The U.S. a favor and stay home. Nicaragua and it's people deserve better. I may also add there are many Americans living in Nicaragua and are good citizens who are trying to help the country. You are not going to be helping this unfortunate country by moving there and becoming a land speculator. All this does is drive property prices up and beyond the means of Nicaraguan nationals.



5. never received it. it was sent to wrong address which was my old address. i tried to get you to change delivery address but said you could not. the people at that address said that it was never delivered. i paid for it and never received it. i had called your customer service the minute the order went through. i am not familiar with your system and pushed quick order which caused order to complete before i could figure out how to change my address .i found your customer service people difficult to deal with over phone. i hope i never have to use amazon again. please send me the book i paid for. i was told that the order had to go through to the old address which was not changed before hand because i did not know the order would go through. i was told it would be sent back to you and re-sent to me at my current address, which i changed. i expect you will contact me and straighten this out.
   239 four seasons dr. Drums, Pa. 18222.
   tel number 570-788-4472.
   Robert Schmitz

2 comments about Costa Rica '99: The Complete Guide With Beaches, Wildlife, Cloud Forests, Volcanoes and Trips to Panama (Fodor's Gold Guides).

1. Good if your looking for nice hotels although one big inaccuracy. Hotel La Mariposa in Manuel Antonio is not nearly as wonderful as they described it, much nicer hotels are available. Good background info on the country.



2. Hi, I am working at ILISA Spanish Language Institute in San Jose, Costa Rica and I just want to say that this book helps our students a lot by giving them helpful inside information and thus by getting to know all the ins and outs about this fantastic country. Thanks!

4 comments about Costa Rica in Focus: A Guide to the People, Politics and Culture.

1. Hi, I am working at ILISA Spanish Language Institute in San Jose, Costa Rica and I just want to say that this book helps our students a lot by giving them helpful inside information and thus by getting to know all the ins and outs about this fantastic country. Thanks!



2. I'm extremly angry at this entire process because I ordered this book for a very important reasearch paper I'm doing on Costa Rica and was relying on it for much needed information. The book, however, has not yet arrived at my house! In the ordering sheet is says usually mails within 2-3 days. I hope the book comes within the next few days so I can still use it, and then perhaps I will write a review of the actual book! Please send me the book!



3. When one purchases a book that says on the inside flap that "This edition first published in 2002," one might expect the information to be up to date. The truth is, the book was written in 1997, six years ago, and has not be updated at all. This is important because information about every subject covered (history and politics, economy, society, environment and eco-tourism, and culture) has changed in critical ways since that time.

   That is not to say, that the book is useless - just not accurate in 2003. What I found annoying is the immediacy of the writing and no indication that you are reading anything but current information. Unless you happen to know that Figueres is no longer president of Costa Rica, you would likely assume the facts and figures presented were correct as of 2002.

   There have been two Costa Rica presidents elected since the author took fingers to keyboard. Much has changed in Ticoland, but you would never know it from reading this book.




4. This is not a "book," per se, but a 75-page "guide" in which facts are presented as statistics in a sort of beaurocratic mode. It's like reading a report from a financial research institute or a forensic accountant!

   A MUCH better overview of the country's geology, politics, economy, immigration, agriculture, ecological convservation, and social history is the coffee-table book, "Costa Rica : The Last Country the Gods Made."

   PLUS it's a beautiful book. I mean, just look at the cheesy cover of "Costa Rica in Focus"! A much better buy for the money, and more interesting writing all-round!

No comments about Frommer's Budget Travel Guide: Costa Rica, Guatemala & Belize on $35 a Day (Frommer's $-a-Day Guides).

No comments about Costa Rica with Bubba and Bro & my thoughts....

1 comments about Walk These Stones: Encounters Along a Costa Rican Village Road.

1. "Walk These Stones" is a wonderful look at the people and culture of Costa Rica as seen through the eyes of service workers. The illustrations are beautifully painted and very expressive. The writing is almost lyrical, sometimes humorous, sometimes moving. A lovely book to learn about these villagers and their daily lives, and get you thinking about their values and your own.

4 comments about Golf Resorts: Where to Play in the Us, Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica & the Caribbean (Golf Resorts).

1. Northwest Airlines WorldTraveler Magazine: " Make sure you have a copy on hand. This tome is the only pre-trip guide you'll need to research not only golf courses, but nearby lodging, restaurants, and additional recreation - for after-golf or non-golfing spouses. The book covers more than 600 courses. The authors have rated the top 50, breaking those down into 38 large and 12 small resorts.&quot



2. "... the most useful guidebook... a great reference." The Traveling Golfer



3. "If you love golf, Golf Resorts is for you." Relax Magazine



4. A guide written by golfers for golfers. Hundreds of resorts are described in this book, with details including fees, course profile (par, hazards, yardage), resident pro information, accommodations (with prices), dining options and equipment rentals. All establishments are open to the public.