www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Next time just tell them you're Jewish
Or Russian,Polish,Dutch,French,Scandinavian,British ,etc etc etc.

Costa Rica isnt as close to germany as the US, so you wont see as many of them. Come to Vegas and Ill show you some real gentlemenly drunken German soldiers training at nellis who show nothing but respect for our country,women, and brothers.

You are right though some of us do get out of line at times.Then again they are the ones selling their women to get us to come there.

Of course now that you are a homeowner down there everything has changed. I cant blame you for not wanting the ticos to lynch you for our behaviour.

I got a good idea too.How about we all just avoid Costa rica and spend the money on some sick Ch*ldren in our own neighborhoods!!!!!!!

How much is Germany kickin in.


MEXICO CITY, Oct. 16 — The United States has agreed to forgive $26 million of Costa Rica's debt as part a debt-for-nature swap that will protect some of the country's most threatened tropical forests, officials said.

In a deal to be announced on Wednesday, the government of Costa Rica has committed to invest a similar amount in conserving high-risk natural areas that are the home to such threatened species as jaguars, squirrel monkeys and scarlet macaws.

The United States government will contribute about $12.6 million in financing as part of the deal. Two environmental groups, Conservation International and the Nature Conservancy, will contribute $1.26 million each. Those funds and the interest they generate will be enough to eliminate $26 million in Costa Rica's debt over the next 16 years, officials said.

That is the largest amount of debt forgiven and the 13th such deal under the Tropical Forest Conservation Act, which was first enacted in 1998.

"Debt-for-nature agreements are a successful model for government and citizen cooperation and should encourage more public-private partnerships to further the cause of global conservation and environmental protection," Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr. said in a statement.

The funds will help protect important Costa Rican natural areas including the Osa Peninsula, Tortuguero, La Amistad, Maquenque, Rincón de la Vieja and the Nicoya Peninsula, officials said.

"There's a double benefit for these countries," Claudia A. McMurray, assistant secretary of state for oceans, environment and science, said in a telephone interview. "They get some or all of their debt wiped out, and they get help in preserving an important natural resource."

On top of that, Ms. McMurray said, there are the benefits to climate, as forests play an important role in absorbing greenhouse gasses.

To qualify for the program Costa Rica had to meet a series of political and economic requirements, including cooperation with Washington on drug enforcement and counterterrorism.

Costa Rica is one of the success stories in Central America when it comes to environmental management, although challenges remain. Deforestation stripped the country of almost 80 percent of its forest cover. But replanting efforts have helped reversed the trend, environmental groups say.

Cali

Gent,s. I know I will get a huge ration of sh*t for this post, but I don,t give a damn. I have been a member of CRT for a couple of years and don,t post very often. As a long time resident of Costa Rica I have seen what the effects of tourisim have done to this country. I don,t really see any upside to the lives of your average Costa Ricans. I see far more downsides. How much of your dollars you spend in this country do you think in any way impact the lives of average Costa Ricans? Think about it, who owns the hotels, the bars, tour agencies etc. Do your tourist dollars create jobs? Sure they do, if you call cleaning up after your nasty a**es a job. You have pushed up land prices to the point where an average Costa Rican can not compete or even think of buying a decent piece of property. The actions of some of you bring shame on us that choose to live here.
Chi Trek has decided to do something decent for the Ch*ldren this holiday season and what does he get from some of you? A ration of sh*t. I very seldom go to San Jose beacuse it saddens me to see what it has transformed into. I remember the time when being an extranjero was something of a curiosity to the people of this country, not something to be despised. It would not bother me a bit if you all were to choose another country to spend your ever weakening dollars in. Fu*k up some other country, let those who have learned to love this country, with all it,s flaws live here in peace. Sorry about the rant, it,s been a long time comming but now it,s out.

tuanis

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not as good as I once was, but as good once as I ever was

So are you also a gringo, and what effects besides too many gringos? Not arguing your point but curious since you didn't explain.

Since CRT has 12k members and there were 1.2 - 1.5 million tourists so far this year you're reaching less than 1% of the gringo invasion here.
I do get your rant and agree there are way too many gringo tourists these days. Planes and hotels stay full and looks like it's only going to get worse but with the US economy slowing and the sinking dollar they hopefully we won't see that 2 million next year. But CRT is a miniscule percent of the visitors to CR and most stay in SJO. If the "effects" you mention are environmental then you should post on the eco-tourist boards and also complain to the Ticos themselves for the carelessness they have for polluting their own country. Look over any bridge near the cities and you'll most likely see a river or stream strewn with trash and sewage flowing into it. One would think they'd have a little more concern protecting and cleaning it up since eco-tourism is the #1 source of income.

Sorry to get off topic- some great ideas Chi-trekker, wish I could be down there this Christmas, I always enjoy the festivals and parades with the locals.