Cuba & Costa Rica Blog
About this blog
Written by Cuba and Costa Rica expert Christopher P. Baker, this blog will update readers on life in these two diverse and exciting countries.
Recent Posts
- Costa Rica’s fearsome fer-de-lance—this snakes deserves respect!
- Silly season in U.S. politics threatens Cuba travel
- Costa Rica Aboard the National Geographic Sea Lion
- Cuba's healthcare system has its downside
- Río Chirripó Retreat a Perfect Costa Rica Escape
- Havana’s Casa del Habano - Cuba’s Best Cigar Shop
- Car robbery against me foiled in Costa Rica
- Havana’s Hotel Nacional Exemplifies Cuba’s Economic Dysfunction
- John Lennon Sculpture Unveiled in San José, Costa Rica
- New Paladares (Private Restaurants) Enliven Havana’s Restaurant Scene
- The Today Show to Air Cuba Special
- Win a $500 Continental Airlines Gift Card!
- Cuba’s premier tobacco farm continues the Robaina tradition
- Budget-Friendly Tips for Traveling in Costa Rica
- Havana’s cigar factories change venues for tours
Costa Rica’s fearsome fer-de-lance—this snakes deserves respect!
Want a good laugh?
Then watch me hike the rainforest trails of Costa Rica alone. I look like a blind man tapping his way forward with a long stick in front of me, probing the leaf litter for venomous snakes.
Specifically, the fearsome fer-de-lance.
The thought of stepping on a Bothrops asper, king of the deadly tropical vipers, sends shivers down my spine. more >>
Silly season in U.S. politics threatens Cuba travel
With the Florida Republican primaries just concluded, I reflect with dismay yet no surprise at the “silly season” antics of presidential candidates, Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich. They played to the Cuban-American crowd with calls for a hard-line approach to dealing with the Castro government.
Gingrich called for a much tougher approach (Bush redux!) to bring about a “Cuban spring” and said that President Obama was going about Cuban policy “almost exactly the opposite” of what it should be. more >>
Costa Rica Aboard the National Geographic Sea Lion
I’m writing today from aboard the National Geographic Expeditions National Geographic Sea Lion. This is my fourth season lecturing aboard the 62-passenger vessel (operated by Lindblad Expeditions) as a National Geographic Photographer and Resident Expert.
Currently we’re anchored off Playa Caletas, a remote beach a few miles north of Corcovado National Park, in Costa Rica, on day three of the week-long itinerary. This is the second, return, leg of my annual two-week assignment. more >>
Cuba's healthcare system has its downside
A few weeks ago while escorting a National Geographic Expeditions’ 10-day “Cuba: Discover its Culture & People” trip, one of the participants fell ill with a serious dental problem.
I accompanied her to the Clínica Internacional—the foreigners-only International Clinic— Cienfuegos. Cuba’s best medical services are reserved for foreign tourists paying hard currency. This was no exception. An English-speaking doctor saw us immediately.
She identified an abcess and recommended we visit the dental ward at Cienfuegos Hospital. We were transferred in a low-tech ambulance. more >>
Buy Moon Travel Guides
Search
Moon Travel Guides make independent travel and outdoor exploration fun and accessible. With expert and adventurous travel writers delivering a mix of honest insight, first-rate strategic travel advice, insider travel tips and an essential dose of humor, Moon Travel Guides ensure that travelers have an uncommon and entirely satisfying experience. Each travel book is filled with unique trip ideas, easy-to-use maps, and detailed information on sights, restaurants, and accommodations. Moon Travel Guides not only point you in the right direction, they inspire new ideas and adventure. Whether you are seeking a relaxing beach trip to Hawaii, or an adventure travel trip to the rainforests of Costa Rica, Moon guidebooks—and Moon.com—are with you every step of the way. Founded in 1973, the Moon Travel Guides series includes Moon Handbooks, Moon Outdoors, Moon Metro, Moon Living Abroad and Moon Spotlight travel books. Moon is based in Berkeley, California and is a proud member of the Perseus Books Group.