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
- Last blog post on Costa Rica and Cuba
- First-ever group motorcycle tours of Cuba successful
- Cuba’s Mariel port readying for Panama Canal expansion
- Musings on wildlife encounters on Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula
- Cuba’s Steam Trains puffing their last gasp
- My top five thrilling activities in Costa Rica
- Cuba’s fun February festivals include Harleys, Books, Cigars
- Five top volcano viewing experiences in Costa Rica
- New road along Costa Rica / Nicaraguan border mired
- Cuba’s Hotel Campoamor at Cojímar to be restored?
- Cuban revolutionary Celia Sánchez honored in new book
- Christmas challenge for Costa Rica’s sexually abused girls
- Costa Rica opens Chinatown in downtown San José
- David Soul films Hemingway’s car restoration in Cuba
- National Geographic Expeditions receives license for Cuba tours
Personal report of travel accident in Costa Rica
Well, last week I was involved in my first ever car accident with me behind the wheel.
It happened in the center of the city of Liberia, in Guanacaste province, Costa Rica. No bad thing, as it turned out, as my car rental company—U-Save—has an office outside town near Liberia’s Daniel Oduber International Airport.
How it happened is irrelevant to this post, but the post-accident experience may serve readers well. more >>
Sign the petition to permit U.S. travel to Cuba
John McAuliffe, founder and head of Fund for Reconciliation and Development, has created a signature campaign to “Authorize general licenses for all U.S. citizens who want to travel to Cuba for non-tourist purposes.
Please sign the petition at SignOn.com.
Here’s the full text from the SignOn website explaining the rationale:
“President Obama's goal of greater engagement between Americans and Cubans is endorsed by two-thirds of our country and is the most effective way to foster democracy, friendship and mutual understanding. more >>
Travel writer reports from Costa Rica’s earthquake zone
I’m writing up this blog post from Sámara, reported as the epicenter of the 7.6 Richter magnitude earthquake that shook up Costa Rica exactly one week ago, last Wednesday, September 5, 2012.
Sámara is mid-way down the Pacific Coast of the Nicoya Peninsula. (Actually, while most of the media describe Sámara as the epicenter, the US Geological Survey image above shows the true epicenter as being at Hojancha, about 25 miles northeast of Sámara.) more >>
Cuba travel twofer – news you can use
Here are two recent newsworthy travel-related items for Cuba-bound travelers, those considering a visit, and cubaphiles worldwide.
First, an update on Cuba’s recent cholera outbreak, which I blogged about on July 9, 2012, and July 16, 2012.
Two weeks ago, the Cuban government announced that the outbreak had run its course, with no new cases reported since August 18, 2012. In all, the Cuban Ministry of Health stated that 417 persons had contracted the potentially deadly infectious disease, of which three had died. more >>
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