Travel Blog Costa Rica

Coming to a tropical country like Costa Rica it is very important that you keep drinking enough fluids not to dehydrate. But thanks God, there are also other good drinks than just the famous Costa Rican coffee and bottled water. Favourite non-alcoholic drinks are fresh fruit juices, some of not so well known fruits such as Tamarindo, Guanábana (sour sap) and Cas (guava), Maracuya (passion fruit) and Mora (blackberry). It’s very common to ask for a drink made out of fresh pineapple, (water) melon, papaya or bananas on a milk (smoothy) or water basis. The excellent quality of the fruits turn it into a real tropical experience and because of the variety fruits, there is enough material to experiment on a daily basis to discover your favourite drink. For people who are looking for a Costa Rican drink with a bite, there are a couple of excellent local spirits, varying from beer to hard liquor. The local brewery, partially owned by Heineken, offers a nice range of good beers, The most popular to drink is Imperial, followed by Pilsen. Both golden pilsner type beers, with a sweet hint and perfect to quench the thirst after a long day in the sun. The most popular strong alcoholic drink is guaro. Guaro is a generic name for a strong alcoholic drink alike rum that is produced from sugar cane. The term guaro is widely used in Latin America. Of course you can try the illegally distilled drinks, which will not only be very hazardous, but no doubt also very disappointing taste wise. The latter also goes for cheap drinks marketed under dubious names like Ronrico, Vodka Oso, etc. A better drink to chose is guaro Cacique, the national drink of Costa Rica. Almost nobody drinks it pure. It’s great though in a Cuba Libre and refreshing in a Costa Rican style Caipirina. Popularity is partly because of the low price, a one litre bottle of the red labal will cost you no more than eight dollars. The more sophisticated should chose for the black label. On the label of the bottle there is the face of a proud Indian; the word cacique means chief. But Costa Rica is also part of the Caribbean and a very popular drink especially in the Province of Limon is rum. A very common combination is rum with milk. One of the best rums in the world is made in Costa Rica: Ron Centenario. Especially the aged version ‘Anejo’ is very smooth and delicious even to drink straight or on the rocks. Most people prefer to drink rum with cola though or as an ingredient in a tropical cocktail like a pina colada. Most bars offer a wide range of rums, from the middle of the road Bacardi to better Caribbean rums such as Flor de Cana (Nicaraguan), Appleton (Jamaica) and Centenario. Costa Ricans love a taste of lime in their drink and don’t be surprised to see them drink a beer mixed with salt and lime juice. No wonder tequila shots are popular too. In the metropolitan area of San Jose in the Central Valley a wide selection of imported beers and liquor is available in bars and stores, so no need to worry for visitors who are looking for their ‘usual’ drink. Salud (cheers)!

Costa Ricans love music and love to dance. As in many Latin American countries salsa, merengue and cumbia are very popular. San Jose in the Central Valley has a vibrant nightlife where the younger urban youth prefers pop, rock-n-roll but also hip hop and the Latin version of it reggaeton. Being a metropolitan area of more than 2 million inhabitants it may come as no surprise that San Jose offers any thinkable genre of music bar. From Beatles, Doors, disco and jazz to sophistic piano bars targeting the many tourists visiting Costa Rica’s capital. For Costa Ricans it is very common to go to their local bar where live artists perform songs that everybody sings along until the small hours of the night. Traditionally Mexican music has been an influence going back to the 19th century and still popular with the older audience. On the Nicoya peninsula in the province of Guanacaste still exists a strong folk tradition, which musical roots can be traced back to Pre-Colombian times. The indigenous tribe of the Burucas still perform their traditional music and dances on festivals, depicting their struggle against the Spanish invaders centuries ago. On the other side of the country on the Pacific coast the Afro-Caribbean influences are evident. Rumba, calypso and reggae are very popular. Limon has a carnival where pulsating drum beats are produced by a drum band accompanied by a group of sensual dancers. These so called comparsas are popular from Cuba all the way down to South America. Cleverly tapping into the market segment of wellness , souvenir shops offer a choice of new-age music combined with the sounds of Costa Rica’s exuberant nature. When you are looking for some famous Costa Rican bands, the most famous is Editus, the classical schooled winner of a Grammy Award, which performs a mix of jazz and easy listening. Malpais is another one, offering an interesting mix of folk, latin, rock and jazz. The fame of both bands go way over the borders of Costa Rica. When your rental car is equipped with a radio you can enjoy a wide range of radio stations, as long as you stay in the metropolitan area. Mexican rancheros, salsa, jazz, classical music, hardcore hip-hop and reggeaton, middle of the road 70’s and 80’s hits, club music and alternative, every genre has it’s own station. Yearly there are a number of prestigious music festivals, from folkloristic, classical to jazz music. But despite all the different genres that are available nothing better than some good Latin music makes every Costa Rican, young or old move.

As in most Latin-American countries the official religion of Costa Rica is Roman Catholic. Most of the holidays coincide therefore with religious events. The most important holiday is the Easter Holy Week. Almost the entire country closes down for a week and millions of Costa Ricans spend their free week on the beaches on the Caribbean and Pacific Coast. From Holy Thursday till Sunday Costa Rica is under a dry law that prohibits the sale of alcohol all over the country. August 2nd is another important religious holiday, since it’s the day of the Virgin of Los Angeles, Costa Rica’s patron saint. Thousands of people walk to the basilica of Cartago to worship the virgin, better known as ‘La Negrita’. August 15th the rise of Virgin Mary into heaven coincides with Mothers’ Day, when sons and daughter honor their mother with a visit and presents. November 2nd All Saints Day is held, when the loved ones who passed away are remembered by visiting the cemeteries and attending special masses. Like everywhere else in the world, Christmas is the most important Christian holiday of the year. Exuberant light decorations dominate the entire country at that time of year. Combined with the inevitable shopping spree that became an also important part of the Christmas spirit. Another non-religious holiday is the 1st of May (Labor Day). But Costa Rica has a couple interesting national holidays that have their roots in the history of the country. Juan Santamaria Day on April 11th is dedicated to this national hero, who played an important roll in the battle of Rivas. Juan Santamaria sacrificed himself by torching a building where the troops of William Walker were fiercely resisting the Costa Rican army of volunteers. As a result of Juan Santamaria’s action the aspirations of Walker to conquer the whole of Central America evaporated when he was driven back north. July 25th is the holiday commemorating the Annexation of Guanacaste in 1824. Celebrated on its best in the province of Guanacaste with horse and cattle shows, bull fights and festivals. On September 15th Costa Rica’s Independence from Spain in 1821 is celebrated. This is the most patriotic holiday, filled with parades, flags and drum bands. October 12th used to be Columbus Day, but since modern history has reevaluated the merits of the often cruel Spanish Conquest, the name of this holiday has been changed to Dia de la Raza (Day of the Race). Now this holiday acknowledges the culture of the almost extinct indigenous tribes of Costa Rica and other multicultural influences that created the nation. On December 1st it’s the Day of Abolition of the Armed Forces, celebrating the unique fact that Costa Rica dismantled its army in 1984.