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Posts Tagged ‘Central America’

Humpback Whales Off the Shores of Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica

April 15th, 2010 No comments

Humpback whales, normally found in tropical cold water, can be found in almost every ocean. These amazing creatures migrate from cold water to tropical waters in the winter, all along the Pacific Coast. But the main reason the female Humpbacks come to tropical waters is to give birth. One of the best places, in the Pacific, to see humpbacks is along the shores of Corcovado National Park and off the coastline in Drake bay in the Osa Peninsula.

The main body color is black to gray, with lighter skin on the throat and belly and wide ridges along the length of the white skin. With a round, wide body that narrows towards the tail, and a flattened, slender head, the humpback has a unique characteristic shape. The white lumps on its head and jaw are home to parasites, whale lice, and crustaceans that live in the whale’s follicles or hairy tubercles. Humpbacks can easily reach lengths of 15 meters and away over 25 tons. For such a large animal they have a relatively small dorsal fin with large flippers that are white on the edges.

The humpbacks can be seen in many coastal waters, spitting out lots of water, jumping on water and falling with a huge sound smashing its back on the water. They travel alone, in small pods, or groups of up to 15 in feeding and breeding waters. The most flexible individuals can burst in to the air with a spectacular energy and speed. However, they don’t swim really fast (12km/h) and only dive about 15 minutes at a time.

Before 1964′s protection clause for these creatures, they had reached the high alert zone for endangered species due to whaling ships. Even though the law has prevented many more deaths, they are still on the endangered list because whalers are still allowed to kill them off the western coast of Greenland and Lesser Antilles!

Before 1964′s protection clause for these creatures, they had reached the high alert zone for endangered species due to whaling ships. Even though the law has prevented whaling they are still on the endangered list because this is still allowed off the western coast of Greenland and Lesser Antilles!

Marina K. Villatoro, the Travel Experta, has been living in Central America – Costa Rica and Guatemala for over 10 years. She has traveled here extensively. Now loves organizing vacations to this amazing part of the world, having first hand experience of all the places with her family. Contact her for advice and to plan your perfect trip!

Vacation Beach Houses In Nicaragua

January 5th, 2010 No comments

The Nicaragua real estate market has been developing over the past decade and it is ready to explode in to the forefront of the foreign real estate market. Vacation homes, second homes and/or retirement homes in the beautiful country of Nicaragua are poised to be a popular buy in the coming years. With the number of people set to retire in the US, Nicaragua is going to become more and more popular.

Nicaragua is located in Central America where it is hugged by both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Historically associated with unrest, it is now associated with colorful villages, great surfing and beautiful beaches. Direct flights into Managua are available from a number of U.S. cities such as Miami and Houston. In the past five years, the tourism industry in Nicaragua has experienced wonderful growth and the country’s infrastructure such as roads has seen noticeable improvement.

Nicaragua has unsurpassed natural beauty and super exciting tourism related activities. Such attractions and activities include world class surfing and sport fishing, volcano snowboarding, exploring colorful colonial cities, relaxing on one of the beautiful beaches, golf, hiking along fresh water lakes and rivers, canopy tours, bird watching, turtle watching, exploring the local markets or visiting a coffee plantation in the mountainous regions.

Nicaragua has a fascinating cultural history and customs and boasts excellent world class hospitals. It is only logical that Nicaraguan real estate has become the hot buy amongst those looking for an affordable place to retire. As an investor you may also be eligible to receive some compelling tax incentives under Nicaragua Law 306. Law 306 allows an investor or developer tax incentives for 10 years.

Foreigner investors can hold clear title to Nicaragua real estate in their own names unlike some other Latin American countries. Title insurance is also available from some of the most reputable American title insurers, such as First American Title Insurance Company and Stewart Title Insurance Company, to help you avoid any sleepless nights

Because the Nicaragua real estate market remains relatively undiscovered, as compared to other Latin American markets such as Costa Rica and Mexico, many exciting and very affordable opportunities still exist. There are a number of opportunities to purchase complete turnkey vacations homes for less than 150,000.00US. And when you consider that the cost of living in Nicaragua is roughly 50% less than the cost of living in North America, the case for shopping for vacation homes in Nicaragua, and buying Nicaraguan Real Estate becomes even more compelling.

Discover articles and info about nicaragua house deals at nicaragua real estate.

Friendly Belize

September 18th, 2009 No comments

Belize City. Most people picture run down buildings, crime and remnants of hurricane damage. Very few take anytime to actually explore the town instead choosing to hop on a water taxi and head out to Ambergris Caye.

Whatever your vision of Central America is, check it at the door before entering this beautiful and welcoming country. Many travel guides will tell you to “get out of Belize City and head for the islands.” It is too bad really, because they are causing people to miss out on meeting the very proud and helpful citizens of this vibrant town.

Cruise ships stop here regularly and whisk tourists off to Tikal in Guatemala, or to Amgergris Caye off of the coast. The port is well developed and you can spend time walking around the shops in the comfortable terminal. However, walking around the city is where you get the true Caribbean flare.

Settled by the English in the late 16th century, Belize City is a mix Colonial buildings and Creole Culture. Eat international cuisine, or enjoy the local fare at Jembel’s Jerk Pit or Big Daddy’s Diner. Music pumps from inside shops as smiling people great you speaking perfect English, only to turn to their companion and talk in rhythmic Creole. The official language of Belize is English, but you will often hear a mix of Spanish, Creole, Mayan and German throughout the land.

Now that you have actually explored Belize City and realized that it isn’t the big bad city that you thought it was, you can catch a water taxi with peace of mind. You aren’t running away from anything, you are simply moving on to see the rest of beautiful Belize. From downtown, you can catch a water taxi for $10 to take you out to the Cayes on the Caribbean Sea.

The laid-back vibe of the island has an air of Jamaica, and reggae booms from bars and restaurants. Walk along the dirt roads to look for a beach front hotel and you can spend as little as $20 for a room. Only golf carts drive on the island, so you won’t have to worry about exhaust pollution or noise. The resident’s work hard to preserve their culture and large-scale development is not in its future.

While there, you have to take in the sites and the number one excursion is to hire a guide and boat to take you out to Shark Ray Alley. Located 1 mile from shore is the Belize Barrier Reef. A protected marine preserve for since 1996, it has a healthy stock of marine life and coral. The highlight of the trip however is having the chance to swim with a group of nurse sharks and manta rays that inhabit the reef.

Many divers in the world travel to Belize for one reason only, and that is to dive the famous Blue Hole. Jaques Cousteau introduced it to the world and it is an awesome site. A collapsed cave in the middle of the sea attracts divers that want to go deep. Drop down to 150 feet and dive under overhangs as hammerhead and reef sharks swim in the chummed waters above. This dive is not for new divers.

If getting into the water with natural predators isn’t your cup of tea, take a sailing trip to visit other Islands. Belize has several islands and you can take a trip to have a picnic lunch on the beach or enjoy an island drink at an upscale resort on Ambergris Caye. You can find a company to go with by simply walking down the main sandy street where operations line the path.

Caye Caulker may not be overly developed, but you can still enjoy great food ranging from Seafood, to pasta and barbecue. The nightlife isn’t wild, but you can find a nice bar to enjoy a drink or two, look out over the water while swinging on a hammock or listen to some live music well into the evening.

There is so much more to do in beautiful Belize that you need at least two weeks to see it all. Jungles and caves, wildlife and sanctuary’s Belize has something for everyone. Even Mayan ruins can be found in the country and beaches aren’t only out on the islands, Placencia actually has the most beautiful beach in the country and it is located on the mainland.

It isn’t Mexico, The Dominican or Jamaica yet, but it won’t be long until everyone starts thinking of Belize as their vacation destination. So what are you waiting for, book your trip today and discover Belize.

Deb Corbeil and Dave Bouskill are an adventure travel couple from Canada. Together they have trekked, hiked, biked and climbed to over 30 countries all over the planet. Check out their website theplanetd.com for more tips, advice and information on travel and adventure locations. To view their photo gallery from their world travels go to picturetheplanet.com

Mexico City – a Heady Mix of Chaos and Beauty

July 6th, 2009 No comments
by Charles McNamara

Endless lines of vehicles wind their way along the broad avenues, filling the air with exhaust. Mexico City appears unconcerned. At first glance, visitors may be overwhelmed by Mexico City’s noise, dirt and chaos, but look again.

Mexico City is the largest metropolis on the American continent and it is still growing. Despite the problems that inevitably accompany unrestrained growth, there are superb architectural treasures hidden behind the rather dull facades of this huge city.

No other Latin American city boasts as many baroque churches, monasteries and colonial palaces. It also has a number of acclaimed modern buildings, some of which are decorated with monumental paintings by the famous Mexican muralists, and world-class museums house still more art and treasure.

The eagle, the snake and the cactus.

In 1325, the Aztecs, who called themselves the Mexica, migrated into what is now central Mexico, where they founded their capital city, Tenochtitlan. They had chosen the site well, with a little help. According to legend, the Aztecs received a vision that told them to wander until they found an eagle perched on a cactus with a snake in its talons.

In the Valley of Mexico at an elevation of more than 2,000 metres they came upon this very scene in a swampy area scattered with lakes and islands. From a strategic standpoint, the location was ideal. They colonized the islands in the middle of a shallow lake, which protected their settlement well. The wandering Mexica had finally settled down.

Later, they built dams and causeways between the islands, which developed into a complex hydraulic system with canals, drawbridges and sluices. Tenochtittan grew in size to cover more than 13 square kilometres. The Aztecs ultimately conquered the entire high valley by force of arms, and soon controlled nearly all of modern-day Mexico, as well as other parts of Central America.

Hernan Cortes and the Fall of the Empire

The precipitous fall of the Aztec Empire began in 1519 when Hernan Cortes landed on the Gulf Coast of Mexico with just a few men. What Cartes achieved is incredible. With a small force, a few horses and indomitable will, not to mention a good dose of brutality and recklessness, he subdued an entire empire. His total command consisted of 500 Spanish soldiers, 16 mounted fighters, 6 cannons and 400 Indian mercenaries. The Aztec population he confronted numbered in the hundreds of thousands.

On 8 November 1519 the Aztecs’ fate was sealed. The Aztec ruler Moctezuma II received Cortes unarmed, possibly because he thought Cortes was the god Quetzalcoatl. This was an invitation to disaster. The Spaniards quickly took Moctezuma hostage and massacred the assembled priests and nobles.

The Aztecs were at first able to push back the interlopers and force them to retreat. Unfortunately, this only postponed their demise by a few years. In 1521, Cortes moved in with fresh troops, completely overwhelming the Aztec forces. The Spanish rulers then built their own city with churches and palaces on the foundations of the old one. Most of the lake was drained, as more and more land was needed. Tenochtitlan disappeared under a Spanish city. Parts of it, such as the Tempio Major, have since been excavated by archaeologists and are on view again after hundreds of years of obscurity.

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San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua – A Charmed Life For Investors

June 17th, 2009 No comments
by Jane A Moore

San Juan del Sur has much to offer for any type of real estate investor. There is a remarkable diversity of people who have come to call this town home, whether they are investors, building a second home, or have moved here full time. The small seaside village has kept it’s Nicaraguan cultural roots even though there are many world influences and tourist conveniences.

Once a quiet fishing village, San Juan del Sur has experienced a transformation into worldwide destination. It is estimated that 25% of the local families still make their livings on the water. It is possible to buy fresh fish every morning and the bay of San Juan del Sur is spotted with gently bobbing fishing boats. Most of the fish served in the village of San Juan del Sur are caught from small open top pangas using hand held lines. Other fish are still caught by divers with spears. And what a tasty catch it is! The village is a great place to savor grouper, yellow fin tuna, dorado, mackerel, or rooster fish freshly caught that same day. A few of the higher end restaurants regularly serve rich tasting sashimi and carpaccio.

Sport fishing is also widely available from the shores of San Juan. People journey from all over to test their skills against the big ones. Tales of catching marlin, swordfish or sail fish echo around the various drinking holes. The thrill of landing one of the big fish after a 40 minute test of determination and stamina is exhilarating and is a well repeated story. The bill fish protocol here is always catch and release to help with the future of these mighty fish.

San Juan is probably even better known for its world class surfing. With 360 days per year of off shores breezes the surf is very reliable. The most popular surf beach is Playa Maderas located 10 kilometers north of the village. However, Playa Remanso, Playa Hermosa and Playa Yankee also have excellent surf and are all located with 15 kilometres south of the village. For those that don’t mind a bit of a drive, you can take in a game of golf at Iguana Golf Resort on the same day that you surf Panga Drops or Colorado surf breaks.

Although San Juan is well known for its sport fishing and surfing there are also many other activities to avail oneself. There is a newly formed dance troupe that performs twice per week, a wonderful art gallery that tries to have new shows every month and a library with a large English language section. There are opportunities to go on relaxing day sails aboard 41″ foot sail boats. Furthermore, the boisterous and informative monthly cooking classes are not to be missed. Bambu Beach club offers a monthly poker series and twice weekly movie nights.

Those that like finer dining will not be disappointed. Within the last few years a number of mouth watering options have opened. There is now something to suit everybody’s tastes from California Fusion to Mediterranean to Italian. With all of the restaurants and bistros available in the village of San Juan del Sur, it can be difficult to stay home to cook.

Join us in San Juan del Sur and see for yourself. You can’t help but be charmed by the people and village and compelled by all the activities it has to offer. It is now wonder that people are jumping at San Juan del Sur real estate

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