COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER On Monday night, a rare sighting of a puma was reported as the wild feline was seen running through the streets of Atenas, Alajuela. A passing driver was lucky enough to witness this unusual event. While sightings of big cats in urban areas are uncommon, Costa Rica’s National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC) confirmed that such occurrences do happen from time to time with the support of the University Center for Sustainable Development Studies the Alajuela Subregional Office of the Central Conservation Area has been actively monitoring wildlife in various sectors of the Atenas canton using camera traps the presence of pumas (Puma concolor) has been documented along with sightings of smaller felines such as the “manigordo” (Leopardus pardalis) and “caucel” (Leopardus wiedii) in addition to a variety of other wildlife species “Due to the shrinking habitats of these species it’s becoming increasingly common to observe wildlife near human settlements We must learn to coexist with them peacefully Avoid harassing or trying to capture these animals and allow them to return to their natural environment on their own,” advised Minor González SINAC emphasized that residents should not fear the presence of these animals seeing them can be considered a positive sign of a healthy ecosystem Residents are encouraged to report any sightings to local authorities who will monitor the situation and respond if necessary “If you spot a wild feline in a residential area the best course of action is to remain inside your home or vehicle until you are sure the animal has left keep pets indoors and out of the yard,” SINAC added Medical Design and Outsourcing August 16, 2024 By ProMed Molded Products plans to locate its new facility in the Green Valley Park in Alajuela Plymouth, Minnesota – ProMed Molded Products a contract manufacturer supporting applications in medical devices as well as specialized applications for aerospace announces plans for a new manufacturing facility located near San Jose Located within the Green Valley Park in Alajuela the new facility will be strategically located near the international airport while additionally providing regional access to a highly skilled workforce “This facility will enable ProMed to provide both cost-effective value-added services to our existing customer base as well as support new growth opportunities we are fostering today” “In addition to the increased capacity the facility will provide incorporating redundancy in manufacturing services supports our corporate goals surrounding risk mitigation This is an exciting time in ProMed’ s evolution as this milestone better positions our company in supporting our international customer base and provides local options for the rapidly growing medical device community in Costa Rica” Construction of the new facility is scheduled to begin in Q4 2024 with an estimated time for operation in early Q1 2026 Since 1989 ProMed has been recognized as a leading contract manufacturer of complex intricately designed molded silicone and plastic components and assemblies for highly regulated industries ProMed’s expertise lies in applications for short-term and long-term implantable devices and specialized manufacturing for aerospace We collaboratively work with our customers from prototype through production providing nearly 35 years of experience related to design for manufacturability and other value-added services that result in cost-effective solutions with superior quality Please visit us at https://promedmolding.com for more information on how we can support your project needs The opinions expressed in this news release are the author’s only and do not necessarily reflect those of Medical Design & Outsourcing or its employees Subscribe to Medical Design & Outsourcing share and interact with the leading medical design engineering magazine today DeviceTalks is a conversation among medical technology leaders webinars and one-on-one exchanges of ideas & insights MassDevice is the leading medical device news business journal telling the stories of the devices that save lives Copyright © 2025 WTWH Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media LLC. Site Map | Privacy Policy | RSS Learn how to describe the purpose of the image (opens in a new tab) Leave empty if the image is purely decorative We're working on a visual shortcode editor until then please follow these instructions Email us to support@plugin.builders for any problems a 51-mile waterway connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans is considered the most vital piece of infrastructure for the transport of international trade in the Western Hemisphere This trans-oceanic corridor, which reduces vessel travel time between New York and San Francisco by more than half, supports 6% of global maritime trade as a primary route connecting North Asia and the East and Gulf Coasts of the United States. In 2003 alone, 14,000 vessels transited the Panama Canal carrying more than 500 million tons of cargo The Panama Canal’s lock system is reliant on water from the Chagres River which is stored in two manmade lakes: Gatun and Alajuela Water from the lakes fills a series of locks that lift ships 85 feet above sea level to Gatun Lake and lowers them on the other side allowing vessels to move freely between the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean Managing the water levels in Gatun and Alajuela Lakes is critical to the Panama Canal’s function with a single vessel transit using 52 million gallons of fresh water and an average of 36 ships transiting the Canal per day Maintaining sufficient water levels is also critical for the 2.5 million residents of Panama City and Colón who depend on the Chagres River for their drinking water and municipal wastewater treatment Hydropower is generated in Gatun and Alhajuela The balancing act of maintaining optimal lake levels is carried out by the Panama Canal Authority (PCA). The agency accomplishes this by collecting and leveraging vast amounts of data, which is used for hydrological modeling and forecasting to support strategies to economize the use of a finite resource 55 scientific stations collect information related to precipitation along with S-band weather radar information in Aquarius and assures data quality before publishing in real-time the PCA must predict how much precipitation the watershed will receive during the rainy season the agency must release precious water into the ocean to avoid flooding as they were following a prolonged drought earlier this year it must limit or discourage the number of ships transiting each day along with their weight Members of PCA’s Operations Vice Presidency access data from the platform to determine transit charges transit charges are lower to incentivize shipping companies to plan travel through the canal during times of abundant water supply PCA calculates these tariff values as well as draft restrictions with the hydrological data organized and managed in Aquarius The software is designed to automate workflows by extracting data and making it available to stakeholders that require it to do their job PCA’s Hydrometeorology Division uses the sensor data to conduct predictive analytics and meteorological forecasting to identify weather patterns in advance and determine long-term strategies so the agency can make the most strategic and efficient use of the water resources as possible The platform allows meteorologists to compare current data and numerical models with historical and analog data which has elevated the accuracy of their forecasts PCA had to gather and send data files manually to individual teams and outside agencies making information easily accessible to all stakeholders as well as the public PCA is able to work more efficiently since team members from across the organization can utilize any information that they might need Sensor data is automatically uploaded into the system with minimal manual intervention so operators can have greater confidence in the data integrity Automated error detections and intuitive correction tools allow PCA to compare current and historical data PCA can make any corrections for quality assurance with changes precisely annotated within the software system These traceable quality assurance and control procedure are invaluable features as are the data stability and security that Aquarius’ cloud-based storage provides The platform is hosted in a secure private cloud that alleviates PCA from having to maintain its own servers and software updates while providing the latest in data security As industry and technology continue to evolve cloud solutions can keep up with the changes in the background The canal’s web portal also ensures that the data is accessible to outside agencies making it easy for IDAAN (Instituto de Acueductos y Alcantarillados Nacionales) Panama’s municipal water and sewage management agency to access lake level data and incorporate it into its operations This insight informs water treatment processes since low lake levels and saltwater intrusion can adversely affect pumps and water treatment processes PCAs web portal provides up-to-date information and high-integrity data so that professionals across the organization and beyond can make the best use of it The web portal is customizable so PCA can display information in charts meters and timelines making it easy for users to hone in on the information for which they are looking The Panama Canal’s hydrological data has impacts that extend far beyond the lock gates and local communities trade through the waterway is limited due to low water levels transportation delays can result in shifts across the global economy — from elevating transport costs and affecting the availability of products worldwide to increasing the cost of groceries at neighborhood markets Using the Aquarius platform to manage data PCA streamlines transportation costs and the flow of goods around the world while also ensuring the people of Panama have the water they need Alejandro Varela is the strategic account manager for Aquatic Informatics in the USA and LATAM. Alejandro has an in-depth understanding of the water sector's unique challenges and opportunities and delivers tailored software and instrumentation solutions to drive operational efficiency and optimize water management Trinidad and Tobago could not take the final qualifying spot at stake for the Qatar 2025 Fifa U-17 World Cup as the young Soca Warriors fell 2-0 away to hosts Costa Rica last night at the Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto in Alajuela It meant Los Ticos advanced to the World Youth Cup as group winners with no defeats and a solitary draw against Guyana across four matches—in Concacaf’s new abbreviated qualifying format A record eight qualifying places were offered to Concacaf as Fifa expanded the tournament to 48 teams Concacaf has 35 full Fifa nations: three in North America seven in Central America and 25 from the Caribbean only Haiti managed to qualify from the Caribbean thanks to a 2-0 win over Guatemala last night—while Canada Panama and El Salvador took the remaining berths The Warriors were still alive at kickoff last night But they never really showed up in Alajuela and left with barely a whimper The talking point of the match might be defender Adam ‘Toka’ Pierre’s use of his forearm against opposing attacker Isaac Badilla in the dying moments of the first half which gifted Costa Rica a penalty that Badilla duly dispatched himself Did Badilla con Canadian referee Michael Venne Pierre struggles to contain his aggression at times who handled the match superbly for the most part Pierre was almost certainly Trinidad and Tobago’s best player on the night his impeccable distribution with either foot But Pierre came out to compete for his country more than a few players in white Trinidad and Tobago shirts looked like a bundle of nerves and did not do themselves justice Left winger Jaydon Caprietta never stopped probing at Costa Rica right back Yerlan Sosa and swung crosses into the box at every opportunity goalkeeper Levi Williams did not put a foot wrong and forward Josiah Kallicharan ran himself into the ground But Trinidad and Tobago rarely moved the ball well enough to put the hosts under sustained pressure and Costa Rica goalkeeper Ian O’ Rourke was never stretched Coach Shawn Cooper reverted to the 4-2-3-1 formation that his players are most familiar with rather than the 3-4-1-2 system that he used in wins over the British Virgin Islands and Sint Maarten Cooper started forward Phillip Nelson on the right flank ahead of Jasai Theophilus which meant he had the flexibility to move to rotate between the two systems at a moment’s notice—by sending Nelson inside and asking right back Talan McMillan to push higher up the field last night’s contest had little to do with tactics Concerns about officiating did not bear out while there were empty seats all over the stadium as Costa Rica football fans again had better things to do than turn out to support their National Under-17 Team Last night was about which team was better prepared to contest a game of massive importance; and it was not even close Costa Rica were hardly impressive themselves—they were neither fluent nor incisive for much of the first half Cooper suggested beforehand that his players will follow Guyana’s lead in pressing high against Costa Rica which seemed to hinge almost entirely on Kallicharan’s efforts to harass the opposing backline And a halftime tweak by Costa Rica coach Randall Row who might have observed that Kallicharan pressed in isolation from his teammates saw the hosts keep possession easily thereafter So Trinidad and Tobago needed two goals but could not force Costa Rica into mistakes in their own half of the field or pin them on their heels by collectively advancing into opposition territory Cooper moved to 3-4-1-2 for the second half But Costa Rica already had their chests out by then and were managing the game reasonably well while the Warriors looked flustered and short of on-field leadership It was not until the 75th minute that Cooper turned to his bench and the changes were like-for-like Timothy Valentine replaced Nelson upfront while Caden Trestrail came on for Dominic Joseph in the playmaker role Cooper reaped the benefit of being bold after employing Trestrail Joseph and Criston Gomez together in midfield Costa Rica are a different kettle of fish—but as a replacement for the ineffectual captain and midfielder Nikosi Foncette Trinidad and Tobago made just three substitutions Costa Rica came close to extending their lead in the 83rd minute when midfielder Adriel Perez hit the bar from distance forward Ethan Barley gave the hosts an insurance item as he lost his markers to head home from a corner kick Cooper took a weakened version of his current team to Jamaica for two friendlies last Easter Foncette and midfielder Seth Hadeed made that trip Then there was an international friendly against Saint Lucia on the eve of their departure for this tournament which was aborted after 25 minutes when the lights did not come on at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva It was the sum total of the international experience offered by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association for their Under-17 Team’s World Cup campaign insufficient—and it would always be insufficient is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results Trinidad and Tobago (4-2-3-1): 1.Levi Williams (GK); 2.Talan McMillan 6.Nikosi Foncette (captain) (8.Criston Gomez 85); 9.Phillip Nelson (11.Timothy Valentine 75) Costa Rica (4-2-3-1): 1.Ian O’ Rourke (GK); 2.Yerlan Sosa (19.Gustavo Villar 90) 12.Nick Bennette (15.Carlos Urbina 88); 7.Isaac Badilla 11.Marcus Brown (20.Luis Medina 69); 9.Ethan Barley (16.Kaden Farrier 88) Unused substitutes: 13.Marshall Alfaro (GK) British Virgin Islands 1 (Luca Stuttard 90+1) Trinidad and Tobago 9 (Josiah Kallicharan 35 Trinidad and Tobago 3 (Josiah Kallicharan 7 British Virgin Islands 1 (Zeveih Abraham 90+2) at San Jose; Lasana Liburd is the managing director and chief editor at Wired868.com and a journalist with over 20 years experience at several Trinidad and Tobago and international publications including Play the Game Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) Safeguarding manager Gary St Rose has defended the integrity … I love my country sportsmen and women but I knew just by the way and words coach Cooper with the fullest of respect to him just wasn’t positive enough and I felt this needed the collective representation from even Dwight n the seniors staff an of course all of the govt and private sector to pump the necessary funding into our teams at the various levels As a small nation we undoubtedly have raw talent but that just cannot be enough to cross the final hurdle and even after crossing the hurdle the assistance is needed to really cause an impact internationally Matching up consistently with higher level opposition will indeed bring us on par with the other nations an this requires requisite funding to have Teams of such level compete with us to get us to the point where we can hold our own As saying goes you can’t do the same thing over and over,and expect a different result we must get strong opposition to play against in practise games,so they beat us constantly,so when it’s time for competitive games,that’s when we want victory,don’t get carried away with beating soft teams and feel,well that’s it “TT did not come any where close to scoring a goal” I was expecting so much after the hype expressed by Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) technical director Anton Corneal who suggested that it is the deepest pool of players he can remember seeing for some time with as many three talented boys competing for every position https://wired868.com/2024/01/03/talent-right-down-to-the-30th-player-tt-u-20-and-u-17-teams-tipped-to-shine/ Coach Cooper needs to step down .I expect TTFA to appoint a new coach next time for this age group.I don’t understand why Ttfa keep using the same coach with the same results.This was the best opportunity to qualify at U17 I am extremely disappointed we need to start qualifying from these age groups I bet the ladies will do a better job to qualify.MENTAL RESILIENCE lacked in that game against Costa Rica…the young players had no venom ..never say Die attitude…Work hard mindset …They played like sweating at Queens Park Savannah We need new coaches to be appointed as reiterated Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Business & Society LOGAN, Utah — The Shingo Institute, a program in the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University has awarded Moog Medical Devices SRL in Coyol “Receipt of the Shingo Bronze Medallion signifies an organization’s mastery of fundamental tools and techniques for improving an organization's operations,” said Ken Snyder executive director at the Shingo Institute “Organizations that receive the Bronze Medallion are making great progress on their journey to achieving enterprise excellence.” The Shingo Bronze Medallion is the third of three awards bestowed on organizations by the Shingo Institute The highest achievement is the Shingo Prize we have the opportunity to develop our projects regardless of our position in the company giving us the necessary tools and support,” said Carlos Venegas it is our style of working at Moog.” “One of the Shingo principles we identify with in Engineering is to focus on scientific thinking We work with many tools and systems that help us identify improvements Our project system helps us manage all the projects of the plant and seek the necessary savings to meet the goals of our company,” said Viviana van der Laat P&P Senior Engineer at Moog Costa Rica “One of the Shingo principles that has helped me continuously improve is Lead with Humility which has allowed me to recognize my mistakes and to be a good leader by listening to others.” is a worldwide designer and manufacturer of motion and fluid controls and control systems for applications in aerospace The corporation is formed by more than 90 sites and 14,000 employees around the world The Moog Medical Devices Costa Rica site is recognized as one of the best sites at Moog is continuously investing in Moog Medical Devices SRL Costa Rica “Shingo has been quite an experience for our department,” said Natalia Ledezma “I have been working at Moog Costa Rica for almost seven years and since day one continuous improvement feels part of our DNA Shingo provides us with the tools that allow us to achieve sustainable results and important changes in our financial culture.” By “challenging” or applying for Shingo recognition organizations invite a group of accomplished professionals and examiners to thoroughly review their culture and operations The examiners evaluate the challengers based on a rigorous set of standards and the Shingo Institute awards the organizations according to their assessment results The Shingo Institute is home of the Shingo Prize, an award that recognizes organizations that demonstrate an exceptional culture that fosters continuous improvement. A program in the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University, the Shingo Institute is named after Japanese industrial engineer and Toyota adviser, Shigeo Shingo Shingo distinguished himself as one of the world’s thought leaders in concepts and improvement techniques that have become known as the Toyota Production System Comments and questions regarding this article may be directed to the contact person listed on this page USU's SNAC food pantry recently received a donation of 1,000 pounds of ground beef UNIVERSITY AFFAIRS SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY HEALTH & WELLNESS Hooters today unveiled the opening of an international location Hooters of Alajuela (City Mall) led by franchisee Chatwoods S.A Hooters of Alajuela (City Mall) is conveniently located inside City Mall the largest mall in Central America which opened just under two years ago The relocated 400-square meter location seats 130 guests inside and accommodates 18 guests on its outdoor patio salads and burgers while watching their favorite sports team on one of the 28 large screen televisions the restaurant features “City Mall is an exceptional venue to where locals and tourists flock,” said Carlos Chotocruz “We welcome shoppers to stop by the new Hooters located on the first floor of the mall where they can take a break from the ordinary and enjoy our world-famous wings served up by one-of-a-kind Hooters Girl hospitality.” we know they will deliver the iconic Hooters brand to fans at this new Alajuela location,” said Mark Whittle “Hooters fun-loving atmosphere goes hand in hand with the vibe of City Mall and we are confident guests will be treated to a unique Hooters experience that will keep them coming back.” The new location will incorporate the latest design features that deliver the familiar fun-loving persona of the Hooters brand along with contemporary elements that combine to deliver a one-of-a-kind guest experience While guests will still enjoy Hooters craveable burgers they can expect some additions to the menus to suit local taste buds These include regional dishes such as Ceviche Hooters continues its acceleration of restaurant openings with plans to open more than 30 new locations globally in 2017 and is actively seeking qualified franchise partners to open new locations in select markets across the U.S. and around the globe. For more information about becoming a Hooters franchisee, visit hooters.com/franchising The World Heritage Centre is at the forefront of the international community’s efforts to protect and preserve World Heritage partnerships for conservation Ensuring that World Heritage sites sustain their outstanding universal value is an increasingly challenging mission in today’s complex world where sites are vulnerable to the effects of uncontrolled urban development Our Partners Donate Take advantage of the search to browse through the World Heritage Centre information the final restitution workshop for the pilot implementation of the UNESCO Thematic Indicators for Culture in the 2030 Agenda (UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators) was organized by the Ministry of Culture and Youth and the Municipality of Alajuela in close collaboration with UNESCO including representatives from national and local stakeholders The workshop was an opportunity to present the implementation results demonstrating culture’s transversal contribution to sustainable development in the 2030 Agenda The workshop also served to promote results dissemination encourage policy action at national and urban level and seek inputs from stakeholders on policy recommendations towards strengthening data collection The pilot implementation of the UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators in Costa Rica and the city of Alajuela was launched in February 2022 by the Ministry of Culture and Youth and the Municipality of Alajuela in partnership with UNESCO and in collaboration with the UNESCO Institute for Statistics Implementation was made possible thanks to the generous financial contribution of the European Union and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) The implementation succeeded in achieving the goal of collecting culture data and building the foundation for more reliable measurement systems to show the multiple ways culture contributes to the economic and environmental dimensions of sustainable development The UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators framework is composed of 22 indicators in four thematic dimensions measuring culture’s contribution as a sector of activity in itself and transversally as an intrinsic component present in other sectors This achievement was only made possible with the collaboration and engagement of a wide of range of stakeholders involved in the policy spectrum: Ministries agencies operating in the four thematic dimensions of the framework culture related organizations and networks civil society and professional organizations research institutions including academia and national institutes The workshop concluded the UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators data collection and participants from Costa Rica and Alajuela recognized the framework of the indicators as a breakthrough underlining that it allowed them to refine the analysis of the transversal contribution of culture across policy domains and the different Sustainable Development Goals of Agenda 2030 the Assistant Director-General for Culture of UNESCO thanked Costa Rica and Alajuela for participating in the pilot implementation and stressed that the data collected and analyzed will inform decision-makers with the aim of enabling greater investment in culture and further recognition of its cross-cutting role in other sectors He believed that the UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators would help decision-makers build a solid and evidence-based discourse on culture and development He hailed that the data collected will enrich the UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators’ Data Bank which will facilitate future updates and analysis of local He also invited participants to consider the restitution workshop as a starting point in the process of monitoring and updating data on culture Director of UNESCO's Cluster Office in San José of the Delegation of the European Union in Costa Rica Elsa Helin of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency provided opening words highlighting the high expectations raised by the project towards building evidence-based policies The Minister of Culture and Youth emphasized that Costa Rica was aware that the presentation of the report is not a conclusion but the beginning of a process of growth and improvement the generation of data is a tool that contributes to the creation of strategies and public policies that strengthen our creative and cultural sector’ She added that ‘it is hoped that this effort will contribute to the strategic positioning of culture in the global sustainable development agenda’ delivered the welcoming message for the workshop on behalf of the city She emphasized the strong interest of her administration in facilitating the pilot implementation in Alajuela and recalled the continuous efforts undertaken throughout this project by Alajuela in this regard She further demonstrated a solid engagement of her City to remain active in the implementation of the UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators contextualized the implementation of the framework and provided an overview of the main benefits obtained and the mechanisms put in place to support the activities She stressed the significance of the project as an innovative framework to collect and analyze data on culture in view of elaboration of concrete policies and actions to foster sustainable development in Costa Rica provided an overview of the challenges and opportunities encountered in the implementation and presented the main findings in collaboration with the national and local experts supported the presentation and elaborated on the highlights of the data collection process and their analysis Following feedback and exchanges between stakeholders and national and local authorities participants outlined policy recommendations stemming from the analysis of the results The exchanges on the results of the implementation facilitated during the workshop by the national and local implementation teams along with the UNESCO Regional Expert will be instrumental to the finalization of the National and Urban Reports on the pilot implementation for the Costa Rica and the City of Alajuela The implementation highlighted the need for better collection of culture data including sex-disaggregated data in order to make visible the contribution of culture to Goal 5 on ‘Gender equality’ which is notably lacking on a more global level as well The framework addresses SDG 5 transversally by allowing for the appreciation of sex-disaggregated data across a number of different data points from access to opportunities and participation in social The implementation sought to include sex-disaggregated data wherever possible The workshop achieved its objective of presenting the main findings of the implementation of the UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators promoting results dissemination to encourage policy action at national and urban level and advocating for commitments from stakeholders to support future monitoring and data collection Culture Program Specialist of the UNESCO Office in San José the national and local teams and especially the stakeholders for their contribution during the project duration For further information on the pilot implementation in Costa Rica and in the city of Alajuela, please consult the following webpage: https://whc.unesco.org/en/activities/1194/ To learn more about the UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators framework, please consult the following webpage: UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators December 17, 2010JPEG December 17, 2010TIFF the Panama Canal closed for only the third time in its 96-year history reached their highest-recorded water levels prompting authorities to close the canal for 17 hours on December 8-9 Lago Alajuela serves as a reservoir for the Panama Canal, which lies to the lake’s southwest. On December 17, 2010, the Advanced Land Imager (ALI) on NASA’s Earth Observing-1 (EO-1) satellite captured this natural-color image of Lago Alajuela This image has been rotated so north is to the right The canal lies off the top left corner of the image delivering heavy sediment loads to streams Lago Alajuela appears choked with sediment contrasting sharply with the surrounding green forest Panama is accustomed to heavy precipitation. The rainy season lasts from May to January. The Panama Canal actually depends on huge quantities of water—each trip through the canal requires some 52 million gallons. Still, heavy rains in early December 2010 overwhelmed the region The same rains that raised Lago Alajuela’s water level and filled it with sediment also forced thousands of residents to evacuate View this area in EO Explorer Acquired December 17, 2010, this natural-color image shows a sediment-laden Lago Alajuela, a reservoir of the Panama Canal. Relentless rain wreaked havoc in Venezuela and Costa Rica in late November and early December 2010. A key shipping route through Egypt recently received a major overhaul. This passage through the Peloponnese Peninsula was 2500 years in the making. With the aggregate score determining the winner of the two-game playoff, LAFC can advance to the tournament quarterfinals even if it loses by multiple goals in the return leg Wednesday in Los Angeles. Bouanga opened the scoring less than two minutes into the second half, tapping home a low Ryan Hollingshead cross at the far post. He doubled the advantage 22 minutes later on an almost identical play, with Hollingshead dodging a challenge from Alajuelense’s Suhander Zúñiga on the right wing before sending another low pass across the front of the goal for Bouanga, who had an easy finish. Bouanga closed the scoring in the final minute of regulation time, taking a back-heel pass from Ilie Sánchez and beating Alajuelense keeper Leonel Moreira with a right-footed blast from the left side of the penalty area. Bouanga also had the best scoring opportunity in the first half, but he banged a left-footed shot off the left post. LAFC goalkeeper John McCarthy made five saves to record his first shutout since November 2021 while Moreira had nine in the loss. Soccer LAFC will play Alajuelense on Thursday in a CONCACAF Champions League game, the second of five games in 14 days for the defending MLS Cup champions. LAFC, which made it to the Champions League final in its last appearance in 2020, outshot Alajuelense 25-13, putting 12 of those tries on target. LAFC will return to MLS play in between its two Champions League matches, playing host to Bruce Arena and the New England Revolution on Sunday night at BMO Stadium. Including its run to its first MLS Cup last fall, LAFC is unbeaten in its last five competitive games and has one loss in its last nine. Kevin Baxter writes about soccer and hockey for the Los Angeles Times. He has covered seven World Cups, five Olympic Games, six World Series and a Super Bowl and has contributed to three Pulitzer Prize-winning series at The Times and Miami Herald. An essay he wrote in fifth grade was voted best in the class. He has a cool dog. Galaxy LAFC Angel City FC Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map Latest UpdatesCountries Why Join?IL MagazineFree Daily E-LetterVideoOur ExpertsTestimonialsFAQsTopics Kathleen's passion for travel has taken her to over 100 countries on 6 continents and 40+ cruise experiences She and her husband have been full-time expats since 2013 with a footprint in both Malta and Costa Rica If you are researching the best places to live (or visit) in Costa Rica with just a few keystrokes of an online search you’ll be presented with hundreds of suggestions there is not much warning about places to avoid But you will find few suggestions of places not to live or even visit Learn more about Costa Rica and other countries in our daily postcard e-letter Simply enter your email address below and we’ll send you a FREE REPORT - Explore the Old World in Laidback Costa Rica There are several neighborhoods in the San José area that are considered violent and/or dangerous El Infiernillo (the little hell) would be considered one of them Located northwest of the town center of Alajuela and Juan Santamaria International Airport there is no reason for expats or tourists to spend time there Most of the violence and bloodshed in the area comes from rival gangs’ drug wars The neighborhood has become the main distribution point for marijuana This densely populated neighborhood on the northern fringes of San José has long been known for its extreme poverty and high instances of crime and drug use It has been a conflicted area since surrounding municipalities relocated high-risk residents to a government housing project located there—and since then mini-slums have popped up surrounding the project Although there have been government-funded attempts to rehabilitate the area it still remains on the list of places to avoid Other dangerous San José neighborhoods to avoid include Los Guido As well as the El Carmen neighborhood in nearby Cartago most crime in these places is related to financial inequities and drugs The city of Limón is not a popular place for expats or vacationers receiving and exporting a whopping 80% of the country’s shipping services Port cities tend to have a seedy edge in general This is also the epicenter of Costa Rica’s drug trafficking sea route It is a perfect stop-off point for highly concentrated Jamaican marijuana and Colombian cocaine routed onward to satisfy the demand in North America Tortuguero National Park consists of hundreds of waterways that are used for moving covert shipments heading to Europe Limón City has the highest rate of unemployment and organized crime in the country Cieneguita is a small suburb located southeast of the cruise ship terminal Although they have nice views of the Caribbean The neighborhood experiences numerous homicides But one never knows who might get caught in the crossfire The cruise ships highly encourage passengers to go on tours from this port and it is not unusual to see buses lined up ready to take unsuspecting tourists to other fantastic experiences in the area—of which there are many It's best to skip the city and head south to the breathtaking beach communities located north and south of Puerto Viejo Limón is also the name of the entire Caribbean side province so that it can get a little confusing the entire province is not seedy or undesirable is a large agricultural region located in Alajuela province bordering Nicaragua There is a high concentration of low-income Nicaraguans who have fled their home country in search of a better life Humanitarian workers have been threatened at knifepoint there and it is deemed to be dangerous for aid workers Lacking in the features most expats prefer this would not be a place most would feel comfortable calling “home” I am slightly hesitant to add this final city to the list because at a glance (especially from an aerial view) the city perched on a peninsula on the mid-Pacific coast Puntarenas City is also a manufacturing and port city next to the shipping caldera It happens to be another main stop for the cruise ships; conversely The tourism industry has done its best at the cruise terminal to put a little lipstick on the launching point But the reality is the city has socio-economic problems This is another case of cruise ship passengers being carted off quickly to other tourist activities in the area The city is identified on the list of high-risk areas by the Red Cross for safety concerns Most of the Puntarenas province is naturally beautiful and a highly sought-after location for expats you will be hard-pressed to find English speakers (locals or expats) in any of these cities or neighborhoods you will not find a supportive expat community That part may not be important to every potential expat but safety and security should be—especially for a gringo living in a foreign country Mariela completed her elementary school studies at the Carrillos Alto de Poás School in Alajuela and high school at the Colegio Científico in San Ramón She obtained a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Costa Rica (UCR)  and a master’s degree in Space Engineering from the Technological Institute of Japan Upon returning to Costa Rica she worked as a lecturer at the UCR and as coordinator of the Aerospace Engineering Group at the School of Mechanical Engineering Mariela then had the opportunity to complete an internship at NASA’s Ames Research Center under the supervision of fellow Costa Rican engineer Andres Mora During this internship she helped deliver the Astrobee program NASA’s free-flying robotic system aboard the International Space Station Mariela currently works for the Japanese company Daikin For the pioneering work she carried out that put Costa Rica’s first satellite into orbit in 2018 she was selected as Outstanding Person of the San Pedro de Poás canton In 2019 the graduation ceremony of the National System of Science High Schools of Costa Rica was dedicated to Mariela I remember when I was six years old I saw Franklin Chang-Díaz on the news and told my parents that I wanted to be an astronaut I think hearing these words from such a small girl must have been very shocking They told me that I could achieve what I wanted but that I had to work hard Franklin Chang-Díaz was very inspiring during my childhood He has been a great personality and a great example for the Costa Rican people I chose my career when I was in my last year of high school. Although I already knew before that I wanted to study engineering. From a young age mechanical systems caught my attention.  And of course Franklin Chang-Díaz inspired me with his story and his work as a scientist and researcher at NASA I wanted to study Mechanical Engineering because it seemed to be a very broad career that would allow me to develop in different fields of engineering and especially the design of elements and structures used in Space Engineering Physics and mathematics always caught my attention and when I did an analysis of the study program I realized that it was an engineering field that combined the theoretical part of physics with the practical part of engineering spending time with family and friends was what I sacrificed the most I had to sacrifice a lot of family time to devote to my studies the time for sports was also  reduced I think the best moments cannot be summed up in one but without a doubt some of the best have been the day of my graduation in Japan and the day I entered NASA for the first time I remember seeing a replica of the shuttle at the entrance and thinking when I felt extremely lonely and wondered if it was worth making so much sacrifice Working at NASA has been one of my main accomplishments and being part of the team of engineers that brought Astrobee to life fills me with pride the Aerospace group grew and motivated many students with the work that was done It included several students that won the Mission Idea Contest in Latin America which empowered us to participate in the competition worldwide Working on the vibration analysis and the mechanical structure of the first Costa Rican satellite was also very important to me living in Japan and developing my master’s degree there was without a doubt the best thing I could have done I like to play sports such as soccer and volleyball and to go to the gym I dream of helping my family and I hope that Costa Rican talent will be supported here in the country and that platforms will be developed to promote research and development especially in the field of space engineering that they do not allow themselves to be influenced by what people say about it and to seek constant improvement and perfection Contributions in the field of engineering are equally valuable regardless of whether they were given by a woman or by a man all people are unique and their contributions are unique The conservation of the environment and the adequate distribution of economic resources in the world Attending motivational talks of exemplary people from similar backgrounds to learn how they did it Their realities and achievements need to be more widely disseminated so that other girls can learn how to face their own challenges and how to achieve dreams You can learn more about Mariela in the book The Intrepids in Science and Technology published by Editorial Tecnologica de Costa Rica The pilot implementation of the UNESCO Thematic Indicators for Culture in the 2030 Agenda (UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators) has been launched in Costa Rica and the city of Alajuela A kick-off workshop was organized by the Ministry of Culture and Youth and the Municipality of Alajuela in close collaboration with UNESCO including representatives and institutions from the national and local authorities and other competent entities whose work is informed by culture and heritage In line with UNESCO’s commitment to advocate for the essential role of culture in sustainable development the UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators is a conceptual and methodological framework of thematic indicators whose purpose is to measure and monitor the progress of culture’s enabling contribution to the national and local implementation of the Goals and Targets of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development The framework has been developed by UNESCO in collaboration with the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) with the aim to assess both culture’s role as a sector of activity as well as the transversal contribution of culture across different SDGs and policy areas The UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators framework maps the SDGs in 22 indicators across four thematic dimensions: Environment & Resilience Goal 5 on ‘Gender equality’ is addressed transversally across the framework by allowing for the appreciation of sex disaggregation across a number of data points from access to opportunities and their participation in social The UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators’ methodology aims to make culture visible inform national and local policies and actions help understand trends and build knowledge and monitor the global progress of culture in the realization of the UN 2030 Agenda for sustainable development The implementation of the UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators in Costa Rica and in the city of Alajuela was made possible thanks to the generous financial contribution of the European Union and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) the Assistant Director General of UNESCO for Culture opened the workshop congratulating Costa Rica and the city of Alajuela for launching pilot implementation of the UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators and highlighted UNESCO’s continued support of Member States in the implementation of national and local development programs through culture He hailed the project as an innovative initiative to help decision-makers through building a solid and coherent discourse He also addressed how these voluntary indicators contributed to informing the National Voluntary Reviews and Local Voluntary Reviews for countries and cities Deputy Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre shared an introduction to the UNESCO CultureI2030 Indicators framework She explained the development of the methodology and its guiding principles as well as the major implementation steps at national and local levels She also presented the framework ant its linkages with the UNESCO Cultural Conventions and the SDGs of the UN 2030 Agenda Minister of Culture and Youth of Costa Rica delivered the welcoming message for the workshop She indicated that the sustained and growing effort made in the generation of data with the Cultural Information System give voice to small-scale cultural contexts and are of great value for decision-making and informed prioritization of institutional work in favor of the country's artistic and cultural sector as well as the well-being of the society Minister of Economics and National Planification of Costa Rica also welcomed the initiative that will allow to improve the visibility of the transversal contribution of culture to the UN 2030 Agenda the Deputy Mayor of the city of Alajuela delivered the welcoming message for the workshop on behalf of the city She stressed that “Culture is fundamental for society it helps our communities and our people to grow I would like this to be a tool that allows us to see substantial improvements in our cultural lives.” She pointed out that with the wide participation that is being achieved in the workshop this effort will reflect and promote the cultural diversity that is characteristic of Alajuela presented the framework’s methodology covering in detail the four dimensions and 22 thematic indicators focusing on the data mapping and the process of extracting raw data from international and national accounts supported the presentation and elaborated on the essential steps to achieving robust cultural statistics She shared experiences of the process of collecting resources and analyzing culture data presented an overview of the roles and responsibilities of the national and local implementation teams and outlined in collaboration with UNESCO Regional Expert the process for the data mapping and the identification of the data providers the national and local implementation teams along with the UNESCO Regional Expert facilitated exchanges between participants and discussed the UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators from various perspectives and through its 22 indicators and its four dimensions UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) provided a focus on the indicators of the thematic framework that are based on UIS methodology participants contributed to a data mapping exercise informed on the project work plan and provided inputs to a preliminary policy review The workshop achieved its objective of introducing the UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators framework methodology bringing together key stakeholders and professionals whose work is informed by culture and heritage imparting knowledge to strengthen culture data collection and laying the groundwork for the formulation of policy recommendations for improved inclusion of culture in the national dialogue at the conclusion of the project the national and local teams and especially the stakeholders for their presence attendance and availability to start this collaborative work For further information on the UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators project, we invite you to explore the following webpage: UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators September 25, 2023 By A rendering of J&J MedTech’s planned manufacturing facility in Costa Rica [Image courtesy of Johnson & Johnson MedTech] It’s the largest investment J&J MedTech has ever made outside the U.S. the agency that promotes Costa Rican exports J&J MedTech — Johnson & Johnson’s medical device business, which by itself is the world’s second-largest device manufacturer — said the plant will manufacture products across its franchises with an emphasis on heart rhythm solutions and orthopedics The new plant will also have space for shared services and will assess and support demand for product across J&J MedTech’s portfolio Construction starts this year on the facility which will add around 3,000 new jobs in the region over the next three to five years “Nearly 300 million patients are treated with Johnson & Johnson MedTech products worldwide every year and building a new facility in Costa Rica will add to our ability to deliver more innovative life-changing products to our patients and to keep pace with the continued growth of our business,” Johnson & Johnson MedTech Latin America International VP Gustavo Galá said in a statement shared with Medical Design & Outsourcing J&J MedTech has done business in Costa Rica for four decades and “benefitted greatly from the country’s local talent who have specialized experience in our industry,” he continued “We are confident that our facility in Alajuela will meaningfully evolve our capabilities and maintain our momentum for long-term growth.” The new facility will also advance J&J MedTech’s sustainability goals as 99% of Costa Rica’s electricity comes from renewable sources Medical device manufacturers are among the leading exporters in Costa Rica, which has drawn contract manufacturers and other suppliers to the Central American nation in recent years Johnson & Johnson MedTech selected Costa Rica over competing sites across the world Costa Rica won in part due to its medical device sector As of this publication, Johnson & Johnson only had two job openings posted for Costa Rica Related: Johnson & Johnson drops 136-year-old logo and renames Janssen The Ministry of Public Works and Transportation (MOPT) reopened the road on La Radial de Alajuela After three months of work and endless traffic jams The works included replacing 167 concrete slabs on the Radial Minister Mauricio Batalla highlighted these improvements at the entrance to the central canton of Alajuela “We are leaving the neighbors with a Radial with a useful life of 20 years,” he said The head of the MOPT believes that this project will pave the way for the San José – San Ramón highway We are not only benefiting the neighbors of the West but also the 6 and a half million tourists who visit Costa Rica,” added Batalla it is the responsibility of the MOPT to reduce road chaos through these initiatives  “We have to provide agility to our main gateway to the country According to the National Roads Council (CONAVI) This amount is higher than the San José – Alajuela direction due to the additional slabs The project also involved installing a modular bridge (or bailey bridge) in Alajuela which will be situated next to the existing structure According to the National Roads Council (CONAVI) people traveling from San José to San Ramón and Atenas will have two lanes to improve traffic “These are two improvements that will save people 30 minutes People report saving 30 minutes of travel time and avoiding traffic congestion,” said Batalla Costa Rica has always taken pride in its efforts to rely mostly on renewable energy sources instead of hydrocarbons to power its national grid. In fact, the country has managed not one, but two green energy streaks this year, as we reported earlier this month Costa Rica ran 94 consecutive days exclusively on renewable energy according to the state-run Costa Rican Electricity Institute But while its emphasis traditionally has been on generating hydropower the reality is that Costa Rica has fallen woefully behind on its generation of solar power Costa Rica produces a dismal 0.01 percent of its national power from solar energy President Luis Guillermo Solís is expected to sign by decree a national energy strategy that aims to set new regulations governing solar power generation and electricity rates going solar has been a seemingly insurmountable challenge for many businesses among them the perpetuation of myths that installing solar panels would somehow drive up the cost of electricity for regular consumers or that consumer-generated electricity would hurt the state-run ICE’s bottom line many companies have opted to set up shop elsewhere to demonstrate that solar power is a viable option to not only cut costs has been a landmark in downtown Alajuela since its founding in 1934 by Catalan immigrants attracting faithful return customers from all over Costa Rica Its Alajuela department store now links six different buildings in a shopping complex and the Llobets added a store in the Central Valley coffee town of Grecia “They were Catalan immigrants who came here to support this country and help make it great,” store owner Francisco Llobet said of his relatives my uncle – they were pillars of this company and the fourth generation is supporting the company to help it continue to grow.” A few years ago, Llobet, son Pablo and store employees were brainstorming about how to cut costs. One employee suggested they install solar panels on the store’s extensive, multilevel roof. Despite the obstacles, it was an idea worth exploring, so the Llobets teamed up with the company Costa Rica Solar Solutions to design a plan the Llobet and Sons department store had the largest solar system in the Central Valley according to Costa Rica Solar Solutions Executive Account Manager Scott Benson The system still is the only one of its kind set up for a department store and a truly commercial area both Costa Rica Solar Solutions and the Llobets have been able not only to monitor in real time their electricity generation and savings but also to accumulate a year’s worth of useful data That data have helped bust two of the biggest myths about solar power in Costa Rica: The Central Valley doesn’t receive enough sunlight to make consumer- and company-based solar generation feasible and it’s not profitable during the rainy season “This is a great example for Costa Rica in general ‘What happens in the Central Valley when it’s raining?’” Benson said when I compared this to the properties [with solar panels] at the beaches and it doesn’t matter – here in the Central Valley the Llobets’ department store has produced about 81 megawatt-hours for the year – some 45 percent of its total consumption and also the energy for the environment and the whole ecological aspect,” Benson said the install cost in Costa Rica for solar is under $3 per watt which is cheaper than a lot of cities in the United States the question is why aren’t we adapting more into solar and offsetting our costs and doing better for the environment?” Benson said Standing on the store’s roof deck on a recent sunny Tuesday morning the solar panels look like any other medium-sized commercial solar installation is the absence of solar panels on the dozens of surrounding buildings where tin roofs soak up the wasted energy of the sun like an empty field waiting to be harvested “Aquí hay muchas oportunidades,” Francisco Llobet observed – “There are many opportunities here.” it’s clear that we’re helping protect the environment,” Llobet added “It’s part of our corporate responsibility and it’s important to us to show other companies that it’s possible We’re really just a grain of sand when you think about the country’s energy costs.” Llobet said he would recover his investment on the project in a few years but he expects the panels to continue generating power for up to 25 years well into the fourth generation of the company we say we’re a green country,” Llobet said “But we frequently realize that there are complications because it’s exactly the kind of thing we’re trying abroad to portray ourselves as embracing But we shouldn’t only project that image internationally we should also actually implement it at home.” allowing companies to go solar would help reduce their operating costs as well as keep the jobs that already are here “One of the main points companies mention is the cost of energy It’s extremely high when compared even to other Central American countries Companies have been leaving Costa Rica because of it,” Llobet said one way to compete and produce cheaper energy But for that we need to push for it with government policies and make it easier to install these types of systems That would even help the country become more competitive because the fact is companies that produce and generate employment are leaving and the government hasn’t been able to stop them.” Benson added: “I have to give the Llobets a lot of credit because they were actually thinking forward He also noted the beginning of an upward trend that could be greatly benefitted by a possible Solís administration national energy decree once they’re published and everything’s in place we have probably about eight companies that are going to be putting in close to 10,000 solar panels,” Benson said we’re looking at a really big explosion in the commercial sector To learn more about solar energy and solar systems in Costa Rica, visit our sponsor for this story, Costa Rica Solar Solutions, at http://crsolarsolutions.com/. For updates about Costa Rica’s national energy plan, follow wordpress-257819-2837440.cloudwaysapps.com It’s story time in Alajuela as the 18th annual International Story Telling Festival gets underway and goes on til July 8th in the Municipal Theater just one block south of the square and at the El Llano church and a few other locations Mexico and all around Costa Rica will be in town to tell you a story You do not need to be fluent in Spanish to enjoy stories with cows mooing ducks quacking or audience participation that includes being reamed out for not stretching your arms as wide as you can to indicate how fat the king is And if you cannot understand all the words of the story Alajuela is Costa Rica’s second largest city and is west of San Jose a few miles west of the big airport It’s known as the city of mangos because of all the mango trees in the central park and for it’s big league soccer team “la Liga” And now it is recognized as the City of Words or la ciudad de palabra because storytelling is embedded in its culture He hammed up the Bible stories with voices and gestures to keep the kids’ attention and soon noted that every week After offering shows in Alajuela he became a national legend and has performed on TV and stage here and abroad He organized the first festival dedicated to words in 2007 and except for the pandemia years Costa Rica continues to attract foreign investments and position itself as one of the countries where the Free Trade Zone Regime is a true success The Evolution Free Zone began the construction of its infrastructure and buildings in Tacares de Grecia it will create over 20,000 high-quality jobs in the next fifteen years among other places in the Western areaof the country The initial estimated investment is approximately $200 million CODE Development Group will spend US$50 million in the first phase The group has broad experience inthe construction and management of Industrial Parks and Free Trade Zones and ethics motivate this free zone that aims to attract High Technology and Value-Added Services companies to the Western part of the province of Alajuela,” mentioned Evolution Free Trade Zone in a press release This industrial area will have world-class infrastructure and offer multinational companies the possibility of long-term investments to ensure their economic growth “Evolution is committed to being a free trade zone integrated into the community with global standards that improve the quality of life and well-being of the people of the Western region of Alajuela,” explained Alvaro Carballo and ethics are the core values behind this new project and Value-Added Services companies to Western Alajuela OKAY Industries is the first company to locate its offices in this Free Trade Zone The business manufactures high-precision metal and plastic components used in different surgical procedures The Free Trade Zones regime plays a key dynamizing role in the country and provides job opportunities for a significant portion of the Costa Rican workforce this sector provided almost 188,000 jobs and represented 12% of Costa Rica’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) with a total contribution of US$7.23 billion “We promised to remove obstacles and eliminate unnecessary procedures which not only affect the pockets of investors but also delay the development of communities eager to be tapped and to contribute with their knowledge to the country This is excellent news for a country that needs employment generation and is working towards its economic recovery It will provide new opportunities for the communities of the Western region and foster its development a significant road repair project is set to start in Alajuela The initiative aims to address the pressing issue of 167 deteriorating slabs posing risks to both local residents and the safety of those navigating this crucial route Mauricio Sojo, an engineer from CONAVI, revealed that the anticipated three-month renovation project will replace these precarious slabs Authorities have issued a warning to drivers urging them to exercise caution and plan their routes accordingly as traffic disruptions are expected throughout the construction period To mitigate potential delays for air travelers, Juan Santamaria International Airport has advised passengers to consider these roadworks when scheduling their arrivals, emphasizing the importance of timely departure for their flights. Despite the necessary road closures in the Alajuela – Airport direction, officials guarantee continued accessibility to the airport. The project envisions a complete closure of the affected route, directing traffic to a new section from San José to Alajuela. This temporary one-lane configuration in each direction aims to minimize inconvenience for the estimated 30,000 daily drivers while facilitating the essential improvements. To ensure the smooth flow of traffic during the construction period, strategic intersections will undergo significant changes. At the Delta Gas Station intersection, southbound traffic towards the radial will be prohibited, while at the KFC Restaurant intersection, traffic lanes will undergo modifications. In the Molinos de Costa Rica area, a left turn will be permitted for entry into Barrio Monserrat. For heavy vehicles, an alternative route through Invu Las Cañas is recommended during construction. Local authorities will collaborate closely with CONAVI to oversee and coordinate traffic flow, ensuring the efficient and safe execution of the project. The renovation initiative not only addresses current concerns but also aims to enhance the overall driving experience for the thousands who utilize this route daily. The collaborative efforts of authorities and engineers seek to create a safer and more efficient road system for the benefit of the community. Alajuela’s new bus station took a long time coming but the results are in. There are spaces for 42 bus lines, well lit waiting areas with ramps, security around the clock, and under-roof shops for last-minute-before-the-bus-goes purchases.  The station was scheduled to open in December but last minute corrections delayed that date and even after the glitzy inauguration on January 27 with president Chaves on hand and a fireworks display, the station stayed closed because it just wasn’t ready yet.  But now, after two years of promises, the new station makes bus service easier and more comfortable. Walking from one bus line to another takes just a few steps instead of bucking sidewalk crowds and crossing traffic strangled streets. The new station covers two full blocks with plenty of room to accommodate  lines waiting for the different buses. Wide ramps make it easier entering and leaving the station, especially for the visually disabled, moms with babies, and young women with stiletto heels.  A partial roof will keep the rain off and there will be public services; bathrooms, cleaning service, automatic money machines and an office for security guards. The wide center area makes it easier for buses entering and making turns. The station is just one block from Alajuela’s central market and commercial district. Construction began in April, 2021 but was plagued with delays including an injunction by someone claiming that the entrance and exits were too narrow for the buses.  Then there were last minute adjustments and bus lines had to get permits from the Council on Transportation  (Consejo de Transporte) before they could use the station.  Alajuela mayor Humberto Soto cut the ribbon to inaugurate the station and told the audience that the new station will help revive the city. “This will eliminate a lot of traffic problems by keeping buses off side streets, and with the new station functioning the municipality can now develop plans for beautifying  the city and controlling traffic.” The old bus station on the same site discouraged using public transportation as users had to endure such indignities as peeing and sometimes pooping in the back area, grimy benches that made standing a preferred option, rats scurrying after bits of snack food, and rain gutters so broken up that you got wetter inside the station than out. Nor was there enough room for all bus lines so that buses were scattered over surrounding blocks.  The land was originally the train station, built around 1906 for passengers going to Puntarenas and after train service was discontinued in the 1980’s, was turned over for the use of buses but it never was a comfortable place to wait. According to the municipality of Alajuela 40,000 to 50,000 people per day use the bus station. Source: MariTrace By Mira Rojanasakul The lake that allows the Panama Canal to function recorded the lowest water level ever for the start of a dry season this year, which means that vastly fewer ships can pass through the canal. The extreme drought, exacerbated by an ongoing El Niño that is affecting Gatún Lake and the whole region appears likely to last into May The Panama Canal Authority has reduced daily traffic through the narrow corridor by nearly 40 percent compared with last year. Many ships have already diverted to longer ocean routes, which increases both costs and carbon emissions, while the global shipping company Maersk recently announced they will shift some of their cargo to rail Note: Water levels reflect a seven-day rolling average Panama typically sees a dry season from January to May but climate change has made rainfall patterns much less predictable The result is that the increasingly severe droughts and extreme deluges can push canal infrastructure past its operational limits Rising temperatures also evaporate a significant amount of moisture from the reservoir and its watershed Each maneuver takes around 50 million gallons from its reservoirs to raise and lower vessels through the locks before spilling into the sea “The fact that the Panama Canal operates on freshwater is a major disadvantage compared to other water routes,” said Ricaurte Vásquez Morales, the administrator of the Panama Canal Authority, in a video address last month Current lake levels can’t meet the demand for ship traffic Note: Water levels reflect one-year rolling average “This is certainly a low input year — one of the lowest one of the driest on record,” said Joshua Tewksbury the director of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute based in Panama But there are two variables when it comes to lake levels: what goes in and what goes out And demands on water have grown significantly Panama’s population has quadrupled since the 1950s and more than half the country relies on the canal’s reservoirs — Gatún Lake and the smaller Alajuela — for clean drinking water “Before it was a very small percentage of total water use and now it's the equivalent of four or five lockages per day,” said Gloria Arrocha Paz a meteorologist at the Panama Canal Authority Demand for global shipping has risen steadily since the canal first opened in 1914. Cutting through the narrow isthmus saves thousands of miles on trips that might otherwise need to route around the tip of South America or through the Red Sea, where Houthi attacks have thwarted traffic in recent months An expansion completed in 2016 added two new locks to accommodate significantly larger “neo-Panamax” ships, which are bigger, heavier and require deeper water to move through the corridor when fully laden. A previous Times investigation found that canal officials ignored warnings that they would need new sources of water in order for the expansion to succeed “All of the demands on that water have increased over the last hundred years and none of the inputs have,” said Dr The Panama Canal Authority is also exploring longer term fixes The most prominent candidate may be a new reservoir on the Indio River But any meaningful next steps will first need to contend with a standing law that prohibits the Panama Canal Authority from constructing reservoirs in watersheds beyond the one that feeds its existing lakes The Authority has also looked to Bayano Lake to the east but tapping it would involve piping the water miles and miles away from a reservoir that also supplies Panama City with hydroelectricity Decades of deforestation have degraded the landscape’s potential for absorbing flood waters The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute has been working with the Panama Canal Authority on forest restoration projects and research into which planting strategies best support the forest’s “sponge effect” to mitigate wet and dry spells as well as to deliver other climate and ecological benefits But it may not be enough to meet the pressing demand for cargo traffic through the Panama Canal What’s happened this year has emphasized the urgency of obtaining more water sources “Whatever can be done inside the watershed is not going to be enough for the next 50 years.” Marriott this month announced it will expand in Costa Rica by opening Fairfield and Residence Inn properties The two new hotels will bring Marriott’s portfolio in Costa Rica to 17 hotels and feature a combined 242 rooms Residence Inn Alajuela will be located in Coyol de Alajuela near Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) and the many multi-national companies that operate in the area’s free-trade zones Guests there can expect fully equipped kitchens in each suite The Fairfield by Marriott San Jose Curridabat will have 125 rooms in what the company calls a “growing business cluster” east of the capital Both new hotels aim to capitalize on business travelers visiting Costa Rica and the multinational companies that operate in the San José area Costa Rica was the world’s best-performing country relative to its size in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI), according to analysis from fDi Intelligence.  “We are proud to work with Saxum Group to bring the Fairfield by Marriott brand to Costa Rica and add the Residence Inn by Marriott to enhance the hospitality offering in the greater metropolitan area of San Jose,” said Pablo Botero Marriott International’s Senior Director of Development for Central America and the Caribbean “The continued expansion of the Greater Metropolitan Area has become a draw for international companies seeking strategic developments in the country and we are excited to be part of this expansion.” Marriott’s properties in Costa Rica include Los Sueños (Puntarenas) and El Mangroove (Guanacaste). Earlier this year, Hilton opened a hotel in Costa Rica’s tallest building But the majority of hotels in Costa Rica are small and independently owned Some 600,000 jobs in Costa Rica are directly or indirectly created by the tourism industry and the sector has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic This story was updated with the renderings from Marriott Marriott International is pleased to announce the appointment of Diana De Rojas as General Manager of the Fairfield by Marriott San Jose Airport Alajuela hotel becoming the first woman in Costa Rica to simultaneously hold the position of General Manager of two hotels in the Marriott International portfolio In her position as Multi-Property General Manager De Rojas will be in charge of the management of the Fairfield by Marriott San Jose Airport Alajuela and the Courtyard by Marriott San Jose Airport Alajuela Diana De Rojas is a hotel leader with more than 20 years of experience Her incursion into the industry and the hotel chain occurred simultaneously in 1996 with the opening of the Costa Rica Marriott Hacienda Belen the first property of the Marriott International portfolio in the country She began her career as executive assistant to the general manager of that first hotel her passion for the hotel industry sparked her interest in becoming general manager and so she began a career plan and preparation until in 2000 she opened the Courtyard by Marriott San José Escazú De Rojas served as manager of Los Sueños Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort and years later as general manager of the Courtyard by Marriott San Jose Airport Alajuela Diana De Rojas is a graduate in business administration from Universidad Estatal a Distancia During her career she has received awards such as the CALA Courtyard General Manager of the Year in 2003 a gynecologist at San Rafael de Alajuela Hospital on Monday became Costa Rica’s sixth coronavirus-related death died after a lengthy battle with COVID-19 and associated complications Albernás tested positive for the coronavirus on March 6 and the virus provoked a pneumonia from which he did not recover Albernás is considered by the Health Ministry as Costa Rica’s “patient zero.” He likely contracted the virus during a February trip abroad was asymptomatic when he returned to Costa Rica and was ultimately linked to 81 additional coronavirus cases A social-media post shared by the Costa Rican Social Security System (CCSS or Caja) on Tuesday night commemorated Albernás a doctor “who was always ready to help Read the Caja’s full tribute to Albernás below: His light went out after a fierce 45-day battle not only against the SARS-CoV-2 virus that entered his body and made him sick with COVID-19 who without never having shared a hello or goodbye with him had sentenced him since it was announced was the first Costa Rican to test positive for this disease on March 6 self-sacrificing doctor who was always ready to help His death is heartbreaking news for those who worked with him throughout his years as a gynecologist at the San Rafael de Alajuela Hospital because the hope of his recovery was beating strongly in all who knew him and in many who did not know him but thousands — of colleagues from the Costa Rican Social Security System (CCSS) cry for him knowing that a soldier of this army of health has fallen To your relatives we send our deepest condolences struggling and supportive health professional will live forever one of those that make the Caja and Costa Rica great Today we are saddened by his departure but we will take his memory as an incentive to strengthen this army of health that today faces one of the greatest battles that modern society has seen protecting Costa Rica and each of its inhabitants 43,000+ global companies doing business in the region 102,000+ key contacts related to companies and projects news and interviews about your industry in English folks with the gift of gab are descending on the city of Alajuela for a week of tall tales in the museum and municipal theater and in barrios around Alajuela Alajuela will become the City of Words as storytellers bring audiences to the edge of their seats or the Abrapalabra from Colombia are among the guests in the street in front of the Juan Santamaría Museum and Cultural Center continuing with more stories throughout the day in the museum and one block down the street in the Municipal Theater (see detailed schedule below) but it’s not necessary to be fully proficient to enjoy them so the audience gets to make noises and gestures or sing or yodel and become part of the story It’s all designed to elicit smiles as the audience gets acquainted with other cultures This year the stories are all about travel: to the future Little airplanes made of clothespins will be given out at some performances nationally known as Juan Cuentacuentos (Juan the Storyteller) came up with the idea after participating in a story festival in Colombia “I wanted my family to see this: my mother “Since I couldn’t take the whole city to Colombia Madrigal hadn’t planned on a career as a storyteller He began as a catechism instructor for kids and hammed up the Bible stories to keep their interest and soon he had an audience instead of a class “Storytelling began with humans before there was writing,” Madrigal explains “It was the way information got passed around Storytelling passed on traditions and history.” stories still are a form of entertainment; most every Tico still knows about La Segua All story events at the Juan Santamaría Museum are free Alajuela is easy to get to by car or bus and a storytelling party is worth the trip covered the kitchen floor in Antonio Barrantes’ home in Lourdes de Cirrí He opened one bag to sift the jade-colored unroasted beans through his hands might well be worth their weight in the precious metal They were ranked as the best coffee in Costa Rica in May A trophy saying so sat on the dining room table still wearing his floppy canvas hat from outside apologized for the mess and cleared some room to sit in his living room looking out over Costa Rica’s Central Valley below flitted in and out the door as Barrantes explained what makes his coffee so special Lourdes de Cirrí — more a collection of houses perched on the high road than a town — is home to three winners of the Cup of Excellence, more than any other single growing area since it started in Costa Rica in 2007. The winners were María Mayela Quesada in 2008; husband-and-wife team Oldemar Arrieta Lobo and Marlene Brenes Morera of Vista al Valle in 2013; and this year’s winner Barrantes’ and Arrieta’s and Brenes’ farms are literally right next to each other A wind break of trees and a wobbly barbed-wire fence was all that separated the hillside of dark green-leafed coffee trees into the two farms that have both won Costa Rica’s top coffee prize in the last three years Lourdes de Cirrí’s coffee is a success story of ideal growing conditions careful agronomy and an innovative business model known as a micro-mill that has transformed specialty coffee in Costa Rica Nestled near Poás Volcano, the rich volcanic soil – with an altitude of over 1,500 meters – and the right amount of rainfall tender love and care of the farmers created optimum conditions for growing coffee But without micro-mills this coffee often went unnoticed Conditions in this small growing area were so ideal that Arrieta and Brenes won the Cup of Excellence the first year they were able to separate out their coffee thanks to their newly minted micro-mill executive director of the Specialty Coffee Association of Costa Rica said that the concentration of success in Lourdes de Cirrí is due in part to the relatively small growing area in the Western Valley compared to the expansive Tarrazú region where high-quality coffee farms cover huge swaths of the area’s mountains Carlos Fonseca, technical manager at Costa Rica’s National Coffee Institute, or ICAFE said that micro-mills allow farmers to produce a value-added crop Traditional cooperatives buy coffee from their members without having to send it far away and risk it being mixed in with another’s possibly lesser quality coffee Because the mills are small and handle coffee from anywhere between one and several small farms a process that involves removing the coffee cherry’s red fruit The Barrantes family is a coffee institution in the Western Valley The year 2015 was the first that Barrantes won the top prize but he and any of his brothers in the area regularly placed in the top five nationally since SCACR started operating the Cup of Excellence tournament in 2007 The family is well-known for the meticulous care it takes with its crop but perhaps more so for their business innovation. Cafetalera Herbazú was the first in Naranjo to establish a micro-mill a business and farming system that has been key to much of Costs Rica’s specialty coffee success in recent years Antonio Barrantes was one of 13 children in a family that has been growing coffee for three generations But when coffee prices crashed in the early 2000s the family was desperately looking for a new way to make money Unable to secure a loan from the banks due in part to the low prices the family scraped together money from friends and neighbors and finally opened their mill in time to process the 2000/2001 crop buyers were cupping their coffee and liking what they tasted “We didn’t know this was here!” buyers would tell Barrantes Barrantes said that building their name in coffee was not the overnight success that Arrieta and Brenes enjoyed It took years to build relationships with international buyers Barrantes said that building and maintaining relationships with buyers required extra diligence in how they cared for and processed their coffee “You might buy expensive shoes but you’re going to get your money’s worth you’re not going to trust that brand again By identifying and sorting promising lots thanks in part to the micro-mill system small farmers can sell their coffee at prices far above the futures price for coffee on the New York Stock Exchange Barrantes said that his relationships with buyers from around the world allowed him to command stable Being able to budget for the coming year allowed him to make investments in his fields and the mill Success stories like the Barrantes have led to a micro-mill boom in Costa Rica The number of micro-mills has grown ten-fold in the last decade Sue Spindler, executive director of the Alliance for Coffee Excellence and founder of Cup of Excellence, previously told The Tico Times that “[Costa Rica] is the micro-mill country They have gone from huge commercial mills to micro-mills that are experimenting with varietals That experimentation has helped broaden the palate of Costa Rican coffee SCACR Director Noelia Villalobos said that the 2015 round of Cup of Excellence saw more high-quality coffee any ever before International judges in this year’s competition said that they tasted flavors and qualities previously unseen in Costa Rica Marlene Brenes of Vista al Valle said that their win opened new opportunities for their business even traveled to South Korea at the invitation of a buyer there to help promote their coffee “Something better could never have happened to us.” but weightier still is its significance: “El Monumento al Agricultor” (“Monument to the Farmer”) shows a man and woman bent over their crops while a small child clings to its mother’s dress Crafted by the Costa Rican sculptor Francisco Zúñiga (1912-1998) the monument commemorates the nation’s agrarian tradition the symbolic statue will return to its original place in downtown Alajuela the monument stood in Alajuela’s Prospero Fernandez Park it was moved to the sculpture garden at the Museum of Costa Rican Art in La Sabana Park officials were reluctant to return the statue to Alajuela until the city could improve its surveillance and security around the statue Culture Minister Manuel Obregón joined Alajuela’s mayor to sign a declaration that the statue would be returned to the park – just as soon as the monument is restored and safety measures are improved “When these conditions are already ensured,” said Obregón “the sculpture will be returned to Alajuela to be admired by [residents of Alajuela] and by the general public.“ “[The monument is] the most important one we have from the fruits of master Zúñiga’s labors,” said Thompson we ensure that this monument returns to Alajuela and represent our city for our future generations.” Even the date and place were significant: April 11 was Juan Santamaría Day perhaps Costa Rica’s most patriotic holiday Santamaría is the country’s only real war hero and was alleged to have been born and raised in Alajuela Because vandals broke off an arm and finger from one of the figures the city of Alajuela must pay to replace these parts as well as restore the sculpture to its original condition as well as the required lighting and surveillance equipment Recommended: 5 questions for a Costa Rican cartoonist Political cartoonist Hugo Díaz died in 2001 but he left a legacy of 7,000 drawings to help keep his memory alive now in a collection at the University of Costa Rica Díaz’s work is known for his details political life and tiquicia in general – and he was very funny Don Hugo’s style and humor attracted attention His easily recognized drawings were seen on pamphlets Don Hugo’s work is a chronology of customs political and social modes and changes over the years Many of the cartoons are as relevant today and they were in years past; others remind us how times have changed The campesino in the canvas hat no longer exists but his problems are the same.” Ditto for many social problems and his heavy rimmed glasses became a part of his image as well as his full head of wavy gray hair and his round figure An exhibit of some of his work fills three rooms at the Juan Santamaría Museum and Cultural Center in Alajuela; it will be on display through Jan The museum is in the old fort across from the central park in the heart of Alajuela Tuesday to Sunday (closed Mondays) and is free Older woman:  I don’t understand about this eternal debt this beautiful region is home to cozy down-home restaurants named for the strawberries (fresas) that constitute the region’s principal crop Diners here enjoy tasting local specialties such as hand-thrown tortillas chorreadas (a sweet-corn pancake iteration) Their strawberry-based desserts—fashioned from fruit just picked from the restaurant’s garden—are a must the perfect berries are like nothing you can get at your hometown supermarket Try fresh strawberry juice or eat the fruit in the Costa Rican mode Information on this page, including website, location, and opening hours, is subject to have changed since this page was last published. If you would like to report anything that’s inaccurate, let us know at notification@afar.com. AFAR participates in affiliate marketing programs which means we may earn a commission if you purchase an item featured on our site.© 2025 AFAR LLC Employers in Costa Rica were optimistic about hiring plans for the next quarter, according to the Employment Outlook Survey released Tuesday by consulting firm Manpower 71 percent of employers said they plan on maintaing staff levels unchanged while 23 percent expect to hire more workers The Net Employment Outlook – the difference between the percentage of employers who anticipate hiring and those expecting layoffs – is +14 percent However, hiring expectation is 2 percent lower than the past quarter, when Manpower reported that 25 percent of employers were planning to increase staff Companies with the best hiring expectations are in the transport and communications and services sectors ManpowerGroup Business Development Manager Jorge Tiburcio noted that positive expectations reported in the services sector likely “are influenced by a recent growth in companies in the health tourism sector as well as in the tourism industry in general.” The outlook by region looks positive mostly for job seekers in Alajuela and Heredia as employers in these provinces showed the highest hiring expectation at 19 percent followed by employers in the coastal provinces of Puntarenas and Limón “Confidence showed by employers in Puntarenas and Limón is encouraging and hiring expectations also improved by a considerable margin in the annual comparison,” Tiburcio said reported a positive hiring expectation of 15 percent followed by those in Cartago with 12 percent Guanacaste reported the lowest expectations at 7 percent A comparison by company size shows that large companies have stronger hiring plans Hiring expectation at small and medium-sized companies is 22 percent and only 14 percent of micro-enterprises are planning to increase their staffs during the upcoming quarter The most notable exception is Juan Santamaría figure’s march through Central America during the mid-19th century Juan Santamaría Day commemorates the Costa Rican victory in the Battle of Rivas in 1856 against the U.S citizen William Walker and his mercenary army After overthrowing the government of Nicaragua Walker set his sights on other Central American countries in hopes of developing a slave-trade empire The Costa Rican government sent troops to Nicaragua to fight the growing threat It seemed unlikely that Costa Rica would win the battle until young Juan Santamaría set fire to a hostel where a number of Walker’s soldiers were staying The fire led to a heavy loss in troops for Walker’s army This act of heroism confirmed Costa Rica’s sovereignty and is celebrated every year with a parade and ceremony in Alajuela The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a warning regarding an outbreak of Plasmodium falciparum malaria in the province of Limón there is also malaria transmission in Alajuela Province Malaria is a serious and potentially life-threatening disease that is transmitted by the bites of infected mosquitoes It is important for individuals traveling to Limón or Alajuela Province to take precautions to prevent mosquito bites and take a prescription antimalarial drug This is particularly important for individuals who may be at higher risk of infection including those who are traveling for extended periods of time those who will be spending time in rural areas and those who have compromised immune systems Preventing mosquito bites is the best way to protect against malaria travelers should take a prescription antimalarial drug prior to travel to reduce the risk of infection It is important for travelers to speak to their healthcare professional about which antimalarial drug is best for them The choice of antimalarial drug will depend on a number of factors including the individual’s health status Some antimalarial drugs may have side effects and may not be suitable for all travelers it is important to seek medical care immediately and appropriate treatment should not be delayed Delaying treatment can lead to serious complications and even death The Costa Rican Ministry of Health is also conducting investigations and asking residents to take measures to avoid mosquito bites Travelers should be aware of these efforts and take appropriate precautions to protect themselves 16 7:26 a.m.: Part of the City Mall parking lot flooded Sunday afternoon after strong rains soaked Alajuela Firemen report that the flooding was caused when part of the parking garage collapsed There were no reports of injuries and the mall will operate as normal this week The long-awaited City Mall opened its doors in Alajuela on Wednesday to a crowd of more than 1,600 that included Costa Rica’s president Before you head out on your next shopping spree here are a few things to know about the giant mall With nearly 200,000 square meters and 330 available storefronts City Mall is easily the biggest mall in the region The mall’s developers expect it to reach a market of 800,000 people The mall is currently operating at 65 percent capacity with 210 stores open for business Several department stores will open for business on Black Friday and the mall’s owners plan to have 85 percent of the storefronts filled by the close of the Christmas shopping season In order to accommodate the floods of customers expected City Mall invested more than ₡4 billion ($7.5 million) to expand the Francisco J Orlich highway that leads into Alajuela to four lanes build a pedestrian walkway and create an exclusive entrance to a nearby hospital At full-capacity City Mall will generate more than 3,000 direct and 4,000 indirect jobs “These type of investments affirm the solidity that we have in this country,” President Solís said during his inauguration address “There is confidence in the human talent and leadership of Costa Ricans.” Expected to open on Nov. 21, Snow Fun will be Costa Rica’s first-ever snow-themed amusement park For ticket packages ranging between ₡4,500 ($8) and ₡20,000 ($38) have a snowball fight and take a ride down a 42-meter sledding ramp A hat trick from Brazilian-born Heber helped New York City FC defeat AD San Carlos in the CONCACAF Champions League Round of 16 on Thursday night in Alajuela Marcos Mena and Omar Browne all scored for San Carlos which hosted the match at Alejandro Morera Soto Stadium because its own venue didn’t meet tournament requirements But Alexandru Mitrita’s 90th-minute goal helped secure a comfortable win for the Major League Soccer visitors 📹 @NYCFC won 5-3 over @adsancarlos, and we have the best moments of the match right here. Don’t miss them! | #SCCL2020 #ASCvNYC pic.twitter.com/V23QClP1Lt — Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League (@TheChampions) February 21, 2020 The return leg is Wednesday at Red Bull Arena in New Jersey San Carlos will have to overcome the two-goal deficit in order to advance and NYCFC’s five away goals would serve as a tiebreaker on Thursday cut the ribbon on a bus stop made out of 1,600 recycled water bottles As part of its #DelLadoVerde (“from the green side”) campaign Cristal created an environmental program that has led to a 15 percent increase in recycling in the municipality Cristal collected the recycled materials and spent a month building the bus stop located on the east side of the Alajuela Hospital The municipality widened the street to provide enough room for the stop have several recycling and volunteer programs dedicated to reducing the environmental impact of solid waste Florida Beverages says it collects 630 tons of recyclable materials every month “Our vision for the future is to be able to reach all of Costa Rica transforming everyone who is part of the community into agents ‘of the green side,’ said Gisela Sánchez director of corporate relations for Florida Beverages “We’ll only be able to do this if we get private enterprise business people and families to agree that we want to leave a better world for future generations.” Alajuela, the country’s second largest city, 17 kilometers northwest of the capital and home of Juan Santamaría International Airport The same date commemorates two other historic happenings: the first Spanish tourists in America in 1492 and the founding of Alajuela’s first parish in 1790 Planners promise a month full of exciting events Alajuela is known as the City of Mangoes for the profusion of trees that rain fruit in the city’s parks and byways who torched enemy headquarters in the war against the filibusteros in 1856 and saved Costa Rica’s independence; Santamaría was called “el erizo” for his crispy when 264 neighbors from the five barrios that comprised the town met to form a community and build a chapel so today’s historians can only guess that the name came from the word lajas the large flat stones found in nearby rivers that were used for paving the streets and are still found in some sidewalks The city was laid out in the Spanish style with the chapel fronting a central square Alajuela combines a horse culture with current trends in theater April 11 is Juan Santamaría Day and commemorates the Battle of Rivas in 1856; students and dignitaries come from all over the country for the anniversary parade a thousand horses and riders gather for the gran tope Alajuela gave the nation several presidents including strongman Tomás Guardia (1870-1882) Bernardo Soto (1885-1890) and the popular León Cortés (1936-1940) The city has kept up and spruced up its historical center with the Our Lady of the Pillar Cathedral the Juan Santamaría Museum in the old military fort historical and cultural activities in the Central Park with processions in the morning and traditional mascaradas and a cimarrona dance starting at noon The most notable exception is Juan Santamaría Thursday is a day of celebration in Alajuela and across Costa Rica But what was Walker doing here in the first place What was mid-1800s life like in Costa Rica And what do we know about Santamaría himself What is Juan Santamaría Day? Who was Juan Santamaría? Five (debated) things you should know Life in Juan Santamaría’s Costa Rica: A look back If you want to learn more about Juan Santamaría and Costa Rican history, Museo Histórico Cultural Juan Santamaría in downtown Alajuela is open Tuesday-Sunday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m