David Gimelfarb MISSING in Costa Rica or NOT?

UPDATE: David Gimelfarb, 28, has been missing from Rincon de la Vieja National Park since August 11th. If you don't know the story, you may want to START here: David Gimelfarb MISSING in Costa Rica. *this pic of David is SO much better than the other GEEKY/NERD pics first used when he went missing.

First, here's what AM Costa Rica reported not too long ago:

"Investigators are working on the assumption that a missing 28-year-old doctoral student is living as a hermit just outside Parque Nacional Rincón de la Vieja.

That is why his parents have posted a $10,000 reward for anyone who provides verifiable information leading to the son's return.

A resident of the area picked out a picture of the missing man from a photo lineup and said that he had seen him twice, on Sept. 9 and Sept.12, said Derish. The man told investigators that the individual he saw was sleeping in the grass and got up, appeared to be startled and walked into the nearby forest."

The story goes on, but I won't even provide the link for such 'sensational' journalism.

AM Costa Rica is often VERY subjective in their news reporting and I would take this INFO as a 'grain of salt'. My BEEF with AM Costa Rica started here: AM Costa Rica if FUGLY let me count the WAYS.

For instance, David could have incurred head trauma and may be confused and dis-oriented appearing 'hermit' like. Truthfully, he could be dead... or AM Costa Rica may have it right this time- David's fell off the grid on his own accord and become the hermit of Rincon de la Vieja. This 'resident' who reported seeing David, well again, the siting could be accurate or maybe NOT. Maybe the resident merely wants to read their name in the paper, or NOT.... just sayin. I learned a LONG time ago, you never REALLY know why people say and do the things they do. More to the point, EVERYTHING is being taken seriously with cautious optimism by family and friends of David Gimelfarb.

The family is utilizing tracking dogs in hopes of picking up David's scent in case he is alive and dis-oriented and/or confused...or yes, living life as a hermit.

*Here's an UPDATE of the UPDATE reported just minutes ago, but still its Oct 5th: The dog handler (Sara) and her tracking dog (Jack) have completed their time in Costa Rica and have now left. They are currently looking for other tracking dogs and handlers with these specifics:

"Most importantly the dog must be able to work a specific scent. Additionally, they must be able to work off lead and also be able to follow older trails. The handler must also be very fit as the terrain is very demanding. We are not asking for an open call of dog handlers this time and only need information if you personally know a team that fits this description. We also have professionals in the field checking an individual’s certifications and qualifications before they can go to Costa Rica."

The bottom line- the search CONTINUES for David Gimelfarb. Let's wait and see... and of course, HOPE for the BEST.

REALLY, they just want to FIND their son.
Hey Everyone, we got TONS of Costa Rica Travel Information in our Travel Guide at Travel Costa Rica NOW and don't FORGET all our Costa Rica Travel Tip Videos, completely ORGANIZED so you can EASILY find what you're LOOKING for. ENjOY!

Cocos Island does anyone CARE?

The owner of Casa Caletas Hotel on the Nicoya Peninsula, Sylvester Feichtinger, has basically told the Environmental Tribune of Costa Rica to F-Off. Don't know the story? Read it HERE. But this post isn't really about them. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand why Sylvester Feichtinger ASSUMES he can get away with this blatant disrespect towards the 'powers that be' in Costa Rica- foreign governments have been doing the same thing for so long now, it's turned into a weird bedroom co-dependency of sorts, "You know I'm going to FUCK you anyway, so you may as well enjoy some of the BENEFITS of allowing me to fuck you. I should mention, I won't be wearing a condom, but you can TRUST me."

Two days ago this came out:

"A team of National Geographic researchers and filmmakers have become eyewitnesses to what many scientists consider to be among the major threats to marine biodiversity at Costa Rica's treasured Isla del Coco, a national park 365 miles off the Pacific coast.

Fishing is prohibited inside the park's boundaries. Still, hundreds of miles of illegal fishing lines and thousands of hooks are found inside the protected area every year, according to the National Geographic group." Full Story HERE.

If you don't know anything about Isla del Coco or Coco's Island for you gringo's, it is basically the 8th Wonder of the World and for good reason. This is Costa Rica's crown jewel of marine biodiversity. Scientists and divers come from all over the WORLD to explore Coco's Island. The beauty is beyond compare both above and below the surface.

Unfortunately, the marine life and especially the sharks and sea turtles of taken a HEAVY hit over the years from ASIAN fishermen more interested in exploiting Cocos Island in order to line their pockets as well as provide the Asian upper class with their traditional and very pricey, shark fin soup. Costa Rica is either unable or unwilling to protect the sharks and sea turtles from long line fishing and shark finning off the waters off Coco's Island. Unfortunately I believe the latter to be true. You didn't think all the police cars, bicycles, soccer balls and the all-purpose sports Stadium being built in San Jose were an actual 'gift' from the Chinese government, did you?

*Interested in knowing more about sharks and sea turtles as well as the effects of shark finning and long line fishing on the environment in GENERAL: Check out the folks at PRETOMA. They have TONS of INFO and articles.... and also how YOU can help.

Long line fishing does NOT discriminate.
President Oscar Arias is off giving speeches about the effects of Global Warming and telling folks how Costa Rica will be the first Carbon Neutral country in the world, but he's pretty much proven he doesn't have much time for the problems concerning Coco's Island. Oscar is CLASSIC- the perfect face to put on Costa Rica- serious, smart, articulate, seemingly committed blah, blah, blah, but he markets PERCEPTION, not reality... and I gotta say, outside Costa Rica it works like a charm. Ask anyone what they know about Costa Rica,,, the following words are sure to be uttered: eco-friendly, green, sustainable, diversity, carbon neutral... blah, blah, blah. Unfortunately, Oscar is not only in bed with the Chinese government, he owes them a little somethin-somethin for all their 'gifts'. Believe me, these are NO gifts, this is quid pro quo, nothing more, nothing less, so I suppose a few hundred thousand shark fins isn't too much to ask for a poor tico boy to be able to kick around a brand new soccer ball or ride a bike to church. Ahhhhh....the ties that bind....

Oscar's the classic case of the construction worker FOREVER working on other peoples' houses, but never his OWN.

Shark finning off Coco's Island is BLATANT. Long line fishing is BLATANT. Don't listen to me...hell, National Geographic now knows it. I hope they tell EVERYONE. I want Costa Rica's dirty little secret- OUT.

But really, who cares... a few hundred thousand sharks are killed each year as well as any other sea creatures that GET in the WAY,,,, but people are making a living, Asians are eating their soup, foreign relations are COZY, poor tico kids are riding new bikes and kicking around brand NEW soccer balls, and have you seen the NEW police cars- pretty snazzy (although most seem to already have run into a pole or two), and STADIUM for god sake... and through it all, Costa Rica STILL maintains eco-'fuck'in-friendly STATUS.*I added the 'fuck'in' part.

I have a new slogan for Costa Rica:

'Today's Costa Rica- worrying about tomorrow, TOMORROW.'


*I reserve the RIGHT to write BULLSHIT. I could be wrong. I would encourage you to connect your own dots.

Hey Everyone, we got TONS of Costa Rica Travel Information in our Travel Guide at Travel Costa Rica NOW and don't FORGET all our Costa Rica Travel Tip Videos, completely ORGANIZED so you can EASILY find what you're LOOKING for. ENjOY!

David Gimelfarb MISSING in Costa Rica

David Gimelfarb, 28, missing from the region of Rincon de la Vieja National Park in northern Costa Rica.
Hey EVERYONE! Here's what I know for sure:

'The littlest of THINGS can make the BIGGEST of differences.'
David Gimelfarb, 28, has been missing from Rincon de la Vieja National Park since August 11th. I'm asking YOU to do whatever YOU can to help locate him. It's assumed David got LOST hiking alone in the dense jungles of Rincon de la Vieja, but however he went missing is purely speculative at this point. Go HERE for the complete story.

- Do you know someone who can HELP.
- Do you have TONS of friends on Social NETWORKS such as Twitter, Facebook, MySpace etc who can HELP spread the word.
- Maybe you're IN Costa Rica and would like to Volunteer.

THINK how YOU may be able to HELP!
Don't forget to read the article for the complete story and CHECK out the LINKS to see how YOU may be able to HELP locate David. It would be MUCH appreciated.

*Just as a reminder, when visiting Costa Rica, don't hike alone.

Plight of the Squirrel Monkeys

Squirrel Monkey in Manuel Antonio Costa Rica
Manuel Antonio in Costa Rica is a tourist destination for a VERY good reason- Nice beaches, picturesque sunsets, hotels and restaurants to fit any budget, and it's also home to probably the most visited park in the country (Manuel Antonio National Park)... and of course the wildlife in the area is also a MAJOR attraction. Although not necessarily a good thing, it is possible to get quite close to the wildlife in the area, so photo and video ops are around every corner. Especially in the park, and double especially with the capuchin monkey's, iguanas, and squirrel monkeys.

We were in Manuel Antonio not too long ago reviewing Gaia Hotel and Reserve and a few of the restaurants in the area like El Avion, La Luna Restaurant and El Atardecer.

We had just checked out of Gaia and were making the trek down the hill to our car in order to head back to our town, La Fortuna, approximately 5 hours away. But a TREAT was in store for us, because passing through the Gaia Hotel and Reserve was a community of squirrel monkeys.

These little guys are SOOOO CUTE.... much smaller than the capuchin's and the howlers in the area, but in my opinion, WAY cuter and more FUN to watch. Unfortunately, these species of squirrel monkeys that call Manuel Antonio home, are not doing so well. The corridors in which they roam are being cut down to make way for what the 'powers that be', like to call 'PROGRESS'. Habitats are destroyed, and 'HOME' is becoming smaller every year. There's only about 1500 of these little guys left. My take on Costa Rica's conundrum: Costa Rica- SLOW Down

Here's our VIDEO. If you dig monkeys, this is pretty nice footage, so sit back and ENjOy. And if you 'd like to help the plight of the squirrel monkey, please contact us at TravelCostaRicaNOW@gmail.com



We have ALL your Costa Rica Travel Information at Travel Costa Rica NOW. and don't forget our Costa Rica Travel Tip Videos posted on YouTube. Hope it HELPS!

Rio Celeste- the OPTIONS

Rio Celeste located in the Tenorio National Park has been generating a LOT of emails lately. Actually with good reason as we HIGHLY recommend visiting Rio Celeste if you have the chance. Most questions seem to be centered around visiting Rio Celeste WITHOUT a guide or GUIDED tour, which run from La Fortuna for around $65./ person (don't quote me on the exact price, it fluctuates- depending). Here's more INFO on Rio Celeste: Tenorio National Park/Rio Celeste. I'm not saying NOT to take a paid tour from La Fortuna as many people are much more comfortable with guides, but for you adventuresome types and backpackers- YOU have some options.

First, if you have a rental car, you should drive to Rio Celeste yourself (directions below). It's only about 1 hour and 15 minutes from La Fortuna- give or take. If during the rainy season, you may need a 4-wheel drive, there's a couple of steep inclines when you get close to the park, but I gotta say, we did it in a 2-wheel drive, but you gotta 'make a run' and don't stop once you begin the incline(s) (not recommended for people uncomfortable behind the wheel).

If you don't have a rental and want to do it on the cheap, it can be done. Personally, I would try to gather a few like-minded people who want to visit Rio Celeste and then negotiate a price for a taxi from La Fortuna, there and BACK. Also, I would even approach the 'piratas' or pirate taxi's located on the main street in front of the park. I know it's not politically correct to say so, but I've never had a problem and you can often get a decent deal.... or not. (I guess I need to say, if you use a pirate taxi, you do so at your own Risk). I wish I could give you numbers, but they change too often... I would think $60. would be fair, but then again, the taxi people will assume you don't know shit and obviously tell you some outrageous number, but at least you can 'negotiate' from there and you'll have a ballpark of what to expect with the NEXT guy you talk too.

Want a cheaper, but more adventuresome way?
A bus leaves out of El Tanque (the next small town over from La Fortuna- maybe 5 minutes in a car driving on the main street AWAY from the volcano) for Penas Blancas, which is the border crossing from Costa Rica into Nicaragua (It costs about $6.00 and takes 5 hours if you're interested). This bus departs EVERYDAY at about 7:00am. It returns from Penas Blancas at 2:00 returning to El Tanque at about 7:00pm. The reason this is important is because the turn-off to Rio Celeste is on the way between Guatuso and Upala. You could hitch a ride to Guatuso then negotiate a taxi the rest of the way, which isn't too far. Then meet the returning bus from Penas Blancas in either Upala, Guatuso or just on the road between the 2 (believe me the bus STOPS a LOT). You may need to know a little Spanish just in case, but this is doable.

1. Head to El Tanque- 5 minutes away driving on the main street of La Fortuna and AWAY from the volcano. The cheap way to El Tanque (without a rental car) is to basically hitch, or catch a ride, often locals that just happen to be going that way will only charge a dollar or so, but if that frightens you, then obviously take a cab to El Tanque.

2. Take a left in the middle of El Tanque across from the the super market and hardware store (this is easy as there is NO other left to take, it's the only intersection in El Tanque).

3. A few miles and you'll see the sign for Upala or Guatuso,,doesn't matter, follow that. Then go to Guatuso. In Guatuso you might have to ask directions to Rio Celeste (or Upala), the town's small but there's no clearly marked directions. The turn off (left) to Rio Celeste (or Rio Celeste Lodge) isn't far away after Guatuso, so if you make it to Upala, you went TOO far. Follow the signs to Rio Celeste Lodge, that's the starting point. It cost $10. to enter the park.

It's worth the EFFORT however you get there.



Hey Everyone, we got TONS of Costa Rica Travel Information in our Travel Guide at Travel Costa Rica NOW and don't FORGET all our Costa Rica Travel Tip Videos, completely ORGANIZED so you can EASILY find what you're LOOKING for. ENjOY!

Costa Rica Travel Tips pt 2

Traveling to Costa Rica? Need Costa Rica travel Information, or possibly some Travel Tips to unsure the BEST vacation possible. We got a few tips that may be able to help you.

Hey Everyone! WE love providing Costa Rica Travel Info and Travel Tip VIDEOS about 'ANYTHING' Costa Rica, to YOU- the potential Costa Rica Traveler. We understand there's a lot of Costa Rica Info out there to choose from, so we work hard giving you the most updated, pertinent Costa Rica Information through written words, and of course VIDEOS- reading is fundamental, but sometimes, it's just easier to WATCH than to read. (All the links in this post will take you to even MORE info on the subject.)

In part 2 we'll explain the toilet paper situation in many Costa Rican hotels, restaurants and the like. Not for the faint of heart! BUT, it is good info to know so you can prepare, especially you backpackers and Costa Rican travelers on a budget. Also, want's the camping situation here in Costa Rica... can you camp on the beaches, what about he beaches in the National Parks? So, is Costa Rica in the 21st century in regards to supporting the handicap traveler to Costa Rica... this and more in Part 2 of Costa Rica Travel Tips with michael alan and DAngelo. If you're not sure of the answers, don't be caught unaware, it could be the difference between a good Costa Rican Travel Experience or a 'not' so good one. The most FAQ's about Costa Rica Travel.



We have all your GAY Travel Costa Rica Information as well, in the GAY Section of our Guide: Travel Costa Rica NOW.

Cano Negro Costa Rica

Don't miss the chance to visit Cano Negro up on the Costa Rica Nicaragua border. We were just there a couple weeks ago and thought we would shoot a video on what you can expect to find on the Cano Negro tour. (Although it's actually down the Rio Frio, so don't be confused).

Although we mention it a couple of times in the video, tours out of La Fortuna can run anywhere from $45 to about $60 bucks depending on which tour company you use. If you happen to have a rental car, it's a great option to drive there yourself and rent a smaller boat- you can get really GREAT deal. A smaller boat is really nice for taking pictures, you're not tripping over everyone to get 'the shot' and the boat is much more maneuvarable. That said, the tour is worth the money regardless of how much you spend. Lots of animals and birds, relaxing and informative, a great day trip out of La Fortuna.

So check out this little video on our boat trip down the Rio Frio. And don't forget to stop in Muelle and check out the iguanas- GREAT photo ops. ENjOy!


Don't forget to Check OUT all our Costa Rica Travel Tip Videos and for Costa Rica Travel Info visit Travel Costa Rica NOW.

Manuel Antonio National Park- Full of **IT

Manuel Antonio National Park is perhaps the #1 tourist destination in ALL Costa Rica, with places like La Fortuna, Tamarindo, Jacó and a few others- a couple steps behind. Manuel Antonio is like the Poster Boy for Costa Rica, the CREAM of the CROP, the successful SON, the CROWN JEWEL; but NOW it appears Manuel Antonio is about to be pushed off the pedestal- HARD! Why, because Costa Rica has shot itself in the FOOT (actually the FACE), yet again.

Here’s the Costa Rican NEWS today:

The Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio could be shut down the end of the month unless the Ministerio de Ambiente, Energía y Telecomunicaciones (Minaet) corrects a number of deficiencies signaled by the Área Rectora de Salud de Aguirre (local health department), following a visit to the park last week. Read FULL story here.

Read the story if you must, but it’s all about SHIT; shit in the ocean, shit in the lagoons all around Manuel Antonio National Park- nothing but shit, shit, shit. There’re also a few problems with ‘exceeding park capacity,’ and ‘junk vehicles found in some of the trails,’ but mostly SHIT, and ‘flowing’ from the RANGER STATION- are you fuck’in kidd’in ME.

This story disgusts me. There’s nothing to say, and I don’t want to even THINK about the implications- let’s just say if this is happening in Manuel Antonio, what about the Parks and places around the country that don’t get as much ‘PLAY,’ or have the resources Manuel Antonio has been privy to over the years. And don’t get me started about the Eco-friendly, GREEN, Self-Sustainable, ‘BULLSHIT moniker’s,' Costa Rica has been waving in the AIR the last 10 years or so in order to entice the eco-tourist, they’re obviously not SERIOUS about this SHIT. pun intended.

I DON’T GET IT. It’s not, “What are you thinking?” it’s “Are you thinking?”

I want to SEE HEADS ROLL.

I want SWIFT ACTION.

I just want the SHIT to stay in Jacó where it belongs.

Related Articles:

Lookin Both Ways - another POST about Costa Rica shooting themselves in the HEAD.
Our REVIEW of Manuel Antonio National Park
GAY Manuel Antonio

GAY COSTA RICA experiment

Manuel Antonio has been a popular destination among gay travelers for years, and seemed the obvious choice to begin our gay Costa Rica experiment.

The Manuel Antonio/Quepos area (also affectionately known as MANtonio and GAYpos) has been on the gay Costa Rican map for a number of years. San José is perhaps the only place in Costa Rica more gay friendly, but that’s to be expected, big city and all. Manuel Antonio WAS also widely known for their exclusively male, gay nude beach; and it has been enjoyed by thousands of butt-ass-naked gay GUYS over the years, at least until recently. VIDEO:What happened to the nude gay beach in Manuel Antonio? More INFO about GAY Costa Rica.

We needed/wanted this gay experiment to start off on the right foot, and we were pretty certain Manuel Antonio would deliver the positive results we were looking for. HEY, we didn’t say this was scientific.

The Gay Costa Rica Experiment

Most travel books will tell the gay traveler to keep their ‘gayness’ to themselves while traveling in and around Costa Rica, and although it may be one of the better gay friendly Latin American destinations; Costa Rica is definitely a ‘Don’t ask, Don’t tell, Don’t ACT’ country- traditional and steeped in the Catholic religion. They don’t mind knowing you’re gay, but they don’t want to SEE you acting gay (which for this experiment means- Public Displays of Affection). Really, in Costa Rica, ‘gay friendly’ basically means that some entrepreneurs, who were either gay themselves or understood that ‘green’ is ‘green’ no matter who gives it to you, opened a few hotels, restaurants and bars, in search of yet another avenue to separate a tourist from their dollar. It’s not like the country itself is ‘accepting,’ it’s purely a ‘money thing’. So, hence the Frommer’s book tip of keeping your ‘gayness’ to yourself.

You gotta start somewhere and we decided the ‘beaches’ would be a good beginning. So, the hypothesis is as follows:

IF a gay couple engages in appropriate (what a straight couple would take for granted and be acceptable to others) public displays of affection on the beaches of Costa Rica, THEN they will NOT be discriminated against.

So, would the beach at Manuel Antonio be gay friendly or would we find ourselves knee-deep in faggot discrimination?

The main Manuel Antonio beach was packed. We held hands and walked along the beach and back again. We stopped 3 times and engaged in appropriate flirting, making out behavior. Don’t understand? It means whatever it is you would do with your significant other at the beach, if you were feeling romantic and in love- what ‘straight’ people take for granted and others in the area deem as appropriate. There was NO grinding or appearing as if we’d be fucking anytime soon.

THE REACTIONS

We pretty much called this.

The hand-holding didn’t get much PLAY; some held a stare a little longer, but as long as we kept walking, they weren’t that interested. Making out and flirting, we got ‘looks,’ lots of ‘looks’. Some watched because they were bored, some because we happen to be in their line of sight, some seemed interested to see if would eventually have sex right there on the beach, some looked because we’re not that bad looking, and others stared as if they had happened on a REALLY bad car accident. And then there ARE ALWAYS those stares from the folks that just may have been FOLLOWERS of the late Jerry Falwell. Somebody whistled, not sure who, but no one, I mean NO ONE made an inappropriate remark (at least to our face) and no one approached us in an aggressive manner. One gay man lightly pushed his partner while we passed them and said something to the effect of, “why don’t WE do that?” Another gay couple did approach and told us we made a cute couple and it was nice to see 2 people obviously in LOVE. It’s only fair to mention, we also got A LOT of the ‘other’ stares, the 'I wouldn't mind F**k'in around with you in a VERY GAY way' type of stares. Come on, don't be shocked, we are gay and we are in Manuel Antonio for God sake, comes with the territory….. just sayin.

MY TAKE

Manuel Antonio is a tourist HOTSPOT, almost exclusively so. Not many ‘locals’ really. The tourists visiting Manuel Antonio are from all over the globe, so most just believe it’s acceptable behavior, especially the Europeans, and yes, you can tell the difference. It’s the ‘straight’ AMERICANS that were more likely to stare as if we were a bad car accident, and their ignorance was embarrassing, Asians also, but they didn’t have the balls to make themselves obvious, but ike I said, Europeans, by and large, didn’t seem to care. The locals that work the beach looked, but my guess is they had seen it all before, and didn’t give a shit.

We never felt uncomfortable, but I could see that some were VERY UNCOMFORTABLE, after all, there were children to protect from those……….arrogant, gringo fags. I know, they didn’t say it, but a few times you could definitely ‘feel’ the hate.

We will be replicating this behavior on the beaches around Costa Rica because, like I said, you gotta start somewhere and I can assure you, La Fortuna is NOT that place.

*Just to SAVE OUR ASSES- we aren’t recommending you do 'ANYTHING' in regards to ACTING GAY (public displays of affection) while in Costa Rica, I guess we're just the type of guys that don't really give a shit.

OH! and don't forget- Ever want to DO gay La Fortuna, then visit Abercam, La Fortuna's first and only- MEN 'ONLY' GAY HOTEL.

Tons of Videos on Costa Rica at the Costa Rica Travel Channel and if you're planning on Living or Traveling to Costa Rica, then check out Travel Costa Rica NOW for all your INFORMATION. And see ALL our Costa Rica Travel Tip Videos on YouTube. ENjOY!

Manuel Antonio National Park Costa Rica

What trip to Manuel Antonio Costa Rica would be complete without a trip to the Manuel Antonio National Park?

You’re right, it wouldn’t.

Manuel Antonio National Park is actually one of the smallest in Costa Rica, but IS one of the most visited. So much so, they limit the amount of guests per day, (currently 600). So, think about arriving early, plus, early provides a better chance of viewing wildlife, since many animals tend to be more active earlier rather than later.

You WILL see a sloth(s). You will see white-faced capuchin monkeys, howlers, and squirrel monkeys, although the latter will be a little more difficult. You’ll see the colorful crabs, not by the beach, but on the main pathway, kudamundies (raccoon family), iguanas, plus the beaches in the park are FAR superior to the main beach in Manuel Antonio, meaning, more animals, more scenic, and less crowded - always a good thing.

Bring those cameras; you will rarely get this close to white-faced capuchin monkeys that aren’t behind bars. Unfortunately, they’re fairly comfortable around humans, but boy does it offer a great chance at the perfect pic or video.

Here’s our take on Manuel Antonio National Park:



Wanna know about Gay Manuel Antonio?

Want to see hundreds of videos about ANYTHING Costa Rica? Go to the Costa Rica Travel Channel and for tons of information about traveling to Costa Rica, check out Travel Costa Rica Now

Gay Manuel Antonio

This entry is gay themed, literally, not figuratively.

Since I'm about the only person that sees this BLOG, I decided to post a pic of myself to represent this article; after all, I fit the criteria- I'm gay, and I've been to Manuel Antonio.

*Visit my GAY BLOG for EVERYTHING GAY in Costa Rica.

We knew when we decided to move to Costa Rica that it wasn’t the most ‘gay friendly’ country out there. That said, for Latin America, it’s not too bad. And really, since we confine most of our ‘gayness’ as it were, to the bedroom, the country’s view of ‘gay’ is irrelevant to us. (Although we do feel a great deal of empathy for young gay Ticos dealing with this issue, as the attitude is about the same here as it was in the States in the 1950’s and ‘60’s- read that as SIN). But we act about as ‘gay’ as straights act straight (whatever the hell that all means), so again, for us, irrelevant. Although I must say, it would be nice to hold hands and maybe engage in some light making out from time to time, no more or less than any other couple may do (after a few beers…hehe).

So, Manuel Antonio is like going home. Besides parts of San José, Manuel Antonio is the most gay friendly place in Costa Rica. We like to go there because it is nice to hang out with other gay people (duh!), it keeps things in perspective- you know- birds of a feather. In other words, there, you can stroll down the beach holding hands and feel a bit more comfortable doing so. And of course a trip to Manuel Antonio wouldn’t be complete without a stroll to the ‘gay’ section of beach, called La Playita (Little Beach), to check out the guys. And not only gay, but you can get butt-ass naked, well, at least you used to be able too. Last time we were there- nudity was more the ‘rule’ than the ‘exception’. Although nude sun bathing is illegal in Costa Rica, men had been getting naked there for years (whoo hoo!)…and that’s what we were hoping to see…. since everyone knows, ‘All the cute ones are GAY!’ Things have changed a bit.

A new hotel in proximity to the La Playita, as expected, is not amused by a bunch of fags frolicking naked in front of their guests. The police are now enforcing the ‘no nude sun bathing’ law, that is, when they make it to the beach. So now if you decide to get naked, you do so at your own risk. From what we saw, a few guys will still get naked to go in the water, but aren’t really ‘hanging out’ on the beach in the buff (pun intended). I’m sure the police come around every so often to make the hotel happy, but like most of Costa Rican laws, the bark if often worse than the bite. But, have your passport handy just in case, because if they catch you naked or engaging in ‘homosexual activity’ things can go south in a hurry, and NOT in a good way.

We got our dose of gay Manuel Antonio, which should hold us over for awhile, and got some videotaping done as well.

Meanwhile, back on our home turf of La Fortuna I realized there’s little difference between ‘gay’ Manuel Antonio and La Fortuna- really it’s just the beach, as La Fortuna often reminds me of the quote from the movie, ‘Sixth Sense,’ with a minor change - ‘I see Gay people.’ We just have to work on the hand holding policy.

This video is the official position of the Costa Rica Travel Channel pertaining to the ‘gay’ beach in Manuel Antonio: wouldn’t want to cause anyone to get arrested.



Hundreds of Videos on Costa Rica at the Costa Rica Travel Channel And if you're looking for INFO on Costa Rica, Check out: Travel Costa Rica NOW, and as always, ENjOy!

Rio Celeste in Costa Rica

Hey guys, not too long ago, D’Angelo and I went for the day to Tenorio Volcano National Park. Since we live in La Fortuna, not too far away, it was the perfect day trip. Visitors are drawn to this park to see Rio Celeste, known for its ‘blue’ waters. And we’re talking BLUE. If you have the chance, don’t miss this place, it’s great. That said, I’ll let the video do the talking, and if you want a little more info on Rio Celeste, go here.



If you need Costa Rica Travel Information then CHECK OUT our travel guide at: Travel Costa Rica NOW and see all our Costa Rica Travel Tip Videos on YouTube.