THE trade ministers of Costa Rica, ElSalvador, Guatemala, Honduras andNicaragua and U.S. Trade RepresentativeRobert Zoellick are scheduled to sign theCentral American Free-Trade Agreement(CAFTA) with the United States today.The signing act is scheduled to takeplace at the Organization of AmericanStates (OAS) building in Washington D.C.It is the culmination of more than a year ofnegotiations and several months of legalrevision of the agreement’s texts (TT, Dec.19, 2003; Jan. 30).“It’s a moment of great satisfaction,”said Costa Rican Foreign Trade MinisterAlberto Trejos. “It was a hard negotiation,during which the country obtained the balanceand objectives it had proposed at thebeginning of the process.”A representative of the DominicanRepublic, which aims to become the seventhmember of the CAFTA bloc, will bepresent at the signing ceremony as a specialguest.Dominican Republic recently finishedbilateral trade negotiations with the UnitedStates. The next phase for the treaty will befor the five Central American countriesand the Dominican Republic to agree onthe terms of their trade relationship underCAFTA.CAFTA will apply between the UnitedStates and Central America as well asbetween the Central American countries,Trejos explained.He said Central America is very interestedin extending CAFTA’s multilateraltrade preferences to the DominicanRepublic in a way that expands theCentral America-Dominican RepublicFree-Trade Agreement, which Costa Ricasigned in 2002. Once negotiations withthe Dominican Republic are complete,the treaty will be sent to the legislativebodies of each country for approval.“With the signing by the ExecutiveBranch, we are confirming that we haveagreed on the definitive text that we willsend to our congress when the momentcomes,” Trejos explained.THE Costa Rican Foreign TradeMinistry (COMEX) plans to send CAFTAto the Legislative Assembly between theend of June and early July.The treaty will first be studied by thePermanent Foreign Relations Commission,which has no limit on the amount of time itcan spend reviewing it, he said.Once the commission issues its finalreport, CAFTA will be sent to the floor ofthe Assembly to be voted on twice (as allthe country’s laws are). In between the twovotes, the Constitutional Chamber of theSupreme Court (Sala IV) will review thetreaty’s constitutionality.It is still unclear whether CAFTA’sapproval requires a simple majority (29 of57 votes) or a qualified majority (38 of 57votes).TREJOS dismissed claims by anti-CAFTA groups that a win by U.S.Democratic presidential candidate SenatorJohn Kerry in November’s election wouldmean the end of CAFTA.“Senator Kerry’s trajectory in theSenate makes me think differently,”Trejos said. “Senator Kerry is a memberof the New Democrats wing of theDemocratic Party. This wing, and Kerryin particular, have voted in favor of tradeand have supported various free-tradeagreements.”Kerry has conditioned his support forCAFTA and other trade agreements on theinclusion and enforcement of labor lawsand environmental standards (TT, Feb. 20).Trejos said he believes Kerry will findno problem with the way those issues arehandled in CAFTA.HEAD Costa Rican CAFTA negotiatorAnabel González said Costa Ricanwould continue to lobby in Washington infavor of CAFTA during the comingmonths.“We’ve had a program of regular visitsto Congress and to academic organizationsin the United States,” González explainedduring a press conference this week. “Wewill continue moving forward with thisprogram after the signing.”During the upcoming legislativerecess, Costa Rica will lobby organizationsthat represent productive sectors. Efforts toconvince legislators will resume onceCongress returns, she said.COMEX is analyzing the possibility ofhiring a private lobbying firm to convincelegislators and productive sectors toapprove CAFTA, she said.“When we consider that they becomenecessary, we will proceed to hire a firm,”she said.MEANWHILE, unions from a numberof sectors this week called on theirmembers and other CAFTA opponents totake to the streets Monday for a nationwidework stoppage and march throughthe capital to protest the trade agreement.Earlier this month, thousands marchedthrough the streets of San José and citiesthroughout Central America to expressopposition to the trade agreement with theUnited States (TT, May 7).

PENSIONS Superintendent JavierCascante is urging people with retirementplans to be prudent when making decisionsinvolving the money they have placed involuntary pension funds.“The affiliate must understand that in thecase of pensions, the most important thing isto save in a way that in the long run – at thetime of withdrawal – it delivers positiveyields,” Cascante explained.“These are historical yields, which, inthe case of Costa Rican pension funds,are similar to those delivered by pensionfunds in other more developed countries,”he said.During the last two months, $200 million– about 50% of all the dollars pensionfunds managed – have been withdrawn fromdollar pension funds. An additional ¢28 billion($64.52 million) – about 20% of themoney managed by colón pension funds —have been withdrawn from colón pensionfunds.The yields of most voluntary pensionfunds have dropped sharply recently as aresult of the recent drop in the price of CostaRican Central Bank and Finance Ministrydebt bonds in anticipation of an increase inU.S. interest rates.THE drop in bond prices caused sharplosses in the country’s dollar and, to a lesserextent, colón investment funds (TT, May 14,21). Given that 81% of the money managedby pension funds is invested in Costa Ricanbonds, the drop in prices resulted in heavylosses.Fearing even larger losses, thousands ofinvestors withdrew their money from thepension funds, according to the Super-intendenceof Pensions (SUPEN).As was the case with the investmentfunds, people taking money out of the pensionfunds forced operators to sell bonds.More bonds on the market made their pricedrop even further, resulting in more losses.SEVERAL financial advisors reportedlyurged people to withdraw from the pensionfunds, further adding to the panic,according to the superintendent.Cascante urged people to remain calm,and insisted the losses are the result of aprice correction and not a problem with theCosta Rican economy.The bonds the pension funds haveinvested in are reliable and will continue topay good yields, he said, adding that thosewho stay in the funds will recover theirmoney in the medium term.JUST in the past week, the price of thebonds has begun to recover as a result ofincreased demand because of the low priceat which they are being sold.

ALTERRA Partners, the consortiumthat holds a 20-year contract to remodeland operate Juan Santamaría Inter-nationalAirport, is preparing a proposal it sayswill make it possible for much-delayedwork on the country’s most important airportto resume.At press time, Alterra planned to presentthe proposal to the government bytoday, according to Mónica Nágel, wholast week was named executive director ofAlterra Partners.A former Justice Minister and formerexecutive president of the National InsuranceInstitute (INS), Nágel has served as alegal consultant to Alterra for the past yearand a half. She takes the reins of Alterra ata time when it is involved in crucial negotiationswith the government, which if notsuccessful could result in Alterra’s contractbeing revoked (TT, May 7).NÁGEL’S experience working withAlterra and the government is expected tobe an asset in resolving the dispute.“I’ve worked with the company as alegal advisor for a year and five months,”Nágel told The Tico Times on Wednesday.“Obviously, having worked in publicadministration gives me a knowledge ofhow it functions, an understanding of theComptroller General’s Office’s rulingsand other matters. Having worked eightyears in the Costa Rican government givesme a professional advantage.”ALTERRA will make use of all thelegal resources available to put an end to thedispute and continue operating the airport.“We have yet to use up all the possibilitiesavailable in the contract,” Nágelsaid. One of those possibilities is to makean addendum to the contract that wouldmodify the way airport usage fees arecharged – the main sticking point of thenegotiations.However, for Alterra’s proposal to succeed,it must be approved by the PublicWorks and Transport Ministry (MOPT)and the Technical Council of the CivilAviation Authority (CTAC) before beingsent to the Comptroller General’s Office,which has the final say.Nágel said the final details of the proposalwere still being worked out.Alterra is determined to stay and finishthe job it started in 2001, she said.“The company has demonstrated efficiencyover the last three years, not just interms of infrastructure, but also in terms ofservices,” she explained. “It has won severalinternational awards (TT, April 16). It beton this country by investing $120 million.”PUBLIC Works and TransportMinister Javier Chaves said the governmenthas issued its own proposal, but hasnot received a response from Alterra. Thecompany, however, said it had notreceived the proposal, according to thedaily La Nación.Chaves proposes that Alterra pay $8million of its own money, while the governmentagrees to forgo part of its revenues.The contract would be extended for an additionaltwo years and three months to ensurethe company recovers its money plus 16%.The airlines would be required to payfor improvements in infrastructurethrough tariffs.Earlier this month, the Public ServicesRegulatory Authority (ARESEP) sent aletter to Chaves requesting that the newtariffs for the airport correct flaws in thecurrent prices. The request was promptedby a report last year by the Comptrollerthat ruled some tariffs were higher thanstipulated in the original contract.IN related news, the Association ofAirlines of Costa Rica (ALA) which representsinternational passenger and cargo airlinesin the country, last Thursday announcedits position on the ongoing dispute.ALA is in favor of renegotiating thecontract, said ALA president Tomás Nassar.He said President Abel Pacheco lastweek invited the airlines to participate inupcoming negotiations between Alterra,the government and the ComptrollerGeneral’s Office. ALA has accepted theinvitation, he added.Although the airlines are open to dialogue,they will reject any proposal thatinvolves increasing the fees they arecharged for using the airport, Nassar said.Fernando Naranjo, president of TACACosta Rica, the airport’s main user, said,“The situation worries us greatly. Not justTACA, but other airlines as well.”AIRPORT fees at Juan Santamaríaare on average 35% higher than in otherCentral American countries. Raising thefees would make the airport less competitiveand the country less attractive to airlines,according to ALA.“Today, we have the most expensive airportin Central America,” Naranjo agreed.

READ this paper long enough and youknow all too well that Costa Rica faces amountain of problems. But one organizationin the northwestern Central Valley cityof San Ramón tackles not one, but two ofthose issues head-on.The group’s name, Women’s CollectiveRescuing Our Ecology – also known by itsSpanish acronym COFERENE – embodiesits two goals: the organization collectssolid materials for recycling, an activitythat provides a source of training andincome for community women of modestmeans.“We show the flag for raising women’sconsciousness and do our part to care forthe environment,” said Director MaríaTeresa Arguedas.But Arguedas quickly points out thatthe group doesn’t stand on titles and formalityand even insisted that everyoneworking one recent Friday morning contributeto a group interview.THAT interview took place inCOFERENE’s modest office with everyoneseated on comfortable, sturdy chairsmade partially of recycled corrugated cardboard.(Give the group credit for talkingthe talk and walking the walk). Several furnituremakers in the nearby town ofPalmares happily take that carton materialfor manufacture of their goods.COFERENE is one of 11 such collectivesaround the country with the same aimof promoting the visibility of women in thecommunity. All are affiliated with the privateGender Commission of the non-governmentalorganization Council forSustainable Development (CONAO).Other groups around Costa Rica createartisan work or cultivate coffee, medicinalplants or butterflies.Two other CONAO women’s organizationscollect recyclable materials in theCaribbean port city of Limón and the centralPacific town of Quepos.The San Ramón organization employsa full-time staff of eight women, as well asan army of part-time volunteers, femaleand male, who sort through about 40 metrictons (about 88,000 pounds) of solidmaterials collected each month.“The public face of the organization isentirely female,” Arguedas said, quicklyemphasizing that the group has nothingagainst men.But given the mandate to raisewomen’s consciousness, all interviews andpublic talks about recycling are presentedby women.COFERENE uses no specific indicatorsto measure consciousness-raising, saidYirley López, who directs the organization’seducational programs. But womenwho have been homemakers their entireadult lives and have cared for children,with or without a husband, come to theorganization and acquire new skills andindependence.“We manage the organization, we meetwith government bodies and other communitygroups, we make decisions,” Lópezsaid, emphasizing that the typical householdhere does not foster the developmentof such independence among women.Public outreach is one of COFERENE’s most important functions,López said. The eight staffers and volunteerstalk to groups, mostly in schools, starting asearly as pre-school and kindergarten.“We get the kids to identify problemswith trash disposal and to suggest ways toimprove the situation,” López said, addingthat everyone, adult or child, is surprised tofind out that the life of some of their trashcan be decades or centuries.VIDEOTAPES or an informal theaterproduction might supplement the presentation.One frequent outcome is the formationof a school recycling committee.The government really doesn’t promoteor fund recycling, Arguedas said. Much ofthe organization’s work is supported by theprivate sector – the Netherlands’ HumanistInstitute of Development Corporation(HIVOS) and the Office of GermanTechnical Cooperation (GTZ) are prominentamong them – although the Municipality ofSan Ramón does supply space for officesand warehouse in the district of San Juan atthe north edge of the city.COFERENE was the proud recipient of aNovember 2003 award from the Ford MotorCompany for its environmental work.The organization is one of few entities inthe country able to collect all solid recyclablematerials – most places can acceptonly certain classes of items – and takesplastic, glass, paper, newsprint, aluminumand other metals for drop offat its centro de acopio(collection center).“We know The TicoTimes,” López said. “Wesee it all the time in ourpiles of newspapers to berecycled.”A tour through theadjoining warehousereveals piles of materials,dutifully separated andbeing prepared for collection.And the women areforever finding out aboutnew uses and markets forthe materials they gather.López was surprised tofind that those ubiquitous plastic shoppingbags could be solidified and converted intosolid sheets of plastic, which are then usedas an alternative to metal roofing.KIMBERLY Clark was the first firmwith which COFERENE signed an agreement,and has been regularly collectingrecycled paper since 1998. Most of the glassdropped off here goes to Central Americanglass manufacturer VICESA, whose CostaRican branch is based in Cartago, east ofSan José.López points out that shredded papercan be turned into a protectantfor gardenmulches. And yesterday’splastic soda bottle likelyends up as fibers in syntheticfabrics.There isn’t yet a marketfor all types of plasticin Costa Rica. A bottleyou see with the universaltriangular recycling symbolmight be made in acountry where somethingcan be done with it, evenif that’s not yet the casehere. When in doubt, theorganization takes thematerials, López said.COFERENE’s collection center is 700meters north and 300 meters east of the hospitalin San Ramón and is open for drop-offof recyclable materials Monday-Friday, 7:30a.m.-noon and 1-5 p.m.To contact the center, call 447-2181 or emailcoferene@racsa.co.cr. For more info,check the Spanish-language Web site atwww.coferene.tripod.com.

TAMARINDO BEACH, Guanacaste– With an international reputation for ecologicaltourism, many flock to Costa Ricato partake in its natural wonders. Yet, thelesser known cultural treasures – such asthe folk traditions of the Santa Cruz,Guanacaste area – are sometimes forgottenby traveler looking for sun, golf or surf.Determined for Guanacaste visitors tolearn the beauty of the area’s customs,Hotel & Villas Cala Luna spearheaded theCultural Rescue and Tourist Developmentof the Folkloric Village of Santa Cruz as apartnership effort with the Municipality ofSanta Cruz.As a result, Cala Luna constructed abullring on its Tamarindo beach property –organizing a series of thematic festivalsdemonstrating Costa Rican bullfights,rodeos, Santa Cruz customary dances,regional crafts and food.This project is important because it willentice tourists to partake in opportunitiesSanta Cruz has to offer and it will raisemoney to continue to preserve its traditions,said Daniel Chavarría, head of salesand marketing for Cala Luna.“RIGHT now, Santa Cruz is not anattractive product, so it is understandablethat tourists shy away from there,” he said.“Most of the visitors who stay at the beacheswould be interested in going for a culturaltour or visit during their stay if theyknew what was offered. The experienceCala Luna offers is only a small sample ofa few of the traditions, but it is organizedwith the real actors, so it is enriching forthe tourists.”Ultimately, this exposure will motivatetravelers to take Santa Cruz tours, therebygenerating more employment and incomefor the local community. At the very least,the money donated from the events willcontribute to furthering the arts in SantaCruz, Chavarría added.The idea is catching on. Cala Lunastarted its program eight months ago andnow other area facilities are collaboratingon their own cultural events. Traditionalfiestas and bullriding can be seen atReserva Conchal, Hacienda Pinilla, ElDiriá and Amberes, with others inLangosta, Flamingo and San José about tostart up their own activities.WHAT exactly would one find at CalaLuna at today’s traditional fiesta at 5 p.m.?The night begins with a rodeo, bullfightingand roping. Local cowboys will ride the bullsas long as they can, while others wave aleather vaqueta at the animal to get it to buck.Between demonstrations of craftsmenand women decorating pottery and jícaras,the children of Santa Rosa ElementarySchool will present folk dancing whilewearing traditional Santa Cruz costuming.“The typical food is based on the gastronomyof the area using pork, beef, corn,rice and different vegetable picadillos,”said Chavarría of the buffet that precedesthe evening’s dance party.THE specialties also include tamalesand enyucados (prepared from corn stuffedwith meat and vegetables and cheese).The cost of the party, everything included,is $48 per person ($1 per guest is donateddirectly to the Cultural Rescue and TouristicDevelopment of the Folkloric Village ofSanta Cruz). For more info, see the Web siteat www.santacruzcultural.com.

EXCESSIVE rains last week promptedthe motocross competition set for May 22 inEscazú, southwest of San José, to berescheduled to May 29 and June 5.In motocross, competitors race on narrowmotorcycles built for driving along dirttracks, with wheels not much thicker than amountain bike on a course with ramps thatare built to assist with fancy jumps andtricks on the bike.Wearing knee-high rubber boots coveredin mud, Victor Solano, the technician incharge of designing the course, said despiteworking for a full week, the rain kept hiscrew from being able to finish setting thingsup in time for the May 22 event.ONLY one of the three sets of bleacherswas partially erected last Friday and thestanding water on the muddy track wouldhave been dangerous to ride on, he said.“The amount of rain has been a big problem,”Solano said underneath a threateningsky that later opened up, pouring rain on theworkers and the field.The slightly rusty bleachers being erectedwere shipped from Guatemala, where theywere used for a competition last month. Onceeverything is ready, there will be seating formore than 5,000 spectators. But Solano saysthat number could go higher.“We’ve had crowds of up to 8,000 or10,000 before,” he said.In fact, the Motoclub’s Web site claimsmotocross is the second most popular sportin Costa Rica, next to soccer.DESPITE the date change, all the participants– about 100 professionals fromCosta Rica and nine from the United States– will still be able to compete.There will be a layer of sand added to thetop of the track for better traction, which willhelp in case of rain. Unless the downfall issubstantial, the event will not be canceled.The oval course is wide enough for 12drivers to race at a time. The course hasbuilt-in dirt ramps of various sizes for jumping.Some of the ramps are spread out andsome are in a row to make the jumps moredifficult. The ramps vary in size.The races are divided into categories bythe motorcycle’s engine size. The compeition’stop prize yields $500.IN between races there will be a show todisplay the drivers’ jumping skills and style.There will also be a freestyle section featuringtwo North Americans – Jeff Kargola andRonnie Renner – who have competed in theX-Games (considered the Olympics of“extreme” sports).“One American, Kargola, does backflips and it’s really spectacular to see,” saidMarco Cercone, president of the Motoclubin Escazú. “This will be the first time inCosta Rica that someone does it. He is oneof only 10 people in the world that can dothat. It really is amazing.”The event, located in the field alongsidethe freeway going into Escazú, is the sameboth Saturdays. It is scheduled for 7 p.m.and tickets cost ¢4,000 ($9.28).For more info, visit the Web site atwww.motoclubcr.com.

IN its latest production, the Little Theater Groupbrings together a talented ensemble cast in Jane Martin’s“Talking With…”The play is actually a collection of 11 monologues.Produced by Lori Salo, the production features 13 actorsand seven directors.Each scene focuses on just one character, many ofwhose names the audience never even catches, althoughthe little details don’t matter.From humorous to touching to sad, the monologues– while lacking any direct relationsbetween the characters – flow and leadinto one another extremely well.And while it seems difficult todraw connections between the monologues,there do seem to be underlyingfeelings, such as vulnerability or hopeor spirituality, that can be seen at varioustimes through various characters.THE monologues range from theseemingly outrageous, a housewife,played by Ann Antkiw, who each daytravels to an imaginary land of Oz in“Scraps” and the has-been baton twirling champion,played by Carol Marianne, who now finds God in thesport, to the more subdued, an actor, played by KevinGlass, who finds himself in “a crisis of confidence” andthe retrospective in “Marbles” of the character who hasjust lost a mother, played by Jason Marin last week andDale Watson this weekend.As an out of work cowgirl, Sheila McCann Morrisondoes an excellent job capturing the frustration her charactersuffers in a world of commercialism.Tom Humes’ portrayal of a man whose wish is to livein the fast-food restaurant McDonalds is also very convincing.OVERALL, the cast is extremely believable in theportrayals and each member does an excellent job at carryinghis or her one-person act.“We’ve got a such talented group of actors,” saidSusan Hall Liang, the actress seen performing in“Marks.”Sophia Holder, who plays an overzealous extremelyanimated actress in “Audition,” agrees with the Liangsaying, “This is just such a great productionand cast.”The unvarnished wood stage,Liang said, was the idea of actress LisaDeFuso, seen in “Handler,” and ismeant to help convey the emotion ofthe raw, stripped down monologues.At no point does the show seem todrag and transitions between scenesare quick and smooth.THE show opened last weekendand will run through May 30 at theBlanche Brown Theatre in Bello Horizonte in Escazú.Shows are Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. with aSunday matinee at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are ¢2,500 ($5.90),¢1,000 ($2.35) for students. For reservations, call 355-1623.In an effort to make it easier to purchase tickets, theatergoerscan now make reservations online atwww.intertica.com/ltg.htm.

CRUSHED Fanta bottles and last year’s phone books havespawned small businesses in communities around Costa Rica.Though Ticos generally did not grow up with cartoon charactersand people in animal suits trumpeting the virtues of recycling trashlike they do in other countries, a wave of recycling programs haveswept through area municipalities in the last few months.And these programs don’t just help the environment – they havegenerated part-time jobs for mothers and extra income for truck drivers.In some cases, the programs are run by volunteers.In Alajuela, members of the municipality work with schools inthe downtown area and in Barrio La Trinidad in a new recyclingprogram (it’s only one month old). There, residents haul plasticbags full of recycling materials such as glass, plastic, paper, andaluminum to the Salón Comunal (a place for community activities)where recyclables are accepted on Saturdays from 8 a.m.-noon.Proceeds aid in the maintenance of Alajuela green areas. For info,call 440-7105.The recycling program in Escazú started two years ago as asmall enterprise project by seven women. A truck picks up thematerials, which should be separated in baskets in front of everyhouse, and takes them to a warehouse to be processed. The municipalitysells the baskets to residents for ¢2,000 ($4.60).NOW there are several established truck routes for pick-up:Bello Horizonte and Laureles in San Rafael on alternatingMondays, San Antonio and Northwest San Rafael on alternatingTuesdays, Jaboncillo and Guachipelín every other Wednesday andSan Miguel every other Friday.Those whose homes are not on any route can bring their recyclablesto the municipality building or the storage center, where thewomen will separate it. The group is planning to install mini-centersfor collecting recyclables in the communities that are off theestablished routes and are looking at the possibility of asking needy families to allow storage in theirhomes in exchange for a fee.The women earn 33% of the totalincome, split between five of them for anaverage of ¢52,800 ($122) to ¢66,000($152) per month. What is left of theremaining percentage of the income isspent on business expenses and anythingleft over in the non-profit project is givenback to the community.They also give educational chats toschools, telling kids what things can berecycled and how to separate them, saidproject coordinator Nudia Vargas. For moreinfo, call 288-3730.In Concepción de Tres Ríos, east of SanJosé, the students of the Instituto EducativoModerno collect materials from home andtake them to school where they have a classon recycling. The general public can jointhe project by contacting the Tres RíosMunicipality at 279-9172.San Pedro’s program, also east of SanJosé, is brand new. A group of 18 mothersgot it out of the planning stages just overfour months ago. Using a storage center anda truck on loan from the municipality, theycollect recyclable materials from the community,separate them in their storage centerand sell them to private businesses. Thecenter is a former police station that will beremodeled to fit their needs, on loan for 99years from the municipality. The group’sdriver picks up glass, aluminum, plastic andpaper from the homes of people who leavebags of recyclables along the main street inthe morning.With the financial support of the DutchFundecooperación Foundation, the womenhave been trained in small business managementand in the handling of recycledmaterials. They now give lessons as guestspeakers to schools in the community.THEIR efforts have met some success,according to Laura Gadaluz, one of theorganizers. Many businesses and residentshave called requesting regular pick-ups.Luz Amalia, president of the educationcommittee for the project, said the projecthas two goals: easing the burden of trash onthe environment, and putting some moneyin the pockets of women who have hadtrouble finding jobs that give them timewith their families. For more info on theproject and pick-ups, call Sandra LorenaCambronera, the project’s president, at273-1065, or Amalia at 272-7191.The Municipality of San Isidro hascoordinated its recycling program with severalbusinesses, including five lawyers’offices, the Union of Cane Growers andProcessors and 600 private homes. AnaVillalobos, a representative of the project,said those involved pass out informationalpamphlets to educate people about recycling.“It’s a very difficult job because inCosta Rica people don’t do this (recycle),”Villalobos said.Those who want to deposit recyclablescan arrange for pick-up at a house or neighborhoodcenter. For info, call 268-8591.Puntarenas citizens and visitors candeposit recyclable materials in hugelabeled cans at Paseo de los Turistas orcontact one of the women atCoopeprogreso. The women travel throughdowntown Puntarenas and El Roble, bybike or on foot collecting the materials leftin front of the houses in transparent plasticbags every day and sell them to KimberlyClark (a tissue company) or the CerveceríaCosta Rica (a brewery) to support theirfamilies. The Mixed Institute of Social Aid(IMAS) lends a hand to the group, whichcan be contacted at 661-4691 or 661-0070.PLAYA Hermosa in Guanacaste, on thenorthern Pacific coast, started up a volunteer-based recycling program one year ago.There are four places to deposit materials:the Villa del Sueño Hotel, Villas CelinasHotel, Super Baye supermarket, and TresAmigos real estate. They accept recyclableglass, plastic and cans. Atruck driver makesrounds collecting the trash when the canistersare full and sells it to make it worth hiswhile. For more info, call CrispinaCarmona of the Playa Hermosa Associationat 672-0108, or Villa del Sueño Hotel at672-0026, or e-mail asociacionplayahermosa@hotmail.com.Puerto Viejo, on the SouthernCaribbean coast, has a thriving, six-year oldrecycling program handled by theRecycling Association of the Caribbean. Itcoordinates pick-ups four times a week forrecyclable plastic, glass and aluminum.Rachel Thomas, president of the association,said the problem with trash on thebeach was “grave,” so they began the projectas a service to businesses. Public recyclingstations are made from recycled plasticand say so with signs that read “this stationis made from the same material youare recycling.”Last year they recycled 26 tons ofmaterials, she said. They are trying to put astation in every area school, and thoseschools that recycle a certain amount willreceive a playground made from some ofthose same materials. For more info, call750-0237.Tico Times reporter Steven J. Barrycontributed to this article.

PLAYA DOMINICAL, Puntarenas– Like the tides that ebb and flow alongthe Pacific coast, restaurants come and goat Playa Dominical, on the southernPacific coast. Drawn by the surfingaction and the laid-back beach townatmosphere, would-be restauranteursopen a café for a season or two, beforepacking up and heading back to the realworld. But there are three newcomers –one brand new, two tried and true – thatseem to have settled in long-term.HAMMERHEAD’S: The newestkid on the block, this casual, alfresco barand restaurant in the garden of the PlazaPacífica commercial complex looks asthough it has legs. It already seems tohave a loyal local following to keep itgoing when tourists are scarce. OwnersDan and Diana Dore hail from Golden,Colo. where they ran a restaurant for sixyears. Dan can usually be found cookingup a storm in the open kitchen whileDiana keeps customers happy out front.The photocopied menu is sassy andfull of terrible puns. The prices are in U.S.dollars, so it’s no surprise that the menu isvery North American, along the lines ofdiner comfort food, but with some innovativetwists. Hamburgers come “naked”(plain, $2) or “wild” (with sautéed onions,mushrooms and cheese, $3.25). There arespicy chicken wings, hearty hot sandwicheson homemade buns and meal-size salads.The Philly Cheese Steak is made withjulienned strips of steak marinated inherbs and smothered with sautéed mushrooms,onions and peppers and cheese. Itcomes with fries (frozen McCains fromCanada, the only frozen food on the menu)or Fried Squash, chunky zucchinienveloped in a hearty beer batter ($3.25).There are also similarly battered OnionRings.On the healthier side, there’s a heart smartred snapper sandwich ($3). Saladsare big, tasty and fresh, from traditionalCaesar, with optional chicken or fish($3.25) to the restaurant’s most popular, aCobb Salad laden with chicken, bluecheese, bacon, avocado, tomatoes, hardboiledeggs and baby greens ($3.50).The not-too-sweet fruit smoothies areexcellent and there’s a full bar. Saveroom for homemade dessert specials,especially the Brownie Ice CreamSundae made with a dense, fudgy brownie,topped with dulce de leche ice cream,hot fudge, walnuts, whipped cream and acherry on top.The restaurant is at the Plaza Pacíficacenter, on the Costanera Highway, abovetown and is open Wednesday-Sunday, 11a.m.-8 p.m. Call 787-0125 for info.COCONUT SPICE: For the last twoyears, this savory corner of SoutheastAsia has sat atop the Plaza Pacífica, justupstairs from Hammerhead’s. With twinklingfairy lights, exotic wall murals,batik hangings and bamboo details, youforget you are in a shopping center. Themost popular tables are on the romanticbalcony, at eye level with a row of statelypalm trees. Owner Paul Millard, a formerteacher in England, parlayed his eastern travel experiences and love ofAsian food into this elegant, eclecticrestaurant.The menu lists 32 Thai, six vegetarianand 12 Indian dishes. Pappadums make acrispy, spicy complement to a cool beerwhile you peruse the long menu of curries– green, red and yellow (¢4,000-4,500,$9.25-10.40), satays (¢3,900-4,500, $9-10.40), exotic soups (3,700, $8.54), tangysalads (¢3,000-3,800, $6.95-8.75) andspicy noodle or rice dishes (¢3,800-4,000,$8.75-9.35).The hot and sour Tom Yan Goong soupwas as advertised, tart with lemon grass andlime juice enlivened with chilies (¢3,650,$8.45). The revelation was the crunchy,jumbo shrimps swimming in the bowl, aharbinger of the quality of the shrimp thatarrived in a generous plate of prawns inspicy coconut sauce (about ¢5,200, dependingon market price and size of shrimp).Buttery, sweet and spicy all at once, thisdish was the hit of two dinners here.Dishes are beautifully presented withelegant cucumber and carrot garnishes.And, rare for an oriental restaurant, there isa tart, homemade lemon cake for dessert,with or without ice cream.The restaurant is at the Plaza Pacíficacenter, on the highway above town. OpenTuesday-Sunday, 4:30-9:30 p.m. Call 829-8397 for info.FISH LIPS: While other fish restaurantsmay be short on freshness or variety,this one is definitely a keeper on bothcounts. Owner and local fisherman SteveSandusky makes sure there’s plenty offresh mahi-mahi, tuna, snapper and snookon hand to grill, blacken, sauté and smotherin a teryaki or garlic butter sauce.Look on main street for the orangestuccoterrace restaurant with a sign in theshape of a curvaceous, cartoon fish withluscious lips large enough to rivalAngelina Jolie’s. The fish lips theme carriesthrough to the painted restaurant windowand the varnished, sea-green tables,each of which features a painting of a different,sexy, fish waitress. The atmospherehere is always jovial and the servicefriendly, with Steve usually on hand in theevening to welcome you.The blackboard menu lists the catch ofthe day (¢3,800, $8.75), generous filletsprepared in all the above ways, accompaniedby mounds of mashed potatoes or riceand a great blend of fresh vegetables,sautéed in a mild curry sauce. Shrimp are agood bet here too, fried, breaded, grilled orserved with Steve’s special Buffalo-stylehot sauce (¢1,800-5,500, $4.15-12.70). Forsmaller appetites, try the Fried shrimpballs (¢1,200, $2.75) or New Englandchowder (¢1,500, $3.45).The wine list here has a few surprisesfrom South Africa and France, including acrisp Blanc de Blanc that goes well withfish (¢6,000, $13.85). Traditional homemadedesserts have tempting local twists,such as cheesecake topped with a blackberrysauce or vanilla cake covered with acoconut rum topping (¢1,000, $2.31).The restaurant is on the main street,across from the soccer field. Open daily 11a.m.-9:30 p.m. in high season, closedWednesdays. Hours vary during the lowseason. Call 787-0091 for info.

PLAYA DOMINICAL, Puntarenas– While the wilds of Costa Rica beckon toadventurers happy to rough it, it’s temptingto indulge in a more civilized way ofenjoying nature. Tucked away in thewildest corners of the country, you can findultra-luxurious hideaways where you cansettle in for a weekend and luxuriate insybaritic splendor.No one does it better than TheNecochea Inn Bed and Breakfast, justsouth of Dominical on the southern Pacificcoast. Although the name sounds indigenous,it’s the Basque-origin surname ofYvonne and Carlos de Necochea, two energetic,transplanted Los Angelenos.After many exploratory visits to CostaRica, they zeroed in on this site for theirinn – high on a ridge with a slice of PacificOcean view, but sheltered in a dense forestcrisscrossed by rocky streams. The air iscool and the views verdant, backed by asoothing, gurgling soundtrack of two runningbrooks.YVONNE and Carlos built a handsomehouse over three years, incorporatingstone and wood to blend with the naturalsetting and adding an expansive stone terracewhich matches the texture and curvesof the the rock-edged creeks below. Thehouse is luxurious in every way, custombuilt for relaxing, inside and out.The kidney-shaped pool is bordered byivy-covered garden walls and shaded bypalms and tall gingers and heliconia. Abasket filled with complimentary sunblocklotions and piles of fluffy pool towels arewelcome touches for people who like totravel light (or packed in a hurry). Float onair mattresses and then gaze to the treetopsor get comfortable in sling-back chairs onthe terrace and take in forest and ocean ina single glance.Inside, one large, airy room holds bothsitting and dining areas, with floor-to-ceilingglass-doored walls looking into thewoods. Like the rooms, the furnishings areoversized, with plush sofas and chairs.Softly lit reading nooks abound. Curl up ina chair and leaf through coffee-table artand travel books and an eclectic mix ofmagazines. There are current issues of“Motorcycle” and “Popular Mechanics,”reflecting Carlos’s avid interest in thingsmechanical and his former career as a car dealershipconsultant. And there are glossyarchitectural and “shelter” titles that appealto Yvonne’s artistic sensibilities.THE inn’s décor is a sophisticated mixof contemporary and tribal. Although shehas never been to Africa, Yvonne has collectedAfrican masks and sculpture most ofher life and she has artfully arranged hertreasures on side tables and walls. Furtherevidence of Yvonne’s artistry is on thewalls – her oversized, stunning paintingsof toucans. As a self-taught artist, she notonly paints with panache, but she also hasan eye for framing her paintings creatively.A wide, curved stone staircase leads upto the second floor and the B&B’s two spacioussuites, along with two smaller, cozierrooms with shared bath. Every room has aprivate balcony with a forest view, gleaminghardwood floors and soaring, angledceilings intricately lined with bamboo.Antique and reproduction armoires are bigenough to hold both clothing and baggageand keep them out of sight. Carved wood- en headboards, spacious queen beds coveredwith creamy linens and piles of pillows,wrought-iron candle sconces andupholstered love seats and chairs add luxurious,romantic touches.WHAT really makes this B&B uniqueare the palatial bathrooms. Yvonne andCarlos have elevated taking a bath here toan art. The tile work is exquisite, withceramic African masks worked into the borders.The deep Jacuzzi tubs come withflotillas of candles and bottles of scentedbath salts. At tub level, wide windows openonto the forest. When you emerge from thebath, there are plenty of generous-sizedwhite towels, embroidered with palm trees.In the huge Rainforest Suite, which hasa high, king-sized bed, the bathroom hashis and hers sinks and a bathtub built fortwo, with a separate glass-enclosed shower.There’s no better setting for a honeymoonor a proper naughty weekend. Fromthe suite’s private wraparound verandah,nature-lovers can watch birds feeding onfruiting trees.In true B&B tradition, breakfast is anevent. You wake up to the aroma of brewingcoffee and the sizzle of sautéing onionsand garlic, the savory start to Yvonne’sdelicious, trademark Spanish tortilla, a layeredomelet with thinly sliced potatoes.The open kitchen off the dining area has acentral island, a huge fridge and openshelves designed to make it easy for gueststo find everything they need if they want tocook other meals for themselves. An evermore cosmopolitan mix of restaurants inthe Dominical area provides a wide choiceof dining-out options. (See separate story).FOR guests who can’t live without amedia fix, there is DirecTV in the bar area,DVDs and a great sound system with awide selection of compact disks – and amicrophone if you care to croon alongwith your favorite songs. If you tire oflolling in the lap of luxury, there are sunriseand sunset horse rides nearby at theFinca Bella Vista Ranch; swimming in thePozo Azul, a tree-shaded, natural swimminghole complete with waterfall; andsurfing, boogie boarding and beach walkingon Dominicalito Beach.And after any little burst of exertion,you know there is an easy chair and a lovelybath waiting for you back at theNecochea Inn.Getting there: From Dominical, drive4 km. south along the Costanera, turn leftat Finca Bella Vista sign and then immediatelyright past soccer field and school,across a stream and then veer left upMarina Vista Drive. Rainforest Suite, $125plus tax; Ylang Ylang Suite, $85; Toucanor Macaw room, with shared bath, $65.For more info, call 787-8072 or visit theWeb site at thenecocheainn.com