OHMCR The Best Costa Rica Travel Guide

Costa Rica Cow Parade Now Online

The Cow Parade which took over the Costa Rican capital of San Jose has come to its end yet is still around … online that is.

The Costa Rican newspaper La Nacion has launched an online voting activity in which people can choose their favorite cow.  Users are prompted to fill in their information before voting and will have the opportunity to participate in the raffle of a digital camera if their cow is chosen as a winner.

The voting will take place from July 21st through August 1st.  The most popular cow will be announced as the winner on Sunday August 3rd at the end of the farewell parade.

A complete list of photographs are available at La Nacion’s website which show the 130 cows that were on display throughout San Jose’s major streets and buildings.

Due to the enormous amount of voters and visitors to the website, it is clear that the parade was a total success.  Artists in charge of giving life to these fiber glass cows did and excellent job in representing from the Costa Rican provocative artistry to the peoples creativity and sense of humor.

If you weren’t able to see all 130 cows, visit the Costa Rican Cow Parade website for a complete set of pictures.

written by fernando \\ tags: Costa Rica Cow Parade

On October 23 through 26, the Conventions Center at the Villas Lirio Hotel in Quepos will be the place of the 2008 Expo Manuel Antonio.

The Central Pacific Tourist Commerce Organization has arranged the event with the objective of helping local tourist companies in the Quepos region obtain strong business alliances with companies with much broader market coverage.

Around 100 companies from the Quepos tourist industry have signed up to participate in the Expo Manuel Antonio.  The Conventions center will be filled with creatively adorned stands from several companies which include car rentals, tour operators, hotels and all other related businesses located within the Central and South Pacific Costa Rican Coast.

The Costa Rican Chamber of Tourism (CANATUR) has joined forces with the Manuel Antonio Group in order to help the tourist industry’s development in this region.  2008 is not the first year that the Expo Manuel Antonio will take place, but it will be the first year it will be held in the location of Manuel Antonio.

In previous years, the Expo was held in one of the San Jose hotel’s convention centers which allowed for all major travel agencies and tour operators an easier access without having to travel out of town.  Since previous events have been so successful, the organization has decided it is time to host the event in Quepos.

The event is of great interest and new opportunities for several major travel agencies as it allows for these companies to make new contacts, reinforce previous ones and discover innovative services.

As part of the event, the Corcovado Foundation will be holding its Expo Verde event in which several products and services related to the sustainable sector will be exhibited.

written by fernando \\ tags: Corcovado Foundation, Costa Rican Chamber of Tourism, Expo Manuel Antonio, Expo Verde, Hotel in Quepos

Since 1997, the Ministry of Cults division of Patrimonial Research and Investigation has held an annual contest dubbed Save Our Architectural Patrimony.

The contest, which is entering into its 12th year, seeks to preserve architectural patrimony by actively involving the regional communities. The contest calls for owners and community members alike to propose a building for participating in the contest.

The owner or owners of historic structure chosen as the winner will receive roughly $200,000 to be used for its restoration.

This years deadline is set for 3:00pm on Friday July 18th. In order for a building to be entered into the contest, a complete restoration proposal must also be attached. The report must include details on its restoration as long as it maintains its original structure. The person or organization in charge of entering a building into the contest, will also win around $20,000 if their building is chosen as the winner.

Over the past years winners have included houses and public buildings from all over Costa Rica. From the structures that have previously won the contest, the ones that stand out the most are the Black Star Line and the Missionary House in the province of Limon.

The Black Star Line is the center of Limon cultural activities and home to the most visited Caribbean Restaurant in the region. The Missionary House is currently the offices for the First Baptist Church and is also famous for being the first two story house built in Limon.

Other winners from previous years also include La Merced Catholic Church in downtown San Jose, Fait House in Puntarenas, Liberia Town House in Guanacaste and the famous Mazorca Restaurant in San Pedro among others.

Organizers are waiting on all final entries by tomorrow and the 2008 winner will be announced on August 14th.

written by Carolyn Ramer \\ tags: Costa Rica Contamination, Costa Rican Institute of Drainage and Aqueducts, Costa Rica’s National Theatre, Jaco Beach, Maria Elena Carballo, Palo Verde Biological Station, Puerto Jimenez fishermen, World Surf Championship 2009