Costa Rica – San Jose and Tamarindo

Costa Rica – San Jose and Tamarindo
Word Count:
485
Summary:
Over the last ten years, the reputation of Costa Rica as a travel destination has grown leaps and bounds. Good places to visit include San Jose and Tamarindo.

Keywords:
costa rica, tamarindo, san jose, volcanoes, ecosystems, beaches, literacy rate, turtles, surfing

Article Body:
Over the last ten years, the reputation of Costa Rica as a travel destination has grown leaps and bounds. Good places to visit include San Jose and Tamarindo.
Costa Rica
Located in Central America, Costa Rica is a country with a lot to offer. The country is unique because the costal areas present some of the nicest beaches in the world, while a few hours inland you can find towering mountains with volcanoes, pristine rivers for white knuckle rafting and a rain forest par excellence. Costa Rica is a hot bed of ecosystems and I won’t even try to describe it. Just pull up some pictures on the net and you’ll get the idea.
The people of the country, Ticos, are exceedingly friendly and you’ll find more than a few ex-pats populating the country. With no military, Costa Rica has invested heavily in education and has the highest literacy rate in the Americas. Yes, the rate is higher than the United States.
San Jose
San Jose is really the only big city in Costa Rica. Located in the center of the country, the city has taken a beating over the years from the occasional earthquake. You’ll understand when you visit. The city is surrounded by mountain ranges populated with a number of volcanoes. Every so often, this combination of geography leads a good shaking.
For a city in Central America, San Jose is surprisingly organized and lively. You can spend an evening in the cafes or just walking about. Crime isn’t much of a problem. There isn’t much to see per se, but this is where most of the international flights land. In traversing the country, you can expect to pass through San Jose a few times, so enjoy yourself.
Tamarindo
Not long ago, Tamarindo was a quiet little beach community on the western coast of Costa Rica. Over the last 15 years, the town has become a hot spot for ex-pats with accompanying development not far behind. Although some of the luster is gone, Tamarindo is still worth a visit if for no other reason than to compare it to the rest of Costa Rica.
Tamarindo is as good a place as any to experience Costa Rica beaches if you need a little civilization. The beaches are clean and tranquil, but lined with cafes, restaurants and hotels. The water is warm and good surfing can be found in certain locations. To the north, one can occasionally see rare sea turtles laying eggs on the beaches late at night. Unfortunately, turtle watching has become such a rage that you may be standing with a lot of people. There is definitely a voyeuristic feel to it and one can help but feeling sorry for the turtles.
If you’ve never been to Tamarindo, you’ll love it. If you’ve visited in the past, you might be disappointed with the development.

Breaking In Your Hiking Boots In San Diego

Breaking In Your Hiking Boots In San Diego
Word Count:
535
Summary:
Having grown up in San Diego, I am amazed at how packed and hectic it has become. Hiking for few hours gives you a chance to enjoy the area without the rat race element.

Keywords:
san diego, hiking, beach, beaches, mount woodson, poway, california, rush hour

Article Body:
Having grown up in San Diego, I am amazed at how packed and hectic it has become. Hiking for few hours gives you a chance to enjoy the area without the rat race element.
Breaking In Your Hiking Boots In San Diego
It is Friday afternoon and you are sitting in rush hour traffic on I-5 going north, I-8 going east or one of the other lovely commutes. You have time on your hands, so you start day dreaming. You start wondering if it was always this busy in San Diego? Perhaps it is even time to think of relocating? Easy my friend, a few hours in your hiking boots will renew your faith in our politically corrupt, expensive slice of paradise.
The first of the treks worth your time is the beach hike. It is relaxing, easy and will remind you why it is great to live in San Diego. You can start and stop just about anywhere.  A personal favorite is to head north starting at the beach in front of restaurant row in Cardiff. Depending on how far you want to go, you can just cruise up past Swami’s through Encinitas and up into relaxing Leucadia. The really great thing is you can just pop up off the beach and take in lunch on a patio whenever you feel like it.
If you are looking more for a hiker’s hike, there are plenty to fit the bill. A trip up the San Diego River, particularly in spring, is candy for the eyes. No, I am not talking about the section of the river down in the city. Instead, we are looking at the area out by Ramona. This is a 10 mile hike that takes 10 hours or so. It begins at the Inaja Picnic Area or Ramona Oaks Road on the other end. The hike is 10 miles one way, so you either need to have two cars or turn around at some point. Regardless, you will see waterfalls, hike through canyons, groves of oaks, granite grottos and do some boulder hopping. You will have to exert yourself on this trail, so be warned.
To the east of Poway is one of the more popular hikes in San Diego - Mount Woodson Trail. There is a short version that goes up the mountain, but I am talking about the 4.5 mile version that goes beyond it. Regardless, the hike is picturesque, close to much of north country and a favorite of hikers that like to do a little rock climbing given the boulders on the mountain. The best place to start is at the southwest edge of parking and picnic area at Lake Poway. There is a trail head that will take you to a junction just beyond Warren Canyon. The trail starts here and is marked with a sign. If you can’t find it, just ask as it is very well known. It can get brutally hot in the summer, so make sure you have water.
San Diego is a great place to live even thought it is crowded and expensive. Take a few hours to explore the beauty and you will be ready to handle the rush hour on Monday morning.