Even I couldn't come to Costa Rica and not drink the coffee particularly as the arabica beans here are high on flavour but low in caffeine. It is certainly not worth asking for decaf of which they produce very little as the beans are sent to Germany for decaffeination (the caffeine is sold to Coca Cola) and the coffee goes back to Costa Rica for roasting and export. So decaf costa rican coffee bought in England will have clocked up a lot of airmiles. Only 3% of ...

Costa Rica was named by Columbus 'The Rich Coast' for the gold ornaments worn by the first people he encountered here. The major cultures, Aztec and Maya never reached here and the original tribes were largely wiped out by disease and slavery. It appears that many early Spanish settlers were Jewish converts fleeing the inquisition and so some three quarters of modern Ticos (Costa Ricans) have Jewish ancestry. The country is small, 120 miles from the Pacific to t...

A very long journey via Newark New Jersey, to San Jose softened by a glass at a wine bar in Newark airport. Got here near midnight and today we set off north to a private nature reserve via a few local villages so our first proper view of the country and a chance to get used to the local spanish accent. Rather bravely, or foolishly I had my hair treated to withstand the 100% humidily promised in the forests, but am currently scared to wash it as no idea what the...