2/17/6

We have 2 friends from Canada visiting us for 2 weeks, Gary and Jim. Yesterday we headed out early in their rented 4×4 to explore the Nicoya Peninsula. Just north of here, shortly after we entered Guanacaste Province, a policemen stopped us to let some schoolchildren cross. When they had crossed, he told us to pull over to the side of the road. Gary had apparently been speeding, although we didn’t see any school zone signs, were not driving excessively fast, and had been passed by many trucks and cars. Linda and I were in the back seat and did not have seat belts on, although Gary and Jim did. After a lecture, he gave us the option of getting a ticket and paying it at the bank, or paying $20. cash. We paid the twenty. I am sure he would have taken a long time to write the ticket and checked many things to delay our trip. After more consideration I’m not sure we did the right thing, but I am pretty sure a Tico would not have received the same treatment.

We didn’t let that bother us too much and continued on to Nicoya. The roads were not too bad all the way to Playa Samara where we spent some time walking through town and along the beautiful beach. I understand all the big beach towns on the west coast are like this one. It is very long with beautiful sand and yesterday there were some nice waves breaking on the beach. We talked to a woman in the restaurant who is staying at a cabina near my house that is run by a naturalist who gives horseback rides, and she told us about a parrot sanctuary close by as well. Jim is very interested in both. He is an avid bird watcher and horseback rider. We will explore these today. He already has a ride planned for here on Saturday, and I think he wants to do this one too.

We had to backtrack to the town of Nicoya to head south on the main peninsula highway to Playa Naranjo to catch the ferry to Puntarenas. The road was pretty bad, it took us an hour and a half to travel 72 km. The ferry left for Puntarenas at 5pm. giving us a beautiful sunset cruise. It was a long day, but we all agreed that it was wonderful. The scenery on the Nicoya Peninsula is beautiful and it was well worth the drive. If a person wanted to take an extra day and sleep overnight on the west coast, I am sure the Pacific sunset, the scenery, and the other beaches, would be worth the extra time.

During the week the TSE was able to reach a 600 daily polling station count, which is the normal rate for the hand count from past elections, according to magistrate Luis Antonio Sobrado.  The party representatives either got bored, or began to trust more in the judgement of TSE staff who hand count the votes.  If the pace holds, the country may have a President by Wednesday of next week.  This weeks counts have shown PAC candidate Otton Solís with a consistent, slight lead which now stands at 19,527 votes. 66.43 % of the polls have been scrutinized (4049 stations).

473,644 Votes for PAC
454,117 Votes for PLN.

Be careful with 5000 colon and 10 000 colon bills, which are being reproduced by hi-tech gangs who are being targeted by authorities.  The gangs operate out of homes using a computer, scanner and printer to produce the false bills.

Chief Fraud Investigator Randall Zamora, of the OIJ, stated that "it is hard to say how many people are affected monthly, because victims are too embarrassed, or just try to pass it along to someone else".  A person who does this can be sanctioned with a fine equivalent to 30 to 150 days jail time.

The fake bills are pretty realistic and can even be passed through banks, which will exchange the bill if it can be proven from video tapes that it was received from a cashier or ATM.  However Costa Rican currency has several security features that can help you detect a fake bill.

UV markings: shops sell portable or fixed ultraviolet lamps that show flourescent markings present on bills.  Also there are markers that mark yellow on a good bill, but brown on a counterfiet.

Shiny Sheen: On the face of the 5k  & 10k bills, there is a band on the right hand side that reflects a silvery or pinkish metallic depending on the light.  Also bills that are newer than 1999 have a silver band on the left hand side.

Watermark: Every bill has a water mark that is only visible when held up to daylight.  2000 is a hammerhead shark, 5000 has a tucan, and the 10000 has the bust of Emma Gamboa (whose face appears on the front. )

Water: If the counterfeiter used an ink jet printer the ink will run when wet! (not 100% effective, because they probably would use a laser printer or possibly waterproof paper or inks)

The so-called hawks that sell places in line and assist with paperwork at Immigration were the target of a special operative by officials this week.  The "entrepeneurs" have resulted from Immigration’s practice of only giving 500 passport appointments per day.  The "hawks" camp out overnight and place 50 chairs at the entrance to immigration to reserve the spaces, which they then sell for as much as 20,000 colones ($40) depending on demand. 

The director of Immigration, Johnny Marin, stated that authorities have received complaints from citizens that the space scalpers have threatened those who have tried to get ahead of the seats in line, with guns even.  The practice of standing in line, then selling that space is not illegal, but the threats are, according to Marin, who estimates as many as 40 people are involved in the practice.  PANI was present in the operation due to reports of children participating in the space scalping.

This year the Liceo de Costa Rica (Costa Rica High School) is the only public school to offer the prestigious  IB (International Baccalaureate) program. This diploma is recognized internationally and would allow local students to be accepted more readily (and possibly to obtain scholarships more easily) into some of the world’s leading universities.

While students and teachers are excited about the implementation of the program, several obstacles are hurting their progress as the school year begins.  Lack of equipment, teachers and fixed schedules are affecting the 2 groups of 10th graders who are scheduled to receive the diploma in 2008.  The problem with the teachers should be resolved by Friday, as the school’s principal has finally located teachers with the required degrees, experience and studies.

Tourney of Closure - 8th Round Results

Pérez Zeledón - Saprissa 2 - 1
Santos - Carmelita 2 - 0
San Ramon - Alajuela 1 - 0
Brujas - Cartago 1 - 1
Santa Cruz - Puntarenas 0 - 0
Heredia - Liberia 2 - 0

Standings

Next Round

Saturday, February 18

Alajuela - Heredia,  Morera Soto Stadium, 8 p.m.

Sunday, February 18
Cartaginés - Santos, “Fello” Meza Stadium, 11 a.m.
Liberia - Pérez Zeledón, Edgardo Baltodano  Stadium 11 a.m.
Carmelita - Santacruceña, Carlos Alvarado Stadium 2 p.m.
Puntarenas - Ramonense, “Lito” Pérez  Stadium 3 p.m.
Saprissa - Brujas, Ricardo Saprissa Stadium, 4 p.m.

LEADING SCORERS
Víctor Núñez, Cartago 17
Álvaro Saborío, Saprissa 15
Kurt Bernard, Puntarenas 11
Esteban Bolaños, Santos 8
Josef Miso, Heredia 9
Rónald Gómez, Saprissa 8