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Food and Drink

Gallo Pinto, tipical food in Costa Rica

If it doesn't have rice and beans, it isn't tico! Rice and black beans are everyday staple foods and part of every Costa Rican's diet, whether gallo pinto (fried rice and beans cooked with spices) for breakfast, a casado for lunch, or a black bean soup for dinner. The word casado literally means married man, and it is the name given to a big, hearty plate of rice and beans with meat, macarrones (noodles), maduros (sweet plantains), and cabbage and tomato salad, which wives would prepare for their husbands to take when they worked the fields. Tamales and chicharrones (deep-fried pork rind) are also typical foods. Comida típica (native dishes) in Costa Rica can best be described as tasty, not spicy. Salsa Lizano has become Costa Rica's number one condiment and you're almost guaranteed to find it on every table if it's not spicing up your meal already. Sodas, the small diners you can find at almost every corner, will become your best friend if you're looking for flavorful, home-style cooking at inexpensive prices. Restaurantes are larger and generally more expensive.

Fruits include pineapple, banana, melon, strawberries, and papaya, but you can also find the more traditional tamarindo, guayabas, cases, and marañones (the fruit of cashews), which are often used to make frescos (drinks) and ice cream. You will also find the more exotic pejiballe, a fleshy fruit that grows on palm trees, which is boiled, flavored with salt, and usually eaten with mayonnaise. The Atlantic Coast has a much stronger Caribbean influence than the rest of the country, and here you will find everything, including gallo pinto, chicken, and a meat-and-vegetable Carib stew called rondon, cooked in coconut milk.

Empanadas (turnovers), batidos (fruit shakes), and frescos (milk or water based fruit drinks) are everywhere. Don't be surprised when you see ticos from age 5 to 80 enjoying a big glass of Costa Rica's world-class coffee (usually mixed with milk) more than once a day. Along with coffee, horchata, a cornmeal drink flavored with cinnamon, and agua dulce, a traditional drink made with boiled water and brown sugar, are traditional drinks popular in the country. Pipas, green coconuts with chopped-off tops full of refreshing coconut water, are also popular and sold at roadside stalls. Guaro, the local liquor, is a clear, cheap moonshine that mixes nicely with anything, and is the campesino's drink of choice. Finally, when it comes to beer, anyone who's not a fan of Imperial, the Costa Rican beer, is liable to be chased out of the country.

Customs and Etiquette

A music in Central Avenue, one of the important place in San Jose City

Being Costa Rican
The ideals of peace and democracy are also widespread, all Costa Ricans share a strong character regarding civil rights and liberties, and are always willing to stand up against whomever threatens these ideals. Ticos are very family-oriented. Kids live with their parents through their college years and don't leave home until they get married. Close, extended families are common, and the peace and stability of the country add to their innate warmhearted nature, They are mostly very relaxed and helpful, and willing to lend a hand, or even a home, in times of need.

Public Displays of Affection
In general, ticos are very affectionate and are often physically expressive. It isn't unusual to see couples holding hands or walking arm in arm. Also, in public places like bars and discos, it isn't bad manners for couples to hug, kiss, or even for girls to sit on their boyfriend's lap. When dancing, it is usual to dance close together; however, "grinding" is frowned upon.

Houseguest Manners
Thankfulness is a very admirable quality in house guests. Say thank you often. Middle- and upper-class families often have an empleada, a young girl or woman who lives in the house and gets paid to help with house chores. Nonetheless, your hosts will be very grateful if you offer to help serve others or clean after a meal is over, especially if they're doing the work.

Table Manners
When having a meal, it is good manners to wait until everyone has their food before you start eating. You should place your napkin on your lap at fancier restaurants, always eat with a fork, and use a knife to cut meat or butter bread. Although unusual, if you're far from the city, you could find yourself at a small soda where they only give you a spoon. This is because campesinos, the people who live in very rural areas and work the fields, often eat with a spoon. Don't be embarrassed to ask for a fork and knife. Many meals come with bread or corn tortillas, both of which you can hold and eat with your hand. Finally, if the food is good and you're hungry, eat everything on your plate. Ticos don't believe in leaving a little bit just because it's good manners.

How to Be Polite
When speaking Spanish, in Costa Rica there is an important distinction between usted and vos. Use usted when you're talking to a stranger or someone who is older; it is more formal and respectful. You may use vos when talking to friends. It is important to use Don or Doña before an older person's name. For example, call your friend's father Don Alberto and not just Alberto.
When it comes to gender relations, machismo has left its mark, yet women still appreciate the chivalry it has taught men. Out of tradition, men are very gentlemanly and courteous and they will always protect and care for girls. It is considered good manners for men to open doors for women and help carry their bags.

Greetings
When saying hi to someone you know, young or old, it is routine to kiss the person once, on the cheek. You can also hug someone when you're saying hi; it will always be well-received and considered warm and friendly.

Taboos
Although times are changing, most people in the country are committed Catholics, and their religious beliefs make sexual relations before marriage an ongoing taboo, especially among older generations. Homosexuality is another hot topic, and although in general people are more open about it, public displays of affection is usually uncomfortably accepted.

Dress Code
Costa Ricans are always very conscious about looking presentable and tidy when they go out. Although the climate is warmer than in many countries, when they aren't at the beach, they don't dress as if they were. Men usually wear slacks, jeans, t-shirts, polo shirts, or button-down shirt. Women try to look elegant and usually wear pants, jeans, or skirts in the city. You can wear shorts; however, short shorts aren't appropriate unless you're at the beach. People usually dress more stylishly to go out to clubs and bars, but they don't wear anything too flashy, so save the sparkled tube-top for another country.

Arts

Tipical Paintings in wheels of a Costa Rican Ox.

Long before Columbus set foot on the soil he aptly named the "rich coast" in 1502, the indigenous populations of the area were living in cultures that left a record of their sophistication in form of impressive works craftmanship and art. Typical artifacts include statues in gold, jade, and stone. Another impressive set of artifacts, whose mystery is only exceeded by its sophistication, are the almost perfectly spherical Diquis stones, mainly found in southern Costa Rica (especially around Palmar). Some of the stones are 1600 years old, arranged in geometric formations that point to the earth's magnetic north. 130 of the stones have been catalogued, and many remain to be examined. With the arrival of the Spanish colonial rulers, Costa Rica\qs arts and culture were dominated by European ideals for the following centuries. Today, however, Costa Ricans take pride and an active interest in their pre-Columbian history and culture.

Prior to the 20th century, Costa Rican literature drew primarily from folk tales and colloquial expression in a movement known as "costumbrismo." The nation's working people were represented through El Moto and Las Hijas del Campo by Joaquín García Monge. Despite the strength of this early movement, Costa Rican literature didn't fully bloom until 1900, when it began to give voice to political and social criticism. José Marín Cañas's Infierno Verde, a depiction of the Chaco War between Paraguay and Bolivia, bolstered developing anti-imperialist sentiment. Similarly, Oreamuni's La Ruta de su Evasión confronts tensions stemming from Latin American machismo and between generations. Playwrights Alberto Cañas and Daniel Gallegos accompanied the so-called "Circle of Costa Rican Poets" in an attempt to unite the nation's thinkers against the sociopolitical cruelties of the twentieth century. Many ticos revere two of the country's contemporary authors: Fabián Dobles, winner of the Premio Nacional, Costa Rica's highest distinction for artistic and intellectual achievement; and Carlos Salazar Herrera, painter, poet, professor, and the author of Tres Cuentos de Angustias y Paisajes.

The rule of thumb in Costa Rican popular culture, especially with teenagers, is a simple conditional: if it's norteamericano, it's cool. TVs across the country emit canned laughter from The Fresh Prince of Bel Air (in Spanish, Principe del Rap), and Britney and Justin (Spears and Timberlake) double-team many discotecas with a teenybopper music invasion. Traditional salsa and merengue, while harder to find on the radio, are often played in nightclubs. Internationally popular groups originating in Spanish-speaking countries also find their way into Costa Rica, including the Mexican rock group Maná and Puerto Rican star Ricky Martin.

Sports and Recreation

Surfing in Costa Rica

Costa Rica is renowned for the diversity and affordability of its outdoor adventures, and many travelers come for its high-quality offerings. Activities run the gamut from scenic to strenuous, including sportfishing, surfing, scuba diving, snorkeling, kayaking, white-water rafting, mountainbiking, and golf. (Yes, golf: Costa Rica boasts the best 18 hole courses in Central America.) While tour groups and guides are more common than típico food, this results in competitive prices for the budget traveler, as well as more stringent safety requirements.

Sportfishing is an increasingly popular activity, especially as many towns begin to expand their services to cater to big-game fishermen. Many new luxury fishing lodges offer guides, full service, and the newest boats and technology. Consistent with their conservationist philosophy, many companies are only catch-and-release. A fishing license is required for both salt- and freshwater fishing; some packages include one in their price, but be sure to ask. Around the Central Pacific region dorado, tuna, snapper, wahoo, mackerel, and yellowfin abound. On the Carribbean coast, catches include Atlantic sailfish, dorado, tuna, barracuda, kingfish, grouper, and jacks. Billfishing (sailfish and marlin) is best from Dec-April. Freshwater sportfishing offers a different experience. Lake Arenal, the largest inland fishing lake and the only one open year-round, has mainly guapote (rainbow bass). Bobo (a type of mullet), machaca or sabalito ("little tarpon"), and guatpote run in the freshwater rivers. Río Frío, in Los Chiles, has some of the largest tarpon, as well as snook, drum, and guapote.

Surfers come from round the globe to ride the waves of the Pacific and Caribbean beaches. Many of the best surfing beaches are around a four-hour drive from San José, where waves range from fast and hollow to consistent lefts and rights. Jacó, Playa Dominical, and Limón are among the best areas to begin lessons or hone your skills. The best surfers head to Pavones and Playa Negra for the most challenging waves. Costa Rica hardly suffers from a lack of marine life, reefs, or guides; as such, scuba diving and snorkeling are extremely popular among travelers looking to explore the waters beyond their beach chair. However, many experienced divers report somewhat decreased visibility, particularly during the rainy season. Cahuita has large, beautiful reefs, as do Punta Gorda and Isla del Coco.

Further inland, white-water rafting and kayaking are fun ways to see biodiversity first-hand. Costa Rica's rugged terrain, drainage network, and amount of runoff result in ideal conditions for paddling. Rapids range from Class II to Class V depending on physical and technical ability. Some of the best sites are Quepos, Fortuna de San Carlos, Parque Nacional Santa Rosa, and Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí. Mountain biking has become popular only in the last decade, and is a great way to see the country and take advantage of the mountainous terrain, dirt trails, and beach roads. Guided trips cater to all ability levels. Some of the best biking is reputed to be around Turrialba, Volcán Arenal, Orosi Valley, and El Rodeo near Cuidad Colón. First introduced in 1944, golf in Costa Rica today has the lucky combination of being world-renowned and uncrowded. In the 1970s, the Cariari Country Club, between San José and the International Airport built the first and only golf course in the country for over two decades. Today, high-ranking Garra de León Resort and Valle del Sol in the Central Valley are also challenging courses.

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