Showing posts with label Costa Rica. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Costa Rica. Show all posts

Tuesday 21 June 2016

The Stone Spheres of Costa Rica

The Stone Spheres of Costa Rica is one of strangest mysteries in archaeology was discovered in the Diquis Delta also known as the Sierpe, Diquís, and General River, near the towns of Palmar Sur and Palmar Norte. The hundreds of stone balls have been discovered ranging in size from a few centimeters to more than two meters in diameter. More than 300 stone balls are monolithic sculptures made with human hands. Almost all of them are made of granodiorite a hard, igneous stone. They are in many tons in weighing; the largest ones weigh over 16 tons. These days, people decorate official buildings, hospitals and schools and even find them in museums as well. The stone balls were most expected made by the ancestors of native peoples who lived in the region at the time of the Spanish conquest. The Ball Stones can also find them as ubiquitous status symbols adorning the homes and gardens of the rich and powerful.

These objects are not natural in origin, different the stone balls in Jalisco, Mexico that was described in a 1965 National Geographic article.  These stone balls probably made by reducing round boulders to a spherical shape through a combination of controlled fracture, pecking, and grinding. The stone balls could have been roughed out through the application of heat and cold. When they were close to spherical in shape, they were further abridged by pecking and hammering with stones made of the similar hard material. The spheres are usually attributed to the extinct Diquís culture and are sometimes referred to as the Diquís Spheres have been placed in lines along the approach to the houses of chiefs, but their exact implication remains indeterminate. So nobody knows for what purpose to make these stone balls. Therefore, various myths surround the stones, such as they came from Atlantis, or that they were made as such by nature. Because no one has been able to demonstrate that gabbro, the material from which most of the balls are sculpted, can be worked this way. As early as 1948, the Spheres were deteriorating due to exposure to temperature changes, water damage from rain and irrigation.

The Stone Spheres can found from the bed of the Térraba River, where easily transported by natural processes from sources of parent material in the Talamanca mountains. Interestingly unfinished stone balls were never found there. The stone balls of Costa Rica have been the object of pseudoscientific speculations since the publication of Erich von Däniken’sChariots in 1971. In recent times, they have gained massive attention in many books; have been featured on television, radio, magazines, and web pages, where they do an unbelievable disservice to the public by misrepresenting themselves and the state of actual knowledge about these objects. Although the fact is that they have been recognized to experts since they first came to light during agricultural activities by the United Fruit Company in 1940.

In 1950’s, archaeological excavations undertaken at sites with stone balls found them to be associated with pottery and other materials typical of the Pre-Columbian cultures of southern Costa Rica. These stone balls have been endangered, by destroyed dynamited by treasure hunters or cracked and broken for agricultural activities. They appear to have been made by hammering natural boulders with other rocks, then polishing with sand. The placement of the Spheres was of great significance were carved was quarried many miles away. The labor required to transport it testify to a highly advanced society. Thus, a sense of inviolability and ritual permeates places where the Spheres were initially placed. It is even possible that they are an earthly map of the night sky millennia past. www.charismaticplanet.com
 

Thursday 7 April 2016

The Land of Strays in Costs Rica

It is hard to believe, that there’s a place on earth, where sun shines year-round, the average annual temperature is 73°, and over 900 dogs with breed names like “Chubby-Tailed German Dobernauzer” and “Fire-Tailed Border Cocker” roam free across the lush landscape. Well, “The Land of the Strays” could be a perfect title of a low-budget horror movie, but the reality could not be further from the truth. Otherwise well-known as “Territorio de Zaguates”, The Land of the Strays is in fact a heaven, at least for dogs and dog-lovers. Therefore, it is privately funded, volunteer run, no kill animal’s shelter in Costa Rica. When you visit the Land of the Strays there is no pressure to adopt, because dogs are extremely well cared for and happy and it’s hard not to fall in love while hiking with these dazzling, friendly pups through their free-range heaven.

The dogs of “Territorio de Zaguates” spend most of their time basking in the sun and relishing the cool Costa Rican breezes, but they also have access to a modern indoor facility. Therefore, the housing area features cozy bedding for all the pups plus feeding and bathing stations and troughs with fresh flowing water are set all over the property to keep active dogs hydrated. Territorio de Zaguates provides a refuge that is highly uncommon and rare in Central America–well, in the entire world.

So far, so conventional, what makes this shelter exclusive however is its message. Territorio de Zaguates, whose advertising campaign carries the message “when you adopt a mutt, you adopt an exclusive breed”, wants people to think in a different way about mix-breed dogs. At Territorio de Zaguates mutts are celebrated for their one-of-a-kind traits in an effort to dispel the myth that purebreds are somehow more valuable. Moreover, mongrels are often deemed inferior to pure breeds, but the shelter have faith in that championing their mixed status is the key to facilitating them find homes. Each dog for example is given its own exclusive breed, so in its place of being nondescript mutts, the animals become interestingly named rarities.

The popular Costa Rican television show featured numerous artist renderings of “Territorio de Zaguates” “new breeds” the public response was extremely explosive! The Alaskan Collie Fluffyterrier became a Facebook sensation. Billboards and advertisements portraying the dogs appeared in urban areas bearing the message “When you adopt a mutt, you adopt a unique breed.” Soon, interest in visiting and adopting the pups was higher than ever before. The public is welcome to come out to the beautiful, extensive property and meet the dogs in person!

Saturday 30 January 2016

Rio Celeste, The Most Prominent Natural Jewels in Costa Rica



Nature is such a powerful inspiration to every human being on earth. When we saw something special, suddenly we say wow without any intention. The similar natural inspiration is the Blue River in Cost Rica, winding through the verdant rainforest of Tenorio Volcano National Park. The turquoise tones of Río Celeste is one of Costa Rica’s most prominent natural jewels actually an optical phenomenon, not a chemical effect in the water.

The special beauty of Blue River is vivid blue water formed by the confluence of two smaller rivers called the Sour Creek and the Good View River. The bright blue river is also called “Rio Celeste” actually carries significant amount of whitish mineral famous as aluminosilicate, composed of aluminum, silicon, and oxygen. Moreover, at a certain point, the water of two completely transparent rivers meets, where the blue colors originate. Due to this reason the point is called El Teñidor, which means “The Dyer” in English.

Scientists have come up numerous theories where the Río Celeste gets its color. So, until in recent times; researchers were trying to find the exact reason of why Rio Celeste has distinctive turquoise coloration. Although several, hypotheses were put forward such as the water contained copper or calcium carbonate and sulfur, or that the river’s proximity to the Tenorio Volcano caused it have the blue color. Therefore, this is recognized that the blue color comes due to a physical phenomenon well-known as Mie scattering triggered by the presence of definite minerals in the river’s water that causes sunlight to reflect in such a manner that it gives the water an unbelievable hue.

As we’ve explained above, that Rio Celeste is fed by Sour Creek and Good View River, which minerals is actively responsible for reflecting the vivid blue color in sunlight. However, if the mineral is also contained in the Good View River, then why doesn’t it appear blue like Río Celeste? The answer lies in the size of the particles. Further, researchers were trying to found Good View River particles have a size of 184 nanometers, although in the Río Celeste the particles are much larger at 566 nm. Thus, the increase in size causes the scattering of sunlight and occurs principally in the blue region of visible spectrum. So that’s why we have that spectacular light blue color of the Rio Celeste” said Dr. Max Chavarría Vargas, lead investigator. Therefore, during the investigation, The UNA and UCR scientists took a number of samples of water from the two rivers and concluded there is no copper or any other metal dangerous to humans.

Another question comes to in mind that why‘re the “aluminosilicate particles” in Río Celeste bigger than those in Good View River, when the particles itself came from the Good View River? On the other hand it so happens that Sour Creek, the 2nd river to link Good View River, is extremely acidity due to volcanic activity that is why it’s called Sour Creek. Therefore, when these two streams join to form Río Celeste, the drop in pH causes the “aluminosilicate particles” to combined and enlarge creating Mie scattering which gives the river a robust turquoise color. As a result, it is one of those quirks of nature where one of the rivers is responsible for mineral material with one size and the other river keeps the acidic environment so that those particles grow. 


Saturday 15 February 2014

Arenal Volcano National Park Costa Rica

The Arenal Volcano National Park mainly made of primary forest, and consist of four different life zone and harbors a marvelous amount of flora and fauna. It is projected 850 species of birds can be found in this place, and 75% have been identified so far. The lovely creatures of God include white faced capuchin monkey, deer, coati, sloths, snakes, parrot, and boa constrictor. The different plant includes Laurel, Guayabo de Monte, Orchids, Ferns, Cirri, Palms, and Heliconias.
The Arenals Smaller and Chato Volcano which resides at a height of 1140 meters, has been inactive for 3500 years and has a crater which is filled with Aqua Blue Water. The park amenities make staying here is quite pleasant. The National Park has many walking trails and normally open from 8 AM to 6PM with the entrance fee is only $6. Hotels are easily available within and outside of the La Fortuna only 6.4 Kilometer from Arenal Volcano. This town is small, central and warm and good place to eat, shopping, Groceries, and many more.
La Fortuna is favorite town for those who made friends with the locals at the Lava Lounge. There are several tourist places in the world where the locals do not like the tourists. But this place is totally different from that places as lot tourist like to plan to spend more time here. The Arenal people are nicest peoples. This is such a beautiful city, and everyone would love to come back. It is awesome doing all sorts of touristy things yet not encountering a massive ton of other tourists. The place is a great tourist attraction, though if you stay in a hotel away from the town center you feel the serenity of the place.
The Park has great attractions and lot of activities within this area, such as Horseback rides, Leisurely Safari Floats, water sports on Lake Arenal, Swimming, Natural Scenery, canoeing, fishing, kite surfing, hiking, waterfall repelling, canopy and hanging bridge tours. The breathtaking La-Fortuna Waterfall cascade the drops into a misty pool only 5 kilometer of La Fortuna. A one day trip is sufficient or short hike or horseback ride drops tourist into the base of pool where you can enjoy with swimming, nature photos. The volcano’s geothermal activity heats lots of underground water flumes. Because local landowners tapping into this natural source have formed a number of beautiful hot springs, which are varied and indulgent some have waterslides, and cold pools and provides visitors a perfect way to end a day in Arenal.
No matter if you’re professional or amateur, Arenal Botanical Gardens are just few miles outside of town, where you can find more than 2,500 species of tropical plants. Several are consider rare and unique types of bromeliads, orchids, roses, and ferns. Beautiful birds and butterflies flit through the gardens perch in a tree or rest on a flower.
Venado Caves nearby Arenal feel like a different planet, located 3 kilometer outside of town Venado (45 minute drive La Fortuna). The caves are spelunking and real adventure seeker dream, feature stalagmites, stalactites, and subterranean steams, and even bats hanging from the ceiling, fish swimming in the streams, and colorless frogs clinging to the rocks.  
Nature buffs will relish one day trip to the Caño Negro National Wildlife Refuge, which is located near the border with Nicaragua. You can explore this vast network of wetlands and the colossal Caño Negro Lake offers plentiful opportunities to spot birds and other tropical creatures. There is something for everyone here. The quaint town, lovely surroundings and plenty activities make Arenal one of the cornerstone destinations of Costa Rica.