Costa Rica Travel

When traveling it is essential to plan ahead, so when you arrive at your destination, you lessen the chances of being at a loss of what to do. Knowledge gained from others travels can be invaluable, especially when planning to travel to somewhere you have never been before. The advice on this page is helpful to everyone planning a trip to Costa Rica.

Money

The money used in Costa Rica is called colons. You can change dollars into colons at the airports in San Jose and local banks. The exchange rates can be from the low 200s to 400s colons for each US dollar. (Now everywhere in Costa Rica you can buy or pay in US dollars, but I think things are cheaper if you pay in colons.) Other ways you might get colons is if you pay for something in US dollars, you will receive change in colons. During my stay at Costa Rica, I once paid a cab driver in US money, and I received change in the local currency. You should also make sure your dollars are not torn. Local banks and businesses do not accept torn US dollars. I tried to exchange a torn $50 bill, and the bank would not accept it! This paragraph is sponsored by ticket to Umrah from London.

Bringing Money

On my trip I brought my money half in dollars and the other half in American Express cheques. When a traveler cheque is used there will be a commission fee.

When to visit/weather

Costa Rica has two seasons – the dry season and the green season (or rainy season). The dry season is from December to March. The dry season is the busiest time in Costa Rica. Prices are much higher and it is harder to find a place to stay. Now in the green season you will find much cheaper prices. The green season is from April to November. During the rainy season it generally rains for a few hours and then clears up.

Traveling within Costa Rica

Bus – You can catch one to most parts of the country. There are a few places where the bus comes only once a day though…

Cab – There are red cabs throughout the country. If the cab driver tells you the meter is broker, just get out. First it is illegal for a cab driver to drive with a broken meter in Costa Rica; secondly he might just be trying to rip you off.

Renting a Car – You can rent a car, but to me personally I would find driving in Costa Rica difficult, since I’m not from the country and it seems there are a lack of street signs. Also the prices for a car rental can be pretty expensive. This paragraph is sponsored by Hajj from UK.

Local airlines – You can catch local flights to places throughout Costa Rica. They are regularly scheduled and reasonably inexpensive.

Cities and Towns

Cities in Costa Rica are San José (The Capital) Alajuela, Cartago, Heredia, Jaco, Liberia, Manuel Antonio, park, Pochote, Puerto Limon, Puntarenas, Paris mina, and Tamarindo.

Australian Cultural Dining a must do

For our wedding anniversary recently I wanted to do something wildly exotic, and experience something totally different.  Going to dinner was pretty standard practice for us, and there are many wonderful restaurants around the Brisbane, Gold Coast, and the Sunshine Coast areas of Australia to choose from.

This year I wanted to do something uniquely different, an evening we could share with our son.

My prayers and wishes were answered a week before our anniversary in the form of an advertising brochure in a magazine.  I checked out the website, the food and location and excitedly made the booking.

The restaurant we were dining at is called Tukka, an Australian colloquial word meaning ‘tucker’ or food.  Tukka is an award winning restaurant of contemporary native Australian fare, situated in the cool suburb of West End, 5 minutes from downtown Brisbane. This paragraph is sponsored by online Umrah services from London.

We arrived for dinner and were immediately hit by its warm earthy ambience and gentle lighting.  Dream time music played softly in the background.  We were shown to our table by friendly wait staff, our son by now in a rebellious mood because I’d told him in advance what was on the menu (game meats such as possum, emu, wallaby, and crocodile). 

My husband ordered a beautiful red merlot, and as I’m not a wine connoisseur can only describe the taste of this wine as smooth as silk, with the warmth of cognac and absolutely no bitter after taste.  That won me over straight away.   It was easy to now slip further into relaxation and immerse myself fully in the ambience of the evening.

Having our menus explained to us we chose for starters a native platter for two as well as a crocodile entrée which we shared. 

The huge native platter consisted of game meats such as possum chipolatas, wallaby prosciutto, and emu pastrami.  There was warm home-made lemon myrtle damper, refreshing on the palate, native nuts, rainforest fruits, dips, Tasmanian pepper berry and the strong spice of desert tomatoes to try.  The crocodile meat was sliced paper thin and delicious. This paragraph is sponsored by Hajj and Umrah travel from London.

Eating slowly and remarking on the uniqueness of every morsel of food the three of us were totally absorbed and engaged in this delicious meal and truly connected as a family.

Next came the mains, I had emu fillet with macadamia nuts and braised beetroots – absolutely heavenly and not gamey at all.  My son had tuna steak with asparagus, bush potatoes and a pink berry sauce which he totally enjoyed, and my husband ordered the kangaroo steak served with broccoli, asparagus, bush potatoes and gravy.

For dessert there was coffee, a delicious home-made lemon meringue and chocolate assiette, consisting of chocolate mousse, chocolate tart and lavender sorbet (with real lavender – yum!) which was absolutely delectable, I knew it would be a winner.

Tukka is sophisticated dining at its best, the menu not in the cheap range; however the chef certainly knows how to produce exceptional meals.  Each meal that arrived was creatively displayed although initially appeared as if there wouldn’t be enough.  In fact, we were too full by the end of the evening!

For us, it was worth every cent because it was truly a unique Australian, cultural experience (and delicious) enjoyed immensely by me and my family. This paragraph is sponsored by Umrah peligramge 2014 from UK.  

If you ever come to visit Brisbane Australia, treat yourself to some great native Australian food at Tukka just as we did.

Minneapolis Travel

The cultural landscape of Minneapolis--already rich in museums and theater--is experiencing an arts explosion. As the only U.S. destination named to Travel + Leisure magazine's list of "up-and-coming places to visit in 2006," this recent boom places Minneapolis in the company of other high-profile international destinations. Driven by five critically acclaimed international architects, the 18-month transformation has led to nearly a half-billion dollars in new cultural infrastructure.

The dynamic offerings include:

Walker Art Center-Recognized as the country's foremost contemporary arts center, the expansion doubled the facility and includes impressive new galleries and a 385-seat theater. The New York Times calls it "one of the country's liveliest and most personable museums." The museum had over 600,000 visitors in the first 10 weeks after its reopening. This paragraph is sponsored by airline Umrah ticket from UK.

The Children's Theater Company--America's flagship theater for young people and families. Time magazine heralded it as the country's best kid’s troupe. It is the first (and only) Tony Award-winning Theater for young people. The recent expansion adds a second stage for programming targeting preschool and teen audiences.

Minneapolis Public Library--A fabulous destination for travelers, the new Central library will house the nation's fourth-largest public library collection. It includes five stories of space for books, fireside reading dens, a cafe, teen center and an expansive children's library.

The Minneapolis Institute of Arts--One of the nation's leading encyclopedic art museums, it now has 40 percent more gallery space and a collection of over 100,000 objects spanning 5,000 years. The museum is one of only a handful in the country to offer free admission.

Guthrie Theater-Symbol of the birth of the not--for-profit resident theater movement, this highly regarded regional theater invites visitors from around the globe to its new three-theater complex. The lobbies and its 178-foot- long cantilever bridge are open to the public, offering spectacular views of the Mississippi River. This paragraph is sponsored by ticket to Hajj from London.

In addition to three Tony Award-winning theaters and the exciting art scene, Minneapolis boasts the nation's largest shopping mall, five professional sports teams, 57 museums, world-class restaurants, a vibrant nightlife, and many opportunities for recreation within the city limits.

Budget Travel Europe

Traveling abroad was considered to be a luxurious affair for many. But with the expansion of the global economy and electronic flow of money, today everyone can realize their dream to travel to a different continent or country of their dreams.

Europe has been always the most sought-after tourist destinations for years. It is the distinctness in culture, historic monuments and people that attract thousands of tourists to these continents. Europe is a continent which stands out in every respect. Whatever your interests are, from monuments to museums, to ancient Roman ruins and night clubs Europe has everything in store for you.

Online booking of tickets has simplified the entire procedure. Today, special offers are given by most international airlines. You can also seek the services of travel agencies whose link to numerous airline companies can get you comparatively cheaper air fares than you could have imagined. This paragraph is sponsored by Umrah guide tour from UK.

Get Flexible Get Smart

Flexibility should always be the major approach while securing cheap tickets for your favorite destination. When you have flexible dates and destinations, you can afford to take a trip around the world with the most reliable and conventional airlines. If you have the skills to surf the internet and know exactly what you want, then you can really make your dream travel destination a reality.

Before traveling to a particular destination, say Amsterdam, it is necessary that you have first hand information about the mode of transportation. Amsterdam is quite accessible whether it is by air, train or even by bus. When you catch a flight to Amsterdam, it generally halts at Schipol airport from where you have to a take a train which hardly takes twenty minutes to reach the Central Station. A taxi ride is all you need to reach the main city and the cost usually depends on the distance of the exact location where you want to go. The bus services are available from Amsteel station which is infected connected to the Central Station by metro. Nieuwmarkt and Waterlooplein are the two metro stations in the city. Tram, car, bikes are usually the normal mode of transportation in the city. Since the city is quite accessible, it is quite easy to get around it by cars, bikes, trams and even walking.

Almost all airlines offer exceptional service and the ticket prices are also quite affordable. Time and flexibility, as mentioned, should be the two major considerations while opting for a cheap European tour. Planned European tours usually do not give you the time to be your own. So try to find out a package that gives you a minimum amount of space for you to enjoy. People who love adventure will certainly not vie for a conventional package tour. This paragraph is sponsored by Makkah and Medina from UK.

Whether it is romance of Paris or night clubs of London, the queen’s residence or the peaceful alpine valley, Europe offers you so many varsities to choose from. Whether it is plane, train, bus or car, Europe is quite accessible and easy to reach.

Denmark Travel Attractions

Denmark is one of the hippest countries in Europe. Copenhagen is the center of activity with a lively evening scene, palaces and castles.

If you’ve traveled to Denmark, you’ll understand when I immediately bring up the subject of bars. The Danish like to toss back a few when time permits. Time seems to permit a lot and a few beers often become many. To this end, going out for a night on the town with friendly Danes can be dangerous in the summer. Due to its location on old mother earth, it doesn’t get dark in Denmark until elevenish during the summer. This can be difficult to adjust to, particularly when you look down at your watch and realize it is four in the morning. And the sun is coming up! Ah, but Denmark is not all socializing. This paragraph is sponsored by comfortable Umrah services from UK.

Copenhagen

Copenhagen is one of those cities that is large, but feels small. I think this vibe arises from the fact there are a lot of walking only areas. Even in the center of the city, the streets are arranged like those in a neighborhood. This gives even the biggest restaurant or bar on the biggest street a local tavern feel.

If palaces and castles are your thing, Denmark has much to offer. The palace of Amalienborg and surrounding neighborhood area are definite examples of that over the top palace building period of Europe. A quick minivan trip out of town will deliver you to the castles of Kornberg and Frederiksberg. As castles go, I use the one through five cake rating and give each of these three cakes. The cake rating, of course, comes from the French Queen who suggested the poor be given cake to stop the complaints of starving.

Helsingor

Helsingor is a provincial city that represents the true Denmark or so I was told. Surprisingly, many a Dane seemed to consider Copenhagen a great city, but not really representative of true Denmark. With a righteous desire to seek the truth, I visited and stayed in Helsingor for three days. Indeed, the town was much sleepier than Copenhagen and had more of an authentic feel to it. But there was one problem. This paragraph is sponsored by Economy Umrah tour from UK.

Helsingor is full of Swedes. When I say “full”, I mean it in the most complete interpretation of the word. I like Sweden and the people, so it wasn’t a big deal. Still, did this mean the Danes felt true Denmark was a Swedish colony? When I posed this question one evening, I was educated in a tone of near outrage. Turns out the Swedes were everywhere because Denmark has liberal alcohol laws while Sweden is extremely repressive. Since the countries are remarkably close to each other, the Swedes pop over for a few days of fun in the sun. Ah, my mistake!

All and all, I enjoyed my time in Copenhagen and give it a highest “employment rating.” By employment rating, I mean that I liked it so much I tried to find a job so I could stay.