BEACH Bound: The central Pacific beach of Esterillos Este is among sandy destinations Costa Ricans will visit to the Easter Holy Week (Semana Santa) next week. Many workplaces close for all or part of the week, and lots of residents take advantage and go on vacation.

There have been “no reports” in Costa Rica of the contaminated pet food that recently killed at least 13 cats and one dog in the United States, according to Wal-Mart Costa Rica corporate affairs manager Aquileo Sánchez.

Semana Santa
Note: during Easter Holy Week, or Semana Santa, April 1-8, many businesses including banks and government offices will be closed. It's a good idea to call your destination before heading out.

The U.S. Embassy and Consulate will attend the public during their normal office hours, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday through Wednesday and will be closed Thursday and Friday, reopening April 9.

Those traveling to some locations in the northwestern Guanacaste province should note that the terminal of the Tracopa bus company, which offers service from San José to Santa Cruz, Playa Flamingo and Tamarindo, has moved from its previous location near the Coca-Cola area on the western side of downtown San José to near Plaza Víquez, 100 meters west and 25 meters south of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport's (MOPT) Driver's License Department. Call 258-8939 for more information.

Concert
B.B. Zúñiga plays original and classic rock covers, tonight, 6 p.m., Father Rooster, Playa Ocotal, northwestern Guanacaste. Also tomorrow, 1 p.m., B.B. Zúñiga plays at Toadstock I with his group Traveling Light, Toad Hall, Lake Arenal and Sunday, La Tejona Restaurant, 6 p.m. 

Cooking Techniques Workshops
Including recipes, Saturdays, Sunday through May 12, Mucho Gusto Gastronomy Studio, Barrio Dent. Info: 234-0840

Newcomers April Meeting
With guest speaker Flora Vílchez giving an update on the Immigration Law, April 3, 9:30 a.m., Cariari B&B, Ciudad Cariari, northwest of San José. Info: 416-6165, newcomerscr@yahoo.com

Sun and Music Festival
Son de Tikizia, salsa, April 4, 7 p.m., Monteverde Amphitheater, Monteverde, north-central Costa Rica. 

Easter Processions
April 5-6, in communities around the country with Catholic mass services. 

“Mixed Arts from New England ”
By artists from Boston, through April 12, Sophia Wannamaker Gallery, Costa Rican-North American Cultural Center. Info: 207-7554

By Amanda Roberson
Tico Times Staff | aroberson@ticotimes.net

Six new four-wheelers and 24 motorcycles sparkled under yesterday morning's hot sun in the parking lot of the Costa Rican Tourism Institute's (ICT) San José headquarters. Just as shiny beside them were the smiles of Tourism Minister Carlos Benavides and Public Security Minister Fernando Berrocal as they received these gifts from Taiwanese Ambassador Tzu-Dan Wu.

The vehicles, worth $75,000, will be used by the country's 125 Tourism Police who assumed their posts in December (TT, Dec. 22, 2006) and hopefully by the 150 more officers expected to graduate by the end of this year.

Statistics indicate that this new police force -- created specifically to target crimes against tourists -- has been successful so far, Benavides said. Robberies against tourists have decreased during the first two months of this year to 910, down from the 1,168 reported during the same period last year, he said.

With Taiwan's generous donation received yesterday, “these 125 Tourism Police will be able to work in better conditions, especially during times when a great quantity of tourists head to vacation spots, such as Semana Santa,” Benavides said.

Tourism Police officer Eric Conteras, who has worked in the San José area since December, agreed the vehicles are much appreciated since one of the main challenges he's faced in his job so far has been a “lack of resources.”

Another difficulty has been his beginner's level of English, which he is studying through classes offered by the U.S. Embassy.

Overall, Conteras said he feels the new force has been successful. “It has a new, nontraditional focus on tourism security, and people are feeling safer,” Contéras said, explaining that in addition to dealing with crimes and striving to prevent them, he often gives tourists practical advice such as directions and restaurant recommendations.

Tourists in Costa Rica can now carry a small card containing the number of a hotline they can call to make complaints as well as get information on the currency exchange rate, Costa Rica's best beaches and other travel tips.

"The goal of the hotline is to provide fast, effective information to visitors, mainly foreigners, so they don't necessarily have to go to one of the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT) offices," said Tourism Minister Carlos Benavides in a statement.

The 24-hour hotline, 800-TOURISM or 800-TURISMO, will have English-speaking personnel attending tourist concerns. In addition to the hotline, the back of the card has a list of phone numbers for emergencies, including those of several countries' embassies.

ICT has printed 90,000 of these small blue cards, which are being distributed at the Immigration area of Juan Santamaría International Airport, just north of San José. They will soon be available at the Daniel Oduber International Airport in the Guanacaste city of Liberia, and the institute hopes to offer them at ports and land border crossings, Benavides said.

Also in the works are plans to print the card in Braille and print similar information on flyers to put in rental cars, the statement said.

-Tico Times

By Amanda Roberson
Tico Times Staff | aroberson@ticotimes.net