CIMA Hospital Coming To Guanacaste

CIMA Hospital (Owned by Baylor University) and one of the top Hospitals in Central America

Hospital CIMA announces


big Guanacaste project

Hospital CIMA kicked off the construction of a $125 million project in Carrillo, Guanacaste, that will include a Hospital CIMA there.

The project is called Pacific Plaza, seen as an integrated medical services and residential center. The project will be built out in seven steps, said the hospital. The first is scheduled to be ready in 2011. This will be the new hospital with a heliport, a three-story tower with 42 medical offices, six commercial spaces, a pharmacy and a food court.

The second and third steps are condos, followed by adult housing including facilities for Alzheimer patients, said the hospital. The sixth and seventh steps are a hotel and community recreational center, said the hospital.



The location is near Daniel Oduber airport in Liberia., which is les than an hour and a half from Lake Arenal. The present hospital is in Escazú.

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CIMA Hospital - The Best In Central America

Without hard work, nothing grows but weeds.

Famous People Living At Lake Arenal Costa Rica

Few People here at the Lake know it but the owner of  The Lake House, Loren Salazar is also a very famous artist.

                                        

                                    

Loren Salazar was born in California in 1951. Graduated with Honors in 1973 from Central Washington State University with a degree in Arts and Sciences. Salazar has painted and exhibited extensively in the western states of Washington, California, and Alaska. His work has been exhibited across the country and his published images are found internationally. Currently calling Cost Rica home, Salazar continues to paint image locations from Italy to South America.




His paintings were honed and effected by the end of the turbulent 1960’s. His exploration of art professionally coincided with an explosion of new music and social change. Salazar’s early art paralleled a wave of new progressive rock music and a common direction brought contacts with the music industry and with rock artists. These associations resulted in numerous album covers and music industry designs. By 1977 reproductions and cards of Salazar’s paintings were being distributed on an international basis by a California publisher.



His painting technique set him apart as one of the early practitioners of the air brush as a fine art tool. His mastery of that technique resulted in paintings the were included in the Seattle Art Museum’s Northwest Annual Fine Arts Competition. While on display at the Museum his works were singled out b y the Seattle Times for individual praise. These early works were so convincing that his paintings were at times mistaken for photography.

Salazar’s photorealistic technique developed into a long series of works based on visual memory. This involved numerous images and places occupying the same picture plane. These images dissolved in and out of one another in long horizontal compositions. Salazar had developed a technique and imagery that proceeded computer art but was essentially “Photoshop” by hand before Photoshop was available. At this point the artist’s works in the early 1990’s were being mistaken at times for sophisticated works created on computers using Photoshop.

With a desire to distance himself from what he saw as a coming concern, (digital art), the artist moved onto a technique and media that could not be mistaken for anything digital. With the encouragement of close friend and mentor Andreas Nottebohm, Salazar set fourth on a 4 year series of works on etched aluminum, a technique pioneered by San Francisco artist Nottebohm. While living near Lake Arenal in Costa Rica, Salazar’s nights were consumed creating a series of paintings based on “The "Northern Lights” or “Aurora Borealis”. This series was painted in layers of transparent acrylic on etched aluminum. From Arenal, Salazar shipped the Northern Light Series to galleries in Alaska, Washington, and California.



Since 2004, Salazar has gone full circle and has concentrated his new works to painting on a new type of canvas. A recently developed “Watercolor Canvas” has allowed the artist to draw upon various techniques he developed over the years and apply them to a common surface. The resulting works are classic images from sites world-wide. Salazar’s latest paintings are a dream like sequence titled "Light Sleeper Series". This series is in progress for 2007 and the first three paintings are shown on this site listed in "Current".



Seth Landau

To see more about Loren and his work go to Loren Salazar

 Moran Real Estate Over 50 Years of Tropical Real Estate Excellence

 

A Bird Does Not Sing Because It has An Answer, It Sings Because It has a Song

The Sunken City Of Old Arenal

This shows Old Arenal in the pink area which is now flooded

In The 1970,s The Government Electricity Company known as ICI developed a plan to build an earthen dam on what is now the eastern end of Lake Arenal to create and hydro electrical project and produce much needed electricity for Costa Rica.  The Lake would be increased to 3 times its original size in the process. The only problem other than the cost was that there was a fair sized town called Arenal in a spot that would be one of the deepest parts of the expanded lake. Another town Tronadora would also be partially sub merged as well as a number of farms and homes.

            

So the work commenced, at the same time personel from ICI negotiated with the residnets of Arenal, Tronadora and elsewhere to relocate. In the case of Arenal, an entire new town was planned called Nuevo (New) Arenal, with new commercial areas, church, school clinic and the many homes necessary to accomodate all the residents. This plan was not popular with all the people required to move, some had lived in the same homes for generations and in fact refused to move. In some cases families refused to vacate their homes until the water lapped onto their doorsteps.

Old Arenal, as it is now called lies under 200 feet of water. The steeple of the old church, which is closer to the shore sometimes pops up above the water when the lake is low.

Some of the old timers who now live in Nuevo Arenal pine for the good old days in their old town.

Moran Real Estate Call 506 2694 0088 or Cell 506 8880 8888 24/7

Moran Real Estate - Over 50 Years of Tropical Real Estate Excellence

Rainbow Bay Tennis And Yacht Club

If you are looking for the absolute very best at Lake Arenal, look no further..  Rainbow Bay was created 10 years ago with a developer doing something they seldom do, that is putting in all the infrastructure and amenities first, which are extensive for this small 30 acre Garden of Eden. He then sub divided just 20 lots, on one of which he built just 9 luxury lakefront townhouses of 1, 2 and 3 bedrooms. For this very low density development he included 2 tennis courts, one of which is professional and covered, 2 pools, a club house, a small gymnasium, bar b q area, a marina and a stable.
There are currently just a few lots left starting at $175,000 and there are 2 townhouses for sale furnished , a 2 bedroom 2 bath and a 3 bedroom 3 bath starting at $225,000. Rainbow Bay is located just 5 minutes from Arenal Town and has been richly landscaped
including over 100 fruit trees. Once a week a fresh fish truck from the coast comes right to your door, as does a truck delivering fresh baked goods from the German bakery.

So If you want the best, there is only one place to go

Call Moran Real Estateat 506 2694 0088 or cell 506 8880 8888  24/7 The Lake Experts.

Moran Real Estate Lake Arenal Costa Rica

Lake Arenal Costa Rica Homes Of Distinction

 

This Newly renovated 5 bedroom Walled Estate was just completely renovated by an old world craftsman and due to health concerns is forced to sell. The property is situated in a quiet community walking distance to Nuevo Arenal Town and the public Park where you can swim, fish or launch a boat. The home includes a pool and beautifully landscaped grounds and offers a variety of options to a new buyer as a large family or corporate home, or a B&B. The owner is asking $275,00 and open to offers. This is one of the best home values at Lake Arenal today, so please call Moran Real Estate at 506 2694 0088 or cell 506 8880 8888   24/7 for further information.

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Moran Real Estate Lake Arenal Costa Rica
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Lake Arenal Costa Rica By Kayak

If you really want to see all the beauty of Lake Arenal may we suggest seeing it at a leisurely pace on the Lake by Kayak. Our neighbors at Arenal Kayaks, Arenal Kayaks will treat you to a very very unique experience.

Not only will you see the beauty of this pristine Lake, and the volcano, but you will experience some of the most beautiful scenery in all of Central America. Depending on your skill and endurance there are a variety options open to your Kayak adventure. There are coves, bays, a 500 acre jungle island with more bird and animal species than you might see in any single location in the world. There are single and double Kayaks available in full and half day tours with very experienced safe tour guides, so grab a paddle and get going.

  Arenal Kayaks   Moran Real Estate

or Call Moran Real Estate at 506 2694 0088 or Cell 506 8880 8888  24/7

Costa Rica Lake Arenal World Class Windsurfing And Kite Surfing

Windsurfing in Lake Arenal Costa Rica will take your breath away. With waves up to 5 feet and winds up to 40 mph it is  renowned to be one of the 5 best wind surfing locations on earth. The best months are from December to April when the winds are stable and from an easterly direction. And not only a sport for professionals, this is a sport for beginners too with equipment rentals and lessens availavle right on the lakeshore. Hotels such as our friends at the  Hotel Tilawa  which specialize in wind surfing and kite surfing enthusiasts, and the lake bounded on the eastern shore by the Arenal active volcano and surrounded by Pristine jungle, exotic birds, plants and wildlife there is no better place anywhere to enjoy this exilerating sport

Moran Real Estate Lake Arenal Costa Rica   

  Hotel Tilawa Windsurfing

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Or Call Moran Real Estate at 506 2694 0088 or Cell 506 8880 8888 24/7

Costa Rica Lake Arenal - Birdwatching Paradise

For its relatively small size, Costa Ricas has recorded over 860 species of birds, with  over 60 National Parks and Reserves, it is a Birders Heaven. People come from all over the world to glimpse some of the exotic and rare birds, which are visible from the largest cities to the deepest parts of the Park jungles. To put this in perspective there are more bird species in Costa Rica than the U.S. and Canada combined.  Even more amazing, Costa Rica has more bird species than the continent of Africa. The birds can be found in a wide array of habitats, many in the dense canopy of the forests and often heard more than seen. There are many tours available for birdwatching and the Costa Rican Tourist Insttitue http://www.tourism.co.cr/  in San Jose can offer a wealth of information also.  So pack your binoculars, camaras, comfortable shoes and clothes and enjoy one of the great wildlife adventures of the world.

Moran Real Estate Lake Arenal Costa Rica

Or Call Moran Real Estate at 506 2694 0088 or Cell 506 8880 8888  24/7

Costa Rica Lake Arenal - Gary A Scott International Real Estate Expert, Recommends Moran Real Estate

Lake property for $1,000
Many years ago, when we had a condo in the Dominican Republic, American real estate broker Terry Moran was very helpful to Merri and me as we searched for property. Recently he informed me that he has moved to a beautiful lake (he says it looks just like Lake Como) in Costa Rica. He invited us there. Between the farm and Ecuador, we do not have time to go, but the data he provided was quite interesting. If you are interested in lake property, Costa Rica, or international investments take a look at this description.
LAKE ARENAL, a pure, clean, 50 square mile freshwater lake, high in the cool, lush, tropical, Costa Rican mountains.
Low, undiscovered, Real Estate prices, including Land, homes, condos, hotels, development opportunities, with waterfalls, hot springs, rivers, lakefront, volcano views, in a virtual Garden of Eden setting with exotic fruits, flowers, toucans, monkeys and parrots right outside your door.
Gorgeous land from $1000 an acre, small homes starting at $35,000, great development opportunities for hotels, marinas, condos, land sub divisions, shopping centers.
New fully furnished condos with breathtaking views of the lake starting at $72,000.
Easy access, good shopping, safe, secure, peaceful, no traffic, extremely friendly people, good utilities and medical, inexpensive retirement.
US Title insurance available on property.
Long term and vacation rentals availble.
Fabulous fishing and watersports. Just being discovered so don,t wait.

Costa Rica - Health Is Number One

Costa Rica - Health Is Number One

Living in Costa Rica can be a healthy experience according to the United Nations. Costa Rica is in first place in Latin America for the development of curative and preventitive diseases, a ranking that places it in the top 20 in the world. In fact, this small tropical paradise surpasses the United States in both lower infant mortality and life expectancy.

So what sets Costa Rica apart from Mexico and other Central American countries? There are many factors, but probably the most fundamental is Costa Rica's strong and undying commitment to maintaining a high level of water quality. Unlike most of Latin America, you can drink the water right out of the tap! This applies to San Jose and the larger cities as well as small rural villages. All over the country, water quality and sewage treatment facilities are stringently monitored, and those few sources that are deemed unsafe to visitors are exposed. As a result, water quality standards have greatly benefited the restaurant industry. This coupled with their natural tendency for cleanliness and sanitation, Costa Ricans maintain extraordinarily high standards for their restaurants.

Foreign residents have lots of choices when it comes to how they want to handle their health care needs. Choosing clinics, doctors, and the mode of payment all take careful consideration. As a foreign resident, one must ask the question, "What kind of health care experience do I want?" As a general rule, the more one pays for their medical treatment, the more choice that person will have in which doctor they will go to, how quickly they will be seen by a physician, and how comfortable their accommodations will be. To answer this question, many residents have combined the best of both the public and private medical systems to create a hybrid health care plan for them and their families. Here's how it works: Many doctors in Costa Rica that work in the public CCSSS hospitals also conduct their own private office hours during the afternoons. Foreign residents can pay the CCSSS membership Costa Rica Residents Association fee (US$40-50) and visit the free clinics and hospitals in search of a doctor that they like. If this doctor provides a private service in addition to his public practice, the resident can take advantage of both worlds. They can make routine appointments with ease and little delay; however, should they need a complicated and expensive procedure, the CCSSS will cover the expenses.

Moran Real Estate Costa Rica Lake Arenal

Gingerbread Boutique Hotel And Restaurant Kudos

Gingerbread Restaurant, possibly the best place to dine in Costa Rica
October 3, 9:53 PMDallas Living Abroad ExaminerLynn Farris

Gingerbread Restaurant lit at night. Photo courtesy of Gingerbread Restaurant.
Most people come to the Arenal area to see the spectacular active volcano, to soak in the thermal waters, to windsurf Lake Arenal and enjoy the wide variety of entertainment nature has to offer. They must also now add dining to that list of things to do. The 2009 Lonely Planet guide book to Costa Rica has called Gingerbread Restaurant "arguably the best restaurant in northwestern Costa Rica (if not the entire country)." To those of us who live here, we know it is the finest place to dine in Costa Rica.


The Gingerbread Restaurant is located on the Lake Road, in Nuevo Arenal, northwest of the tourist area of La Fortuna. The head chef and owner, Eyal Ben-Manachem has an incredible passion for life and for food that makes dining here a memorable occasion. He believes food is to be shared and enjoyed. Eyal is originally from Israel and worked in a catering company there. He followed his enjoyment of food and rugby to the U.S. where he ended up in Chicago and enrolled in Kendall College, earning a culinary degree. He returned to Israel and then in 2003, he fell in love with Costa Rica, making it his home.



Here he creates what he calls an International fusion of French, Mediterranean and California cuisine, using only the freshest local ingredients. The menu changes nightly depending on what is good at the market. His specialties often include hand selected fresh local beef and pork. With the Costa Rica location, he also often showcases, fresh tuna, mahi mahi, red snapper, sea bass, jumbo shrimp, calamari and occasionally octopus.



I had the opportunity to dine there recently with friends. They had brought with them a special bottle of wine for us to share at dinner and Eyal was quite gracious in opening the wine and serving it to us without a cork fee. However, Gingerbread offers a wide selection of fine wine, spirits and both national and imported beers.



We all shared his amazing mushroom appetizer, and a caprese salad which was incredible. I’ll confess, I have shared his mushrooms and caprese salad every time I have dined here. These are two of his specialties and I strongly recommend them.



Our friends raved about his blackened tuna salad. The dressing allowed the salad to shine, but added a fascinating blend of sweet and spicy flavors. Her husband had the Mexican Pork, although he had planned to have prime rib, which wasn’t available that night. Despite his disappointment at having to make a substitution, he was blown away by the tenderness of the pork and the flavors. On our way home that evening, he was still wondering how anyone could make pork that tender.


Vegetarian Fettuccine. Photo by Donald Farris.
My husband and I are vegetarians, which often test the skills of fine chefs. Eyal made us a vegetarian fettuccini with feta cheese, green beans, carrots, sun dried tomatoes, peppers and fresh herbs in a very light sauce. As a vegetarian, I have certainly had my share of vegetarian pasta dishes; this was by far the best I have ever eaten. While Gingerbread may not advertise it, this is the place to come if you are a vegetarian.


Eyal is also known for his desserts featuring rich dark chocolate and fresh fruits. Unfortunately we were all too full to even entertain dessert.



Gingerbread also has a boutique hotel attached to it. With his spirit of creativity, it is not surprising that each room features the work of local artists. One room features a jungle motif with fantastic murals, another is a butterfly room and a third, the honeymoon room, offers a cupid motif. Eyal has supported local artists and not only is their art displayed here, you can purchase some of it as well.



While this certainly is not the least expensive place to dine, most people consider it quite reasonable for a dinner of this quality. Because portions are large and sharing is encouraged, if you come with friends, you can partake in a number of courses fairly economically. Make reservations before coming and bring cash. Credit cards are not accepted here.

Gingerbread Hotel And Fine Restaurant

COSTA RICA - THE BEST INSURANCE POLICY YOU WILL EVER BUY

COSTA RICA – THE BEST INSURANCE POLICY YOU WILL EVER BUY

Does any thinking man or woman think for one minute, I mean really believe, that gas prices are ever going to go down. That the price and availability of food will be less or more available. That the threat of worse wars or more terrible terrorist attacks will ever lessen. That electricity prices will decrease, that the weather patterns will not become more and more destructive. That the Government or the church or some savior from somewhere is going to step in and save you.
If you do not believe this is going to happen, and do not think this inevitability is happening in a more and more rapidly increasing progression then I have some terrible news for you, and some good news also.

There is no better place in the world for you to buy a one time, reasonably priced, safe haven insurance policy for you and your family forever than right here in Costa Rica. When, and not if, one or all of the things that can get worse very quickly happens, what are you going to do. Plant garden on the porch of your condo – I don’t think so. Will it get as bad as a scene from THE ROAD WARRIOR, yes maybe it will. You can do something right now that will give you a wonderful option, and peace of mind for you and your family. Buy a small farm plot right here in Costa Rica.
The United Nations has determined that a family of 4 living on one hectare of land {2.5 acres} with good soil and the availability of water can survive off the land.
It will be a drastic lifestyle change for almost everyone, but you will live and you will provide food and water for your family. And I am not talking hundreds of thousands of dollars, I am saying you can buy a rich parcel of land on a river or a spring for around $50,000. or less.

There are also 2 planned developments here at Lake Arenal that are aiming at self sustaining off the grid communities. One is The Preserve At Lake Arenal, and another is yet un-named. There are several companies in Costa Rica that specialize in state of the art electrical supply via solar, wind, hydro electric and geo thermal.
The idea is to buy now, something with sufficient land to support you and your family and start planting your long term producing fruit trees such as Orange, Lime/lemon, Mango, Avocado, breadfruit and many many others that will be of great benefit later.

I am working with both of the developers planning these developments and they will offer a menu of trees you can have planted on your land which they will care for until you are there.





So the soil is excellent, rich black and volcanic, can grow anything, the rainfall is more that sufficient to provide all the water you will ever need for yourself and your crops, the climate is perfect, never need heating or cooling, the sun and the wind will provide your power needs. Then you are ready for the next step, to build an environmentally friendly home, which you can rent until they day comes you may want to live there full time.

Yes, think about this, watch the news, follow the trends and you will become more and more convinced that you have just purchased the absolute best and most important insurance policy you will ever buy for yourself and your family.
You have nothing to lose, the land will gain value and if by some incredible miracle I am wrong, you will have a great vacation spot, which you should never sell, ever.

Lake Cote, Lake Arenal's Little Sister

Less than one mile north of The 50 square mile Lake Arenal and at a higher elevation sits LAKE COTE, a 3 square kilometer very, very deep heart shaped lake shrouded in mystery.

The mystery begins in 1989 when a plane being used by the Government of Costa Rica flying a mapping task with a high resolution camera mounted on the plane pointing downward programmed to take photos every 17 seconds. It shows in extraordinary detail all the features of the terrain, the lake, trees, topography and what appears to be a UFO which was determined by very careful study to be about 600 feet across and just entering the lake 10,000 feet below.
This photo has been studied and analyzed by experts from all over the world and there is simply no explanation due to double exposure or deliberate fabrication of this photo.
Due to this and the fact that the bottom of the lake had never been recorded by sonar or other means The famous French Diving pioneer Jaques Costeau mounted an expedition to explore the lake. What he found is what appears to be that Lake Cote is the chute of an extinct volcano which extends downward in a twisted tunnel making sonar unusable.
Because Lake Cote is at a higher elevation than Lake Arenal and the northern shore is all National Park with pure mountain rivers pouring into the lake, the Government decided to put a pipe to run this overflow which otherwise went north down the Cote River and send it into Lake Arenal through a small hydro electric plant, before entering Lake Arenal.
The entire southern part of the lake and the surrounding area was purchased by European immigrants to Costa Rica over 50 years ago {of course for almost nothing theses days} who eventually were assimilated into the Costa Rica family and culture. This land encompassed thousands of acres and as time passed some of it was sold here and there, one parcel of note now includes the famous eco hotel The Eco Lodge.
But saving the best for last, the decedents of the visionary original European owner have finally decided to give it up and sell the remainder, which includes all of the Lake Cote water frontage.



Lake Cote is one of the purest, most pristine, untouched lakes in all of Central America. Bounded on the north forever by the primeval National Park, which contains an encyclopedia of Central American flora and fauna as a backdrop for the several hundred acre remainder which the owners have entrusted me to sell.
The peace and the tranquility of this particular area are palpable. The lake exudes a deep appeasing calm that over comes your senses as you get closer to the shore. The lake is also full of fish including the Rainbow Bass and other fish which are not being fished at this time.
Part of the area surrounding the southern shore of the lake, which is for sale was once planted with hundreds of orange trees, which were left to go wild some years ago.
Lakefront property, only sold by the hectar {2.5 acres} is for sale at $200,000, with many of the parcels running from the public road on one side and the lake frontage on the other. This is truly spectacular one of a kind property and for more information please contact Terry Moran at moranrealestate@gmail.com