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

More Good News For Retirement In Costa Rica

"The President of Costa Rica, Oscar Arias is expected to sign an Executive Decree which will make


the attraction of foreign retirees to Costa Rica a National Priority.



By implementing this policy the government can then provide incentives to the baby boomers that

want to retire in Costa Rica. The government will also be able to provide incentives and

streamline the permitting process for companies that build retirement communities for the Baby

Boomers.



In 1971 Costa Rica was at the forefront in legislation attracting foreign retirees. In that year

Costa Rica passed the Pensionado-Rentista program which at the time was administered by the Costa

Rican Tourism Board. The program was very successful and instrumental in attracting retirees and

investors to Costa Rica for many years.



The program provided several tax incentives to retirees that would settle in Costa Rica including

duty free importation of an automobile and tax exemption on household furnishings brought into

the country by the retiree.



Decisions of previous governmental administrations eliminated all the tax exemptions making the

program just another immigration category with no incentives at all.



The personalized treatment previously offered to applicants by the Costa Rican Tourism Board was

eliminated and the processing was turned over to the general processing window at the Department

of Immigration.



While Costa Rica minimized the Retiree program other countries in Latin America such as Panama,

Nicaragua, Ecuador, Uruguay, Belize and Mexico implemented and strengthened retiree programs of

their own. By signing this decree it now appears that Costa Rica wants to once again take the

lead in attracting retirees. After all it is estimated that in the United States alone there are

more than 70 million "baby boomers".



For Baby Boomers interested in Costa Rica this means that you will be offered tax breaks and

incentives for settling in Costa Rica. Another benefit which is surely welcome is that Retirees

will have a special processing window at the Department of Immigration to handle their

immigration applications.



We won't know the extent of those incentives until the Executive Decree is signed and published."

Moran Real Estate Over 50 Years of Tropical Real Estate Excellence

 

The Night Is Long and the Pain weighs Heavy, But God Will Hold His World above Dispair

Look to the East, Where up in the Lucid Sky, The Morning Climbs,

The Day shall Yet be fair

The Costa Rican Baby Boomer Retirement Plan

COSTA RICA HAS GREAT PLANS FOR YOUR RETIREMENT

Costa Rica has a solution for the United States' aging baby boomer population.


Send them south where they can enjoy a sunny climate, top medical services, a lower cost of living and a stunning natural landscape.

Seven government agencies are collaborating in an effort to develop retirement communities in the so-called Switzerland of the Americas. Launching a promotional campaign and partnering with private developers, they hope to make their country the next “retiree-friendly” Sunshine State.

“This represents a bigger potential for Costa Rica than recreational tourism represented 25 years ago,” said developer Lou Aguilera, who has spearheaded the initiative from the private sector. “The greying of America is irreversible and Costa Rica is in a position to service this population.”

Aguilera expects to break ground on his own retirement community, a joint project with CIMA hospital, in Guanacaste in May. It would be the first community to include extensive medical services and one of the few of its kind existing to date.

Jorge Woodbridge, competitivity minister, estimates the country can attract 10,000 retirees a year from countries like the United States, Canada and Spain, a population which could contribute more than $340 million annually to the local economy and generate 40,000 jobs.

He said promoting Costa Rica as a retirement destination would be building on a pre-existing niche.

Already the country has three internationally-recognized private hospitals; it's a top destination for medical tourism; the climate is cool and favorable along the country's spine and it's a short plane ride away from many destinations in the United States.

“Costa Rica poses significant competitive advantages in positioning itself as a retirement destination,” Woodbridge said.

The consortium of government agencies, which is calling itself Clúster Retirados, is promoting destinations in the interior of the country for further development, such as Lake Arenal, Miramar, Parque de la Amistad and the volcanoes of Guanacaste.

“The great majority of people (who we hope to attract) are active people that look for things to do,” said Marco Vinicio Ruiz, foreign trade minister. “We want to offer them a better environment than what they have … We want to include them in countrywide initiatives, in issues of research and development and ways in which they can collaborate with small or medium-sized businesses.”

He added, “I see this as an enormous opportunity to collaborate.”

Moran Real Estate Over 50 Years of Tropical Real Estate Excellence

For true success ask yourself these four questions: Why? Why not? Why not me? Why not now?

James Allen

Afacha Marama - The Maleku Indian Medicine Man

For thousands of years the various Central American Indian Tribes have had Medicine Men, or Women  who passed down through the generations the wonders of the medicinal plants in the jungle. It has grown and been fostered by generations of trial and error to the point that some of their remedies and cures for many ailments are far superior to modern medicine.

I recently visited the Medicine Man on the Maleku Reservation about an hour north of the Lake and sat down for a long and interesting talk about the history as has been told down through the years.
Although Alvino Solano has taken a Spanish Christian name, he is pure bred Maleku. He is almost 70 years old and doesn't look a day over 50. I asked him how and who taught him the Indian medicines as far back as he could remember. He called his wife and some other members of his family into his small treatment  and consulting room and through their collective memory they went back quite a ways. His mother, who lived to be over 100 years taught him, His mothers mother, who also lived to be over 100 years taught her. His mothers, mothers grandfather taught her and that is as far as they could remember.
Sometimes The chief or Cacique will act as the chief and the medicine man also, or he will add to the knowkedge of the current medicine man.

He brought out a book and a binder in which were written the plants and herbs from the jungle used to cure various illnesses, how much should be taken and for how long. His binder was full of newspaper and magazine clippings from all over the world where some of his treatments had cured various forms of cancer, diabetes and other ailements.

He said that to find all the plants he needed, he had to travel far and wide into the various micro climates of Central America to find all that was necessary to treat the various illnesses. However a very rich area of the deep primary forest could produce as many as 1500 useful plants per manzana {1.7 Acres}.

He is also very cognitive of diet and health and advises his clients where they are going wrong on their eating habits.

His treatment room is full of various types of bottles and small plastic bags full of different colored liquids and dry plants which were proportioned doses of the various cures. As a matter of fact he had just brewed a fresh warm batch of various potions and extracts he let me touch and smell. He asked me what was ailing me, did I have pain anywhere. I told him I would be back very soon to try some of his remedies.

Moran Real Estate Over 50 Years of Tropical Real Estate Excellence

Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seeds of  its own redemption

Brilliant Artistic Exotic Furniture Maker

Mitchehell Ramon Lance has been bringing extotic woods from all over the world to life as the most incredible unique furniture for over 20 years, first in Texas, but for the last 10 years here in Costa Rica where the most exotic hardwoods are available.

Being very careful Mitch makes regular trips to the forest to find fallen, dead trees only, which he carefully selects for his projects. Some of the woods he regularly uses are Cocobolo, Ron Ron, Caoba (Mahogany), Rosewood and many many others you may have never heard of. Many of the woods he uses are so dense that they sink in water..

He has made Beds out of a single stump of exotic wood. Bathroom Wash basins, all kinds of tables, desks, stairs, plates, lamps and just about any type of furniture you can imagine. He can look at a piece of wood and see things that you and I would never see in a million years.

Mitch has his shop and showroom in Arenal Town acros from the German Bakery and can be reached by phone at 506 8371 8218, or through our office

Moran Real Estate Over 50 years of Tropical Real Estate excellence

By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.

Costa Rica Lake Arenal Unique Properties

W have Just Exclusively Listed one of the most unique, one of a kind Lakefront properties on Lake Arenal. This property consists of over 2.5 acres with an abandoned home situated directly on the Lake in a large Protected Cove. Over 300 feet of all useable waterfrontage ideal for a marina, condominiums, restaurant or several fine homes. Minutes from Arenal Town, easy access, all utilities. 5 or 6 building pads, we have not seen another property like this in over 8 years at Lake Arenal.
The owner is asking $169,000 for this property and we urge you to compare this value with any other Lakefront property at Lake Arenal.

Moran Real Estate Over 50 Years of Tropical Real Estate Excellence

Wise are those who have learned these truths, Trouble is temporary, Time is a tonic and tribulation is a test tube

Lake Arenal Costa Rica Exotic Properties

This magnificent 100 foot waterfall on 8.75 acres of exotic Jungle land was just purchased  through Moran Real Estate by a visionary couple who are transforming it into what will surely be one of the most exotic homes in all of Central America. The waterfall falls into a large natural pool perfect for swimming. A river then winds down stream over smaller falls and water slides into further pools. Further down river it intersects another river which create more pools. The property also includes an unusual number of exotic Tropical hardwood trees and is visited by two specises of monkeys, The White Faced and the Howlers, as well as numerous bird species.

The development of this unique property is a slow labor of Love which when finished will certainly be featured in numerous architectural magazines.
As the plans and the construction progress I will up date this site so that you may see this artwork in progess.

The opportunities at Lake Arenal are some of the most unusual and unique in all of Central Anerica, Moran Real Estate prides ourselves with seeking out the unusual, the unique, the special tropical properties our clients come to Costa Rica to find, and we have found many. But there are many more out there and we are discoverning new properties every week, so keep your eyes on our web site at Moran Real Estate Unique Properties, you never know what you are going to find.

Moran Real Estate Over 50 years of Tropical Real Estate Excellence

A Man is not finished when he is defeated, he is finished when he quits

Moran Real Estate Over 50 years of tropical real estate excellence 

The most beautiful things in the world are not seen, nor touched, they are felt with the heart