My Travel Optimizer

I’ve set up a Flickr page with photos of our travels. There are shots from Costa Rica, Spain and Austria. I will be adding on as time goes by and as we take more trips.

Arenal Volcano Costa Rica

Waterfalls near Montezuma, Costa Rica

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Tags: Austria, Costa Rica, Europe, Flickr, Spain

In the near future I will be devoting most posts on this blog to traveling in Costa Rica.  I think it will be better to focus on one particular country at time. I know Costa Rica well so it’s a perfect place for me to write about.

I was there earlier this year and I will be returning in December.  My wife is a teacher and her two week Christmas break is a perfect time to get away.  Economic times are tough but we aren’t going to let it slow our roll.  Costa Rica is always exciting and, for us, much cheaper than getting to Europe.  Costa Rica is still pretty cheap if you know how to get around.  You can still eat a steak dinner for $5 and sleep in a beachfront hotel for $35.

Rain forest near Volcano Arenal, Costa Rica

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Tags: budget travel, Costa Rica

Some things to know about Costa Rica

1. Costa Rica abolished its army in 1948.  Jose Figueres Ferrer, the founder of the modern Costa Rican state, was influenced by H.G. Wells’ “Outline of History” which he read in 1920 while studying at MIT.  Figueres believed that “The future of mankind cannot include armed forces; Police, yes, because people are imperfect.” Costa Rica has no armed forces and has not had a civil war or guerilla insurgency plague its people since 1948.  Costa Ricans are a people who are used to peace.
2. Costa Rican spending on its social programs is on par with those of Scandinavian countries.
3. Intel’s only microprocessor factory in latin America is located in Costa Rica.  This factory accounts for 20% of Costa Rica’s exports.
4. Costa Rica is trying to become a carbon neutral nation by 2012.
5. It provides most of its own power through hydro-electric and wind technology.
6. It has only about 0.1% of the world’s landmass, it contains 5% of the world’s biodiversity.
7. Costa Rica has designated 25% of its land mass as protected areas and parks.  This is the highest percentage in the world.
   

   Arenal Volcano Costa Rica

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Tags: Costa Rica, history

I have been going to Spain since I was a little kid. When I was small my family lived in Zaire, Africa. Today Zaire is called the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is not democratic or a republic but it does have the Congo river as a border. My dad’s company would pay for us to fly back home to the United States every summer. Since we had to take a connecting flight in Europe we spaced the connection apart to allow us to stay in Spain and visit with my maternal aunt’s family in Madrid.

I fell in love with Spain from the start. It has a great energy and the food captivated me from the very beginning. I remember clearly staring at the incredible selection of seafood available at the neighborhood fish-stand. Spanish comic books (I’m fluent in Spanish) were hilarious and the candy selection was unbelievable (Especially since we were living in the-less-than-well-supplied African continent.)

As I’ve grown older I’ve come to appreciate Spain even more. It’s my favorite country in Europe. I love Germany, France, Italy, etc but if I were to live long term in Europe it would have to be in Spain. The people are wonderful, the food is first class and there are Roman ruins that can rival many in Italy (Spain stayed out of WWII so they weren’t bombed). The weather is the best in Western Europe. I’ve lived in Florida for over eight years now so I’m not good with the cold. I don’t think many people are. Spain is full of English and German tourists fleeing the winter. Any trip to Spain should include a trip to Segovia. The town has a functioning Roman aqueduct in undamaged state. It’s awe-inspiring to look at a structure that was built before Jesus Christ was born and still performs its job.

In front of the aqueduct in Segovia, Spain

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Tags: Europe, Roman ruins, Spain

When we went to Europe in the summer of 2008 we decided to cut some lodging costs by staying in campgrounds.  We had a great time and we saved a bundle of money.  Camping in Europe is a great way to see Europe and immerse yourself in the culture.  Some campsites are like North American ones and they are located in the country.  Most cities have at least one campsite close to the city and with easy access to public transport to the city.  We stayed in a campsite in Amsterdam that was next door to a metro station. We paid less than forty dollars American which is great for Amsterdam.  Its one of the most expensive cities (lodging-wise) on the continent.

We stayed at a campsite in Austria and had a blast. The views were magnificent. We had showers, a laundry room, etc. All the facilities were extremely clean and it was a great way to see Germans and Austrians in a non-touristy setting. I can’t say enough about the Austrian Wilderness. We went hiking in the woods and came across an Austrian youth group having a church service in a clearing. We thought that the setting was very appropriate. Whatever your beliefs may be I can’t help but feel that you will experience some awe when you are in that part of the world.

Camping in Austria

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Tags: Amsterdam, Austria, camping, camping in Europe, Europe