Resplendent Quetzal

Attention! All birders! The infamous Resplendent Quetzal has been sighted in Cloudbridge Reserve, adjacent to Parque Nacional Chirripo, on a very regular basis for the past month.
On Saturday previous volunteer Drew sighted male quetzals 12 times in one day! Obviously seeing the same quetzals a number of times they were displaying competitive mating behavior, repeatedly flying upwards and tumbling earthwards together in a flash of fiery blues, greens and reds.
Before the reforestation project at Cloudbridge Reserve the quetzal had practically disappeared from the area. Over the past 12 months they have reappeared to the delight of hikers and birders so that an early morning stroll in the Reserve is more than likely to produce at least one sighting.
It’s well-worth putting San Gerardo on your map if you are planning a birding holiday in Costa Rica, or simply love the idea of spying one of Central America’s most gorgeous birds.

Fallas, winner Carrera Chirripo 2012

Carrera Chirripo 2012 starts!

Winner, female category

Suzana helps the fiesta

Nightime fireworks San Gerardo de Rivas

Every year in February San Gerardo de Rivas hosts a madcap marathon UPHILL Mt. Chirripó, the highest mountain in Costa Rica and second highest in Central America.
About 225 competitors: men and women of all ages, race 17 km uphill to the lodge, and back down again, in blistering heat and some in record times.
This year the previous first-past-the-post record was broken and a new record of 3 hours 5 minutes for the winner was set.
The race is a wonderful time to visit San Gerardo as the village is ablaze with festivity and there is wonderful typical food to try, crafts to buy, the finals of the regional football tournament, and this year a spectacular fireworks display.

Don Gerhard races again this year - veteran of 76 years!

The 24th Annual Carrera Chirripó is nearly here! Saturday February 25th is the day of the race, and here are the activities planned for the fiesta around that date:

Friday Feb 24th
2:00 pm – 5:00 pm: athletes receive their race numbers
4:00 pm – 7:00 pm: Crowning of the Festival Queen
5:00 pm: Athlete’s Dinner
7:00 pm: Gala Dinner for Race Patrons

Saturday Feb 25th
7:00 am. Race begins from the centre of San Gerardo de Rivas
7:30 am. Children’s Race
8:00 – 10: am. Cultural & Recreational activities
10:00 – 1:00 pm Runners return
1:00 pm: Concert sponsored by ICE
4:00 p.m. Presentation to the winners of the 24th annual Chirripó Race
8:00 p.m. Dance with Discomovil Mociones
Music throughout the day

Sunday Feb 26th (Football Tournament begins)
10:30 – 2:00 pm: Finals of the Men’s Football Cup
3:00 – 4:00 pm: Tournament Awards
3:30 pm: Giant BINGO
7:00 pm: Spectacular Fireworks Display
Closing

Monday Feb 272:00 pm Football game: Los Arrieros (Guides/Porters) vs Despistados (Clueless!)
3:30 pm Football game: Indigenous team vs. Seniors
Come and enjoy the fiesta with the Community of San Gerardo de Rivas
Everyone is invited by the Asociacion de Desarollo Integral.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Programa de actividades XXIV Edicion Carrera al Cerro Chirripo – VI Edicion Copa Chirripo

Viernes 24 de febrero
2:00 a 5:00 pm Recibimiento de atletas y entrega de números
4:00 a 7:00 pm Coronación de la Reina de las Fiestas
5:00 pm Cena de Corredores
7:00 pm Cena Patrocinadores

Sábado 25 de febrero
7:00 am Salida de los corredores
7:30 am Carreras Infantiles
8:00 a 10:00 am Actividades Culturales y Recreativas
10:00 a 1:00 pm Recibimiento de los competidores
1:00 pm Concierto con Grupo Patrocinado por el ICE
4:00 pm Premiación de la XXIV Carrera al Chirripó
8:00 pm Grandiosa baile con Disco-móvil Mociones
Tendremos música ambiente durante todo el día.

Domingo 26 de febrero
10:30 – 2:00 pm Final de futbol Masculino
3:00 a 4:00 pm Premiación de la Copa Chirripó
3:30 pm Grandioso BINGO
7:00 pm Espectacular juego de pólvora
Cierre de la actividad

Lunes 27 de febrero
2:00 pm futbol Los Arrieros – Los Despistados
3:30 pm futbol Los indígenas – tercera edad.
Ven disfruta con el pueblo de San Gerardo de Rivas
Te invita la Asociación de Desarrollo Integral

Apart from the fact that we are all getting pretty excited because the CARRERA CHIRRIPÓ (Chirripó Race) is just around the corner: February 25th, there have been some special things happening in San Gerardo recently:

• El Descanso Hotel has recently opened a new service for their clients and visitors to San Gerardo. A sauna might be EXACTLY what you want after your descent from Mt Chirripó or Cloudbridge Reserve. The sauna has capacity for a family or around 6 persons and costs $10 for a 20 minute session. You don’t have to be staying at El Descanso to use the sauna – just pop by the front desk and inquire. (And write and tell us how wonderful it was!)

• Costa Rica Holiday Homestay has just opened their new bilingual website brimming with useful information, photos, ideas and costs about how to get the most out of your Costa Rica vacation including Spanish classes, local tours, coffee picking (for fun!) artesania, cooking and much more. If you want to experience the REAL Costa Rica take a peek and see what a homestay offers. The San Gerardo families will give you a huge welcome and an unforgettable experience.

• Cafe Bambu has begun a series of “Musical Dinners” with the success of their Christmas event that sold out. Their second event in early January, in conjunction with Reserva Cloudbridge, featured a mouthwatering dinner of papoosas, chimichurri, filled platinos washed down with lemonade, and followed by traditional tamal asado and coffee. At the same time a local musical trio played rancheros, ballads and even international Latino favorites for everyone to join in with. It didn’t take long for the dinner guests to get out of their seats and begin dancing! Everyone voted it the best time and a rare chance to experience a traditional Costa Rican evening of food and music.

The next event, again in collaboration with Cloudbridge, will be this Thursday, February 2nd at 6 pm. There are a few spots available so get there early and enjoy a meal as well as the musicians AND a demo by local dancers Las Mariposas.

• Recently it came to our attention that a young Cabécar girl was winning national marathons! 13 year old Clara Salazar placed first in two marathons recently and has decided running is her passion. Living as she does much of the year in the Talamanca interior she and her community spend days walking from place to place and running, playing football and staying fit on their natural and wholly organic diet. It’s no wonder the Cabécar always place well in the Carrera Chirripó – women and men – and Clara is more than keen to enter this race, though she will have to wait until she’s 18 to be allowed to.

Thanks to Andy Jones Cox (Owner and Director of Vancouver North Shore’s Tutor Doctor), Maroulla Haile, Veronica Loat (President of North & West Vancouver’s Soroptimist Club) and Keith Nicoll of North Shore Athletics who helped with advice for Clara’s running as well as generous donations of running shoes to enable Clara to run even faster! We will be watching for her in the upcoming months when she competes both locally as well as in San Jose, Cartago and elsewhere – future Olympiad? Why not!

• Cloudbridge Reserve’s Linda Moskalyk, an arborist, ardent environmentalist and painter, announces her first Costa Rican exhibition of stunning paintings opening Thursday February 2nd at the National Gallery, San Jose. Known for her portrayals of trees and what they mean to us, in collage, oil and other media, Linda conveys a message of hope to all who value the forests as part of our natural heritage. At the same time Linda has arranged for the exhibition of children’s art from Escuela San Gerardo de Rivas that also describes our community’s love for the natural world. Both exhibitions continue until February 29th – don’t miss it!

• Lastly – Chirripó news! Bookings to climb the mountain and stay overnight during this summer season are very full. It’s still worth your while phoning and checking because apparently there are odd days available, but for many people your best bet will be to arrive in San Gerardo a day or two ahead of your schedule and make your reservations directly at the Parks Office that opens at 6:30 am. There are 10 tickets available each day for in-person reservations. Prices have also gone up slightly to climb the mountain. Increased costs of services as well as the recent upgrades account for this.
Please see the FAQ’s –on the Activities page for more information.
Remember – you can always buy a day pass that allows you to enter and hike the mountain whenever you like – it’s the lodge that fills up. It’s still recommended to stay overnight if you want to reach the peak, but if you are happy just exploring the park then a day pass will do it.
PURA VIDA!

Al final aquí hay los detalles para la Carrera Chirripó este ano – 2012. La fecha de la carrera es sábado el 25 de febrero, empezando como siempre a las 7 am.
El programa de los eventos para la fiesta Chirripó esta viene muy pronto. Por favor chequear a www.carrerachirripo.com y aquí para más información de:
Eventos para atletas
Eventos todo sábado de la carrera
La Copa Chirripó de futbol
El gran baile
El famoso BINGO
Exposiciones, comidas y mas

INSCRIPCIÓN PARA LA CARRERA
Fecha de inscripción: 04 de febrero.
Lugares donde puede inscribirse:
Salón Comunal San Gerardo de Rivas.
Feria del Agricultor San Isidro P.Z.
Tienda La Gloria San José.
Hora: 2:00 p.m.
Costo: 15.000 colones.

Inscripción para atletas afuera del país: preferiblemente que ellos contacten una persona, que ellos tengan toda la información necesaria y estos puedan inscribirlos.

225 espacios para participar.

Categorias:

■General masculina
■General femenina
■Veteranos A
■Veteranas
■Veteranos B
Salida de 1350 metros a 3400 metros en Chirripó. Recorrido total 34 km.

CHIRRIPO RACE 2012 AND REGISTRATION PROCEDURES
At last here is the information about this year’s Chirripó Race – 2012. The date of the race is Saturday February 25th, starting as usual at 7 am.
The program of events will be published soon – please check www.carrerachirripo.com and/or back here frequently to find out more about:
Athlete’s events
Events all day of the race
The Chirripó Cup Final Football Tournament
The dance
The famous BINGO
Exhibitions, refreshments and more

REGISTRATION FOR THE RACE
Registration date: February 4th
Registration locations:
Salón Comunal – San Gerardo de Rivas.
Agricultural Fair: San Isidro Pérez Zeledón
Tienda La Gloria, Avenida Central, San José.
You will need to bring your passport (international athletes), or cedula (nationals), a local address and phone number where you can be reached and the fee of 15,000 colones (approximately $30)
Athletes outside of the country at time of registration are encouraged to contact someone who can stand in line for them at one of the three locations, and is able to provide all the relevant information as well as pay the fee.
There are 225 spaces for athletes in the following categories:
• Adult males
• Adult females
• Veterans A
• Veterans B
• Female Veterans
Total distance: 34 km (from 1350 m to 3400 m exits)

It’s that time of year! You’re back from vacations and it’s time to plan the year ahead. And we’re wondering if volunteering might be in your plans… Here at Proyecto San Gerardo we’re busy doing the same – planning for next year and the busiest teaching/volunteering season that happens in January – May every year.

Costa Rica attracts many volunteers each year – to teach English, work on conservation projects and help out on community projects. Many volunteers end up in the city and miss out on discovering the real Costa Rica – the mountains, the birds and animals, the traditions and hospitality of a rural community. Here, at the base of Mt. Chirripó, you can have it all! Here’s a look at a typical day with Proyecto San Gerardo:

• Get up around 6:30 (yes you can because the sun and the birds will be willing you awake!)
• Have a delicious breakfast of ‘gallo pinto’ with your host family
• Enjoy a free morning to hike, photograph, meet friends, go to the hot pools or swim in the river, check your email, visit San Isidro for supplies or just laze away with a book. (Oh, don’t forget to plan your class!)
• Afternoon – teach class. You could be teaching Conversational English (ESL) to small groups of adults or youth at our school if you have your TEFL or TESOL qualification or similar. Teach Beginner French to local hotel/tour staff – if you speak French and have some experience teaching or tutoring. Or you could volunteer to teach basic computer skills at the community school to adults, youth and kids if you speak Spanish and know your way around a computer. Other volunteer opportunities include helping out in Proyecto San Gerardo’s village bakery: Café Bambú, First Aid Instructors, and Website and Computer Maintenance volunteers.
• Around 6 pm enjoy dinner with your family and relax. Not a whole lot to do around here and it gets dark about the same time, but there’s volleyball at the Community Salon, soccer or Frisbee in the plaza, other volunteers to hang out with, and at weekends there’s always a fiesta going on at one of the neighboring villages.

What is Proyecto San Gerardo? We’re a community based non-profit organization registered in Costa Rica as well as in Canada to provide skills training and job opportunities via volunteers to rural communities in the Rivas sector of south-central Costa Rica. Our main activities are: English and Computer Training, Café Bambú Apprenticeships, First Aid and Disaster Preparedness training, a scholarship program for high school and university students, and this website.

Where will I live? Proyecto San Gerardo provides subsidized or free homestay accommodation including all food for qualified volunteers of 6 weeks or more (3 months for those teaching English. Our volunteers always find staying with a family a truly special experience; here are some opinions:
‘it was a lovely experience and I would live with the family again in a heartbeat. They were wonderful and made me feel just like one of their own.’ (Amber, Volunteer in 2009)
‘Our home stay family was fantastic. They included us very easily and warmly into their house and family. We went on a tour of their farm, and we talk a lot to practice our Spanish which is very much appreciated. The community is very welcoming, always greeting you when you are seen and allowed me to take part in their football training as well.’ (Kwame, Volunteer in 2011)

Cafe Bambu volunteers enjoy selling delicious pastries and coffee!

What are the costs? volunteers pay their travel to Costa Rica and bus to the neighboring town of San Isidro where they can be picked up. Apart from that there’s health insurance to take care of and a monthly $250 for accommodation/food/laundry if you don’t qualify for a subsidy. No fees! Proyecto San Gerardo prefers to attract qualified, motivated and capable volunteers and raise its funds elsewhere.

What type of person is best suited to volunteering with Proyecto San Gerardo? In a nutshell people of all ages who want to discover more about their own potential at the same time as giving to the community. Says one volunteer: ‘I have also learnt a lot about myself. Mainly that I need not worry so much and that I do not NEED lots of material THINGS in my life. It has been a great experience!’ Potential volunteers should be in good health and enjoy an outdoors life without missing internet, entertainment and shopping – because there isn’t any! We accept volunteers from 20 to 70, and can arrange rental accommodation if a family wants to volunteer but would like to stay together.

Volunteer Jessica with small group of Intermediate students January 2011

When does Proyecto San Gerardo need volunteers? For some voluntary positions like Café Bambu and website volunteers – all the time; for ESL classes we recruit volunteers for January – May and September – November. For computer classes and First Aid instruction our main need for volunteers is January – May. Check out the rest of this website for information about the weather, events and opportunities at different times of the year.

What else can volunteers do? San Gerardo is 1.5 hours by car (3-4 hours by bus) from the beach at Dominical. This unspoilt surfing destination is popular with young people and offers great opportunities for a weekend away. Other destinations relatively close include Parque Nacional Bailena, northern Panama including Bocas del Toro, and of course Mt Chirripó and the Talamanca Mountain Range. There is local mountain biking and horseback riding and in February many of our volunteers get involved in the national 4-day Carrera Chirripó (Chirripó race) – hosted locally – as participants or volunteers.

How do I volunteer? To get involved request an application form by writing to proyectosangerardo@gmail.com , or send your inquiries via the Contact Form at this website. We’ll get back to you quickly with more information and a Volunteer Kit if you are interested.

Welcome to the Proyecto San Gerardo team! From our supporting committees in Costa Rica and Vancouver, Canada and from all the community here – we can’t wait to meet you!

Computer classes for adult beginners March 2011

Yoga classes are starting at Rio Chirripo Resort and B&B, in San Gerardo de Rivas.

Schedule for September 2011
Mondays 8:00 am
Ashtanga yoga*
Instructor: Durga

Wednesdays 8:00 am
Ashtanga yoga*
Instructor: Durga

Fridays 8:00 am
Ashtanga yoga*
Instructor: Durga

Saturdays 8:00 am
The mariposa Flow*
Instructor: Molly
11:00 am
Ashtanga yoga*
Instructor: Durga

Sundays 9:00 am
Scaravelli yoga*
Instructor: Noni

*Ashtanga and Hatha: Powerful strengthening classes
*The mariposa Flow: A sequence of gentle Yoga postures
*Scaravelli yoga: yoga asanas and breathing to awaken the spine and stimulate the roots of grace

Classes are 90 minutes.
Cost is $10 (5000 Colones) /$3 (1500 colones) for locals
Yoga Mats are available
Classes are taught in English. Some instructors are bilingual, English/Spanish.
For Private Classes and massage call us on the 2742 5333

Welcome to a great new addition to San Gerardo: Café Bambú.

The bakery/pizzeria opened on Easter Sunday and serves up dishes to please early risers as well as visitors later in the day. We sampled the delicious banana nut muffins along with a cappuccino and noted the total price was just over 1,000 colones ($2) – now that would be hard to come by back home, or even in other parts of Costa Rica. Other items on the menu include whole-wheat bread, cookies, empanadas and of course pizza. You can choose 3 sizes of pizza, or buy it by the portion – and choose your toppings as every one is made fresh.

The café also offers internet (just spend 500 colones or more) and a small library of books and magazines to browse. It’s a great place to meet a friend or collapse after a grinding hike. Half of the business is baked goods and pizza to take away and soon Café Bambu hope to provide a pizza delivery service.

The café is run by Proyecto San Gerardo as the building also houses English classes and soon the non-profit plans to offer an apprenticeship course for young girls not attending high school. They will learn how to bake, how to serve the public, manage money and run a restaurant. In exchange for the training they will assist Café Bambu’s new staff person: Ana Chavez, who comes from a hotel and restaurant background.

We give it 10/10 – come and try yourself!

Hours: Fridays & Saturdays from 9:30 am, Sundays from 9:00 am.
San Gerardo de Rivas – opposite the village school.

Bandera Azul raises 5 flags in San Gerardo

Saturday May 21st San Gerardo saw 5 flags raised in recognition of the efforts of many to protect our precious environment. The stars are awarded for the conservation of natural resources such as pure water, reforestation, and efforts to combat pollution through garbage pick-up and recycling programs. The five flags were awarded to the community of San Gerardo, the School, Cloudbridge Reserve, MINAE (Chirripó) and Hotel Pelicano. The two last entries are new and the community is keen to encourage other groups and businesses to sign up with the Bandera Azul program to increase conservation in San Gerardo.

Representatives of each entity spoke at the awards ceremony organized at the Salon Comunal and entertainment was provided by the traditional dancers: Las Mariposas, the school choir and Toni Pizote himself! The day was rounded out by the opening of a new gallery of sculpture at Hotel El Pelicano where Rafael Elizondo’s carvings have at last found a place to be shown to the public along with the history of their creator Don Macho – one of the pioneers of the area and especially Chirripo, and a great football enthusiast. “Galeria Arte & Cultura El Pelicano” is accessed through the hotel. Inquire at the hotel to look around.

Since then the Cabecar live about 2-3 days walk away – deep in the Talamanca Mountain range, where they keep cattle, grow corn and other crops and raise animals. But traditionally every year men, women and children – whole families, return to the Rivas district to pick coffee from October to February and for the past 20 years, participate in the annual Carrera Chirripó (Chirripó Race).

Talamanca indigenous pick coffee locally each year

While they reside in the area the community have had use of a house built on land generously loaned by Gonzalo Marin and his family in the Chespa twenty years ago. This facility has allowed the people to come and go to work easily and feel secure for the 4-5 months they are here. Unfortunately, the house like all other structures, has suffered the course of time, weather and use to the point that it became uninhabitable and leaders of the community approached the local Asociacion de Desarollo (local village council) in October 2010 for assistance in rebuilding.

After a few phone calls and conversations permission was granted to rebuild, featuring a reinforced metal structure clad in timber, and upgraded bathroom facilities. Some members of the San Gerardo community came forward to volunteer their time as builders, or resources such as welding equipment, tools, timber or cash. Likewise, some of the Cabecar stayed on to provide the labour.

New house close to finish February 2011 - clean, dry and secure.

The house was started in January and finished just in time for the Chirripó Race. The results – the before and after as you can see – are great! And it’s a great tribute to both communities, working together as they do during the coffee harvest and at other times, that this facility can be so quickly realized.

Costs for the rebuilding were born by workers who volunteered their time and talents and by local and regional donors who purchased materials. However, San Gerardo is planning to recuperate some of the costs via donations through the Church and a local event to raise funds. If you would like to contribute towards building the Cabecar House please contact us at mossco53@gmail.com. We will be happy to share more information about the house and gladly receive donations of cash, or if you live nearby, bedding or cooking utensils, for the house.

Fun note! February 26th saw the Carrera Chirripó (see next blog) for 2011 run with a new record of 3 hours and 9 minutes for the 36 km race up and down. Indigenous runners featured predominantly in both the men’s and women’s categories and placed within the top 5 in each.

Buses to San Isidro leave from the San Gerardo plaza at the following times:
(as of February 1, 2011)
5:15 a.m. – arrive San Isidro 6:45 a.m.
11:30 a.m. – arrive San Isidro 1:00 p.m.
4:00 p.m. – arrive San Isidro 5:30 p.m.
The fare is 800 colones (roughly $1.60)

Bus from San Isidro to San Gerardo
The bus leaves from the Bus Station in the Mercado (market) south of the cathedral plaza. The blue and white bus marked San Gerardo leaves at the following times:
(as of February 1, 2011)
9:30 a.m. – arrive San Gerardo 11:00 a.m.
2:00 p.m. – arrive San Gerardo 3:30 p.m.
6:45 p.m. – arrive San Gerardo 8:15 p.m.

More information at www.hernandezsolis.com