Posts made in February, 2012

Finding Affordable Flights – An Ultimate Guide to Frugal Travelers

Posted by Guest on Feb 25, 2012 in Airfare Deals | 0 comments

Have you been planning for a grand vacation for a relatively long time already? Is the entire process making your head ache? Are you searching in vain for flights to Bali and affordable hotels? Unfortunately, many travelers can’t find a shortcut to planning these vacation essentials. Most of the time, they scour through the pages of newspapers or browse through the Internet to get the best deals. Here are some useful tips that you can use to find your dream flights for your well-deserved vacation.

1. Make sure to make your purchase early. Making reservations late during peak travel seasons can cost you a lot of money because airline ticket prices skyrocket up a few days before the flights.
2. Or, buy late- there are some instances when buying tickets at the very last minute can offer you great prices for trips including flights to Wellington.
3. Take time to shop around. Don’t get easily victimized by offers that are seemingly good. Try to search for a few major online travel agencies and compare prices as well as the offers.
4. Remain flexible. Experiment with different travel rates, dates and itinerary to be able to get the best deal.
5. Look for discounts. If you want to save money for flights to Australia, be patient in looking for travel providers that provide price cuts.
6. Opt for the budget flight. Consider low-cost budget airlines but be prepared to shell out some extra cost for food.

Some History On Costa Rica

Posted by Guest on Feb 14, 2012 in Featured, History | 0 comments

Christopher Columbus was the first European explorer to discover the country of Costa Rica. When Columbus was in his fourth and final voyage during the 18th of September in 1502, a group of Carib Indians paddling in their canoes greeted Columbus’ crew as they were setting off the anchor. However, even before Columbus arrived in the area, early civilization had already existed there as evidenced by the artifacts found by Archeologists dating ten thousand years ago.

Countless of archeological diggings and explorations in the area helped archeologists to prove that a civilization had existed in the area even before Columbians set foot on it. A number of cultural mysteries that were thought to be owned by the early inhabitants of Costa Rica were discovered near the coast. Spherical granite bolas, with sizes ranging from as small as a baseball ball up to as a big as a Volkswagen, bus were uncovered. City ruins were found just recently at the east of San Jose. The large, ancient ruins that were discovered came complete with well-built aqueducts. Marvelous jade and gold works were also been exposed. Archeological sites in the Nicoya Peninsula and Central Highlands revealed various evidences showing influences from Nahuati and Mexican Olmec civilizations.

Four indigenous tribes already inhabited Costa Rica by the time Columbus came to the country. The Diquis, Chibchas and Borucas were residing in the Southwest coast while East Coast was the territory of the Caribs. The colonial period in the area officially started when Columbus discovered it in 1502. After that various Spanish expeditions followed suit. The tribes living in the area did not last long when the Spaniards came. Many perished from the small pox brought by Spanish settlers while others fled the area. In 1524, the very first Spanish settlement was established in Costa Rica, which was headed by Villa Bruselas.

Since indigenous labor force had been annihilated, Spanish settlers had to trade laborers from its neighboring countries, Guatemala and Panama. They followed the policy and traded African slaves to work in Costa Rica.

Among the Spanish colonies, Costa Rica was the poorest and most miserable. In fact, the country enjoyed the least Spanish influence. Since the country had very little resources to exploit, it was not a popular place to settle. Spanish settlers who came to the country were more interested in tightening their hold to Peru and Mexico where huge amount of silver and gold were being mined at the time. Juan Vasquez, who founded the colonial city of Cartago in 1562, was the first settler to successfully establish a colonial in the area.

In 1821, Mexico rebelled against the Spanish Settlers, and the rest of Central America including Costa Rica joined them. After two years, a civil war sparked among the four neighboring countries where a faction in Costa Rica chose to join the Mexicans. Sovereignty was later established when Alajuela and San Jose defeated Cartago and Heredia.

In 1824, Juan Mora Fernandez became the first elected head of state. Fernandez was famous for his land reform projects. Under the leadership of Mora, Costa Ricans repulsed the disgruntled Southern conqueror, William Walker. Walker thought he could annex Central America and transform it into a slave state.

Although military rulings had reared its head to Costa Rica a couple of times, there were no violent extremism occurred in the area unlike in other parts of Central America. General Thomas Guardia grabbed control over Costa Rica by 1870. Guardia was known for creating the most progressive reforms in the country, focusing on taxation, education and military policy.

In 1948 when Rafael Calderon denied relinquishing his power after losing the presidential election, a civil war erupted. Don Pepe Figueres Ferrer became one of the country’s most influential leaders when he defeated Calderon. Ferrer was the head of the Founding Junta of Costa Rica’s Second Republic. Ferrer made reforms on civil rights and policy, thus boosting his popularity. He created a political legacy in Costa Rica that cemented the country’s liberal and democratic values.

Tips in Finding the Cheapest Airline Fare To Your Chosen Destination

Posted by Guest on Feb 4, 2012 in Airfare Deals | 0 comments

Whether you are flying to Amsterdam, Singapore, Malaysia, Hawaii, Paris or Italy, taking time to scour the internet for the best airfare deals available will allow you to save a lot on your planned trip. Everyone is pretty much aware that travelling can be a very expensive endeavour. But of course, like in any other undertakings, there are ways to cut down your travel expenses. One of which is by hunting for the cheapest airline ticket available for your chosen destination. To help you search for the most affordable airfare, here are some tips that you should definitely heed.

• Try to be flexible with your travel dates. If you don’t mind adjusting your travel schedule, then it will be easier for you to find great airfare deals to whatever destination you choose to visit. Airfares fluctuate a lot depending on the time you want to travel. It is advisable to schedule your trip mid-week rather than on weekends as weekday flights are generally much cheaper than weekend flights.
• Watch out for airfare promos and be ready to book a flight when you see one.
• Join the mailing list of various airline companies (preferably the reliable ones). By doing so you will be able to receive updates with regards to special airfare promos and discounted fares even before they are advertised to the public.