COSTA RICA HISTORY
Lost in the records of Costa Rica history is this exchange. “Honey, why do you get to have all the fun and go to Costa Rica?” “Hey, I’m making history here!” Yep, even Columbus had some marital frustrations.
Turns out, there were already people here but, to us Westerners, a story is always better when we can say we discovered something. Maybe not. The Lost CityIf there’s something we Westerners like better than discovering someplace new, it’s finding a Lost City. Think about it. What movie did you like most? “1492” (bet you never saw it) or “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” (bet you did)?We all know about the lost Aztec and Maya cities. But, did you know that just two hours’ from San Jose lies a city hidden in the rainforest? Maybe 10,000 or even 25,000 people lived here for at least 2,500 years before Columbus "discovered" the rich coast. Gee whiz, looks like there’s some Costa Rica history before we discovered this gem of a place. Intrigued about the lost city of Guyabo? I bet you are. On your Costa Rica vacation, pay a visit the city lost in time, Guayabo, click here Sixteen TonsI’ve always loved Tennesee Ernie Ford’s song. “Sixteen tons and what do you get? Another day older and deeper in debt.”I don’t know what he got but I do know what sixteen tons will bring you in Costa Rica. A Diquis Ball. Take a look at a peculiar piece of Costa Rica history.
And, nobody knows why they were made, though I have a theory. Giants made ‘em for sporting events and competed against the Atlanteans until Atlantis collapsed into the sea just off the coast of Costa Rica (wasn’t this on the Discovery Channel?). Some of these theories are a hoot, Disquis Ball, click here Maybe you ought to come to Costa Rica and see them for yourself on your next Costa Rica vacation. Pura vida! Back to the Real History of Costa RicaSince we all know that the real Costa Rica history begins with Columbus (after all, how can there be real history before something is discovered?) let’s get on with it.Not all early tourists liked Costa Rica much. Indeed, in 1519 the Spanish Governor of this little colony called it “the poorest and most miserable Spanish colony in all Americas.” Faint praise, indeed. But, he had a point. Gold to the north of Costa Rica, gold to the south of Costa Rica. Here, not so much. Slaves to the north, slaves to the south of Costa Rica. Here, not many. Damned inconvenient, I’d say. But, to be fair, it wasn’t all Costa Rica’s fault. Lots of Indians died from European diseases. Pretty selfish, all in all. No gold, no slaves, the most miserable Spanish colony in all the Americas. What does this spell? DemocracyDemocracy? How?Simple, actually. With no gold or slaves, this "miserable" colony was settled by little farmers who had to till the land themselves. Isolated from the rest of Spain’s colonies, the settlers had to get along. Everybody was poor but equal. To understand Costa Rica history you need to begin with dirt-poor folks. This little idiosyncrasy, almost nobody to oppress or exploit, coupled with miserable poverty requiring lots of hard work, led to egalitarianism. In 1821, Costa Rica declared independence from Spain and about 30 years later declared itself the Republic of Costa Rica, a democracy. It all made sense because, after all, egalitarianism had pretty much been the order of the day for some 300 years. It’s been a democracy ever since. And now you know. Pura Vida!
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