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Have you ever wondered where those funny names for yoga poses come from?

For example, what is Adho Mukha Svanasana? And how do you pronounce it!

Yoga postures – asanas – are given traditionally in the ancient language of Sanskrit. For more than 2,000 years, Sanskrit has been a classic literary language of India and a sacred language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism.

Many yoga poses are named after heroes, saints and sages of India and Hindu myths. Others are named after animals and nature – obser

You don’t need a well-manicured grass pitch. You don’t even need all 22 players, or fancy uniforms … or even shoes, for that matter. All you need is a ball and people willing to play.

The most popular sport in the world – football (known as soccer in the USA) – can be played anywhere by anyone. That’s the simple beauty of a sport that traverses borders, has brought bitter enemies together, even stopped wars, and has been a unifying force across the planet.

“As a consequence of its simplicity and g

Normally, you don’t see tough, radical conservationists attending lectures by land developers. But there they were, 100 strong, from the Nature Conservancy, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and from all over Latin America – all raptly listening to how land development can actually preserve forests.

Nervous before his formidable audience, Guillermo Piedra Gonzalez explained how his small residential development in the tiny country of Costa Rica is carving out a niche

It is once again time for whale watching in Costa Rica!

The 2015 whale-watching season in Costa Rica gets going every year in August and September in southern Costa Rica. In Uvita Beach, there is a Festival of Whales & Dolphins every year in September. The annual festival marks the peak of the annual migration of southern Pacific Humpback Whales to the Ballena National Marine Park in Costa Rica. 

Less than an hour north of the Ballena National Marine Park, Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living e

Building in Costa Rica is very different from North America and most of Europe. Located between 9 and 11 degrees latitude above the equator, Costa Rica’s tropical climate comes with its own special considerations.

There are four constants in Costa Rica: sun, rain, wind, and … more sun, rain and wind! Unlike Northern Hemisphere homes designed for freeze-thaw cycles, Costa Rica’s eternal tropical climate deals mostly with varying levels of humidity. Then there is all of that amazing tropical biodiv

The cute and cuddly sloths of Costa Rica will once again feature in international television and online programming. The award-winning production Nature will air a two-part program called Nature’s Miracle Orphans on PBS on September 23 and 30, 2015 at 8:00 p.m. (ET). After each broadcast, the episode will be available for online streaming at pbs.org/nature. Nature is a production of THIRTEEN Productions LLC for WNET. Nature’s Miracle Orphans is a BBC Production. The series has been consistently

Costa Rica’s real estate market is on the rise again and foreign investors are heading to the popular Central American country for retirement or a simpler place to live, or to invest in a Costa Rica vacation home or other property investment. The good news is that foreigners can legally own property in Costa Rica.

Even the savviest home buyer should pause before entering into a real estate deal in a foreign country. There is no way to know everything you need to without years of on-the-ground exp

The trash problem of the world’s oceans has reached epic proportions. However, in the small Central American nation of Costa Rica, 108 beach communities have taken a stand against litter and pollution and are working to make a difference in the world predicament.

The record number of Costa Rica beaches received Ecological Blue Flag Awards for 2014 for having good ecological practices, clean beaches, community cooperation and coastal protection. The annual awards were given out in a ceremony held

As a part of the ever evolving and highly competitive hospitality industry, the only thing that can make your hotel stand out is how you treat your guests. There are literally million of hotels in the world, be it bed and breakfasts, uber luxury resorts, simple mid range hotels, guest houses, service apartments, or home stay! Whatever type of hotel you own and operate, chances are that even in your own city there are several competitors, some even in proximity to you and there is the probability

Heard about Atenas, Costa Rica – a favorite place for international retirement – and want to know more information?

The charming country town, strategically located between the capital city of San Jose and beautiful Pacific Coast beaches, has several sources of information to let you know what’s happening in Atenas, Costa Rica. All are available online from wherever you may be. Then, the best thing to do is to visit Atenas in person.

ATENAS TODAY E-MAGAZINE

One of the best sources of information a

If you are a Pack Light traveler, you probably often find yourself with extra room in your luggage when you go on vacation. Have you ever thought about using that available luggage space to provide supplies to communities you visit?

The desire to give back or contribute to the place people visit as tourists is a fast-growing movement around the world. Volunteer vacations, or volunteerism, are a very popular way to take a vacation. Another way is to “pack for a purpose” and bring needed school an

Article by Shannon Farley

The exciting, adrenaline-charged whitewater rafting and kayaking competition of the Chorro Race 2015 comes again to Costa Rica’s Central Pacific Coast on Feb. 21 to 22.

The second annual event is organized by the Quepos Whitewater and Adventure Association and sponsored by TEVA. The competition in the Chorro Canyon of the Naranjo River, by the Manuel Antonio National Park, will have both whitewater kayaking and four-person team whitewater rafting races and slalom events

For its fifth year Envision Festival returns to Costa Rica, where thousands of socially conscious people from all over the world gather together to share a magical experience of culture, art, music, yoga, meditation and pure nature.

The 2015 Envision Festival will be held from February 26th to March 1st at Rancho La Merced in Uvita, Costa Rica, next to the Marino Ballena National Park, famous for its beautiful Whale’s Tail sandbar formation.

The festival is known for its great music performances w

Have you always wanted to live in the rainforest by a tropical beach? Or are you looking for a vacation home in a warm climate? The special eco-community of Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living in Costa Rica is an excellent option.

Strategically located on the Costa Rica Central Pacific Coast between Manuel Antonio National Park and Dominical, the beautiful sustainable development encompasses 1,300 acres of pure rainforest, streams, waterfalls, mountain ridges and sea views along the Portalón

Is it a good time to buy real estate in Costa Rica?

According to real estate experts, it is. Costa Rica – one of the hottest real estate markets in the Americas in the early 2000s – is coming back stronger than ever after the economic slump throughout the United States and Latin America.

“Costa Rica definitely has bounced back, especially in the Central Valley and the popular beach areas on the Pacific. Prices are on the rise again,” commented Dennis Easters, co-owner of Pure Life Development of

Planning your next vacation? You might be used to staying in hotels and resorts, but maybe you should consider vacation rentals. More independent travelers are choosing to rent private homes and apartments these days instead of hotels, using websites like Airbnb and VRBO.

Vacation rentals are often the most economic travel option for families and groups of friends, giving more space and amenities at better value than a hotel room. Living like the locals also helps to give that authentic travel e

Celebrate the sea turtles of Costa Rica every November at the Matapalo Sea Turtle Festival.

The annual sea turtle festival on Nov. 15 and 16 at Matapalo Beach, halfway between Manuel Antonio National Park and Dominical on Costa Rica’s Central Pacific Coast, celebrates the Matapalo Sea Turtle Conservation Project and hatching of baby sea turtles. This year’s festival celebrates the project’s 25^th anniversary.

Matapalo Beach is a main nesting area for three species of sea turtles in Costa Rica. Ev

What goes on in the rainforest when we’re not there? At Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living community in Costa Rica, they’re finding out with the help of a few hidden camera traps.

Camera traps placed in the rainforest at Portasol – located on the Central Pacific Coast between Manuel Antonio and Dominical – have captured images of such exotic Costa Rican animals as this ocelot, followed by a tayra and a nine-banded armadillo. The cameras have been placed in the 200-acre Portasol Biological Re

About Annapurna Base Camp Trek:

This a moderate trek. The combination of easy walking and majestic scenery makes the trek to Annapurna Base Camp (4200m), commonly known as Annapurna Sanctuary, one of the most popular treks in Nepal. Enjoy mountain views, thick bamboo and rhododendron forests and a mix of cultures unparalleled by other treks as you venture deep into the Annapurna Himal. The Annapurna Base Camp is a high glacial basin lying north of Pokhara. This magnificent amphitheatre is called

Explore the magical Temples of Angkor and the ecological wonder of the Tonle Sap Lake along with the frenetic capital of Phnom Penh. Give your family an ultimate Cambodian experience with a relaxing stay at one of the best accommodations. Travel with children is very popular in Cambodia and the country has a reputation of safe and interesting destination for families. The kingdom of Cambodia boasts some of the most spectacular sights on the planet. From massive ancient temples to varied wildlife