Chris, KL9A will be active as TI7W from Costa Rica in CQ WW DX CW Contest, 25 - 26 November 2023.
He will operate in Single Operator All Band HP Category.
Recent DX Spots TI7W
QSL via M0URX, OQRS.
Prior to the Contest he will operate as TI7/KL9A.
Costa Rica
This country, the size of which is slightly larger than Lake Baikal, is not for people accustomed to the comfort and rhythm of modern civilisation. It is for lovers of simple, measured life surrounded by friendly, not rushing anywhere.
Here you don't want to think about business or about increasing bank savings - more valuable treasures, presented by altruistic nature, bring you into the pleasant atmosphere of unpretentious existence without fuss, piling up of urgent matters and troubles.
Sometimes it all starts with wealth
At the beginning of the XVI century, the famous Christopher Columbus discovered on one of the coasts of the Caribbean Sea natives, generously hung with jewellery made of real gold. Later, having made some conclusions from the traveller's story, chroniclers from Spain called this area the Rich Coast, or Costa Rica.
As it turned out later, huge deposits of gold (as well as other precious metals) in Costa Rica was not observed and is not observed, despite the numerous and many years of attempts by treasure hunters to find it there. But the name deservedly survives: it is rare to observe such a rich concentration of flora and fauna. About five per cent of all the animals and plants on Earth are found in Costa Rica. Isn't it truly the Rich Coast?
Artless splendour, or what happiness looks like
A huge amount of sunshine and no less amount of rain, seasonally changing each other, give a full sense of what it means to thirst for water for half a year and how great it is to know that after the same, half-yearly, incessant downpour, the long-awaited sun will definitely come out.
When the sun is scorching, there comes a time of complete drought and not a single drop of rain falls for a long time on the earth, eagerly waiting for the saving moisture. In the period of drought all living things try to be closer to the sea water to somehow ease the condition of constant stay in the sticky sour tropical air.
It would seem that you can get tired of this eternal waiting for better days, but the inhabitants of Costa Rica, as already mentioned, are unpretentious. They take everything for granted. Incomparable landscapes, reserves of amazing beauty, an abundance of greenery, animals, luxurious nature, breathing clean air without emissions and exhausts - all this is just an appendix to their simple life. They are not surprised that they live in 4 climatic zones at once, that the taste of fruit in their homeland, thanks to the abundance of sunshine, is simply gorgeous, that the water is crystal clear and the sea is always warm. But untidy surrounding territories do not embarrass Costa Ricans either.
Apparently, it is undemanding character of Costa Ricans and their attitude to life in general, played a role in the fact that they live joyfully, brightly and long. In Costa Rica, life expectancy is no less than 80 years. This is one of the highest rates in the world. And in general, here is one of the few earth's blue zones of longevity. The most miraculous way people in such zones live without getting sick, until old age.
It is no wonder now that Costa Rica is considered the happiest country in the world.
Happy clocks don't keep watch. Neither do street names
Costa Rica has a strange system of numbering houses and street names. More precisely - they simply did not exist until recently. It was clearer to say: "I live in a house 150 metres east of the church. My house has a green fence." The programme launched by the government to introduce street names does little: residents either do not want or cannot get used to the innovation.
By the way, there were no road signs and signposts in Costa Rica before 2012 either. Everyone is happy. They do not need special logic. They have everything superficial and simplified to the extreme.
Additional components of well-being and bliss
There are only 20 countries in the entire world that do not have an army. As you have already guessed, one of them is the Republic of Costa Rica. The happy male population of the country does not even think about military affairs. And if you suddenly meet a Costa Rican with a machete - do not think anything bad. It's not a weapon. It's an accessory. You know, like a handbag for a European lady, for example.
Costa Rica has an incredible variety of butterflies. Ninety per cent of the butterflies in Central America and about 20 per cent of all the butterflies on Earth live here. And in between, tiny hummingbirds hang in the air and fly backwards. It's all so beautiful!
Even the money, which is issued by the National Bank of Costa Rica, resembles beautiful pictures from children's books. They are not only pleasant to pay with. You can use these notes to teach children about nature and maths - they won't be bored.
And the mystery of nature in the form of stone balls of different sizes, accidentally found during the deforestation? And here someone unknown did not leave something unpleasant and prickly as a secret heritage - smooth balls of stone have a perfectly correct shape. All without pretence. Everything is smooth.
Romantic and tender by nature, Costa Ricans call their other half "half orange" and the government builds free houses for all young families. In dialogue with locals one feels a natural lightness, directness, good-naturedness. They are very smiling, slow and often late.
So relax, don't rush anywhere, smile more, don't care about anything, and just live! Be like Costa Ricans and you will be happy!
