, Over 100,000 people live on the peninsula and the surrounding area. Its port is called Caldera and is one of the oldest ports in the country. Puntarenas is 60 miles from the capital of Costa Rica, San José. It is San José's closest coastal town. Christopher Columbus arrived in 1502 in the Peninsula. Columbus is regarded as the person who named this region Costa Rica, "Rich Coast." He thought it would bring him and Spain riches from gold and other valuable commodities found in neighboring countries of Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama. Unfortunately, that was not the case for Costa Rica in terms of gold and silver to be found. The Nahuatl and Chibcha cultures were living in the region at that time, but like other indigenous people they were susceptible to diseases, mostly smallpox and poor treatment and torment by the Spanish conquistadors. Puntarenas is the providence and capital of this section of Costa Rica. Geographically, it is a peninsula that is between the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Nicoya. Its name was first referenced on February 13, 1720 by an English pirate named John Chipperton. He recorded the name "Punta de Arena" in his journal when he arrived. He was referring to the needle like point that Puntarenas' peninsula has, in English "Sand Point." In 1821 Costa Rica gained its independence from Spain, but civil unrest began. In 1840 the port was rehabilitated and became a trade port for the state. In 1847, it became a free port. (Imported merchandise may be stored duty‐free pending re‐export or duty‐paid entry into the importing country in this free‐trade zone around a port area.) As early as 1854, tourists from internal parts of Costa Rica came to Puntarenas to enjoy the beaches and sands. In 1909, the Constitutional Congress of the Republic of Costa Rica created the country's provinces, of which, Puntarenas fell into the category as a province of Costa Rica. Agriculture, not fishing, became the region's main economic activity. Products such as rice, pineapple, oil palm, sugarcane, bananas, beans, tubers and corn are marketable commodities. By 1850, coffee became king and Costa Rica's leading export. It surpassed cacao, tobacco and sugar as an export. Costa Rica was the first country to grow and export coffee and bananas. Later, tourism became an important part of the local economy. However, pollution became a problem on the peninsula coast. To enjoy pristine beaches, one must travel south from Puntarenas by ferry or car. Its port is still an important trade and disembarkation point for cruise and container ships. A dictatorship in early 1900s later led to another civil war. It sent Costa Rica into a depressing period of governmental leadership. "In 1953, Costa Rica held its first peaceful democratic elections and peaceful transition in power. Since that time, Costa Rica has enjoyed peaceful democratic elections, and peaceful transitions of power. This stability of government has benefited in many ways. Costa Rica has consistently been among the top Latin American countries in the Human Development Index, ranking 50th in 2006. Costa Rica ranks 5th in the world, and 1st in the Americas in terms of Environmental Performance Index! AND the Costa Rican government announced plans for Costa Rica to become the first carbon neutral country by 2021." This photo program shares a visit to Puntarenas and the surrounding area.

Why is Costa Rican coffee the best? " Costa Rica is the only country in the world where it is actually illegal to produce any type of coffee other than 100% Arabica—the highest quality of coffee beans. A law was passed in 1989 prohibiting the planting of low‐quality beans, encouraging Costa Rican farmers to pursue true excellence. Arabica beans are a specific variety of beans that is more difficult to grow than other, hardier stocks. The result when the beans mature is rich, full‐bodied flavors leading to premium blends. In Costa Rica we take growing coffee seriously and so we only want to offer you the best. That’s why we only grow Arabica. Arabica coffee beans come from delicate plants that need specific climate conditions to thrive, including high altitude and mild temperatures. In Costa Rica, the mountainous regions and warm temperatures provide the perfect environment for growing the highest quality Arabica beans." Hand‐picked beans in Costa Rica's 8 coffee growing regions throughout the country have an individual flavor. "Costa Rica is committed to a sustainable and ethical growing practice."

Sources: Onboard presentation of Costa Rica and Puntarenas, Guided tour of Puntarenas and surroundings, https://www.entercostarica.com/travel‐ guide/about‐costa‐rica/history, https://thelawdictionary.org/free‐port/, https://www.tourismincostarica.org/puntarenas, https://kuscholarworks.ku.edu/bitstream/handle/1808/4508/Melton_ku_0099D_10009_DATA_1.pdf;sequence=1 , https://www.ancient‐ origins.net/history‐ancient‐traditions/nahuatl‐language‐0010476, http://explorecr.blogspot.com/2012/11/ciudad‐de‐puntarenas‐o‐puerto‐de.html, https://www.lonelyplanet.com/costa‐rica/central‐pacific‐coast/puntarenas, https://www.cafebritt.com/experience‐britt/coffee‐101/5‐reasons‐why‐Costa‐ rican‐coffee‐is‐the‐best and https://www.entercostarica.com/travel‐guide/about‐costa‐rica/history. acuri.net John R. Vincenti Puntarenas, Costa Rica