On this day in 1949, Golfito became an official municipality, or cantón.
This Southern Zone town is a fascinating place. It’s part of a famously biodiverse region and home to rich indigenous cultures. It attracts tourism – normally – and crime. It houses the Depósito Libre where people come from all over the country to buy goods, and that distinctive United Fruit Company that tells the story of part of the region’s history.
Plagued by unemployment and poverty before the COVID-19 crisis, it is underoing even greater stress these days. Here’s hoping that this beautiful and quirky region has better days ahead.
I’m a writer in San José, Costa Rica, on a year-long quest to share daily posts on inspiring people, places and ideas from my adopted home as a kind of tonic during a rough time in the world. Sign up (top right of this page) to receive a little dose of inspiration every weekday in your mailbox; tell a friend; check out past posts; and please connect with me on Instagram or Facebook! If you want to learn more about how to support Costa Rica during the crisis, visit my COVID-19 section, updated regularly – or for ways to enjoy Costa Rica from afar, visit Virtual Costa Rica.
katherine stanley obando 