Did You Know ... ? It took Costa Ricans 15 minutes, at today's Santa Rosa park, to fend off an 1856 Nicaraguan invasion. Costa Rica is home to 1,500 species of orchids. In the 1960s, the Irazu volcano spewed ash and mud on San Jose, 35 miles away. Monteverde (the
Did You Know ... ? Both the Pacific and the Caribbean coasts are visible from the top of Irazu volcano. Costa Rica has only 0.01% of the world's land, but 3.5% of its marine life. Hawksbill turtles have claws on their flippers. The green sea turtle is named for the
Did You Know...? Painter Pablo Picasso was born in the city of Malaga. Hundreds of spaghetti westerns were shot in the Tabernas Desert outside Almeria. Of the 101 town names in Malaga province, 14 begin with “al” which means “the” in Arabic. Bulls are not attracted to red but to
Did You Know...? Guglielmo Marconi sent his first transatlantic radio message from Cornwall’s Lizard Peninsula to Newfoundland (1901). The largest Cornish pasty, made in 2010, weighed just over 1,600 pounds and took 11 hours to bake. The show title “Pirates of Penzance” recalls Penzance’s history of smuggling and piracy. There
Did You Know ... ? In 1784, Cape Breton became a separate colony accommodating Loyalists who left the U.S. after the Revolutionary War. Guglielmo Marconi sent his first transatlantic radio message from Glace Bay (1902). The first female solo westbound transatlantic flight ended with a crash at Baleine Cove (Beryl
Did You Know? Seven million flower bulbs are planted in Keukenhof Gardens. Canals formed the basis in the 17rh century for an artificial port city — Amsterdam. More than 20 million flowers and plants are sold daily at FloraHolland auction house. The Dutch floricultural business creates 250.000 full-time jobs worldwide,
Did You Know? The Sambro Island Lighthouse (1758) is the oldest working lighthouse in the Americas. Most lobsters are greenish when caught; cooking turns them red. Canada has the world's longest coastline (125,290 miles). The world’s oldest Acadian community is located in Pubnico (from ca. 1653). Male humpback whales communicate
Did You Know...? Seventy-five percent of British Columbia is mountainous, 60% is forested. The province (364,764 square miles) is larger than California, Oregon and Washington combined. British Columbia hosts more than 30 aboriginal nations in 197 communities. Some Carmanah Walbran Park cedars are more than 1,000 years old. The province
Did You Know...? Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes originated in Bordeaux. A grapevine in the Sauternes region produces only one or two glasses of wine a year. A modern incarnation of a medieval wine guild, the Jurade, controls the quality of St. Emilion wines. Modern Bordeaux vineyards cover
Did You Know? The name for Ambergris Caye is based on a substance found in whale intestines. Actor Leonardo DiCaprio and a partner own Blackadore Caye. The Belizean barrier reef is part of the longest reef system in the Northern and Western hemispheres (600-700 miles). Manatees, weighing up to 1,200
