Ok so what makes Costa Rica such a happy place, well from my own observations I would say it comes down to close family relations, good diet, good climate and a tight nit community.

Families seeme to be very important here... although they live out of town, Rafaela and Hernan's sons return home every weekend to visit their parents. and family meals are always together around the table, whereas in England we are often to busy and eat sat in front of the tv.

Infact I would say that the whole community of Palmares is like one big family. Its a place where everyone knows each other and greets one another with a smile, or, as per Spanish custom, an adios.

People are only too willing to do you a favour, for instance, today I got a taxi to the Hortgacito to find out it closed and the taxi driver took me back to Palmares free of charge.

Also tradition seems very important here: Rafaela is in the process of sewing together traditional Costa Rican clothes for a fiesta dance in a few weeks.

The people seem content with what they have here, there doesn't seem to be a big rush to buy the next best thing because people are more content....but why wouldn't they be living in such a beautiful country.

I know this is a bit of a generalisation, but I believe on the whole the general lifestyle and mentality here is better than in the UK. A commonly used phrase is un poca un poca...little by little...

Any how, I have decided that the best way to find out would be better to ask the people of Costa Rica why they think they are the happiest. So I will interview different people about why they like living in Costa Rica.

Stay tuned.

Sarah Xxx