With Cuban Refugees Today!

Where some of the Cubans slept at the Costa Rica Immigration, Penas Blanca.
Most are away from the border in tent camps or old school buildings.
The cans are for donations to their cause.

 Well, sort of. I traveled (Wed 30 Dec) with Walter Ramirez and others to Penas Blanca where thousands of Cuban refugees are in refugee camps near this border with Nicaragua. While the Costa Rica government has spent about $2 million housing and feeding the refugees trying to get to the United States by land, Nicaragua refuses to allow them passage in transit by bus through their country. Costa Rica plans to fly them to El Salvador to continue their bus journey through Mexico but wants them to pay for their own flight cost. And today I learned  that the U.S. Congress is finally doing something by offering to help with the cost of the flights (pretty low cost for 15 minute flight).

Okay, the reason we were there is the 90-day Visa Renewal Trip to the border which happens to be a famous or notorious border crossing now. Otherwise, our visa renewal went quickly and smoothly and we actually got back before dark, the first time in my four trips. Hoping this is my last of such trips. If I need to renew it again in March I will plan a trip to see Granada and some of the good bird-watching national parks in Nicaragua. Or I just may do that anyway!  🙂

Melvin, 2nd from left, our Nica Helper in the process & Walter in white hat.
Plus my traveling companions, 1 Canadian & 6 U.S. Expats.
At Penas Blanca, Costa Rica border crossing to Nicaragua. 

Rio Corobici where we stop for breakfast and lunch enroute.