Told you. [Club Jade]

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#10188 Death Star™
Ages 12+. 3,803 pieces.
$399.99

Recreate the action and adventure of the Star Wars™ movies with the ultimate Death Star™ playset! This detailed battle station features an incredible array of minifigure-scale scenes and accessories from Episodes IV and VI. Its different decks include the Death Star control room, moving turbolaser turrets, hangar bay with TIE Advanced starfighter, tractor beam controls, Emperor’s throne room, detention block, Imperial conference room, droid maintenance facility, and the powerful Death Star superlaser, plus much more! Swing across the chasm with Luke and Leia, face danger in the crushing trash compactor, and duel with Darth Vader for the fate of the galaxy. With over 3,800 pieces, the Death Star measures 16” tall and 16½” wide when completed. Includes 25 Star Wars minifigures and droids!

Death Star is a LEGO Exclusive available for pre-order on www.LEGOshop.com starting July 1, 2008 and can be found in LEGO Brand Retail Stores starting September 1, 2008!

Includes the following 7 new and exclusive Star Wars minifigures and droids only found in this set!
Luke Skywalker™ (Stormtrooper outfit)
Han Solo™ (Stormtrooper outfit)
Death Star Trooper (x2)
Phlutdroid™
Interrogation Droid
Death Star Droid

Other minifigures and droids include:
Obi-Wan Kenobi™
R2-Q5™
Emperor Palpatine™
Darth Vader™
Grand Moff Tarken™
Emperor’s Royal Guard™ (x2)
Stormtrooper™ (x2)
R2-D2™
C-3PO™
Princess Leia™
Chewbacca™
Luke Skywalker™ (Jedi Knight)
Mouse Droid
Dianoga (Trash Monster)
Luke Skywalker™
Han Solo™

Product Features:
Death Star Control Room
Death Star Turbolasers
Hangar Bay Control Room
Superlaser Control Room
Death Star Superlaser & Weapons Bay
Manned Turbolaser
Emperor’s Throne Room
Hangar Bay
Detention Block
Tractor Beam Control
Trash Compactor Scene
Swing over the Gap
Meeting room
Droid maintenance

The project, from Instructables user Ricardoaraujo, uses a normal toy lightsaber hilt, some AA batteries, a rubber hose and a couple of LEDs to build a weapon you'd be proud to kick Jedi ass with. Now all you need to do is knock back a couple too many Guinnesses and find some Obi Wan Kenobi-worshipping dork to smack around. Death by pretend lightsaber it shall be!
[ Instructables via Technabob]

At the press of a button, the Emperor’s tail section (the large articulated arm that holds the monitors) rises to allow the user to be seated, then lowers back into position the three monitors at the perfect height and angle for perfect viewing comfort.

The Emperor has three large monitors for a panoramic view, THX Dolby surround sound, air filtering, light therapy (so you can get a tan without having to go out under the sun), webcam, battery backup and other niceties. It can be built to order with a desktop Mac or PC, as well as the biggest docking station ever for laptops. If you want one, you will have to go rob a bank—price is not listed yet, but we can imagine lots of zeros in it—and wait for the release date: July 2008. [Novelquest]

If you want a bigger challenge, you can take the vector-based PDF plans to print in a large format plotter to build your own life-sized, completely useless but absolutely awesome astromech. And if you do, please send me pics. [R2-D2 Plans via Star Wars Blog]

[redbubble via boingboing]

Someone must give the LED treatment to artoo, threepio and Jeff Vader, pronto.

It never gets old (and it's Friday.) [Star Wars Crafts]

Everything seems to naturally fit, not because of the Photoshop job itself, but because the original design of the Star Wars elements blends easily with the real world—perhaps one of the main reasons why the original trilogy resonated so profoundly into popular culture. [ISWWR via Dark Roasted Blend]

Who knew it was so simple to draw an X Wing? Chances are that our site will cut off part of that second image, so make sure to hit up the third link to see the whole thing. [Ironic Sans via BBGadgets and Justin Chrisostomo]

While the R2-D2 wedding cake is not as advanced as the stunningly-accurate Maker Faire R2-D2, Charlene told us that she "bastardized an old camera for the lenses, with blue Halloween lights flashing behind throughout the whole wedding" for added realism.

The cake was the centerpiece in the wedding of two members of a Star Wars fan group in Alabama, which had all the guests dressed up as Star Wars characters, included the minister, who probably was wearing an R2-D2 beanie like mine. I've got to admit that it looks yummy, but seeing people eating R2's dome disturbs the Force out of me. [Thanks Charlene]

To tell the truth, I was once as bewitched by the bricks as he is. We had a massive box at home, a hangover from when my brother, older than me by 11 years, was the snot-nosed kid of the house. (Well, I say massive, but it was barely Yoda-sized compared to J's Millennium Falcon box of LucasTricks.) When I inherited the snot-nosed kid mantle, my brother having moved on to smoking dope and listening to Pink Floyd, I also inherited the LEGO.

And I loved it, back in the days when I was too small to see my father's eyes roll when I begged him to help me make a LEGO pony. How fickle I was back then, however, and eventually lost interest—after all, there are only so many minimalist box-shaped houses you can make with a handful of hereditary LEGO. (I abandoned it for an Eagle-Eye Action Man I'd found, but even that obsession only lasted a few months, once I realized I couldn't get his plastic shorts off with my teeth, a knife or even the help of the dog.)

Point is, I was not fully unaware of the issues when I married a LEGO maniac. I wouldn't go as far as Lady Di did when she said there were three people in her marriage, but there was a point over Christmas when the whole LEGO thing became a bit of a nightmare. (It might have had something to do with the fact that we had become obsessive 24 watchers, and so, unconsciously, every time we saw the Millennium Falcon box, we could hear that bloody clock ticking down.) The pressure was unspeakable, from colleagues and commenters alike. Reader, I must confess that I threw one of the boxes on the floor, mixing up piles of bricks that he had spent hours sorting out.

The look in Jesus' eyes. You may say baleful, but I see your baleful and I raise you pure, unadulterated, naked hurt. A lot of humble pie was eaten that night. I vowed to change, so I came up with a ten-point plan with which to sink my irrational plastic jealousy. Here it is:
1. Have a Spare Room
A man needs a shed—a place his tools can call home, and where he can potter about in undisturbed for hours and hours. Since we're still waiting for LEGO to bring out its life-sized LEGO Shed kit (estimated completion time 4-6 weeks), J keeps the bricks to his Millennium Falcon in the spare room. If we have friends to stay, the boxes are placed reverently on the floor of the office, until the room is vacant again. Blam can attest to this, as he found some LEGO under his pillow when he came to stay in February.

2. Keep the Dog in Plastic Chew Toys
I haven't yet noticed primary colored bricks in the dog's poop, but when I do, I know that we need to go to the pet store again. And if Jesus notices, it'll be time to get a new dog. Joke.

3. Never Hoover
Now, this rule I absolutely love. I have also glued LEGO bricks and mini-figs to the ironing board, the washing-up gloves and the family silver.

4. Always Wear Shoes In the House
Have you ever stepped on a LEGO brick? I know a guy who had to go to hospital to have one of those little one-row brickettes removed from the ball of his foot after he stood on it by mistake. I think you know him too—he writes for Gizmodo.

5. Vote Denmark During Eurovision
I believe there is a trip to the LEGO factory in Denmark coming up in June. Did I want to accompany him, he asked me tenderly months ago? What, and stand in the way of a man and his first love? Feel like a gooseberry as he fingers and fondles the bricks in the factory? No, no, no, no, nonononononononono. No. NO. But do I tell him I don't want to go and get nipple marks on my fingers from obsessive brickplay? Of course not. Anyway, someone has to look after the dog.

6. Regular Visits to the Local Toy Shop
"Have you got that one? Thought so. And that one. Oh look! It's a singing Freddie Mercury doll. Now why don't they do a Freddie Mercury LEGO? Or Bowie? Yeah, come on then, let's go inside."

7. Never Write a LEGO Post for Giz
I value my marriage above all things.

8. Laugh Every Time He Makes You Watch the "Death By Tray" LEGO Skit
This is not exactly a hardship, as Eddie Izzard is funny as fuck. Jesus did actually manage to recite the whole skit when he was drunk in a taxi a few weeks ago. The long, 4am journey home was, believe it or not, alleviated by a slurred version of "Jeff Vader? Runs the Death Star?"
9. Agree That the World Would Be Better If Totally Made of LEGO
How simple life would be. A couple of tiles came off your roof? Buy them from the LEGO store, then go up a ladder and clip them back on again. Kids, we're going to build a swimming pool this weekend. A leaky one, but still, a swimming pool. No, honestly. Imagine, if the world was made out of LEGO you would just be able to unclip rogue states from the globe and dismantle them before putting them back in the cupboard, and then the world would just be a safer place. And what if everyone's hands were shaped like those of the LEGO figures? Well, you wouldn't get any work done, for a start.

10. Try to Relate and Even Join In
Just after his Millennium Falcon arrived, J bought a TIE Fighter LEGO set. "It's for you," he said. "You can do that while I assemble the Falcon." A month later, I had to go back to Britain for a long weekend, and when I came back, I found the TIE Fighter sitting, assembled on his desk. "Oy, I was meant to do that," I said. Jesus shrugged. "I missed you. And I was bored," he replied.

So, there you have it. While it may not be as life-changing as AA or NA's 12-Point Plan, my LEGO-acceptance program keeps us on the straight and narrow. And I know you're all wondering when Jesus is going to present his newly-clicked Millennium Falcon to the world, well, hell, so am I. However, I think he needs an incentive. Any ideas?

Jesús Díaz: Have you tried to give your astromech droid actual "droid" powers? You know, like some complex sensory input and artificial intelligence, at least at the AIBO level.
Chris James: One of the top questions we get is, are they autonomous or can they be retrofitted with the electronics from the little interactive R2 from Hasbro. The simple answer is yes they can be or could be done, but (and it's a big but) would you want a 200lb aluminum droid running around bumping into things? At a convention or show full of kids it would be incredibly dangerous.

Even something small like the holo projector eye twitching could poke an eye out as kids look into them all the time. I've been at events where we've had frequency issues and it's incredible scary when a droid starts tearing off when you're not expecting it.

Having said that, there are a number of people working on AI R2's, mostly powered by Leaf.

JD: Are you planning to add them yourself in the future, though?
CJ: My droid is powered by a bunch of small PIC micro processors, so not a huge amount of processing power but I may add some sensor/intelligence, like rotation dome/tracking, and syncing sound to people talking to him. But I'd make it optional and under my control when I want it to be autonomous. So if people were at a distance he could track movement and respond with sounds.

JD: Seeing your R2-D2—and looking at current toy robotics—actually makes me believe that there's a possibility of having a Maybe not capable of calculating hyperspace jumps, but good enough to order him things using speech, rather than a remote. Do you think we will see multifunction droids in the spirit of R2 coming from companies any time soon?
CJ: I'm really not a robotics expert by any stretch of the imagination, but from what I see we're there right now in some area, but I can't see people owning cheap AI droids like C3PO or Artoo in our lifetime. It would be nice, but I just can't see Asimo gaining enough intelligence at a price we can all afford.

I would be quite happy to have this one combined with an HD projector, all speech controlled. [Artoo Detoo—Video by Brian Lam]

Well, a girl can dream. But this prosthetic hand, inspired, I kid you not by spiders' legs, has scored highly in tests. Currently a prototype, Fluidhand is battery-powered, with five electric motors—one in each finger. Soren Wolf, an 18-year-old patient at Heidelberg University Hospital was the first person to try out the device, alongside the iLIMB, which, unlike the Fluidhand, is controlled using myoelectric signals from the stump of the arm.

The Fluidhand works on different principles, and its digits are based on the biological principle of the spider leg—elastic chambers in the joints are pumped up by miniature hydraulics, thus allowing flexibility. This allows each individual digit to be moved independently. Perhaps the most astonishing thing about the device is that it gives feedback to the stump, which allows the wearer to sense just how strong the grip is.

Of the two hands, Soren said that the Fluidhand just had the edge over the iLIMB. It is currently only a prototype, but the inventors are looking for investment. Maybe George Lucas would be interested. [UniversitatsKlinikum via MedGadget]

Most big fans of the series and Star Wars know that both R2-D2 and C-3PO appear in several occasions in Raiders of the Lost Ark. In the Well of Souls, which is the moment portrayed by this set, they appear in a post on Indy's right as him and Sallah remove the Ark.

Great detail from LEGO and good catch by Lindsay. [Thanks Lindsay]

I just got back from a wedding where the groom had a Death Star groom's Cake.

Yes. A Death Star wedding cake.

Now, I know there are fanboys everywhere, but come on people. Heck, yes, I admit it. I'm guilty as charged, your honor. But although I was willing to pilot the X-Wing rocket (on retrospective, I'm glad that didn't happen), and I know the first trilogy backwards, forwards and inside-out, I've never dressed up or played lightsabers, re-enacted scenes or been to conventions. At most, I played Larry Holland's X-Wing and TIE Fighter simulators when I was in college. And, of course, built Star Wars LEGO stuff. And while I may have suggested to Addy that we should go and live in an Ewok village, I would have never, ever have subjected her to a Death Star wedding cake. Seriously.

Mainly because I didn't want to end up like Greedo, that is, or frozen in carbonite. [Thanks Rye]

Gizmodo:How did you come up with the name Sillof?
Sillof:I am a high school history teacher and Sillof was a fake name a few students and I came up with years ago. I used it as a running gag for giving generic examples; such as in the ancient kingdom Sillof, the loyal Sillofites, the might god Sillof, etc. When I began to look for an online alias I chose it.

I primarily use it to keep my personal and professional lives separated.

Gizmodo:When did you start customizing figures?
Sillof: Well, I did it a little when I was a kid, by cutting off Luke's hand or 3PO's arm, or putting Luke's head on the x-wing pilot's body. I later got more into it in the early 90's and then really started to make it a long term hobby. I met guys like Alex Newborn who inspired me and then the internet was just taking off and it really opened my imagination to the possibilities.

Gizmodo:What made you decide to take on this hobby?
Sillof: Initially I just wanted figures that they never made. The driving force was I had always loved The Cantina scene and Jabba's Palace scene in the Star Wars films and I wanted to recreate those scenes. I had built these miniature sets called dioramas, which are on my site, and wanted to fill them with all the movie aliens.

Gizmodo:Where do you get your ideas for themes and figures?
Sillof: Initially I just made the figures that I wanted but had not been made. I eventually got tired of just recreating existing designs and wanted to do something more creative. I am currently planning a line that is all original designs of my own original characters right now.

As for my process I just visualize a general idea in my head. I am always going for a figure that is very unique, yet recognizable as the intended character. Then I concentrate on the key elements that make the character recognizable - these are the elements I will try to represent in the new figure. I do a few sketches, one just straight ideas, and others that are a little more practical with regard to parts I could find and things I could make.

I then go about collecting pieces to use as parts and begin to combine them all. There is a fair amount of sanding, and dremeling, and cutting. Then use the parts like a skeleton sculpting my own designs using apoxie sculpting compound and then gluing any number of odds and ends to the figure. Then I paint the figure and give it a wash of diluted dark paint to antique it.

Gizmodo: Where do you source your materials - do you buy action figures as is or get them second hand?
Sillof: I have a large collection of toy "parts" and other miscellaneous found items that are not toy related. I buy some figures new and cut them up, I buy figures on eBay in large lots of played with toys, and there are some toy dealers in my area that pull things aside for me as they buy them.

Gizmodo:Has any company ever contacted you to work for them, doing this full time?
Sillof:I was approached to build replica props for a major company, but the idea of machining metal for a living, which was my father's job, did not seem that appealing to me. I was also approached for my diorama building by a new company in England, but moving was not an option as my wife was 7 months pregnant at the time.

Gizmodo:Would you want to do this full time if you could?
Sillof:I would love to try to make figures for a toy company full time. My dream job would be designing original props, costumes, or sets for movies. I do this on the side as another hobby for local films. My career actually gives me a sabbatical where they hold my job for a year and would allow me to explore the career. So I am always open to the idea to attempt this on a full time basis.

Gizmodo:If there was one piece of advice for aspiring custom action figure hobbyists that you wish someone had told you when you first started out, what would it be?

For a new customizer, I would just tell them to just keep making figures, practicing, and trying new techniques until they find what works for them, and never stop on a figure until you are 100% happy with it.

Personally, I would like go back and tell myself not to waste my time making figures of existing designs and just start doing my own original works.

[Sillof's Workshop]

The model includes these chambers:

• Light-up cockpit with room for four figures.
• Medical bay.
• Secret smuggling compartments to hide from pesky Death Star crews.
• Auto-opening boarding ramp.
• Pivoting gunner station.
• Crew quarters with light-up dejarik table.

Weapons:

• Rotating laser turret fires two missiles and makes weapons sounds.

• 3-missile launcher with blasting sounds.

• Cannon that launches a "laser" missile (whatever that is.)

• Missile-firing mini-fighter inside an opening docking bay that makes electronic boarding and flight sounds (oooook, this is not in the movies unless I missed a secret chapter.)

• Pivoting training probe with lightsaber sounds.

Here are all its features:

• Light-up headlights and loads of electronic vehicle and weapon sounds—engine boost, cruise mode, fly-by, firing cannons, and much more.
• Opening, light-up cockpit can fit up to four figures.
• Remove outer panels to access the ship's interior.
• Authentic movie phrases from Han, Luke, Obi-Wan, C-3PO, Chewbacca, and R2-D2.
• Movie sound effects everywhere.
• Light-up engines.
• Includes Han Solo and Chewbacca and can hold up to 18 figures.

In other words: a whole bunch of pointless, completely unnecessary, and totally amazing plastic junk that arrives 30 years too late, and is a complete must for every 39-yo fanboy—who is going to secretly play with it in the closet, going "pew pew pew" with their voice (screw the built-in sounds).

And yes, perhaps it's not as fun as building your own LEGO version, but it's the closest thing to the movie available. [Galactic Hunter —Thanks Eddie]

[eBay via Star Wars Blog]

El Presidente saying words during his SDI speeh

• 1984. The Strategic Defense Initiative Organization is established. Reagan puts Lt. General James Alan Abrahamson from the USAF in charge, a past Director of the NASA Space Shuttle program. On retrospective, not a good sign.
• 1987. The SDIO develops the idea of the Strategic Defense System Phase I Architecture, a system that included ground and space based sensors and weapons, all controlled from a central location. This is a concept that still works today.
• 1991. George Bush Sr. changes Reagan's tune and changes the focus of SDI to a more limited, more regional oriented. The Global Protection Against Limited Strikes is born.
• On 18 January 1991 a Patriot interceptor missile is reported to have engaged a SCUD missile over Saudi Arabia during the Persian Gulf War. Later, it was found to be just a computer glitch. No SCUD ever launched on that day. The accuracy of Patriots was close to zero, according to analysis after the war. The success rate during the war was claimed to be 97% by George Bush Sr. (reportedly, the Israelis were so dissatisfied with the system they planed to retaliate against Iraq on their own.)
• 1993. Bill Clinton closes the SDIO and forms the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization.
• During the George Bush Jr. administration the concept has been revived, forming the National Missile Defense and Ground-based Midcourse Defense.
• 20 February 2008. An Aegis missile successfully intercepts a defunct spy satellite the size of a bus falling down to Earth.

[Wikipedia]

Jesús Díaz: This place is absolutely stunning. The location, the panoramic views from the trees, the rivers and waterfalls... I would imagine that people are running to go and live in this paradise (I certainly would like to do just that). How many people live in Bellavista now?
Erica Hogan: Although things have just started to take shape now, since the beginning of 2008, Finca Bellavista is still in its infancy. At this point, nobody is living on site except for us and some of our employees. Many folks are planning on building their treehouses starting next dry season, which roughly goes from December through May.

JD: So how many structures are in place so far, then?
EH: Right now we are finishing up our personal treehouse, "Mis Ojos Miran la Catarata" (My Eyes Look at the Waterfall). This is a double-decker gem of a tree house, perched in a trio of 150-foot trees with a view of a 40-foot tall waterfall. Words and pictures can't even describe how cool this house is turning out... we're thrilled! We also have a "base area" for the community, where several structures are getting underway. We currently have two cabinas, a house/office that is getting finished, and a community center is getting started next week. In the future, this is where people will likely come to hang out with neighbors for a meal, a game of chess, a movie, etc. We also have several platforms up in our Sky Trail network.

JD: The Sky Trail network? What is that?
EH: Transportation here is a little different... you can't drive a car in and out to your treehouse. So that involved some creativity and technology as well. The two main forms of transportation within Finca Bellavista will be through a Sky Trail network of ziplines and platforms, and a ground trail network. The ziplines provide an invigorating commute in and out of the jungle, for sure. Getting the cables and platforms up has been challenging, but once they are all in, it will make access in and out of forest much easier (and fun).

JD: It looks like it. The concept of living here is attracting at so many levels. On one side, it sounds to me a bit like the hotels with small bungalows in the Maldives islands. Like Soneva Fushi, but without the luxury of having an army of assistants and chefs. Obviously, those are hotels, but this is a true treeforest village, built from scratch... how big is this going to be?
EH: We have 72 parcels, of which we have sold 28 parcels. Additional parcels are in the process of closing right now. Some people will choose not to build on their lot, while others might have a few tree structures attached via suspension bridge, ziplines, or other means...

JD: I'm trying to imagine what kind of people would like to live here, either full-time or part-time. Looking at it, I'm tempted to leave everything and move there myself...
EH: That's okay (we won't tell your boss)...we hear it often! We've had an interesting mix of buyers... some are about to retire and are looking for an active retirement home, others are families looking at being here during summer/winter breaks, some are building vacation getaways in the trees with an intent to rent out their treehouse the other portion of the year...

Technology in the jungle

JD: How are you connected with the "outside world"? Is there any kind of computer communications? In other words, can I go and work there?
EH: We installed our Satellite for Internet and communications this January. Boy, did that change our world! Otherwise, it was a half an hour's drive in either direction to internet. Not very easy, fun, efficient or sustainable in operating a business. Our connection is the fastest we've been on in all of Costa Rica and, it's powered 100% by solar power.

JD: I guess you've got some kind of Wi-Fi network in place for the whole place...
EH: Well, the Wi-Fi zone reaches the entire base area. We have several land owners that are looking into equipment that will amplify the signal onto the mountain where the treehouses will be located, and our satellite technician just notified me today that they are getting a new system in this month that will make that process easier and more affordable! I personally will not put a connection in my treehouse, primarily because it will be my escape from work.

JD: You are sustainable community; do you use any technology to help you towards this goal? And with technology I don't only mean electronics, but any machines or mechanical gadgets.
EH: Technology is certainly our friend out here in the jungle! Our remote location also requires a fair amount of technology as well...

JD: What about energy?
EH: Right now we are operating our house/office from a photovoltaic solar system. We are in the process of getting a hydroelectric turbine built that will provide power for the entire community. To us, providing off-grid electricity to the Finca Bellavista community was very important. While we could have spent money to tie into it, Costa Rica's nationalized electricity system is notorious for its high amounts of carbon emissions and its rolling blackouts (brownouts happen almost daily). Plus, we have two powerful whitewater rivers right here for us to harness clean energy from... why use anything else?

Custom-built Canyon Crossflow Turbine that will be installed at Finca Bellavista.

JD: What about the houses themselves? I guess they have to follow some patterns, in terms of architecture (the houses remind me of the tree world in Myst).
EH: Yeah. Structures have to abide by our guidelines, which can also be found on our website. The gist is that they must tie into our electrical grid, use a biodigestor to process wastes, and utilize either rainwater catch or a spring for their water needs. All designs have to go through our Environmental Review board for approval, where we look at materials, feasibility, and systems of attachment.

As a side note, building a treehouse can be a pretty technical adventure. You have to get up in the tree via ropes, harnesses and pulleys, and then there's the whole business of finding a way to attach the house to the tree. We are using Garnier Limbs for our treehouse.

JD: How much would a house there cost?
EH: We sell the land (with the trees) on which people would build their treehouses. We are rolling into Phase 2 right now, with prices for 2-4 acre parcels ranging in price from USD $49,000 to $65,000. Designing and constructing an arboreal or stilt-built dwelling would be adapted to the type and size of the property's trees, the slope of the land, and personal preferences, views, etc. Treehouses and stilt-built houses can be designed and built either by the owner or by one of our preferred builders.

JD: And those are...
EH: The treehouses can vary greatly in price, based on a person's needs and desires, but I think a very simple, safe structure can be built for as little as USD $15,000 and go as high in price as your imagination and budget will allow. For $50,000, it's likely you can have a contractor build and finish a very comfortable tree house.

JD: That's pretty cheap. I guess being so remote plays a part here. How do you get to this amazing place?
EH: Finca Bellavista is six miles from the Golfo Dulce (Sweet Gulf). The two rivers that make the property boundaries join forces and dump into Piedras Blancas National Park and the Golfo Dulce. A large portion of the area surround the Gulf is protected... therefore, it's hard to get down to the water from our side. We are about a 30-minute drive from putting in kayaks to the Gulf, where "rainforest fjords" meet the calm waters. There are beaches scattered about—all isolated. A handful of people are starting to pioneer this area for windsurfing... it's near perfect conditions for it. And tranquil, beautiful, and undeveloped.

The access issues are in the process of changing, as an international airport (that will accommodate even the largest A-380 Airbus) is being built 30 minutes north of here. All the infrastructure is getting upgraded, and it's anybody's guess how that will effect the area. They are certainly stepping up their road maintenance efforts and talking about paving.

JD: What about the surroundings? I heard you have some of the best surf beaches in the planet...
EH: The nearest surf beaches are Matapalo and Pavones (longest left in this hemisphere I've heard), and again, the access via road is tough (4WD, dirt), and 1.5 to two hours. For easier access to beaches, a drive to Dominical and all the beautiful beaches south of there are about an hour to an hour/half drive away.

Pavones beach

Most of these beaches have been "discovered" recently, but there are so many that are so beautiful and still quiet that it's worth the short drive to go check them out. Dominical is know for its surfing and has that surf-town "vibe," which is fun. My favorite beaches in the world are around there...but I'm not naming names just in case this gets published! Very private beaches with cool critters like howler monkeys and scarlet mackaws, caves and rainforest right to the edge). It sounds too good to be true, but trust me, it is!

OK, that's it. I'm there, with my Jedi suit and Hawaiian surf shorts. [Bellavista via Vancouver Sun]