We celebrated Ballena Tales' 5th anniversary on June 30th, 2013, which also coincides with the 30th edition... as the saying goes, there's never one without two and never two without three. So, the third occurrence was that it also happened to be my 30th birthday! Serendipity at its best, as I would have it. We were new to the team, working alongside the clients, writers, designers, and good friend and Editor-in-Chief Dagmar Reinhard for a year now, and had cause to celebrate. So, for this wonderful occasion, clients, friends, and colleagues gathered at the Hotel Whales & Dolphins in Uvita for sunset, music, food, and wine!

We were delighted with a once-in-a-lifetime musical performance by Uli on the didgeridoo, Barth on the flute, and Philippe on the wave drum. Many thanks to the artists! This original music combination resonated in the jungle; a little rain did not hold us back. Instead, the rhythm of the rain joined the musical notes in a soft undertone that made the music come alive and lay the foundation for the makings of an incredible sunset to take place. With an electric sunset backdrop and the rain tapering off, belly dancer Dayana joined in the entertainment and gyrated to the sounds echoing around us. The candles around the pool were lit at dusk, and we all relaxed, sitting back and enjoying the entertainment.

Later that night, with lively animation provided by Japhet, staying true to tradition, we held an auction where local businesses donated services or products to support an up-and-coming person in the community who also needed financial support. This year, we held an auction for Melissa Herrera Monge, a promising young football player from Bahia. She has excelled as an athlete and has recently moved to San José, where she is finishing high school and is training daily with the first women's division of Saprissa. This year, we raised $440 for Melissa's schooling in San José and helped her buy a new computer. Many thanks to all those businesses and auctioneers who helped Melissa get one step closer to her dream; it truly is in a caring community that the best stars are born.

We were also delighted to find a message from Mr. Tom Nagel, the President of CACOBA, who only gave positive feedback to our team and wished us ongoing success. Tom wrote: "I remember very well the first conversation with her [Dagmar] over five years ago, when I was very skeptical about another magazine in Costa Ballena, Dominical Days already existing and others. However, as a German co-patriot, I was present with an ad for each issue from day one. And without regrets. Five years later, I can say that Dagmar has achieved a miracle. The Magazine Magazinessional is informative and apolitical. Ballena Tales is promoting Costa Ballena in a way that has helped us tremendously to be present as a destination."

And indeed, Ballena Tales Magazine has come a long way. At the offset, Ballena Tales Magazine intended to reach out to national and international readers to bridge a gap between local businesses and community members. It has, since the beginning, been Dagmar's wish to share this feeling of community, of being part of what she has found here, something that has been so precious to many who have either passed through here, who have decided to move here or those who were born here and who make it what it is and always has been. The magazine has been trying to spread that feeling of positivity by promoting community initiatives and businesses. From the start, Ballena Tales Magazine has focused on Environment, Culture, Initiatives, and Surf!

It was in 2007 when Dagmar arrived from England, invited by a friend who was then the director of the Whales & Dolphins Hotel to work as the assistant manager. She participated in the Chamber of Tourism, CATUCOBA, meetings where she found out that in 2006, the Tourism Minister, Carlos Benavides, had baptized the area as Costa Ballena. Costa Ballena comprised "the coastal range from Rio Barú in Dominical all along Uvita, down to Ojochal and included the river mouth of the Terraba, at the height of Coronado." It did not take long for Dagmar to fall in love with the area, and after leaving the assistant manager position, she established her own business, never wanting to leave the area she now calls home.

In July 2008, Ballena Tales launched the first and most original edition.  Five people were involved in the creation of Ballena Tales. The cover was courtesy of David Araya, an artist who currently holds a position at the Municipality of Perez Zeledón, who showed a painting of the area. Marbrengertt Araque developed the magazine'Magazine'sining Whale and Tales (in an interesting word association for this area). Miroslava Herrera and Rosemary McGregor were the first writers, with many more who have followed and continue to write great content representing our community's voice. And we thank our contributing writers for such great and unique content. Philippe Chapuy, art director, has enriched the magazine Magazine's vivid photography and colorful design since the beginning. And now, we have extended team members. Whether it may be a designer, writer, programmer, or someone behind the scenes, Ballena Tales continues to grow, and we send out a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has a hand in making the magazine Magazineation an ongoing success.

We hope that Ballena Tales contributes to uniting us all. With that, I sign off and leave you with the final toast both Dagmar and I keep in our hearts every day. We are grateful for our ongoing success and growth, and we would like to especially thank our customers, colleagues, and the community for participating in our project and sharing our vision that propels us forward. Thank you. And with that, may we all experience ongoing success, growth, and happiness! Salud!

Ballena Tales is an essential free digital magazine in Costa Rica, valid for travelers, residents, and investors covering Costa Ballena in the Canton of Osa in the South Pacific of Costa Rica. It is a fully bilingual, bi-monthly, and full-color digital magazine.

The magazine introduces the reader to the life of the local community, with interviews of pioneers, writers, and artists, as well as extensive information on restaurants, hotels, experiences, natural attractions, and wildlife of the South Pacific of Costa Rica.

We are not just a magazine; each edition (print and digital) is linked to a robust web platform; the editions are published online, and the advertorials are included in our blog and the brand in the commercial directory. We also add links to the advertising company's website and social networks. At this time, the openings of digital publications in all their expressions exceed 80 thousand openings, and the advertised brands have a global reach.

We have a loyal audience of over 8,000 readers in the South Pacific's Costa Ballena region who will view your news in each printed edition.

We prioritize our readers' satisfaction by delivering a variety of engaging content while showcasing the value of our advertisers' brands.