First, a Little History
My name is Franz X. Meier. I was born in Munich, Germany at the outbreak of the second World War as the oldest son of a traditional Bavarian restaurant family. We survived the war, and my parents rebuilt our home and business from the bombed-out ruins. Since I witnessed the horrors of war, and the misery of the post war period during my school years, I became a pacifist as I grew up.
After finishing my schooling and working in Italy and at the 1958 World’s Fair in Belgium, the German Bundeswehr thought that I might make a good soldier and wanted to draft me into military service. I escaped by hiring on a cruise liner in England and landed eventually in the United States of America. There, I was lucky to avoid serving in the army and fighting an immoral war in Vietnam.
Through hard work I started a successful business career and can now look back to decades of experience in the hospitality field, in resort operations and development, project design and construction. With some early partners I owned several restaurants, managed a hotel, owned a commercial real estate company and a manufacturing business which produced light weight construction panels for telecom shelters, mining applications, and general home construction.
I have held designations as a Certified Club Manager (CCM), and Certified Hotel Manager (CHM) and served on the Board of the South Carolina Restaurant Association for many years. In 1984 I was recognized as “Restaurateur of the Year” in our State and received many other rewards for my work in the food and beverage industry One of my culinary achievements was the formation of the S.C. chapter of “La Chaine des Rotisseurs”one of the world’s oldest and most renown food and wine societies. For my contributions to the hospitality industry, I was recognized as one of thirty-five visionaries that shaped the future of the City of Charleston.
Having been a Libertarian in principle for many years, I became acquainted with the writings of many great minds, from Lysander Spooner to Ludwig von Mises, Murray Rothbard, Ayn Rand, Thomas Sowell, Frederic Bastiat and many others. And as I studied and learned more about world history and the ruling classes, I had to recognize that the United States of America was on the wrong track and that a Plan B became essential.
More than 25 years ago I discovered Costa Rica through a longtime friend who moved here from the United States. After travelling to many parts of the coastal country we came up to Lake Arenal. I found it to be the most beautiful place I had seen and decided that this was going to be the location of my Plan B, the place where I eventually wanted to live.
In the year 2000 I purchased a home and a farm in Nuevo Arenal, which I named Finca Marenal. Soon I realized that Finca Marenal with its beautiful views of the lake was just too beautiful for raising cattle and that it could be the perfect site for a special community supported by an organic farm.
In 2012, while still living in the USA I started Marenal, a Sustainable Community. By 2013 I had all the necessary permits in place and was ready to market and move full time to Costa Rica. Unfortunately, business, and personal events prevented me from moving here permanently until 2023. Consequently, all previous permits had expired and I had to begin the process anew. As with so many things in life the delay had its benefits. Since my vision had time to mature, I believe that Marenal is now the better for it.
This year, 2024, Marenal will be offered to likeminded people that believe in Liberty, Peace and Pura Vida. We are now ready to sell the limited number of lots still available in Marenal, and to accept individuals and families who support our philosophy and want to live in a self-sufficient community where personal freedom and liberty can be enjoyed.
I am now a full-time resident and live in Marenal. I have never regretted my move to this peaceful nation without an army, a comfortable climate and a happy population that teaches you “Pura Vida”!
My personal goal is to continue contributing my knowledge and life experiences while enjoying the sunset of my life.
I invite you to read the rest of our website for more information and hope you will join me on this exciting journey!
Here is to Liberty and Peace in the World,
