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Why Costa Rica is Just Not for Everyone
May 18th, 2006
The writer of the article below, Michael Quinn, recently visited Costa Rica with his lovely bride Patrice.
I had the pleasure of corresponding with them before they arrived. He spend a couple of weeks here, and upon his return to the USA. Michael wrote the article below. It appears he may not be moving to Costa Rica real soon.
Filed under Costa Rica, Immigration & Residency, Life in Costa Rica, Other Stuff, Retire in Costa Rica, Travel | Comments (7)Coming to Live in Costa Rica?
May 16th, 2006
Between three of my websites, The REAL Costa Rica, this Blog, and my personal Blog, I get maybe 200 emails per week. I try to answer them, though this is getting tougher every month, and soon it is gonna get real ugly.
The hands down #1 topic of these emails is people asking me for my advice on moving to Costa Rica. Popular questions are:
* Where are the North American communities?
* Where are the good places to live?
* Constant questions about buying property here…
* Where is the best place to buy? Live?
* Where to visit when coming here to decide about a permanent move
* Where can I get a job?
* Plus a TON of emails from scared baby boomers world-wide who are just now saying to their spouses, “Holy SHIT Martha (or Clyde), there ain’t no way we can live on our social security! We gotta get outta this place!”
So, in this Post I am going to cast some pearls to you folks!
Filed under Cost of Living, Cost Of Living Costa Rica, Costa Rica, Expatriate Life, Immigration & Residency, Life in Costa Rica, Moving to Costa Rica, Rants, Retire in Costa Rica, Study Abroad, Travel, Travel to Costa Rica, Working in Costa Rica | Comments (8)Gasoline Prices in Costa Rica are just silly
May 13th, 2006
I forgot gas prices were going up again today, so it caught me off guard when my wifey and I stopped for a routine fillup last night and found ourselves in a loooong line at the pump. The price of gas was going up another 50 some colones (10 cents or so) and for the average costa Rica, THAT is a hunk of money.
Continue reading »
Urban Planning – Costa Rica Style
May 12th, 2006
The study by the Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR) concludes that if the disorderly growth of the Greater San José area continues, “we face contamination on a massive scale and quality of life will become practically unsustainable”.
Well DUH!
Jut kidding…
I say “kidding” not because this article did not appear but because even the dimmest bulb who lives here in the valley has known about this forever! Continue reading »
Filed under Costa Rica, Ecology and Nature, Life in Costa Rica, Other Stuff, Politics, Rants | Comment (1)411? Anyone? Hello?
May 12th, 2006
Costa Rica is getting a new 411 directory assistance system.
According to our friendly local monopy, ICE, you will now only have to say the name of the person or company they are looking for and the computer does the rest. Of course, when the computer cannot understand your request, the call will be transferred to a live operator. Continue reading »
Filed under Costa Rica, Humor, Life in Costa Rica, Other Stuff, Technical Stuff | Comments (2)Where is Christine???
May 11th, 2006
It also appears that Christin has fallen down on the job as well. If anyone knows where be that cute little midwestern gurl… please advise. Besides… she owes me a CD!
Filed under Christin Chitty, Costa Rica, Study Abroad | Comment (1)Sorrreeeeee
May 11th, 2006
Verily, verily I say unto all readers that I have sinned and been remiss in posting to this Blog in recent months. Some pleasant and not so pleasant things have occurred in my (personal) life and both this Blog and my personal Blog have suffered.
BUT N O MORE … until maybe next time!
The GOOD news is that I have kept a few articles in draft which I will begin to publish tomorrow. I betcha can’t wait!
Filed under Costa Rica | Comments (2)Cafe Santa Maria de Dota
March 12th, 2006
My group and I had an obligatory history field trip to a coffee plantation yesterday. We went to a plantation owned by a Cooperative called Coopedota. We took a tour on which we saw all the major stages related to coffee cultivation and production: growing the beans, harvesting the beans, separating the beans into different qualities, drying the beans, and toasting the beans.
Continue reading »
Back to Manuel Antonio
March 12th, 2006
I finally went back to Manuel Antonio to visit Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio. It was beautiful!
The entrance fee for extrañeros, or foreigners, is $7 for the day. This gives you access to multiple beautiful costal trails and three pristine white-sand beaches. My friend and I opted to take the Sendero Punta Catedral, which is a beautiful trail through forest and along rocky cliffs overlooking the ocean. There were plenty of look-out points, and all of them were gorgeous.
We stayed in Albergue Costa Linda, which is a youth hostel set behind the public beach Playa Espadilla. The rooms were nice enough, and we got a free spaghetti dinner on Saturday night. I think I want to go to the Caribbean next.
Filed under Christin Chitty, Costa Rica, Travel | Comment (0)Vúlcan Poas
February 27th, 2006
A friend and I made the day trip from Heredia to Vúlcan Poas (Poas Volcano) this weekend. The bus ride was pretty short, maybe an hour at most including the obligatory reststop at the choosen roadside stand. (I wonder how they choose those stops… friends of friends, relatives?)
We actually didn´t see anything at all of note because a giant cloud had descended on the top, rendering our trip completely pointless. The trails were less than exciting, consisting of short paved loops through forest that left even my young knees in pain. We covered the whole park in about an hour, leaving us with with two more hours to kill until the bus left again. So yeah, that was about it. If you go, check the weather first and figure out a way to get there earlier than the 8:30 bus, that way you can see something besides thick fog.
Filed under Christin Chitty, Costa Rica, Study Abroad | Comments (2)