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Arenal Volcano is Putting on a Show!
June 19th, 2008
Tourism is getting big boost these days as travelers from all over the world are descending on Costa Rica to see the Arenal Volcano, always a big draw at any time.
Lately, the active volcano has been strutting her stuff, and this has been going on for some weeks now. Customers of mine witnessed a fine show just this week.
The volcano is near the town of La Fortuna de San Carlos, about three hours northwest of San Jose by car. We go fairly often and rooms are always easy to get, especially now in the low season. The beds in many of the hotels are positioned so you can watch it at night. Beats Leno!
Wanna see something cool? Come take a peak! Bring the camera.
Filed under Costa Rica, Costa Rica Tourism, Tourism, Travel, Travel to Costa Rica, Volcanos | Comments (3)Costa Rica Eateries is Back
June 18th, 2008
There certainly is no shortage of restaurants and sodas in Costa Rica. The problem as anywhere, is to find the good ones with great food, decent service and reasonable prices. With that in mind, I opened a Forum a couple of years ago so people could post their favorites and warn others away from those places that are not-so-good.
I had an issue a few months ago, and was forced to remove and reinstall the web site. Today I was able to get it back online with all the original Posts and reviews. There is also a nice section for trading recipes!
All my readers are invited to join and give your opinion, good or bad, on any restaurant, soda or other eatery here in Costa Rica. The Web Site is Costa Rica Eateries and I hope you will call visit and add your favorite places to eat in Costa Rica. Enjoy!
Filed under Costa Rica, Costa Rica Tourism, Food and Eating, Recipes | Comment (0)ICE to Discontinue TDMA Cell Phones in 2009
June 15th, 2008
Those of you who live in Costa Rica are probably quite familiar with the cellular phone system here and most of you are also aware of just how lousy is the GSM system in particular. TDMA is still the only reliable system here in Costa Rica.
To provide a bit of background for newcomers, visitors and tourists, there are currently two cell phone systems here in Costa Rica. The first, TDMA , often referred to as “the old system” and GSM, “the new system”. New is better, right? Often true, but in this case… totally not true.
The GSM system was installed some years ago by Alcatel, a French company under contract to ICE the government-run monopoly that controls all telecommunications in Costa Rica. Apparently not satisfied with just trying to win this huge contract in a competitive manner, Alcatel decided to spend some cash in order to bribe some key decision makers in ICE and in the Costa Rican government. About $11 million as I recall! This was also distributed to at least two and probably three ex-Presidents of Costa Rica, two of whom spent some time in prison for accepting these bribes, and a third who is currently hiding out in Switzerland, unable and apparently unwilling to return to Costa Rica for fear of also passing a few hours in the slammer.
This is important to know because the GSM system installed by Alcatel simply did not and still does not work well at all… and it will soon be the only system available.
Filed under Cell Phones, Communications, Costa Rica, Costa Rica Tourism, ICE, Rants, Tourism, Travel, Travel to Costa Rica | Comments (9)A Reader’s Opinion of Costa Rica – Change and Perspective
June 11th, 2008
As you might imagine, I get a pretty fair amount of email. I try to reply, but I am often a few weeks backlogged as the stuff is arriving at the rate of maybe 200 emails per week. When I get a “good one”, I like to share it with other readers, and Neal from Canada has granted me permission to print his email.
I first came to Costa Rica maybe 15 years ago. It has changed significantly. My 15 years pales, however, next to Neal’s long term perspective of 46 years. I hope you enjoy it. Click continue to read it.
Filed under Costa Rica, Culture, Culture Shock, Expatriate Life, Humor, Life in Costa Rica, Living in Costa Rica, Moving to Costa Rica, My Readers Write, Susan Lutz (Carmichael) | Comments (3)Gasoline Crosses $5.00 per Gallon Threshold
June 10th, 2008
Today Costa Rica awoke to gas prices that now exceed $5.00 per US Gallon. Before I delve into this more, it is worthwhile discussing world gasoline prices.
Caution! Rant coming!
As most expats, I watch the current political battle for the Presidency of the United States. I watch as Barrack Obama and others make their stupid claims that they will “do something” about the price of gasoline in the US, now over $4.00 per gallon in 23 states. They just don’t get it. To me, it as is stupid as their claims that they will stem the outflow of jobs from the USA to other countries. I have news for them. The first will not happen without strong leadership and new ideas (which neither candidate has even remotely shown) and it is years too late the do anything about the second.
Filed under Cost of Living, Cost Of Living Costa Rica, Costa Rica, Costa Rica Tourism, Expatriate Life, Gas Prices, Gasoline, Living in Costa Rica, Moving to Costa Rica, Rants, Tourism, Travel, Travel to Costa Rica | Comments (2)3,000 Jobs Gone? Why?
June 9th, 2008
I always try to remember that I am just a guest here in Costa Rica. That even though I am a Permanent Resident with all the rights of a citizen, sans voting, I do not have the right to tell Costa Rica how to run their country. This is often very hard to do, especially if the actions or laws affect those of us living here.
Most foreigners living here feel they do have that right. Perhaps they do. Certainly, it is hard to not form opinions and even harder to keep those opinions to yourself. However, I have yet to hear of a case where a North American was asked his opinion on an issue by anyone in the government.
Saying that, there are times when the government does something that to me just makes no sense whatsoever. A few weeks ago, the government announced a new policy that for the life of me I did not understand and still do not understand.
Filed under Costa Rica, Costa Rica Law, Costa Rica Tourism, Gambling, Hmmm!, Life in Costa Rica, Living in Costa Rica, Tourism, Travel, Travel to Costa Rica | Comments (5)Tamarindo – Costa Rica – More travels!
June 3rd, 2008
Two travel posts in two days. I promise I am not going to turn this in to a travel blog!
A couple of weeks ago, ML and I took one of our long weekend trips, this time to Tamarindo, a popular beach in the province of Guanacaste about an hour south of Liberia and about 4-5 hours from San Jose, the capital and where we live. I especially wanted to visit as Tamarindo has been plagued with problems, namely high crime, drug use, overbuilding, and of course pollution of the Pacific Ocean. I found the area to be expensive, terribly overbuilt, and generally not all that great. I decided to forgo a dip in the ocean. Say no need to do that much research. We were not affected by the alleged crime problems, so nothing to report there, but we pretty much stayed in the hotel venturing out only two or three times.
In general, I loath all-inclusive hotels. However Luisa loves the damned things and after we spent a few days in an all-inclusive in Cancun on our honeymoon, and had a fine time with good food, I thought “Why not?”. We stayed at the Barcelo Langosta Beach, Langosta Beach being a few hundred yards south of Tamarindo.
Filed under Beaches, Costa Rica, Costa Rica Tourism, Expatriate Life, Life in Costa Rica, Living in Costa Rica, Travel, Travel to Costa Rica | Comments (7)Travels to Monteverde, Costa Rica
June 2nd, 2008
As my regular readers know, Luisa and I enjoy mini-vacations around Costa Rica. We do these regularly, and I often like to blog about what we did, the hotels where we stayed, and general info that may be useful if you are traveling or living here and are looking for an escape.
Recently, my daughter Karen, 40 something mom of three, well actually two but we often count her husband as one of the kids, came a visitin’ from Chicago, and we all made the four hour trek to Monteverde, Costa Rica. With us was son Bill, his wifey and my granddaughter, Lucy all of whom live here.
I had the cool idea of renting a van and driver for the trip. Normally I drive, but there is a 10-15 miles stretch of nasty road and I figured I’d save wear and tear on the car and use taxis when we got there. Turned out to be a great idea. Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn every so often!
If this interests you, read on!
Filed under Costa Rica, Costa Rica Tourism, Ecology and Nature, Expatriate Life, Food and Eating, Humor, Life in Costa Rica, Living in Costa Rica, Travel, Travel to Costa Rica | Comment (1)Banking Games
May 14th, 2008
One of my readers reasonably asked my thoughts on the recent revaluation of the dollar.
Easy answer! I have not a freaking clue!
Todays exchange rate of about ¢511.41 / ¢518.71 makes absolutely no sense whatever and to me, smacks of some serious manipulation.
Filed under Banking & Finance, Banking in Costa Rica, Cost of Living, Cost Of Living Costa Rica, Costa Rica, Life in Costa Rica, Living in Costa Rica, Politics, Questions from Readers | Comments (6)My Readers (keep) Writing!
March 27th, 2008
Good day faithful readers. Here is another addition of “My Readers Write” Here you will find a few emails that ask questions not covered in The REAL Costa Rica or this Blog.
As some of these were sent more than 5 weeks ago, I do appreciate your patience. I am just bombarded with email and even though I am selling one of my companies, I am just buried in work.
If this stuff interests you… read on!
Filed under Costa Rica, Schools in Costa Rica | Comments (20)