There are people who transform agricultural landscapes into beautiful, welcoming places that also include technological advances, we call such people visionaries. There are families that leave crowded cities to come to Costa Rica to live amongst exuberant nature. One ought to call such people wise, as they know how to live well.

And it turns out that it cannot be more impressive, for those of us who are familiar with the happenings of this country, to come to a place such as Altos de Antigua, located in La Palma, Puriscal and finds that they have been able to build a beautiful residential community, where the houses surprisingly emerge from the forest as if by magic.







But also, when one ventures deeper into the project, it is easy to become aware that the owners of the houses know how to tune in to the nuances of the place and in particular, of their own lots, to highlight their true identity to the point where they have a touch of personality and distinction that makes them unique.

These accomplishments are the result of the effort, the imagination and the creativity of a family that fell in love with Costa Rica and especially with Puriscal. Their names are Brian and Mariel McLane who, with tenacity and a lot of effort, have known how to transform abandoned land into an extraordinary, welcoming place.







As we explored the property, we stumbled upon a tiny valley and were surprised by the creation of a large pond, chock full of tilapias, that utilizes the water coming from a year-round spring, which doubles as a holding pond to collect fast running rain water. What stands out is there is a place for BBQs, conditioned for moonlit nights, a romantic gazebo that stands out from the well groomed slopes as well as the surrounding gardens, planted with knowledge and good taste.

There is also a common area where the main attraction is a naturally heated swimming pool, designed to have areas for leisure, complete with a swim-up bar and a hot tub, as well as an area for swimming laps; all of it well accomplished, thanks to the owners and their team of advisors.







Likewise, the placement of the houses did not happen by accident, it was driven by the surroundings, an answer to the tropical climate that favors what is called Spanish Colonial or Santa Fe styles. One finds outdoor corridors, tile roofs, large windows, good ventilation and well integrated spaces.

The gardens and house colors reflect a bit of Costa Rica, with the entire effect being well pulled off, but the houses built with such careful planning isn’t where it all ends. The opinion of the residents says a lot, being they have left another life style and even another language to come here to live.







When chatting with one of the residents, he showed me a tree in the forest next to his home that had no leaves. “It’s the monkeys that are disputing their territory with the reflections of themselves that they see on the windows, they jump and shake the tree branches as they holler.

After a while, they leave, tired of the indifference displayed by their rivals on the windows.” He brags, saying these monkeys are his visitors every morning and he knows them as well as they know him.







Living like this is priceless: the peacefulness of a country, the tranquility of the place, the enjoyment of nature, being close to San Jose and the airport, being only about an hour and a half from the beaches of the Central Pacific region in a climate that doesn’t require heating or air conditioning, where it’s like summer half of the year and the other half has blue skies and sunshine in the mornings and rain in the afternoons.




With one phone call, one can have a meal prepared and the beer costs as much as bottled water. High living is more than just a saying at Altos de Antigua, it is a reality,

Andrew Makarik

to@welovecostarica.com

Andrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.