Addresses Aren’t Really Addresses – They’re Directions!

For most people new to Costa Rica, one confusing aspect of life is simply getting around.

Unlike the rest of the world that have addresses, ‘zip codes’ or ‘postal codes,’ the Costa Ricans don’t actually give you ‘addresses,’ they will give you physical directions.

When you want to visit someone and they tell you that they are 200 metres West of the Post Office, that’s only useful if you know the location of the Post Office and you can work out which way North, South, East and West is and many people don’t…

I remember one frustrating afternoon trying to find a businessman in Zapote in San Jose. He had given me his directions and the final part was that his offices were 50 meters west of a particular hotel.

I tried finding him for about forty minutes while trying to call him on his telephone which was constantly busy. Eventually I had to forget about it otherwise I would miss my next appointment.

When I spoke to him later on the telephone he confessed that the hotel was not actually there anymore and said that; “Everyone knows the hotel used to be there.’

Hmmmm!

So when you are asked to meet someone at a place that you don’t know in Costa Rica, try and get really specific directions.

Remember that it’s quite normal for many high-powered attorneys and even Doctors to have their offices located in large houses in residential areas and not in office buildings.

Make sure you have them explain where the biggest landmark is that’s nearest their location, have them describe the house or building as there probably won’t be a number on the house and even if there is, it doesn’t necessarily tell you where on the street the house is located.

On one street where I lived in Trejos Montealegre in Escauz we had houses with completely random numbers. 1, 3, 289, 291 then 99 which makes no sense and it also makes no sense trying to understand it!

Just enjoy the scenery whilst trying to find your destination.

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Written by Scott Oliver, author of 1: How To Buy Costa Rica Real Estate Without Losing Your Camisa, 2: Costa Rica Real Estate Scams & How To Avoid Them, 3. Costa Rica’s Guide To Making Money Offshore and 4. ¿Cómo Comprar Bienes Raices en Costa Rica, Sin Perder Su Camisa?

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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.