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My daughter and husband are thinking of moving to CR in a few years and my husband and I may as well after my parents, aged 85 and 87, pass away (although that could be a long time from now!)
Anyway, watching the news last night I saw how the drugs come up from Columbia and other South American countries and make their way through Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico up to the US border. So many areas are now way too dangerous to visit, let alone live in. I lived in Jamaica for several years and drugs were around and there was some violence, but not on the scale of the pipeline ging to Mexico. At one time I thought about living in Mexico, but that is off the table. Has there been any trouble in Costa Rica along those lines with drugs moving over land, or is the curcuit done by water bypassing CR?
what kind of trouble are you talking about? there have been HUGE seizures — several tons at a time — of cocaine bound for the US in coastal waters on both sides of the country. there have been some gang shootings in various places here, but nothing like Juarez or Sinaloa. there are cities here that are drug havens, and there seems to be no end in sight to cocaine use here either. it’s very upsetting. i used to spend a lot of time in Jamaica when i lived in the bahamas — both places were pretty peaceful when they were just smoking the ganga, but when crack hit the streets violence soon followed.
How about Atenas, is that a drug haven? Can you suggest a reliable banc to use there? Thanks for your opinion.
[quote=”maravilla”]what kind of trouble are y[b][/b]ou talking about? there have been HUGE seizures — several tons at a time — of cocaine bound for the US in coastal waters on both sides of the country. there have been some gang shootings in various places here, but nothing like Juarez or Sinaloa. there are cities here that are drug havens, and there seems to be no end in sight to cocaine use here either. it’s very upsetting. i used to spend a lot of time in Jamaica when i lived in the bahamas — both places were pretty peaceful when they were just smoking the ganga, but when crack hit the streets violence soon followed.[/quote][quote=”maravilla”]what kind of trouble are you talking about? there have been HUGE seizures — several tons at a time — of cocaine bound for the US in coastal waters on both sides of the country. there have been some gang shootings in various places here, but nothing like Juarez or Sinaloa. there are cities here that are drug havens, and there seems to be no end in sight to cocaine use here either. it’s very upsetting. i used to spend a lot of time in Jamaica when i lived in the bahamas — both places were pretty peaceful when they were just smoking the ganga, but when crack hit the streets violence soon followed.[/quote]
I guess I was wondering if any areas of Costa Rica were getting dangerous to live in due to any drug lord types waring with others, like in northern Mexico.
BTW, I just joined the forum today and I was reading many of the blogs and was going to comment that I enjoyed a lot of your answers. Sounds like we are kindred spirits in many areas. I, too, am so against Monsanto GM foods, and the toxic poisons that they are spreading around the world and many US policies, etc.
I grew up as a Navy brat (my dad was a pilot), so I was an expat much of my life, (started grade school in the mid 50’s in Hawaii before it was a state, graduated from high school in Tangier, Morocco, then two other tours of duty were spent in Italy. Then after many years in Key West FL and getting divorced from my first husband I owned and lived on my own in a small beach cottage (shack) in Jamaica on the North Coast in Trelawny Parish, near Falmouth. Then for several more years I sailed around the world cooking on Tall Ships. When I married my current husband we moved aboard a new sailboat and spent five years sailing in the Caribbean, two of which were spent in Venezuela until it got too dangerous for cruisers. Our return to the US took us by way of the ABC’s, then Rio Dulce in Guatemala, Belize and Mexico. So I am aware of living in the tropics and off the grid, if need be. Now we’re living in a house in north central Arizona that my second husband and I built ourselves, totally solar, and attempting to become as self-suficient as possible. My parents, who live close by are still going strong at 85 and 87 and I would not think of moving while they are still alive, but I am beginning to investigate, along with my daughter and her husband, some alternatives to living in the US for when my parents are no longer here. I really think that Costa Rica is my first choice.
My husband and I spent two weeks in Costa Rica about fourteen years ago and just loved it, so I guess I was just wondering if it was still as safe as I felt it was when we were there before. We stayed inland the entire time, knowing that we had so much sailing ahead of us. We were at an Eco-lodge in the south central rainforest, then up at a big lodge in the northeast, then in the Monteverde cloud forest and then a horse ranch up in the northwest. I know another trip is in order to scout out more areas. My daughter and son-in-law want to be closer to the ocean, so that is our goal and right now other than looking at some of the properties for sale it is hard to get a feeling for those locations. Where do you live?
I was a professional cook for many years (as well as more recently a massage therapist and into alternative health for 20 years) so the thought of doing a B&B or Eco-lodge appeals to me and/or perhaps building a compound of sorts so we can all have separate living quarters on one big piece of land and grown our own veggies and fruit and raise some egg layers. If my kids sell their house, we sell ours, and my parent’s house we’d have a good amount to invest, plus my husband and I have pretty good monthly fixed incomes from S/S, some commercial rental income and our IRA.
Anyway, I am excited about the possible new venture as since living in the Navy, and having done so much traveling, I have always looked forward to the next move and I will have had my fill of the dry high desert in a few years. If I can find something in CR the next few years to buy, even though it is too soon to leave here, I will consider it. Any advice will be welcomed.
Karen
i live in the country and we are not having shoot-outs over drugs, but there is a modicum of petty crime. i still feel safe here — more so than when i lived in Nassau in the 80s, or even NYC. with your background of living out of country for so many years, you are better equipped to deal with this lifestyle than many other people. you should be just fine. i have been told by local residents that Palmares, which is not far from San Ramon where i live, has quite a big of drugs, but it’s mostly upper middle class ticos who are the customers. there is no escape totally from this scourge. but i think we are better off here than in say, guatemala, or el salvador!
[quote=”maravilla”]i live in the country and we are not having shoot-outs over drugs, but there is a modicum of petty crime. i still feel safe here — more so than when i lived in Nassau in the 80s, or even NYC. with your background of living out of country for so many years, you are better equipped to deal with this lifestyle than many other people. you should be just fine. i have been told by local residents that Palmares, which is not far from San Ramon where i live, has quite a big of drugs, but it’s mostly upper middle class ticos who are the customers. there is no escape totally from this scourge. but i think we are better off here than in say, guatemala, or el salvador![/quote]
Thanks for the info and encouragement.
I advise you to read the rules & reg’s of living and working …or rather not working.. at [url=http://www.costaricalaw.com/legalnet/residency.html]Costa Rica Law[/url]
Things have changed here, since your last visit, so good but some bad, so suggest you come for an extended trip before making any commitment to live here. More home robberies are taking place, possibly to fund someones habit[quote=”costaricafinca”]I advise you to read the rules & reg’s of living and working …or rather not working.. at [url=http://www.costaricalaw.com/legalnet/residency.html]Costa Rica Law[/url]
Things have changed here, since your last visit, so good but some bad, so suggest you come for an extended trip before making any commitment to live here. More home robberies are taking place, possibly to fund someones habit[/quote]Thanks for your advice.
The drug habit home robberies are pretty much a problem everywhere in the world, including where I live now.
I had read the laws pertaining to required income for living there, etc. Not planning on working other than writing and painting, unless we decide to open and run a B&B. But then I would hire local help to do the cooking and cleaning.
Of course, we would take several extended trips before even considering the purchase of anything or making a final commitment to living there. Good excuse for a couple of vacation trips.
Thanks everyone for your input.
Having lived around the world, including military service, and as a participant in the “War Against Drugs;” I chose Costa Rica as my new retirement home. I have been assigned to various U.S. cities, where I have had to keep my sidearm locked and loaded, 24/7. Costa Rica has petty crime and housebreaking issues, which I personally can live with; in comparison to the U.S. and other parts of the world. Drugs have been here since the dawn of man, and will remain here long after man has departed. Hopefully, Pres. Laura will show strong leadership, and legalize or decriminalize small amounts of drugs, for personal use. I spent years chasing the small fish and small processing facilities in the Latin American “Drug War;” dodging booby-traps and individuals who had more firepower than my team; without long term positive results. The drug cartels are now larger, richer and better armed than some nation’s armies. The people that pay the highest price in the “War Against Drugs,” innocent women, men, chrildren and national societies.
CR is like anywhere else. Stay the hell out of the cities and all is OK.
With your background come down and check out places like Bijagua,Guatuso, Los Angeles de Tilaran,Libano, Cabanga, Chachagua, La Lucha, Florencia, Turrialba, Cartago….the road to Irazu:?:Don’t shy away from Nicaragua either. Like every other noise that ever came from the US(or ever will), what you hear about Nica is nothing more than lies. It’ll be the greatest,most progressive,greenest nation on earth once they’re able to seat a puppet.
As soon as that happens the Biden brothers will be building fatcat compounds with gates and golf courses.
Property and cost of living is far cheaper in Nica too.
It’s a beautiful country too.
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