Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
I think this is worth discussing. I happen to like driving both on North American Highways and on Costa Rican roads. If you are easily frightened by BIG trucks on narrow roads it will be a scary adventure. If you are in a hurry take the highway past the airport, through Atenas, Orotina, Jaco and south along the Ocean. It will still take the most of a day to do the trip, but you will enjoy it more if you spend 2-3 days and stop to enjoy the scenery and the sunset.
Alternately, you can go through Ciudad Colon and Santiago de Puriscal and come out over the mountains near Parita south of Jaco. The road is used by inter city busses, to Quepos, so is ‘well’ maintained. That is shorter in distance but also a day’s drive allowing time for a rest at a mountain soda for refreshments.
Through Cartago, San Isidro to Dominical is most likely the shortest distance. I would take 2 days to enjoy the special flora and fauna that exists here along with the mountain views.
Safety is usually up to the driver, rent a solid 4w drive, drive defensively, start early in the morning to get the best light, go slow and expect everyone else to be in a hurry and talking on the ‘phone while eating lunch.As mentioned by others, if speed and safety are your needs, then fly Nature Air and rent a car at the other end.
Enjoy,
AnneLise. P.S. Do buy a map!There is a furniture maker on the east side of the highway going through Santa Cruz, you can see work displayed out front. Their carvings are incredible and all the furniture is solid wood.
This ought perhaps to be addressed directly to Scott who owns this forum. However, my husband and I bought first a house with land, then several sections of land without houses in exactly the area about which you are inquiering. We were very pleased with the assistance we were offered by the various agents who cheerfully showed us many properties, most of which we did not buy.
I do not understand your reluctance to answer the question, Scott, unless it is because you have been unlucky and met only the agents who exaggerate the value of the property in order to gain a larger commission. I do believe that a ‘little’ of this is normal for people making a living from commission only.
YES, there are pleasant, helpful, knowledgeable, and honest people working in the real estate field in the canton of Puriscal.Hello, Phil13,
We live in a small Costarican village in the mountains of Puriscal. There are 4 households of North Americans in this village and we all have different experiences. I am a retired elementary school teacher and enjoy assisting the English teacher at the local elementary school. (less than 80 students from Gr.1 -Gr.6) who in turn helps us learn Spanish twice a week. Since my grandchildren like to visit during the cold season
we have donated and installed a swing/slide set to the daycare centre. Consequently, we are welcome at both institutions and recognized by the parents as an asset to the village.
Moreover, the furnishings in our house were constructed in the local wood working shop and we visit the pottery shop for gifts etc. for family and friends.
We are invited to all community functions, school plays and graduation ceremonies as well as some birthday parties and first communion celebrations.
We are not LOCALS, but feel welcome and cared for in this village. Also, we are never short of eggs and fruit in season and understanding my interest in the local flowers, my neighbours often bring cuttings and seeds.
We love it here!
AnneLiseI too would like to network with people from different parts of the country. I do not like to drive at night so it would involve an overnight stay in San Jose which could be combined with a cultural, eg. theatre, museum, galery, or a shopping experience. Therefore either lunch or later would be fine.
Thanks for your thoughtfulness, Scott!
AnneLiseMy daughter and son-in-law were married back home but had their marriage blessed and celebrated at the Tabacon. We are also Lutheran and Pentacostal and found that the minister at the Episcopalian Church in San Jose was willing to travel and bless the marriage in the garden near Arenal. Ministers of non-Catholic churches are not allowed to ‘do’ a legal marriage in Costa Rica, so the practice of a marriage performed in a lawyer’s office and later blessed by the minister is common.
Many hotels and resorts now arrange this type of celebration for foreigners.
Good Luck and God Bless.
AnneLiseInstead of comparing homelessness in various cities, let’s list a number of helping groups from both inside and outside Costa Rica. Volunteers from Canada, U.S.A. and Costa Rica help out through World Vision ‘Vision Mundial’. ARCR has a division of helpers, the Canadian Club helps out where they can, The Woman’s association help, There is an S.O.S. children’s village in Tres Rios. All churches have collection boxes and favourite charities. Those are the ones that I have found and used to help relieve my ‘guilt’ feelings for having more that some.I’m sure that a list of volunteer groups is available through ARCR, if you are interested.
The health system has waiting lines, but is available to all.
No one freezes to death on the streets of San Jose!What a wonderful choise! I have lived part time in Costa Rica for the last ten years. I chose mountainous country for my residence (temperature, horticulture) but always bring my Grandchildren to Flamingo Beach Resort for a couple of days. It has the best facilities for young and old.
Marie’s restaurant has yummy fish and sometimes entertainment. The Mariner’s Inn is always entertaining, ie local colour, good drinks warm ambience.
While searching for a place to buy, I used the real estate offices in Flamingo and found the advice, and service fantastic.If you move down, you’ll need Spanish and the Spanish School in Flamingo Beach is also excellent!!
Good Luck!!
AnneLiseHello, Tracy;
I think your choise sounds wonderful. There is a Spanish Language School in Flamingo. While studying there, I had a home-stay in Potrero with a Costa Rican family. They took me to events such as the ‘bullfighting’ and other folkloric festivals so that I had the oportunity to learn some of the culture as well as the language. I took the local bus to classes and found the population around there to be very open and friendly. As there are many North American and European ‘estrangeros’ living in the area, you can also network in English.
Regarding your horse, there is a riding club in the area, both ‘western’ and ‘european’ for you to join.
There is also an English language protestant church available. You can check other offerings out in the Tico Times newspaper (also on the web)Flamingo-Potrero has a section in the ‘Local News’ part.
Although I chose to buy higher in the mountains, I’m interested in horticulture rather that ‘beach activities’, I always bring my northern guests for a few days on the beach at Flamingo Resort or Mariner’s Inn.Yes, you can pay with a VISA card. Last month they would not take Master Card, but there is an Automatic teller machine at the airport.
It depends on your luck. I have had visitors in both January and February, generally ‘dry’ months go there for 2 nights and 3 days, and see almost nothing, on the other hand, other guests have given me postcard-quality pictures from both November and May, the most ‘wet’ months. As always, your best chance of seeing the whole mountain is early (6-7) morning, lava…about 8 o’clock at night.
I would plan other activities in the area, ie. zip-lining, (fantastic in mist)horse-back riding, massage, hotspring swimming, and then be pleasantly surprised in case of an incredible view.
The weather forecast in AM Costa Rica is as accurate as any.
The best of luck!
AnneLiseSometimes I marvel at the seeming selfcenteredness of some of my cohorts on this forum. I believe that one should be pleased that one has been blessed with the ability to make a profit and grateful that one is able to pay taxes to help the country in which the money was made govern its land and people in a benevolent manner.
AnneLiseThis is for our moderator.
Are we begining to sound a little discriminatory? racist? or just ethnocentric?
Scott,
I hope you are wrong, but maybe they are a part of the same thousands that do not respect their own people,laws and customs, ie. try to avoid paying the legitimate taxes, speed and use electronic devices to avoid being caught, take advantage of less knowledgeable people, in other words not exactly criminals but not really nice people.
The persons that I have met here have not shown themselves to be less than open and likeable – but then maybe I am naive!?Annelise
