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I understand, Jenny. Trying to get almost anything to work effortlessly through ICE is frustrating if you live more than 20km from San Jose and 5km from a communications tower. The only place I have ever cried in public since my 5th birthday, was in the ICE office in my local town. Everyone was pleasant and patient. My Spanish is tolerable and I understood every word spoken, I simple couldn’t understand why they couldn’t do what I wanted when the walls were plastered with advertisements saying that they could.
They went out and got a teenager to translate for the ‘stupid old lady’ (my words, not theirs) and that was the point at which I capitulated. I do have a ‘phone and internet through ICE and it works intermittently. I also have a cell’phone from Canada, which I use when I am desperate although all local calls cost $2.00 per minute as they are routed through Canada.
However, in January, I do not have to shovel the non-existing rain and the Heliconias bloom in the garden. Who needs high-speed internet?
PURA VIDA
AnneLiseI understand that you need to open an account in person. Although we have accounts (both personal and business) in Scotiabank in Canada, that connection does not allow for opening an account in Costa Rica although there are several branches of Scotiabank C.R. Transferring money is also not done directly as the Costa Rica branches are ruled by CR laws (naturally) However, tellers and managers all speak English and are as helpful as all other Costa Ricans.
Banco Nacional has also been very helpful, and has branches all over the country.I have dealt with 3 different branches of Scotiabank as they have been opened closer to my residence and found the English language skills of both tellers and managers in each perfectly satisfactory. In spite of speaking a foreign language they still need to practice within the local banking regulations which differ from the ones to which you are used. Make an appointment with the bank manager and discuss your needs with him or her and I’m sure that you will be, if not satisfied with, then at least accepting of the level of service provided.
P.S. In the local small town, the Banco Nacional de Costa Rica, has been very helpful although communication has had to be via my limited Spanish.
Good Luck, and remember that here everything takes more time than you would expect.I agree with the first response. If you want to get out and about on foot or in a taxi, El Presidente or Holiday Inn, are central and easy to use. The News Cafe in El Presidente has very good food and a priceless, people watching, location on the first intersection of the walking street. Because I do not like to drive at night, I stay in town at one of the two when I have business or theatre tickets that keep me from getting back before dark.
The Seventh Street Book store in San Jose has a small selection. The buy/exchange library at A.R.C.R. is another place worth looking for light fiction. I always ask friends to bring me books and then I exchange them at Casa Canada (ARCR) after reading them and get double use out of them that way..
Brad, here is a list to start with, they are all on the Pacific coast
Marbella, Guanacaste – there will be few, if any other people, but a farmer’s field with cattle grazing close to the beach.
Playa Penca – this is where I saw baby turtles hurrying to the sea, again almost no people
Playa Ostional – more turtles also more people
Playa Pitihuya (sp?)(near The Sanctuary) rocks of varying colours and shapes in the surf, unbelievable sunsets, a few houses and a single bar with 4 seats, this is where I saw dolfins playing just outside the breakers.
Playa Flamingo – great sunsets with the islands near the horizon, during the day beautiful children playing in the sand as there are few surfer friendly waves.
All three Playas at Manual Antonio National Park – the rainforest and its animals (iguanas, monkeys, sloths, hermit crabs) meet the sea, absolutely not to be missed
Both Tamarindo beaches – people interacting with the sand and the waves, and each other
Jaco – great for people watching
As a photographer, I would asume that the above suggestions would give you many different aspects.
Good Luck!AnneLise
Dear TicaChica;
I have spent 3 whole months in the area mentioned; ie. Santa Cruz, Marbella, Paraiso; at 3 different times of the year.
October-November(2000); Yes, it rained most days, but seldom more than 2-3 hours in the afternoon, mornings and evenings(nights) were clear and beautiful … and the garden didn’t need watering while all plants displayed bright, jewel like colours.
February-March(2001); No rain at all, gardens beginning to show a lack of water, fields and hillsides turning ‘gold’ rather than green, but Guanacaste and Matapalo trees were still surprisingly green.
April(2002); No rain for the 4th month. Plants are looking wilted, all roads are dusty and roadside gardens and houses are almost uniformly beige with the omnipresent dust. Housecleaning consists of dusting interiors and watering down exteriors to dampen the dust.
Temperatures vary very little. 38*C – 42*C during mid-day and 30*C-32*C during the night. Rain, when it falls,is warm and soothing, and there is more shade during the green season. The sand on the beaches is too hot to walk on with bare feet but the water of the Pacific is indescribably beautiful and cures all kinds of ills, eg. arthritis is much improved, colds and coughs disappear…
Due to the heat and my passion for gardening, I chose to live elsewhere, in Costa Rica, but the bad and dusty roads cannot keep me from visiting Nicoya several times a year.
AnneLiseJust another positive response for Villa Caletas! Not only is it elegant but it has a great sunset no matter what the weather! Both the Hotel and the setting cannot help but impress.
Dhsbooker,
Maintaining a pool in Costa Rica will be much like the effort needed in Florida. We found that the greatest difference for us was in the amount of debris and the ph level of the water,,, maybe because of the acid rain from the volcanoes???
If you are close to San Jose, you can get all the material needed at ‘Aquarium’ on the road past MultiPlaza off Highway 27, about 1km past the roundabout by the plaza, on the left hand side. I have found the staff to be very helpful and knowledgeable. They also have filters, nets, vacuum hoses and ends as well as solar blankets for the cooler areas.
Good luck,. We enjoy our pool and find the effort worthwhile.
AnneLiseYes, Jackie, you need a plan.
Beaches are lovely and I visit at least once a month.
How do you want to spend your ‘everydays’, do you enjoy, birding? gardening? meetings with other like minded people? eg service clubs? orchid societies? womens’ clubs?
Do you want ‘in house’ internet? direct TV?
Do you want a condominium or an independent house? how big a garden? what would you like to plant?
Do you want to keep a cat? a dog? a bird?
Will you have a car or depend on public transportation and taxies?
I asked myself these questions more than 5 years ago and looked at locations from the Central Valley to Guanacaste and the Osa along the Pacific coast. I tried living a month at the time in several places before deciding that a village in the west of the central valley within ‘easy’ driving or bus distance from San Jose with its theatres, shopping and expatriot activities and the Central Pacific with the beaches and plenty of hotels, was the place for me.
I agree that both Flamingo and Coco were close to ideal but too hot and dry for full time living, however, I always bring guests from the cold north to Flamingo Beach, if they visit Feb. to April.
In my little village, I am an active volunteer in the local school and find that the residents eagerly help me with both my Spanish and my needs for manual labour.
This is a lovely country with a gentle and caring culture. I hope you find what you want and need, and enjoy it as much as I do.
AnneLiseMary,
I have taken Spanish classes at three different schools in three different locations. Ilisa was not one of them, but they were all excellent in their own way. The homestay option is the part that I found most useful, especially near San Pedro, as there was a child in the house with whom I felt less timid in my speech, as well I had to learn to use public transportation, which was very informative. (eavesdropping on others’ conversations is a good way to improve and check comprehension) It is also close to museums, libraries, theatres and the University which are all good supports for language learning.
Enjoy!!
AnneLiseIt would depend on your interests as well. There is a Country Day School (English language, American curriculum) near Flamingo, sailing, fishing; and Playa Conchal, swimming, golfing; not far from Santa Cruz
riding, rodeos,Guanacaste culture such as folkloric dancing and music. etc.
I have not made such a move but would not be adverse to a child of mine attending a local, Costa Rican,school. I have volunteered in several schools and found the school culture to be warm and supportive to all students including special ed. such as SSL. In addition, most children would benefit from a year in another culture; learning a different language and new ways of problem solving; as long as the parents have the time and patience to be extra supportive.There is a small (not international) airport at the town of Palmar Sur, less than 10km from the site. The drive from San Jose over the mountains took about 5.5 hours and through Orotina and along the coast about the same, but on the second route you do not have to drive through San Jose from the airport in Alajuela.
Once in a while, very rarely, I become annoyed with the ‘intended’ good advice of knowing, young people to we elderly persons of limited intelligence and experience. Jenny, I, an older, ignorant woman from outside of Costa Rica, love the flora and fauna, including human, of this country and have also chosen to live outside the gated communities mentioned above, but not for the reasons that you mentioned. Experience will teach you that many older and even elderly people travel to visit friends and experience new activities, and that many children and grandchildren are exceding loyal to their living ancestors especially when they have an exotic location for them to visit and the ability to help with the payment of the cost of transportation.
My husband and I along with another couple visited the site three years ago. We stayed at a really attractive guest house belonging to the company, were shown completed and partially completed homes which were well built using excellent designs and natural materials. The flora and fauna were outstanding and the mountain and ocean views were spectacular.
We were positive and interested but did not purchase because of the distance and time needed to travel to the international airport. Anyone who does not need to travel back and forth to North America or Europe frequently would be well advised to check it out.
