Checking out the Caribbean again, rain, and more!

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I’ve spent this past week doing a combination of entertaining my friend Terry who is visiting for three weeks and doing more work than I have time for! Whatever happened to “Pura Vida” anyways! Actually, I cannot complain as last weekend I spent on the Pacific Coast and this week I spent on the Caribbean coast.

The Caribbean coast….

I really love the Caribbean coast! It’s just not as built up as the Pacific Coast and there are still some good real estate deals there! I stayed at a cool B&B, Banana Azul, right on the beach in Puerto Viejo. While there, I learned that someone bought the land right behind Banana Azul, about 2000 meters, for $45,000! My God, one block to the beach and a perfectly flat piece of land with tons of room to build a house and guest house, for that money! I’m keeping my eye on that area, and heck, maybe someday I’ll have a nice little beach house there!

The weather was spectacular for the most part. It didn’t feel like winter there as it did in Manuel Antonio last weekend. The water was warm and gentle and only a few clouds dotted the very deep blue skys. What I also love about the Caribbean, especially Puerto Viejo, are the terrific restaurants there. It’s such an eclectic mix of Costa Rican food, Jamacian, Italian, Chinese Tex-Mex and much more! Compared to the area I live in, it’s an eater’s paradise!

The drive down was terrible, mostly because we couldn’t find the short cut route from San Jose and ended going the long way through Cartago and Turrialba. It took almost seven hours and wasn’t fun. Luckily, on the way back we found the short cut and made it all the way from Puerto Viejo to San Ramon in hour and a half hours. Take a look on a map: Puerto Viejo is within spitting distance of the Panamaian border—it’s a haul! One of these days I’ll figure how to get to Puerto Viejo as quickly as I return home, but the signage around San Jose is just horrible!

One thing I love doing in these beach towns—is nothing! There isn’t much to do besides relaxing, eating and swimming. It’s hard to ask for anything else in life!

My last day there was interesting. While my host, Colin, told me August/September is a great time to visit Puerto Viejo, and it rains little, well, on the last day, quite a gully washer came through, complete with heavy winds and it even knocked out the power! Time to go!

“Boomers in Costa Rica Blog” and website (coming soon!)….

I have created another blog, operated by me and my friend Alex,
www.CostaRicaRealEstate.typepad.com . It’s a blog all about Baby Boomers (like us), moving to or already living in Costa Rica. It’s filled with a quite a bit of information and it’s fun to share what we’ve learned living here. Check it out when you have a moment!

This blog is a pre-cursor to a new tour company Alex and I have created called “Boomers in Costa Rica Tours.” The website will be www.boomersincostarica.com and should be up in a few days, so check it out! Alex also has a personal blog at: http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Alex-from-Boomers-in-Costa-Rica/.

Getting ready for the rainy season….

So far the rainy season (roughly June to November), has not been so bad in the San Ramon area where my B&B (www.AngelValleyFarmBandB.com) is located. Most morning and early afternoons have been bright and sunny and then the rains come around dinner time. Not a bad thing and certainly not as bad as last year—however, it’s only Sepetember and from my experience, October is the worst month! People always ask me, “So, what do you do, if anything, to get ready for the rainy season?” I tell them:

-Clean the gutters thoroughly to remove the leaves, etc., and so the water flows.
-Patch up any holes in my window screens.
-Plan a lot of indoor activities around the house.
-Get some new books to read.
-Enjoy the company of my guests and neighbors (indoors!)
-And, lastly, travel to other parts of the country if I can!

Pictures, pictures, pictures…..

I’ve been remiss on putting photos on my blog lately. I just haven’t taken any that I’ve found to be worthwhile. However, to see a bunch of photos, taken by yours personally, both Costa Rica-related, and non-Costa Rica-related, check out my webshots album at www.webshots.com/user/Drew1DC

That’s all for now! Thanks for your comments and for reading!

Pura Vida!

Andrew
[e-mail]
www.AngelValleyFarmBandB.com

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Comments

[Lorne]

health issues
Could you comment sometime about food hygeine? Travelers to your area are advised to avoid drinking tap water and eating unpeeled vegetables. How do residents deal with this issue?

[AndrewNCostaRica]

Responding to Health Issues
Hola Lorne! Thanks for your comment on food issues. I am not quite sure who these "advisors" are regarding Costa Rica, but in most areas of the country, including my own (San Ramon, north of San Jose), the water is perfectly safe to drink. I've been drinking tap water from day one and I have not been sick in the slightest. I also have not had any issues eating unpeeled vegetables (when I do in fact eat them!). So, I do not think there is any cause for alarm. Yes, I am not an expert but in the vast majority of CR, the water is just fine and taking normal precautions you would take at home with fruits and vegetables will suffice here. --Andrew