A day with Marilyn Barnes

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Geo: 10.0704, -84.5041

There is a man with a machete at our door.

It's okay, he is Juan, the gardener. After intoducing himself, he asks if it is okay with us if he sharpens his machete on the carport. He uses an electric sharpener and it will be noisy. Mind you..this whole conversation takes place is poor Spanish and worse English! Whew.

We spent pretty much the whole day with Ana and Norman and it was very fun. First we piled into their Sidekick - women in the front, men in the back (I love this country! haha) Ana first drove us down the road to the river - this is the road into and out of San Ramon on this side; yes, one road. The river is running very high and muddy from the runoff. It is the rainy season, you know.
Here is a photo of Ana and I.

Our goal is to see a couple of the nearby neighborhoods and since Ana has a rental showing at 1pm in San Ramon we'll be home this afternoon to do something else.

Our dear friend in Fort Collins, Marilyn Barnes (no relation) was a realtor and she knew everyone AND their backstory. We spent the day with the Tico version of Marilyn, as Ana and Norman know EVERYONE! Tico, gringo...everyone. We learn about Mark, the vet from Wisconsin, about Susan who has just been found to have macular degeneration and needs to sell her house quickly, that Sharon is in the States and Butch is staying in her house until she gets back, about this person and that. Sometimes we stop in the middle of the road while they chat with whomever is walking along.

We drive through several different areas of varying degrees of passability (definately need a 4-wheel drive here) as she describes the neighborhoods. They take us to see a house that they just sold; the owners aren't moving in until January but are in country now taking care of a few things. The owners have been gardening and are muddy, tired and thrilled to pieces to show off their house. It is absolutely gorgeous. Gringo style, 3 bedrooms (2 masters) 3 baths. The terrace is huge and has a great view. Wow! And, according to Ana, the new owners got the place for a truly once in a lifetime deal. So lucky.

It's time for Ana and Norman's appointment - they ask us if we'd like to come along with them to San Ramon. You betcha! We'd love the chance to see a rental house and hear how much it is and stuff. Ana knows where we're going, but the house isn't where it is supposed to be "directly across from the pulperia". We stop for information and learn that there is another pulperia about 1 kilometer away. That's it. The road down to the house is rugged and I'm happy we aren't trying to navigate these gaping ruts in our rental car. The house is very nice, brand new gringo style, 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, and not quite completely finished.

The people looking at it have just retired, sold their house and all their stuff and are planning to rent for a while. I roll my eyes to myself when I hear the woman ask - "is there heat in all the bedrooms?" What?? It gets to maybe the mid-60s here at its coldest. Put on a sweater for heaven's sake! A couple of other things she asks tells us that this might not be a good move for her - but the house has all the stuff someone from the US would expect, many of which are completely unnecessary down here.

Here are a few differences between a Tico house and a gringo house. Tico: hot water is only in the shower, cold water everywhere else. No furnace and no air conditioner - if you're cold put on a sweater, if you're hot open a door or window and let the breeze in. Tico windows and doors have no screens. You don't put toilet paper in the toilet, but in a trash bin next to it.
Jeff and I have always leaned more to the Tico side except for the fact that he's not willing to give up shaving with warm water. I told him that I don't feel like I'm in Costa Rica unless there is a gecko in the shower.

We learn that this new house, fully furnished, cable TV and Internet included, is renting for $800 a month. Isn't that amazing? To us that is an incredibly low price...and solidifies the fact that Costa Rica can be an affordable place to live.
When we get back in the car Ana can barely contain herself because the house had a fireplace - we burst out laughing. She says she can tell pretty quickly if gringos will stay for a while or go home in 6-12 months, so I ask her about Jeff and I. She laughs and says "You two? You belong here."

It is almost 3pm so the four of us go to lunch together. Jeff and I want to treat them for showing us around and inviting us to tag along. Ana and I make plans. She invites us over to her house tomorrow and we'll be there by 9:30. Today was a lot of fun for us and I hope they enjoyed themselves as well.

I really feel like we've made two new friends and it is a great feeling.

Tonight Jeff makes fish, rice and broccoli for dinner. Then we read for a bit and head for bed.

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Comments

[Jack Smith]

Cool! Houses sound very interesting there. Hope you are having fun.