Tradition abounds in Atenas with it's annual downtown Oxcart Parade
In 2004 my family and I decided to make our first trip to Costa Rica as a “research” mission to see if the Central America country would be a good candidate to purchase a vacation and/or retirement home.
I had met Gerardo Gonzalez-Porras back in the Florida (part owner of Pure Life Development), and being Tico he had told many stories about but would never embellish too much, wanting each individual to experience his country in their own way. That is exactly what my family did. My mother, aunt, uncle, and myself set out on our journey and thus began our love affair with Costa Rica. At the end of that first trip we discovered a small town, Atenas. I had read many wonderful things in travel books and on the internet, but once we experienced the area for ourselves, that was it. We were home!
The following year we returned, with one thing on our minds, buying a home or land in Costa Rica. We found a great realtor and began our search. To be fair, we check out the surrounding areas of La Garita, Turrucares, Grecia and San Ramon - all of which were beautiful and had their own charm. But Atenas had the three key elements, location, location and location! Read more... (963 words, 3 images, estimated 3:51 mins reading time)
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A couple of months ago the above question was asked in Yahoo answers, and even if we answered, “yes,” and gave our reason(s), we were totally surprised that one answered, “NO.”
Our second surprise, it was voted best answer!
Hummm … pretty clear those people had no idea of Costa Rica’s technology growth, or probably still think Costa Rica is still a, Third World Country.
Five years ago, about 5% of the country used the internet. Recently a report came out and that number has jumped to 50%. Now honestly, “What does that tell ya?”
While a relatively small and low-gross domestic product country, Costa Rica has a strong growth in IT infrastructure and it was ranked at 49 out of 102 countries in the Networked Readiness Index in the Global Information Technology Report a few years back; making it the leading Central America country in the index.
Unlike many other countries where government has IT policies Costa Rica’s technological growth is not really driven by government, rather, it is driven by the private business. Read more... (719 words, 4 images, estimated 2:53 mins reading time)
It seems it is an epidemic of Fast Food joints - they are springing up everywhere in Costa Rica.
I can not remember when the first US fast food joint opened up in Costa Rica, but when it did, I first thought, “Well, there goes a country.” And since that time (I/m thinking around 1982 and a McDonalds) the tiny Central American country has been overrun with American’s fast food joints.
Cruising San Jose, and driving the main drag in Jaco, and even in San Jose Airport , I swear nowadays, every fricken corner is some fricken US fast food franchise.
Papa Jones, Dominos, Subway, Piza Hut, Quisnos, Burger King (even in the airport, complete with a heaping plate of Gallo Pinto for under fifty cents), Kentucky Fried Chicken, McDonald’s, Churches, Taco Bell, Wendy’s (a late comer in the burger experience) and God-knows who is thinking about infiltrating the Tico’s demand for fast food.
So much so, San Jose’s former Palace Theatre which was built in 1930’s as a variety theatre and cinema was declared a National Heritage site on November 8, 2000, and was later chosen by the Government for restoration. Read more... (708 words, 3 images, estimated 2:50 mins reading time)
US Marines have been deployed to Costa Rica to help combat the drug smuggling
Last week our email box was pretty much filled with, “Why the US Marines were invading Costa Rica?” Even at our Facebook account, a few commented on right-wing political BS, “It’s all about the oil, about building a military base in Costa Rica, and of keeping an eye on all the other dangerous countries around like Venezuela.”
However, I would like to comment on the one of the insanely ridiculous rumors and accusations received from Playas De Cocos where we quote from her email:
“Many of us believe that these ships have been evacuated from the Gulf because of the threat of an explosion from the oil well that has been spewing oil for over 80 days. Apparently the sea floor has raised up almost 30 feet and fissures are forming. Even though they have capped the well as of the early hours of the morning, no one seems to know yet if this cap will hold. They say that if the well explodes, this will cause a fire as large as a mountain and a tsunami that will wipe out many of the Gulf States.” Read more... (1137 words, 2 images, estimated 4:33 mins reading time)
Expats will have a surprise when their names will be published in El Financiero, the weekly business newspaper for not paying sales tax
Sometime next week Expats that have not paid sales tax (or other taxes) may find themselves in an embarrassing situation; this is when their names will be published in El Financiero, the weekly business newspaper put out by Grupo Nación.
Currently there are 1000s of Expats who own small businesses that vary from B & Bs, eco-tourism, gift shops, online sales, travel agents, real estate etc. Costa Rica is a haven for expats and the government allows foreigners to own business and work in the country, so long as they follow regulations and conduct business ethically. Usually a business has to be register with Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS, Social Security Institution), with the National Insurance Institute (Instituto Nacional de Seguros) and record deeds of the incorporation charter (if your business is a SA, which is highly recommended) before the Mercantile Section of the Public Registry.
And of course pay sales tax, which many do or have not in this case. The current sales tax is around 13% the amount paid for goods and for some services. Professionals like lawyers, doctors, dentists and other independent professionals are exempt from sales tax. Read more... (551 words, 1 image, estimated 2:12 mins reading time)
