Blog Posts About Life in Costa Rica Expert time-tested advice on how to live, retire and invest in Costa Rica.
Rental bikes are here to stay (Están para quedarse)
Like many cities around the world, anyone can now rent a bicycle in San José. Soon rent-a-bikes will also be available in the cities of Alajuela, Cartago and Heredia. OMNI is the company behind this venture. It currently has 600 rent-a-bikes and plans to add 400 more in coming months. […]
What is la Catrina?
One of the strongest and most recognizable symbols of Mexico’s “The Day of the Dead” celebrations is the tall female skeleton wearing a fancy hat with feathers. Her name is La Catrina and the essence of her story goes deep into Mexican traditions and roots. Mexicans dress up as “Catrina“, […]
Costa Rica is safe for expats
I have touched on this subject on numerous occasions but once again feel it is import to dispel misconceptions about crime here. The first thing to keep in bear in mind is that NO society is crime free. The good thing is that, as far as violent crime goes, Costa […]
Costa Rica’s rapid transit plan is taking shape
Expat retirees as well as Costa Ricans dread driving in San José, Escazú, Alajuela, Santa Ana, Heredia, Cartago because of heavy traffic. Now there appears to be a solution in sight for reducing the number of cars on the highways. Costa Rica just received a loan for $550 million dollars […]
Expat retirees now have a couple of affordable taxi platforms from which to choose.
One way to save money while living in Costa Rica is to take advantage of the country’s affordable taxis. Many of the clients on my monthly relocation tours (see: http://www.liveincostarica.com/) ask the follow question, “Does Uber exist in Costa Rica? Yes, it does. In fact, the country leads Latin America […]
An Oasis for expats in downtown San José
In the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s San José was the epicenter of entertainment and nightlife for both Costa Ricans and Expats. During those days the expat community consisted of a whole bevy of colorful characters who would gather at the many local watering holes to shoot the breeze, catch […]
The Costa Rica Economic Recession – The “Elephant” In The Room
I’ve lived in Costa Rica for over twenty-one years, practicing law for seventeen of those years. I practiced law in Victoria, B.C, for fourteen years prior to moving to Costa Rica in August 1998. I would say, with that background, that I have a better than average understanding of the […]
Facts about coffee for expat retirees and others – coffee 101
Besides its many beautiful natural settings Costa Rica is also famous for producing some of the best coffee in the world. Here are some interesting facts to educate expats about coffee. When did coffee start to be grown in Costa Rica? 1808 When did it first begin to be exported? […]
Ecuador for retirement or relocation: Are you out of your freaking mind?
Over the years Ecuador has had a history tumultuous politics and governmental instability. So who would seriously consider relocation there? Recent massive protests (September and October 2019) between disenchanted Ecuadorians and the government have left hundreds of protestors injured. More than half of Ecuador’s 15 million people still live in […]
Pura Vida the essence of Costa Rica’s wealth
I am presently taking a few days away from my busy schedule to visit my son who works for an American company based in Austin, Texas. While on the plane the cover of United Airline’s inflight magazine caught my eye with its cover story featuring “Three Perfect Days in Costa […]