Over the last couple of years I have talked to many Gringos who have visited Medellín, Colombia. Some of them eventually moved there to live and retire while others only visited. Since I am in the relocation business I always  keep track of relevant data  to share with my readers.

The people I interviewed told me that it was less expensive to live in Medellín than Costa Rica. They bragged about the low real estate and food prices. I was also told that the city was far safer than when Pablo Escobar and his drug cartel were operating there. Single men have told me that the women there are as attractive as their Costa Rican counterparts and more accessible.

Let me try and  set the record straight. Some of what i say in the first paragraph is partially true but distorted. Yes, it is less expensive there but you really get what you pay for. Baking is more difficult  than in Costa Rica for foreigners. As far as safety goes, there is a civil war in some parts of Colombia and the country history of endemic violence. The violence there is on a par with that of el Salvador, Guatemala and Northern Mexico. Really none of these places are safe when compared to Costa Rica.

Let’s back to Medellín. At present there is a fight going on between rival drug  gangs with 6,800 police  and 500 soldiers trying to put an end to it. The escalation of violence there may spoil all of the efforts in the last few years to eliminate the stigma of the violence of the 1990s as reported by Colombian news sources and in the April 11, 2009 edition of Costa Rica’s la Nación newspaper.

There is crime in Costa Rica but far less than in other parts of Latin America. Furthermore, Costa Rica is most stable country in the region and has the oldest democracy in Latin America. Out of 209 countries in the world Costa Rica is number 47 in the world in its efforts to combat crime as reported by the Foundation for Growth (FFG).  Panama is 104, el Salvador 118, Nicaragua 135, Honduras 145,  and Guatemala 156.

The Orosi Valley, southeast of Cartago and visible from the top of Irazú on a clear day, is generally considered one of the most beautiful valleys in Costa Rica.

Yesterday I went with some friends to the beautiful Orosi Valley which brought back a lot of memories. Actually I discovered this place on my first trip to Costa Rica over 30 years ago. At the time there were very few travel guide books on  Costa Rica, but I just happened to find one where Orosi was mentioned. I had to take three buses to get there in those days but the trip was worth while. I actually ended up spending there nights there at the Motel Río which still exists today. I made friends with the owners and they invited me to there farm for lunch.

Getting back to yesterday’s excursion. We left Heredia at 9:30 am and were in Cartago about an hour later. Since it is holy week there is very little traffic and  getting from one place to another a piece of cake. After leaving Cartago we passed through the town of Paraiso which means paradise. So you can actually find paradise in more than one way in Costa Rica. Then stopped at the Mirador (lookout) de Orosi which overlooks the whole Orosi Valley. The view is absolutely spectacular and has to be seen to be believed. Famed travel writer Christopher Baker describes the area as a Shangrela-like valley.

Next we descended into the valley. The verdant hillsides are filled with coffee plants. The rushing Reventazón River bisects the valley and empties into Lake Cachí. We took the loop around the whole valley and had lunch at the Casona de Cafetal restaurant situated on a hill over looking Lake Cachí.

After lunch we headed out of the valley on our way back to Heredia. Just when you finish climbing out of the valley heading towards the town of Paraiso, you can see the spectacular Velo de Novia waterfall. Legend has it that a couple of lovers through themselves over the falls because of a frustrated romance. A little over an hour later we were home.

The trip we took today is just one example of an exciting activity with a short drive of San José.  Costa Rica is small but offers so much to see and do for retirees. I talk about all of this in detail on my monthly retirement tours.

Holy Week is a national holiday in Costa Rica, there are scores of religious processions and other interesting activities associated with the death of Jesus Christ.

Throughout much of the Spanish-speaking world, there is no more colorful or momentous time of year than Holy Week (Semana Santa). It is celebrated nearly everywhere in Latin America and Spain with religious observances and various types of processions.

Semana Santa is the last week of Lent (cuaresma) and the week before Easter (La Pascua). It includes the religious holidays of Palm Sunday (domingo de palmas), Maundy Thursday (jueves santo) and Good Friday (viernes santo), and lasts from Palm Sunday  until Easter Sunday . It commemorates the last week of the earthly life of Jesus Christ (Jesús Cristo) culminating in his crucifixion on Good Friday and his resurrection on Easter Sunday.

Costa Ricans take this holiday very seriously. There are scores of religious processions and other interesting activities associated with the death of Jesus Christ during Semana Santa. It is also  time for feasting. Meat is forbidden so Costa Ricans eat all types of seafood, especially canned sardines and tuna. There are plies of canned fish on display in supermarkets at this time of year.  Local dishes like miel de chiverri (a type of squash and brown sugar) are also widely consumed.

During holy week San José and other cities seem like ghost towns. Many people go to beaches or other parts of the country to visit friends and family. We jokingly say that the “whole city” goes to the beach at this time of year. One of the best things about Semana Santa is that driving is easy in San José since there are very few cars on the road, especially on Thursday and Friday.

On my monthly relocation/retirement tours I talk about Costa Rican culture and traditions. I always mention Semana Santa and all of the activities that it includes.

Most people in Costa Rica are very happy while those in the States are into the doom and gloom mode.

Almost 30 years ago I made the decision to move to Costa Rica. At that time very few people were doing such adventurous things. All of my friends and relatives thought I was out of my mind to give the security of a good job and move abroad. One friend even asked me , “isn’t there a revolution going on down there?” Obviously he was confusing Costa Rica with el Salvador or Nicaragua. Costa Rica has always been a peaceful country with the longest democracy in Latin America and the one of the few countries in the world to abolish its army.

Anyway I made the move and remained in contact with my family and close friends. Most of my friends were becoming very successful in their respective fields and i was just getting by. In my heart I knew I did the right thing by moving here. An inner voice kept reassuring me that I was on the right track to finding what I was searching for.

Slowly but surely things began to fall into place. Now I am on top of the world. I have been very successful as a writer of twelve books about Latin America, running a tour business for those wanting to relocate here and as a real estate investor.

Yesterday I talked to a friend of mine who is a successful attorney in the States and realized I am much better of than most people there. The current economic crisis has hit a lot of people there. On the other hand, Costa Rica hasn’t felt the same impact. Most people here are very happy  while those in the States are into the doom and gloom mode. The quality of life is much richer in Costa Rica than in the States.

I really feel blessed that I pursued my dreams and moved here years ago. I have had a truly incredible life down here. Most people who move to Costa Rica from the States and Canada experience the same thing. That is precisely why Costa Rica has become Latin America’s top retirement haven. On my monthly relocation/retirement tours I share my experiences and insight with my clients and talk about all Costa Rica has to offer.

Costa Rica is paradise when compared to Mexico as a possible retirement haven.

A couple of months ago I wrote a short article about why not to retire in Mexico. I became became very upset after reading an article in a popular international retirement publication entitled, “Mexico, the world’s best retirement haven.” Nothing could be farther from the truth.

In my article I pointed that you virtually can’t drink tap water anyplace in Mexico unlike in Costa Rica where it is safe to drink tap. I went on to talk about the kidnappings and robberies what are rampant in Mexico. However, the most pressing problem the Mexico government is facing is the on-going war with the drug cartels. These blood thirsty are responsible for murdering thousands of people over the last couple of years and are capable of anything to achieve their goals.

Things have become so bad there that a report by the Joint Forces of the United States stated, “Mexico and Pakistan are both running the risk of becoming completely un governable.” Furthermore Dennis Blair, the new director of national intelligence, stated that at this time the corruption and violence of the drug cartels is keeping the Mexican government from being able to control part of its territory.

Most people who retiree in Mexico won’t be affected directly by all of this, but nevertheless have to exercise extreme caution in their daily lives because of the country’s growing violence.

Although not 100% crime free Costa Rica is paradise when compared to Mexico as a possible retirement haven. So, for those who plan on retiring south of the border to live for less and enjoy the same quality of life as at home, Costa Rica is a no-brainer.