Costa Rica Pura Vida
I just spent about a month in the U.S. visiting some relatives and close friends, shopping and relaxing. I have lived in Costa Rica for almost 30 years and obviously love the country. Nevertheless, I do need to travel once in a while to recharge my batteries or as they say in Spanish, “cargar las pilas.”
When I go to the States I find everything so impersonal and rushed. I really feel like a “fish out of water” since I lived outside of the U.S. for so many years. It is a completely different culture and world up there. I am not saying that it is better or worse but just different. I don’t find it compatible with the laid back lifestyle of Costa Rica. Don’t get me wrong! I always enjoy myself when I go to the States. I relish the time I spend with relatives and old friends.
What I really like about Costa Rica is that everything seems to be simple here. Up north things seems to be much more complicated. I have a friend from Dallas who lives here and he always remarks about the simplicity of thing here. You would have to live here to really understand what we mean.
Another friend remarked that the first time he came to Costa Rica, he was immediately stuck by the peacefulness the minute he stepped off the plane. That feeling is hard to find or non-existent up north.
Costa Rica is the land of friendly smiles and happy people. The locals seem to exude this vibe and the pura vida (pura life) lifestyle which make the country a fantastic place to live. I don’t ever get that feeling in the States. Everything seems so cold in comparison to the warmth of Costa Rica.
Spectacular Ocean View in Costa Rica
Recently an old friend visited me here in Costa Rica. I hadn’t seen him for over twenty years, so it was a very special reunion. He came with his son who had just received his P.H.D. From Cal Tec University. The trip was a present to his son for having graduated from such a prestigious university.
Prior to my friend’s arrival I called a travel agent friend who helped me select four great day tours for my guests. They visited Lake Arenal and La Fortuna, took the Calypso Cruise, did the Café Britt Tour and took the new Best of the Pacific Beach Tour. They constantly remarked how beautiful Costa Rica was and said that Costa Rica reminded them of a tropical version of Marin County. In case you aren’t familiar with Marin Country it is the area just to the north of the Golden Gate Bridge outside of San Francisco. The area is absolutely gorgeous and has to be seen to be believed. I should know since I lived there for many years. I do see the similarities between the topography of Marin and some areas of Costa Rica.
Recently I spent a couple of weeks in Seattle with my sister. The Seattle area is stunning with its incredible scenery. It is reminiscent of Costa Rica since everything is so green and fresh. Of course the vegetation is different because Costa Rica is tropical but there are similarities.
On my monthly relocation tours I always make it a point of asking my clients if they think Costa Rica is a beautiful as they imagined it would be prior to their arrival. Most say that the country exceeded their expectations in terms of beauty. They are in awe of the lovely colors of the flora and the many incredible vistas the country has. If you decide to move here you can enjoy this beauty of the country every single day.
