Tonight Costa Rica plays soccer against Mexico in Costa Rica. The game is of vital importance for the World Cup standings and Costa Rica is the underdog. Everyone here is praying for an upset. Next year’s World Cup is like the Super Bowl of soccer and happens only once every four years.

Since early this morning people here have been very excited about tonight’s match. The spirit of the game fills the air and the streets are overflowing with energy. It seems like there is a sea of red Costa Rican soccer shirts everywhere. People are also honking their horns like crazy and some are even draping Costa Rica’s red, white and blue stripped flag from their cars. Everyone is apoyando le sele or supporting the national soccer team in this important game.

The supermarkets are packed with people stocking up on beer or birra as it is affectionately called here and food . In Costa Rica soccer games like this one are an excuse to have a big party or pelón. They say the three most important things in a Costa Rican man’s life are soccer beer and women. But not necessarily in the that order. Soccer is like a religion here and the opiate of the masses in Latin America and in most of the world except for the U.S.

When the game starts tonight everything will virtually come to a standstill. I plan to se the game at the Fiesta Casino with my lovely girlfriend, Alexandra. They have four or five giant screens and the atmosphere will be lively. If you retire in Costa Rica you undoubtedly will be bitten by the soccer bug and get all wound up like the Costa Ricans over important games. Soccer is only one of the hundreds of activities you can become involved with to stay busy and happy and enjoy the excellent quality of life the country offers.

¡Pura Vida! Pure Life!

Tabacón hot springs near the Arenal Volcano are one of the best places for relax

Yesterday I received the September/October edition AARP magazine. In case you don’t know this publication is put out by the American Association of Retired People. It is the world’s largest circulation magazine and is filled with a lot of good articles and information. This month’s edition features Bruce Springsteen turning 60 and a long article about his career. There are also interesting articles about the best places to live in the U.S., surviving Bernie Madoff and a whole lot more.

What really caught my eye was a full-page ad sponsored by the Costa Rican Institute of Tourism or ICT as it is more commonly known here. It shows a beautiful woman bathing in the Tabacón hot springs near the Arenal Volcano. The title says, “A whole new world, just a few minutes from yours.” The ad is very enticing and should attract many Baby Boomers and seniors to Costa Rica with the goal of increasing tourism.

I find it interesting that the ICT chose to place an ad in a publication that targets older Americans. Obviously they have realized that this is a good market and want to take advantage of it. I am sure that a good number of the people who see the ad and choose to visit Costa Rica, will end up retiring here. Most people think of spending their golden years in the U.S., but ads like this will steer more and more people towards Costa Rica.

There is also an article titled “The Simple Life” and features the cities of Tucson, Arizona; Greenville, South Carolina; Montpelier, Vermont ;Logan, Utah and Ames, Iowa. All of these cities seem very attractive and laid back. However, I am quite sure that Costa Rica offers amenities like affordable healthcare, year-round sunshine, tropical flavor and a whole lot more which none of these U.S. cities can match.

The Avenida Central in San Jose is plenty of places where gringos gather early in the morning over a cup of coffee.

Every weekday morning there is a group of 7 to 10 gringos who gather around a couple of front tables at MacDonald’s on Avenida Central in the heart of downtown San José. This tradition has been going on for over 20 years. I started going there regularly in the late 1980s when I lived in the San José area. Unfortunately there aren’t many of the original group left who used to gather there. Most have passed away or moved on.

I live in Heredia so I don’t get downtown that often. Nevertheless when I am in San José I make it a point to stop buy MacDonald’s and shoot the breeze with the new generation of characters who hang out there. The regulars are:  Steve from Michigan via Florida, Ron from Florida, Mike from Canada, Mo from Florida, Paul from Kansas, Joe from New York and a few more  expats who drop in from time to time.  The group talks about a variety of topics ranging from politics to Costa Rica’s women to solving the world’s problems. I really enjoy the camaraderie and hanging out with this group once in a while. It gives once a sense of belonging and can relieve the feeling of nostalgia for one’s home country.

La Casita in Heredia another place where gringos gather early in the morning over a cup of coffee. It is located on the south side of Heredia’s Central market.

Auto Mercado is Costa Rica’s high-end market that carries most brand name products from the United States and Canada.

Last night I had a small dinner party for another couple and my son and his girlfriend. In all there were six of us. We had Rainbow Trout Lasagna as a main course. Yes, you heard right.  Fresh trout and salmon are available in some Costa Rican supermarkets. We also had salad and garlic bread. For dessert we had passion fruit low- cal mousse.

Earlier in the day my girlfriend  and I went to the supermarket where we purchased all of the ingredients for our feast. We shopped at the Auto Mercado which is Costa Rica’s high-end market that carries most brand name products from the United States and Canada. We bought a little over two pounds of Rainbow Trout, fresh vegetables, fruit and canned goods. The bill was a little over $30.  For that amount, we received  was more than enough food to feed six people. In fact, there was enough left over for lunch and dinner the following day.

My point here is that you can entertain friends and family for very little in Costa Rica even if you go to the most expensive supermarket.  Imagine what you can save by going to one of the weekend farmers market and less expensive supermarkets where most Costa Ricans do their shopping. This is an example of how affordable Costa Rica is for foreigners, especially retirees. I always go great lengths to explain the affordability of the country to potential residents who take my monthly retirement tours and at seminars where I speak.

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.