Recently, Chelles, on corner Central Avenue and 9th Street, closed its doors. The iconic restaurant and bar first opened in 1909 and for decades was the gathering place for Costa Ricans and expats 24-hours a day. I remember grabbing a bite there in the wee hours of the night after […]
I must applaud the Costa Rican government for its gallant effort to contain the coronavirus that is reeking havoc in most of the world. Much like other countries Costa Rica has closed its borders, urged its citizens and expats to remain at home, and is practice social distancing. Most government […]
Many foreigners who move here know little about Costa Rica’s history or national symbols. Below I have listed the country’s national symbols and the dates that they were officially proclaimed as part of the country’s heritage. The country’s blue, red and white flag became a symbol on September 29, 1849 […]
The honors keep piling up for Costa Rica. According to a report from a recent Gallup poll edition and FDI Intelligence, a division of the Financial Times, Costa Rica is considered the second best destination in the world for foreign investment tourism. The study was also based on data from […]
When I started my relocation tours during the early 1990s they were more ‘tourist oriented’ in that they included a visits to the Irazú Volcano and a trip by catamaran to Isla Tortuga among other things. At the request of my clients I began included a sampling of different kinds […]
Recently, the British publication, The Telegraph, selected Costa Rica’s Alma de Café as one of the 50 best coffee houses in the world. According to the article, “This establishment resembles an old-world coffee house with its ornate decore and unique ambience.” The Alma de Café is located on the first […]
In 2018 the publication rated Costa Rica as the best place to retire. Just because the country is ranked third this year instead of first is really no big deal. But the fact that Panama is ranked ahead of us, is absolutely ridiculous. If Panama was better I would certainly […]
Costa Rica has always enjoyed a stellar reputation with both tourists and expat retirees. In Fact, every year more and more famous singers, actors and celebrities vacation here. The best part of all this is that the country receives a lot of “free” publicity worldwide since the social media goes […]
During the 1980s I visited San Ramón for the first time and was not impressed with the place. A lot has changed since then making the town a more desirable and user-friendly place for expat retirees. However, I still consider it to be the ‘backwater” of the Central Valley. In […]
In order to promote more tourism, the Costa Rican government finally created and will finance a nation lifeguard (guardavidas or salvavidas in Spanish) service. Until now the country’s lifeguards were supported by private donations and organizations. Costa Rica has many pristine beaches but some have large waves and a strong […]
