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[quote=”critterhill”]Does anyone know the days this farmer’s market is open? One source says Wednesday/and another says Thursday/Friday.
[/quote]It is open all day on Thursday and in the morning on Friday. They still sell Friday afternoon but are loading their trucks so some products are limited. You can get better deals at that time if you speak good spanish. They would rather sell it than take it back with them.
[quote=”ddspell12″]I will be relocating to Costa Rica in July 2013. I will be making a three month trip prior to then to scout the area I wish to call home or if I think it is the right move.
I am looking for a central base location to stay so I can visit all location without hauling luggage from town to town. Any suggestion of a location that I can set up a temp. place to stay while I scout out my permanent location to call home.
Will need access to convient transportation. Any and all suggestion’s will be appreciated.[/quote]
George is a great place to start since he will give you all of ins and outs. Costa Rican bus service is second to none and you can get everywhere. Taxis are plentiful but you can get a personal driver for a lot cheaper. Red taxis can sit out on the street waiting for a fare, orange ones you need to call and they will pick you but getting to know a personal carrier is the cheapest route. The buses run on time and are more comfortable than most airline seats.
Don’t buy or build anything until you are comfortable living in that area. In the long run you are probably better renting for a while but typical Tico homes are not usually what you are use to. Many don’t have hot water. City living will sometimes make feel like you are living in a cage. The closer you get near the beach the warmer it will get so A/C will be inportant. There are a lot of Gringo built homes that are for rent so look around. Most of the time they just want someone there but you might need to find a hotel room for a week a year.
Enjoy all of the beauty of Costa Rica before planting roots,
Brian[quote=”pebo1″]Hello,
Can anyone chime in regarding on demand water heaters?
We are having problems with a couple of ours (Titans) which apparently are not so good. Can anyone recommend a better manufactured alternative model?
Thank you—–Peter[/quote]
Go with electric and have a timer on top. You might want to just get in the habit of throwing the breaker when you are gone long. We also have two instant on gas and have had nothing but problems. No one seems to want to work on them and it is very expensive if they do. You are better going with a 20, 30, 0r 40 gallon depending on your family size. Go to San Jose and pick one up since I had a very hard time finding one every where else.
[quote=”gomiqueen2″]I have looked through previously posts and really couldn’t find any references to a “Doctors’ Referral” or listings by site of available doctors in CR.
If anyone has a link, a word of mouth referral, etc., for Doctors in general, I would appreciate the information.
Since I am scheduled to arrive in November I would like to make contacts to ask a few questions.
Also, did anyone have problems bringing their medications into the country.
When I visited in 2005, no one ever checked but don’t know how it is now. Thanks.[/quote]
There are also a lot of very good doctors in Perez Zeledon/San Isidro de General Area. They have the latest equipment and we have personnaly used quite a few of them. They are at the private hospital Labradora and a couple of doors down Plaza Medica. For cosmetic stuff I would stay around San Jose but I here that there is a real nice place towards Arenal. If you could be more specific on what type of doctors you need I am sure that we can help you more.
[quote=”gomiqueen2″]Hey all, I’m getting closer to my move. Just a quick question for those who have gone before me. I have a very small shipment – mostly personal items and had a really hard time finding someone who handled a small load. I am told that the shipper (because I pack myself) will not and does not insure the shipment other than maritime insurance. Did anyone find a way to insure a small shipment less than 200cft? Thanks all.[/quote]
Talk to Charley Zeller at shiptocostarica.com He can tell you exactly what you need to. He can ship large or small amounts but there is a certain way that you have to pack to get it into CR. When we shipped our belongings two years ago he already had 34 years of shipping experience. Good Luck with the move.
[quote=”jasman”]Hi. I am a newcomer here. My wife and I are planning our first trip to Costa Rica for 3 weeks starting in mid-September. I’m sure this question has probably been asked before, but we want to know whether or not it is safe to drink the water in CR, or whether it is better to drink bottled water. We have some bad memories of “Montezuma’s Revenge” on a trip to Mexico. Thanks.[/quote]
I think that all major cities that use pumps to provide water have to chlorinate their water supply. We live in a much more rural area and all of our water supply is from mountain springs. It is all supplied by gravity and never stops running so it never gets stagnate. The other side of our valley has a lot of pipe problems and we did not have water for 20 out of 90 days when we were renting there. This side of the valley has had a dependable water supply and we have not lost water anytime in the last two years since we built our casa. We have never been sick from any of the water anywhere in this wonderful country.
[quote=”2bncr”]OK so what is or is not going on over there? Has anyone seen any construction or land movement that indicates there will be an airport? And if so what kind? I believe it was written that it will be only capable of handling small planes that may fly to Panama city or David or Granda/Managua. What gives really?[/quote]
You are right about it being a small regional airport. I just read that they are now moving forward on it again but the delays seen in Liberia it will probably be 2015. A couple of land owners were fighting the sale of their land but the goverment should have it by now. They had to improve the roads in the area, run new electrical lines, build a hospital large enough to handle jet crashes and I heard that they also made them build a school. I can’t confirm the school but the roadways, electric lines and hospital are complete so now they can start. The hospital sits mostly empty but looks very nice.
[quote=”cortina”]Would appreciate feedback and suggestions for Great dental work re implants[/quote]
My wife used Dr. Pedro Coste in San Isidro de General, Perez Zeledon and was very happy with the work and price. He was about 30% cheaper than prices she was quoted in San Jose. If you are looking for cost versus insurance then I would look around with referrals. He is an Oral Surgeon with 33 years experience, trained in the US and speaks perfect English. His son is also a Dentist and works with kids on the 2nd floor of their office. A friend of mine used the other reccomended Dentist in Escazu and was also very happy. He lived in San Jose so it was very convenient for him.
[quote=”vriggle”]We are buying the things we want to bring with us when we move, one of which is some kind of portable stove for overnight hiking and camping trips. We need to connect with somebody who is knowledgeable about what kind of fuel is readily available so we don’t choose a stove that we can’t get supplies for. Anybody out there?[/quote]
They do have the small green Coleman type of fuel tanks that you can buy in the states. They are available in any city. I also have purchased a 20lb grill tank that you can get filled at most propane yards. Both fit the US standard connectors. Do not buy a grill of any type down here since they are twice the price and are not very good. Bring one down from the sates if you are shipping household goods. Make sure that you use it a few times so you don’t get hit with high fees for new stuff.
[quote=”PeggyS”]My husband is interested in obtaining a book, with pictures & information on Costa Rican trees & plants so that he will be able to identify the “flora” and learn more about them…suggestions?[/quote]
BIG Question? Are you talking about fruit or all trees? It also depends on what the elevation and/or soil is. Trees that do well on river bottem soil might not do well in the mountains. If you would like fruit trees I can give you Jesse’s number. He has the largest fruit tree collections in the country. If you are looking at all beneficial trees I can give you Derick’s number. One hour with him will blow your mind. So just a book on CR trees is not going to do didly.
[quote=”blanzl”]Can anyone recommend a good/honest contractor in the Dominical area? I’ll be building a home within the next year and could use a recommendation. thanks[/quote]
There are a lot of good builders in the Dominical area and we met with a lot of them before we chose the right one for us. It is best to interview them before you choose one. You need to have a comfort and a feeling of trust with them. The trouble is that the costs per square are all over the board depending on what you want. I disagree about getting a referral from your architect since it will more than likely to be a relative. I would be happy to introduce you to our top 6-8 builders that we met with. Then you can interview them yourself and choose one that meets your needs. The trouble is that you need to start early on your building process and try to schedule it to start in December, which is the start of summer. Everything runs on Tico time down here so plan on delays.
Good Luck!
[quote=”rowanf”]I have been reading this site for several years but haven’t actually made it to visit CR yet. As my plans get closer I am starting to worry about things people take for granted and that none of the many guide books I have been reading touch upon. So I am turning to your wisdom and on the ground experience for help. This is more up for me than usual because a bout of pneumonia has left me more sensitive than usual (which is pretty sensitive).
What is the actual prevalence of smoking in the environment – on the street, in restaurants & bars, in shopping areas, in taxis, on buses, in hotels? Are there non-smoking taxis? Smoke free tour buses? I know the CR Health Minister has called for less smoking but are there real smoke free areas?
How bad a problem is mold in hotel rooms? I realize that in some very high humidity areas like cloud forests it is probably ubiquitous, but is it a problem everywhere? Would you suggest avoiding particular areas? Not coming in the green season at all?
Is it the custom to wear lots of perfumes and aftershave-type lotions? Do taxis use those “air fresheners” that hang from mirrors? Do restaurants burn scented candles?
Thanks for your thoughts.[/quote]
My wife and I both have allergies and she is highly sensitive to diesel exhaust. You can always back off from a truck blowing smoke unless you are in the cities. San Jose is the worst to fly into and also the most confusing. Think about flying into Liberia and staying along the Northern Pacific coast. It stays much drier up there. I would also bring plenty of Benedryl tablets which seem to work well for us. They are hard to find down here and you can only buy individual pills. Most decent chain hotels do a good job with mold control. The smaller hotels usually don’t turn on the A/C until you get there. They are usually musty when you walk in. Good Luck, you will love it here!
[quote=”Disabled Veteran”]Can anyone provide me with the positive and negative aspects of utilizing Magic Jack in Costa Rica? My understanding is, the device can be used to make and receive calls in Costa Rica, for a flat monthly or yearly fee. My understanding is also, your computer must remain on 24/7. Any information would be greatly appreciated.[/quote]
We use Skype at a rate of $6.99/month unlimited to the states. The reception is sometimes spotty and you need to be connected to your computer. Otherwise we don’t have any problems with it and we can also do video calls for birthdays and such.
[quote=”davek”]My wife and I are coming to Costa Rica in December for two weeks. We are spending the first two nights in Alejuela before heading to Monteverde for three days. I am looking for a new place in Guanacaste to spend 4 or 5 days before heading back to the central valley. We have been to Tamarindo, Playa Flamingo and Playa Conchal and are looking for ideas on a different beach town to visit. Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks
Dave[/quote]You might want to try Jaco and stay at Villa Calatas (I hope that I spelled it correctly). It is an incredible hotel with incredible views and sunsets. Make sure that you stay in the old part with your own private pool or hot tub. My wife and I always stayed a couple of nights before heading South to Dominical. It is very close to town but far enough away for total relaxation. It is also close to the new toll road that gets you back to San Jose quickly.
Arenal is also amazing but this time of the year the volcano is usually clouded in. The lake is beautiful and the hot springs are awesome. If you stay there just request a wake up call if the clouds clear and the volcano is visable, it is incredible.
Pura Vida
[quote=”alewis”]My daughter is planning to get married in CR this summer. Her fiance is CR and she is American. We checked our a couple of hotels but would really like to hear from some people who have either done this or know someone who has. We want it to be beautiful with no screw-ups. Our budget is between 25,000 and 50,000 dollars.
We do not believe it will cost nearly that much but that is how much we have budgeted since she was a baby. His family is educated well but seem to be fairly typical CR-mother is a teacher, father had to retire due to health issues.
I do not believe they have much money but the groom really contributes little except for the after rehearsal dinner and honeymoon. Again, I do not know the customs in CR and don’t want to offend anyone, especially not his family by throwing money around.
So, I am at a loss as to how to make this beautiful and unforgettable without offending anyone.
Of course the final decisions are my daughters and her fiance but I want to find out as much as I can about how this is done in CR and also sort of follow Emily Post in terms of American Traditions. Many thanks for any help or advice.[/quote]
Try Villa Caletas in Jaco. Just make sure they stay in the old cabinas with their own pool. My wife and I stayed there when we got married here 12 years ago and it was sweet!
