More on Day Two

We lost wifi yesterday afternoon, so here is a recap of the afternoon and evening of Tuesday, January 30.

in late morning, we walked from the condo to El Coco village, taking a route along the beach. This walk from the condo to the village, which we will do many times while we are here, is about a mile and takes about half an hour at an ambling pace. Of this 30 minutes, approximately half is the walk from the condo to the beach and half is from that point on the beach to the village.

Playas del Coco, Costa Rico. (Photo by Connie)

 

The beach is set in a crescent between two sets of hills. Las Palmas development, where we are, is toward the north end of the beach. The village of El Coco is approximately in the middle of the crescent. This beach is composed of black sand, probably volcanic in origin. As beaches go, it does not seem that desirable for sunbathing. But the beach is in a sheltered cove, which makes it more protected for swimming. Evidently, there are riptides at all the beaches along the Pacific coast, but this beach may have fewer than most. We have not yet taken a swim in the ocean, only in the pool that is right outside our door.

By the time we reached the village, it was getting pretty hot, and we were both feeling thirsty, hungry, and low energy, so we began looking for a good spot to have lunch. There is one main street in El Coco, leading from the entrance to town down to the beach. This strip is maybe a mile long. Most of the shops, services, tour operators, bar, and restaurants are lined up along this road.

Street scene, El Coco, Costa Rica. (Photo by Connie)

 

We wandered along the street, passing colorful clothing and souvenir stores (tiendas de ropas), dive shops, and eateries of various kinds until we found a restaurant that seemed especially appealing - Papagayo Seafood.

Bob at lunch at Papagayo Seafood, Playas del Coco, Costa Rica. (Photo by Connie)

At Papgayo Seafood, we were revived with three bottles of water, una cerveza (beer - Imperial), and delicious fresh fish dinners. Bob had grilled mahi mahi with pesto and I had grilled red snapper with roasted garlic. Both dinners came with a small caesar salad, a fresh vegetable medley, and white rice. By the time we were finished, it was almost 3:30, and we decided that this would be our main meal of the day.

Connie at lunch at Papagayo Seafood, Playas del Coco, Costa Rica. (Photo by Bob)

 

Next, we headed to the nearby market (SuperCompro) to do some grocery shopping. There are two mini-markets right near our condo. They both have some necessities, but the prices are a little high. There are also three larger markets in town - this SuperCompro, a Luperon, and the AutoMercado, which is the largest one and the one most similar to an American market. We will try that one next time. Today, we bought about four bags of groceries. The storage space for food in our condo is very limited, so we have decided that we will have to shop for our food for meals about one day at a time - the European way, I guess.

Our strategy, it seems, will be that we will have small meals and snacks at home, but mostly go out for larger meals, which will be harder to prepare in our galley kitchen. We'll see. We're still learning what works best. What we do know is that food - whether purchased in stores or at restaurants - is expensive here, and we will probably be spending more than we do at home. We have yet to find the bargain spots for eating - the "sodas" - which serve local foods at prices much lower than at the tourist eateries.

So, with our groceries, we took a taxi back to our condo. The taxi ride to or from town costs 1000 colones ($2) and no tip is required. What a relief it was to avoid this long walk back to the condo in the heat of the day carrying four bags of groceries!

After an afternoon rest and a dip in the pool to cool off, we decided to walk down to the beach to watch the sunset. We arrived at the beach at 5:50pm, just a little late to catch the actual sunset. Tomorrow, we said, we will go earlier. We strolled the beach towards town, enjoying the sight of boats bobbing in the bay.

After walking around town a little, we took a side street that led to a hotel-restaurant-mini-market complex - the Hotel Coco Palms. By this time, it was dark and we decided to check out this Tico-style hotel. We ended up in an outdoor bar near a fountain and the pool, surrounded by palm trees and flowering shrubs - very romantic. We each had a Mohito and shared a plate of chicken wings. And this was our supper. Every meal we have had since we arrived has been al fresco, and each location very charming in its unique way. We love this casual, outdoor dining!

Coco Palms dining area, daytime. El Coco, Costa Rica. (Photo by Bob)

 

We decided to take a taxi back to the condo. Just outside the hotel, there was a security guard who offered to call one for us. While waiting for quite a while for the taxi to arrive (I guess he was on "Tico time"!), we observed the guard, who carried a large shotgun. This was a private security guard for the hotel and attached mini-market.

The Las Palmas development, where we live, employs several security guards to patrol all the properties, and they all carry holstered handguns. This makes me feel both protected and concerned. Is this country so lawless that this level of security is necessary? Is it necessary for us to be concerned about theft at all times, even in upscale areas such as Las Palmas? I guess we will find out in time.

Once home, we were exhausted and ready for bed. But there were distractions. Outside, a group of neighbors were gathered around the spa pool, drinking wine and beer and talking loudly. Another group nearby was finishing their dinner meal outdoors at a long table. We hoped all this noise would end early, and it did. But then, the A/C in our bedroom was not working well, and it was still very hot in the condo. So, sleep was hard won, but it came, eventually, despite these little challenges. Buenos noches!

 

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Dawn of Day Two in El Coco

January 30 at 5:45am

We awaken to the sounds of many different kinds of birds. One sounds like the crow of roosters. Some are songbirds. Some just chatter. I wish I could identify them. And in the distance is the sound we were hoping for - the wail of the howler monkeys (los monos aulladores). The sound comes from far away. They are not right here in the village. My guess is that they must be up in the hills that surround Playas del Coco. Apparently, this is their wake-up call each morning.

The day is clear. There was a full moon last night. It was quite hot when we went to bed, and we had the AC on last night, just in the bedroom, not the whole condo. We actually needed to pull up the duvet cover at some point during the night. It felt as though we were back in Rockport on a cold winter night.

We spent last evening unpacking and settling in. Although this is a very nice two-bedroom condo, there is very little storage space. There is one small closet in the whole place, and no bureaus. We are using our suitcases for clothing storage. I am grateful now that we only brought one large suitcase and a carry-on. Where would we put it all? Actually, Bob and I are accustomed to living in a small space. Our condo at home only has one bedroom and one bath (and one closet). This condo has two bedrooms and baths.

We are eager to get out early and walk, before it gets too hot. Soon we will head out, searching for some good Costa Rican coffee.

Day One in El Coco

(Written January 30 about our arrival on January 29.)

I lost the post I wrote last evening (Tuesday, January 29). We have had some challenges with connecting to wifi. Right now, I am sitting by the pool, which is just steps away from our door, using a generous neighbor's connection to their wifi. It is a lovely, sunny morning - not too hot in the shade, yet, at 9:00 am. Our condo unit is behind me and to the right.

We finally got into our condo yesterday afternoon around 2:00 pm. It is in a section of Las Palmas named Villa Riviera. Our condo is in a cluster of buildings that surround a small pool. There are many clusters like this in the whole development.

Bob at the entrance to Villa Riviera. Our condo is the last one on the left. The pool is behind Bob and to the right. (Photo by Connie)

 

After we got into the condo, it was very hot and we were drained. After figuring out how the A/C works and getting it going, we got some relief. A little later, we cooled off with a dip in the pool, both trying out our new bathing suits.

Around four, we ventured out, exploring the Las Palmas development and then walking down to the village of El Coco (approximately one mile). We sat near the beach and enjoyed the lovely view, then found a way to walk back to Las Palmas on the beach. We picked up a few groceries at the mini market, stowed in two backpacks, and then went to the Las Palmas courtyard to have dinner at La Dolce Vita restaurant.

Connie and Bob at La Dolce Vita, Playas del Coco, Costa Rica.

 

We dined al fresco outside the restaurant. It was dusk when we started and dark by the end. The courtyard was muy romantico, with soft lights, candles on tables, beautiful plantings, a clear sky overhead with stars clearly visible. We started out by having our first cerveza (beer - the Costa Rican brand, Imperial). Bob had the arroz con pollo (rice with chicken) and I had an appetizer dish with very thinly sliced, and very rare, beef tenderloin with a small side salad. The food was very good, and all our needs were finally taken care of. La Pura Vida!

 

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We Have Arrived!

After a smooth flight from Miami to Liberia, we arrived at the airport on time. As we made our approach, flying west to east over the Pacific Ocean, we were able to glimpse a full and orange moon to the north and a big fire burning to the south. A passenger seated across the aisle said, "Oh look, there's a volcano erupting!" It turns out, it wasn't a volcano. It was a massive burning of sugar cane fields, which is done deliberately in order to rid the fields of serpientes pelegrosos (dangerous snakes)!

Arrival at the airport was interesting. It is a relatively small one. We were told that eleven planes land there on a weekday, more on the weekend. The plane was only about half full, and lines for immigration and customs were very short. The customs process was almost a joke. Each bag was run through an x-ray on conveyor belt. That's it. No one's bags were opened. (Although someone did go through my checked bag somewhere between Boston and Liberia. It was partially unzipped and the lock was gone. I still don't know if anything is missing. I do know that nothing of value was in it.)

We easily located the shuttle to the Hilton Garden Inn, and checked in there around 8:30. We had a lovely room overlooking the pool with a king-sized bed (una cama king-size). We enjoyed a late supper outdoors near the pool. The night was very breezy and had cooled to the low or mid eighties. We shared a quesedilla and a lovely salad with tropical frutas, and Connie celebrated with a piña colada. (Bob had a headache and passed on that.)

After a much-needed and long sleep, we awoke refreshed, had a lovely buffet breakfast, again outdoors by the pool. Included in the breakfast choices were the traditional pinto de gallo (beans and rice), plantains, and lovely tropical fruits including pineapple and papaya. The coffee (Costa Rican) was delicious - smoother and less acidic than we are accustomed to in the states).

After breakfast (desayuno), we checked out and boarded a taxi (van), heading for Playas del Coco. Bob and the driver conversed quite a bit in Spanish. I was able to understand a bit of it, but could not contribute much. The land in this part of Costa Rica (Guanacaste) is very dry and brown. The only green we saw in the fields were some irrigated melon crops. El Coco is about 30 minutes from our hotel near the airport. The road is a narrow, paved, one with drainage ditches on both sides. When we arrived in El Coco, the driver went out of his way to show us the main drag with its shops and restaurants and the ocean with many boats bobbing in the bay.

Now, we are at Playas del Coco, sitting in the courtyard of the Las Palmas development, in front of the Creperie Luna de Plata - owned by a French-speaking woman formerly from Quebec. She has lived here for five years.

Our contact has arrived. Must close this blog for now. More later.

 

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At Miami Airport

January 28 @ 1:45 - 2:45 pm.

The Boston to Miami flight on American Airlines went very smoothly - a three-hour flight that left on time and arrived 20 minutes early, at 12:10 pm. After walking the full length of the terminal, checking out all the eateries, we finally settled on Ku-Va (aka Cuba). Here there is waitstaff service, Cuban music and cuisine, and a table by the window where we can watch the busy airport. We have a long layover today - five hours. Our flight to Liberia leaves at 5:20 pm. So, a long, leisurely lunch seems just the thing to pass the hours.

Lunch is yummy. We are enjoying this Cuban cooking. Connie ordered a marinated fried pork dish (Masitas de Cerdo a la Jibacoa) and Bob ordered something similar, only made with beef (Vaca Frita) Both dishes came with white rice, black bean sauce, and fried plantains. Though not Costa Rican fare, it probably is similar, and this could be considered our transitional meal. Oh, and we split a Flan for dessert - delicioso!

After all the months of planning and preparation, it is almost surrealistic to actually be enroute - halfway to Costa Rica, in sunny Miami where the sky is blue with soft white clouds and the temperature is 82 degrees!

We're On Our Way!

It's January 28 and we are sitting in the airport waiting for our plane to be boarded. So far, everything has gone off without a hitch. We were all packed by eight o'clock last night. And we were all set to go fifteen minutes before the taxi arrived (and he was early). The weather is cold but clear, and we were treated to a full moon in the west and a rosy dawn in the east on our ride to the airport. By 7 am we were through check-in and security, and we are sitting in a food court, sipping a berry smoothie, relaxing, with two hours to spare.

Countdown - 24 Hours to Go!

As I write, it is 6:45 am on Sunday, January 27. In 24 hours, we will be in a taxi on the way to the airport. I am hunkered down near the fire in my warmest PJs. According to the Weatherbug app on my iPad, the temperature outside is 13 degrees! The wind is strong and the house is chilly. In about 36 hours, we will be in the tropics and the temperature will be in the 80's. I can't wait!

Today is packing day. I have gathered what I want to bring, but have not yet packed my suitcases. I can already tell that I have selected many more items than I can bring. I will be in "triage" mode today while packing, and there will be gnashing of teeth and little growls of frustration. How does one bring nine weeks of clothing and supplies, for a variety of climates and situations, in one suitcase weighing not more than 50 pounds?! We shall see.

Learning Spanish

Bob and I both have been studying Spanish for months, in hopes that we would be able to get around and communicate successfully in Spanish, even though we are told that many Costa Ricans speak English, especially in tourist areas.

In this endeavor, Bob is way ahead of me. When he was a teenager, his father was posted first to Panama and then to Bogota, Colombia as a government consultant for the FAA. Bob went to high school in the Canal Zone for two years and afterwards spent a few summers in Bogota. Although he has not spoken Spanish for over fifty years, it is coming back to him now as he is studying Spanish again. I, on the other hand, never took Spanish in school, even though I grew up in Miami, Florida where Spanish was widely spoken. I took Latin in high school and French in college. And now, as I attempt to learn Spanish, I find that many French words and phrases tend to creep into my attempts to speak Spanish.

We are learning our Spanish via computer. Bob found a wonderful Spanish course online, Visual Link - Spanish. This course is great because it starts out, right in the first lesson, teaching basic words, phrases, and sentences that one would need to get around in Spanish. Bob has completed the Level One course and is now in Level Two. I am still in the middle of Level One. We are both finding that though our recall memory works pretty well, our capacity to learn and remember new language is not as good as it once was. I can go through a lesson and then remember the words in an immediate review. But a day later, I have forgotten about half of the words and phrases. Two steps forward, one step back. Frustrating!

There are some other Spanish-learning tools in our toolkit. Both of us have loaded an unabridged English-Spanish Dictionary into our iPhones and iPads. I have also found an App called iTranslate, which I think will come in very handy. And just in case our electronic gadgets do not work, I am also bringing with me a small English-Spanish Dictionary that will fit nicely into my purse. The Visual Link course also provides a print manual that includes summaries of all the lessons in the online course. Although it's too big to fit in my purse, it will be a handy reference as well.

I am hoping that once we are in country, I/we will learn at a much faster pace. I am not confident that I could get around much in Spanish at this point. But I am confident that Bob can. I think we will do fine. Immersion is the best way to learn. Use it or lose it! Here we go! Adelante!

Countdown - Three Days to Go!

After months of waiting for our trip to begin, we are down to the last three days. We have much yet to do, and these last days are packed with errands, appointments, and last-minute get-togethers with family and friends.

In most ways, we are very on top of things.  We have taken care of bank, post office, bill-paying, house coverage issues, and more. Our shopping is done. Bob even completed his federal and state tax returns yesterday! I am still waiting for some paperwork before I can complete mine. Yet we still have much to do. We have not even started packing. Fortunately, we have recovered from our bouts with the flu and feel quite ourselves again.

To quote a well-known song, "The weather outside is frightful!"  A large part of the country, including New England, has been plunged into a severe cold front for a few days now. Temperatures in our area have been near zero at night with highs in the teens during the day. It is hard to get warm, even in our cozy condo with the cheerful gas stove blazing. There was a time, earlier in January, when the weather was unseasonably warm, with temps in the 50-60-degree range, and we asked ourselves, "why are we leaving for Costa Rica when we have such nice weather here?" But now we know why we decided, months ago, to escape to a tropical climate and leave the cold New England weather behind for half the winter!

Let the games begin!

Countdown - One Week to Go!

One week from now, at the exact time of this writing, our plane should be touching down at the Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport in Liberia, Costa Rica. It is 8:25 pm EST here in Massachusetts, but Costa Rica is on Central Time, one hour earlier than we are, and our plane is scheduled to touch down at 7:25 pm.  Our final countdown has begun, and we are eager to begin our journey.

Tonight it is beginning to snow and temperatures are plummeting down toward the teens. We may see 6-8 inches of snow on the ground by morning. This makes the prospect of arriving at Playas del Coco sweeter than ever. Today, I bought two bathing suits, sunblock, and swim sandals. A week from tomorrow, I expect to be wearing them!

Shopping for Costa Rica

I am not normally a shopper, but I have given a lot of thought to what clothing and other items I would need for this trip, and I have done some very targeted shopping for a few items.
Bob and I have two very different strategies for preparing for this trip, clothing-wise. My plan is to get what I need while I am here. I prefer shopping in stores to shopping online for clothing. Mostly, this is because I am a hard-to-fit size and shape and I need to try everything on. Bob, on the other hand, has decided to bring only a minimum of clothing with him and shop for clothes in Costa Rica. His idea is that he wants to dress like the Ticos and to only bring or buy and wear what he absolutely needs. He also has the advantage of being an easy-to-fit size, which works for him when shopping both online and in stores.

We have some challenges to consider. First, although we will be away for nine weeks, our luggage limit, per airline rules, is one checked suitcase each, not to exceed 50 pounds, and one carry-on bag, with very specific measurement requirements (not to exceed any of these three dimensions: 22" x 14" x 9" - for a total not to exceed 45"). The charges for overweight luggage or extra checked baggage are steep and we are planning to avoid those charges.

Another challenge is the climate in Costa Rica. Although this Central American country is considered tropical, the temperatures here can vary from the 80's - 90's at the coasts, to the 70's in the Central Highlands, to the 50's at the highest elevations, especially in the cloud forests. Although we are going to be there during what is considered the dry season (December through April), there will still be rain and lots of humidity. Clothing needs vary widely from the beaches to the rain forests to the cities to the mountains, and also depend on what outdoor activities one is planning to do. If we are to partake of all that Costa Rica has to offer, we need to be prepared with a wide variety of clothing.

And lastly, there are some protective clothing requirements involved. Sun and rain protection, insect protection, and theft protection top the list.

With all this in mind, I went shopping (mostly online) for some specific items that I did not already have in my wardrobe:

• Shoes: I bought three new pairs: (1) new, lightweight sneakers for hiking (Merrill); (2) a pair of lightweight, Mary Jane style, blue sneaker-type shoes that are designed to be worn without socks and can be used as water shoes (Merrill); and (3) a pair of VivoBarefoot sandals that can double as swimming shoes, to be used when snorkeling or walking/swimming on the beaches. (On order from Zappos.com.) I still need a pair of flip-flops, which are evidently widely worn at the beaches in Costa Rica. But I am planning to wait and buy those when I get there.
• Hat: I found a wonderful wide-brim, neutral color, 50+ SPF, packable hat (Wallaroo brand) at Magellans.com.
• Beach coverup: I needed one, and found a lovely white one at TravelSmith.com.
• Shirts: I picked up three shirts, at different stores, that are lightweight with long sleeves that can be rolled up into short sleeves, held with tabs. I can wear these over tee shirts or tank tops for sun and insect protection.
• Dress: This may be my one splurge, in that we may never do anything fancy enough for me to wear it. It is a plum-colored (they call the color "fig"), short-sleeved, wrinkle-proof dress with two zippered pockets (for carrying a credit card and some money). Takes up very little space. This was an online purchase from Magellans.com.
• Purse(s): In my search to find a purse that would hold my necessaries and be as theft-proof as possible, I actually came up with three. Two are by Baggallini: a "hugger backpack" in black and a small waist pack in a light tan. The third purse - the one I will use especially while traveling or in the cities - is a pacsafe/citysafe handbag specifically designed to be as theft proof as possible. It really is a marvel, and I will describe it thoroughly another time. This last purse came from TravelSmith.com. The other two, I bought in local stores.
• Moneybelt(s): I found a variety of belts and pouches designed to conceal and protect one's money, credit cards, passport, and other important IDs. I bought several different kinds. [OK, so I probably went overboard here. We'll see.] [PHOTO]
• Insect-repellant clothing: It does exist. You can find it on the travel clothing sites. So far, I only have one piece, which I found the other day at our local REI store. It's a white, short-sleeved tee shirt (insect-shield by Ex-Officio) which is impregnated with Permethrin. The claim on the label: "Repels mosquitos, ticks, ants, flies, chiggers and midges. Repellency remains effective for 70 washings." We'll see.
• Carry-on luggage: I didn't have any suitcase or bag that met the carry-on size requirements for American Airlines. So, I went shopping, both online and in stores. I finally found the perfect thing, on sale in a local T.J. Maxx: a Ricardo black roll-on bag that weighs only 5.9 pounds and is a few inches under the 45-inch limit. It will work well for short overnight trips within the country too.

There are two more items on my list, and I have a week max to find them: a bathing suit and a pair of cargo pants. I don't like shopping for these online, because I am not a perfect size and I need to try these things on for fit and the flattery factor. And bathing suits are out of season here in the North, so stores have few or none to choose from. I may have to forego the cargo pants (though all those extra pockets could come in handy), and I may have to wait and purchase my bathing suit in Playas del Coco.

Clothing Purchased for Costa Rica Trip

Back row, left to right: Merrell Mary Jane style sneakers, Wallaroo Sydney Diva hat, Baggallini black Hugger Backpack.

Center row, left to right: VivoBarefoot swim sandals, PacSafe brown money belt, Eagle Creek packable daypack, Taylor luggage scale, Baggallini tan wallet bag.

Front row, left to right: Eagle Creek waist money belt and neck pouch, Rick Steeves hidden pocket, Eagle Creek bra pouch; Insect Shield insect repellent tee shirt by Ex Officio, PacSafe/CitySafe Midnight Blue anti-theft purse.

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Thinking Playas del Coco, by Bob

Baby It's Cold Outside

The temp crept up to 29.  The sun was bright winter.  Now the rays slant long to spotlight clumps of ice hiding on the north sides of things.  It's January 19 and today brings the first real touch of winter.  That should be enough for us.  In nine days we hop a jet to Liberia, Costa Rica, then on to Playas del Coco for a month.  It's the New England dream, to get the hell put of Dodge during the winter and return as spring is coming up all green and full of flowers.

Dreaming at Fireside

Connie is locked into an eBook story of a couple who emigrate from the US to Costa Rica, buy land, build a house, create jobs.  We have no such fantasy.  Ours is a fantasy of lazing about in a beach cafe sipping a cool drink.  But we will be back here to our village on Boston's Northshore come spring.  It's hard to imagine that life gets any better than this, even including winter and snow.

La Pura Vida

It's a phrase associated with something about the Costa Rican philosophy of life.  Right off it's interesting that the Ticos have their very own philosophical catch phrase.  Americans have something similar, commercialized, of course, "life is good."  It's actually a trademark phrase associated with a chain of stores selling tee shirts and hats.  I think that "life is good" refers to time spent in the enjoyment of time away from work or chores, vacation time really, a time of gift shops and ice cream cones, and riding your jet ski, that sort of thing.  We don't have a chain of tee shirt stores with the phrase, "work is good" printed with a cartoon character.  So Ticos like to say, "Pura Vida."  I'm hoping that Ticos include work as a part of the pure life.  I'd like a Pura Vida that made no distinction between work and play. Stay tuned.

Staying Productive

I think my life's take away is that joy springs from a job well done.  This may sound prudish to many.  Popular culture has it that joy springs from being waited on by others and spending money. Hitting the lottery beckons especially when the pot gets really big.  I'm thinking that little, if any, joy waits for the winner in the bottom of the big lottery pot.  My problem in Costa Rica will be to find something meaningful to do with myself.  It is in this iPad and stringing together sentences that I am planning to find some purpose, the Pura Vida.

Buying a Two Piece Swimsuit

I am a 72 year old man.  Some might think that we old men don't give much thought to the persona we present to the world. This is not true.  I am a man interested in avant guard fashion. So it's only natural that I would give some thought to my swim suit for Playas del Coco.  My first thought was a one piece black thing. This approach covers a lot of skin and a lot of accumulated scar tissue, certificates of  completion from the college of hard knocks.  After some Googling, I did find a few.  Connie was not at all receptive to this style. But, al fin, I hit on the idea of a tank top combined with some skimpy trunks.  [See pic, to come.]

The Dark and the Cold

An arctic cold weighs heavy on New England tonight.  The stove burns bright and warm between Connie and me.  She's reading about scorpions, a common critter in Costa Rica.  I ask whose idea it was to go to Costa Rica anyway.  We can't remember.  Should I pack a hammer, the better to beat a scorpion to death?

Countdown - Ten Days, All Systems Go

Today is January 18th, and we leave for Costa Rica on the 28th. We are getting very excited. After planning this trip for months, it seems as though these last few days are running by very quickly!

Bob's health issue is on "wait-and-see" status and he has gotten a green light from his doctors to take this nine-week trip to Costa Rica. We both still have vestiges of the flu - mostly coughing and some congestion - but we are feeling better each day, and are raring to go.

Today, we meet with our friends Janet and Richard, who are planning to visit us in Playas del Coco for about a week in February. They have never been to Costa Rica either, so it will be an adventure for all of us.

I have been reading the eBook series, Happier Than A Billionaire and Happier Than A Billionaire, The Sequel by Nadine Hay Pisani. This is the story of an American couple, both chiropractors, who, in midlife, decided to move to Costa Rica. I am at the point in their story when they have been there a year, renting a home in Grecia, have finally established residency, and are moving to the Pacific coast, near Flamingo, to build a house.

Now, Bob and I have no intentions of moving to Costa Rica, but since we will be living there for a little more than two months, we enjoy hearing stories about Americans who are experiencing this country more as residents than tourists. And we have heard (read) some humdingers! - experiences on both sides of the coin, some breathtakingly wonderful and a few quite daunting and scary. I wonder how our stories will turn out?

Countdown - Two Weeks and Holding

It is almost 9pm on Monday, January 14th. Two weeks from now, we should have arrived in Liberia. But right now, we are in a holding pattern. In addition to the fact that both of us are still recovering from the flu, Bob has been thrown a curve with another possible health challenge. He will see a specialist tomorrow, and we may have some answers. The trip is currently in question. Let's hope he gets good news and a go-ahead for the trip.

Security Challenges in Costa Rica

Security Issues

In our reading about Costa Rica, we have encountered many references to problems with pickpocketing and other forms of non-violent theft encountered by tourists. This is not a problem unique to Costa Rica, but it does appear to be prevalent there, especially in tourist locations, and it is one to be aware of and prepared for.

For us, it would be vital to protect a few things - our passports, credit card(s), driver's licenses, cash (significant amounts), prescription medications, medical information, and our electronic gadgets (iPhones, iPads, and camera).

I have been researching strategies for discouraging thieves, and will share some of them here. Bob and I do have somewhat different approaches to preparing for this possibility. I am, it seems, more cautious (or more paranoid) than he is. And he will be taking some different approaches from mine.

I must say, as an aside, that our respect for the skills of pickpockets, and our desire to make some preparation against them, was heightened after reading this article in the January 7, 2013 issue of The New Yorker :  "A Pickpocket's Tale" by Adam Green.

For learning about, and shopping for, some Security items, I found these travel sites to be very informative:

• Magellan's Travel Supplies - www.magellans.com 
• TravelSmith - www.travelsmith.com 
• The Adventurous Wench - www.adventurouswench.com 

Following are some possible scenarios and some solutions or strategies we have come up with. In all things, we have agreed that we need to be a team and watch each other's back.  This is how we operate in our relationship anyway, so we should manage very well.

Pickpocketing

This, I understand, is fairly common in the big cites, especially in crowded market areas and in bus stations. It is also fairly common in most or all of the tourist areas. It is interesting to learn that pickpockets often work in teams: someone distracts you, another snatches your stuff, hands it off to a third person who runs away. Sometimes, yet another person will appear as the good samaritan and return your "lost" wallet or purse, but sans the cash or more.

Solutions and Strategies:

• Don't put anything valuable in a visible pocket. Perhaps keep a few bucks handy for coffee or bus fare, but keep most of your cash elsewhere.
• Don't put all your valuables in one place. Spread cash and credit cards out among a few different locations.
• Wear clothing with zippered or buttoned pockets, when possible. (The travel stores offer pants, skirts, dresses, and shirts with these features. I have a dress on order that has two hidden zippered pockets, for example.)
• Do not wear any flashy jewelry, or any jewelry at all that you are not willing to lose.
• Wear a money belt, either under your clothes or an actual belt with a hidden pocket for currency. (Also available from the travel stores. I have both). In an under-clothes money belt, there is also room to stow your passport, credit cards, and ID. Also sold is an item called "the hidden pocket" that attaches to your belt and can be worn inside your pants, shorts, or skirt. (Yes, I have one of those also.) And, for the ladies, there is also a small silk pouch that you tuck inside your bra and is designed to hold one credit card. (Yup, got one of those too.)
• Keep larger valuables (phones, tablets, cameras) in a theft-resistant bag that you wear cross-body,  in front, with your hand on it. Bob is using his old leather briefcase for this purpose. I have two purses I can use in this way. I also have a front-attaching fanny pack for casual jaunts when I don't need to bring much with me.

Cut and Run

Evidently, some thieves target people (especially women) who wear shoulder bags. The tactic is to come from behind or the side, quickly cut the shoulder strap with a knife or scissors, grab the purse or bag, and run. It usually happens very fast. And, yes, there is an "App" for that. Travel stores offer a variety of purses and bags for men and women that are designed to thwart that effort. Encased in the thick straps are metal cables that cannot be cut with an ordinary scissors or knife. (And who can be stealthy or swift on the street carrying large cable snappers?!)

I have ordered such a purse from TravelSmith from their PacSafe/CitySafe line and eagerly await the UPS delivery. The purses and bags in this line also are lined with metal mesh on the bottom and sides, also intended to thwart the "slashers". They also include technology intended to foil identity theft. (More on this below.)

RFID Identity Theft

Apparently, there is now a "gismo" out there in the world that can "read" encrypted identity information stored in microchips embedded in some credit cards and passports. (This gismo is called an RFID reader.) A potential thief can be holding one of these up to ten feet away and get a reading from your encrypted card or passport. These readers are readily available online and any thief can buy one. I am not sure if any of our credit cards use this technology. I'm pretty sure that our passports do not. However, in the better-safe-than-sorry category, I am glad to know that my new CitySafe purse also comes with the RFID-protection technology.  To learn more about this, visit the TravelSmith site and follow their links to their very thorough explanation about the problem and their technology.

Theft of Unattended Items

Keep an eye on all your belongings all the time.  Large or small, an item can disappear in an instant if you are not paying attention. Do not let yourself get distracted by anyone or anything. This is when our "watch each other's back" strategy will be especially important. Here are some other tips we have learned along the way and intend to put into practice:

• Mark your luggage with tags, unusual markings, name or initials, and other distinguishing characteristics that will enable you to quickly pick your bags out of the crowd. This will come in handy at Baggage Claim in the airports and in many other situations.  Consider making your special mark using some combination of the following: duct tape, paint, permanent marker, ribbon, color-coded zipper pulls. Also, consider using luggage with unusual colors or patterns. It is very easy to make a mistake when looking for your black or brown bag out of many on the luggage carousel, whereas no one else may have a puce-colored bag like yours. A thief is less likely to grab a bag that is unique and stands out from the crowd. 
• Some security bags come with a wrapped metal cable that can be used to attach a bag to a fixed object, much like a bicycle cable attached to a lamp post. My new purse is supposed to come with a cable like that.
• If you are carrying a purse or bag or daypack or similar item, keep it held close to you at all times. Don't leave it lying on a counter or table or in a shopping cart, etc.
• At the beach or pool, bring nothing that you cannot afford to lose, unless at least one of you is watching the stuff at all times. I plan to bring a towel, hat, coverup, suntan lotion, sunglasses, flip-flops, bottled water and a cheap paperback. Maybe I'll bring a little coin purse with no more than $5 in it. If I am planning to swim and my stuff will be unattended, I will not be bringing my iPhone, iPad, camera, purse, binoculars, passport, credit cards, and the like.

Theft of Luggage in Buses and Bus Stations

Evidently, buses and bus stations are especially vulnerable places for tourists. Our plan:

• Pack light. Bring only what we need.
• If possible, bring only carry-on items, and keep them with us at the seat.
• Follow the security strategies listed above.
• If stowing luggage in the under-bus storage bin, sit at a window on that side of the bus. Monitor the removal of luggage at each stop. Be prepared to move fast if we see our luggage brought out before our stop.
• And, as always, watch each other's back.

Problems with Rental Cars

At this time, we are not planning to rent a car. Yet, in the end, we might. Here's what we've learned so far. Cars rented by tourists are a big target for thieves in Costa Rica. We are told, never leave anything visible in your car. Don't bring anything you don't need. If you have to leave something, lock it in the trunk.

There are scams involving thieves and tourists in rental cars. Flat tires caused by potential thieves. Breakdowns that attract potential thieves. Fake police stopping tourists for speeding. And more. Just be aware.

Theft from Hotel Rooms and Other Lodging Sites

This does happen sometimes.  Put your valuables in a safe at your hotel or other lodging when you can. 

Holdups at ATM Sites

Not as common as other types of theft in Costa rica, but it has happened. Some strategies:

• Stay away from isolated or unlit ATM's.  
• Use ATM during daytime hours.
• Use a bank ATM - or a bank teller - when possible.
• Don't draw too much money at one time, and put the money and your card in a money belt, hidden pocket, or other secure place.
• If a thief takes you to an ATM by gun or knife point, and demands you draw out all your cash, try to remove an amount larger than your daily limit. This will initiate a blocked transaction from your bank, and neither you nor the thief will get anything. Be sure to contact your bank as soon as you can and let them know what happened.

Theft of Food From Backpacks

OK, this one's just for fun. Not every act of theft in Costa Rica can be ascribed to humans! They have some very savvy animals there too.  Monkeys, and some other animals such as raccoons and coatis, are skilled at raiding backpacks and other tourist bags for food. It is not wise to encourage this - not healthy for the animals or for you. People food causes health problems for the animals. And you could lose your lunch. Don't feed the animals! Be warned, and plan accordingly.

Countdown - 19 Days to Go

It is now 19 days before we board our flight.  We have done a lot of preparation, and there is still a lot more to do. And now, both of us have the flu. I came down with it almost a week ago, and I am on the upswing.  Bob came down with it a few days after I did, and he is still pretty wiped.  Both of us are past the fever stage, and what remains for both of us is a cough, some chest and nasal congestion, and fatigue. Bob has pretty much slept for the past 36 hours. I'm past the need for constant sleep, but still need my naps. As Bob says, "neither of us is banging on all cylinders."

All this has led us to do some thinking and strategizing about how to manage air travel when one has respiratory issues. Between us, and our doctors, and other sources, we have come up with our own "tool kit" of strategies to use, should we still be encountering the residual effects of this flu on flight day:

• Bring disposable surgical masks to wear (to minimize our risk of picking up another bug).
• Take a decongestant, such as Sudafed or Claratin, just before boarding, to reduce sinus pressure.
• Drink lots of water during and between the flights.
• Use a saline nasal spray to keep nose moist (Bob's doctor recommended Ocean Saline Nasal Spray, available OTC) and also keep nose moist with some Vaseline applied with a Q-tip.
• Bring a sinus inhaler.
• Bring chewing gum.
• Use iPad to get other medication-free tips for fast relief.

Studying Up on Costa Rica

For months, we have been surfing the Internet, reading guidebooks, and talking to friends and family who have traveled to Costa Rica. I have never been there. Bob did visit the country several years ago at the end of a cruise through the Panama Canal. He spent a day in Puntarenas and a day in San Jose before flying home.

We purchased a number of guidebooks, some in print form and some as eBooks.  These are listed at the end of this Blog entry. But what we hungered for was personal accounts of experiences off the beaten trail. And we found two eBooks that provided the kind of information we were craving:

Two Weeks in Costa Rica by Matthew Houde and Jennifer Turnbull.  This is a story of a young couple from Boston who went backpacking along the southern Pacific coast for two weeks.  Though we are not young, and we don't intend to backpack through Costa Rica, we are finding their story to be enlightening, informative, and entertaining.  We have been reading this book aloud to each other and extracting from it what we need to know.

Costa Rica: Beyond the Resort by Jennifer Shipp.  This is the story of a family - mother, father, and teenage daughter - who went to Costa Rica for two months with the intention of living within the culture and improving their Spanish.  One of their two months was spent in Atenas, the same small town that we had chosen for our second month. This account is full of the nitty gritty information we needed in order to develop realistic expectations of our time there.  This book was also a "read-aloud" - great entertainment for a cold winter's evening around our warming stove.

Our other resources include:

Costa Rica for Dummies by Eliot Greenspan. 4th Edition, 2012. [Print] I wish this book had been available as an eBook.  It is our most thumbed-through book. Not as fancy graphically as the others, but chock full of need-to-know information and beautifully organized.

Costa Rica by Eyewitness Travel. 2012.  A graphically gorgeous  travel guide with emphasis on wildlife. [Print]

Fodor's Costa Rica 2012 and Frommer's Costa Rica 2012.  [Both are print versions.] Two thorough and up-to-date travel guides, both containing detachable maps.  Don't know them well enough yet to express a preference for one over the other.

Costa Rica.  An eBook from Lonely Planet, one of two eBooks we have downloaded on our iPads. Navigation was designed for a Kindle, which neither of us has. Despite the challenge of getting around in this eBook, it still has a lot to offer.

Manuel Antonio Costa Rica Travel Guide: The Best of Manuel Antonio & Quepos, 2012 by Evelyn Gallardo.  A new eBook. Not yet explored. We do expect to go to Manuel Antonio at some point, and this should be a good resource.

Countdown - Three Weeks to Liftoff

Three weeks from today, at about this time, we will be boarding the plane for Miami where we will be making our connection to our flight to Liberia, Costa Rica.  We have been planning this trip for months. We booked our first lodging - the one in Atenas - in September. For a long time, we thought this trip would never get here. We were like children waiting for Christmas. But suddenly, takeoff is only three weeks away, and we still have a lot to do.

And now our first challenge has appeared.  It's flu season, and a few days ago I came down with it.  Today, it appears that Bob is coming down with it too.  This despite the fact that we both did have flu shots a few months back. Although we are both relatively healthy seniors, this flu does present some challenges, especially for Bob.  And, as many travelers know, it can be painful to fly when you have any kind of cold, flu, or other respiratory problem.  As I said to Bob, "This could be a good thing. We got this bug early in January. We'll both be recovered by flight time, and we'll have extra immunity."  Let's hope I'm right!

Our Trip Plan

Our Philosophy

We started out simply wishing to escape the cold New England weather. We investigated places like Florida, Georgia, and Puerto Rico, before we discovered Costa Rica. We were deeply drawn to this country and made our choice.  Our trip is scheduled to last nine weeks, and we had neither the budget nor the desire to spend our time or money at resort locations.  Instead, we wanted to experience the Costa Rican culture, get to know some Ticos (or Ticas, Costa Rican men or women), travel on our own when desired, and learn Spanish. Although we will undoubtedly visit some of the tourist destinations, this is not the main focus of our trip. Some people come here with no previous plan or reservations. Though we are keen to be spontaneous and unstructured most of the time, we did book lodging ahead.

Air Travel

Lucky us!  Connie had enough frequent flyer miles on American Airlines to buy us two round trip tickets to Costa Rica, with some points left over. We will fly from Boston to Miami, change planes, and  then fly from Miami to Liberia, Costa Rica.  On the return trip, we will leave from the San Jose Airport instead, and from there reverse the trip. We are hoping that all will go smoothly. But if it doesn't, it will be part of the adventure and we will have a story to tell. Stay tuned.

Lodging

For the months of February and March, we have booked a condo in two different geographical areas of Costa Rica. For the final six days, we are staying in a hotel/B&B in Escazu, a suburb of San Jose. We will get to explore, in some depth, the Pacific West Coast, the hill country in the Central Valley, and the capital city.

Transportation

There are several ways to get around in Costa Rica:

• Domestic air flights
• Rental car
• Private mini-van or private driver
• Tour van or bus (for small groups)
• Taxi
• Private bus (for large groups and individuals) 
• Public bus
• Boat
• Bicycle, motor scooter, motorcycle, etc.

Tourists generally combine more than one option for a long trip.  It is our intention to travel by public bus whenever possible. This plan combines two of our major goals: traveling on a budget and experiencing the local people and culture.

Hola!

We have decided to spend a good portion of the winter in Costa Rica this year (2013), and we have also decided to create a journal about our experiences in researching and planning this vacation, getting ready to go, being there and living "La Pura Vida", and re-living it afterwards through this journal.

Our purpose is to share our adventure with our family, our friends, and with other potential first-time travelers to Costa Rica.

As we have researched this trip, we visited many commercial sites about Costa Rica. We also looked for blogs written by other travelers. We wanted to read about some personal experiences that would help us make choices that would be right for us. We found very few such blogs. We hope our blog will be helpful for others like ourselves.

Who are we?  We are Connie and Bob, a retired couple from New England.  In creating this blog, we are indulging our passions, aptitudes, and hobbies - Connie as a writer and former photo editor; Bob as a photographer, videographer, and writer; both as philosophers and travelers.