The Costa Rica Gringo

American Football Comes to Costa Rica

June 23rd, 2009 | Costa Rica - Family Friendly, Costa Rica - Gringo Favorite, Costa Rica - Must See or Do | 8 Comments »

Congrats to Season 1 of American Football in Costa Rica. That’s right folks, no longer is American Football only played by a large group of American expats on the beach, there is actually a Costa Rica Federation of American Football (ACFA). It’s amazing how the times are changing!

The season officially began for the American Foodtball league in Costa Rica back in March 2009, when the first game was held on a Sunday afternoon. However, the teams started training much earlier than that.

The league is made of up 6 teams and 80% of the members are Ticos. The teams started training for that Sunday in March back in October of 2008. Unlike American football, the Costa Rican version Read more

Costa Rica Bus Schedule

June 21st, 2009 | Costa Rica - Travel Tips | 1 Comment »

Having a bus schedule at the tips of your fingers can be a pretty handy thing. It doesn’t mean the buses will actually leave on time, but at least it gives you a ballpark figure to aim for so that you can be on time for the bus departure or arrival.

The Horario de Buses is an electronic schedule for bus, train and ship arrivals and departures. It also contains a list of shipping points.

For the schedules visit Horariodebuses.com

Cheap Airline Tickets Means a Vacation!

June 19th, 2009 | Costa Rica - Business, Costa Rica - News, Costa Rica - Travel Tips | No Comments »

Now just may be the time to visit Costa Rica, if you can manage to make the trip that is. The economy is on a down-turn everywhere, including Costa Rica, making your vacation even more affordable. If you have been saving up to take a trip, now is the time to do it!

If you watch ticket prices at all, check out the fares on www.kayak.com, www.cheaptickets.com, www.orbitz.com and even www.expedia.com (which in my opinion never has that great of prices). All the fares are down a large percentage from what they were last year at this time. Everyone is trying to make the sale, even if that means lowering prices way down.

I saw Read more

Arenal Volcano on Level 3 – Yellow Alert

June 16th, 2009 | The Best of Costa Rica | No Comments »

She’s gonna blow!!!

Well… maybe a little more than she normally does.

Friday scientists from the University of Costa Rica and the Costa Rican Electricity Institute raised the volcanic alert of the Arenal Volcano from 2b to 3, on a 4 level scale.

Level 3, which is the yellow alert, means that in the 10 days, or weeks/months to follow there is a high possiblity of eruption or strong changes in the eruption patterns. Right now changes in the volcanic process are to be expected, which could result in an eruption or damaging rock and lava flows, are reported in The Tico Times.

Since about March scientists have been monitoring an increase in vapor explosions, which have continued for Read more

Getting Fit at the Fitsimons Gym in San Jose

June 15th, 2009 | Costa Rica - Business, Costa Rica - Gringo Favorite, Costa Rica - Relocation | No Comments »

Ask around in the expat community, there are plenty of gyms to choose from in Costa Rica. If you want to just pump some iron, then look around the barrio, more than likely you will find a small gym without any cardio equipment, just some free weights and benches, no membership fees and all the sweaty buff Ticos the place can hold. (Not suggested for women looking to get fit!)

If you’re like me though, you need more motivation than just looking at other guys with muscles twice the size of yours flex in the mirror. I need the energy found in large commercial gyms with trainers, good looking women barely breaking a sweat on treadmills, and TV screens Read more

Leaving a Tip in Costa Rica

June 11th, 2009 | Costa Rica - Culture, Costa Rica - Travel Tips | 1 Comment »

Travelers to Costa Rica are often informed that hotels and restaurants add a percentage (usually 10%) onto your bill which serves as the tip for the employees. Technically, this is true. A 10% fee is usually added onto the end of your bill as gratuity and technically once you’ve paid your bill, you’ve paid the tip.

However, what you may not be told is that the tip you are leaving isn’t going straight to the waitress or the maid. It is getting split up amongst all the employees – the cook, the busboy, and even upper management! So, while your waitress will get some sort of a tip for her hard work in running back and forth from your Read more

Katira Costa Rica and the Rio Celeste

June 9th, 2009 | Costa Rica - Family Friendly, Costa Rica - Must See or Do, The Best of Costa Rica | No Comments »

The small town of Katira is home to one of the most spectacular rivers in the entire world, known as Rio Celeste or The Blue River makes this little town an unknown treasure. The river’s intense turquoise water is the product of a whimsical combination of pure river water and volcanic minerals makes this one of two rivers in the entire world that can produce waters this color. Natural hot springs, boiling pool and an insanely blue lagoon are just a few of the attractions in the area. There is even a beautiful waterfall that is well worth the trip down the long winding dirt road.

You may want to bring food and snacks before you

Delivery Services in Costa Rica

June 7th, 2009 | Costa Rica - Business, Costa Rica - Relocation, Costa Rica - Travel Tips | No Comments »

When I arrived to Costa Rica, I saw a lot of signs on various businesses that state “Express” or in Spanish “Domicilio” which means service at your door. In the United States, express generally denotes speed. Yet, in Costa Rica this word means delivery.

There is a wide variety of items that can be delivered in Costa Rica. One of my favorite services, other than pizza delivery, that I can regularly take advantage of is is Dry Cleaning. Though I have heard of others having issues with dry cleaning companies such as; damaged clothes and lost items. I, on the other hand, have never experienced any problems.

What I have found is that since many do not use the Read more

Cable TV Service and Internet in Costa Rica

June 4th, 2009 | The Best of Costa Rica | 4 Comments »

For me there is nothing like being able to sit down in front of the TV. with a beer and pizza after a long day of work. In Costa Rica there are a couple of options for cable companies and one for satellite. Cable Tica is probably one of the largest and well known throughout the country.

Compared with the United States, Cable Tica they have great pricing and a great choice of channels. They offer a wide variety of channels from the Disney channel, Discovery channel, History, HBO and Cinimax. This is all under their basic cable service and will cost around thirty dollars.

There is only one problem I have noticed with Cable Tica:

Rancho Tipico Zarcereño, my favorita Soda

June 1st, 2009 | Costa Rica - Gringo Favorite, Costa Rica - Places to Eat | 2 Comments »

If you are Zarcero and you want to eat at the best Soda I have ever been to please stop and visit Rancho Tipico Zarcereño. Located just outside Zarcero on your way to Naranjo on the right hand side is where you can find some wonderful typical Costa Rican food. With many benches to sit at its all wood furnishing and its climate you may find this a perfect place to stop to eat.

I ordered a dish called Olla de Carne which is a soup that consists of beef and a variety of vegetables with a side of white rice. When I ordered at Rancho Tipico I received what must have been a punch bowl filled with Read more

American Football Comes to Costa Rica

Costa Rica Bus Schedule

Cheap Airline Tickets Means a Vacation!

Arenal Volcano on Level 3 – Yellow Alert

Getting Fit at the Fitsimons Gym in San Jose

Leaving a Tip in Costa Rica

Katira Costa Rica and the Rio Celeste

Delivery Services in Costa Rica

Cable TV Service and Internet in Costa Rica

Rancho Tipico Zarcereño, my favorita Soda

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