Tico Culture From Gringo EYES

Understanding Tico culture is very important if you're thinking about living or retiring in Costa Rica. Don't miss this interview with my good friend, Lair Davis- definitely a 'must see'. ENjoY!



TONS of Costa Rica Tavel Info and VIDEOS on our websitc: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

Pizza John Passes Away- so Sucks

Sad days. Our friend, John Divita aka Pizza John, passed away 2 days ago succumbing to that Bitch, cancer. For those of you who had the pleasure of knowing John realize what a devastating loss this is and for those of you who didn't, your loss. Always a smile, always a kind word, and if he could help you, he would. The kinda guy who just wouldn't give you the shirt off his back... but his shoes and socks as well and a couple bucks to get you to where you were goin'. Quality guy. Personally, for me, it's doubly sad because I had just run into John at the bank a couple weeks prior to his diagnosis and he was so excited about his future plans. He couldn't tell me the particulars because he had a few things to iron out but man, was he giddy with excitement. Matter of fact, us doing videos for his 'secret' endeavor were also discussed. I was so happy for him.... and he had just recently gotten married. Fuck, this sucks.

'Pizza John', because he ran a pizza place in el Castillo about 30 minutes off the beaten path from La Fortuna. He catered to the backpacker crowd and if you've ever been to his place, great pizza and he use to let everyone who went there sign his wall, or should I say building.... hundreds and hundreds of remarks, signatures, quotes, well wishes etc., from people all over the world. We've even signed it. And I know whoever visited John's place were also touched by him- he was just that type of guy.

Gonna miss you man. I bought a bottle of Flora de Cana in your honor.... one shot for me and one shot for you by me- repeat again and again. And for the record, I don't really want you to rest in peace, I hope you get the fuckin' party started...

John was one of the first videos we ever did about 5 years ago. So in his honor-



TONS of Costa Rica Tavel Info and VIDEOS on our websitc: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

It Doesn't COUNT Unless it's On TripAdvisor

I hate TripAdvisor but I wish this review of Travel Costa Rica NOW was ON TripAdvisor. Boy do I hate admitting that. But unfortunately it's true as SOooooooooo many people view TripAdvisor as the 'Bible of Travel' and 'reviews' on the much manipulated site can either bolster a business BIG time or leave it in the gutter for dead, nevertheless I do feel the need to have more good 'reviews' there- sad but true. Want to see what I really think of TripAdvisor...scroll all the way down and watch the video. Anyway, if only the folks who emailed us appreciating how much they enjoyed their Costa Rica experience we set up for them would post on TripAdvisor- we'd be set. Like this one that shows Travel Costa Rica NOW some serious love:

Thanks for your follow up email. I had intended to shoot you a message telling you what a great time I had!

First, many thanks to you (plus D'Angelo and Michael Alan) for custom designing an itinerary that fully achieved my travel goals. And everything pretty much went like clockwork, from the airport pickup to the pickups for the various activities during the week. Everyone was on time, as was I! None of this "Tico time" stuff you hear about. :-) I enjoyed all the tours/adventures (Poas Volcano, ziplining, rafting, Manuel Antonio National Park, etc.), so kudos also to the tour companies that you coordinated with.

Both hotels were also great. I loved the central location of El Presidente in San Jose (and you guys were right -- 2 nights in SJ was perfect), and the Villa Rocca in Manuel Antonio was also the right place for a solo traveler, such as me, to stay. Fantastic view from my room at the Villa Rocca! The staff and other guests were quite friendly, and I was easily able to join up with others for beach trips and meals (and I even got someone to go rafting with me). I would definitely recommend both hotels to others (and I already have), just as I will surely recommend your travel agency to friends. I definitely plan to visit Costa Rica again!

This was truly a relaxing vacation that also met all my outdoor adventure needs. As someone who enjoys traveling and learning about other cultures, for my return trip to CR I guess that I will also want to find a way to get off the beaten track and go beyond some of the tourist destinations and visit some local villages -- and meet some Costa Ricans who do not work in the tourism industry. There just wasn't enough time to do everything on this trip.

It was a pleasure to work with you, Renee, so thanks again for all your help. Pura Vida!

Pretty nice, right? It would look so GOOD on TripAdvisor. I suppose I should be careful what I wish for and if you watch this video, you'll understand why I say that. eNjOY!



TONS of Costa Rica Tavel Info and VIDEOS on our websitc: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!