Barbed Wire in Costa Rica- the Hypocrisy

San Jose Costa Rica is a city of barbed wire, much of it, of the razor variety. Iron bars on windows and doors are pretty much the fashion sense for every house and business in the area as well. A practical people, looks don't count for much here, as long as it functions properly, aesthetics be damned. Bottom line- razor wire and iron bars provide security. Seems obvious right? Protecting ones personal property and such. Obviously it's not.

This video was made after receiving the 215th email on the subject of how much barbed wire is used and seen in Costa Rica and how as a tourist, many were APPALLED.

This video has nothing to do with Costa Rica per se and shouldn't be viewed as a knock on this beautiful country.

This video is somewhat of a sarcastic slap in the face, to the many times, ignorant and arrogant thinking of North American tourists. Hypocrisy at its finest. That's it. Nothing more, nothing less.

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!

Friends are the BEST part

Pablo and Ronnie from San Francisco- what a fun night, muchas gracias.What can I say, doin' what we do is just, well, GREAT! We travel all around Costa Rica and have the unique opportunity to experience a LOT of really C-O-O-L stuff. Places like the Jaguar Rescue Center in Puerto Viejo or La Paz Waterfall Gardens or walking around San Jose with Barrio Bird Walking Tours. And, we get to stay in some really nice hotels like Gaia Hotel and Reserve in Manuel Antonio or experience the backpacker way of life in hostels like Tranquilo Backpackers in San Jose. We love what we do, and wouldn't trade it for the world.

In deep conversation during HAPPY HOUR at Koki Beach in Puerto Viejo. We had a GREAT week with David and Mindy.
But, just as great, if not greatER, is meeting you GUYS. The one's who watch our videos and read our stuff, the one's who take time to e-mail us with questions and feedback, and especially those of you who come to La Fortuna and want to HANg- we LOVE you guys most of ALL and honestly, it never gets old, on the contrary, we jump at the chance each and every time... so if you're in the La Fortuna, Costa Rica area, don't hesitate... we have forged some great relationships this way... Garick and Stephanie come to mind, among many others.

So, just wanted to say THANX, we SOoooooo appreciate the fact you take a little time out of your vacation to chill awhile with us.... we're truly humbled.

Besos y abrazos from michael alan & D'Angelo.

Everywhere we go, new and interesting people... LIFE is good and we have you guys to THANK.
TONS of Costa Rica Travel Info and VIDEOS on our website: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

Murder in Costa Rica and don't call my Mom a Bitch

Violent crime is UP in Costa Rica. Murder, armed robbery, aggravated assault and over-all MAYHEM are all on the rise in Costa Rica. San Jose Costa Rica- DANGEROUS. Limon, Costa Ric- also DANGEROUS.
Everywhere you TURN, there's someone with a gun ready to separate you from your valuables. BEWARE!

"WHATEVER,.... I call BULLSHIT!"

I don't doubt crime is on the rise in Costa Rica. Hell, just the fact there's a recession would at least partially explain the rise, but there are also many other factors that I won't get into, at least not right now.

But living HERE and TRAVELING HERE are almost two entirely different things. This post is about CRIME as it relates to traveling here. Living in Costa Rica and dealing with crime is a different thing.
<<<<<<<<<<<<< Ummmmmm...maybe you should consider leaving the BLING at home.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<

I STILL maintain if you follow the advice of our VIDEOS and other INFO and other responsible Costa Rica websites regarding crime and theft etc, your likelihood of being the victim of a serious crime while traveling around Costa RIca is REMOTE- "YEAH, I said it."

Here's a VIDEO we did about Violent Crime on the RISE in Costa Rica. Hope it Helps.



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

San Jose Walking TOUR

Make TIME to DISCOVER San Jose Costa Rica.... and what better way than by WALKING IT.
San Jose Costa Rica deserves a look see. I'm tired of Travel Books and Internet sites bashing San Jose and telling people to spend as little time there as possible. (Although at one time, I was one of those people, but HEY, I APOLOGIZED) and have been making my amends ever since. Whether you're flying IN or OUT of San Jose or whether you only have a few hours or a couple days, you should MAKE time to do your own exploration of San Jose- don't let someone else decide what you should like or not like.... form your own opinion based on YOUR own experiences.

An aspect of the San Jose Tour I really ENjoYed..... the urban art work....VERY NICE.
That said, D'Angelo and myself have been to San Jose Costa Rica dozens of times, but we thought it was about time we got MORE background and history on the city itself. A lot of people THINK they know San Jose, but we wanted someone who actually DID. So, we were pretty excited to get hooked up with Stacey (sometimes TWITTER is actually beneficial) who owns and operates Barrio Bird walking tours and she assured us a couple of interesting hours cruising around San Jose while getting educated in the process.

So without further ado, here's our VIDEO of our time with Stacy and Barrio Bird Walking Tours:



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

Hotel La Amistad San Jose Costa Rica

Hotel La Amistad in San Jose Costa Rica, all the amenities of an UPSCALE hotel at a fraction of the COST.
Hotel La Amistad is a renovated mansion situated between Barrios Amon and Otoya just north of San Jose. These barrios are away from the hustle and bustle of San Jose, but still only a short walk to all of the city's main attractions- The National Theatre, Museums, Shops, Restaurants, Casino's, Nightlife and various Parks.

D'Angelo and myself got an opportunity to spend a couple nights at La Amistad and we're GLAD we did.


ALL the rooms have pretty much anything you'd want- comfy beds, TV w/cable, HBO, fridge, air conditioning, nice showers etc, but the BIGGER rooms can also come equipped with a jacuzzi, sauna, kitchen, loft, living rooms, and if you so desire, a room with a fireplace. La Amistad also has it's own martini bar (which can see some NICE action *wink* ), restaurant, and sushi bar. And really, who provides FREE laundry service... trust me, this is rare in Costa Rica.

La Amistad is not for the kids, but it's GREAT for businessmen, couples and any traveler who wants a great location and a lot of amenities without paying TOP dollar.

Prostitution is legal in Costa Rica and ALL the hotels in the San Jose area deal with it in one way or the other. La Amistad's policy is basically one of- RESPECTING others and if there isn't a problem- there isn't a problem. That said, if you're offended by merely seeing a 'lady of the evening', then La Amistad is not for YOU.

Here's our VIDEO REVIEW of La Amistad in San Jose Costa Rica. ENjoY!



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

Casa Alfi Hotel in San Jose

Casa Alfi Hotel is located in the HEART of San Jose Costa Rica, which in this case is a GOOD thing.
Specifically, Casa Alfi is a boutique hotel (some say B & B) in the center of San Jose, Costa Rica conveniently located 200 meters south, on the new pedestrian boulevard from the National Theatre, Grand Hotel and Plaza de la Cultura- talk about location, location, location.

Casa Alfi just isn't the sort of place you expect to find in the middle of San Jose- this is also a GOOD thing.
D'Angelo and myself got a chance to stay at Casa Alfi for a couple nights to check the place out. And I gotta say we were happy we did. At first, with the low rates, one wouldn't expect too much, maybe a step-up or two from an overpriced hostel, but that is not the case with Casa Alfi. Casa Alfi has its own eclectic charm as the place has somewhat of a Hemingway feel about it, with its various antiques, artwork and wood fixtures about. Even the birdcage is no ordinary birdcage. Alfi, the owner (duh!), is an artist, poet and a great chef, hell, he may be Hemingway reincarnated, who's to say. But Alfi has done quite a bit of traveling himself (again, a Hemingway reference) so he makes for some great conversation over a cocktail or two.


We would say Casa Alfi Hotel is best suited for business men, backpackers who need a nice place for a few days after traveling in the 'hostel' world, those traveling on a budget, couple's, or people who want to be centrally located around shopping, restaurants, museums and other points of interest in San Jose or ANYONE who want's a nice place to stay without paying through the nose to stay there.

Anyway, here's our VIDEO REVIEW of Casa Alfi Hotel:



If you happen to stay at Casa Alfi Hotel after seeing our REVIEW, it would be WAY COOL if you mentioned us.

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

Flying into the San Jose Airport

The soon to be defuncted, 'official' taxi of the Juan Santamaria International Airport.
It appears the ubiquitous orange taxi's (all 75 of them), that provide service only from the Juan Santamaria International Airport aka San Jose Airport, to the surrounding San Jose area, are being 'kicked to the curb'.

Doesn't really matter WHY, but in about 3 months it looks like their licenses will be REVOKED- figuratively and literally.

So, here's our NEW video, combined with the old yet still pertinent footage about flying into the San Jose Airport- Hope it Helps.



TONS of Costa Rica Travel Info and VIDEOS on our website: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 Oh, and we also have all the INFO about GAY Travel in Costa Rica. ENjoY!

San Jose Costa Rica NOT so BAD

'San Jose Costa Rica DOES have CHARACTER'
San José Costa Rica often gets a BAD rap. I should know, I used to talk major SHIT about San José myself. I would often use, 'San José', 'armpit', 'the Detroit of Central America' and 'cesspool' in the same sentence, that is, until I spent some 'quality' time there. As a result, I ended up writing this post 6 months ago: San José Costa Rica- I'm SORRY.

Here's a little taste of the San José we discovered, in VIDEO. A little montage of the sites and sounds of the city.



Hey Everyone, we got TONS of Costa Rica Travel Information in our Travel Guide at Travel Costa Rica NOW and don't FORGET all our Costa Rica Travel Tip Videos, completely ORGANIZED so you can EASILY find what you're LOOKING for. ENjOY!

GREAT Hostel in San Jose- Tranquilo Backpackers

Tranquilo Backpacker in San Jose Costa Rica- one of the BEST hostels in San Jose.
Hey Everyone! You know, sometimes you just want to SPREAD the LOVE and help get the word OUT. We stay in a lot of places around Costa Rica, some 5-Star places such as the Gaia Hotel and Reserve... but also places like Tranquilo Backpackers in San Jose. And actually, if truth be told, we love places like Tranquilo Backpackers maybe even a little MORE, it just seems like the way you're suppose to ROLL when traveling Costa Rica.

Without further ado,, here's our REVIEW of Tranquilo Backpackers:



Hey Everyone, we got TONS of Costa Rica Travel Information in our Travel Guide at Travel Costa Rica NOW and don't FORGET all our Costa Rica Travel Tip Videos, completely ORGANIZED so you can EASILY find what you're LOOKING for. ENjOY!

San Jose Costa Rica Barrio Amon

San Jose Costa Rica has some pretty COOL architecture in Barrio Amon.
San Jose Costa Rica get an undeserved BAD WRAP. I realized my mistake a couple months ago with this post: San Jose Costa Rica- I'm SORRY.

And believe me, I used to be on board: "There's NOTHING to do in San Jose." or "I was only there 2 days and it was 2 days too LONG." and of course, "San Jose is a dirty, crime ridden city."

I pretty much went over most of this in the previously fore mentioned post, so I won't bore you by doing it again. But here's something worth checking out if you got a hour or two to kill in San Jose:




Here's a few other examples of things to do in San Jose:

La Sabana Park

San Jose ZOO

Spirogyra Butterfly Garden

or at night:



Hey Everyone, we got TONS of Costa Rica Travel Information in our Travel Guide at Travel Costa Rica NOW and don't FORGET all our Costa Rica Travel Tip Videos, completely ORGANIZED so you can EASILY find what you're LOOKING for. ENjOY

La Sabana Park in San José

A stroll through La Sabana Park in San José is a refreshing reminder of one of the reasons I love Costa Rica.
Family and friends- socializing, hanging-out, ENJOYING each other’s company and NOT in a HURRY to get back home to their Twittering, FaceBooking, XBOXing or anything else equipped with a screen and a plug. Of course that’s not to say the writing isn’t on the WALL that Costa Rica is headed in that direction: Why I Think So HERE,

BUT, for now, it’s NICE to see SO many people enjoying the DAY… outside.

Here’s a little video we made about La Sabana Park and if you’re EVER in the San José area, take a few hours and see what Tico Culture is all about.


Hey Everyone, we got TONS of Costa Rica Travel Information in our Travel Guide at Travel Costa Rica NOW and don't FORGET all our Costa Rica Travel Tip Videos, completely ORGANIZED so you can EASILY find what you're LOOKING for. ENjOY!

San José Zoo- Simon Bolivar Zoo Costa Rica

San José Costa Rica has a ZOO- it’s called the Simon Bolivar Zoo. Who knew?
With Costa Rica being Costa Rica, who’d a thought they needed a zoo, when most can venture out into their backyards and see the wildlife in their natural habitat.

If you’re expecting the San Diego Zoo or ‘ANY’ zoo in Australia, you’ll be VERY disappointed to say the least. The Simon Bolivar Zoo just isn’t that kind of zoo. But if time is of the essence, or perhaps you didn’t see ALL the animals you we’re hoping too while visiting Costa Rica, then this zoo just may be an option. All the Costa Rican animals are represented: Capuchin, Spider and Squirrel monkeys, toucans, caimans, tapirs, margays and jaguarundi’s and a host of other Costa Rican wildlife.

I must admit it was a little weird having a zoo almost smack dab in the hustle and bustle of San José, but it didn't take long to understand the zoo is mostly a place for the 'locals'- the school kids and tico families to get a glimpse and an education of the animals that call Costa Rica home.

Here's our visit to the Simon Bolivar Zoo, you can decide for yourself if it's worth a LOOK.



Personally, if you want to see wildlife in it's Natural Habitat, I recommend this: A Trip down Cano Negro.

We have ALL your Costa Rica Travel Information at Travel Costa Rica NOW. and don't forget our Costa Rica Travel Tip Videos posted on YouTube. Hope it HELPS!

Spirogyra Butterfly Garden San Jose

Costa Rica knows Butterfly Gardens and 'Spirogyra Butterfly Garden' in San Jose is one of the BEST!
Who would have thought- a butterfly garden located smack-dab in the middle of San José? Well actually many know of this little slice of butterfly paradise, as it IS in all the travel books and seemingly quite popular. In the PAST I normally wouldn't loiter around San José for any longer than necessary, so I never even considered the possibility of a butterfly garden in the city, or probably CARED for that matter. I have since changed my opinion of San José: San José, Costa Rica- I'm SORRY! Anyway, on this past trip to the city, we made it a point to stop in Spirogyra Butterfly Farm and check it out for ourselves... and are we GLAD we did.

The Spirogyra Butterfly Garden is a little breath of fresh air nestled within walking distance of the hustle and bustle of the city. After about 30 minutes roaming around the Spirogyra Butterfly Garden (snapping the perfect butterfly pics) and the adjoining forest pathway next to the garden, it's EASY to forget you're actually IN a BIG city. Remember to leave plenty of room on your memory card as photo-ops are EVERYWHERE.

Here’s how Spirogyra describes themselves:

'Spirogyra is a butterfly farm and garden located within walking distance of San José, Costa Rica's capital. One of our goals is to keep this area, located in the last forested part of the city as a "green oasis' where people can learn about butterflies and their role in the environment and hopefully become sensitive and more aware of the importance of preserving one's habitat.'

Spirogyra isn't the 'biggest' butterfly garden out there, but the feeling of REALLY walking through a lush garden with beautiful butterflies flitting about seems so NATURAL. Besides, I'm NOT a big fan of the BIG 'net like' enclosures that don't even go to the trouble of of 'faking it' by landscaping appropriately, yet billing themselves as a serious butterfly garden... UGH!

Luckily, this is not the case at Spirogyra.

If you got an hour or two to spare, we highly recommend a visit to the Spirogyra Butterfly Farm and Garden. During the busier seasons, they even have a small cafe where you can watch an educational film and have coffee and a snack.

Spirogyra Butterfly Farm and Garden is located 50m east and150m south from the main entrance to "El Pueblo" shopping center.

Here's our VIDEO REVIEW of Spirogyra Butterfly Garden and whether you're a butterfly enthusiast or not, it's worth checking out. ENjOY! This Video should be watched in HD.



We have ALL your Costa Rica Travel Information at Travel Costa Rica NOW. and don't forget our Costa Rica Travel Tip Videos posted on YouTube. Hope it HELPS!

San José Costa Rica- I’m SORRY

"Dear San José, I hope you can forgive me for my slanderous remarks."
I owe San José and everyone that lives IN and around the city a BIG apology, but especially expats who have chosen to relocate there of their own volition. Since I have been blogging, I’ve been known to use San José (when I say San José, I mean the city and the outlining areas, such as Escazu), as fodder for mine and my readers amusement, frequently associating it with a few of the nastier cities in the US, like Detroit for instance.

I'm so embarrassed I won’t even link to the posts where I BEAT up on San José and the expat community like they were my very own red-headed stepchildren- but I was frequently fond of reminding San José that it was NOT Costa Rica except maybe by default (like the red-headed stepchild) and spending more than 1 night there would probably be 1 night too many... and as for the expats who had chosen San José, well let’s just say I would seriously question their decision making skills… I’ll leave it at that.

If I could go door-to-door and offer my apologies, I would. I do have my issues, but not accepting responsibility for my own behavior is not one of them. So there it is, I’m sorry and I will do ALL I can to correct the problem, not only ‘now’, but in future posts pertaining to San José.

"Why the change of attitude, Mr. Costa Rica Travel Expert man?"

We just returned from spending 5 nights there for one. Imagine, 5 nights in San José, that’s like spending 5 nights in Detroit- why would you EVER do that on purpose... (that's an example of what I might have said in the past). It’s true we were working (I’ll be speaking for myself now, not D’Angelo), but I was NEVER bored. One activity after the other, one experience after the other, one party after the other (if you’re into that), AND we met some cool people along the way. Funny thing is, I’ve been to San José plenty of times, but just never took the time to OPEN up my eyes and appreciate what I was truly seeing. Before, they were always OPEN- and I WAS looking, just never quite seeing.

The obligatory National Theatre Picture- there's so much MORE to San José.
There ARE things to do in San José. The fact you think there ISN”T, is merely a CONDITIONED response from constantly reading and hearing such over generalizing drivel from the so called ‘travel experts’, such as myself, that 2 nights is plenty in San José. Yes, the city has all the regular stuff: malls and shopping areas, museums, under-rated restaurants (you REALLY can eat extremely good food in Costa Rica), movie theatres- again, all the typical stuff you’d expect of a big city. But what we did this time I would call more of an ‘immersion’ of San José- we people watched outside the National Theatre, participated in a protest about discrimination, talked to a local lady who was feeding the birds about the RECESSION, hung out at La Sabana Park and while there, got a lesson from the TICO’s on how to appreciate LIFE- flying kites, fishing, picnicking, playing pick-up soccer matches, boating, chilling with the family on a blanket, strolling around the park with friends etc. Not a PlayStation in sight.

Meanwhile, we walked, and walked some more around San José, enjoyed the architecture (there really are some beautiful buildings), found a really cool butterfly garden (future video/post), ate at a local Casino’s second floor restaurant overlooking the ‘shopping’ district... and the people we observed- priceless. We took in the nightlife which could compete with any big city anywhere….. HELLOOO… Club Vertigo, El Pueblo, and of course we’ve been known to hit up a gay bar or two, like La Avispa.

Think San José is too boring for you? Don’t think there’s anything to do? ‘Immersion’ doesn’t MOVE you? Well, I got news- Boring is a REFLECTION of yourself. San José isn’t boring- but YOU may BE. You’d be surprised what you can experience when you let yourself be taken by the moment(s).

I would appreciate that any email sent in response to this post does NOT mention the word CRIME- I’m over that… I’ve traveled many places in the world, and let me just say, you wear your Bermuda shorts pulled up to your nipples with the binoc’s around your neck and I’ll wear what I do…. but seriously, I don't want to hear your whining when your camera gets stolen. My original post about crime in Costa Rica as it pertains to tourism: Costa Rica Crime- it's YOUR Fault

That said, I am NOT advising spending your entire vacation in San José at the EXPENSE of the rest of the country- that’s just STUPID… especially if you’re only in Costa Rica for a short time. Furthermore, I’m not a big proponent of the ‘day trips’, with a few exceptions- INBio Park, Lankester Gardens, the Poas Volcano area, and a few others (consult your guide book). For example, some advertise our area (La Fortuna/Arenal) as a daytrip, NOT a good recommendation and makes for a LONG day, just stay here a few nights, we have plenty to do.

Go ahead, hit up the regular stuff in San José like the museums, markets, cafés and restaurants and day trips, but then try a little ‘immersion’- really explore San José without a FUCKIN TRAVEL BOOK nailed to your hands. I swear, travel books were meant to be a TOOL, not taken as the FUCKIN Bible for God sake…. yeah, I said ‘fuckin’, ‘Bible’ and ‘God’ in the same sentence… geez…. be the author of your own travel book, you'll probably find you're a better writer anyway. Try and speak Spanish with a Tico, spend the afternoon chillin’ at La Sabana or any of the the little parks located in the heart of San José, the list is endless. The TRUTH is, sometimes the BEST entertainment is in the observation of your surroundings and I think you’d be presently surprised at the gems hidden underneath the facade of San José, that is if you can remove the veil for a moment.

So San José, I extend my deepest apologies… and maybe, just maybe we can HELP spread the NEWS about this false notion of ‘getting out of San José as soon as possible', and expose it for the ‘conditioned response’ that it IS- perpetrated by faceless entities who wouldn't know ‘entertainment’ unless it came equipped with a PLUG and a SCREEN…….. controller’s optional.

This short clip is just a 'people watching' video. We are NOT making fun of the 2 guys playing the guitar by video taping them, we truly found them quite interesting.



We have ALL your Costa Rica Travel Information at Travel Costa Rica NOW. and don't forget our Costa Rica Travel Tip Videos posted on YouTube. Hope it HELPS!

Theft on the Buses in Costa Rica

Yup, this is almost a PERFECT representation.
The bus from La Fortuna to San José was packed- pretty typical. She (a gringa from Tennessee) didn’t know she got her backpack stolen until we reached San José… actually, EVERYONE on the bus learned she got her backpack stolen… she was hysterical to say the least. Everything was in it- EVERYTHING meaning- passport, money, credit cards, family pictures, laptop, digital camera etc. What she was wearing, is what she had left. Video: Backing Up Your Travel Documents.

From what she told (everyone), her backpack was pretty big, so she didn’t want to lug it to the back of the bus and risk hitting others in the head (her words, not mine), so she opted to put it in the above rack at the front of the bus, but decided to sit in the back of the bus. You know the rest of the story. For the record, her dad sent her money via Western Union.

I won’t hammer… too much anyway, but I gotta admit, I often wonder why people don’t do a little more homework when visiting a country they’ve never been to before. Even we have numerous articles on this particular subject.

Many of the Travel Books will tell you to sit by a window in order to keep an eye on anything (oversized backpacks etc) that is placed in the underbelly of the bus since that is where most of the theft occurs, me personally, I don’t know anyone who has been ripped off in this manner, but do I have a ton of stories from people who have been ripped off from the overhead inside the bus, usually not a few feet from where they are sitting. Costa Rica Crime- it's YOUR Fault. And just a few weeks ago I wrote about a similar experience: La Fortuna to San Jose- Crime on the Bus.

Check this OUT to Remind youself of things you may have forgotten you know: Theft and You in Costa Rica.

Here's a quick VIDEO about the Do's and Don't of riding the buses around Costa Rica:



We have ALL your Costa Rica Travel Information at Travel Costa Rica NOW. and don't forget our Costa Rica Travel Tip Videos posted on YouTube. Hope it HELPS!

Do'in Costa Rica is BACK from San Jose

BACK from San Jose... and do I have Costa Rica Travel Information for YOU.

I meant to Blog, I meant to keep up, hell, we took BOTH laptops- but you know what they say about 'good intentions'.

The GOOD NEWS is, we got TONS of new stuff. Now comes the difficulty of editing, organizing, writing, re-editing, re- writing.... but I can assure you, our computers will be working overtime in the next few weeks to get this INFO to YOU.

I just gotta say, I've been known to bad mouth San Jose from time to time, comparing it to Detroit... and have questioned many of expats who have decided to relocate there, but I think I may have changed my tune a bit. Stay tuned as to WHY.

So, WE'RE back- don't forget to check back and catch some of our new TRAVEL info in and around the San Jose area- which will of course, have my perspective to DEAL with.

Do'in Costa Rica was there, but NOW we've RETURNED.

We have ALL your Costa Rica Travel Information at Travel Costa Rica NOW. and don't forget our Costa Rica Travel Tip Videos posted on YouTube. Hope it HELPS!

San José Costa Rica Market

I’ve said it a few times- not a BIG fan of San José. I’ve often wondered why gringos, on considering relocation, would ever willingly choose San José- someone or something just has to be twisting their arms. I mean come on, of ALL the potential places to live in Costa Rica- and San José wins...…Pleeease. Hell, move to Detroit if you want 'that' experience.

Actually, I DO GET IT! San José provides the security of knowing you’re in close proximity to the ‘conveniences’ you’ve come to expect, but still affords the opportunity to boast to the folks back home about the GUTS it took to make the ultimate move........Whatever!

But I love VISITING San José. Visiting San José is like having the grand kids over, or so I’m told- you know they’re eventually going to leave, so the time you do spend, is just that much more enjoyable. For us, one reason to visit San José is the plethora of gay clubs, which we like to visit from time to time. After all, we’re from Vegas, we’re PARTY people, and everyone knows the gay clubs are the best clubs, whether you're straight or gay…..seriously, they're the BEST.

But this isn’t about gay, or partying. San José is also a great place to just walk around, check out the markets, the museums, shopping districts- great places all over the city to people watch and spend the day just kick’in about and doing whatever. I highly recommend it. Bring your camera, photo ops are EVERYWHERE.

A few weeks ago, it was just that, and then we ran into this-



We have hundreds of videos about 'ANYTHING' Costa Rica at the Costa Rica Travel Channel And tons of INFO on Costa Rica, especially for travelers at: Travel Costa Rica NOW, and as always, ENjOy!

Costa Rica- What's to Like

Costa Rica chose us, we didn't choose Costa Rica. The truth is, even when I was married my wife and I were talking about downsizing. We had the house, cars, motorcycles, leather couches blah, blah, blah, and we were SO over it. It started like it usually does- drinking with friends. Complaining and whining about being caught up in society's expectations and hype of always 'needing' something and how we would gladly give it all up and live the simple life somewhere else. Of course, the next day we went to our jobs- the night before barely remembered.

But then we won that house in Fiji, opportunity seemed to be telling us something. So, wife and kids to Fiji, me, out of the closet doing the 'gay' thing, but so ready to chuck it all as well. Two years pass by, my wife was doing her thing in Fiji and D'Angelo and myself finally had the opportunity to make our move- and we did.

I love Costa Rica... and for many reasons. I think everyone knows the country is beautiful, if you don't, then well.... and that's major for me, I love the outdoors, the wildlife, the vegetation, the rain, the tranquility of it all. Sitting on a porch watching Volcan Arenal do its thing, literally, I could spend hours. The beauty of Costa Rica may be my top 5 or 6 reasons for being here, or at least staying here. Obviously, I have to mention the money factor, as it's possible to live here for about a third of the price. I also realize I don't need 'things' in my life to define me. I like that. I like our barely furnished 2 bedroom apartment. I find it refreshing gazing out our window which overlooks the park, watching Tico's take advantage of a beautiful day. Kicking around a soccer ball with their kids, enjoying a picnic lunch with friends and family, socializing, talking, enjoying each others company. Free time to a tico is family and friends time. Costa Rica is what the United States was back in the '50's and '60's. You may say that's a bad thing, but in the areas of family life and socialization, you wouldn't have an argument. Costa Ricans ARE simple people and once you leave San Jose, this is obvious. Let me put it another way- Americans are mostly stupid because they are surrounded by information and experience that should lead them, to at least, a certain 'understanding' of things, but NOOO- their refusal to open their eyes is unbelievable to me. I find this stupidity unbearable to be around, but I find 90% of people stupid so.... I know this doesn't offend, because no one thinks they're in the 90%...hehe. At least in Costa Rica there's reasons for their ignorance. Again, out of the San Jose area, and this is obvious. I'm just speaking the truth. At least here they don't really fake it. They are what they are. You know what you're getting. I like that. I think I'll stay.

If you need Costa Rica Travel Information then CHECK OUT our travel guide at: Travel Costa Rica NOW and see all our Costa Rica Travel Tip Videos on YouTube.