Blooms at Barons - Our Life in Costa Rica Yr #3

On Tuesday we had our monthly womens meeting in Atenas at the beautiful Barons Resort. 

Atenas is the capital city of the canton of Atenas in the province of Alajuela in Costa Rica. 

I think in miles Atenas is only about 12 miles from Grecia but as is quite the norm in Costa Rica you follow a rather circuitous route to get there which doubles the mileage. A beautiful drive nonetheless. 

I have some video and more info to share with you re the resort.

It wins my stamp of approval!!!

I highly recommend it for folks looking for a beautiful place to stay in the Central Valley!!

If you have questions you can contact them directly at +506 7202 7156 and 

from the US 213-973-1173 

You can check out the resort below

Another Beautiful Resort in the CR Central Valley from Devon on Vimeo.

Welcome to Cahuita, Costa Rica - Our Life in Costa Rica Yr #3

 The Magellan Boutique Hotel - Cahuita Costa Rica

Really enjoyed the hotel with it's picturesque setting and would definitely recommend it.  Sunny - the owner -  is an expat from the US. She purchased the hotel and renovated it (almost a complete re-do). She lives on the property with her 10 yr old son. There is a also a pool and yoga studio on the property. 

They serve a delicious breakfast! There are 6 rooms w/air conditioning.

(One hotel was not big enough for our entire group so the rest of the group stayed nearby at the Caribbean Coconut - more on that hotel in a separate post) 

and just what are we all looking at?

 This little lady - a female sloth  - one of 2 living at the Magellan Boutique Hotel

We also met 2 very interesting ladies (Stacey & Chyrel) from the states who were on a Costa Rica due diligence mission! 

They joined up with our group at the Gecko Cafe & Grill. 

Once we had lunch and were all checked into our rooms   

we were just relaxing on the patio outside 

and we got to talking...

Stacey & Chyrel owners of 

Sacred Naturals

See additional pics of the hotel grounds and learn the history of Sacred Naturals in our interview 

with Stacey & Chyrel below

(we already have a list of things we want to order!!) 

Sacred Naturals Interview from Devon on Vimeo.

Our Plans to Attend the Calypso Festival (Update) - Our Life in Costa Rica Yr #3

We love the Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica, and we try to get over there as often as we can - which usually turns out to be -- once a year. This year we planned to attend the 5th Annual International Calypso Festival. 

La Terraza Travel put together an exciting 2 day, 2 night package which was to begin this past Saturday. 

We awoke on Saturday morning to a light rain in Grecia, but it had rained very heavily the night before. The weather alerts called it a tropical storm front. At any rate, all 14 of the participants arrived at our pick up point in Grecia, on time - bright and early - at 7:00am.

We enjoy meeting new people and we were looking forward to hanging out with some of the new folks (we had not met at least 6 of the people going). Once we arrived we heard the news about the flooding that had occurred on the Caribbean.

Ruta 32 between San Jose and Limon is closed after heavy rains battered the area on Friday night.

Once we came to terms with the fact that we wouldn't be going anywhere close to the festival that day, we regrouped and made a new plan. Our van transportation was already paid for so we would reschedule the trip. The hotel agreed to honor our reservations and allow us to change our date to 8/4.

With the new trip plans in place, several in the group decided to meet at our house for margaritas in the afternoon and later in the evening have dinner at one of my favorite restaurants, La Casa de Miguel. This trip was also a special occasion for Ernest & Elise who were visiting from North Carolina and were married in Costa Rica last year.

They had returned to celebrate their One Year Anniversary!!

Here's a little bit of our day in video

International Calypso Festival - First Try from Devon on Vimeo.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Check traffic congestion before you head to the airport or make a trip to the beach.

There are some stretches on a number of Costa Rican roads that have no cell service which means they are effectively invisible to WAZE traffic updates.

There could be 500 cars sitting perfectly still on the Guapiles Highway in the mountains of Braulio Carrillo and WAZE would show no problem because none of the phones have signal to update WAZE. 

More Adventures in San Jose - Our Life in Costa Rica Yr #3

Más Aventuras en San José

We officially completed 2 years in Costa Rica on June 1st so we are beginning our 3rd year but we like to celebrate our CR anniversaries on July 4th. We call it our "Independence Day" -- independence from the USA that is! 

This might also be a good time to remind you to get your passports - if you already have one, make sure it's current. Things are getting kind of crazy!! Nuff said!

So on July 4th we took the bus from Grecia to San Jose to catch a live jazz performance by our expat friend Bertie (I wrote about Bertie recently). Since the show did not start until 9:30 pm and the last bus back to Grecia is around 10, we decided to spend the night in San Jose.

The performance was at El Sótano. El Sótano is named for its cellar jazz club, where people crowd in for frequent performances including intimate jam sessions. Upstairs, a cluster of elegant high-ceilinged rooms in the same mansion have been converted into a gallery space, a stage, and a dance floor where an eclectic mix of groups play live gigs.

outside

We also arranged to meet up with another expat family (we had not met them before). Originally from Los Angeles, they have been in Costa Rica for 1 year and live near Escazú.

Eldred, Dee and their son Eldridge who was visiting from the US

We really enjoyed the show. The admission price was $5 mil colones (or about  $8.80 USD) There were 3 different groups performing. They have a restaurant (no complaints about the food, very tasty complete with vegan options for those interested) and a nice bar (but no chardonnay 😒 ) I have decided that their chiliguaro shots are now my fave!! 

In case you have never heard of the Costa Rica Chiliguaro - it is a shot of guaro, which is Costa Rica’s national firewater, (guaro is sort of the "poor man's drink" and is made from left over sugar cane). The Chiliguaro is guaro mixed with tomato juice, any kind of hot sauce – think tabasco or something like that – and lime juice. It has a warm feeling going down and a kick! They actually go down pretty easy, maybe a bit too easy. I had two! (please do not confuse the Chiliguaro with a Bloody Mary). I am not fond of Bloody Mary's and they do not taste the same! 

If you are in Costa Rica, give the Chiliguaro a try. I think every bar in Costa Rica offers them. 

El Sótano is a really cool place. It reminded us of clubs in Greenwich Village NYC back in the day, or if you are from the Bay Area, think Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society. We will definitely be going back!

Bertie was up first. She has an amazing voice!

2nd up were these guys! They were very good as well. 

Since we couldn't get back to Grecia, we stayed at the lovely Radisson Hotel (yes membership does have it's privileges!!). We booked a room on an upper executive floor (card entry only) - The room was very nice - premium king size bed with sleep number. Complimentary happy hour on our floor - with all liquor and NO WINE! Breakfast was included. They have a pool and gym as well. All for $122/night. I thought that was a great deal.

The hotel was only about 5 blocks from the club so that made it even better.

We got caught in the rain - well...it IS the rainy season!

The Radisson in San Jose was a very nice Hotel but just so you know, NOTHING can come close to my experience at the Radisson Blu in Dakar Senegal! I don't know, maybe it's because it was in Africa? No, that's not it -- but at any rate, to this day the Radisson Blu is my number 1 favorite hotel of all time!!

Lobby Radisson San Jose, Costa Rica

I am also putting together a video of our time in San Jose complete with the music from the show. If you are interested stay tuned for the post, coming up in a day or 2.

New B&B in Grecia - Our Life in Costa Rica Yr #2

Hi folks - Posting video of a new B&B project in Grecia that I visited the other day. Marta Mata has a beautiful property in Grecia Central. She has been renting out space for events but has decided to open her home and share her lovely space with visitors.

In case you missed my Facebook post - here it is below

A new family has ESCAPED from the states and landed in Grecia last week! Congrats!! As they were getting all settled in, they were told of a new B&B which is just getting started in Grecia Central. As a matter of fact, they are the 1st guests. Big welcome to Fran and family!!!
The B&B is a new project Marta is adding as it is already available for social events. Marta is a joy to be around. The property is gorgeous with very nice views (remember views are something you don't usually see in town) Prices are very good as well. The rooms are being refurbished. If you are interested in hosting an event or reserving a room.

please contact Marta at

marta1506@gmail.com

or call (506) 8833-1488

Here is the video

Casa Nostra from Devon on Vimeo.

Need a Cute Temporary Rental in Grecia? - Our Life in Costa Rica Yr#2

Seems like everyone is coming to Costa Rica in April!

I've had many, many people contacting me about visiting in April and most of them are undecided about where exactly to stay. Finding a rental can be tricky, especially if you have never been here before. So, if you are considering the Grecia area, I am here to help you as much as I can.

I've been looking at different housing options in Grecia and I have researched 3 that I am going to post (hopefully) over the next week. I am posting only lodging that I have personally seen, or in a pinch, I will take the word of a reliable source.

For anyone coming to visit us. 

Today's video features a very nice studio apartment (with the best views ever!) and it is right up the road from us -- and next to the bus stop we use. It can't get any better than that!!

The home is owned by expats Ron & Sandra Gandy from FL. We walked up there yesterday and met them. They are very nice. Their home is beautiful!! The furnished studio apt (with it's own private entrance) is situated on the top floor with a balcony overlooking one of the best views I've seen on this ridge. The furnishings are very tastefully done and the apt is decorated to US sensibilities (this can be important - especially to 1st time visitors)

The studio rents for less than $50/night in the HIGH season!

Here's our video.

BTW - if you are walking - the hill is sort of steep but not as bad as it looks and not as bad as the hill we walk to get to the bus stop- Just Sayin! LOL The bus stop is right at the foot of their hill. The only thing about the hill, is that it is sort of slippery due to gravel. Other than that, not that bad.

Hidden Gem in San Luis de Grecia from Devon on Vimeo.

Come to Grecia for the Healthy LifeStyle - Our Life in Costa Rica Yr #2

Today, hundreds of doctors and medical researchers worldwide are investigating electro medicine as both an effective alternative to traditional methods of treatment and an avenue for discovering new possibilities for treating conditions such as spinal cord injury, muscular restoration, nerve regeneration, brain stimulation, bladder disorders, heart disease, tumors, and other chronic catastrophic diseases and disorders.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to have this treatment done at La Terraza.

... a revolutionary new electronic machine, distinct in that it is based on the concept that the biophysics underlying the body's biochemistry also plays a significant role in regulating all of life's health processes. 

This is the ONLY machine of it's kind in Costa Rica.

see video below for more information

Do you want to know a secret? from Devon on Vimeo.

Experience the feeling
of true energetic and harmonic health
with Photon Genie

For information or to reserve your spot

contact La Terraza @ 

Email: Laterrazabb@gmail.com

Phone: 877- 298-7439

Panama Jammin 6 - Bocas del Toro

We Made It!

Our final stop on the Panama Jammin tour included 2 nights in Bocas del Toro, which is just enough time to get the feel of the place but nowhere near long enough to explore all that Bocas offers. 

Bocas del Toro is located on the northern Caribbean coast of Panama. It is a magical destination! Extending from the mainland cloud forest mountains to the tropical island chains, Bocas del Toro is considered Panama's top travel destination. 

The archipelago has 9 main islands, 52 cays, and thousands of islets. Home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Panama's first National Marine Park, Bocas del Toro has also become one of Panama's most visited eco-tourism destinations. Considered the 'Galapagos of the Caribbean' Bocas del Toro is also one of the most biologically diverse places on earth.

Water taxis are available to take you from island to island but we were not there long enough to do much island hopping. One of the islands I really wanted to visit was Bastimentos (Often considered the more relaxed alternative to the busy streets and bars of Bocas del Toro and only 10 minutes away by water taxi) 

Next time!!

Our hotel (pretty self contained) was conveniently located for water taxi service but a bit far from town for walking.

The beautiful, clear water of the Caribbean!
You can rent these cabinas

 You could see the bottom which makes it an excellent location for snorkeling.
Nothing more beautiful than the beautiful turquoise water of the Caribbean
why is that?

We will be making a return to Bocas del Toro!!

Lots of shops and restaurants

As usual I was out scouting the town (aka shopping) for art and locally made crafts. I purchased the painting above (to date, still unframed) from one of the Bocas street artists. We were in such a rush that I forgot to take her photo. When we return I plan to look her up and get some information about her work along with a photo.

Our day in Bocas - Video Below

Panama Jammin 6 - Bocas del Toro from Devon on Vimeo.

As you will see in the video, we decided on a dolphin watching excursion.

In Bocas del Toro, there is a resident population of bottlenose dolphins estimated between 100 to 150 animals. Half of these animals are believed to be year-round residents. Many of the dolphins are in Bocastorito Bay also known as Dolphin Bay. This is where most of the dolphin-watching activities concentrate. The bay is an important nursing ground for mothers and their calves. It is also a important habitat for feeding and social activities.

Panama Jammin #3 - BEAUTIFUL Boquete, Panama

We made it to Boquete and we wanted to stay!! 

Our bus pulled into Boquete on day #2 at about 5pm. We had planned to meet with Bernie (a friend of a friend) who was going to give us some background about Boquete and explain some facts about Panama's popular retirement /pensionado program. We arrived a little late so the meeting was rescheduled for the following morning at 8am.

We were a bit tired from riding anyway so we checked into our rooms at The Haven (LOVED💜 the hotel and the rooms - highly recommend) and made our way to an upscale restaurant for dinner. (I have forgotten the name of the restaurant but it was VERY nice as well -- they even had California Chardonnay!) 

Early the next morning we all attended the relocation meeting at the hotel. Some of us were able to go with Bernie (due to space available in his vehicle) on a guided tour of Boquete.

and some of us......well...

Following the Panama relocation meeting, some of the Panama Jammers decided to hike THREE HOURS to a nearby waterfall 

Rod, Diana and volunteer taxi driver

Boquete Panama (pop 6,000) is small town located on the Caldera River at an elevation of 3,900 ft in the western-most Province of Chiriquí, about 60 kilometres (37 mi) from the border with Costa Rica. The surrounding Chiriquí Highlands are home to coffee plantations and the Barú Volcano National Park.

Boquete is only 40 minutes from David (Panama's 3rd largest city). It is also only about an hour from the beach. Boquete has basic necessities but most people make the trip to David for more extensive shopping (they have all the major stores, popular US restaurants and a BIG mall).

We rode to David in one of the local buses (a clean & comfortable chicken bus) which had a tricked-out interior & dashboard.

About 30 minutes into the hike they encountered the broken bridge

Boquete is one of Panama's Top Expat Havens

The climate in Boquete is cooler than that of the lowlands (no heat or air required). It's scenic location, temperature (daytime temps in the 70's and 80's with cooler nights), and natural environment make it popular with Panamanians and attracts tourists and retirees from all over the world. (It's proximity to Costa Rica also makes it a popular destination for Costa Rica expats making their 90 day Visa Runs)  The expat population of Boquete is somewhere between 3,000 - 5,000, depending on "who" you talk to. International Living has been responsible for bringing many expats to Boquete.

The Jammers called a taxi to take them to the falls and by the time they arrived

 the driver had decided to hike with them. 

when you don't have proper hiking shoes and you hike on muddy trails -- some covered with streams 

you return with shoes that look like this!

We liked Boquete so much that we added an extra day to our trip so that we would have more time there. There were several Jammers that were still undecided as to where they wanted to settle down for retirement. This would give us all a chance to explore more of the area and hopefully see some houses (house tour in next video). 

Our guided tour with Bernie through beautiful Boquete was spectacular and even made a few of us who have settled in Costa Rica reconsider exactly WHERE we wanted to live!

Check out the tour below

*Note - If you are considering moving to Panama, the Panama Jammin Tour is a great way to do your due diligence for Panama 

Panama Jammin 3 - Beautiful Boquete, Panama from Devon on Vimeo.

Panama Jammin 2 - Manuel Antonio

Panama Jammin Continued - Day #1

We last left you in the early afternoon of day 1. We were waiting along the roadside for a taxi to transport us to our hotel.

Within 15 minutes a red taxi van arrived, we loaded everything inside and headed up the narrow hillside to the Hotel California, Manuel Antonio. If you come to Costa Rica you will not want to miss seeing Manuel Antonio with it's national park, wildlife, beautiful beaches, outdoor activities, restaurants and fabulous hotels!

Pink Champagne on Ice!

It was just about check in time when we arrived and we were all very happy that our rooms were ready for us. The hotel was very nice, perched on the beautiful jungle hillside with a super spectacular ocean view!! 

We had just enough time to drop off our luggage and rest a few minutes before we headed off again to meet our friend Vernita for a sunset dinner at Barba Rojas. The restaurant is the best around for sunsets, offers a 2 for 1 hamburger special for expats (in by 6pm) and has LIVE music! 

We made it just in time for happy hour! The food was good and we enjoyed meeting Vernita (who came over earlier to lend-a-hand as we were waiting on the side of the road for our taxi and who also suggested the restaurant). The music was rockin and also the highlight of our day!! (the band was composed of several US expats). 

What an enjoyable evening!

Thank you Vernita!! BTW if you have not yet seen the story of her journey to Costa Rica - click the link - it is well worth watching!).

Tired from many hours on the road, we spent a peaceful night at the hotel, hopped up early the next morning for food (breakfast was included) and headed for the border - but not before a quick stop at the beach!

Check out our day in the video below and come back for our next stop  --  

Boquete Panama!!

Panama Jammin - Manuel Antonio from Devon on Vimeo.

Escape from the Hotel California - Our Life in Costa Rica Yr #2

Panama Jammin!

1st stop

Had to share this video for those of you who are not on Facebook.

No pink champagne on ice but...we escaped!

check out the dancers!

Escape from the Hotel California from Devon on Vimeo.

In the land of the Boruca - Our Life in Costa Rica

Costa Rica hosted their 6th Annual Blues Festival on Feb 18 in Playa Potrero, Guanacaste Costa Rica.

There was a group of 13 of us from our little town of Grecia that made the 4 1/2 hour trek to the event.
Larry & Deborah (our good friends from the adjacent ridge) drove Lavanson & me up to Guanacaste. It was our first time going. We had heard a lot about the area, and it was originally on our short list of "possible locations". (Guanacaste, is a province in northwestern Costa Rica bordering the Pacific, it is known for its beaches and biodiverse parkland) We ruled it out due to the very HOT weather. The area also has the least amount of rain in the country. 

Our 1st stop was to Villas Sol in Playa Hermosa (we LOVE this place so will report more later) for a couple of days to hang out with some folks who were visiting from the states and then we would journey onward to Playa Potrero to meet up with the rest of the group from Grecia for the Blues Festival.

My most prized possession from this trip... <3 <3 <3

We visited an art gallery in Playa del Coco run by a family of Borucan artists. I picked up an authentic Boruca mask (with certificate to prove it)

The Boruca (also known as the Brunca or the Brunka) are an indigenous people living in Costa Rica. The tribe has about 2,660 members, most of whom live on a reservation in the Puntarenas Province in southwestern Costa Rica, a few miles away from the Pan-American Highway where it follows the Rio Terraba. The ancestors of the modern Boruca made up a group of chiefdoms that ruled most of Costa Rica's Pacific coast, from Quepos to what is now the Panamanian border, including the Osa Peninsula. Boruca traditionally spoke the Boruca language, which is now nearly extinct.

This is Grace. She is married to one of the Boruca artists

The gallery shares space with a restaurant. 

We were in the gallery for a little over an hour. While we were there many people came in and bought artwork (I also bought a leather wrist band). We left to take a walk on the beach to get some ice cream but returned for lunch about an hour later.

The wall was almost empty and there was only 1 mask left!

The historic, Casco Viejo - Our Panama Visit Day 2

Ken & Ife Grady (Black Expats Exploring Panama)

One of the biggest perks for me when traveling, is meeting people. Meeting native people is a joy and also very helpful because it gives us an opportunity to see the location through the eyes of someone who lives there and you have the opportunity to discover places off the beaten (tourist) path. As we travel through Latin America that will not always be the case due to the language barrier, but in that situation, meeting a couple of US expats is the perfect solution! You can now get the perspective of what it's like to be a US American living abroad. 

For us, that is exactly what happened on our recent trip to Panama. We met up with Ife & Ken Grady. They have been in the Panama City area for about 6 yrs (I think that's how long) They are happily living life there and loving it! 

Ken and Ife have a website called Black Expats Exploring Panama and also do tours. If you are in the area please give them a call. 

The couple was nice enough to meet us in Casco Viejo and take us around and give us a mini tour of the area. We sat down over lunch to chat about life in Panama. One of the things we discussed was the cost of living. And, yes it's true, It is much cheaper to live there. Their rent is $200 a month less than ours (for a comparable property), their electricity bill runs $16 while ours is $140 - $160. Also the government subsidizes the (propane) gas for its residents. They pay $6 for a can that lasts 2-3 months. We pay $14 for a can that lasts 3 wks. The list goes on. I will post a more in depth comparison in my Panama wrap up.

For now, back to Casco Viejo

The Casco, the southwestern tip of Panama City, overlooks the Pacific entrance to the canal, where huge container ships hover. It’s just three avenues wide and nobody uses addresses. Architecturally encyclopedic, designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997.

Along with stylish hotels and apartments they’re building affordable housing, a travel agency, a bakery, restaurants, artists’ residences, a hostel, and a community center. Their hotels employ mostly neighborhood people trained by a local foundation. There are several US expats who own property and businesses in Casco. 

Reminds me a lot of La Antigua, Guatemala except Casco Viejo is only in the beginning stages although real estate prices have been going up steadily - Cha Ching!

Ken Grady

Ken & Ife also introduced us to (US expat) Alyce Sherman, she and her husband Rich are the owners of a cute boutique hotel called Casa Sucre. They bought the property when on vacation in Panama. We got a personal tour of the inside and an explanation of their intricate and detailed remodel project due to the building's Unesco classification.  Alyce was very kind to give me an original floor tile. The building was renovated in 1873 but the hand painted tile is much older (see video below) 

"Located in the historic Casco Viejo neighborhood of San Felipe, Panama, Casa Sucre Boutique Hotel and Coffeehouse is a renovated 1873 Spanish Colonial home with five bedrooms and three apartments for those visiting our historic city.  Incorporated into the historic building is a 1,000 square foot coffeehouse featuring the coffees of the Boquete region of Panama.    At Casa Sucre Coffeehouse we feature fresh roasted coffees from the major fincas (farms) in Panama such as Finca Lerida, Pomona Estate, Cafe de la Luna, Hartmann Farms, Hacienda Fennarrio, and Bajareque Coffee to name a few of the many specialty coffees of Panama.The building which houses the boutique hotel and coffeehouse was built in 1873 and goes by the historic name of Casa Sucre. "Sucre" is the French word for sugar or candy (sucrerie)"

Calle 8 y Ave. B Casco Viejo​www.facebook.com/cscoffeehouseCasaSucreCoffeehouse@gmail.com(507) 698-22504 or (507)393-6130

It is a lovely hotel. You just might want to see if you can reserve a room there, if you get to Panama City! I had no luck when I tried, but will try again in the future. It will be worth it!

Ife Grady, Alyce Sherman (owner) and me @ Casa Sucre

Casco Viejo - Panama Day 2
Email Subscribers click the link below or view on the site

Casco Viejo, Panama Day 2 from Devon on Vimeo.