SEMANA SANTA • EASTER in Costa Rica - 2015

WHAT'S EASTER • SEMANA SANTA LIKE IN COSTA RICA??

WHEN IS IT CELEBRATED?

OFFICIALLY, much of the government CLOSES DOWN from Monday till Friday (2015 - March 30-April 3) and a large percent of the population get that week off while if you don't get it off, DEFINITELY starting Wednesday night (though LOTS of people and businesses cut out by noon on Wednesday - April 1, 2015).  In the PAST, OUTSIDE of beach areas, just about EVERYTHING was closed or had limited hours ON Thursday and Friday April 2-3, 2015.  I noticed in 2014 LOTS more businesses WERE OPEN that week and even some on both Thursday and Friday and LOTS LESS PEOPLE left - at least the Escazu - Central Valley area which is often literally like a Ghost Town at least that Thursday-Saturday - in the past

WHAT ALL CLOSES?

Just about everyone not dealing with tourists.  This means MOST governmental agencies and though hospitals will be open, when it comes to medical care - remember that MOST places/departments will be operating on a skeleton crew - NOT HAVE MUCH STAFF!!!! (so hopefully nothing will happen to you during that time!!)
If you're coming for Dental or Medical Tourism - come at LEAST 2 weeks before things close down as I can't say I know of many dentists/doctors working during that week (or longer).

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WHAT IS A SURE BET TO BE OPEN?

American FAST FOOD restaurants or regular sit-down restaurants (like TGIF's)
MARKETS•GROCERY STORES
(the big ones - though they often shorter hours on Thursday and Fridays)
CHINESE RESTAURANTS!!! 
(they're usually a sure bet on holidays!!)
MANY BIG TOURIST ATTRACTIONS
(like La Paz Waterfalls, the National Parks - hence it's a GOOD TIME to hit those!!)


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HOW IT IS?? 

Depends on where you are!  MANY people in the past go to the BEACH where it's INSANELY PACKED!!  Heck - some people even camp on the beaches during this time!!!  EVERYTHING there will mean a LONG WAIT - at restaurants, most tours will book WELL in advance, prices will JUMP UP BIG TIME - especially on hotels, airfares and car rentals (Christmas/New Years and Easter/Semana Santa prices can double+ that of Green/Low season!) and don't be surprised if gas prices go up a LOT (oh - they JUST did - 21¢ a liter today!!  But that happens in the U.S. also)

I LOVE this as the Central Valley is like a Ghost Town so there's SOOOO LITTLE Traffic and it's SOOOO much quieter!!  Though this year will be interesting since MANY people seem to be cutting back in their spending.

BUT - with that said, I'd bet it's safe to say about 95+% of the restaurants and businesses close - especially for that Thursday and Friday (if not the whole weekend).  Markets/grocery stores usually go on shorter hours.  EPA is usually open.

ALL banks WILL be closed Thursday and Friday.  Wednesday - most banks will close Wednesday BY 3:45pm and WILL have LONG lines.  And trust me - MANY ATM machines WILL run out of money so PLAN ACCORDINGLY!!!

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WHAT IF I DO CHOOSE TO JOIN THE MASSES AND GO TO THE BEACH???

GETTING THERE

BUS:

If you're relying on public transportation (BUSES), MANY book up sometimes weeks in advance (especially for Wednesday afternoon [when people get out of work] or Thursday morning) so do NOT wait.  Many buses bring on additional buses during other hours BUT, those often come at a higher price.

DRIVING - ROAD CLOSURES

If you're going TO the Pacific Coast - the traffic will be REALLY BAD from Saturday March 28 till at least Friday, April 3, 2015 with all the people heading for the beach to celebrate Easter • Samana Santa - one of THE BIGGEST holidays in Costa Rica!!

WARNING - ROAD CLOSURES

Coming BACK on the new MUCH FASTER AutoPistas del Sol - Highway #27 - it turns into

ONE WAY ONLY - East-BoundSaturday - March 4, 2015

AND
Sunday - March 5, 2015

 (meaning the West-bound lane from Escazu to Orotina/the Pacific - will be CLOSED from 1-8pm!!! 

ALL lanes will go East-bound
FROM the Pacific [Orotina] towards Escazu/San Jose
from 2-7pm.

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GOING AWAY - LEAVING YOUR HOUSE EMPTY

WARNING!!  WARNING!!!  WARNING!!!!

Police say HOME BREAK-INS INCREASE about 40% during this week as they know MANY people go away!!


WHAT CAN I DO TO PROTECT MY HOME FROM A BREAK-IN?
#1 - Bring someone in to House or Pet Sit for you!!!
(WHO???   I'm already booked but in the future I do Pet & House Sitting:
ME/Vicki!!   Inquire at LovingYourPetHouseSitting.com

Also, get a timer to put on a couple lights or have a friend come in and turn lights on/off and take your newspaper in - bottom line is make the house look like someone's there.  You can hire a Security Company (note that during heavy vacation time, they're busiest so they may not respond as fast.  You can purchase a Security Camera.  But if you don't have the money for either of those, you can buy a "Simulated" Security Camera to put outside in an obvious place.  I had one at my place on Calle Vieja where I lived - NO gate, NO guard, NO alarm - just my sensor lights and the fake camera (you can find them around Costa Rica at Radio Shack - http://RadioShack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2049770 - [they're more expensive in Costa Rica]).  You can use a Guard Dog, but I've KNOWN people that were Home Invasioned and the banditos just fed or poisoned the dog(s) and many didn't even bark.  To say nothing of what these barking dogs do to your neighbors life/sanity.

VICKI'S SAFETY HINTS (for just going out for the evening) is I leave a light on in the living room and leave the tv on - on a channel in Spanish.  If I have a taxi picking me up - as I'm leaving I yell back into the house (like someone was there - even though I live alone) "Ok honey - I'll see you in a couple days!  Love you!!!" as I'm getting into the taxi. I have NOTHING valuable in my home.  I leave it in a Safety Deposit Box at the bank.

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WHAT CAN I DO IF I DON'T WANT TO GO TO WITH THE MASSES TO THE BEACH???

Malls (and many of the stores in them) and movie theatres are usually open.  This is a GREAT time to do some of the tourist things AWAY FROM THE BEACH that you've been wanting to do around the country like La Paz Waterfall Gardens - http://WaterFallGardens.com  or MY FAV - you MUST check out the VIP Movie Theatre (or their GIANT screen iMax Theatre) at Nova Cinema in Escazu  http://NovaCinemas.cr/cartelera.php - a MUST do in your life time!!  The VIP theatre has it's own VIP Lounge with a full bar and serving panini's, carmel corn, sushi++ - then you go into the theatre and sit in BIG COMFY leather electric recliners (that practically go back into sleeping position) and while you're watching the movie, waiters come around and SERVE YOU!!!!  And it's JUST 5,000-colones - $10!!!!  (in the U.S. this would be $20-$40!!!).

http://LivingLifeInCostaRica.blogspot.com/2012/02/nova-cinemas-vip-and-imax-movie.html
MANY things are closed ESPECIALLY ON Good Friday - April 6.

HOW WILL I GET AROUND

WARNING!!!  In the past MANY bus lines did NOT operate on Thursday and Friday - or at least will have VERY LIMITED service.  Also, MOST TAXI drivers I know will NOT be working from Thursday to Sunday for sure but many go on vacation the WHOLE week so don't count on relying on them.  Get your local taxi company number and make an appointment ahead of time (well, not if you're going close by).

(I DO know that Jorge is working.  He's one of my main legal red taxi's who speaks pretty good English and is VERY Customer Service oriented - 8-629-9824 is he new #).

WHERE CAN I EAT?

Well, sadly and Goddess-forbid, the safest bet are Americana/gringo establishments like McDonald's, Pizza Hut, probably TGIFridays, Tony Romas, Hooters, Taco Bell, Subway, Quiznos, KFC and the like.  Plus there's always grocery stores (though they WILL have limited hours on Thursday and Friday)!!

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FOOD OF THE SEMANA SANTA PERIOD

Traditional foods often consumed during Samana Santa in Costa Rica:
Anything with Fish, Ceviche, canned Tuna and Sardines, 
Chiverre
(eaten especially ON that Thursday and Friday),
Encurtido
(onion, carrot, cauliflower, cucumber and vinegar)
Candy made from Chiverre and Encurtido, Bread•Pan (many traditional families make their own bread so they can eat “Pan Casero" with Sweet and Condensed Milk or homemade bread).

HUGELY popular during Samana Santa are these bitter white flowers

Flor de Itebo

that Tico's like to add to their scrambled eggs.  I've only had it cooked mixed with other vegetables.

The beverages are all supposed to be natural juices, no sodas.

The consumption of alcohol is NOT frowned upon. After all Jesus "turned water into wine." Traditional Catholics have fasting and abstinence obligations during the 40 days of Lent preceding Easter. That is why fish is favored over meats.

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The BAN On the Sale of Liquor ("Ley Seco" = Dry Law) is STILL IN EFFECT - in SOME MUNICIPALITIES in Costa Rica!!

MORE ON THIS DRY LAW at:
LivingLifeInCostaRica.blogspot.com/2015/03/DryLawSamanaSantaCR.html

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WHY IS THURSDAY AND FRIDAY WAYYYYY MORE "CELEBRATED" AND NOT MUCH FOR EASTER SUNDAY?

According to one of my friends that's in seminary now,

Costa Rican's seem to take these 2 Holy days 

Maundy Jueves • Holy Thursday

and
Good Friday

quite seriously (well - at least in MOST businesses) - practically shutting down towns not relying on the tourist $$!!!  FEW Tico's I know do anything special on Easter Sunday (the Resurrection) other than go to church.  Go figure!!!

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TRAVELING AROUND COSTA RICA DURING THIS TIME:

WARNING - don't EVEN think of driving FROM the beach East-bound especially that Wednesday (April 4) and Thursday (April 5) - or back FROM the beach on Sunday (April 8) and possibly some other days or parts of days in between) as some roads are CLOSED to traffic NOT going in the direction of the masses.  Either way - you'll be in TRAFFIC for HOURS - or worse if there's an accident!!

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WARNING!!!  WARNING!!!  WARNING!!! 

BORDER RUNS • CROSSINGS DURING THIS TIME:

There are 2 times a year that NO WAY IN HELL will you catch me crossing ANY border because the border crossing can LITERALLY take 3-5 HOURS - and that means STANDING IN THE HOT HOT HOT SUN during that time!!!!

#1 is during Easter - Semana Santa.  THE BUSIEST days are:

EXITING COSTA RICA • ENTERING NICARAGUAWednesday, Thursday
EXITING NICARAGUA • ENTERING COSTA RICA
Saturday and Sunday

MOST buses book up with reservations WEEKS in advance but they add on more buses (usually for a higher price for those).  MANY people (especially government workers) get the WHOLE week off so it will start to get busy Friday - March 27 and Saturday - March 28.  PLUS the roads will be busier so the ride will be longer (if you're taking the budget bus - Deldu - which has NO Air-conditioning and this is some of the HOTTEST TIMES of the YEAR - well - keep that in mind!!!).

Bottom line - you might want to SERIOUSLY STAY AWAY from crossing the borders now - ESPECIALLY going into Nicaragua before Easter•Samana Santa & even more so - re-entering Costa Rica that Saturday before Easter or ON Easter Sunday as those are the 2 WORST DAYS!!!

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Don't have Residency in Costa Rica and plan on going to Nicaragua around Samana Santa???
When you're ENTERING Costa Rica - MAKE SURE YOU HAVE PROOF THAT YOU ARE LEAVING COSTA RICA WITHIN 90 DAYS!!!

Proof is a bus or airline ticket WITH A DATE ON IT!!!!!!!!!
An open-ended ticket is proof you are leaving Costa Rica within 365 days which is NOT proof you're leaving within 90 days is it???
(think about that peeps!!!  Use that LOGIC you were born with [I slam on this because MANY people still do this and then go bitch when they have a problem!!])
Otherwise you run the RISK of getting a Tourist Visa Stamp for less than 90 days or even refused you re-entry!!!!!!!

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BORDER CLOSED EARLY ON THURSDAY and FRIDAY - April 2 and 3, 2015!!

In observation of Holy Thursday and Good Friday - the border will be CLOSING at 6pm 

(vs the usual midnight).

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What does that mean for WORKERS 
that MUST WORK THURSDAY and FRIDAY?

Bottom line - they get DOUBLE PAY!!! (and if you think you can get away with it - just wait till the day you let them go/they quit and watch it come back up!!  Potentially WITH some fines if it's a nasty/"official" separation!!!  It's amazing how even someone that can't write their name WILL know their rights to the last "." EVEN if they're "illegal"!!)

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DRIVING RESTRICTIONS IN SAN JOSE??

VEHICLE restrictions will be 
SUSPENDED
Monday-Friday
March 30 till April 3, 2015

BUT

Heavy TRUCK rules WILL REMAIN IN PLACE - EVEN on Easter Sunday

(sorry - I don't know the details on that).

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GETTING TO THE CENTRAL PACIFIC BEACHES
VIA PEOPLE•CAR FERRY IN PUNTARENAS

The pier in Puntarenas suffered some damage a few weeks ago and has been under repair.  They resume on Sunday, March 29 - plus they will be adding additional trips throughout Semana Santa.
Leaving Puntarenas dock at:
6:30am, 10am, 2:30pm and 7:30pm
Playa Naranjo
8am, 12:30pm, 5:30pm and 9pm

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PROCESSIONS and BURNING OF JUDAS

A less aggressive tradition of Semana Santa is the custom of processions. The Catedral Metropolitana will hold many processions from its location at Parque Central beginning Sunday March 29, 2015. Similar events are held all over the country.  These are somber events.

A booklet with the schedule for Semana Santa en San José is available at the cathedral for free. Inside are the dates and times for each procession along with their proper name and a description of the event.

There's also the at times QUITE AGGRESSIVE "Burning of Judas" / Quema de Judas.

The Quema de Judas is where an effigy of Judas is made and hung on Good Friday. Then on SATURDAY NIGHT - the effigy is lit on fire and burned. This is an opportunity to get even with Judas since he was a traitor to the Maestro, said Carlos Arauz, a Costa Rica customs and traditions expert.

According to the Bible, Judas was the apostle who sold out Christ for silver coins. Others have said the burning of Judas is a way for Christians to let all their sins wild and in symbol burn with Judas, and then confess for Easter. This cleanses and allows them to be reborn just like Jesus.

WARNING!!
SATURDAY NIGHT is when hellions (FOOLS) come up to do the Burning of Judas which can get nasty/out of hand sometimes (like a protest gone wrong if alcohol is involved)

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CATHOLICS AND CONFESSION:

It seems like “Almost everybody confesses before Easter,” said Arauz. The Catedral Metropolitana will have 100 priests working toward the end of the week to handle the crowd.

http://AMCostaRica.com/032912.htm

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Produce donation is new tradition for Semana Santa
(from AMCostaRica.com)

By http://AMCostaRica.com There is a new Semana Santa tradition in Costa Rica in which vendors of food products donate a symbolic amount to the Roman Catholic Church. Then the produce is distributed to homes for children. Many of the public markets in the Central Valley have religious paintings of statues, and there are frequent services among those who rent stalls there. The Mercado Central, the Mercado Borbón and the Mercado Coca Cola were all represented at Parque Central Wednesday. The park is just west of the Catedral Metropolitana. Archbishop Hugo Barrantes was there to bestow his blessings on the vendors and the products they brought. This was just one of the activities for Semana Santa. This is a big week for the faithful and priests. There are three Masses at the cathedral today, at 8:15 a.m., at 9 a.m. and at 6 p.m. Then at 7:30 p.m. begins the first of several processions commemorating the suffering and death of Jesus Christ. The procession tonight is called  Jesús atado a la columna or “Jesus Tied to the Column.” This is based on the biblical account of Christ being whipped by soldiers before his trial the following day. The procession is through the downtown area from the cathedral to the Iglesia El Carmen. Friday the first procession begins at 10 a.m. marking the story of Christ being forced to carry his cross to the hill where he was executed. It is called	A.M. Costa Rica/Shahrazad Encinias Vela There'll be no reprieve for this rooster. in Spanish Jesús Nazareno cargando la cruz camino al Calvario.Then at 5 p.m. the procession representing the funeral of Christ begins at the cathedral at 5:30 p.m. where marchers are joined by a column from the Iglesia La Soledad. There are hundreds of persons involved. There is another procession Saturday at 4 p.m. from La Soledad on Calle 9 to the cathedral with Mass at 7 p.m. The Easter procession is at 10 a.m. Sunday from the Iglesia La Merced at the west end of Avenida 2 to the cathedral for a Mass of Resurrection at 10:30 a.m. Each of these processions are highly photogenic, and well attended by not only the faithful but tourists. Similar events will take place all over the country.

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Do YOU have anything to add to this???  

Do you know of any NON-beach area restaurant or business open that Thursday and Friday?? 

Please get me the info (and ideally their website or Facebook Page) and I'll add them onto this list!!

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LivingLifeInCostaRica.blogspot.com/2012/03/easter-samana-santa-in-costa-rica-no.html

.1945  -  3/25/15  (4/23 = 2387)