Last chance to send in FATCA Reform Letter

We are pleased to report that after 2 days our FATCA grassroots campaign has yielded an excellent response! We asked you to message members of Congress asking them to sign the Congressional letter to the Treasury Secretary and IRS Commissioner in support of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) Same Country Safe Harbor reform.
More than 3,000 of you have participated!  Nearly 10,000 messages have been sent to your Representatives and Senators asking them to sign the letter and throw their support behind this common sense reform to provide relief to Americans abroad from the burden of FATCA reporting.

TIRES • Llantas - Where to find Llantas • TIRES in Costa Rica - Best Selection • Cheapest Prices & Where & When to Find out about the SALES!!

In this post I share a list of places to find TIRES around Costa Rica - along with where & when to find out about the sales & other hints about finding tires in Costa Rica so you're not wasting time going on a wild goose chase!!!

RIDESHARES • RIDE SHARE • CARPOOLING • CARPOOL • SEEKING A RIDE • HITCH HIKING & Getting around by BUS - around Costa Rica

 

(photo from an interesting article on this topic at:
 InTelematicsToday.com/2010/03/02/social-networking-and-phone-apps-enable-smarter-carpooling)

With gasoline in Costa Rica at nearly $6 a gallon - many people might be seeking a cheaper way to get around. 

RIDE SHARE - aka RIDESHARE • CARPOOLING

can be a cool option and LOTS cheaper

(PLEASE people - don't be a cheapo - CONTRIBUTE towards gas, parking and wear and tear!!!  Do YOU remember how expensive owning a car was???)

I've started to created a list of resources for various RIDE SHARE (aka RIDESHARE • CARPOOLING) around Costa Rica!

I'M SEEKING A CHEAP (or DONATION•GIFT to show your appreciation for what I do with sharing this blog with you) USED SMART PHONE &/or APPLE

Does anyone have a "Smart Phone" they're not using??
My  Samsung & 2 previous iPhones died & all I have is a VERY BASIC NOT so smart phone & I ideally could use a used Smart Phone where I can get a plan where I can be my own Hot Spot. So I guess it needs to be an iPhone 4S? or more or a Samsung or ___??

OR an Apple•Mac Laptop (MUST have a slot for an SD card) you're not using as mine is on it's last legs & both are CRUCIAL to getting this blog & other things out there!!

Anyone have one they're not using - REALLY cheap or to DONATE to "the cause"
(my MANY free Information & photo sites to help make your life in Costa Rica easier - like:
LivingLifeInCostaRica.blogspot.com

or trade for some Tourism Marketing or Facebook Marketing help??)

I'm back in Escazu but there's always the mail or having someone bring it.
Email me at
LivingLifeInCostaRica@gmail.com

THANX for considering it!!!



Vicki Skinner

CINEMAS • MOVIE THEATERS / CINE's in Costa Rica

(one of the AWESOME plush oversized electric recliners at the VIP theatre at Nova Cinema's in Avenida Escazu!!)


MOVIE-GOING INFO:

Movie Theaters in Costa Rica are called "Cine"

Costa Rica has many first run movies though they don't always come out right away/upon release (like Mamma Mia which came to Costa Rica MONTHS after it was released!).

Most movies are in English with Spanish Subtitles "Doblada".  “Hablada en Español” is in Spanish with English Subtitles [though not always with the subtitles so be wary if you don't habla Español all that well!).  A lot of movies for kids are “Hablada en Español”.

Movies in Costa Rica usually change on Friday.

Wednesday is Discount Day (except for VIP & iMax theatres)

It's hard to go back to regular theatres once you've done the VIP Theatre!!

DETAILS below!!!

4th of July 2015 - Where to Celebrate U.S. Independence Day in Costa Rica!

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My blog seems to have become THE MAIN places to find DETAILS on various events • places • restaurants • fireworks • bars celebrating
4th of July • U.S. Independence Day - 2015
I'll be enhancing•updating this list up to the last minute so keep checking back for LOTS of old fashioned Americana 4th of July FUNNNN!!!! 
 (like usual in Costa Rica - details tend to come out more late minute!!).
(WOW!!  This page got OVER 700 Page Views in just 2 days!)
NOTE:
I am adding things that actually have a 4th of July theme - not just a bar/business with live music or an non-American related food special that happens to fall on the 4th of July.


PLEASE email me DETAILS if you see something to add here!

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4th of July EVENTS LISTED HERE SO FAR:

American Colony of Costa Rica THE MAIN U.S. ExPat 
4th of July Celebration
Alajuela

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SPECTACULAR FIREWORKS SHOW

Avenida Escazu

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SAN RAMON

OPEN PARTY

at 

Steve and Dianne Fischer 

ARENAL•FORTUNA

GUANACASTE
Santa Cruz


SOUTHERN ZONE
UVITA

Live Stream from the
GRATEFUL DEAD Farewell Tour

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(See the bottom of the page on how to add other events!!)

AUTOPISTA DEL SOL • CALDERA HIGHWAY • Highway 27 • RUTA 27 - the BEST & FASTEST road taking you to Central•South Pacific Beaches in Costa Rica!

(updated July 1, 2015)

WOW - FREE AUTO CHECKS on:
• CONTROLES LIBRES DE AUTO en:

•  Oil Level • niveles de aceite
•  Tires • llantas
•  Battery • Baterias
•  Test Emission of gases from Diesel vehicles • Prueba de gases
•  Windshield Efficiency • Parabrisas
(hmmm - will the Transito Police be there giving you a Fix-it Ticket if you don't pass some of these things . . . ????)
(hmmm - será la policía de Transito allí le da un boleto Fix-it si usted no pasa alguna de estas cosas ????...)

WHEN: 

Saturdays•Sabados - July•Julio 4 & 11 - 9am-1pm

WHERE: 

Pista del Sol #27 (aka Caldera Highway • Carretera • Ruta #27) - ESCAZU Toll Booth.

("Share" with your friends!!)

≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈

The NEW(er)

CALDERA HIGHWAY • PISTA DEL SOL  • HIGHWAY • CARRETERA • RUTA #27

(this 76.7km•47.6 mile long newer highway•"pista" [as they're called in Costa Rica], goes from from San Jose (I think it actually "officially" starts where the first toll booth is - in Escazu) to the Pacific Coast (Orotino - not far from Jaco & Puntarenas), cutting about 45 minutes off your time to the beach [depending on where you’re going and traffic of course AND - depending on if it's OPEN as especially during Rainy Season - June-ish till around November-ish - it can be CLOSED from landslides as it was not built well])

ROAD CONDITIONS or ASSISTANCE on the Pista del Sol

(this is IMPORTANT to double check - ESPECIALLY in Rainy Season as they've been having some 

SERIOUS problems with landslides, etc.):

 http://AutoPistasDelSolCR.com

2-588-4040
Press 1 for the recorded Road Conditions

Press 2 for Accidents (or other things)

They also post updates on their Facebook page:

facebook.com/GlobalViaRuta27

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Fees/”Tarifas” at the Toll Booths 

for the

Carretera Caldera AutoPista del Sol #27

This is a TOLL ROAD - so plan ahead to have Exact Change as much as possible to help speed your trip up

 (there are some lanes for Exact Change which usually go MUCH faster!!).

Here are the latest toll charges (as of October 1, 2014 [current as of July 1, 2015])

•     ESCAZU  -  330-c/55¢-U.S.
(between the 1st two East Escazu exits [1st - for WalMart. 2nd - for EPA] and the next one [the exit you’d get off for CIMA, PriceSmart, Office Depot, Jazz Cafe, Plaza Itzkazu and the MultiPlaza/InterContinetal].  Already in Escazu?  Depending on where you’re coming from, you may be able to avoid this by getting on before or after [at WalMart - but if you're doing this to avoid the 330-c - trust me, you'll spend LOTS more than that in gas with all the traffic along Calle Vieja - to say nothing about how BAD the Traffic is!!])

•     CIUDAD COLON•PIADADES DE SANTA ANA (you do NOT go through this if you're going to the beach)  -  160-c
•     SAN RAFAEL  -  500-c 

•     LA GUACIMA  -  370-c

•     SIQUIARES  -  390-c

•     ATENAS - RAMPA•EXIT  -  330-c 

(you only pay this if you’re entering/exiting at Atenas)

•     ATENAS  -  660-c

•     POZON  -  500-c

•     COSTANERA SUR • OROTINA  -  160-c

TOTAL in tolls/tarifas if you’re going from Escazu to the end•ocean

2,910-colones
 (about $5.38 based on 540-c/$1-USD as of December 24, 2014).

Don't you think YOUR TIME•HASSLE is WELL worth this "INVESTMENT" in you (and your car since it's LOTS less wear-and-tear on it) - compared to the alternative!!]. 

Price for MOTORCYCLES:

Yes - you saw that right - Motorcycles ARE the SAME PRICE as regular sized cars - INTERESTING!!!  As MUCH as they cause the MOST accidents - they cause the LEAST amount of damage to the roads so interesting they'd charge the same price!!  Ahhhh - life in Costa Rica])

With over 2,000 entries here, we can't be on top all the changes that take place in Costa Rica so check for the:   

CURRENT TOLLS • TARIFFS • TARIFAS:

http:/AutoPistasDelSolCR.com/tarifas.php

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Unlike most of Costa Rica's highways,
Bicyclists and pedestrians are PROHIBITED on Route 27

 
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The Pista del Sol and 

Asociación Rescate Animal
have started an

ANIMAL RESCUE PROJECT
to help save and adopt out animals found along the Pista del Sol•Highway 27.

If you see an injured or dead animal on Pista del Sol•Highway 27 

CALL

2-588-4040 

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QUICK PASS

If you live in Costa Rica and see yourself taking the Caldera Highway•Pista del Sol•Highway 27 a lot, or are into making your life easier/having less traffic (at the toll booths), you can buy a Quick Pass. 

You purchase the unit NOW manage through ETC Electronic Toll SA -  and purchased from the following banks - BAC/Credomatic (I believe the site says the Escazu branch - possibly in Plaza Trejos Montelegre?), LAFISE, BCR, ProAmerica, Cathay (it looks like Cathay has LOTS of other add on costs) and Banco Nacional.  The price varies from $30 (Lafise but with an initial $60 investment) to $36.  Each has a $1 monthly fee.  And then it looks like it auto fills or withdraws (I can't see on their site) from your bank account.  When driving on THIS highway (it’s not good on any other highway), go through the special lanes marked “Quick Pass” and as you drive through it scans and deducts the toll.  

http://QuickPassCR.com/nuestros_clientes.aspx

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A bit about the
HISTORY
of this highway (who's concept started in 1978!!!  Ahhhhh - life in Costa Rica!!!):
WeLoveCostaRica.com/public/876.cfmWeLoveCostaRica.com/public/887.cfm


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 LivingLifeInCostaRica.blogspot.com/2014/03/AutoPistaDelSolHighway27CR.html
.180 7/1/15