MESSAGE BOARDS • FORUMS on Costa Rica

UPDATED March 10, 2012

For the updated list of Message Boards and Forums about Living Life in Costa Rica, etc., go to:

http://LivingLifeInCostaRica.blogspot.com/2012/03/message-boards-forums-on-costa-rica.html

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LIST - Websites for Info on Costa Rica

This site is in the midst of being overhauled so sorry if some links are out of date but at least this will get you started.

http://LivingLifeInCostaRica.blogspot.com  - That’s US!!  I can’t believe how this site has grown!  In October we had nearly 7,000 Views!!  Whenever I go to a gathering I get “YOU’RE Vicki/the Sarong Goddess??!!!  I’ve been following your site for ___ years & it’s the first thing I go to when searching for something or that comes up the most when I do a search often”!!!  WOW!!  & I haven’t even tried!!  This has given me the incentive to give this site the time/energy it deserves as it’s THE MOST DETAILED site I’ve EVER seen!!  (to me, just giving me the name and phone number of a business doesn’t help much – especially if one doesn’t speak a lot of Spanish and finding information in Costa Rica can be QUITE challenging as we know!!).  Do YOU have something to add to it?  Submit it to me at info@CostaRicaResourceGuide.com

http://CentralAmerica.com/cr/index.htm  -  AWESOME DETAILED information site.


http://TheRealCostaRica.com  -  A VERY GOOD DETAILED site about living in Costa Rica

http://DirectoryCostaRica.com - Sort of a Yellow Pages with links to sites!

http://Gaisma.com/en/dir/cr-country.html  - GREAT site of times for sunrise, sunset, dawn and dusk

http://GoCentralAmerica.about.com/od/Costa-Rica-Destinations/Costa-Rica-Destinations.htm

http://CostaRica.com  -  Some good details.

http://TicoLinks.net (now seems to be directed to https://sites.google.com/site/costaricalinks ) -  A site linking to lots of other sites.

Sadly 1CostaRicaLink seems to have turned into an advertising site but if you spend enough time digging deep into it you can find the helpful information site - http://1CostaRicaLink.com/eng/shopping/shopp-eng.htm.

http://CostaRica-online.com/costarica-forum.htm  - Costa Rica Forum

http://strayreality.com/costarica.htm - lots of links

http://WeDoItAllCostaRica.com - GOOD SITE

http://AmCham.co.cr  - Costa Rican - American Chamber of Commerce (note that “chamber of commerces” are NOT anything “official” – like government endorsed that may people think.

http://AvenidaCentral.com  -  Random links

http://boards.independenttraveler.com/forumdisplay.php?f=3

www.CasaPres.go.cr  -  Official Site for the President of CR (you MUST have the www.)

http://cocori.com/general-information/faq1.htm  - Cocori has  articles, photos, maps and general information about visiting, doing business, investing and living in Costa Rica

http://CostaRicaStyle.com  -  Has some links to other videos, pictures, etc.

http://EscapeArtist.com/Live_In_Costa_Rica/Articles_On_Costa_Rica  - LOTS of articles

http://FluffyTails.ca/crlinks.asp  -  Has LOTS of Costa Rica Links

http://hotels.co.cr - DIRECT links to hotels websites/phone #s

http://PaulGlassman.com/CostaRicaGuide.htm - Paul Glassman's Passport Press guides to CR - travel, adventure, unforgettable times and inside info

http://procomer.com - Costa Rica Center for the Promotion of Exterior Commerce - Where to begin if you're looking to conduct import/export business with Costa Rica

http://punkhart.net/CostaRica - Dedicated to those who love CR & those who would like to know more about visiting, living, and business in CR

http://PuraVida.com

http://tourist5.com/central-america-costa-rica.html

http://TouristClick.com/CentralAmerica_CostaRica.html

http://VirtualTourist.com/travel/Caribbean_and_Central_America/Costa_Rica/Provincia_de_San_Jose/San_Jose-1648882/TravelGuide-San_Jose.html

http://forum.virtualtourist.com/forum-7-1-Travel-Caribbean_and_Central_America-1-forum.html http://12.virtualtourist.com/vt/1928f2

http://VisitCostaRica.com/ict/paginas/home.asp?ididioma=2 - The "Official Site for Costa Rica" - ICT's site (Costa Rica Tourism Board)

http://visitcostaricahotels.com - Part of VisitCostaRica.com but for hotel reservations

http://VoiceExpatCR.org - The voiceexpatcr.org Forum accepts individual (sender identified) and anonymous posts from all ex-patriots living in Costa Rica. Subjects include Immigration, Real Estate, Health care, Investments, Taxation, Politics, Business, Law and Lawyers and others.

http://WeLoveCostaRica.com/phpBB - Part of http://WeLoveCostaRica.com

http://WhereInCostaRica.com

http://yourville.com

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What are YOUR favs?? E- me at

info@CostaRicaResourceGuide.com

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BROUGHT TO YOU BY 

http://YourCostaRicaConnector.com 

(my new adventure that just evolving so Bookmark us and keep checking back!!)


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LIST - MASSAGE THERAPISTS (LEGIT) in Costa Rica

MASSAGE PEOPLE / MASSEUSES / MASAJISTAS LIST

The latest version is now at
LivingLifeInCostaRica.blogspot.com/2010/01/massage-therapists-in-costa-rica-legit.html

Spanish•English Translations of Food Items on Menu Items & the Grocery Store•Market

This list of Spanish•English Translations of
Things you'd find on a Menu, at the feria • farmers market and at the Grocery Store•Market•Pulperia is being enhanced and you can find the more updated version at

LivingLifeInCostaRica.blogspot.com/2013/12/EnglishSpanishFoodTranslations.html

Owning/Driving a Car in Costa Rica vs. TAXI's - What gives you more EASE?!?!

Do you want EASE in your life? To me, TRUE FREEDOM & EASE is in NOT driving myself - it's about taking TAXI’S vs. Owning/Driving a Car in Costa Rica

I like to look at the REALLY BIG picture!!

What NOT having a car (& taking taxi's) represents to me is FREEDOM:

•   From worrying about open manholes (& swinging into the next lane/oncoming traffic to avoid going down 10 or so feet),
potholes (& they're even in "Good" areas),
•   From killing some fool that ran out in the middle of the street between 2 suv type cars (I know TWO people that's happened to. Imagine the nightmares they're STILL having!!!),
•   From worrying about if it's ANOTHER unmarked one-way street &/or if it's changed this week,
•   From worrying about someone slashing my tire at a light & then robbing me when they're trying to "help me",
•   From worrying about where I'm going to park,
•   From paying someone to "watch" the car (which isn't always an honest person),
•   From worrying about walking from my parking space to where I'm going &/or back,
•   From BAD/incomplete directions/descriptions (which they seem to be 95+% of the time),
•   From Insurance,
•   From Registering the car (& getting it passed which surprising can be a bit challenging)
•   From Road Rage (from either side [normally pretty much a pacifist & a VERY considerate driver, it's amazing how much this side CAN come out when IDIOT/FOOL drivers get in my way!!!]),
•   From accidents & car dings (especially not unusual in rainy season),
•   From getting lost in the "wrong" part of town,
•   From hardly any signs (including the entrance to the pista/highway that takes you to the airport & even other MAJOR places - to say nothing if you're going back roads!!),
•   From NO addresses & VERY few street names,
•   From having to speak good Spanish (I'm learning but luckily I have numerous English Speaking Taxi drivers),
•   From needing to know where I'm going!! I just get in the taxi & tell the driver where to take me & 95% of the time they know!
•   From Traffic (being from Calif. I have ZERO tolerance for traffic & there is a LOT here in CR!!),
•   From Time - taxi's tend to know the backroads, etc. & can often get there faster. Flying is MEGA fast!!!

To say nothing of how EXPENSIVE cars are in CR, gas (I think it's around $5++/GALLON??), repairs (IF you can find the parts), taxes if you're shipping (REALLY HIGH!!).

When I want to go explore some place in CR I either hire a LEGAL driver/guide that can REALLY show me the ins/outs - things I'd NEVER see driving myself! I also get to REALLY ENJOY/take in the scenery (something people with cars RARELY get to do since they're tooo busy worrying about all above). Or I take NatureAir.com which often has AWESOME last minute airfares throughout CR!! (I just checked & if I wanted to go to Arenal Fri. & come back on Mon. - just $75 round trip & it's just 30 minutes of my time [my time is worth $$$ so this IS an issue for me often] vs. 3 1/2 hours & it's a BEAUTIFUL FLIGHT!!).

Of course it also depends on where you live (I live in Escazu so I have taxi's available to me 24/7 & 98% of the time they come within 5-10 min.) & your lifestyle (I"m still working from home with an internet based biz).

This also allows me to go out with Purpose - not just to run up for a thing of paper towel which helps me do my part for the Environment/BIG PICTURE beyond me! I go & do a bunch of things at one time & at $8 or so an hour for a taxi when they're waiting - it's STILL WAYYYY CHEAPER than when you add up ALL the costs/expenses involved with owning a car in CR! At least for ME!

MOST IMPORTANTLY - NO ulcers!!! CALM - Peace of mind (I drive like Mario Andretti - looking all over - NOT in CR!!! [& I've NEVER had/been involved in an accident!!) & I get to ALWAYS ENJOY the ride!! That's what I'm working towards in my life - EASE, CALM, ENJOYMENT & TRUE FREEDOM!!!

At the end of the day it's still WAYYYY more cost effective for me - again - when I'm looking at the BIG picture!!

As usual - here's a DIFFERENT way of looking at life (the BIG picture!!).

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Check out my info • schedules, etc on BUSES at:
LivingLifeInCostaRica.blogspot.com/2011/02/bus-schedules-costa-rica.html

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LEGAL TAXI DRIVERS & TOURISM DRIVERS

If you'd like a contacts for English-speaking LEGAL/red taxi's, see my list here in my blog!!

LivingLifeInCostaRica.blogspot.com/2012/08/EnglishSpeakingTaxisCR.html

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LivingLifeInCostaRica.blogspot.com/2007/11/do-you-want-ease-in-your-life-to-me.html

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TAXI DRIVERS - English Speaking/Good Taxi's (mainly in the Escazu Area & San Jose)

I've updated my list of English Speaking (on various levels) or just GOOD LEGAL Red Taxi Drivers around Costa Rica!!

Click on to:

http://LivingLifeInCostaRica.blogspot.com/2012/08/EnglishSpeakingTaxisCR.html

TAXI INFO - Part 1 (rates & general info/hints)

NEW TAXI RATES
Gas has GONE UP (and still rising) to say nothing of the rising cost of replacement parts/repairs so taxi prices are going up also!

The new minimum just to get into the taxi - 405-colons (about 79¢ US/$. It was 365-c/71¢). Additional kilometers will now be 380-c (74¢ - was 340-c/66¢).

Waiting period (with the motor turned off) - 2,205-c an hour (about $4.28/hour - was 2,015-c/$3.91).

If you're going under 10kph &/or caught in traffic - 3,800-c ($7.38/hour. It was 3,400-c/$6.60) (it’s pro-rated for the time the taxi is delayed).

The new rates (set by the Authoridad Reguladora de Servicios Públicos) will take effect when they are published in the La Gazeta official newspaper sometime this week (I've heard from 2 taxi's that would be Wed.).

Rural & handicapped vehicles are slightly different


REPORT PROBLEMS
Had a serious problem happen while in a taxi?

I’ve heard two different stories on what to do:
One that you can file an online complaint/denuncia with the Transito at www.transito.go.cr (in Spanish of course).

The other is you must appear in person at ARESEP (in San Francisco de Dos Rios in San Jose - 220-0102 / 800-827-3737 (800-8-ARESEP) / 200-0374 / 290-2010-fax) to file a complaint so bring your cedula/id, your contact information, the license plate number of the taxi, the date, time and place of the incident and as many other details as possible (most workers here don’t speak English).

Going these rates can have SERIOUS repercussions to the driver so you might want to contact their base number (usually at the top of their “Taxi” light on top of the car. Remember that “Slander” laws in CR are pretty tight so the more PROOF you have (vs. he said/she said which doesn’t usually hold up well for foreigners) - the WAYYYYY better!!



PIRATAS/Pirate (illegal taxi drivers)
Another option (one I no longer take) is using Piratas/Pirate (not legal red government regulated [including their prices] taxis that are often older [the cars that is]). I used to use them a LOT (in part because of where I WAS living) till I started taking Reds to see how their prices compared & found that 95+% of the time, the legal/insured Red taxis were OFTEN cheaper (WAYYY cheaper when it comes to the price of a taxi from Mas x Menos in San Rafael to my home just 7 blocks away. A Red Taxi costs me around 400-425-colons [approximately 88¢/US]. A Pirata - JUST to get inside is I believe now 750-colons [approximately $1.76/US$] - to the same 7 blocks. You do what you feel comfortable with as I can only say what works/doesn’t for me.
With that said - if you're REALLY desperate for a taxi - any taxi 24/7 they’re ANCA Taxis - 228-9354 / 288-2920 / 288-2918 / 228-6525.



TAXI (Frustration Saving) HINTS
#1 - Make sure the taxi driver turns on the Maria/Meter WHEN YOU GET IN!! (I’ve had some “forget” to reset it from their last person that just got out).

Especially in the Escazu Centro area - MANY of the taxi drivers cell phones go in/out of service so if you get a busy or recording - give it a few minutes & call the driver back if you’re trying to reach someone.

Another BIG HINT I've learned (after creating tension with a driver that didn't speak a lot of English & I don't speak lots of Spanish just yet [though I’m learning & trying every day!!]). Don't need anything special - perhaps just wanting a taxi to take you from your home to the market or something close, consider calling the Taxi Office to have whomever is available at that moment. Otherwise, if you're asking your regular driver to be there specifically at a certain time, chances are good he's going to say "Yes" - even if he's on another job & EVENTUALLY will come pick you up & often not call to tell you he's not going to be on time. I'm learning, unless it's important - to tell my driver to feel free to send another driver if it's that important. Better yet – if you don’t have a rush/something important &/or are going close-by? I welcome you to just call Dispatch to send whomever is available!! WOW the peace it's giving me now (vs. the HUGE frustration I had before including having a falling out with a favorite driver).



TAXI SAFETY HINT
As always there are some basic/logical steps that people can take to protect THEMSELVES hence don't create/invite situations into their lives (some people blatantly bring things on in their lives & then LOVE to cry "victim!!").

EVERY TIME - BEFORE I get into a strangers taxi at night - I get the taxi #. I then call my home number (I live solo - for those with a roommate, partner, hubby or just a friend that worries about you) & leave a message on the machine saying "Hey hunny, I'm on my way home. It's 11:30 pm (CRUCIAL to say night or day - JUST in case) & I'm getting into taxi number ______ at ________ (wherever I'm at). I'll see you as soon as I get there."

This way they KNOW they can be identified & they know someone will be waiting for you so they can't try to force themselves into your house (for that I also usually put an outdoor Plus at least one inside light on before I go out &/or put a timer on).


Don't have an answering machine or cell - why the heck NOT (it’s FREE on your ICE phone!!! You just have to turn it on [my landlord had to send a letter])??? These are SMART PROTECTION points - ESPECIALLY for women!!! As a friend to bring one of those $15 answering machines back from the States & get yourself a cell!! In 6 months my cell phone bill has NEVER run me more than $8 a month (I use it mainly for emergencies &/or getting taxis - ESPECIALLY good for if/when you get lost [a COMMON thing around here!!]).

If you're visiting I HIGHLY suggest you rent one - ESPECIALLY if YOU'RE driving yourself around (of course if you're hiring a driver/guide - ANY guide worth their weight has a cell so look at that when calculating the value of hiring a driver as cell phone rentals aren't always cheap!!)

In the above answering machine message idea - it's a good time to get the taxi driver (if it's a parata) saying in his own words the fare he's charging you - that way there's NO dispute ("Oh & the taxi said it's going to cost me $_____ from here to _____" with the driver filling in the $_____ price with HIS voice!)

Of COURSE - ALWAYS ask the taxi price BEFORE you get in (this of course is for piratas)!!

What This Blog is About - SHARIN' INFORMATION on Life in Costa Rica!

What this blog is about - SHARIN' INFORMATION on my Life & experiences/ connections/contacts living in Costa Rica!

I'm an Info JUNKIE - I LOVE gathering & sharin' it & receiving new ideas/ways to look at things! My intention here is to share with ya'll some of my infamous Lists, experiences & observations of life mainly in the Escazu/Central Valley area.

I'm hoping that YOU will also share with me so I can enhance these listings!! So if you have something to add - e- me at LivingLifeInCostaRica@gmail.com

"Finds" are people I've found that have been real helpful!
"Solutions" - ways to survive/make do in Costa Rica.
"Schpiels" are some general info.
"Lists" are part of my list of things like English Speaking Taxi Drivers, Massage people, etc.
"Tourists" - info geared towards tourists.
"Charity" - like it sounds.

ENJOY & PLEASE remember - we ALL have are IMPORTANT to EACH OTHER & the WHOLE Planet/Universe!!