I am confident that there is at least someone visiting this blog regularly, or occasionally, who has considered the idea of either investing in Costa Rica, or maybe even moving their entire lives to Costa Rica.  Actually I hear from such people from time to time, so this is not another one of my hallucinations of grandeur.  Well guess what?  Yours truly (aka, Costa Rica Guy) runs a pretty nifty real estate investigation tour.  I have tried to stay away from shameless plugs in this blog, but, hey, times are tough and a guy’s gotta do what a guy’s gotta do.  I probably don’t need to tell the intellectually gifted readers of this blog this, but you can get yosef in a world of hurt investing here without “doing your homework.”  There are graveyards littered with bodies of dead investments everywhere these days.  Usually it is the result of thinking that “tip” from a “friend” or slick marketing schtick of an unscrupulous developer looking to get in, make the big hit, and leave poor suckers like you with a lot that you need a helicopter to reach is all you need to drop a few hundreds of thousands into a piece of Costa Rican paradise.  And many actually do this without ever having even set one toe onto Costa Rican soil!  As Lily might say, “imaginase!”  Well a good way to ameliorate risk is to take my (or someone’s) real estate tour.  It is kind of like taking a working vacation.  First I have to find out what it is you are really looking to do by investing in Costa Rica. For instance, many tell me they want to operate some online business here, while living somewhere deep in the jungle, with a great ocean view of course.  Well, wouldn’t that be nice…to have high speed internet while conversing with the mono congos each morning.  Problem is, there ain’t no high speed internet in the jungle, silly!  So knowing your objectives is the first step in planning the tour.  During the tour I serve as a private guide and we will spend time in areas that I believe present opportunities that best fit your main objectives for buying in Costa Rica. I also make sure we have a lot of fun (just ask Susan and Michael Duell, who recently did my tour….in addition to great investing information, Michael learned firsthand that the best rum comes from Nicaragua!). I recently did a Squidoo Lens that lays out the dynamics of the tour.  However, like all Costa Rica vacations offered through my company, Package Costa Rica, the idea is to design and manage an experience that you go home raving about.  So everything is completely customizable to find that perfect fit that is just right for you.  If you’re interested in taking a tour, peruse the Squidoo Lens and then give Costa Rica Guy a call.

Costa Rica Real Estate Tour Squidoo Lens

This has been one of those months for me.  No sales, a ton of bills to pay, my office manager out the entire month and, as if I needed more, my beloved dog Cash murdered by a demon tico driver!  I am thinking at this point, what else?  We often hear that we should live in the present, but what if the present really sucks.  The one place I DON’T want to be in any more is July 2010…I wish I could be transported right now to another month…like, say, August, 2010.  I just want it all to end…I mean the month…not life (don’t worry mom).  Being one to never be short of a word of advice, for myself and others, I believe in times like these one needs to “relax and breathe deeply” into a paper bag.  This has been a month where I have felt on the constant verge of hyperventilation.  But I know in the back of my mind that it will end, the sun will shine again and I will look back on July 2010 with a certain degree of fondness.  Isn’t it always the case?  Those times of our lives that are really hard and that we have to “get through” by the “skin of our teeth” are later seen as great learning experiences.  We pride ourselves in having paid our dues and tell others that they must endure their own July 2010’s in order to achieve the level of super-stardom that we have achieved.  Okay great…yes that might all be true…but it is the 23rd and I still have eight more days of this hell on earth to endure!  The one thing I do take solace in is that I get to endure it in this wonderful place that I have spent the last two years blabbering about.  When things get just about as bad as they can get (and they can always get worse) I raise my gaze towards those majestic mountains surrounding San Jose and know that peace lies out there somewhere.  And with a 4-wheel drive vehicle I can go and look for it…any time I want!  I guess the best way to make it out of a bad situation is to make light of it.  That is the general cathartic purpose of this post and, hey, you know what, it is working.  I feel better already.

As a kid we all hated when that bratty brother or sister, cousin or more distant relative or friend, told on us.  Made you want to do bodily harm to the you know what, now didn’t it?  Right now I have one of those here in Costa Rica.  His name is Nik Clayton and he is “blogging on me.”  Thankfully, everything he has said so far has been positive.  I hope to keep it that way.  In fact, it comes to mind that the best way to get royal treatment (which is somewhat of a pun in this case as Nik is decidedly British) is to blog about your experience.  Something about having the quality (or lack thereof) of one’s services aired to the entire blogosphere that makes you stand a little straighter and be as polite and accommodating as possible.  Just kidding with all that.  Of course we welcome the spotlight of Nik’s blog, entitled, Try Before You Buy.  My company designs and manages Costa Rica vacation experiences, and from what Nik has written so far, his is turning out to be one of those memorable ones that we shoot for.  Sometimes we miss the mark a tad, normally due to circumstances outside of our control, but that is rare.  Why?  Because we don’t simply sell travel sitting in a U.S. call center, passing you off to an airline or discounted hotel room in a place we’ve never been, and not really caring what happens after the chi-ching of the sale has been completed.  We love Costa Rica ourselves and get a real kick out of sharing it with others.  Lately, due to economic woes, there just haven’t been enough “others,” but hopefully the tide is beginning to change a bit in that regard.  Costa Rica is indeed a magical place as Nik is finding out first hand.  I encourage you to peruse the diary of his Costa Rica vacation and then book one of those for yourselves…with Package Costa Rica of course!

Try Before You Buy - Nik’s Blog

Have you ever raised, or taken part in raising, a “strong-willed” child?  You know the one that always goes left when you say say right and up when you say down.  Well this morning I am not going to talk about children, but customers (who, frankly, often behave as children)…and it seems that 99.99% of them fit into the “strong-willed” category.  I have heard it said that customers want to buy, but loathe to be sold.  They usually recoil, or rebel, at the attempt.  It seems the easy part about business is matching a need with a product, or a service, that will supply it, but then the hard part is that psychological element of convincing those strong-willed customers that you are the best alternative.  Usually you can’t just tell them that, since (1) they won’t believe you and (2) it probably isn’t true in the first place.  No there is some other element at work here.  I believe that is where “artistry” in business, or in sales, must come into play.  Where building rapport matters, because customers want to buy from someone they feel good buying from, someone they like, someone they trust.  So how do you “pull that off?”  Well get the notion of pulling it off out of your head.  It can’t be done that way.  They will see right through any attempts to manipulate.  I believe it is in giving away your art, something that really they can’t afford to pay for anyway.  Like your wisdom and knowledge borne from years of experience and hard knocks.  With Package Costa Rica, the Costa Rica vacation designer and manager, we often find ourselves in a virtual bidding war with some cut rate travel agency in the U.S., trying to sell Costa Rica hotel rooms at incredibly cheap prices.  If that’s all the customer is looking for, i.e., a cheap room, then we lose.  But if they want something money really can’t buy and something which we joyfully give away, i.e., our deep knowledge and love for this country and heartfelt desire for others to have an incredible experience of it, then maybe we can win.  I guess solving the problem of the strong willed customer comes in knowing your customer first, and then giving away the time and effort to demonstrate that you really care.  And finally delivering on that promise so that they become raving fans.

“Costa Rica”  I can remember when that name carried an exotic and mysterious appeal.  Where is that place exactly?  Isn’t it DANGEROUS down there? I mean, do they have roads?  Can you drink the water?  Well, all that has changed in large part now as Costa Rica has become a new house-hold word in the U.S.  Hey were you going on vacation this year? “Think I’ll go down to Costa Rica” is a common reply.  It just isn’t all that mysterious any more.  But, be that as it may, it is still one cool place to visit, even to stay a while….maybe for a lifetime, as some folks have decided to do.  Costa Rica is changing.  We have a new “super-highway” that will get you from San Jose to the Pacific Coast in 45 minutes flat.  A trip that previously took over two hours.  We have a new airport, which I have not even graced the tarmac of since I haven’t left this place in the last 4 years, but I hear it’s nice.  We have our own imitation Cancun-Cozumel experience in Jaco beach, a town that just a few years ago didn’t even have a paved road running through it.  We have our Hollywood star sightings, usually in and around the swanky and ridiculously expensive Four Seasons Resort, as that is the only place those types can muster up the adventurous spirit to visit (with the exception of Mel Gibson who actually was sighted in Toro Amarillo…and I have a photo to prove it).  We have our own ICT-funded Saks 5th Avenue marketing campaign that is sure to bring more big spenders who are elevating prices to first-worldish proportions.  Being in the tourism business, of course I will say all of the above is good, to a point.  But behind the scenes of all of the surface noise that is readily apparent to the senses, still lurks the old Costa Rica.  The one that remains wild, exotic and mysterious.  You just have to get off the increasingly beaten path to see it.  That’s the Costa Rica I love.  That’s what keeps me here.  I just hope the other part doesn’t infringe until the Costa Rica I love disappears.  Just in case you’re interested in the “other Costa Rica,” my number is 1-866-424-6439.  Give me a shout any time and I’ll set you up. That part of Costa Rica is still here to enjoy and only one rule prevails…be a respectful guest and do no harm.

Well seems I just passed the half-way point for 365 Reasons I Love Costa Rica. Writing these posts has been quite a journey for me. Within the previous 183 one can find information about Costa Rica (what the blog was originally supposed to be), my frequent political rants, bouts of self-loathing, as well as a panoply of predilections related to my love of Costa Rica and its people. Who knows what might lay in store for the next 181 posts. You might be wondering what is the end game to all this? Where are you going with this thing Costa Rica Guy? I mean what happens after you reach the coveted 365th Reason? That my friend is the $64,000 Dollar Question. And if you think for a moment that I would cheapen myself by divulging the answer in this post, well, ain’t gonna happen. I have lived here in this “last country created by God” for quite a few years now and I still can honestly say that, yes indeed, I do love Costa Rica. My hopes and dreams for the future continue to lie here, even though the current economic crisis seems to have tossed the proverbial “monkey wrench” into the machinery of my aspirations. But then again, life always has its ups and its downs and I guess in many ways that makes it more interesting. There is nothing more stifling to one’s creativity and drive than a prolonged stretch of “smooth sailing.” The water does remain quite nice here in my beloved Costa Rica, despite the upheavals the world seems to be experiencing these days. Being here is sort of like living in a comfortable cocoon with a small window through which I am able to peer out and see the rest of the world. I am sure my vision is clouded by the fact that “seeing” and “experiencing” are two quite different things. Its hard to know what life in the U.S. is really like right now because I am not there, physically, even though the problems being experienced there have seeped into my supposed peaceful existence in Costa Rica. It seems that being in the tourism business makes you vulnerable to just about any economic event that occurs in the world, probably because a vacation is the ultimate discretionary expense. But oh well, at least I get to travel around this place really really cheap….a luxury I sorely need right now since the reluctance of you people in the U.S. to spend a dime on a Costa Rica vacation these days has me flat broke most of the time. But I would rather be flat broke here than anywhere else any day. So I will keep on writing and suffering under the illusion that there might just be someone out there who is actually reading and maybe even getting some enjoyment out of my daily posts that are, at least peripherally, related to the Reasons I Love Costa Rica.

Well wouldn’t you know it, after a week of stock market gains everyone is smiling and talking about the recovery being underway.  But wait, aren’t those the same people that were just last week blaming the stock market plunge into oblivion on Obama’s stimulus plan?  Does Bush now get the credit for the recovery since the plan he signed into law prior to leaving office is probably what is making a difference right now?  Or, really who gives a %&# who to praise, or who to blame.  What matters is that maybe things are turning up and that is a good thing, right?  No not really. Because in the U.S. it is all a game and every event, good or bad, is used to wrestle power away from the other side.  It is downright nauseating to tell you the truth.  It seems that all the fat cats on Wall Street are clamouring for a “bailout” because if they aren’t bailed out, we’re all going under.  Well what about me?  When can I expect to receive my government bailout money?  After all, I am down here making your dreams come true in Costa Rica and that is exactly what you need right now, an escape from the chaos of the U.S economy and the media that seems to relish in it.  But the truth is no one really has a clue as to the way out of this mess, now do they?  Not that they aren’t smart enough to figure it all out.  No, it’s just that the collection brainpower of D.C. and Wall Street are preoccupied trying to figure out how to either gain as much political power as possible before the economic dust clears, or somehow “gain the system” and exit an even “fatter cat.”  But who cares about us, the little people?  Well they care to the extent that they can win our votes, but that appears to be about it.  In reality we better stop relying on them and place more of our faith and trust in ourselves.  So what does this all have to do with Costa Rica?  Well, I am here to tell you that the best way to beat this crisis is to come down here and relax and rejuvenate. These days we are basically giving away vacations and you people still won’t buy. What do I have to do?  Costa Rica ought to be a big gainer in all this.  After all, it is the cheapest, safest and closest place where one can experience a tropical Latin paradise.  So where are all the tourists?  Get off you collective hind parts and go to www.packagecostarica.com and book your trip.  A shameless plug?  Maybe, but that my friends is the only “bailout” I can ever hope to receive.

Pura Vida, Costa Rica!

Wow the tourism business is tough these days!  People don’t want to spend a dime and when they do, man do they do it with attitude. That’s understandable, because in these tough economic times every dime counts.  But I am writing this to inform would be travelers to Costa Rica a few things that I hope will help set expectations on a more reasonable level and enhance their overall enjoyment of the country.  So here goes, how to enjoy Costa Rica in 5 easy steps….

Step 1:  Costa Rica is not the U.S.  People here speak Spanish, not English.  Now in the tourism industry, it is common for most workers to have at least some ability in English, but not always.  So when you check in and the receptionist is trying, but faltering, with her English, don’t freak out. After all, if a tico were to travel to the U.S. and check in at Hampton Inn, would the receptionist there speak Spanish?  Think about it….

Step 2:  You are here for Costa Rica, not for the hotel.  Hotels in Costa Rica are nice and if you are willing to pay enough (and these days, who is) they can be quite luxurious.  But nevertheless it is different than the U.S.  You are deep in the Central American tropics. Amenities like air conditions and hot water, things taken for granted in the U.S., are considered luxuries here.  So again, don’t freak out if your hot water is provided by a device known as the “suicide shower,” or if the air condition doesn’t cool the room sufficiently in 60 seconds flat. How much time do you really want to spend in your room anyway.  Remember, outside is paradise!

Step 3:  Yes Scarlet you can drink the water in Costa Rica.  Costa Rica may be “south of the border,” but it ain’t Mexico.  In general, the water here is drinkable in any location of the country.  We have never had a customer at Package Costa Rica get sick from drinking the water in Costa Rica.  So don’t freak out and think that you have to keep your mouth shut when taking a shower, or brush your teeth with bottled water or beer.

Step 4: Things move slower here in Costa Rica.  In the U.S. everything is rush rush.  In a restaurant the waitress will literally push you out the door in order to turn that table over to the next customer.  Everything is built upon the notion that faster is better.  This gives rise to a culture of impatience that doesn’t mesh well with Costa Rica.  Things here are just the opposite.  No one is in a hurry to do anything and if you appear impatient, they will get very nervous and probably make mistakes, or worse, they will retaliate by slowing down even more.  Best just to realize that it is a culture thing, not “poor service,” and slow down yourself a little bit.  Patience is a virtue, especially in Costa Rica.

Step 5:  It takes longer to get from Point A to Point B in Costa Rica.  For instance, to drive 60 miles on a U.S. highway, it will take around one hour, correct?  Well, to drive that same 60 miles here in Costa Rica, which is approximately 100 kilometers, it will take around two hours.  Why?  Well the roads aren’t as good.  Usually you have to cross mountains.  Most roads are only one lane. Etc., etc.  So don’t freak out when it takes a few hours to travel from, say, Arenal to the beach at Manuel Antonio. Instead, sit back and enjoy the views, as there are many.  A lot of folks get so obsessed and frustrated about time that they miss out on seeing the beauty of Costa Rica unfold before their very eyes.

Okay I could go on, but the above five steps provide a great start.  Follow this advice and you will enjoy Costa Rica much more intensely and, conversely, Costa Rica will enjoy you.

Pura Vida!

I don’t know about you, but lately this “economic crisis” is getting on my nerves.  I mean selling a Costa Rica vacation these days is like trying to sell ice to an Eskimo. It looks like the only way I am going to get business these days is to pay you guys (that is, all my millions of faithful readers) to make a trip down here.  I am at the point where the idea I had a while back of doubling as a “street-vendor” selling fake autographed pictures of Barack Obama is beginning to take on more appeal.  So what to do in times like these?  Well I could throw a fit, but that probably wouldn’t do much good (actually I already tried and it didn’t).  I could talk incessantly about how bad it is, since that seems to be the mainstream media solution to the problem.  Or, I could get off my ass and do something about it.  Ironically the best thing to do at a time like this is to be nice and give something to someone who is hurting more than me.  Huh?  How could someone even think of such a thing when times are so hard?  Because when you do that it does a few things that actually help.  First, it provides proof that despite the fact that times aren’t like they used to be, there is still more than enough.  Second, it shows you that as bad as it might be, you are still living in a state of abundance that is far greater than many others out there.  Third, it proves to yourself that despite the economic hardship you might be  experiencing, you can still make a positive difference and that is a very empowering and motivating feeling. I write in this blog every day of the many wonderful things I love about Costa Rica.  But the truth is Costa Rica, compared to developed countries of the world, is a very poor country, economically speaking. There are people here that are hurting far worse than me.  And for them it is not a temporary crisis, it is a way of life to live in severe lack every day of their lives.  There are so many opportunities to give and make a difference. The same is true where you are as well.  You just have to take your eyes off yourself and become aware of the need that is all around you.  And then stop sulking, bickering, complaining, or whatever it is you do, and do something for someone.  Give and then, often, a magical thing happens.  What you give comes back to you, sometimes, no usually, in far greater quantities.  It is the so-called “law of attraction” in action.  There is no greater way to activate that law than gratitude and the best way to show gratitude is to give of yourself.  This last miraculous event should not, however, become your motivation for the giving.  Do it to empower yourself and others and be that person who was put on this earth to make a difference, because you were.  And there is no greater satisfaction than the feeling that comes from lightening the load of another human being.  Right now in Costa Rica there are people suffering immeasurably from the earthquake we had a couple weeks ago.  In that 40 second time span, people lost loved ones, possessions and livelihoods.  People are living in tents seemingly without much hope for a brighter tomorrow.  So this day I am going to stop moaning and groaning and do something to help.  Economic recession be damned!  What can you do today?  Think about it.

Pura Vida!

He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses.

Proverbs 28:27 (NIV)

I have written in the past of Costa Rica’s rivers.  One of my favorite weekend day trips is to go to the Rio Pejibaye.  Pejibaye comes from the palm fruit by same name that is a popular food all over Costa Rica.  The Rio Pejibaye is located to the east of San Jose in the province of Cartago.  You take the road to Cartago and drive through Turrialba towards Siquirres.  The road forks and you take the way towards Suiza.  You will come upon a bumpy dirt road that you have to follow 10 kilometers or so before you arrive at the river.  You will pass by a hotel known as Casa Turire, which is a great place to spend a couple nights in the area.  If you are traveling across the country from the Pacific to the Caribbean, this is a great halfway point and Casa Turire is your best choice.  It is a little pricey and nearby is the Turrialtico Lodge, if you want something more economical.  Of course, Package Costa Rica can set it all up for you.  Rio Pejibaye is less known for rafting than the nearby Reventazon and Pacuare rivers. Nevertheless it is a beautiful place to visit. The water is cold and clear like a mountain stream on a summer day in the Carolinas (well, maybe not that cold).  The river is shallow and although there are spots with strong currents, it is a great river for swimming.  There are deep pools where you can climb upon rocks and jump if you are daring enough, or just watch the locals do it. Or just sit back and enjoy the natural beauty of the place. It is also a great place to go biking.  The next time I go there I am going to see how the river fares for tubing (I did see some locals enjoying this activity). I used to take my kids tubing in the Blue Ridge Mountains and boy did we love it.  There is a neat little family-run restaurant near the river where you can catch your own tilapia and they will cook them for you.  And this place has the most sugar cane that I believe I have seen anywhere in Costa Rica.  The hills are  blanketed with it and in some areas large sections are carved out as if some great giant came along and cut the cane with wide sweeps from his scythe.  The naturaleza of the place is amazing, particularly because it is a mixture of the tropical vegetation of the Caribbean blended in with mountain greenery.  There are always many Montezuma Oropendolas flying about.  The Pejibaye is a great place to have a picnic and enjoy a day on the river, which is what many locals in the area do each weekend.  There is a puente colgante (hanging bridge) that you can cross to get a panoramic view.  You can go into the tiny village of Pejibaye and sample some real typical food, or just hang out and down a few Imperials with the locals.  What is always refreshing is that the locals in remote areas like this are always friendly and warm and not at all threatened by the appearance of “tourists”….that is, as long as we mind our manners.  Costa Rica is full of secret spots like the Rio Pejibaye that are “off the beaten path.”  Stay tuned to this blog for more.