Costa Rica Blogger

Costa Rica School Children NEED Your Help!

Poor Costa Rican school children are often left behind ... Year-after-Year-after-Year.

The Costa Rica Ministry of Education (Ministerio de Educación Pública de Costa Rica) does not have the money to provide many basics to its students due to a lack of allocated funding by the government.

But YOU Can Help by just packing an extra suitcase!

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 1/25/2011 10:25 AM | View Comments (10) | Add Comment

Guanacaste, Costa Rica Adventure - Memories for a Lifetime!

A Costa Rica Road Trip

One of the nice things about living in or visiting Costa Rica is the ability to just head out the door with adventure never being too far away.

It's fun to have a very simple plan of what you want to do or see and a basic sense of direction, then let the trip take you where you end up.

It's adventure Costa Rica style...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 10/23/2010 11:48 AM | View Comments (3) | Add Comment

Two Confessions From Costa Rica's Very Worst Missionary

Ever wonder what it's really like to live in a foreign country?!

"Expats" considering or having made the move to Costa Rica do so for many individual reasons. However, even the strongest of us must face the reality that we will always be part of where we came from. How you deal with it is the key to one's ultimate happiness.

The following is a humorous confession by one such expat living here in Costa Rica. Enjoy!...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 9/3/2010 9:55 AM | View Comments (3) | Add Comment

There’s a WAR Ship In Costa Rica!

Costa Rica was the first country in the world to formally abolish its military.  This is a great source of pride for its people and those that have chosen to call Costa Rica their home.

However, this lack of armed forces puts Costa Rica in a paradox with an ever escalating crime and violence problem associated with regional drug gangs and cartels trafficking in narcotics.

Much to the dismay of many, the Costa Rican government invited the United States Navy and Marines into an expanded role as Presidenta Chinchilla admitted this small country with no military does not have the resources to effectively patrol its own waters.

In attempts to pacify the vocal opposition, the Costa Rica government stated U.S. Navy ships would be rendering "humanitarian" aid which did little more than fan the flames of discontent for many.

So with the first U.S. WAR ship anchored in Puerto Limón, Costa Rica Blogger went to investigate what the foreign troops were really up to!...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 8/24/2010 9:12 AM | View Comments (23) | Add Comment

CAPTURED! Suspects in Multiple Panama Murders

Monday, July 26, 2010 The American couple suspected of multiple homicides were detained while trying to escape this morning in the waters of the San Juan River on the Costa Rica and Nicaragua border.

An IMPORTANT Lesson to Foreign National Business and Land Owners

William "Wild Bill" Adolfo Cortez Reese and his wife Jane Seana Cortez are suspected of killing several area foreign nationals for 'assumption' of their businesses and properties...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 7/25/2010 2:09 PM | View Comments (2) | Add Comment

7,000 U.S. Marines Landing on the Beaches of Costa Rica

A flotilla of 46 United States Navy warships capable of carrying 200 helicopters, along with 10 Harrier vertical take-off and landing fighter jets, and 7,000 combat ready marines available for land based operations is on its way to this Central American country with no standing army.

On July 1, 2010 the Costa Rica Legislative Assembly voted 31-8 to grant the U.S. military full in-country access through the end of 2010.

As of this writing the new administration of President Laura Chinchilla -- who was previously Costa Rica’s Vice-President, Justice Minister and Minister of Public Security -- has not commented in great detail as to what the U.S. troops will be trying to accomplish with their new right of entry, but many have their theories...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 7/12/2010 8:29 AM | View Comments (8) | Add Comment

Where the Mountains Meet the Musty Clothes

Costa Rica is a naturally beautiful land packed with diverse micro-climates such as; mountains, cloud forests, rain forests, tropical jungles, beaches, oceans, islands and much, much more.

There are not many other places on Earth where the awe-inspiring feeling of standing at the edge of an active volcano is yet further enhanced by the magnificent view of two different oceans.

Lemon Rinds & Lightning

Central America is dense and green with foliage due to warm temperatures and ample rain, two ingredients that also naturally produce mold and other related organisms.

This situation can prove to be a regular aggravation to those with a sensitive nose for musty odors, so we'd like to present a few solutions to remove that musty smell without the use of potentially toxic chemicals or expensive treatments...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 6/27/2010 11:33 AM | View Comments (5) | Add Comment

How To Get a Costa Rica Driver’s License

COSEVI is Costa Rica’s 'department of motor vehicles' or DMV. The main COSEVI facility where all foreigners must get their driver’s license is located in La Uruca, northwest of downtown San José.

Obtaining a Costa Rica driver’s license as a foreigner with proof of a license from most first-world countries (ie: the United States, Canada, England, Germany, France, etc.) does not require a written or driving test. To put it bluntly, Costa Rica recognizes if a person still has a valid driver’s license from countries with strictly enforced driving laws...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 5/8/2010 8:22 AM | View Comments (9) | Add Comment

Costa Rica’s Ever Changing Road Rules

In the recent past, Costa Rica traffic enforcement has been a joke.  Not the butt of jokes, but a joke in itself.

COSEVI, the agency responsible for all things road safety, has been an; ineffective, inefficient branch of government due to the most part because it had no real laws or sanctions to enforce.  The worst of traffic offenses in other countries such as driving while intoxicated or reckless driving, had no substantial penalties here.  The roadways of Costa Rica more resembled a NASCAR track than the streets of a civilized society.

Soaring traffic related property damage, personal injury and death rates caused the Costa Rica government to finally take serious action.

In 2009 new and sweeping traffic reform was passed by the Costa Rica Legislative Assembly and quickly signed into law by an enthusiastic President Óscar Arias Sánchez.

For the first time in history Costa Rica laws got serious about...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 4/22/2010 2:08 PM | View Comments (2) | Add Comment

Costa Rica Buyers Beware - Caveat Emptor (o Compradores Cuidado)

Costa Rica is more popular than ever as a vacation, business, relocation, retirement and medical vacation destination.

With so many people looking at Costa Rica for such a wide variety of reasons, there is an almost overwhelming amount of Internet sites catering to Costa Rica information seekers.

Of these sites; most are honest, some are questionable and a few are just bad news.

Truth in Advertising

Anybody can create a web site or pay an increasingly small amount of money to have a professional looking web site made. Hosting accounts for these web sites are now as low as only a couple dollars monthly.

One of the positives of this technology is that small businesses have an easier time competing with bigger corporations, which will hopefully benefit consumers – especially in Costa Rica when it comes to boutique hotels and unique services.

On the down side, such easy and anonymous access to the masses swings the door wide-open to the old adage; ‘There is no truth in advertising!’ This has been true long before Al Gore invented the Internet (joke) … but the web is...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 3/31/2010 10:29 AM | View Comments (24) | Add Comment

Costa Rica - a Rock & Roll, Fire Spitting, Living Earth Paradise

Last night I was sitting in bed, winding down watching a little television, when everything started jumping sharply. 

Don't ask me what  T.V. show I was watching because I cannot honestly remember - not only was the program not important, but my priorities changed real quickly when things started bouncing.

  • first thought; 'oh hell no'
  • second thought; 'this is a big one!'
  • first action; look up at the ceiling to see if it's coming down
  • second action; look for my pants (don't want to run outside without pants - survival includes some dignity)
Then it was over ... everything stopped.  It was quick, hard and done...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 3/6/2010 10:22 AM | View Comments (17) | Add Comment

My Dream is to Own a Costa Rica Bed and Breakfast

So your dream is to own a B&B in the Paradise of Costa Rica?!

Wake up; wake up from that nightmare…. Yes, shake yourself; make sure you don’t eat real late at night again. Owning a B&B sounds romantic and great. It seems like a real money maker and it can be. But it can also be a real nightmare.

First of all you have to enjoy sharing your space and time with...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 2/19/2010 10:05 AM | View Comments (4) | Add Comment

Costa Rica's San José to Caldera Pacific Highway now Open

The Costa Rica government officially opened the new Autopistas del Sol San José to Caldera Pacific highway on January 28th, 2010 … 3 months ahead of schedule; but only after 30+ years of planning, stops, starts, controversy and perseverance.

The new travel time from the center of San José to Caldera on the Pacific coast is quoted to be as little as...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 2/1/2010 9:44 AM | View Comments (9) | Add Comment

Fellow Costa Rica Blogger Awarded National Culture Award for Journalism

Alternative media is taking important steps in Costa Rica. The 2009 Pío Viquez National Award for Journalism (Premio Nacional de Periodismo Pío Víquez) was granted this year to Cristian Cambronero for his achievements in alternative journalism.

Cristian has been publishing his blog...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 1/20/2010 1:05 PM | Add Comment

Break Me Off A Piece Of Costa Rica

Nicholas Kristof has a happy-go-lucky column today in the New York Times about Costa Rica that reads as part tourism advertisement, part political common sense.

He goes on and on about how the country is consistently ranked high in “happiness” surveys. This is true. How, then, did they get that way?

What sets Costa Rica apart is its remarkable...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 1/8/2010 8:40 AM | View Comments (6) | Add Comment

It was The Week Before Christmas and All Through Costa Rica....

...drivers continue to engage in road-combat while the celebrating masses fill churches during the holiest of holidays in this Catholic country.

Kids are out of school, government workers are off work, families are on vacation for most of the month and churches can become standing room only gathering places for several generations of entire families.

The mood of Costa Rica as a whole is festive and congenial with importance placed on family, friends and courtesy - except on the roadways where it remains a...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 12/23/2009 11:06 AM | View Comments (7) | Add Comment

Costa Rica Police, Crime Fighting and Security are Not Often Considered Synonymous

U.S. ‘expats’ that now reside in Costa Rica try to explain the Tico culture to their families and friends back home as, "Costa Rica is like the United States was 40 years ago”. In other words, many of the social norms and government problems the U.S. went through in the 1960’s are still experienced today in Costa Rica.

While this may not be a fair comparison on many levels, it is a quick and easy way of explaining some of the Costa Rica societal situations – along with perhaps the expected vision that Costa Rica will soon catch-up with the more developed nations in many aspects of government and life.

One such cultural characteristic of Costa Rica that is both deep rooted and unfortunately very public is a lack of respect for their own police...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 12/17/2009 8:15 PM | View Comments (5) | Add Comment

A Tour of the Capital - San José, Costa Rica

Costa Rica's San José de la Boca del Monte had its beginnings in the 19th century, when free land was allotted to anyone willing to plant coffee. The early settlement was so insignificant and impenetrable the Spanish conquerors didn't bother to fortify San José. In 1948, President José Ferrer abolished the country's superfluous army.

Today, San José, smack-dab in the centre of the country, is surrounded by coffee cafetals, banana plantations, cloud forests and mountains, stretching east to the Caribbean and west to the Pacific. San José remains a colonial city and, culturally, has yet to go beyond its sleepy beginnings. And therein lies its charm. Yes, there is a McDonald's overlooking a main square...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 12/12/2009 8:34 AM | View Comments (8) | Add Comment

Montana Expat Learns to "Love The Rain" in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica

If you have read my Costa Rica travel journals from this time last year, you know that the amount of rain we had during rainy season, especially last November, was devastating. I was determined not to spend another rainy season in the Caribbean. Well, guess what? Here I am and loving it!

I’ll do my traveling another time, right now I am too enamored with my new home – it’s just too sweet to leave. Puerto Viejo - Old Harbor...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 12/8/2009 6:17 PM | View Comments (4) | Add Comment

Costa Rica Blogger - Our 2 Year Anniversary

Today is a special day here at Costa Rica Blogger.

Two years ago today on November 26, 2007 was the first entry on www.CostaRicaBlogger.com.  The 11/26/07 blog entry was simply and appropriately titled: ¡Bienvenidos! 

Since this initial post we have...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 11/26/2009 7:48 AM | View Comments (10) | Add Comment

Costa Rica Turtles Are Casualties of Warming and Development, Leatherback Boys to the Rescue

The Costa Rica resort town of Playa Grande was long known for Leatherback Sea Turtle National Park, nightly turtle beach tours and even a sea turtle museum. So Kaja Michelson, a Swedish tourist, arrived with high expectations. “Of course we’re hoping to see turtles — that is part of the appeal,” she said.

But haphazard development, in tandem with warmer temperatures and rising seas that many scientists link to global warming, have vastly diminished the Pacific turtle population.

On a beach where dozens of turtles used to nest on a given night, scientists spied only...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 11/15/2009 10:55 AM | View Comments (1) | Add Comment

Costa Rica Internet Broadband Grows 27.3% First-Half of 2009

Costa Rica Reaches 5.8% Overall Broadband Internet Penetration, With Private and Public Schools Reaching 15% and 27% Growth, Respectively

The increase in broadband connections was mainly in the enterprise and home segments. According to the study, prepared by the Costa Rican High Technology Advisory Committee (La Fundación Comisión Asesora en Alta tecnología or CAATEC) and sponsored by Cisco, Costa Rica reached 270,757 fixed connections and...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 11/2/2009 10:37 PM | View Comments (4) | Add Comment

Costa Rica Bus Schedules and Costs to the Most Popular Destinations

The Costa Rica national bus system run by independent route companies is efficient, safe, cost effective and comfortable with many modern buses in service.

The following are bus schedules to popular destinations in Costa Rica. All buses depart from...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 10/29/2009 7:02 PM | View Comments (2) | Add Comment

Costa Rica Tops the 2009 Legatum Prosperity Index in Latin America

Costa Rica tops the 2009 Legatum Prosperity Index in Latin America ... only to be out scored by by Canada and the United States in all of the Americas.

The 2009 Legatum Prosperity Index points out that the most prosperous nations in the world are not necessarily those that have only a high GDP, “but are those that also have happy, healthy, and free citizens”.

According to the Index, Costa Rica ranked...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 10/27/2009 2:17 PM | View Comments (2) | Add Comment

More U.S. Jobs Moving to Costa Rica - An Opportunity For Some

Company's worldwide are consolidating their operations toward goals of cost savings ... relocating operations from more expensive markets to areas where cost overheads are considerably less expensive are a fact of business and life.

Costa Rica being in the same hemisphere and time zone as the U.S. makes its location more desirable than many overseas alternatives. Additional factors that entice foreign companies to Costa Rica are its thriving democracy with no army or regional conflicts and its reputation as world-wide vacation and retirement...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 10/17/2009 9:17 PM | Add Comment

Shades of Green - The Story of a Costa Rica Summer Eco-Tour Guide

Just before my head disappeared under water, I seemed to stop — freeze-frame style — and ponder what, exactly, had brought me to my present situation: being hurled into a fierce class five rapid on Costa Rica’s Rio Pacuare. Sheer madness was all that came to mind. But with my raft capsized and all eight of my fellow passengers, plus our guide, being swept downstream, that split second was all I had to ponder my plight.

Miraculously, I reached dry ground thanks to a rope tossed from shore. (Apparently, indigenous fishermen gathered here for the daily catch of floundering gringo.) White-knuckled and shaking, all I had time to offer my rescuers was a jittery “Graçias!” before I jumped back in my rubber boat to...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 10/6/2009 11:09 AM | View Comments (5) | Add Comment

Are There Any Honest Realtors In Costa Rica?!

After 10 years of extended visits to Costa Rica I moved here with my eyes wide-open as to what Costa Rica is and what I liked about it. 

Still, as mentioned here on Costa Rica Blogger entry "Moving Day - Chicago to Costa Rica (a REAL reality check!)":  "there is absolutely no adequate preparation for moving to a new country"

With all the supposed Costa Rica 'resources' only telling one side of the story and twisting the many truths such as "free health care" in order paint Costa Rica as utopia while trying to 'sell paradise', it is truly refreshing to read an honest account of what can be expected from an actual Costa Rica Realtor...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 10/3/2009 12:46 PM | View Comments (10) | Add Comment

Cartago, Costa Rica - a San Jose / Central Valley Day Trip Worth Taking

Whether you are visiting or live in Costa Rica, most people spend at least some time in the capital city of San Jose in the Central Valley area.

Many visit the San Jose downtown sites and are then looking for nearby places to visit for half or full-day trips. Most popularly mentioned ideas based on their relatively close geographic proximity to San Jose can still be several hours in travel time due to Costa Rica's terrain, roads and traffic. Examples: Poás Volcano is 1.5 hours away, Arenal Volcano is 4 hours away, La Paz Waterfall is 1.5 hours, etc., etc.

A closer and no less interesting destination is San Jose's neighbor...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 9/28/2009 9:02 PM | View Comments (5) | Add Comment

U.S. Military Medical Exercise Concludes in Remote Areas of Costa Rica; Nearly 400 Treated

A two-day Medical Readiness and Training Exercise, or MEDRETE, concluded in Costa Rica September 12,  2009 after bringing necessary medical care and supplies to more than 375 villagers from the remote Turrialba region of this Central American nation.

A combined team of more than 30 representatives of Joint Task Force-Bravo -- a joint United States military unit comprised of approximately 500-600 U.S. Soldiers, Airmen and Sailors based at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras -- and the Costa Rican Ministry of Health delivered the care and supplies after months of planning and coordination.

Treating ailments ranging from cold and flu-like ...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 9/20/2009 7:44 PM | View Comments (3) | Add Comment

What's that Jar of Spicy Vegetables at Costa Rica Restaurants?


So what is that jar of spicy vegetable dressing on the table of many Costa Rica restaurants?

It's a staple in Costa Rican cuisine that consists of a mix of hot chile peppers, onions, carrots, green beans and cauliflower ... mixed with vinegar (usually fermented banana vinegar).

It is used to spice up many Costa Rican dishes -- just add a few drops to your food.


So what's it called? ...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 9/7/2009 11:25 AM | View Comments (6) | Add Comment

Costa Rica's New Immigration Law - A Quick English Overview Guide

Costa Rica’s new immigration law (nueva ley migratoria) was published in the official government publication La Gaceta on September 1, 2009 ... meaning the new "Ley General de Migración y Extranjería" will be the Costa Rica immigration law of the land starting March 1, 2010.

Costa Rica is a world-wide destination for vacationers, travelers, those seeking investment opportunities and for persons considering second homes, a place to relocate and/or retire.

Costa Rica is also desirable to many seeking better living conditions, improved work opportunities, asylum and/or refugee status from other countries...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 9/3/2009 9:16 PM | View Comments (26) | Add Comment

Lessons From The Rain Forest ... Wisconsin Family's Move to Costa Rica Spawns Education Web Site

Four years ago this September, Maggie and Steve Jacobus dropped everything, sold their house in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin and packed their three sons for a one-way trip to Costa Rica.

Leaving Milwaukee and everything familiar: Scary.

Educating your children about the world: Priceless.

"The American dream is to give your child a 'better life,' " Maggie Jacobus said. "We wanted to give them the world."

In return, their boys earned bragging rights to stories their former neighbors can only imagine, like the one about the night a monkey ran into their living room and hid behind the couch...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 8/31/2009 7:55 PM | Add Comment

Costa Rica's New Traffic Laws - UPDATE: Effective date March 1, 2010


UPDATE 9/09/09: The new Costa Rica traffic laws effective date has been postponed from Sept. 23, 2009 to March 1, 2010 due to a vote in the Costa Rica Legislative Assembly which will reportedly allow for more time to amend fines and penalties criticized by many as being excessive.

Costa Rica Blogger has made no secret as to what driving in Costa Rica is like; "dangerous", "insane", "crazy", etc., etc., etc.

Even Costa Rica's President agrees as he is quoted as likening Costa Ricans to 'Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde', in reference to the widespread recklessness encountered on the roadways of a nation recognized for peace and natural beauty.

The cornerstone of the new reform is...
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Posted by Bill Clanton at 8/9/2009 2:33 PM | View Comments (44) | Add Comment

Is Skype Shutting Down In Costa Rica?

No More Skype in Costa Rica?

When Skype voice over-the-internet system was offered in Costa Rica, it was a welcome alternative to ICE’s monopoly on phone services. For a flat rate, Costa Ricans could call just about anywhere for a fraction of the cost … now that may change due to a legal spat over a licensing agreement.

Online retailer eBay bought Skype in 2005 for about US$2.6 billion. HOWEVER, that deal didn’t include the peer-to-peer (P2P) networking technology on which it runs. That technology is owned by a company called Joltid and licensed to Skype.

San Jose, California-based eBay is asking the English High Court of Justice in London, to find that Joltid’s efforts to terminate the agreement are...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 8/4/2009 9:37 AM | View Comments (2) | Add Comment

Where English Speaking People Live in Costa Rica

A July 2009 poll by an online English speaking Costa Rica forum resulted in the following for the question "Where do you actually live?"


CHOICES AND RESULTS...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 8/2/2009 10:17 AM | View Comments (3) | Add Comment

Tourist Surprise! ... a "Lazy" Costa Rica Crocodile Comes to Life

Crocodile makes a lunge for German tourist

A crocodile lunged out of the water at a terrified German tourist on the Tempiski River in Costa Rica with its jaws open to expose its razor-sharp teeth.

With her camera in hand, an unnamed holidaymaker was poised to capture a close encounter with the reptile during a boat trip in the Central American country when...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 7/30/2009 8:29 AM | View Comments (2) | Add Comment

Paradise on Earth: Costa Rica Ranked Happiest Nation

Reuters (London) - published July 02, 2009

Costa Rica is very nearly paradise, not just for holiday-makers lounging on its beaches, but for its citizens who are extremely satisfied with their lot and also have a tiny carbon footprint.

The combination has earned the central American country first place in a new Happy Planet Index (HPI) published on Monday.

While leaders of the developed world attending G8 talks in Italy worry away at economic indicators like Gross Domestic Product (GDP), deflation and their implications for economic recovery, the second edition of the HPI lauds alternative standards that provide a new twist on the old adage that wealth does not buy happiness.

Costa Rica stands out for...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 7/3/2009 10:54 AM | View Comments (11) | Add Comment

Costa Rica Crime Report

This morning I discovered my wallet missing from my previous days’ pants pocket here in Costa Rica.

A search of the house, car, etc. turned-up nothing. Gone was all my Costa Rica identification, local debit cards, U.S. credit cards … most everything important except for my passport (which remains at home).

In between canceling local bank cards and going to my local Banco Costa Rica to obtain a new Costa Rica Cedula (National Identification) and C.R. drivers license I called a friend to ...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 6/30/2009 5:38 PM | View Comments (15) | Add Comment

Travel IN Costa Rica on the Cheap - Kids Fly Free Summer Airfare Program

NatureAir Announces Costa Rica Kids Fly Free Summer Program

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica, June 16 -- Today NatureAir, the world's first voluntary carbon neutral airline, announced that families in pursuit of a great summer deal are getting their wish with the airline's kids fly free summer savings program.

From June 15 through August 30, 2009 NatureAir is opening up its skies for children up to 11 years old to all destinations NatureAir flies IN Costa Rica with the purchase of...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 6/16/2009 8:40 AM | View Comments (4) | Add Comment

Kids Can Write About Costa Rica and Get Published

Have your kids been to a Costa Rican Rain Forest?

Even if they’ve only dreamed about it, kids from Kindergarten through 5th Grade are invited to submit original stories and artwork to the “I Love Costa Rica’s Rain Forest!” contest—based upon a real or imaginary travel adventure in the Costa Rican rainforest.

This contest is free. No purchase necessary.

The deadline to enter...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 6/2/2009 2:19 PM | View Comments (3) | Add Comment

The Luckiest Man (still) ALIVE in Costa Rica

Driving in Costa Rica is dangerous.  Plain and simple. 

Otherwise sane and courteous people become self-absorbed road-rage maniacs once behind the wheel of a motorized vehicle here in the land of un-enforced traffic laws.

For all the wonderful things that are Costa Rica, this little traffic problem is not going to fix itself.  Especially as more and more cars crowd the roadways and newer generations of drivers learn these same bad behaviors.

The following video is of a May, 2009 car crash in the Costa Rica town of Zapote, a suburb of the San Jose capital.  What you will see is classic Costa Rica driving with a really bad ending...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 5/31/2009 5:15 PM | View Comments (12) | Add Comment

Costa Rica Ranks 7th in Most Politically Stable Countries - Worldwide

Those considering international locations to expand business, invest, buy vacation property, relocate or retire must always take into account the stability of the country.  As a United States citizen that has relocated to Costa Rica, I am arguably biased as to why I think this beautiful country is a great choice for business and relocation ... however, my opinions are admittedly based more on personal feelings than hard facts.

In a March 2009 special report titled "Manning the Barricades", The Economist issued a detailed forecast outlining the current world economic crisis and its possible effects on political stability.  Within the report individual countries where ranked for vulnerability of political instability. 

According to the report Costa Rica is rated one of the world's most stable countries ...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 3/29/2009 7:23 PM | View Comments (4) | Add Comment

Intentional Conscious Communities of Costa Rica (ICCCR)

What is an Intentional Community?

There are thousands of intentional communities all over the world.  Costa Rica is the home to hundreds of intentional communities alone.

By definition, an intentional community is a planned, usually residential community designed, operated and maintained by a group. The members of an intentional community typically hold a common social, political, religious, or spiritual vision. Community members also share responsibilities and resources.

Due to the fact that there are so many intentional communities here in Costa Rica an online, open-source directory is being constructed under the title:  Intentional Conscious Communities of Costa Rica (ICCCR) Directory at...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 3/23/2009 6:32 PM | View Comments (6) | Add Comment

How to Know When You're Completely Acclimated to Costa Rica or 'Tico-ized'

Moving to any new location requires some life adjustments.  Relocating to another country comes with a whole other set of unique sensory and life changes that include; learning the culture and traditions, understanding laws, embracing idiosyncrasies and even making a concerted effort to become at least semi-conversational in the language.

U.S. native and Costa Rica resident Charlene Fertig has compiled a list of 33 things a person will know when they have become "completely acclimated" to the ways of Costa Rica.  If the humor of the below posting is lost on you, don't worry - you're just not fully ...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 3/18/2009 9:30 PM | View Comments (7) | Add Comment

Top 10 Reasons for Living in Costa Rica

Costa Rica has some of the best weather in the world, and a much less expensive cost of living than most countries. Adventure tourism is it's claim to fame and it has a democratic political process and stable government that attracts 100's of new foreign retirees and multi-national companies every year.

Tom Rosenberger, a permanent resident of Costa Rica for 15 years assembled his top 10 list of reasons for living in Costa Rica to share with everyone who may be considering moving to paradise...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 3/17/2009 8:48 AM | View Comments (7) | Add Comment

Setting-Up a House in Costa Rica - Costs for Custom Made Furniture & Appliances

Furniture prices in Costa Rica are considered to be expensive due in part to the fact that a majority of basic (ie: inexpensive) furniture is imported and taxed at a hefty 30% by the government.  For this reason many people moving, relocating, retiring or setting-up second or vacation homes in Costa Rica simply decide to ship their entire households declaring the items as 'used'.  Others purchase or rent fully furnished homes or apartments that require no local furniture or appliance shopping. 

However, there are costs associated with any of these import or rental options that may exceed buying these same items manufactured here in Costa Rica...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 3/11/2009 6:04 PM | View Comments (26) | Add Comment

News Coverage on the U.S. Economy?! -The Daily Show re-caps 'experts'

If you have watched any news coverage on the U.S. economy, the following video is highly recommend as a great re-cap of how well the "experts" are on top of the situation...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 3/5/2009 9:56 AM | View Comments (2) | Add Comment

La Feria de la Costa Rica - See You at the Weekly Farmer's Market

Recognized for its natural beauty, the tourism Mecca of Central America used to be known principally as a producer of bananas and coffee.  Although Costa Rica has transitioned to an economy based more on tourism income and manufacturing exports ... agriculture still accounts for almost 9% of Costa Rica's gross national product (GDP).

Its tropical climate, rich soil and abundant rainfall still fills grocery stores worldwide with Costa Rica coffee, bananas, sugar, pineapples, vegetables, fruits, melons, corn, rice, beans, potatoes, diary products, beef and ornamental plants.

Although every day is market day in Costa Rica; where...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 3/1/2009 6:31 PM | View Comments (6) | Add Comment

A trip to Barva, Heredia - Simposio Internacional de Esculturas

Today was a typical sunny and warm February 22 here in Costa Rica.

My son and I took a short drive to Barva, Heredia to meet with Peter & Milyn Christopher with their new baby Rosalinda - site owners of Central-America-Forum.com.

We enjoyed the weather, a band in the park, a lunch of pizza, good conversation and a sculpting exhibition titled "IV Simposio Internacional de Esculturas - Barva 2009" organized by the Asociación Barva Escultórica and...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 2/22/2009 10:47 PM | View Comments (2) | Add Comment

Costa Rica Debt Consolidation Home Mortgages - Now Available

Costa Rica has been touted as "a model economy for developing nations".  But Costa Rica is not an island and it most certainly is not insulated from the current world-wide economic downturn.  Just this week a consortium of Costa Rica economists have declared the country's economy to be in recession - this despite foreign owned companies continuing to establish or expand operations here in Costa Rica.

Costa Rica President Oscar Arias and his administration have taken several steps to stimulate the economy, including the release of $50 million each to state-owned Banco de Costa Rica (BCR) and Banco Nacional (BN) to promote lending.

Costa Rica's Banco Nacional is taking at least some of the money directly to the people in a concept that is relatively new to Central America...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 2/20/2009 6:41 PM | Add Comment

Costa Rica Private Bilingual Education - New School Year Tuition and Costs Overview

Costa Rica has many private schools, most concentrated near the San José capital city - in the greater Central Valley area. 

The tuition, overall costs and programs offered by each school can vary greatly;  some only teach Spanish, some only teach English, "bilingual" schools can lean toward one language more than the other (as opposed to a true 50/50 curriculum), one school teaches only German, some schools are on the Costa Rica school schedule, some on the U.S. school schedule and a few are on what is known as the International school schedule.

When comparing schools for affordability all the following must be considered...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 2/10/2009 7:08 PM | View Comments (10) | Add Comment

Monkey Pulling The Turnip

As the webmaster of Costa Rica Blogger [ya, I got that title going for me ;]], I have back-office programs that allow me to see real-time visitors, the visitor's location, how the visitor got to my site, what the viewer read on my site, etc., etc.

Reviewing the search terms people use that ultimately land them on Costa Rica Blogger can be informative as an author and site owner.  One of the more interesting web searches that resulted in a Costa Rica Blogger visitor came in today...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 2/8/2009 2:28 PM | View Comments (6) | Add Comment

Costa Rica Airfare Deals

Cost effective airfare deals to beautiful Costa Rica are currently available.

I just booked a 2009 Spring Break visit in April for my daughter at $260.42 for round-trip tickets between...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 2/2/2009 10:28 AM | View Comments (9) | Add Comment

Muppet Beaker sings Yellow by Coldplay

This has absolutely nothing to do with Costa Rica ... but I used to love the Muppets and found the following video to be worth sharing (speakers recommended).

Enjoy...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 1/30/2009 9:02 AM | View Comments (4) | Add Comment

President Barack Obama - the 44th President of the United States

On this historic day, President Barack Obama was sworn-in as the 44th President of the United States of America.

Being as no words can really do this justice, we'll simply let the pictures do the talking...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 1/20/2009 12:16 PM | View Comments (2) | Add Comment

Costa Rica Killer $100 Million, 6.2 Magnitude Earthquake - Jan. 8, 2009

Here in Costa Rica we have experienced our 2nd significant earthquake in 2 days … a 4.0 magnitude yesterday and today's 6.2 magnitude.

We were fortunate with just getting a good long & strong shaking … close but no damage.  Others unfortunately did not do so well:

Summary
A strong earthquake shook Costa Rica at 1:22 pm on Wednesday January 8th, 2009 causing...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 1/8/2009 10:22 PM | View Comments (13) | Add Comment

INBioparque - a GREAT Place to Visit while in San José, Costa Rica

Junior and I took a short day trip to INBioparque in Santo Domingo de Heredia, Costa Rica.

INBioparque is an Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad de Costa Rica interactive theme park designed to teach visitors about Costa Rica's unique biological diversity. 

The park consists of many, many beautiful trails exhibiting native plant life, insects, butterflies, birds, fish, reptiles and mammals - with many of the animals walking or flying freely within the park...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 1/7/2009 6:41 PM | View Comments (2) | Add Comment

¡Feliz Navidad y Año Nuevo de Costa Rica!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Costa Rica!

Enjoy our rehearsed holiday entertainment...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 12/25/2008 8:00 AM | View Comments (2) | Add Comment

Christmas and New Years in Costa Rica means it's time for Fiestas de San José!

Fiestas de San José and Toros a la Tica is a large annual event that includes; carnival rides, live entertainment, food vendors, beer gardens, a two-story high-tech disco and bar created out of concert rigging just for the Fiestas, fireworks, rodeo bull riding exhibitions, horse demonstrations and the wildly popular Costa Rica bull fighting where spectators of various states of sanity 'run with the bulls'.

The party opens Christmas Day (Thursday 12/25) and runs through Sunday, January 4th in Campo Ferial Zapote of Barrio Zapote, East of downtown San José.

The highlight of each day is the nightly Corrida de Toros a la Tica -or- Costa Rican bull fights where...
Posted by Bill Clanton at 12/22/2008 5:11 PM | Add Comment

Have A Nice Day ... why are you waiting?

Yesterday I was driving toward my home in Coronado, Costa Rica after dropping my son at his Spanish tutor's home.  The sight before me was truly amazing!

Directly in front of me was a HUGE and vivid rainbow that appeared to end at the beautiful Coronado church with the lush green mountain as a backdrop.

I didn't have a camera but the picture will remain in my mind and my seeing this incredible natural phenomenon in the setting of my new home does not escape me as it took a certain mindset to get me to Costa Rica in the first place.

With this thought, I would like to share the following ...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 12/9/2008 11:53 AM | View Comments (7) | Add Comment

So, you are thinking of living in Central America?

The following is a forum entry by Peter Christopher for you to enjoy & ponder if you are considering moving to Costa Rica

So, you are thinking of living in Central America?

If you come here hoping to keep your old assumptions intact and have a pleasant experience, it probably won't work. Most people, a month or a few years after arriving in Central America, reflect that it seems like a disaster zone, especially compared to a utopian dream. This place may seem too hot, too cold, too windy, too dusty, too wet, too dry, with too many insects, too many thieves living nearby, etc, etc. Oneself may seem too slow, too stupid, too poor at speaking Spanish, too ugly, too bad at cooking, etc, etc. Everything outside and/or oneself may seem worthless.

But perhaps what we experience (making those judgments about the place and oneself) is only the way our mind often behaves, and not the...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 12/1/2008 3:47 PM | View Comments (11) | Add Comment

Costa Rica Blogger - Our 1 Year Anniversary

Today is a special day here at Costa Rica Blogger.

One year ago today on November 26, 2007 was the first entry on www.CostaRicaBlogger.com.  The 11/26/07 blog entry was simply and appropriately titled: ¡Bienvenidos!

Since the initial post we have successfully moved to Costa Rica, obtained Permanent Legal Residency, my son has completed his first full year of private bilingual education and we have come to appreciate the differences between...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 11/26/2008 1:48 PM | View Comments (4) | Add Comment

Legal Ages in Costa Rica

Many people, especially younger visitors to Costa Rica wonder what the legal age is for drinking alcohol, buying cigarettes, etc.

Here's a short list of the "Legal Ages" here in Costa Rica:
  • Legal age to rent a car = 25
  • Legal age to vote = 18
  • Legal age to purchase or consume alcohol = 18
  • Legal age to purchase or consume cigarettes = 18
  • Legal age to obtain a drivers license & drive = 18
    • maturing past 18 is not required, adolescent driving is the norm in Costa Rica ;o)
  • Legal age to join ...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 11/23/2008 5:42 PM | View Comments (2) | Add Comment

Costa Rica Retirees enticed to Reconsider Mexico City

Costa Rica has been the point of destination for retirees world-wide due in part to its wonderful climate, favorable cost of living, quality and affordable health care, etc., etc.  But Mexico City appears willing to fight for these same retirees. 

Although Mexico City can't offer the same beautiful vistas, clean air and nearby beaches ... it can offer, well ... you'll have to read it to believe it:


Mexico City to give out Viagra to men 70 and older

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico City is giving out free Viagra and other impotence drugs to ...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 11/17/2008 6:32 PM | View Comments (1) | Add Comment

Costa Rica Employment - Finding a Job in Costa Rica

With tourism being Costa Rica's largest industry, hundreds of thousands of visitors get a taste of this beautiful country.  Many of those that visit think about staying in Costa Rica on a more permanent basis.

A reoccurring question by mostly younger non-retirees considering Costa Rica extended stays or permanent relocations is; "What type of employment is available?" or "How do I find a job in Costa Rica?".  Unfortunately I don't have good news for those seeking a move to Costa Rica that involves finding a job.

Costa Rica actively encourages tourism and investment as these are both ...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 11/11/2008 11:15 AM | View Comments (28) | Add Comment | Trackbacks

Home Prices Slashed - Buy Now in Costa Rica!

I have wanted to write on this subject for some time … but Costa Rica Blogger is not about fiction or rumor. 

When seeking input from local Realtors, I have been routinely told there is no down-turn in Costa Rica home sales and that properties continue to hold their value. But I had my serious doubts.


Owners cut holiday home prices up to 40%

John McPhaul, Reuters Published: Saturday, November 01, 2008

The U. S. mortgage crisis has hit Costa Rica's once-booming vacation home market, with sales plummeting as Americans who dream of buying a tropical getaway struggle to find financing...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 11/1/2008 11:45 AM | View Comments (22) | Add Comment

Costa Rica Firearm Ownership Overview and Discussion Forum

As of May 16, 2010 this post has been renamed to the "Costa Rica Firearm Ownership Overview and Discussion Forum" due to the fact that it is one of the most heavily read and discussed topics here on Costa Rica Blogger.

Additionally, we have just published our '2nd Edition' of the Costa Rica Firearm Ownership & Licensure Overview guide due to recent changes in the law as to who can own a firearm and what must be done to obtain a concealed carry license.

As always we ask those that have recently succeeded in completing the process of firearm licensing give us feedback on any necessary changes to the guide, so that others can have up-to-date information.


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 10/27/2008 10:01 PM | View Comments (104) | Add Comment

Just got my teeth cleaned...

Thought I'd share a quick note ... I just got my teeth cleaned and the Costa Rican dentist (not assistant) did the actual cleaning. 
Teeth Cleaning = ₵15,000 colones ($27.27 USD)

My son is also starting his pre-orthodontics:
Complete X-rays, Pictures and Full Dental Molds = ₵33,000 colones ($60.00 USD)

Update 11/14/08:  Me and my son just returned from some cavity work ... I guess we've been bad ...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 10/17/2008 4:53 PM | View Comments (16) | Add Comment

Costa Rica Traffic Sign Suggestions (humor)

I love Costa Rica as a physical location and its people as a culture. "Pura Vida" or 'pure life' is the mantra of Costarricenses ... at least until they take control of motorized vehicles.

In the entry titled "Driving in Costa Rica makes NASCAR look like a Gentleman's Sport" I denote that Costa Rica is most enjoyed when somebody else does the driving in urban areas.

Fellow Costa Rica blogger Gerardo Alcides Sánchez Monge had another take on the same subject via his blog...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 10/8/2008 7:20 PM | View Comments (7) | Add Comment | Trackbacks

Driving in Costa Rica makes NASCAR look like a gentleman's sport...

...and what's real deal with those Costa Rica motorcycle helmet laws?

Here in Costa Rica car drivers and motorcyclists are severely injured or killed in large numbers. Why?! Driving behavior and lack of enforcement.

Cars pass other traffic by using both space on the right of the road or lanes of oncoming traffic. Motorcycles drive between cars, pass on the right, pass via oncoming traffic lanes, etc., etc. Traffic lights, stop signs, lane markings and driving laws are routinely...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 9/30/2008 8:05 PM | View Comments (18) | Add Comment | Trackbacks

American football will now be played in Costa Rica - YES!

(Infocom) — Even though the Super Bowl will probably never be played here, the truth of the matter is that American football — perhaps the most practiced and loved of all sports in the United States — is gaining ground in Costa Rica, with the incorporation of the Costa Rican American Football Association (ACFA).

Benjamin Vega, an American football coach, said this association has been supporting the practice of this sport in Costa Rica with the future goal of creating a national federation. “I played in schools in the United States, and because I’m so interested in the sport...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 9/25/2008 5:54 PM | View Comments (4) | Add Comment

Costa Rica Culture and Crime Discussion - 25 Year Resident & Visitor Responds

Patrick Mach first came to Costa Rica 25 years ago. Since his initial visit Patrick has run a Costa Rica Bed and Breakfast, become fluent in Spanish via a Costa Rica language emersion school and married a Costarricense woman. Patrick's wife and son remain full-time in Costa Rica while he continues to work in Florida and commute for family time. Obviously Patrick has a realistic view of both the U.S. and Costa Rica societies from which to make the following observation and opinions.


I have been coming to Costa Rica since 1983 and have spent time throughout the different parts of the country. I have lived in ...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 9/18/2008 1:51 PM | Add Comment | Trackbacks

Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica - 'Gobsmacked by Natural Beauty'

TRIP REPORT Posted by: Athena. A four year resident of Puriscal, Costa Rica that is still exploring all Costa Rica has to offer.

My family just returned from our first trip to Manuel Antonio. All I can say is WOW! I had to share.

The drive from Puriscal to Manuel Antonio was a breeze. No pot holes or bad roads and not at all congested. It was actually a very beautiful drive. It reminded me of my initial arrival to Costa Rica. I had been gobsmacked by the natural beauty. I would wonder how the locals could possibly get any work done with views like...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 9/14/2008 12:59 PM | View Comments (12) | Add Comment

Cost Rica is a poor, filthy, non eco-sanctuary that’s full of run away crime

Costa Rica Blogger is a "Real Life Adventure Blog containing honest, unbiased information" on Costa Rica.

Toward this end I thought it only fair in sharing a recent on-line post by a California couple that just returned from their first (and possibly last) Costa Rica visit … followed by my direct response.

Post 8/31/2008
We just returned from a much anticipated visit to Costa Rica. Sadly; the experience left us never wanting to return.  Firstly, we had our tires spiked...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 9/3/2008 6:15 PM | View Comments (75) | Add Comment

La Fortuna, Costa Rica - home to the "constantly active" Arenal Volcano & a 230 foot Waterfall

Costa Rica's "WOW" factor is in overdrive in the La Fortuna area.

Located 90 kilometers Northwest of San José in the Alejuela Province on the boarder of the Guanacaste Province, La Fortuna is a literal tourist Mecca featuring; the Arenal National Park home of the "constantly active" Arenal Volcano, Lake Arenal - Costa Rica's largest body of water, the Tabacón Hot Springs, the impressive 230 foot La Fortuna Waterfall as well as an endless amount of organized adventures. 

So popular is this in-land destination that we were reunited with two separate families we had met just two days...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 8/21/2008 1:04 PM | View Comments (5) | Add Comment

Tortuguero - Costa Rica's Caribbean North wildlife wonderland

Interested in "ecotourism"?!  Then your premier point of destination is arguably Tortuguero, Costa Rica.

My first visit to Tortuguero came about when I had family visiting from the United States.  The August visit of my 13 year old daughter, my mother and my ex-father-in-law put Tortuguero on my short list of in-country trips due to the seasonal nesting of Green Sea Turtles from July through October (Leatherback Sea Turtles nest in Tortuguero from March to May).

Located in the Caribbean North area of Costa Rica, Tortuguero features...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 8/19/2008 5:18 PM | View Comments (6) | Add Comment

Costa Rica's Cost of Living - can I really live on $700 a month?!

A reoccurring question about Costa Rica from those considering moving, retiring or buying a second/vacation home in the area is, "What is the Costa Rica cost of living?"

In this post there are two monthly budgets shared by native U.S. citizens that now live in Costa Rica.  As you will see, there is a wide divide between what each contributor considers a comfortable lifestyle ... which of course, greatly effects the...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 7/23/2008 12:36 PM | View Comments (19) | Add Comment

We spotted a real life Chupacabras (or maybe we're just going batty ;o)

The Costa Rica house we live in is named Villa de Chupacabras. 

So what is "Chupacabras"?  Costa Rican's and other Latin American's know, but this gringo had to look it up and it was a little creepy.  Let's just say it's an animal of folklore you wouldn't want to meet in a dark house ... which leads me to my real life story:

Last night we got home after dark and as I made my way to the nearest light switch I thought I felt something swoosh near my head. 

Soon after turning on the lights I spotted a real life...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 7/5/2008 4:49 PM | View Comments (1) | Add Comment

Costa Rica - Tourism and the Economy

Many have asked if Costa Rica is suffering economically from decreased travel or investment and home buying as cash-strapped foreigners deal with world-wide economies suffering from high oil prices and other regional issues such as the U.S. home mortgage crisis.

It should go without saying that Costa Rica is definitely concerned - especially with fears of a full-blown economic recession in the United States. After all, Americans accounted for 54% of the 1.9 million visitors that traveled to Costa Rica in 2007.

Just recently the Costa Rican Institute of Tourism...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 6/20/2008 6:10 PM | View Comments (15) | Add Comment

Visiting Costa Rica with Children - Bring Permission to Leave

Costa Rica as a government has in the last few years worked to improve its processes in preventing child abductions. This is obviously a good thing! The primary target of Costa Rica law is men leaving the country with minor children.

Entry into Costa Rica as a male with a minor child or children is not an issue. However, when a male attempts to leave Costa Rica with a minor the authorities will often challenge for adequate proof that the mother has granted permission for the minor to travel. Even if the minor is traveling to Costa Rica with both parents, bring these documents ...



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Posted by Bill Clanton at 6/14/2008 1:51 PM | View Comments (3) | Add Comment

Costa Rica Gas Prices

I was driving home last night when I noticed cars clustered around the gas station nearest my home (cars don't line-up in Costa Rica ... they cluster and wedge). Mentally checking the day and date I couldn't figure out why so many drivers were waiting for gas at the same time - after all, it wasn't a traditional Costa Rica pay day.

This morning I read in the newspaper that gas prices had been raised in Costa Rica overnight. This move in gas prices must have been planned for so many people to be aware of...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 6/11/2008 5:35 PM | View Comments (2) | Add Comment | Trackbacks

How to Navigate Costa Rica by Car - with a GPS Device and Costa Rica Digital Map of Course!

Like many Costa Rica visitors and people that have made the move to Costa Rica, finding my way around the twisting, turning and unmarked Costa Rica roads was a daunting task. Although I do enjoy many of the discoveries that come with making a wrong turn … getting from point A to point B in a timely manner can become a priority when the destination is a business appointment, a child needing to be picked up from school, etc.

In order to put away my marginally effective Costa Rica paper road map and car compass,I decided to purchase a GPS unit and Costa Rica digital road map...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 6/6/2008 10:27 AM | View Comments (4) | Add Comment | Trackbacks

Spirit Airlines announces major layoffs ... flights to Costa Rica could be affected.

Spirit Airlines, a popular discount airline with service to Costa Rica announced May 31, 2008 in a letter to union leaders that up to 60 percent of its flight attendants and 40 percent of its pilots face layoffs due to operating losses attributed to unforeseen rises in fuel costs.

Exactly how these potential cutbacks will impact the many Costa Rica, Latin America and Caribbean travelers that rely on Spirit Airlines for discounted flights remains to be determined.

If you already have Spirit Airline tickets booked for future flights...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 6/5/2008 1:11 PM | View Comments (1) | Add Comment | Trackbacks

Things to do in downtown San José, Costa Rica; Museums, Parks and even a Cow Parade

Junior and I walked around San José, Costa Rica this past Saturday.  Our travels took us to; Parque Zoológico Simón Bolivar (the San Jose Zoo), Museo de Oro Y Numismática (the Pre-Columbian Gold and Numismatic or Money Museum), Museo Nacional (the National Museum) in the old Costa Rica army fort known as the Bellavista Headquarters. 



We were also fortunate enough to view the limited time showing of...



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Posted by Bill Clanton at 5/18/2008 4:05 PM | View Comments (7) | Add Comment

Cost Rica Car Security - Protect Yourself, Your Investment and Your Valuables with an Alarm System, Physical Locking Device and Common Sense

Automobiles in Costa Rica are quite a bit more expensive than in the U.S. due to high import taxes on such 'luxury' items.  Additionally, theft of all kinds are part of living in Costa Rica due to the wide-divide between the "haves" and "have nots".  Put all this together and it is no surprise that car robbery and car theft are issues in Costa Rica.  This does not make Costa Rica any more dangerous than many areas of the U.S. or other countries ... just a fact that must be recognized as a Costa Rica car driver and ... 


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 5/16/2008 2:12 PM | View Comments (5) | Add Comment

Costa Rica Daily News Feed added

Toward our goal of providing a REAL source of honest and unbiased information on Costa Rica, Costa Rica Blogger has added a daily news feed from A.M. Costa Rica within the left-sidebar of our site.  A.M. Costa Rica is an online English weekday news source that unapologetically tells its readership what is going on in Costa Rica.
IMPORTANT:  Sometimes news is depressing because the good things that are happening at the same time don't make it to print - watch your own local or national news to understand (ie: April 30 2008, CNN.com - "Chicago...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 5/9/2008 4:52 PM | Add Comment

Buying or Importing a Car in Costa Rica - Do Your Homework!

Many argue there is no need to have a car in Costa Rica.  Valid points to support this view are:  automobiles in Costa Rica are substantially more expensive than in the U.S. mainly due to high 'luxury' import fees, gas is more expensive (currently at $4.50/gallon), driving in Costa Rica makes NASCAR look like a gentleman's sport and public transportation such as buses and taxis are widely available and inexpensive.

When I first made my decision to move to Costa Rica, I thought I could live without a car, but due to my...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 5/5/2008 3:13 PM | View Comments (130) | Add Comment | Trackbacks

Getting a Costa Rica Drivers License - "Do Not Smile"

I promise to go into the how-to's for obtaining a drivers license in Costa Rica, but first I must detail part of the experience so those that follow in my footsteps can see some light at the end of the tunnel while sitting through the process.

Disclaimer:  In my many visits and dealings with Costa Rica government offices such as the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería (Immigration), the Ministra de Relaciones Exteriores de Costa Rica (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Chicago Consulate, Chicago Consul General...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 4/24/2008 4:30 PM | View Comments (117) | Add Comment | Trackbacks

Check out this view of the Costa Rica Poás Volcano valley...

The following picture was taken Sunday (04-20-08) near the top of our ascent to the Poás Volcano located in the middle of Costa Rica.

We have some more pictures posted online at BienvenidosCostaRica.dotPhoto.com, but unfortunately none of the pictures are of the Poás Volcano (pronounced: poe-oss) itself.  During our entire visit the volcano crater was cloud ...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 4/22/2008 12:39 PM | View Comments (2) | Add Comment

Costa Rica Banking ... because money matters!

I have been a U.S. mortgage lender for the past 10 years and a visitor to Costa Rica for 7 of these years.  With each trip I learned a little more about how to get around Costa Rica when it comes to money and the Costa Rica way of banking. 

Moving to Costa Rica was no exception ... I am still learning how banks work down here.

Do flip-flops really cost 25.000,00?!

Costa Rica's ...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 4/12/2008 2:54 PM | View Comments (16) | Add Comment | Trackbacks

Establishing a Costa Rica Corporation

Many aspects of functioning in Costa Rica require that a person or entity be qualified to obtain services or do business in Costa Rica.

As a simple example; to obtain a cell phone line and number in Costa Rica the applicant must be: a) a Citizen, b) a Resident or c) a Costa Rica Corporation.

If you are not a Costa Rica citizen or resident, setting-up a Costa Rica corporation with yourself as the principle is the least expensive way to get started in many aspects of Costa Rica living.  For the one-time reasonable cost of ...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 4/8/2008 1:55 PM | View Comments (21) | Add Comment | Trackbacks

Getting a Cell Phone in Costa Rica

If you are going to live or spend allot of time in Costa Rica, you will more than likely appreciate having a cell phone. 

Unlike many other countries, Costa Rica does not allow private companies to operate cell phone systems.  In Costa Rica you have one source for cell phone lines or numbers - the Costa Rica government's own Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad or ICE (pronounced - "E-say"). 

"Grupo ICE" consists of three divisions.  ICE ...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 4/7/2008 2:34 PM | View Comments (7) | Add Comment

Costa Rica Holy Week: Easter Cowboys (or Vaqueros Tico)

This week was Easter or Holy Week in Costa Rica.  Like Christmas, most of the country was shut down as Tico's headed for the Pacific or Caribbean/Atlantic beaches, gathered with friends and family and even headed for destinations outside the country for vacations at the likes of Disney World in Florida! 

Our new home of Las Nubes de Coronado is located inland within the mountains to the east of the Costa Rica Central Valley and its capital of San Jose.  We are surrounded by dairy farms ...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 3/22/2008 12:59 PM | View Comments (10) | Add Comment

Costa Rica Bilingual Education for Grade School Students

Finding a truly bilingual grade school (primary school) in Costa Rica that is both good and affordable can be a challenge.  I have a nine year old son that although he is a native Costarricense, only speaks English because he has been living in the United States since he was three years old.  A big part of my decision to move to Costa Rica was my desire to have my son receive a good bilingual education so that he will have more options later in life.

In looking for bilingual ...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 3/6/2008 4:37 PM | View Comments (10) | Add Comment

Living in Costa Rica - a first week of adventures and shopping.

I am experiencing Costa Rica from the ground-up - literally.  Due to my semi-remote location and the fact that I don't yet have a car means I am putting my soles to the ground and hoofing it up and down a mountainside in search of daily necessities.  During my first week, all of my time from waking to sleeping was spent taking care of little things to make a new house and location feel like home.

We are living in Las Nubes de (the clouds of ) Coronado,  Costa Rica.  To get to our location; start in the ...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 3/3/2008 3:28 PM | View Comments (13) | Add Comment

Pictures of our Flight and New Home in Costa RIca are posted!

Costa Rica Pictures from February 2008 have been posted online featuring 2 albums:
  1. A small album containing a few pictures from our relocation flight from Chicago to San Jose, Costa Rica
  2. A larger album of pictures showing our new home in Las Nubes de Coronado, San Jose, Costa Rica.
My good friend John has extended us the use of his beautiful home until his return ... Junior and I are anxious to make the ...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 2/26/2008 3:27 PM | View Comments (3) | Add Comment

Moving Day - Chicago to Costa Rica (a REAL reality check!)

Moving day... Fact:  there is absolutely no adequate preparation for moving to a new country.

Sunday, February 24th, 2008 was my moving day from the Chicago area to Costa Rica.  The finality of the situation did not really weigh on me until my day was almost finished.  When I realized what I had done, the panic was not so much acute as it was; what the hell have I just done to myself. 

Where was my safety net?!

I spent all day Saturday, February 23rd, 2008 packing. Trying to fit my life into four (4) checked bags.  Current airline ...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 2/24/2008 11:48 PM | View Comments (6) | Add Comment

A Note of Thanks to Costa Rica Cónsul General, Anelena Soley Loria

My move from Chicago is quick approaching– not leaving allot of time for blogging about the move itself. Details of the move will follow, but I am compelled to take a moment to publicly offer my sincere gratitude to the office of Costa Rica Cónsul General, Anelena Soley Loria

The Ministra de Relaciones Exteriores de Costa Rica (or Ministry of Foreign Affairs) was kind enough to assign Cónsul General Soley to the Chicago Costa Rica Consulate where Ms. Soley and her staff offer ...


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 2/19/2008 7:40 PM | Add Comment

Remembering the NIU victims - All they wanted to do was learn!

DeKalb, Illinois has been my home since 1983.  Located approximately 60 miles west of Chicago, DeKalb is home to Northern Illinois University with its 25,000 student population.

As many of you know, students of Northern Illinois University were attacked during class today.

DeKalb and the entire NIU community are mourning the loss of life, working through pain of the experience and will be forever thankful for the well-trained response of area police and emergency medical personnel.

Below is a brief overview* of this tragedy. I will try to keep the blog up-to-date, but please do not rely on this post ...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 2/14/2008 11:35 PM | Add Comment | Trackbacks

Why Are You Moving to Costa Rica?! ... isn’t that near the Virgin Islands?

Now that my relocation from the United States to Costa Rica is eleven (11) days away, the questions regarding my move are regular. 
For the record: Costa Rica is in Central America, one country North of Panama

My move to Costa Rica could be classified as a calculated gamble ... this from a man that doesn't buy lottery tickets or gamble even when staying in Las Vegas.

I have been visiting Costa Rica over 7 years, married a Tica and my son is ...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 2/13/2008 9:08 PM | View Comments (1) | Add Comment

Skype Phone Service in Costa Rica and the U.S. - What I Told My Mom

In discussing details of my move to Costa Rica with my mother, I informed her of my new U.S. based phone number provided by Skype phone service.

My mom had never heard of Skype and had several questions such as; "Is Skype something you can use here in the
states?"

The following is my Skype explanation to my mother ... hopefully it will benefit others as well:

------------------

Hi Mom,

Skype is a computer based VOIP phone service based on peer-to-peer technology where computer-to-computer calls are FREE world-wide. 

With a Skype Pro account; $3.00/month allows you can make domestic U.S. calls from your computer or ...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 1/30/2008 6:28 PM | View Comments (2) | Add Comment

We booked our flight to Costa Rica - Spirit Airlines; Chicago to San Jose, CR 02/24/08

I have been shopping airline ticket deals for our move to Costa Rica ever since returning from our December visit. 


My only hard rule is that I will NOT fly Mexicana Airlines because I can't take another Mexicana anal probing in this lifetime.
For full details, see 12/27/07 blog post: Nobody F~%ks You Over Like Mexicana - DO NOT Fly Mexicana Airlines!

Several weeks ago my friend John and Costa Rica home owner suggested I watch Spirit Airlines for good ticket deals to Costa Rica.  I subsequently joined the Spirit Airlines $9 Fare Club ...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 1/23/2008 7:32 PM | Add Comment | Trackbacks

Las Nubes de Coronado, San Jose, Costa Rica - map and pictures

Many have been trying to understand 'where' we are moving … some people are unsure where in the world is Costa Rica. 

When we disclose that our new location will be in the mountains of Costa Rica, the common question is "how close to the beach" will we be living .

We hope the below map and pictures help!


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Posted by Bill Clanton at 1/21/2008 9:16 PM | View Comments (5) | Add Comment | Trackbacks

April 2005 Costa Rica Pictures Posted - the archives have been unsealed!


Costa Rica pictures from April 2005 featuring Costarricense or Tico family pictures have been uploaded for your viewing pleasure.

During this trip we didn't move around Costa Rica too much.  Instead, we elected to rent a mountainside home that was large enough to entertain relatives, cook family dinners, etc. in the Central Pacific oceanside town ...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 1/20/2008 7:56 PM | Add Comment

The most compelling reason to Vote for HILLARY CLINTON for U.S. President...

The race for U.S. President is just getting interesting with many voters struggling to find an overwhelming reason to vote for one candidate over the other - so here's a little help...

The most compelling reason to Vote for Hillary Clinton for President!

This gets a little involved so please bear with this ... it does make sense in the end:

Due to the fact that the Clinton's were essentially 'homeless' upon needing to vacate The White House, it's common knowledge that Bill and Hillary purchased a house in upscale Chappaqua , New
York - necessitating they take a mortgage with payments ...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 1/14/2008 8:41 PM | Add Comment

The Costa Rica December 2007 Pictures are NOW Online - ready for your review


They're finally posted, the Costa Rica Pictures from our December holiday trip.

Included in the single main album are seven (7) smaller albums that should assist in experiencing our travels chronologically - as we did.

Hope you enjoy!

Bill y Junior


Full link: http://bienvenidoscostarica.dotphoto.com/CPViewAlbum.asp?AID=5052975


--------------

Bill Clanton is a 10 year seasoned real estate investor and owner of a highly successful U.S. based residential and commercial mortgage company.  As a Costa Rica Real Estate Sales and Financing ...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 1/9/2008 2:39 AM | Add Comment

Flight from Costa Rica to Chicago - Thank You Delta for saving us from Mexicana Airlines

Without any attempt at screwing us out of addtional monies like Mexicana Airlines ... Delta Airlines (www.Delta.com, Costa Rica teléphono 0800-056-2002) checked us onto the flight we had just booked online the previous day.  In addition, Delta gave us a great view of the San José Central Valley from the air and fed us enroute to our Atlanta layover.

On a day where 200+ flights were cancelled at our Chicago O'Hare International Airport destination due to a Northern Illinois snow storm ... Delta Airlines was still able to get us home on-time!

Thank You Delta!!! You have my lifelong business ...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 12/28/2007 9:23 PM | Add Comment

Nobody F~%ks You Over Like Mexicana - DO NOT Fly Mexicana Airlines!

We missed our 7:00am Mexicana Airlines return flight home from San José, Costa Rica to Chicago, Illinois. By the time we got into the taxi, raced to Aeropuerto Juan Santamaria, stood in line for our Costa Rica $26 airport departure tax and made it to the ticket counter – our Mexicana Airline flight had left the gate.

Having flown my entire adult life and of course missing a few flights along the way, I knew we were in for a long day … but I had no idea how bad it ...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 12/27/2007 9:14 PM | View Comments (6) | Add Comment | Trackbacks

Souvenir Shopping at Mercado Central in San José, Costa Rica

Junior and I set out on foot in San José to do our souvenir shopping during our last day in Costa Rica. The best concentration of Costa Rica themed items can be found in Mercardo Central (Central Market). Mercado Central takes up an entire city block bordered by Avenieda Central to the South, Avenieda 1 to the North, Calle 6 to the East and Calle 8 to the West.

As always, we purchased some fresh Costa Rica coffee for our café loving friends. Café Central (506-222-1769) ...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 12/26/2007 9:09 PM | Add Comment

VIDEO - Costa Rica "Tica" Cowgirls perform at Rodeo de Zapote, Dia de Navidad 2007

Video of Tica Cowgirls performing at Rodeo de Zapote, Fiesta de San José...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 12/25/2007 11:53 PM | Add Comment

Christmas with the Bulls – Fiesta de San José y Rodeo de Zapote en Costa Rica

Christmas day and we traveled by bus from Quepos to San José, Costa Rica. The cost was about $5.00 USD and generally takes about 4 hours. I don't mind the ride because the buses are usually quite comfortable with reclining seats and there's always plenty of fresh mountain air … plus you can't beat the view as you travel along the Pacific coastline and then up into the mountains.

We again returned to Hotel Europa (www.HotelEuropaCR.com, 506-222-1222) in San José. The staff welcomed us back by name, which happens amazingly often ...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 12/25/2007 8:53 PM | Add Comment

Christmas always comes early in Costa Rica

In Costa Rica, December 25 is Navidad or Christmas just like everywhere else … but the actual day of Christmas is really a day of rest, especially for those that celebrated well into the night before – because Christmas Eve is the day of actual celebration.

During the day Junior and I again spent a couple hours on the beach of Manuel Antonio. We both tried bodysurfing or boogie boarding for the first time with some pretty comical results. High tide was coming in and the surf was extremely impressive. Being ...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 12/24/2007 8:43 PM | Add Comment

Hiking from Quepos to Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

Sunday was a relatively quite day in Quepos. Junior and I decided to once again focus on Manuel Antonio beach as our destination. However, instead of taking the bus – we decided to walk the 7 kilometer coastal mountain road from Quepos to Manuel Antonio.

We departed at approximately 11:00am on our trek up and down the steep mountain slopes. Combine the climb with the hot and humid weather and you have a true test of explorer resolve. Junior did surprisingly well on the hike and never gave up even ...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 12/23/2007 8:22 PM | Add Comment

Beached in Costa Rica (finally ;o) - Quepos / Manuel Antonio

Ahhhh, finally a nice and relaxing day where we did what we should have been doing on a vacation … making the most of and enjoying our location.

This morning Junior and I left our room as soon as we awoke, had our standard tipico Tico breakfast at a downtown Quepos restaurant by the bus station, walked up and down most every street inventorying the businesses that had changed in the two years since we had visited and finally found a nice tipico Tico hotel owned and run by Alvaro ...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 12/22/2007 8:15 PM | Add Comment

Cortés to Quepos - By Land, Sea & (teeth jarring, rough road) Air

If I had known what I was getting into on this day I might have flown back to Chicago early! After sleeping in our wonderful $12 garage storage rooms we traveled South from Cortés to Osa Sierpe, Costa Rica. Sierpe has a similar layout to Cortés with a small town square and several blocks of unattractive commercial buildings … however, Sierpe has a good amount of tourists due it's being the launching point from it's "Las Vegas" restaurant and marina for one hour boat tours that take travelers down the Rio Sierpe (Sierpe River) to the Pacific ...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 12/21/2007 8:08 PM | Add Comment

San José to Cortés, Costa Rica - It's off to Grandmother's house we go ;o)

San José to Cortés, Costa Rica - It's off to Grandmother's house we go ;o)

Today we hired English speaking tourismo (tourist) van driver Manuel Solano Sanchez (506-363-9475, tokita@costarricense.cr) to take us from San José to Cortés, Costa Rica. Mario charged $200 for the 5+ hour trip of taking 5 passengers and alot of luggage.

Cortés is located in the Southern Pacific region of Costa Rica; North of Gulfo Dulce (the Dulce Golf), North of the sport fishing town of Golfito, West of the ...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 12/20/2007 7:58 PM | Add Comment

No Flights to Palmar, Costa Rica ... so back to the San José Hotel Shell Game

We decided to take the 30 minute flight from San José to Palmar Airport to see Junior's grandmother and other family members in Cortés, Costa Rica. However, due to the limited availability of flights and the busy holiday season we were advised by the Costa Rica domestic airline Sansa that tickets were already sold out for the next several days.

Bus travel is an extremely cost effective alternative and the method by which most Costa Ricans travel, but the 8+ hour bus ride through the mountains was not appealing. While we worked ...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 12/19/2007 7:52 PM | Add Comment

Hurry up and Wait - Welcome to Costa Rica!

Today was the day we were to take care of the "Patronato", the legal document and passport feature that would allow me as a father to travel in and out of Costa Rica with my son - without the presence of his mother. As discussed previously, the mother has to consent legally to such travel as part of Costa Rica anti-abduction laws.

At 9:00am we met again with Raul of attorney Pacheco and Marin's office in the Association of Residents of Costa Rica (ARCR) Casa Canada office in Paseo Colon. Raul ...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 12/18/2007 7:44 PM | View Comments (2) | Add Comment

I got fingerprinted by INTERPOL!!!!

Today I was 'printed and pictured' then let go on my own recognizance by the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) … how many people can say that with a smile on their face ;o)

Junior and I had a nice breakfast then it was off to Licensia (Abogado / Attorney) Romulo Pacheco's office.

Lic. Pacheco was punctual for our 10:00am appointment in the Association of Residents of Costa Rica's office in Casa Canada. His assistant Raul, promply drove me to get ...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 12/17/2007 7:33 PM | Add Comment

Central Valley Mountain Views - Las Nubes de Coronado and Escazú, Costa Rica

Mike and Louisa picked us up at Hotel Europa downtown San José for our day trip to Coronado and other mountain views of the Costa Rica Central Valley.

At 11:00am we traveled out of the San José downtown area for the first time since our Thursday arrival. Being as I am not a major city dweller, this change of pace and sights was very welcome. The traffic was light to non-existent on the way up into the mountains due to it being Sunday and the ...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 12/16/2007 7:22 PM | Add Comment

Shoe Delivery y Festival de la Luze de Costa Rica

Saturday was a day of delivering shoes 2,600 miles, making new friends and relocating to another hotel while smack-dab in the center of Costa Rica's annual Festival de la Luze.

In our luggage was two pair of Sketcher shoes we were delivering to a Costa Rica resident named Louisa, who is a friend of a man named John from Chicago. I met John via the Yahoo online discussion group Costa Rica Living when he inquired if anybody was going from Chicago to Costa Rica for the holidays.  John was seeking a ...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 12/15/2007 7:13 PM | Add Comment

A day of Costa Rica legal work

Today was legal day: initiating my application for Costa Rica Residency and properly documenting my authority to make decisions to travel as a single parent with my adopted son - who is a native Costa Rican (Costarricense).

We got out of the apartment fairly early and had breakfast at a nearby café on it's awning covered sidewalk, it didn't turn out to be as inexpensive as we are accustomed in Costa Rica non-tourist restaurants. By the time we were taxed and automatically charged the "service fee" or gratuity the ...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 12/14/2007 6:59 PM | Add Comment

Travel Day - Chicago to San José, Costa Rica

Today was a long travel day; at 10:00am we left the house in DeKalb, Illinois and at 11:45pm we arrived in our 'apartment' room in San José, Costa Rica.

For the record ... I much prefer the earlier-in-the-day travel schedule.  Waking at 1:00am, finishing your night's sleep on the plane and arriving to start your day by noon in Centro America is by far my preference.

However, when you're traveling for the holidays and you can't bring yourself and/or afford to pay 4-times regular prices - you travel when the price ...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 12/14/2007 1:36 AM | Add Comment

Costa Rica ... Here We Come!

Tomorrow's the day ... Junior and I are going back to Costa Rica for 2 full weeks over the Christmas holiday … leaving Thursday 12/13 with a scheduled landing back in Chicago on Thursday 12/27.

Trip plans include taking care of some legal work, checking out housing and schools for Junior, visiting family & friends and of course getting in a little sightseeing.  Cities of travel may include; San Jose (Capital, Central Valley), Coronado (Northeast mountains of San Jose), Cortes (South Pacific by the Dulce Gulf/Panama), Quepos/Manuel Antonio (Central Pacific) as well as others yet to be named. 

I ...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 12/12/2007 10:37 PM | View Comments (1) | Add Comment

The Association of Residents of Costa Rica (ARCR)

The Association of Residents of Costa Rica or ARCR is an organization that has been in existence for 20 years - assisting foreign residents living in and considering moving to Costa Rica with residency and other related matters.

The ARCR has an informative web site located at www.ARCR.net. I found the forum to be especially enlightening being as forum participants are many times a pessimistic group.  The way I look at it, if you're still interested in something after weighing everybody else's complaints ... your decision is at the least an ...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 12/7/2007 5:19 PM | Add Comment

A trip to Chicago for Document AuthenTICAtions

Today we traveled into Chicago for a day of document authentications required from both the State of Illinois and the Costa Rica Consulate prior to our leaving for Costa Rica.

As it turns out the Illinois Secretary of State's Department of Index and the Costa Rica Consulate's office were equidistant from Macy's (fka: Marshall Field's) on Chicago's famous State Street.

Macy's State and Washington Street exit was steps away from the Illinois Secretary of State's Index office while on the opposite side of the store the Macy's Randolph and Wabash Street exit provided ...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 12/5/2007 6:54 PM | Add Comment

HELLO I am [Forever] a Michigander!

If you haven't had the fortune to be born or live in Michigan, you might never understand what the following means:

As a past employee of Illinois city, county and state governments ... including several employee union positions ... I must admit I never hold high hopes for the performance of public employees.  It's not that all government employees are bad, but more the case of the few bad employees bringing down the performance of others (one of the many, many reasons I long ago left governmental employment).

Then there are those public employees like Connie Sopocy, Section Secretary for the State of Michigan's Division for Vital Records. Ms. Sopocy single handedly restored my faith in public service

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 12/3/2007 1:41 PM | Add Comment

Residency Paperwork - Check Your Homework!

As I tell my son; "Check your homework!"

So too should you check your homework when it comes to applying for Residency in Costa Rica.  For most of a year I have been doing my homework on how to efficiently apply for residency via; reading, researching, exchanging e-mails with CR Consulate officers, etc., etc.  However, as with most things in life you cannot over-study and there will never be a good substitute for experience.

Two documents required of me for application include a "Police Certificate of Good Conduct" from the Illinois State Police and a Michigan "Birth Certificate".  I already had several original ...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 11/29/2007 6:51 PM | Add Comment

Costa Rica Real Estate FAQ

Here are a Top 10 of the Frequently Asked Questions most commonly asked about owning real estate in Costa Rica. 

1.      Can a U.S. or Canadian citizen (or other foreigner) own property in Costa Rica? ...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 11/26/2007 7:57 PM | View Comments (2) | Add Comment

¡Bienvenidos!

Welcome to my new Costa Rica Blog page dedicated to my soon-to-be home of Costa Rica and my new business venture of Costa Rica Real Estate Sales and Financing.

I have several other web sites that will be up and running in the future, but for now this MySpace page was the easiest to launch.

Be sure to stay-tuned as I will be utilizing blogs to keep friends, family and clients informed of my adventures and progress.

Don't miss a blog entry ... ...

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Posted by Bill Clanton at 11/26/2007 6:07 PM | View Comments (49) | Add Comment | Trackbacks
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