Category Archives: Costa Rica 2008

Information on my multiple trips to Costa Rica. Specifically about exploring the Nicoya Peninsula and finding places I might like to live.

I got to use my new Costa Rican Driver’s License today!

Posted on November 15, 2008 | Leave a comment

It was just to be photo ID for a charge card purchase but it was better than pulling out my passport or US driver’s license.

But I was excited that I got to use it…

Made it to Montezuma !

Posted on November 13, 2008 | 1 comment

Weather great!

Internet is extra awful (I guess an actually satellite the good places use are broken). So it’s computer labs sharing two dial-in phone lines.

Don’t expect much in terms of posts and photos the next few days. But scroll down because I did get a few things posted in the last 24 hours…

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Posted in Costa Rica 2008

Tagged Costa Rica, Montezuma, Weather

Around San Jose

Posted on November 13, 2008 | Comments Off

So here’s a few photos from San Jose, Costa Rica.

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Posted in Costa Rica 2008

Tagged Costa Rica, downtown, San Jose, shopping

Interbus – “Really Good”

Posted on November 13, 2008 | Comments Off

So I scheduled a shuttle bus (a large van) from San Jose to Montezuma. Last night I confirmed all the details:

8:20 pickup at my hotel. I guess they don’t pickup at all, but they pick up at mine.

I’m going to Montezuma

Approximate arrival time. She said 3 PM, which seemed really late, so I asked how many people were being picked up after me. She said “none” (I double-checked this and was told I was the only one going to Montezuma). I was excited because I would get the front seat, the back seat makes me a little nauseous, especially in Costa Rica.

The “Really Good” is their actual motto. I’m not sure if it was originally translated strangely and it stuck or if it’s how they were really rated on a survey or what, but I laugh every time I see their signs…

They were actually there early. And of course there was someone else on the bus. And we were picking up 3 more people (2 stops). But, it turns out they were going to different places. Here’s the process on how it worked:

Pick me up (semi-English speaking guy).

2 stops to pick up others.

Stop in Punteraeous and put me on a different shuttle (they were already waiting for me) with 6 others (who were going to get dropped off in Tambor about 10 miles before I was. Driver was non-English speaking guy.

Before the ferry boat another Interbus employee squeezes in (semi-English speaking guy).

At the ferry boat we all take our luggage off the bus and put it in a not-so-secure area on the boat. (The other bus turned around and went somewhere else with no passengers).

On the other side driver grabs a van he left there a few hours before from the people who were going the other way.

He drops everyone off at a hotel/resort in Tambor (Hotel Tambor?). Very nice!

He drops me off.

Ten minutes later I realize I don’t have my GPS, I was playing with it on the ride (an awesome birthday present from my Mom!).

After multiple transfers on the hotel phone (with hotel people translating) we realize it’s lying in the gutter next to where we parked when I got dropped off. Oops!

All in all it was a great value! Only $39 (it’s $150+ for a cab). I didn’t wait anywhere, even the ferry was ready to board when we got there (not sure how long the Tambor people waited for me, but they then would have had to wait for the ferry). Air conditioned vehicles in pretty nice shape (each time I changed busses they got a little more worse for the wear).

And I think I arrived at around 1:30 (maybe a little sooner). If traffic would have been worse out of San Jose (and it wasn’t great), it probably would have been a lot later since the next ferry probably wouldn’t have been for hours.

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Posted in Costa Rica 2008

Tagged bus, Costa Rica, Ferry, Montezuma, San Jose, travel

I opened a bank account in Costa Rica

Posted on November 12, 2008 | Comments Off

This is trickier than it sounds. Imagine trying to open an account in the US without a Social Security card and without a mailing address…

I got all my paperwork in order:

They normally two letters of reference from banks that I normally do business with (seemed very old fashioned to me). I ended up using a letter of reference from a local Costa Rican organization and one letter of reference from a bank. I didn’t think I even needed the letter from my bank (I thought the Costa Rican letter would supersede it) but I was told a few days before my trip I needed it (definitely in conflict to other info I was given); in hindsight I’m not certain I needed it but it’s in my file now.

A utility bill, I used one the same as what I was using for my local address.

Copies of my passport and entrance stamp page.

Once I got all that in order I went to the bank, got sent to another building, waited, got walked back to the first building to the person who sent me to the second building. Then I bet I sat at his desk for 90 minutes while he keyed in all sorts of things in the computer kept leaving the office and coming back again. All the while I’m intermittently signing things for the accounts, on-line banking, an ATM card and I think a debit card (built into the ATM card).

I have to go back for my ATM card and I can’t set up the on-line banking until I have that card. I’ll come back to the bank to pick up the card next week (I had other stuff going on so I didn’t go back for a few weeks and it was all ready). They possibly could have sent it to another branch, but they seemed hesitant, so I wouldn’t chance it (especially since my schedule is a little grey still).

So now as I see some other branches I’ll do a few tests depositing a check and making a withdrawal to see how it works. Better to know now then when I have an emergency.

No one could really explain to me if I should open the accounts in Dollars or Colones. Most people said both but couldn’t say why. It seems like I can deposit into either account in either currency and withdraw in either currency also. It’s never seemed to bother my US bank if I withdraw in Dollars or Colones. If I’m in CR, I’m only going to take out Colones (unless maybe I’m at the airport leaving the country…)

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Posted in Costa Rica 2008, The Costa Rica Plan

Tagged Account, ARCR, Bank, Costa Rica, money

I can’t find my umbrella

Posted on November 12, 2008 | Leave a comment

I swear I packed it. I thought I saw it when I got here. I’ve searched everywhere and I had to switch rooms so I had to move all my stuff and it never turned up.

So I broke down today and purchased a new one. It’s larger than the tiny collapsible one that I brought so I’m better off. Of course it hasn’t rained a drop since then, so it’s money well spent!!!

Tiny UPS Truck

Posted on November 12, 2008 | Leave a comment

I thought the tiny UPS truck was interesting.

I haven’t seen any other 3 wheeled vehicles this trip.

Getting My Driver’s License in Costa Rica

Posted on November 11, 2008 | 5 comments

So went to get my driver’s license today. What a bureaucracy! The only plus was that it wasn’t very busy.

I knew this was going to be a hassle so I hired ARCR (the folks that did the relocation seminar) to take me there and work me through the process, it was $35 well spent. I would have spent that on cab rides alone.

Here’s the process we took:

Copied my passport, entrance stamp and US license.

Drove to the MOPT (their Department of Motor Vehicles).

Walked out of the huge complex and down the street to the Doctor’s office and got a blood type test $10 and then went to a different room for a “medical” for $20 (which consisted of an eye test, blood pressure and some questions).

Walked back into the far side of the complex and queued up.

Every time someone went in, we all moved down a seat closer to the door.

Got approved for a driver’s license for an automobile.

Did not get approved for a motorcycle. She didn’t accept the “CY” in my endorsement section was for a motorcycle. Says I’ll have to go to the U.S. Embassy to get a note from them. This was even after I showed her my “International Driver’s Permit” which very clearly identifies me as having a motorcycle endorsement and it’s in Spanish (FYI, Costa Rica does not honor this permit for driving so I can’t bitch too much); if Michigan defined “CY” on the back of the license I’d have been fine.

Went downstairs and waited but this time we had a number.

This was to get everything keyed in for the license.

Walked back to the front of the complex to pay for the license.

Walked back to the back of the complex to show the receipt that we paid.

Got my picture taken (was allowed to smile), signed the computer tablet and had my fingerprint taken.

Waited for a few minutes more and got my license! Good for two years!

Throughout this process I showed my US license, passport and the copies a million times. At some point in the process they did let us leave to make a copy of the doctor’s medical test (all the way back to the front and down the street to the doctor’s) and then they stamped it certified so I don’t have to get another test ($10).

The $35 for the escort well spent, especially since I speak barely speak Spanish. But if they had known a little more I could have gotten the paperwork I needed to get the motorcycle endorsement and gotten both. I’ve heard they are making license’s harder for non-residents so maybe I should get it now (I’m assuming they’ll let me renew it even if they change the rules) that was part of my motivation in the first place. I can go back myself but like I said before, if I don’t have a car it’s going to cost that much for cab fare. If I have a car at the end of my trip when I come back to San Jose to leave I’ll do it…

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Posted in Costa Rica 2008, The Costa Rica Plan

Tagged ARCR, bureaucracy, Costa Rica, customer service, DMV, Drivers License, Michigan, San Jose

Category Archives: Costa Rica 2008

I got to use my new Costa Rican Driver’s License today!

Made it to Montezuma !

Around San Jose

Interbus – “Really Good”

I opened a bank account in Costa Rica

I can’t find my umbrella

Tiny UPS Truck

Getting My Driver’s License in Costa Rica

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