Year End 2011

Well, let’s see it is year end once again!  The town is full of people on vacation and with that comes a lot of traffic and loud music.  Tico’s love their music (LOUD)!!  The beaches are full of sun worshipers and surfer wanabes.  The weather has been really nice with lots of sun this month compared to last year when it rained every day except Christmas.  We are bracing for the explosive New Year’s Eve bombardment and will keep the dogs inside for sure.  Tico’s also love their fireworks, even though they are illegal here (go figure).

 

So this month we had to move a sloth away from climbing onto our power lines.  It is amazing how strong these creatures are.  Trying to pry this one loose from the bush was almost impossible.  It finally moved to the back and climb up a tree safely.

We had a party gathering of folks in Playa Negra over at the Botanical Gardens full of food and drink for Christmas.  It is a big annual deal to meet and greet new folks that happen to stumble into this place.

We also had a visit from a strange looking bug called a Leaf Mimic Mantis.  I think it is still out there wandering around somewhere.

 

Last but not least I had our gate sanded and varnished to keep it looking like new.  To not do this would cause the wood to rot.  Anyway, just part of maintaining things in the rainforest.

 

So now for the other things that have happened here in Costa Rica.  The President got her new tax law passed 3 hours before the legislature when home for Christmas very quietly.  So now  next year we get to pay tax on our corporations that hold our house and car.  The tax this year would have been $155/each, but since it just passed and won’t go into affect until next year we get to pay $177/each (lucky us).  If you don’t pay, the corporations are dissolved and any property forfeited.  At least we have until April to pay.    95% of the money is supposed to go the the Minister of Security for a bigger police force, vamos a ver!

She is also trying to tax our retirement income, but the real problem is they can’t collect back taxes that would help solve a lot of these problems.  Since that is too hard to do, it is easier to create new laws that have a better chance of bringing in the money.  Last year there were over 100,000 professional that reported no income, so you see it is a big problem.  Can you see this in the US where people say I had no income!!! 

So a new year is just around the corner.  The US will have a new President (maybe) and billions of political adds to watch each and every new day!!  How fun is that???  We will maintain our beach head here, will be getting our residency cards in January (hopefully) and hoping for a prosperous new year indeed. 

¡Pura Vida!  ¿No?

 

Multi-Cultural Event in Puerto

A group of people got together to put together a gather of all the community offering a variety of goodies for the holidays.  All in all, I think the kids won out big time.  There was a clown, candy falling from broken piñata’s, a big rubber castle to jump on and horse drawn buggy tours through town. For the grown ups there was food and plenty of it.  The worlds largest pot of “Rondon” soup that is a specialty here in the Caribe, a roasted pig and grilled jerk chicken.  All of this was provided by donations and the public really enjoyed  it, or should I say they ate it up!

There was live music too.  It was a great way to spend the afternoon even though our blues skies from the morning had given way to threatening clouds.  The rain did hold off until today.

Can’t be complete without a clown to make the kids laugh.

The horse drawn cart taking the kids around the town.

 

The big play yard filled with kids and parents alike.

Even here Mickey is a big hit.

This is a local brother and sister who have wonderful voices and sing very well.  Her name is Shanti and she sang with us last year in the choir. 

The pig is done and ready to carve up.

The worlds largest pot of “Rondon” is being served.  This was rented from a place in San Jose and brought here by people donating money and time.  A well worth effort for sure, it was great!

 

The end of a good day.  Pura Vida y Feliz Navidad!

 

Residency Update

I received a call from the Clinic in Home Creek on Friday just like the lady said she would saying that Jana’s card was “lista” and ready for pickup.  So I hopped into the car and took off before they changed the game again and got it finally!!  We now have everything to get our cedula’s (maybe?), depends if we will be required to spend another $250 fee for a new requirement of all foreigners in country doing any banking transactions.  Thanks to Tio Sam, the government here will be monitoring all banking transactions of foreigners to see how much money is being  passed thru their accounts.  Thanks Tio, just what I needed, more fees to pay.

But now the Christmas season is upon us and we will not be able to get an appointment until sometime after the first of the year.  Patience is surly the name of the game here.  Tranquilo is the word of the day here on the Caribbean.  Pura Vida.

 

December already!

Well time is flying and the end of the year is in sight.  Before you know it you will be cleaning up all of the wrapping paper and thinking about the next getting our year.

Hopefully this year we will be getting our cedulas, we have been approved and finished up almost all of the extra requirements, all that lacks is a little clinic card for Jana. That has proven to be challenging.  I have tried 6 times to get it and each time I can away with a new story and what I needed and how much more time it will take to get it approved.  Funny that all the rest of the people there to get their cards walked out with them, hum……  Pura Vida.

November was another below average month for rain.  Normally we get about 17 to 18 inches during the month, but this month only 7.5 inches.

As we hunker down for the beginning of the “rainy” season our thoughts will turn to calmer sunny days.  This is the beach now:

Here is the beach in summer:

We really do need the rain here so as it starts we will all be thankful for it knowing that when the summer days return the trees will be green and wells full of water.