Market day is my favorite day of the week. Just about every town in Costa Rica has a weekly farmers' market called the feria, usually held on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. In some towns, it's a permanent open-air covered space. In others, vendors set up tents and tables in the town square or a closed-down street or two downtown.
As International Living's Panama Editor, I travel several times a year to speak at conferences. Often the image people have is of a country with pretty beaches, plenty of palm trees...and not much else. One of the questions I get most is: "Will I be bored there?" If you're expecting to take it easy and have a quiet retirement, you may want to think again. Bluntly speaking, it's nearly impossible to be bored or even inactive here.
"Won't you miss your family and friends if you move overseas?" That's a question we at IL get asked a lot, and the answer is... "Of course you will." It's something my husband Dan and I have experience of. We didn't think about it too much when we moved to Ecuador back in 2001. With the exception of Dan's mother, none of our family—my parents and our siblings—lived in the same city as we did.
"Won't you miss your family and friends if you move overseas?" That's a question we at IL get asked a lot, and the answer is... "Of course you will." It's something my husband Dan and I have experience of. We didn't think about it too much when we moved to Ecuador back in 2001. With the exception of Dan's mother, none of our family—my parents and our siblings—lived in the same city as we did.
"Won't you miss your family and friends if you move overseas?" That's a question we at IL get asked a lot, and the answer is... "Of course you will." It's something my husband Dan and I have experience of. We didn't think about it too much when we moved to Ecuador back in 2001. With the exception of Dan's mother, none of our family—my parents and our siblings—lived in the same city as we did.
Skip ahead a year and a half, and we find ourselves still gazing with eyes wide open at the land where we began. Costa Rica completely captured this whimsical family, much to our surprise, with its total package. As nature lovers, we experience an ever-present awe for our intense surroundings—the tropical birds, countless waterfalls, incredible beaches, and stunning mountain views…so much diversity in such a small country.
As Corey Coates finishes his morning stroll along Jaco beach he can't help but feel grateful to have such balance and peace in his life. Every day he wakes up with the sun, meditates, enjoys Costa Rica's superb fruits and coffee for breakfast, then visits the ocean from his beachfront luxury condo. "The satisfaction I feel each day doing what I love is immeasurable. Some days are harder than others, but at the end of the day I've done exactly what I want when I want."
Perched just five miles from Mama’s summit on her northern side is the town of Baños (population about 20,000). As the lore goes, Baños is Mama’s love child, and she protects it. She’s certainly passed on an inheritance, for—thanks to Tungurahua’s hot temper—Baños is blessed with an abundance of thermal waters. Those waters, and the stunning natural setting, have made Baños a popular spa and outdoor-sports town, as well as home to a small community of expats.
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One of my favorite surprises upon moving to Costa Rica was the open-air ferias or farmer's markets. They can be found all over the country, and offer delicious fresh fruits and vegetables at very affordable prices. For example, at my favorite market (located in the town of San Isidro de General and held every Thursday and Friday), you can buy three pineapples for $2, mangoes for less than a dollar a pound, and a head of lettuce for 50 cents.