Sunday, April 27, 2008

Bajo Caliente - San Juan de San Ramon - Recreation

One of my favorite places to spend some leisure time in San Ramon is Bajo Caliente. Locals come for many different reasons and the variety of things to do, make it special.

There is a nice swimming pool with a mesh roof for an indoor/outdoor feeling. Weekends and school vacations are busy times. I often go on weekday mornings and it feels like my own private club. There are swimming classes for children and hydro-spinning exercise classes. For people watching and socializing, the grassy hill outside the pool is filled with sexy beautiful people, catching some rays and checking each other out.

Bajo Caliente also has a soccer field. Local teams and friends rent the field for weekly games. Their friends and family cheer them on and make a nice scene.

The bar / restaurant is one of the largest in San Ramon. It is covered but open air with people of all ages. They serve bocas, small plates of food for about C1000/$2. Their wood fired roast chicken is one of the specialties along with cerviche, shrimp, fish and more.

The owner, Luis and his sons make this a family run business. Luis spent a few years in the USA working in Orlando and the Hamptons. Like many Costa Rican’s, he worked hard in the USA, saving most of his dollars to create a business in Costa Rica. While you hear so much about immigrants in the USA, Costa Ricans have a different take. The lifestyle in the USA is too fast, expensive and cold for most Ticos. They prefer to take their money home and lead a Pura Vida lifestyle with some capital for a house or business.

Bajo Caliente is a great part of my San Ramon lifestyle. It is located 5 minutes from the center of town in the community of San Juan.