Sunday ... At The End Of The World

When we moved from urban San Ramon to La Paz 2 years ago, we were the first and only foreigners in this country oasis. The phone line still ends just past our house and the last mile is on a primitive stone road. About 2 miles past our house the river crosses the road and you need a horse to enter the preserve that stretches all the way to Monteverde and Arenal. In many ways this is the end of the world ... just 20 minutes from San Ramon but as pure and natural as it gets.

In the time we've been here, a couple of folks have bought land past our house and built beautiful houses. It's nice having great new neighbors who also speak English and can be there for each other on this wild journey.

I used to have to go to San Ramon when I wanted more socializing and action. This past Sunday I went to 3 parties walking distance from my house. I never would have imagined this day a year ago.

I started out at an 11AM birthday party for Marielos, our wonderful Tico neighbor whose family has made our time here as smooth as can be. She made homemade corn tortillas and vegetable picadillo for a hearty topping. I didn't stay for the birthday cake as my tradition that grounds me in Costa Rica is watching the NFL on Sundays.


Off to Jeff and Jane's, a couple from Big Sur, California who have built a lovely modern home about a mile past our house. I love the locals but just having someone nearby who is from my culture makes a big difference. We had cocktails and watched some football.

The party shifted to Janet's, a brave 60 something who is La Paz's newest resident. Her land adjoins the preserve and is wild and "out there." My number one sidekick for my 8 years here Jimmy Lee joined us along with my partner Janet. Here we were at "the end of the world" watching the NY Giants (Los Gigantes) beat the Cowboys on satellite, enjoying snacks and drinks. Surreal to say the least!

No matter how native and natural a life we live here in Costa Rica, having a few friends nearby who speak English and have a similar cultural context is nice.

After 3 parties on Sunday we went back to our tranquilo life of sitting on our porch and watching the world go by ... very slowly.

Micro-Giving in Costa Rica

While it's nice to donate to charitable organizations, it's always seemed impersonal and hard to see specifically how I was helping. Also, many organizations use up a lot of their funds on administrative expenses, real estate, staff etc. There are many wonderful organizations who do great work, but I'm enjoying being able to help people directly in La Paz and San Ramon.

Janet and I bought 2 used Apple laptop computers before our last trip to La Paz. Our plan was to donate one to the La Paz school to supplement the one old desktop computer that serves the whole school. The other was a gift to our neighbors, the Arias family who have never owned a computer or been on the internet.


Our neighbors love living in their pristine country setting. They have welcomed us as a filtered source of the bigger world outside. They don't travel, but we bring some exotica into their lives. Yet, they know that learning the internet and English are 2 things that will increase the options in the world ahead for their children.

It was comical going into San Ramon with Mariellas and Carlos (9) to use the WiFi at Cafe Delicias. They now have a Gmail account and access to all the information the internet has to offer. I don't think I have to worry about them becoming addicts like folks I have known, but they now have a good tool for connecting with people far away and learning whatever they are curious about.

We gave the other computer to the La Paz school and received a sincere heartfelt thanks and warm welcome. The principal, teachers and students all shared how surprised and appreciative they were of our donation. Cool stuff.

I'm hoping to volunteer to teach English at the La Paz school in the near future. Since many of the English teachers have never lived in an English speaking country, often their pronunciation or knowledge of common ways of speaking, idioms, expressions, slang etc. is limited.

It's great to donate money to charitable organizations who really help their target groups. For me, it's been nice to be able to give directly to my neighbors things of $$$ value and also share my experience. I have learned so much from them about how to successfully live in San Ramon. Life is good when there is balance.

Making Cheese Empanadas With The Neighbors

Being a former restaurant owner and foodie, I love learning about local foods. Costa Rica is blessed with some of the best fruits, vegetables, fish etc. in the world but local cuisine is sometimes lacking creativity and strong flavors.

Since moving to the country, my neighbor Mariellas has been inspirational in teaching me some local favorites. We just planted an organic vegetable garden that both our households will share and we also have plenty or oranges, limons and bananas on our land.



On a lazy Sunday, our neighbors invited us over to make cheese empanadas. Their family has cows and makes the local cheese which is a fresh cheese that looks like a cross between tofu and feta. Often the corn comes from our garden. A couple of weeks before, Mariellas taught me to make fresh corn tortillas. Together we husked our corn, then Hormidas and I took turns grinding it with a hand grinder. The tortillas were like none I had ever tasted before.

We made the dough with cornmeal, salt, grated cheese and a little water. They showed me how to use the tortilla press to make the shell which then got stuffed with more cheese. After a few minutes I was on my own making the empanadas and then frying them. I made about 20 that Janet and I shared with Hormidas, Mariellas and their 3 children. The tortilla press got demystified today and I'm ready to add it to my kitchen tools. I'm excited to start making simple corn tortillas and also to fill the empanadas with vegetables for variety.
I thought a city kid like me might feel isolated in the country, but I'm finding the opposite is true. My neighbors all stop by and chat and the kids have found me a definite curiousity. I'm looking forward to learning some new local dishes and more importantly to share the meals with my wonderful neighbors, the Arias family of La Paz.

Costa Rica 6.2 Earthquake ... January 8, 2009

Last Thursday Costa Rica had a major earthquake. The current information is 23 are dead, 11 are missing and 2,300 people have been left homeless. The epicenter was near Poas Volcano just a few hours from my home in San Ramon. President Arias declared some areas uninhabitable in the future. There were photos of people walking away with just a garbage bag filled with a few possessions with all else lost. The planet seems to be reacting strongly with extreme weather all over the world and natural disasters on a regular basis.

Fortunately, there was no damage or impact to the people, property and landscape of San Ramon and La Paz. Janet and I were out for a walk during the earthquake/terremoto and didn’t feel a thing. Others in our community felt the tremors, but fortunately little else. We were with our friend and neighbor Falo, showing us a property he wanted us to help him sell. A joyful afternoon of discovery followed while less than 50 miles away chaos ruled.

One thing I learn over and over again is trying to make plans in Costa Rica rarely works and is often frustrating. But lots of cool experiences occur when just taking a walk and being open. As we walked with Falo, he brought us to see the Trapiches in La Paz. Much of the Central Valley is planted with coffee but La Paz seems to be mostly sugar cane/cana. Our neighbors fill up their carts with harvested cane and with their oxen bring it to one of two local Trapiches. (Life and work here sweetly resembles that of 50 or more years ago.)

At the Trapiche the cane is pressed for the pure sweet liquid, then boiled and finally formed into cones of brown solid sweetness, tapa. Agua dulce is a traditional drink made by combining boiled water or milk with the dulce/sweet. At the Trapiche they also make candy that is mixed with yerba buena/mint. It was fun meeting more of my new neighbors and learning about what happens to all the sugar cane that grows here.

We walked home on a stone road thinking our day was winding down and in the middle of absolutely nowhere we discovered Panaderia La Paz. Like wanderers in the desert finding an oasis, we were greeted by 5 women baking and an assortment of sweet and savory breads just out of the oven. They offered us stools and we proceeded to sample their treats. We learned that they bake on Mondays and Thursdays and then package their goods and distribute them at pulperias/corner stores in the area. We now walk by on their baking days, hang out awhile and bring home a few bags of pastries and breads.


I thought I might get bored moving to the country after 8 years living in the center of San Ramon. I find with each day I’m enjoying my new life and connecting with my neighbors in La Paz, 20-30 minutes outside San Ramon. I’m learning a lot about simplicity, community, nature and a joy that doesn’t require a lot of money, things or complex thought patterns.

Trout Farm Restaurants in La Paz, San Ramon Costa Rica

Rincon Poeta in San Ramon was my local hangout while I lived in the barrio these past 8 years. Many thanks to the owner Alonso, Sergio, Jason, Gigi, etc. for great service and to Carla and the chicas in the kitchen for great food. Out in La Paz (20 minutes into the country outside San Ramon), the 3 trout farm restaurants are becoming my new regular spots.

A cool Costa Rica tradition is trout farms that double as bars and restaurants. Fresh fish is one thing, but eating a fish that was alive just minutes before eating it is another realm.

Mi Tata is the closest to Bajo La Paz center. Located down a dirt road, it has a down home local feeling with it’s open air wooden structure overlooking two trout ponds. When we entered, Johnny Cash was playing followed by “Born to be Wild” and other popular American music…. Kind of surreal. The owner and waitress, who we met on earlier visits, warmly greeted us.

Janet and I started our meal with a few shots of Guaro (Costa Rican sugar cane liquor) and a beer. The Guaro set us back C600/$1.15 a shot and the bottle of Pilsen a mere C800/$1.50. A 1lb. whole Trout dinner with yucca and banana cerviche was delicious, fresh and very satisfying ($5.00). In the USA, people pay big bucks for a fresh fish dinner. In these tough economic times, it’s a real treat to live so well for so little $$$$ and lots of welcoming spirit.

Nearby is Rancho Carrucha which seems to be more family oriented. The first time we were here, it was a busy Sunday and quite the scene. Local families bring their kids for a pleasant day of catching and eating fish, playing pool, a cool time just a short ride from San Ramon.

CentroEcotouristica, the most exotic of the 3 settings, is at the end of the road in Bajo La Paz. After a couple of miles on a stone road you arrive at the edge of a reserve that stretches all the way to Monteverde. A hand painted sign reads, “Mundo Sin Explorer,” loosely translated as, “The World Not Explored.” This is the end of the road for cars and becomes bird, plant and animal paradise beyond this establishment. The air is clean and fresh and the river is perfect for a swim.

The meals are pretty similar at all 3 places. Explore and decide which spot feels best to you.

As I was paying my bill at Mi Tata and walking to my car, “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” by Cindy Lauper was blasting from the speakers. Great meal, fun scene … and many adventures ahead.

Ithaca, NY Winter = San Ramon, CR Summer

I just finished my annual Thanksgiving in the USA. Nice to see family and friends and remember to be grateful for all that I have. The only bummer is the dark, cold winter weather and lack of people on the streets. After 8 years in Costa Rica, my body just doesn't like the winter in Upstate New York.

December starts the summer in Costa Rica. San Ramon temperature remains a comfortable mid-70's year round but summer means the rain has stopped for the months ahead. After months of rain, everything is green and colorful in December. With no daylight savings time, the steady temps are complemented by 12 hours each of daylight and darkness. Easy on the body and spirit.

After a hectic visit to New York State, I'm very ready for the slow, friendly, uncomplicated life I have in Costa Rica. As a former restaurant owner and chef, I look forward to expressing my creativity with the fresh organic fruits and vegetables from my new garden in La Paz.

During the unfolding world economic downturn, San Ramon seems like a good place to be. The last few years have been boom times for foreign travelers and investors in Costa Rica. Unlike the over development at the beach, San Ramon has maintained its own character and economy for over 100 years. I think this will be an interesting time for people everywhere as they re-evaluate their life, plans, and future. Affordable, peaceful, friendly, sunny San Ramon seems like a good life in these uncertain times.

Tomorrow I leave winter and arrive in Costa Rica for the beginning of summer.

My New Home in La Paz

We just bought our 5th property in San Ramon, Costa Rica. Fortunately, we've sold a few of our properties recently to keep life manageable. We were going to list this property for sale for an 80 year old lady and her son, but one thing led to another and we ended up buying it.



Although it is only 20 minutes from San Ramon center life there feels at least 50 years in the past. Our neighbor uses oxen and a cart to transport his sugar cane harvest and there are more horses, birds, and animals than cars. Our neighbors are mostly from one family and 3 generations have welcomed us warmly.

For us, La Paz is a perfect complement to our home in the city. There is something about the air and vibe that is magical. It is the beginning of the rain forest without the tourists, buses and activity. Some Costa Ricans in the know have quintas/weekend houses there.

Our house has 2 floors, 2 bedrooms and 2 baths which should be good for entertaining and having friends visit. There are avocados, oranges, bananas, plantanos, limons and squash. We will work together with our nearest neighbor Hormidas Arias to recreate an organic garden so that we can grow all our vegetables on our land. As food gets expensive and travels thousands of miles for many, eating all our fruit and vegetables organic from our garden will be healthy and satisfying.


I really did not want to buy another house, but some places are so special. La Paz is one of those special settings that rivals any place I've ever been. As a guy born in NYC, my 8 year journey in San Ramon, Costa Rica continues to amaze me with twists and turns I never expected.