Largest Mall in Central America Opens.....

[tibas9 0]

I have lived around fifteen(15) years in San Ana which is about 9K from Downtown San Jose(Chepe) and also 9K from SJO Airport. No need for a car here as I use the FREE excellent Public Bus Transportation and Taxis when need-be. I take the bus to downtown San Jose almost daily which has excellent medical and dental faciilties. Around every two(2) weeks I take-in a movie and eat their very tasty fresh popcorn at the very comfortable Air-Conditioned Cines at Multiplaza in Escazu in which I pay 2100 Colones using my Gold Card, shop at Automercado and eat at some very good resturants. I could go on and on how I enjoy living here in Chepe land but I would need at least two more pages.

 

To each-their-own but I would go NUTS living out in the boonies staring at the sky and woodpeckers. As for Paso Canoas, you have to experience it to believe it as it is a very Hot and Dusty Pueblo.

 

As for the cheap shopping on the Panama side please be aware that on the way back to Ticoland you may encounter a Costa Rica Traffic Police stop in which Contraband items bought in the Panama Side may be taken away from you due to not paying the Costa Rica Taxes.

 

Please Remember , if you have not been outside the border of Tico Land for at least seventy-two(72) hours that all items purchased in Panama are considered CONTRABAND by the Tioo Authorties if CR Taxes have not been paid or received from them a exemption stamped inside your Passport!

 

Also, I have a few Expat male Friends that live in the Southern Zone of Ticoland in which they love-it but their "Better-Halfs" hate living there. Please remember that Divorces are also very costly here in Ticoland(:

Edited November 19, 2015 by tibas9

[eleanorcr 0]

You are right, Tibas9 -- to each his own! While you would go nuts with the woodpeckers and staring at the sky, I would die living in the city. Just wither away and die.

 

Living in "the boonies" -- I enjoy the beautiful views everywhere I look: I can see two majestic volcanoes from my yard, don't have to worry about safety and security (I often just leave the keys in my car in my car port); don't have to breathe fumes from a gazillion cars, trucks and buses; don't have to have my nerves frayed by movement and noise all day long; don't have to live in a totally concrete environment; can see not only woodpeckers but 20 species of birds in my backyard as well as sloths and monkeys and a beautiful squirrel that lives there; my dog can run free without any danger to her; at night I can hear the tree frogs (not always a good thing!); I don't have to live with a bunch of people who are frantic to get to where they are going. I can also watch movies and tv shows for free, in my pajamas, using my computer.

 

If you are not a person for whom "nature" is important, then the city is just the perfect place for you. And I agree with you: it's difficult when married couples have different wants/needs about where and how to live. I see it in my friends and neighbors sometimes and I can't even imagine how they go about resolving that.

 

As for medical care: There is a great dentist in the little town where I live and I am lucky enough not to need routine doctor care. CIMA and Clinica Biblica clinics (Liberia) are about 1.5 hours away (and I can go by bus) as well as an excellent clinic/hospital San Rafael de Arcangel.

 

Still -- the point of this topic is the new mall and my point is that no matter where you live, you can support your local neighborhood shops and their employees. You can have parties for your neighbors and help them with their English, etc, but you can also help them by shopping locally so that employment is stable and strong. Saving that $25 on a new mattress or saving that $3 on a new towel is not worth it to me to make the long and uncomfortable trek to save.

[induna 0]

I don't mind the "atmosphere" -- it's just that I live sort of at the other end of the country. And I stay away from Chepe altogether. I just buy whatever I need either locally or at one of the "Small Box" stores such as Monge. Can I save money shopping at Paso Canoas or Golfito or San Jose? Yes. But there's gas, wear and tear on my car, wear and tear on my nerves, meals, hotel (or two) and in the end, just not worth it. I really do like supporting local merchants and do it whenever possible -- it's where I look first. I know there are things that can't be bought where I live (mattresses, for instance) but for everything else (kitchen supplies, towels, fans, tools) I buy locally if they have what I need. That's also a good way of helping local employment -- you know.... your friends and neighbors?

I agree. The only things I buy in Paso Canoas are things I can't buy locally. The local Gollo is a big favorite of mine, not to mention the ferretería. The only reason I mentioned Canoas is because that is where I go to find the hard to find because it is less than an hour away. Plus the road from San Vito to Ciudad Neily, which is on the way, has got to be one of the prettiest in Costa Rica, and that is saying something.

 

If I ever tried to move to the GAM my wife would toss me in a heart beat and inform Migración that I'm no longer her dependent

 

Anyhow, to stay on topic, I'm sure the new mall will be great for those who like malls and what they have to offer.

[Savannahjo 0]

Good, lively debate! Our place is in Uvita and I travel the world perhaps more than anyone on this forum. So yes, I love Uvita - quite, tons of water, great beaches, wild life everywhere with fewer people and just the right amount of eateries and activities. But, 20 minute flight from Quepos and I can spend the day in the new mall or the Multi-Plaza and appreciate that this wonderful country has the extremes! Pure Vida and early happy holidays to all....

[lucybelle 0]

I'm a big fan of living in small/medium size cities. I loved living in Chepe- all the great nightlife, great restaurants, everything convenient and oh yeah- a JOB!! It was also surrounded by the beautiful mountains which I loved to look at every day, and we were close to lots of fun get-away spots.

 

Now in the USA I'm living right downtown in my hometown, another small city (smaller than San Jose). I love it. I walk to work, walk to bars, walk to the park, walk to live music... it's great.

 

As we look ahead and start planning our move to Brazil (!!! which won't happen for another two years or so but I'm still already excited about it) we're looking at nice sized cities with plenty to do, but not too large, and with plenty of nature nearby.

[salish sea 0]

In CR, we lived out in the campo, with beautiful views of the surrounding green, green hills. Lots of birds, butterflies, howler monkeys and coyotes we could hear, but not see. Before then, we always lived in suburbia in the US.

 

I never thought I would like living in a real urban area, but spouse really wanted to move to Vallarta. Some things continue to be a real adjustment (can almost never hear the birds because of noise from traffic and neighbors' music), but the convenience of it all is making me a real convert: just 2 or 3 blocks to a number of very good restaurants, walking distance to a large grocery store, ditto to a small Asian grocery store with all sorts of jarred goodies and other items, ferreterias, dentist, etc, not to mention the beach and malecon. So it's a different life, but has its beauty, too. I never would have thought so!

 

regards,

Gayle

5 de diciembre

Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico

[costaricafinca 0]

Salish sea, I would expect that this is similar to how a 'tourist' would feel as compared to someone who actually lives there.