Vending Machines...

These are the coolest! Bananas just appear on these big clusters in the back yard. You just pick 'em and eat 'em. No coins necessary!
Also, the local farmers bring fresh fruits and veggies to our door daily....By fresh, I mean just picked a few minutes earlier.
The Bakery guy comes twice a week with a truck full of hot, freshly made bread, rolls, and pastries.
The fish guy comes twice a week from the beach with a truck icebox full of fresh fish caught that morning.

No Shoes...?

Mariani was a recent visitor at the Aurora. He has been traveling for several months on his bicycle...Starting in Buenos Aries headed toward California. He carries everything on his bike, including his guitar, which he plays in various places, passing his hat to finance his journey. One change of clothes, no shoes, and a great personality and musical talent. The essence of freedom.

Paradise Adventure Tours is now based at the Aurora Hotel

Wakeboarding, skiing, and boat tours are now available here at the hotel. Jonny has room for 7 guests in his boat, and is an expert wakeboarder.

Just to good to be true.....

Everything here is really too good to Believe. Every night when the sun sets we think that was the best we have ever seen....until it comes back up in the morning.
Then it pours rain for an hour or so, then sunshine again!
The temperature has been holding steadily between about 72 to 85, day and night, for the 3 months we have been here.
Lots of fiestas with the local people, and a great rodeo last night. Great food (Dinner of rice, tortillas, and delicious pork ribs cost us $1.70 each US, and the ice-cold beers were about .90 cents US.)

Our internet business is picking up well...We're getting several orders per week, which is more than enough income to be totally comfortable.

Miss the family but not the country....
steve & bernie

TOP WINDSURFING....

Forbes has determined Lake Arenal to be #3 top windsurfing in the world. We have a windsurfing school at the north end of the lake...Common' down and give it a try!!

Arenal Windsurfing Article


steve

MONKEYS....????

Great report on the "Monkeys of Costa Rica..."

Monkey Report

steve

More great news...Don't waste anymore time....Come on down..!

More about life in Costa Rica from "The Happy Planet Reports"...
Click here for report

Pizza Hut Bicycle Racing Team

Our second group of guests here at the Aurora Hotel was the Pizza Hut Costa Rica Bicycle racing team. They stayed two nights, and used the hotel facilities to prepare themselves and their bikes for the race. There were about 70 riders in all for the race, and our group places first and second!

Congrats Pizza Hut Riders...!!

Too perfect?

Here at Lake Arenal the tempuratures range year round from a freezing 70 degrees to a sweltering 85 degrees... ; )
In other words, perfect every day and night. A lot like Hawaii, too, as we will have short, heavy tropical rains which may last for an hour or two, and then the sun comes smiling through.
In this mild climate they don't build homes with heaters or A/C units, so the average electric bill is usually $10 to $20 per month!
What a change from the $400 to $500 we were paying in Fresno!

First guests at the Aurora Hotel....

Were Marco and Frank. Frank is from Northern Ireland, and has ridden his motorcycle from Alaska (Prudho Bay) and stopped here on his way to Ushuaia, South America. Marco is originally from Ecuador, and is riding back home from Miami, Fla.
Had a great time meeting them and sharing stories of the road....

The secret to living longer

Great article about "Blue Zones" Places where people live to be way over 100. One of them is in Cosrta Rica! Click to go to article

We're Here!!!

Came into the Beautiful Lake Arenal town on Nuevo Arenal yesterday. It is better than I had remembered.
We moved in to a room at the Aurora Hotel, where we will be staying for awhile as we are refurbishing it and preparing to re-open it soon.

More on the Billabong Surf Contest

More on World Surfing Contest in Costa Rica

Go Here

steve

Is Costa Rica Perfect for Boomer Retirement?

Here's a great article....check it out!


See the article HERE
steve

Short Report on Home Ownership in Costa Rica....

You don't have to be a resident or citizen to own property in Costa Rica. Here's a short article....Much more on property ownership later...

Click Here For Article

steve

Another Report....Costa Rica happiest AND most exciting ...

vacation spot and country to live in...IN THE WORLD!

CLICK HERE




steve

World surfing Games in Costa Rica

There are a mere seven days and counting to the inauguration of the Billabong ISA World Surfing Games on Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast. The entire country, and the area of Jaco and Playa Hermosa in particular, is preparing for the biggest surfing championship ever held on the shores of Central America. With the confirmed participation of more than 35 national teams, it will indeed be the largest surf event in the history of the sport.
http://tiny.cc/zpfRC

When in San Jose, don't miss this trip...

Great trip NOT TO MISS....Just outside of San Jose....
http://tiny.cc/NRphH

Building A Following...

I set up a Facebook account which you can find at Facebook.com under the name "Costa Rica Calling". This is open for any discussion about Costa Rica, whether about vacationing there, moving there, or about the history or anything else I can come up with while discovering the country. You can follow there, here, or follow "stevelaubly" on Twitter. Showing over 600 following as of now!

Wow...Best rates flying from LAX to Costa Rica...

I guess it's a good time to fly...$610.84 TOTAL for TWO!! From LAX to SJO, Costa Rica. I have paid as much as $850 for one person for the same flight!!

Finally the countdown...

Bernie and I are leaving in August for San Jose, Costa Rica. I have an acquaintance at Lake Arenal who will be picking us up at the airport and helping us find a place to stay. I don't know for sure what we will do to earn a living yet. We have to get there first and "take the temperature" business-wise before choosing a route. We are really going on a "Wing and a Prayer"...But we need to get to a place where we aren't totally stressed out all the time, and where we can live on fresh natural food. We have become way too toxic from the food here in the US, we are way too stressed out, too taxed, to controlled, and just sick of what has happened to the country I have grown up in and enjoyed for the past 60 years. We both turned 60 this year, and are starting to realize that without health all the wealth in the world means nothing....While with great health, anything is possible. We are trading everything in on the health equation.

Happiest Place On Earth...

Yep...The have declared Costa Rica the happiest and greenest place on earth...

http://www.impactlab.com/2009/07/06/costa-rica-happiest-and-greenest-place-on-earth/

Come on down...!

steve

LAST 4TH OF JULY HERE...

Lots of planning and packing. Two 50-pound suitcases and a carry-on.
Not a whole heck of a lot of room when you are trying to take EVERYTHING...!

Just read article about Steve Case (AOL / Time - Warner) building a giant resort in Costa Rica http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/02/AR2007080202316.html. Also Mel Gibson just bought over 400 acres of Costa Rica Beachfront. Can't wait to check it out...!

By the way.....

Working on the language courses...
More to come....

After a few roadblocks...

We are in the final stretch...
Business has declined so much here in Central California that it has taken a lot longer than we had hoped to get to this point.
The new calendar is out of here by Aug 1st....Sept 1st at the latest.
Cut way down on the volume of what we will be taking.
Still don't know for sure where we will live or what we will be doing....

Learning Spanish

I'm involved in checking out many different language courses to find the best, fastest, and easiest one to learn with. I want to be able to, if I can, to do it all on audio/video rather than books, workbooks and other written materials. At this point I need the spoken communication more than written. I have ordered 5 different courses, and will review them here soon.

s

The process of getting ready

Lots of things to prepare and take care of. Arranging for trasnsportation when we get there. Vehicle costs, insurance, etc.
Also, what to do for income when we get there.
Presently working on all of the above....