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Adventures
In Paradise
By Bob (Last name withheld to
protect the innocent)
Chapter
Two
The
Gringos are Here
While our nephew David was here we took him to an "adventure park" to observe some of the thrills of Costa Rica. One of the trills was riding the "Superman Cable" into the park. This consists of being suspended from a cable, 265 feet in the air and being thrown off the platform to travel a half mile in 38 seconds over the Tarcoles river. (This river has the most crocodiles per mile in Costa Rica) It's really quite simple, the only thing you have to do on the way down is watch for the guy with the red flags to start waving them at which time you simply hold out your arms to slow your airspeed for the landing. The only problem I had with my bad neck is the inability to raise my head high enough to see the dam flags! Anyway, I came in HOT as you would on a carrier deck at full throttle in case of a wave-off. The good news is that I have a new nickname of Roketman and the back-up system does work so they didn't have to repair a hole in the abutment into which I would have landed if the backup system had failed. I have to work on my neck a little before the next ride.
30 DAY PROGRESS REPORT:
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STILL LIVING IN A RENTED A 3 BEDROOM, 2 BATH TICO STYLE HOUSE IN ATENAS, WITH PHONE AND INTERNET CONNECTION.
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LAST MONTH COMPLETED IMMIGRATION FILING TO ACHIEVE PENSIONADO STATUS. HAVE RECEIVED IST RECEIPT OF ACCEPTANCE MEANING WE ARE NOT TOURISTS ON A VISA AND NOT YET RESIDENTS OF COSTA RICA, BUT WERE GETTING THERE.
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PURCHASED AN SUV (1997 HYUNDAI GALLOPER DIESEL 4X4) LAST MONTH AND THIS MONTH PUT ON NEW TIRES, CHANGED ALL BELTS AND HOSES, TUNE UP
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REQUESTED MORE MONEY FROM THE STATES!
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IT TOOK AN EXTRA WEEK TO GET A LICENSE PLATE, BECAUSE THE GOVT. FACILITY WHICH STAMPS THE LICENSE PLATES RAN OUT OF METAL.
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MADE OFFER ON A 4 ACRE COFFEE PLANTATION WITH A VIEW OF THE CITY OF GRECIA (POPUL ATION 37,000) AND THE SAN JOSE METRO AREA (POPULATION 250,000) WAS REJECTED, BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT WE FOUND A BETTER PIECE OF PROPERTY DOWN THE ROAD A LOWER PRICE, AND A BETTER VIEW. WE HAVE PLACED AN OPTION TO BUY ON THIS LAND. IT IS ONE HECTARE IN SIZE (2 ½ ACRES) IN COFFEE WITH BANANA AND SIX OTHER FRUIT TREE SPECIES. PROPERTY RUNS DOWN A HILLSIDE FROM HARD ROAD TO A RIVER. THE CURRENT OWNER’S FAMILY WILL CONTINUE TO WORK THE COFFEE AND KEEP WATCH ON OUR HOUSE WHEN WE ARE NOT THERE.
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JOINED AMERICAN LEGION POST 16 IN HEREDIA, COSTA RICA.
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SIGNED UP FOR SPANISH LESSIONS AT THE SCHOOL IN TOWN. AND HAVE COMPLETED TWO WEEK SO FAR.
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STARTED PILATES LESSONS. PILATES IS A PROGRAM WHICH HAS A STRIKING RESEMBLANCE TO MARINE CORPS BASIC TRAINING, ONLY THE INSTRCTOR DOES NOT WEAR A DI HAT.
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SIGNED UP FOR TRICARE AT CIMA HOSPITAL WHICH IS THE BEST PRIVATE HOSPITAL IN COSTA RICA. ASSOCIATED WITH BAYLOR MEDICAL SCHOOL IN TEXAS.
TWO QUOTES WHICH APPLY TO OUR STAY SO FAR……
MARGARET: “LIVING IN A TICO HOUSE IS LIKE UPSCALE CAMPING” AND
FROM OUR NEPHEW DAVID: ”DRIVING IN COSTA RICA IS MORE LIKE STEERING A BOAT IN THE STATES, YOU JUST TRY TO AVOID THE OBSTICLES”
“THE DAY OF THE ANT”….Margaret and I returned from town to discover that our neighbor Bill had some 4x4 lumber delivered. As we noted this from our front porch, we also noted a couple thousand ants running up and down our driveway and away from our house. I went next door to help Bill move his lumber and discovered both he and his wife ankle-deep in fire ants inside of their house. We have no idea why they decided to move their nests, but Bill didn't have door sweeps and he woke up to find several thousand ants in his house. The good thing about tico houses is that the floors are all ceramic so his wife was hosing them down and he and I were sweeping them out of the house with brooms.
NOTE TO SELF:.Next time fighting fire ants, don't wear shorts and sandals. When they bite, they inject a venom and that's how they get the name fire ants. It burns like hell!!! Anyway, after about an hour, we got them out of the house and off the front porch so I went back home to discover another nest trying to get into my house. An hour of water hose work drove them back until I shut off the water, then they just started up again. I figured if I didn't get treatment for the bites I might be in serious trouble so we went back to town and drank some more beer - it worked 'cause when we got back, they were all gone somewhere - not in our house. We asked the landlady if this was common and although she speaks no english, I THINK she said she never had this problem until she started renting to GRINGOS!!!!!!!!!!!
TIME TO SIGN OFF, BUT BEFORE I DO, A SHORT NOTE ON OUR IMPROVED
DIET. WE HAVE FRESH FRUIT AT LEAST ONCE A DAY, PINEAPPLE, PAPAYA,
MANGO, OR BANANNAS. I ALSO CONSUME GRAINS EVERYDAY AS WELL (USUALLY
IN THE FORM OF CERVESA). I’M SENDING THIS ISSUE OFF A LITTLE
EARLY, BECAUSE MY BOYS ARE COMING THE FIRST WEEK OF NEXT MONTH AND
BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, WE NEED TO GET HOLD OF AN ARCHITECT AND TAKE
HIM OUT TO OUR PROPERTY FOR A SITE SURVEY, GET DOWN TO SEE OUR ATTORNEY
IN SAN JOSE ABOUT SETTLING ON THE PROPERTY, GET TO THE HEARING AID
GUY SO I CAN DETERMINE IF THOSE AROUND ME ARE REALLY SPEAKING SPANISH
OR WHAT AND GET TO CIMA HOSPITAL TO SIGN UP FOR HEALTHCARE.
SIGNING OFF FROM PARADISE – PURA VIDA (PURE
LIFE)
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