I moved the Costa Rica blog!

http://www.delapuravida.com/

Hosting the blog about Costa Rica on my own domain gives me 1tb+ of space and a lot more freedom with design.

Taking the doggies to the doctor!

I woke up today with the throat ickiness that the people in our neighborhood seem to be passing back and forth. Julio had it a couple weeks ago and was quick to offer up a solution to this problem - he suggested we go to the private doctor immediately, so I could get a "shot in my ass".  OK, I'm game.

Mocha and Lulu came with us. It was Mocha's first ride in the Festiva, she must have liked it because she did not whine. SHOCKER.

We walked right in, there was no wait and no paper work to fill out. Check out the audience I had while I got 3 shots of something called Axtar in my ass:

That's right, Mocha and Lulu came into the doctor's office with me.

The doc also put drops in my ears and sent me off with 2 different kinds of oral meds to take for a couple days. She understood that Julio and I did not want any sickness to interfere with our beach trip to Puerto Viejo (we are leaving tonight for a couple days). It is our favorite place, but I manage to get hurt every time we go there. Last time I almost severed my big toe from my foot...in front of the freaking hospital.

Julio's related somehow to this doc (and everyone else in Alajuela), so she gave us a few dollars discount. Today's doctor bill was under $15. And this was the private doctor, who is suppose to be expensive. Incredible. Would have been over $300 in the US.

Screw side view mirrors, I want 3 rear view mirrors on my car

Snapped this at the mechanic's house down the street from our house.

Friday

This morning a man came by the house on his motorcycle. He was a representative of the credit card company and had come to hand deliver me my credit card. This is something Julio ordered for me a month ago. The credit limit is small, but the card comes with benefits like free 24 hour roadside assistance anywhere in Costa Rica, free 24 hour locksmith service, and more (those are just the services Julio has actually used so far).

I cleaned a lot today because everything is covered in dust here at the house. In fact, just to keep my things somewhat clear of the dust, I have them inside suitcases underneath 2 layers of blankets. This is all because Julio is having the kitchen and bathroom remodeled, yay! It's just taking a lot longer than he originally thought it would.

Julio is paying the contractor by the hour and buying all the supplies himself, so this afternoon we went to EPA in the Samurai to pick up a door, door frame, and some more tile. EPA is the Costa Rican Lowe's (founded and run by Colombians) and it is about 20k from our house.

Then we went by a local Costa Rican wood supply store to pick up what EPA was overcharging for. This store is even closer to our house than EPA and it is really cool. There is a tree trunk and tin roof over the supply shed -

They also have fantastic gates - I'll have to snap a photo of them with my real camera someday. Uncle Pat would love them.

And lastly, this evening I spent 4 hours with an eleven year old, Meylyn, Julio's grand-niece?, who took pity on my inability to pronounce anything correctly in Spanish. She took me through the Costa Rican alphabet until I could say it correctly by myself, then she had me speak about 10 words utilizing each letter of the alphabet. What a sweetheart. She is learning English in school, so hopefully I can help her out, too.

Seguro Social

Julio and I went to Seguro Social to get my Costa Rican social security card. FAIL. After 2 hours of waiting, we found out that first we need a letter from the lawyer stating that we are a real couple, then we need to take the letter back to the Seguro Social, then an inspector comes around to the casa to inspect our relationship, and then finally the decision will be made.

This whole process takes a few weeks and several hours of waiting in lines, BUT I'm glad I even have the option and opportunity to apply for Social Security in Costa Rica without being a citizen. The biggest benefit is legitimate access to the free health care system.

I snapped a photo of the stamps on the lawyer's letter while Julio and I waited in line to hand it over to Seguro Social.

mmm MSG

They actually sell monosodium glutamate here, in the grocery store.

Moving Day!

I thought I would leave at 3pm, ended up leaving around 11pm instead, should have given myself a week. Everyone was correct - I am crazy. Thanks to Winnie D. for being a trooper and not complaining about how long it was taking. Maybe you stuck around for the sweet ride? ;)

Renting is always fun - we rented a Jeep Commander and it was super fun to drive! (Even if I did have to break down the giant dog kennel to fit all my stuff.)

We arrived at the hotel uber late, and after only a few hours of sleep, I decided to let a comatose Winnie D. sleep in while I took a whiney Mocha to the Continental Cargo Bldg to check-in for her flight. I got her there early, got the kennel together in the rain, and then proceeded to somehow cause the Jeep to go into lock-down mode with Mocha in the car. After a few minutes of absolute terror, I figured it out, or rather the Jeep fixed itself.

I got Mocha checked-in and she instantly made friends with her travel partner - a drug dog that was "too friendly". The government was shipping him off to Montana to work search and rescue instead...I hope he never has to rescue a pothead. FYI the Continental reps at the other end of the animal help line are full of misinformation and way too uptight about it. The actual guys that processed Mocha's check-in were very laid back.

Here are some photos of Mocha's journey. I'm glad I got to see her actually being loaded on both planes - it was kind of like seeing your luggage on the conveyor belt and being happy it's not lost.

We are home! Here is Mocha making herself at home in Lulu's bed.

And here is my Moving Day Oscar speech:
Special thanks to friends and fam for helping me move - Sonya and David, Uncle Pat, Uncle Mike, Snatches, the Grands, the Rents, and Winnie D! I could not have done it without you!