Escazu Archives - Retired in Costa Rica

October 29, 2026October 31, 2026

My next Big Adventure

During the last week of November (23-29) I begin my next big adventure in life and what for many is their last. On whichever day that week the apartment is ready, I move to the Verdeza Senior Living Apartments in Escazu, a suburb of San Jose, Costa Rica. I start with the independent living but will be there if and when assisted living or nursing care is required. And one of the most attractive things to me is that the dining room is a real restaurant with multiple-options menus, changing weekly, plus morning and afternoon snacks provided! 🙂 Also, there will be much more social interaction than I have been getting in my little Atenas hideaway! It is a change that I believe I am ready for and probably need. A lot of things have been happening to lead to this change and I decided not to try and explain.

One of multiple “living rooms” at Verdeza.

I will not be immersed in as much nature as I have been in Atenas, nor will I be able to afford as many trips to nature lodges and national parks, but I will be just a 10 minute walk from the Rutas Naturbanas Greenway at Avenida Escazu and similar distances from at least two city parks, so not completely without nature! 🙂 Plus I will be just a 10 minute walk in one direction to a very large Walmart and in the other direction just a 10 minute walk to Office Depot that I often need and it is next to the large Multi-Plaza Shopping Mall with a big screen theater, all near the Rutas Naturbanas greenway! 🙂 It is reminding me of my 10 years in a rowhouse in downtown Nashville across the street from the Bicentennial Capital Mall State Park. 🙂

Most areas of the Naturbanas will not be this busy, but it is popular and that is good! 🙂

I will keep you up to date with information on my move, though during that last week of November I may not have much time for blog posts. 🙂 We will see. It is kind of like that last month in Nashville, trying to get rid of my accumulated “junk” or stuff for a move into a much smaller apartment this time and a thousand other details to manage. Not an easy challenge, but doable! 🙂

One of the entrances to Verdeza Senior Living Apartments.

¡Pura Vida!

And a link to an instagram video about the Rutas Naturbanas en español of course:

https://www.instagram.com/reels/DSJH03ikelN

And hopefully publishing my new address online won’t create a problem or an onslaught of marketing mail! Effective 23 November:

Charlie Doggett, Apartamento 315

Edificio Verdeza a mano derecha

De Oficentro El Cedral, 1 km al oeste

Trejos Montealegre, Escazú

10203 Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

March 9, 2025December 20, 2025

Using Both Health Systems in Costa Rica

The public health system in Costa Rica is one of the best in the world, but as in other good systems there are occasionally delays for many reasons with an overload of patients and one always has the option to go to a private doctor at your own expense. Once Covid was over, when I had to use a private oncologist for my surgery and radiation treatment because our hospitals here were packed with Covid patients, I then moved all my medical treatment to the public system in 2022 and have been happy with everything done “for free” (really for a monthly Social Security fee you must pay whether used or not.) There are no co-pays, no insurance forms and everything is included, even my medications that I pick up monthly at my local “CAJA Costarricense Seguro Social Farmacia.” I’m pleased with the public health system here, even if sometimes slow.

My latest cancer surgery was in November with my Public Provincial Dermatologist removing a cancer from my nose. Excellent surgery with absolutely no scar! But, that dermatologist in Hospital San Rafael de Alajuela gave me my next appointment to be in April 2026 and I had other non-cancer issues I really wanted to take care of earlier. So, I decided to exercise my freedom of going to a private doctor and my Public ENT Oncologist at Hospital Mexico de San Jose, who is monitoring any possible spread of my big cancer, agreed that the other issues would be better if handled earlier and he recommended Dr. Arturo Soto in the private Tabush Dermatologia Center in Escazu (feature photo of building). Here is my report with 3 before & after face photos . . .

March 5, 2018

Little Theater in San Jose

Frank Z had better photos than me, so I’m leading with his!

I know! I’m always talking! And usually on the front row!
Frank capture part of the group very well.
There is another smaller wing of seating.
Little Theater, San Jose

For more photos, see my Little Theater photo gallery.

See their website: Little Theater Group of Costa Rica

The play this time was actually 4 monologues titled “True Reflections” written by British Playwright Alan Bennett and acted by 4 professional actresses from England living here. They covered 4 serious subjects about aging with both seriousness and that subtle British humor. Very well done as they dealt with alzheimer’s, death of spouse, change in living situation, and a sort of an affair.

This was my 3rd time to see one of the Little Theater plays and all have been exceptionally well done or very professional. It is one of the regular “trips” for our Atenas expat’s group.

Retired in Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

August 30, 2014

Central Valley Day 1

Whew! Sitting in a seminar for two days was tiring, but a full day of touring was just as much so but more fun! We circled through all the neighborhoods and important places for living of San Jose then into suburbs of Rohrmoser, Escazu, Santa Anna, Heredia, Barva, and San Rafael. We saw a large house with a grand view (photo) that is now a boutique hotel plus inside a North American style suburban neighborhood home with two-car garage that was for sale. At the hotel we had tropical fruits and a short Spanish lesson. Then we had lunch at a place where the chicken is roasted over a wood fire using coffee tree wood. Nice! We had our “farewell banquet” a night early tonight and exchanged emails. And oh yes, we went to one of the largest Saturday Farmers’ Markets near Escazu in Rohrmoser and a big Walmart that had marimba players entertaining. Great! Here’s just a few of the photos from today: