Toucans and a Garden!
Three houses over after flying over mine – in lower right. Sorry it is small. |
A Pair or a Mother-Child |
One big flap of his wings and he glides like a bullet! |
KEEL-BILLED TOUCANS
Seen from the driveway looking toward the entry plaza. I mostly use the sliding glass door on deck for my entry mostly. |
The entry patio leading to an entry hall with bath & bedroom to left and kitchen, office, living/dining room and deck to right. |
Of course Friday will be the new, young plants with not as much to showoff yet. But rainy season is starting and by August I think it will be looking good and in another year great! I’m planning to stay here long term! The beach is too hot and too expensive to live at and I’m less than two hours from it anyway! Plus I really like Atenas! My new home!
First Vistas
First view is toward downtown Atenas and mountain range. Trees on right are neighbor yards. |
The vista from La Jacaranda was of the close hills of Atenas where this is more expansive, looking over Atenas to the mountain ranges that include Poas and Arenal Volcanoes. So it is quite different. If I walk up to the top of my hill in my landlord’s yard I can see downtown Atenas and the church steeple at Central Park and the mountains to the west (same if I walk up the road in front of my house – photo below).
I just made a new shot from my balcony right after the afternoon shower which is not as expansive as the 2-pix panorama at top but what I see in one direction:
As the afternoon shower stops, looking northwest from my balcony. I live in the foothills of the mountains, a dream life! |
Starting New House with a Bang!
Blue-tailed Hummingbird |
Woodcraft Paper Towel Holder From Atenas Climate Fair |
Central Park is a Fair this Weekend with rides, food, ice cream, artists & music |
Like fairs back home, they attract young families here with even bouncy things. |
Both children and youth represented a local dance studio. |
A disk jockey provided dance music for all. |
And the ever-present Marimba Music for the older crowd! |
Family with a pet pig watching the children dance. |
Tomorrow is the big day for daytime activities with Musica Cimarrona where dancers wear masks as an old traditional celebration which will be followed by the annual Oxcart Parade with oxcarts from all over the country parading through Atenas, home of the National Oxcart Driver Monument. I expect to get a lot of photographs!
My Lotusland?
April 12
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Definition
noun
Go to Word of the Day website
I have carefully avoided using the word “paradise” to describe Costa Rica or my little small town of Atenas, but the above description of the word lotusland, has a more natural or realistic image of what I am experiencing in my new home.
1. It is partly the place, partly the simple lifestyle, partly the lack of stress, and partly the people that induces contentment for me here. Though the word “idyllic” may be a stretch, it is a place in nature and close to more nature experiences than I have had in any other living situation other than maybe The Gambia, to which I have regularly compared Costa Rica, though everything is better here. My idea of idyllic is being in nature, so maybe it fits as an idyllic living situation for me.
2. I must admit that there is an element of self-indulgence for me here, especially in eating what I like and want and often doing whatever I want to do. I’m trying to avoid groups and commitments that have expectations of me as I felt in so many ways in the states. The planned move to what is a luxury house for me (small and simple but with so much more than the current apartment) is another form of self-indulgence. I will of course share more about it after the move. I may live on that deck! 🙂
Okay, so I’m moving to a rich neighborhood in a gated community of big houses like I said I would never do! Well, mine is probably the smallest house in Roca Verde and at about the same price as my apartment. And this is my indulgence now. I will probably be the only person who will walk to the Supermarket, and that is okay with me. I’ll be healthier without an SUV! And if its raining, I use a taxi! And I will be just one mile from the town center. And you can still see the VIRTUAL TOUR of my new house. |
Moving to a New House
Realtor photo from deck looking at similar neighbor house. |
As the unofficial marketing director for Hacienda La Jacaranda (I write about it so much >g<), it may shock you that I am moving away from it. But from the first week when I realized there was some poor construction and poorer maintenance here, I have kept my eyes open for another place, preferably a house. I’ve looked at three other older ones that just were not right for me. Last week I talked with Andrew, a local Realtor, about the possibility again, as a last resort before the rainy season begins and the delivery of my shipped boxes. He pulled up this listing on his laptop and I pretty much knew immediately that it was the one, but scheduled a look inside, evaluated the pros and cons of moving, and decided last night this is the right move. If you’re into that kind of detailed evaluations, you can see my pros and cons chart below – never fool-proof but always helpful to me. Here from the Realtor web listing is the “Virtual Tour” which I don’t know how to embed, so just click the linked words below:
Cell Phone view from outside my locked gate. (No clicker yet!) Notice the dry season look compared to green season look at top. |
Pros & Cons of Moving to the House |
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POSITIVES | NEGATIVES |
1. New, better construction | 1. Cost will increase up to $150 with utilities |
2. Appears to be better management | 2. Poor parking space but I have no car |
3. Screens on sliding glass doors to deck | 3. Not as many big trees near house as apartments and probably not as many birds & monkeys, but don’t know that yet |
4. Bigger deck as extension of living/dining with second dining table outside | 4. It is at beginning of complex, near gate, but on three visits, very little traffic |
5. Ceiling fans in LR, BR, Office/Guest Room | 5. One bathroom (but, single guy, few visitors) |
6. No plumbing mold, mildew issues like my apartment will always have (1 of my allergies) | 6. No air conditioning |
7. More privacy | |
8. Larger, more space | |
9. Office with desk and nice couch/futon bed | |
10. Kitchen better equipped, nicer | |
11. Washer AND Dryer in big laundry room with two deep sinks | |
12. Beautifully decorated! But I can add some of my art. I love their art which goes with mine. Modern nature theme. | |
13. Equal or better panoramic view | |
14. Nicer, larger bedroom (& office/guest rm) | |
15. Nicer, larger bathroom | |
16. No A/C will save on electricity cost | |
17. Near entrance gate helps on walking distances and it is actually 2/10 mile closer to Central Park than La Jacaranda, about same distance to grocery store | |
18. I can plant flowers outside & have more room for potted plants than at apartment | |
19. I can more safely ride a bicycle from this house and hope to rent one first, to see how it works before buying one | |
20. The hills are less steep than between apartment and town for walking or biking | |
21. Best security with guards at entrance gate and patrols 24/7, plus alarm system in house and separate gate to my cluster of 3 houses | |
22. He will add carport if I get a car |
TMI? Maybe I share too much information, but this blog is partly to help others considering a move to Costa Rica and full honesty can be the best help. I know that such blogs helped me before my move.
And at first, I would never have considered a move to a gated community of probably half expats, but my little nest for writing, a photography & travel base, and rest needs to be allergy-free and comfortable. This is more than I had ever hoped for and I could stay really long term here, though the contract is for just two years. We’ll see.
SORRY! I WAS WRITING THIS TO POST SUNDAY NIGHT & HIT WRONG BUTTON.
I try not to publish two posts on the same day – oh well – its done!