Digital Nomad : Costa Rica : Home after 6 weeks - Bittersweet - AMA

SteelCurtain · February 15

Not for nothing, but I'm a huge fan of C. Shocked there hasn't been more discussion of her. More pics please when possible.

[icon] · February 16

21 hours ago, EYLive said:

That's good. I ask because a lot of people are moving out of the state in which their employers are registered without informing HR, and some are moving completely out of the country. The problem that arises is that the payroll dept doesn't apply the correct tax withholding and there is no workers compensation in place where the employee moved to. In both situations, the employer face fines for non-compliance of wage and hour laws. This affects small companies more, of course.

Good info. I don't think Hr is getting involved. Just going and getting checks handled as usual.

21 hours ago, TripItUp said:

Tabacon is a 4 star hotel that is like half price right now...highly recommended. I’ve got some restaurant recos too. You’ll want to drive into La Fortuna for dinner...all of the hotels have subpar food.

Checked Tabacon and we're going to want to stay in town to walk to dining/bars/shops. But thanks for the tip. Definitely want to check out your suggestions for dining in La Fortuna, thanks!

[icon] · February 16

11 hours ago, SteelCurtain said:

Not for nothing, but I'm a huge fan of C. Shocked there hasn't been more discussion of her. More pics please when possible.

She's still not sure on passport situation, and hasn't booked flight. She's a flaky pothead party girl 😂

She's got a few weeks to get it sorted.

[icon] · February 16

On 2/14/2021 at 8:49 AM, [icon] said:

AirBNB host in Samara is offering us to come in early (next Tuesday) since the couple from France who booked before us had to cancel due to Covid restrictions. Sadly Memphis is getting hit with a freak snowstorm this week, so last minute Prep may be pushed back to where we can't do it.. but seeing if we can.

#### it. Changed flights & travel insurance. We fly out Next Tuesday now. YOLO.

Concierge is changing our airport shuttle tomorrow.

This will put us living down in Costa Rica for 6 weeks now... :unsure: :lol:

[icon] · February 16

For kicks I've set up an Instagram page to document the full adventure of working abroad in Costa Rica.

Will be pretty in depth vs just pretty sunset pics. Language barriers (or not), dining and drinking options, wildlife, tours, shopping, banking, etc... going to try to cover the nitty gritty in addition to the fun/pretty stuff.

@6weekticos on Instagram

http://Instagram.com/6weekticos

[icon] · February 19

Update:

Here is Miryam our concierge / host for the 5 weeks in Samara. :unsure:

Alex P Keaton · February 19

43 minutes ago, [icon] said:

Update:

Here is Miryam our concierge / host for the 5 weeks in Samara.

What could go wrong?

rascal · February 19

3 hours ago, [icon] said:

Update:

Here is Miryam our concierge / host for the 5 weeks in Samara.

We expect a ron story.

[icon] · February 19

8 hours ago, rascal said:

We expect a ron story.

I'm no @Arizona Ron though...

Ned · February 19

2 minutes ago, [icon] said:

I'm no @Arizona Ron though...

Starting hiding shampoo bottles.

[icon] · February 19

Apparently it's peak Marlin season off the coast of Samara / Carrillo. Looking into day long charters. $600-800 seems to be the range. Targeting early March.

If we whiff on Marlin, will target Mahi and Tuna and hopefully stock the fridge/freezer for the month.

ex-ghost · February 19

16 hours ago, [icon] said:

Update:

Here is Miryam our concierge / host for the 5 weeks in Samara.

I like this thread.

Ron Swanson · February 20

8 hours ago, [icon] said:

Apparently it's peak Marlin season off the coast of Samara / Carrillo. Looking into day long charters. $600-800 seems to be the range. Targeting early March.

If we whiff on Marlin, will target Mahi and Tuna and hopefully stock the fridge/freezer for the month.

The Mahi and Tuna will be better eating. I may be the outlier here but I think Marlin are fun to catch but not great table fare.

[icon] · February 20

11 minutes ago, Ron Swanson said:

The Mahi and Tuna will be better eating. I may be the outlier here but I think Marlin are fun to catch but not great table fare.

Yeah if going for freezer fare... mahi/tuna allllll day

hooter311 · February 20

9 hours ago, [icon] said:

Apparently it's peak Marlin season off the coast of Samara / Carrillo. Looking into day long charters. $600-800 seems to be the range. Targeting early March.

If we whiff on Marlin, will target Mahi and Tuna and hopefully stock the fridge/freezer for the month.

At the most.

Desert_Power · February 20

22 hours ago, rascal said:

We expect a ron story.

Those stories wouldn't fly these days. This makes me miss oth:e:r places.

DA RAIDERS · February 20

13 hours ago, [icon] said:

Apparently it's peak Marlin season off the coast of Samara / Carrillo. Looking into day long charters. $600-800 seems to be the range. Targeting early March.

If we whiff on Marlin, will target Mahi and Tuna and hopefully stock the fridge/freezer for the month.

make sure you get to keep the fish. they often stay with the boat.

Rodrigo Duterte · February 20

16 hours ago, [icon] said:

Apparently it's peak Marlin season off the coast of Samara / Carrillo. Looking into day long charters. $600-800 seems to be the range. Targeting early March.

If we whiff on Marlin, will target Mahi and Tuna and hopefully stock the fridge/freezer for the month.

Don't be the guy that has to keep his "trophy" marlin or sailfish. HTH.

[icon] · February 20

2 hours ago, Rodrigo Duterte said:

Don't be the guy that has to keep his "trophy" marlin or sailfish. HTH.

If I'm not eating it, it's going back...

Atomic Punk · February 20

You don’t need to go with some fancy tour company for fishing. Just look for a guy with a solid looking boat and a friendly face at the marina. We did this in Panama and was about half the price. Have fun man!

[icon] · February 21

21 hours ago, Atomic Punk said:

You don’t need to go with some fancy tour company for fishing. Just look for a guy with a solid looking boat and a friendly face at the marina. We did this in Panama and was about half the price. Have fun man!

There's not much of a marina in Samara. Small town. Worth the extra to go with a pro Methinks. I'll inquire w/our host though!

Its official, just got my Salad Pass (Pase de Salud) in email... now on the books to enter the country in 2 days.

They give you a QR code to have customs scan and confirm your insurance and declaration of no Covid symptoms.

Edited February 21 by [icon]

gianmarco · February 21

On 2/19/2021 at 7:00 AM, Ned said:

Starting hiding shampoo bottles.

And guys named Miguel.

Edited February 21 by gianmarco

steelerfan1 · February 21

Didn’t read every post here icon, but curious, did you inquirer about traveling with firearms into the country?

hooter311 · February 21

2 minutes ago, steelerfan1 said:

Didn’t read every post here icon, but curious, did you inquirer about traveling with firearms into the country?

You don't need a gun in Costa Rica. Their navy isn't even armed.

hooter311 · February 21

On 2/20/2021 at 9:13 AM, Atomic Punk said:

You don’t need to go with some fancy tour company for fishing. Just look for a guy with a solid looking boat and a friendly face at the marina. We did this in Panama and was about half the price. Have fun man!

I wish I could remember my dude's name on the beach....

There is a howler monkey bar in the jungle in that area and if you go down the beach from there just ask any of the dude's wearing collared shirts to hook you up.

TripItUp · February 21

Another tip, if you want to do some cheap guided tours, check out Air BnB experiences. I did 4 of them when I was there. All were great, but do your research, look at the ratings and comments etc.

Edited February 21 by TripItUp

Alex P Keaton · February 21

36 minutes ago, TripItUp said:

Another tip, if you want to do some cheap guided tours, check out Air BnB experiences. I did 4 of them when I was there. All were great, but do your research, look at the ratings and comments etc.

how do you think he got the concierge named Miryam? AirBnB “experiences”

[icon] · February 21

2 hours ago, steelerfan1 said:

Didn’t read every post here icon, but curious, did you inquirer about traveling with firearms into the country?

Did not. Guns are no bueno on this trip. Will have a pocket knife and nice Micro streamlight in the pocket as safety net but not really anticipating any issues with common sense in play

Atomic Punk · February 21

2 hours ago, hooter311 said:

I wish I could remember my dude's name on the beach....

There is a howler monkey bar in the jungle in that area and if you go down the beach from there just ask any of the dude's wearing collared shirts to hook you up.

I did this twice and couldn’t remember any names for the life of me. First time was a fishing excursion with two brothers near Bucerias. Caught a couple of barracuda and took some back to our place for dinners. Second time was in Panama. Met a guy at the marina and he dropped us off on an island and came back to pick us up a few hours later. Awesome day hanging out on an island by ourselves for an afternoon

Alex P Keaton · February 21

42 minutes ago, [icon] said:

Did not. Guns are no bueno on this trip. Will have a pocket knife and nice Micro streamlight in the pocket as safety net but not really anticipating any issues with common sense in play

You won’t need a weapon. Other than some petty theft (ie don’t leave a laptop laying out on the dining room table with your front door and windows open) there really isn’t much crime.

rascal · February 21

On 2/19/2021 at 6:57 AM, [icon] said:

I'm no @Arizona Ron though...

That will be accounted for the critique.

flapgreen · February 22

On 2/19/2021 at 9:30 PM, Desert_Power said:

Those stories wouldn't fly these days. This makes me miss oth:e:r places.

Ah yes. I remember the underage girl in the Bahamas. Good times

hooter311 · February 22

Pura vida baby!

[icon] · February 22

Booked this place for 3 nights in the heart of downtown La Fortuna:

https://abnb.me/1TJO81Cj5db

Looking at:

- Coffee & Chocolate plantation tour

- Sloth Sanctuary Tour

- Arenal Volcano Hike

- Horseback River tour to base of Arenal

Ron Swanson · February 22

12 minutes ago, [icon] said:

Booked this place for 3 nights in the heart of downtown La Fortuna:

https://abnb.me/1TJO81Cj5db

Looking at:

- Coffee & Chocolate plantation tour

- Sloth Sanctuary Tour

- Arenal Volcano Hike

- Horseback River tour to base of Arenal

That place looks great. The pallet bed frame is a great idea for a rental.

steelerfan1 · February 22

21 hours ago, [icon] said:

Did not. Guns are no bueno on this trip. Will have a pocket knife and nice Micro streamlight in the pocket as safety net but not really anticipating any issues with common sense in play

Yeah, just from on here I know you are a big gun guy and didn't know if you would have attempted to bring something over. Never been but have good friends who go say its a great place with a bunch of friendlies so I'm sure it's not necessary.

Will be following along on your adventure.

[icon] · February 23

Just found a locals Facebook group... made contact with a woman who's known for being the fish lady... 6mil / kg ($4USD/lb) :eek:

I may eat nothing but fresh fish, rice, beans, and fresh fruit for the entire 6 weeks :lol:

Desert_Power · February 23

13 hours ago, [icon] said:

Booked this place for 3 nights in the heart of downtown La Fortuna:

https://abnb.me/1TJO81Cj5db

Looking at:

- Coffee & Chocolate plantation tour

- Sloth Sanctuary Tour

- Arenal Volcano Hike

- Horseback River tour to base of Arenal

All good ideas. There are hot springs in that area too, which I always really enjoy.

I also always remember the sheer amount of stray dogs walking around La Fortuna's central area.

Ron Swanson · February 23

41 minutes ago, [icon] said:

Just found a locals Facebook group... made contact with a woman who's known for being the fish lady... 6mil / kg ($4USD/lb)

I may eat nothing but fresh fish, rice, beans, and fresh fruit for the entire 6 weeks

Not sure if you cook much fish. If not, try roasting them whole. Gut, gil, and scale. Make 2-3 cuts through the skin to the bone. Rub with olive oil or butter. Rub with Salt & Pepper and maybe some dried dill. Roast at 350 for an hour or so for a 2-3 pound fish. Set it on the table and go to town. Be sure to try the cheeks and the throat. This is great for snapper, grouper, porgy, pompano, etc. Not so much for tuna, wahoo, mahi, amberjack.

If really fresh, try some raw and for sure make ceviche.

[icon] · February 23

5 hours ago, Ron Swanson said:

Not sure if you cook much fish. If not, try roasting them whole. Gut, gil, and scale. Make 2-3 cuts through the skin to the bone. Rub with olive oil or butter. Rub with Salt & Pepper and maybe some dried dill. Roast at 350 for an hour or so for a 2-3 pound fish. Set it on the table and go to town. Be sure to try the cheeks and the throat. This is great for snapper, grouper, porgy, pompano, etc. Not so much for tuna, wahoo, mahi, amberjack.

If really fresh, try some raw and for sure make ceviche.

Absolutely love cooking fish. No pro but do enjoy roasting whole. Love tuna cheek (Asian friend turned me on to it)... super tender.

Hadn't heard that particular method (sliced + S&P + Dill + roasted).. will give it a shot, thanks GB!

Absolutely LOVE ceviche. Will be eating a lot of it in CR (seems to be a staple). Will also be using the abundance of cheap fresh ingredients to make Poké Bowls as a regular meal at the house... in addition to tacos.

Side note:

I just committed us to a $146 dinner on our night in Monteverde. High for Costa Rica... why?

We'll be enjoying a 2.5 hour long, 7 course tasting menu with wine pairing in fully secluded glass boxes suspended 50ft above the ground in the heart of the Monteverde Cloud Forest.

At sunset.

This restaurant only has 5 ####### tables. 😂🔥

https://sanlucas.cr/indexen/

AAABatteries · February 23

3 hours ago, [icon] said:

Absolutely love cooking fish. No pro but do enjoy roasting whole. Love tuna cheek (Asian friend turned me on to it)... super tender.

Hadn't heard that particular method (sliced + S&P + Dill + roasted).. will give it a shot, thanks GB!

Absolutely LOVE ceviche. Will be eating a lot of it in CR (seems to be a staple). Will also be using the abundance of cheap fresh ingredients to make Poké Bowls as a regular meal at the house... in addition to tacos.

Side note:

I just committed us to a $146 dinner on our night in Monteverde. High for Costa Rica... why?

We'll be enjoying a 2.5 hour long, 7 course tasting menu with wine pairing in fully secluded glass boxes suspended 50ft above the ground in the heart of the Monteverde Cloud Forest.

At sunset.

This restaurant only has 5 ####### tables. 😂🔥

https://sanlucas.cr/indexen/

This gives me a great idea for a horror movie!

Ron Swanson · February 23

10 hours ago, Ron Swanson said:

Not sure if you cook much fish. If not, try roasting them whole. Gut, gil, and scale. Make 2-3 cuts through the skin to the bone. Rub with olive oil or butter. Rub with Salt & Pepper and maybe some dried dill. Roast at 350 for an hour or so for a 2-3 pound fish. Set it on the table and go to town. Be sure to try the cheeks and the throat. This is great for snapper, grouper, porgy, pompano, etc. Not so much for tuna, wahoo, mahi, amberjack.

If really fresh, try some raw and for sure make ceviche.

@[icon]I forgot one ingredient. Add some sliced lemons to the throat and belly cavity. Helps keep it moist while roasting. Like this.

NutterButter · February 23

Please report back on the bug situation when you get down there. Was planning a CR trip for this winter which I've postponed but I didn't realize the size and scale of these monsters down there until someone just recently mentioned it. I can't see myself going for a hike or bike ride in those jungles with those monsters lurking. I googled this and I'm just terrified. We're talking indian jones and the temple of doom level bugs.

NutterButter · February 23

16 hours ago, Ron Swanson said:

Not sure if you cook much fish. If not, try roasting them whole. Gut, gil, and scale. Make 2-3 cuts through the skin to the bone. Rub with olive oil or butter. Rub with Salt & Pepper and maybe some dried dill. Roast at 350 for an hour or so for a 2-3 pound fish. Set it on the table and go to town. Be sure to try the cheeks and the throat. This is great for snapper, grouper, porgy, pompano, etc. Not so much for tuna, wahoo, mahi, amberjack.

If really fresh, try some raw and for sure make ceviche.

Yeah, that's the way to do it. I usually go with the rosemary, chopped garlic and lemon slices in the cavity. I'm typically just cooking whatever whole fish costco has. I just stick in a thermometer, set it to 350 and wait for it to beep.

-jb- · February 23

On 2/22/2021 at 5:28 AM, [icon] said:

Booked this place for 3 nights in the heart of downtown La Fortuna:

https://abnb.me/1TJO81Cj5db

Looking at:

- Coffee & Chocolate plantation tour

- Sloth Sanctuary Tour

- Arenal Volcano Hike

- Horseback River tour to base of Arenal

Put ziplining on the list. I had done it in Mexico, but it’s next level on top upper tier in CR.

[icon] · February 24

This place is awesome https://imgur.com/a/JRiBb1I

Town is fantastic. Chill and a little gritty which I love. Def reminds me of Ecuador but even more stripped down.

Miryam is indeed super hot.

Dinner and drinks at Gusto Beach.

Hit a Super for some basics.

Now floating in the pool sipping a Imperial chatting with the GF.

So far have seen a couple bugs (millipedes and random ####) and a 2' iguana who was kicking it by the pool. Mosquitos have been a non issue and we've been outside all night.

El Floppo · February 24

Oh hell...you're there already!

Doesn't need saying, but have a blast. And keep it up with the photos.

Ron Swanson · February 24

36 minutes ago, [icon] said:

This place is awesome https://imgur.com/a/JRiBb1I

Town is fantastic. Chill and a little gritty which I love. Def reminds me of Ecuador but even more stripped down.

Miryam is indeed super hot.

Dinner and drinks at Gusto Beach.

Hit a Super for some basics.

Now floating in the pool sipping a Imperial chatting with the GF.

So far have seen a couple bugs (millipedes and random ####) and a 2' iguana who was kicking it by the pool. Mosquitos have been a non issue and we've been outside all night.

That looks awesome. But hey, be careful, there's some ugly bastard creeping in your bathroom taking pictures.

DA RAIDERS · February 24

Looks awesome!

Im chilling in park city. Other end of the spectrum.

Have a blast!

AAABatteries · February 24

7 hours ago, Ron Swanson said:

That looks awesome. But hey, be careful, there's some ugly bastard creeping in your bathroom taking pictures.

I think I found the stalker

Edited February 24 by AAABatteries

Digital Nomad : Costa Rica : Home after 6 weeks - Bittersweet - AMA

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