Shuffle Up and Deal in Costa Rican Casinos

Your Own Wheel of Fortune (via Wikimedia)

When thinking about casino destinations, Costa Rica doesn't exactly rank up there with Las Vegas, Macau, and other gambling meccas, but the country does boast around 40 small gambling establishments. With that said, the gambling scene in Costa Rica is not what you would expect in Las Vegas or major casino towns.

Boutique Casinos

While there are 40 different legal places to gamble in Costa Rica, you would be hard pressed to find even one that would be equal to even the smallest casinos in Atlantic City, Vegas, or Macau. Many of these establishments are offshoots of hotels. In a town like Vegas, you have casinos that also serve as hotels, whereas Costa Rica has hotels that happen to have small casinos.

Most of these casinos have around 2 to 5 table games and about a dozen or so slot and video poker machines. In addition, many of these establishments are somewhat sparsely populated, meaning that you will be playing without much interruption whatsoever. The largest casino in Costa Rica is the Del Rey Hotel and Casino in San José. In this case, largest mean that there are 60 slot machines and 10 table games.

Earlier I said that there were 40 legal establishments in Costa Rica. There are also numerous "underground" or illegal casinos in the country. You want to be certain that the establishment you are playing at is a legal one. Sticking with those attached to a hotel will be your safest bet while playing in Costa Rica.

What You Can Play

While casinos in Costa Rica are smaller, they still offer many of the same casino games that you would expect in larger establishments. Slot machines, keno, sports betting, craps, roulette, Pai Gow Poker and much more is available. The Casino Del Rey hosts Texas Hold'em poker games as well.

One big difference between Costa Rica and other destinations is that most casinos there consider blackjack to be illegal. Instead, they play a variant called Rummy. Many of the same rules of blackjack apply except that if you draw either three of a kind in three cards or a straight (ex. 4-5-6), then you have a "Rummy" and are paid three to one. Also, there is no bonus for being dealt a blackjack.

While there are numerous casinos in Costa Rica, they are more a touch of luxury and extracurricalr form of entertainment for hotel guests and tourists. They are a great way to pass some time or unwind after a long day but, like Vegas, you probably are not going to strike it rich there.

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The Cost of Owning and Driving a Car in Costa Rica Can Be Daunting

We purchased our first Costa Rican car, a 2006 Mitsubishi Montero Sport (diesel, 4x4) when we first arrived here back in November, 2008. Those were the days when we were more flush with cash than we are now. It didn't seem a great luxury at the time even though the cost was nearly twice what you'd pay in the States, if you could find a diesel version. That's basically the rule of thumb here for cars, new or used. Purchase prices are double that in the States.

Oh, this can't be good!

That fact of life here is mostly due to import duties, sales tax, and property transfer tax, but also because the number of drivers in Costa Rica has been growing rapidly for years. Strong demand and weak supply play a big role in driving up asking prices.

If only the madness would stop there, it wouldn't be so bad.

Don't Let the Big Bugs Block Your View of the Little Ones in Costa Rica

Assassin bug (Photo credit: Gerry Dincher)

Big bugs! That's what often sticks in the minds of people who have been to the tropics for their 2-week vacation. They can be impressive, that's for sure, and Costa Rica certainly has its share of big bugs, and maybe then some. We usually view them with wonder, not fear, and that goes double for some of the smallest residents of the insect family here. The ones that often get overlooked, or are just too fuzzy for these tired eyes to see the details.

Miniature Praying Mantis, 1" long

Actually, most of the tiniest bugs, we don't want to see, as they bite or poke us with their dull needles, or in the worst cases, plant something into our bodies. Yikes! The mosquitoes, biting flies, chiggers, fleas, etc. probably don't get their due, but ... too bad! I say, die you miserable blood suckers, die!

There are many mini-bugs, however, that I can enjoy watching. Take a look at this mini-Mantis to the left, no more than an inch long. To a fellow insect, smaller than he is, I'm sure he's just as terrifying a sight as his big green brothers. I hope he's grabbing a few skeeters for lunch today.

Five Years After Cyclone Alma Community Rebuilds Bridge

Cyclone Alma slamming into C.A.

May 29-30, 2008, Costa Rica and Nicaragua were hit by a rare Pacific cyclone, Alma. It was the most eastern reach of any Pacific cyclone in history. The storm was quickly downgraded to a tropical storm as it hit the shore, but left up to 15 inches of rain, carried winds of 55 knots, damaged over a thousand homes in Costa Rica, and took out over one hundred roads and bridges, including several in our immediate area.

The salvaged foot bridge

One of those bridges, crossing the San Ramón River, just a couple of kilometers below us, was completely destroyed. It was a small suspension bridge that could hold just one car - with its side mirrors folded in - but it was a vital link in our neighborhood. It saved several kilometers of driving for residents on both banks of the river.

What was left of that bridge was salvaged to make a foot bridge, so the neighbors could at least reach the bus line on the highway on the other side, which runs from higher communities into central Pérez Zeledón. Since the storm five years ago, our neighbor, Luis, has been doggedly working with the municipality and other government officials to replace it. Designs and money promises came and went, expectations ebbed and flowed until, finally, after 5 years, a new bridge is in progress.

Costa Rican Wedding in Los Santos

Floral bouquet for the bride

Our closest neighbor's oldest son, Alban, was married in the bride's town of San Andrés last Saturday. San Andrés is deeper into the valley where one finds Santa Maria de Dota, San Marcos, San Pablo, ... well, you get the idea as to why the area is called "Los Santos". We took "Casey's Big Truck" up, so that we could give a lift to a couple of the groom's sisters, and to haul back a few pieces of heavy furniture for the newlywed's new abode in their temporary quarter's at Alban's parents' house. We were ready for an exciting, but relaxing day.

The "big truck" loaded with furniture

The first excitement came after the final grade down to the bride's parents' house. It is so steep that by the time we reached the bottom, I had zero brakes due to overheating. I managed to gracefully coast to a stop, however, assisted by the emergency foot brake. Everyone was smiling and asking me how my brakes were as I climbed out of the truck, parked about 50 meters further down the road than I'd aimed for. They all assured me that it was "normal" for the brakes to fail on that road. An everyday occurrence, pura vida!

We then made it through a round of introductions with the bride's family, and sat down for some coffee and rolls while everyone (mostly the women, that is) made their preparations for the wedding, which was still a couple of hours away.

Patiently waiting

The bride's preparation begins

The younger girls sat patiently while their older sisters and aunts prepared their hair into complicated, beautiful braids. The older girls painted their nails, changed into their best dresses, and maneuvered the uneven ground and pavement outside in the highest of high heels. For some, it looked like it might have been their first time walking on stilts. Fortunately, there were plenty of men to take their arm and keep them from tipping over.

Naturally, the bride, Ledi, received the greatest amount of preparation. Her hair was expertly braided and woven around her tiara. Nails, makeup, fitting her dress, and so on, took at least an hour while we cooled our heels outside with the families sipping drinks.

Father of the groom, Luis

Check out the crackle finish on the nails!

Luis had a bit of trouble with his tie. First my sister, Tandra, then I tried to get his corbata on straight and of the proper length, but it wasn't happening. So, I tied it on myself, then pulled open the loop and placed it around his neck. After that, I was dubbed as the tie expert and was taken around to inspect the cut and jib of every guest's tie. I didn't let on that I wasn't the expert they thought I was. Someone selling clip-ons could have done good business that day.

First Trip to Panama - Part III - Volcán, then Home to Costa Rica

Her friend the King - Barriles Pre-Colombian site

On the map, it looks like Volcán should be a short drive from Boquete, since they are only about 20 kilometers apart as the Sarjento flies. However, there is no drivable road between them, though one has been "in the works" for several years. So, from Boquete, it's back to Davíd, drive a little west on the Interamericana, then take a right to reach Volcán. It's probably a drive of about 90 minutes, but we didn't keep track, since we took the opportunity stop and do some more shopping in Davíd before heading back to the cooler mountains.

Restaurante Il Forno, Volcán, Panama

Don't take my word for it, since we were in Volcán less than 24 hours, but it didn't seem like there was much to it, and I'm sure the locals like it that way. To our delight, there was a very decent restaurant there, dubbed Il Forno, which specializes in Italian food, but has a more general menu. Prices and service were just right, as was the food. If they have a lunch rush, we missed it, so we pretty much had the place to ourselves.

At Last, The Costa Rica School Mosaic is Complete

If you've been following Tamara's progress on the CAIRA school mosaic, you know that's she's been at it for quite some time. Planning started last October, and work began the first part of December. There were a couple of weeks hiatus when the staff were on vacation during the Christmas holidays, and then Tamara and helpers were back at it in January. 

Last Friday, the project was finally finished. Monday was the official unveiling.

The entire mosaic, about 6 meters wide by 3 meters high

 The final week may have been the most difficult, as by that time Tamara just wanted it to be done at last. She's now able to enjoy a little down time, though she's tinkering with another, smaller mosaic commission this week. 

First Trip to Panama - Part II - Boquete

Boquete View (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

As we meandered through the detours along the new 4-lane stretch of highway on our way from Davíd to Boquete, we remarked on how dry the valley was. The sparseness of the stubby plants hinted that perhaps this area didn't enjoy much rain even in the wet season. On both sides of the highway, spaced by miles and far from Davíd were clustered houses that looked like mini-versions of suburbs in New Mexico or Arizona. Small lots, faux adobe, all painted in desert pastels.

Until nearly in Boquete, the road climbs gradually, but noticeably. Though I'd heard many times of this Panamanian gringo oasis, I don't think I'd ever seen a photo of it. My first view of the town was plainly not congruent with my brain's contrived image. Somehow, I'd pictured it larger and spread out across a mountain top. In reality, it's laid out lengthwise in a narrow, rising valley, steep peaks on all three sides. My first thought was of a "theme town", such as Park City, Utah, or Ashland, Oregon, though I'd be surprised if the founders planned it that way. There's a queer uniqueness and hazy similarity between each building and block along the two main thoroughfares that merge into one further up the valley.