I am experiencing Costa Rica from the ground-up - literally. Due to my semi-remote location and the fact that I don't yet have a car means I am putting my soles to the ground and hoofing it up and down a mountainside in quest of daily necessities. During my first week, all of my time from waking to sleeping was spent taking care of wee things to make a new house and location feel like home.
We are living in Las Nubes de (the clouds of ) Coronado, Costa Rica. To get to our location; start in the Central Valley of San Jose, go Northwest up into the mountains past Guadalupe, through Moravia, then through Coronado and finally up to San Rafael / Las Nubes. For good reference, an online map is ready here: Las Nubes de Coronado, Costa Rica, C.A..
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We're up here in the mountains where the weather is constantly Spring-like, the hummingbirds attend daily to the flowering trees, Junior picks from the trees nectarines and bananas and from the bushes red and green peppers. 500 meters below us is a working dairy farm complete with ox-pulled carts for spicy around feed grasses and while we walk by both milk cows and chickens graze road-side. The nights are chilly, but we have a great big fireplace that keeps us warm and cozy ... We just need to find a source for more firewood (one of the many, many things on my very, very long to-do list)
Step2 5A0100 Garden Kneeler Best
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Step2 5A0100 Garden Kneeler Feature
- Doubles as a support to let user resume standing position easily
- Molded-in handles allow easy transport
- One time snap-lock assembly
- Sturdy double-wall construction
- Measures approximately 10.75" x 21.75" x 16.25"
Step2 5A0100 Garden Kneeler Overview
Keep comfortable while working in the garden or yard. This functional, innovative 2-in-1 Garden Kneeler and Seat lets you kneel in cushioned comfort. Or, turn it over to sit at a proper height for gardening chores. Features molded-in support handles and easy, snap-together assembly. Measures approximately 10.75" x 21.75" x 16.25".Step2 5A0100 Garden Kneeler Specifications
Kneel, sit, or stand on this multifunctional piece of gardening equipment. Sixteen inches high with a top measuring 20 by 10-1/2 inches, this kneeler seat serves many purposes in the garden or in the home. It works great as a step stool in your laundry room or basement. When you're not using the seat for gardening tasks, you can turn it over and kneel on the pad underneath, or take the pad out of the seat altogether for even more convenience. The 3/4-inch-thick foam pad is textured and attaches to the bottom of the seat with two Velcro strips. The all-weather tan body is constructed of sturdy, rugged plastic, and there's an oval carrying hole in the top of the forest green seat. --Rhonda Langdon
Customer Reviews
*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Feb 07, 2012 22:10:44
The bus from Coronado runs approximately every half-hour and the last stop is 400 meters below our home. Junior and I have been taking the bus down and back from Coronado daily at a cost of 310 colones (.62) each way for the both of us. In Coronado we all the time spend time at an Internet cafe, eat a meal and do some shopping for household items such as food and cleaning supplies. Then it's back to the bus concluding to catch our bus for the ride up. The final 400 meter hike up to the house with our back-packs and bags of purchases can leave you winded.
One of our more memorable trips to Coronado involved my perception that all Atm's are created equal. In the states I never worried about how wee money was in my pocket due to the vast amount and reliability of Atm machines. In Coronado there are only two Atms that I know of: one at Banco de Costa Rica (Bcr) and the other at Banco Nacional (Bn). Without paying too much attention I spent my way down to about 100 colones and when I went to the Atms for more money, I was denied entrance to funds by both. Junior and I looked up at the mountain top, knowing that somewhere close to the top was our house ... So away we went - walking approximately 7 kilometers up & up & up & up .... And up! About an hour and a half later we were home and sore - but at the same time, it was kind of fun. After all, many voyage from around the world to hike the mountains of Costa Rica and we had the high-class qoute of needing to complete a hike just for the sake of getting home!
Friday, February 29th we did get a opportunity to see a bit more of the area thanks to John's friend Arne. This morning Junior and I took a taxi to San Antonio de Coronado (an area below Coronado) to meet with Arne for a wee shopping. The closer you get to the capital city of San Jose, the more shopping variety you have to pick from. In our travels we went to shop in the barrios of San Pedro, Guadalupe and Moravia.
In Costa Rica there is a variety of store (tienda) choices ranging from tiny home-front shop (literally) to the huge discount and club storehouse shop (similar to a Sam's or Costco).
* Home-front shop often labeled as a "pulperia" or "abastecedor" are usually placed in the front section of a buildings or construction that is otherwise a residence. A uncomplicated sign out front or just a sign painted on the construction denotes this type of tienda where you can get a quick snack fix such as a bag of Funions and a Coke.
* Grocery shop can also be small proprietor shops up to larger shop often referred to as "Mini" or "Mega-Supers". A grocery chain consisting of mid-sized shop in many areas of Costa Rica is called "Pali" (owned by Wal-mart, pronounced: pa-Li). Pali is similar to U.S. Based Aldi Food shop in that they provide basic staples such as milk, beans, rice, snacks, cleaning supplies, etc. - complete with a bag-it-yourself service. Grocery chains that more look like thorough U.S. Grocery shop are MasXmenos (another Wal-mart owned chain), Mini Mega Super, Mega Super and others. In these shop you will find most all things needed to stock your home - even Jif crunchy peanut butter!
* Specialty shop can again be small proprietor shops or chain shop that sell a positive type of merchandise such as clothes, furniture, electronics, pet supplies, etc., etc.
- I purchased a computer Apc Back-Ups surge protector/battery back-up (model # Be350R) for .80 from a computer/electronics chain called Group3C (Grupo3C) that has shop in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and El Salvador. The name of the Costa Rica store is called Coc.Co (I think :o) placed in San Pedro.
- After shopping some discount shop (see below) I ended-up looking a good deal on a microwave oven at a specialty store called El Verdugo in Moravia. My purchase was a Haier 1,000 watt stainless steel microwave (model # Mwm10100Ss) for 1.80
* discount or Club shop offer the shopping caress of a Sam's Club or Costco. Hiper Mas (a completely owned Wal-mart subsidiary - looking a trend?!) and Price Smart are two of these types of shop ... But anywhere, shop these shop against each other and specialty shop for price and product. Just like a casino contribution free drinks and comps, the way these one-stop-shop shop do business is to lure you in for many discounted products while charging allot more for other items. In other words, if you're not particular - net gain goes to the house.
- Price Smart club store example prices (Moravia store, 02/29/08):
+ Philips 50" Plasma - ,600.00
+ Frigidaire Washing machine (model Fws9333Fs) - 5.00
+ comforter set (Queen comforter, bed skirt, 3 small decorative pillows, 2 pillow cases - no sheets) - .00
+ blanket (a soft queen sized) - .00
+ sharp cheddar cheese - .00 / 2lb package
+ bed pillow (standard) - .60
+ couch pillow (small soft square) - .00
+ pistachios - .20 / 2lb package
+ hot dogs (large pack) - .00 / 37 hot dogs
+ trail mix - .40 / 2lb package
+ Land-O-Frost Honey Ham luncheon meat - .20 / 1lb package
+ Land-O-Frost Turkey Breast luncheon meat - .40 / 1lb package
As demonstrated, prices for positive items in Costa Rica may be higher than in the U.S., Canada, Europe, etc. - but labor and services are usually much economy in Costa Rica than elsewhere. Foreign residents, retirees, etc. End up buying the high-priced washing machine and lawn tool then pay domestic employees to run them (ie: hire a maid/cook/gardener ... Even on a modest or resignation income).
* secret Bilingual customary (grade) School - 0.00 / month (with many included extras; soccer team, gymnastics, dance, cheer important squad, math club, etc.)
* Gym Membership - .00 / month (complete with Aerobics, Step Training, Spinning, Tae-bo & ancient weights and equipment)
* Hair Cut - .00 men & .00 women
* Meal for 2 - .00 together with a cup of coffee or soda each
Due to the higher costs for many 'one-time purchase' items, many foreign residents that live, have second or vacation homes or just spend a critical amount of time in Costa Rica pick to make selective purchases of electronics, appliances and other items elsewhere in the world and bring or have them shipped to Costa Rica as a cost savings quantum ... But be careful!
The particular best way to bring whatever into the country is to personally carry it in your luggage when you travel. However, Costa Rica has figured this out too. After arriving in Costa Rica, your bags will be x-rayed for un-declared items (yes, I said after arriving - as in, after you have retrieved your luggage and before you leave the airport!) So use your best judgment in filling out those customs declarations. You are allowed a positive dollar amount of new items per every so many months as well used personal items without any customs fees. Knowing this, if you are bringing any new item into Costa Rica and you don't plan on declaring it as new and taxable, it is best to take off the new item from its customary packaging prior to placing it in your luggage.
As for shipping items into Costa Rica, it may really cost more to import an item based on purchase price + shipping cost + duty fees, etc ... Than it is to purchase the item in country. Do your homework and believe half of what you hear from others as to how much money they saved in Importing an item - after all, many habitancy can't admit they messed-up or they subconsciously forget part of their expenses when calculating their total cost 'savings'.
Living in Costa Rica - A First Week of Adventures and ShoppingFlower Auction Vancouver Tube. Duration : 3.75 Mins.Scott and Robert Kitayama visit the United Flower Growers Auction in Vancouver, Canada.
Tags: Kitayama, Brothers, Greenleaf, Flower, Auction, Vancouver
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