CostaRica
Thanksgiving in Costa Rica
Nov 25th
Homemade cranberry sauce
Thanksgiving is one of the most celebrated American holidays in Costa Rica; every year, thousands of expats gather to give thanks and dine on foods that commemorate the autumn harvest. Whether celebrating with family or new friends, it’s a day to relish familiar dishes flavored with a tropical twist – usually fresh fruits or Costa Rican versions of familiar Thanksgiving staples.
In the Central Valley and popular beach towns, several restaurants make it easy for expats to indulge in a traditional Thanksgiving meal. Reserve in advance, and for around $30, you’ll enjoy roast turkey, stuffing, salad, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, as well as apple and pumpkin pie. You’ll share the dining room with many happy families, which helps create an air of festivity and Thanksgiving cheer. To make the holiday even more spectacular, choose a venue that overlooks the Central Valley or ocean – nighttime vistas accented by blinking city lights or spectacular sunsets will make your evening unforgettable.
Delicious sweet potatoes topped with marshmallows
Another popular option is to gather friends, family and stray expats and host a supersized potluck dinner. For a price, all your favorite Thanksgiving foods are available at local supermarkets. Turkeys, either imported from the U.S. or purchased locally from Pipasa, cost a pretty penny: plan to spend at least $3.50 per pound, or up to $80 for the entire bird. If you don’t mind buying frozen, check your local Pricesmart. This year, I found whole turkeys for just over $40. The upscale Auto Mercado imports many Thanksgiving products, including stuffing mix, canned pumpkin, and fresh cranberries.
To keep costs down, many opt for a Costa Rican version of Thanksgiving: instead of turkey, roast a couple of chickens; stock up on sweet and baking potatoes at the local farmers’ market; and use fresh bread and herbs to create a savory stuffing. Green beans are in season in November and apples are a Costa Rican favorite around Christmastime, so it’s easy whip up a green bean casserole or apple pie from local ingredients. My favorite Costa Rican Thanksgiving “hack” is to make a pumpkin pie out of ayote, a huge squash that resembles pumpkin in consistency, flavor and color.
Pumpkin pie made with local ayote
After sleeping off your Thanksgiving meal coma, you may want to check online for Black Friday deals. Online retailers based in the U.S. offer incredible savings, and Costa Rican private mail services such as Aerocasillas, Jetbox and Mailboxes, Etc. have recently begun to offer Black Friday shipping deals and discounts.
Thanksgiving is an important holiday, and not just for nostalgia’s sake. Those of us who are lucky enough to live in Costa Rica, be it temporarily or long term, have a lot to be thankful for. To begin with, the weather’s nice enough to wear flip flops to Thanksgiving dinner!
Before You Travel to Beautiful Costa Rica
Nov 11th
Looking for a tropical beach side cottage to spend your vacation or honeymoon? Online companies offer romantic honeymoon getaways with beaches that stretch for miles, jungle rivers for rafting and kayaking, and spectacular cloud and rain forests with opportunities for bird watching and hiking. Having just returned from Costa Rica myself, I would like to offer some practical advice that you probably won’t find in the guide books.
When we planned our trip, we assumed that most people in Costa Rica would understand English fairly well. At several hotels, the front desk clerks spoke practically no English. The same goes for bus drivers. The staff at the car rental agency spoke the best English. They were able to give us directions to Sarchi, known throughout Costa Rica for its intricate arts and crafts. Prepare yourself by learning key phrases such as “Donde está el banco” (Where is the bank), “Estoy buscando un restaurante” (I am looking for a restaurant), and “Donde está el cuarto de baño” (Where is the bathroom).
The Pan American Highway runs through Costa Rica and is a reliable, well-paved road. However, many side roads in Costa Rica are very bad and full of deep potholes. I guarantee that you have never seen a pothole in your life like the ones in Costa Rica. I recommend that when you rent a car, take out the full coverage (usually an additional $20 per day on top of the regular fee). When you take the side roads, you need to allow more time to reach your destination. In some cases you may be only going 20-25 miles per hour.
Colones are the national currency and are very easy to translate into American dollars. If an item says 5,000 colones, just drop the 3 zeros and multiply the other number by 2. In other words, 5,000 colones is equal to 10 American dollars. If you need to convert other currency into colones, you can do that with an online currency converter.
The rainy season in Costa Rica runs from May through December, but don’t let that stop you. Hotels are cheaper and there is less traffic and fewer people in the restaurants. Many times you will find that you are the ONLY people in the restaurant. My husband and I traveled in September, and experienced rain on only a few days of our trip. It would rain heavily for about one hour and then stop completely. We would spend the time indoors having a lovely Costa Rican lunch, and by the time we finished our gallon pinto, the rain was gone.
Bring a good camera and lots of film. Because of the rain, you will see some of the most beautiful exotic plants and over thirteen hundred species of orchids. The size and rumbling of the Poas Volcano will take your breath away. Waterfalls, like those near La Fortuna, are located off of the side roads, so drive slowly and allow more time. Even in the cities, you will want to photograph the brightly colored houses and ornate wrought iron that covers all the windows and patios in beautiful Costa Rica.
