Nadine Hays Pisani

SCARLET MACAWS

By Nadine Hays Pisani| 2018-04-15T18:19:56-04:00 February 24th, 2011|Categories: Tourism|Tags: animals, corcovado park, Osa Peninsula, puerto jimenez, scarlet macaws|

Costa Rica Cost Of Living Update: Hotel on the beach in Puerto Jimenez, gateway to Corcovado National Park- $125/couple

Waking up to the sound of the waves instead of an alarm clock is refreshing. Waking up to the throaty, squawking sounds of Scarlet Macaws is magnificent.

I am watching them from my hotel porch as they glide from almond tree to almond tree. They tear apart the outer shell and recklessly devour the nut inside.

Their vivid colors streak the sky with splashes of red, blue, and yellow. It’s nature’s way of saying, “Look at me, I’m not meant to be ignored! Don’t you wish you could look like this?” I watch as they finish breakfast and fly off to another location.

This is how my morning begins in Puerto Jimenez. All before my first cup of coffee.

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TICO TIME

By Nadine Hays Pisani| 2018-04-15T18:19:56-04:00 February 14th, 2011|Categories: Car|Tags: scooter|

Costa Rica Cost of Living Update: Scooter repairs-$60 for new brake pads, new gas filter, oil change, new ignition switch, taking apart and cleaning air filter

The back brakes on our scooter needed to be replaced, but in the mean time Rob resorted in only using the front brakes. This caused us to randomly skid out Evel Knievel style, and although it looked cool when Evel performed those stunts, it’s laughable when two gringos do it on a 125cc scooter. The problem was we had a hard time finding anyone to do the work. It looks like scooters aren’t in big demand for repairs. (more…)

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CAUGHT RED HANDED

By Nadine Hays Pisani| 2018-04-15T18:19:56-04:00 February 9th, 2011|Categories: Nature|Tags: animals|

Costa Rica Cost Of Living Update: Garbage Pick Up- $6/month

We wake to our alarm going off. My husband jolts up ready to surprise an intruder, grabbing an assortment of weaponry he keeps just for this occasion. However, there was no bloodshed, no fisticuffs, no fight to the death. Our interloper was this little guy, caught red handed eating a banana.

He got up on our table, knocked down our security camera, and watched as we took a photo shoot of him. Similar to Barbara Streisand, he only allowed us to photograph his left side.

And just to show us who’s boss, he defecated on our terrace as he left. And just to show him who’s boss, I stepped in it the next morning.

My guess he is some kind of opossum. A banana stealing, alarm smashing, terrace pooping opossum.

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DON’T GO HEAVY ON THE MUSTARD

By Nadine Hays Pisani| 2018-04-15T18:19:57-04:00 February 3rd, 2011|Categories: Cost of Living|Tags: groceries|

Costa Rica Cost Of Living Update: 12 Ounce Bottle of French’s Deli Mustard- $5

My husband went shopping today and returned with the fancy American brand mustard. We rarely indulge in such extravagance, instead buying the yellow Costa Rican kind when possible. It is a fraction of the price (with a fraction of the taste) but much more affordable.

Unfortunately, today the store was out of the cheap stuff so we had to break the bank and buy the high falutin kind.

If you are at my house and you catch me eyeing you as you squeeze a strip of mustard on your hot dog, just remember I’m on a fixed income.

So don’t go heavy on the mustard. $$$

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ZIP LINING AND PIT VIPERS

By Nadine Hays Pisani| 2018-04-15T18:19:57-04:00 January 31st, 2011|Categories: Nature|Tags: canopy tour, snakes, zip line|

Costa Rica Cost of Living Update: Zip Line Tour $45/person

People shouldn’t be nervous when zip lining in Costa Rica. Many companies have you tethered to an additional cable making it extra safe while flying through the jungle. It’s one of the highlights of traveling to Costa Rica, getting up close and personal to the monkeys and sloths that make their home so high in the canopy.

It turns out the real hazard was this little guy, an extremely venemous yellow viper hiding in the brush on the ground. Their venom affects both the cardiovascular and nervous system. Besides the distinct possibility of death, here is a bucket list of all the groovy things that can happen if you are unlucky enough to get bit by one: pain, necrosis leading to amputation, vomiting, and the mac daddy of all ailments…severe diarrhea rendering you unconscious. I don’t know about you but if the diarrhea is that bad I’d rather be sleeping while it’s happening.

I took this shot and quickened my pace through the rain forest. Zip lining was fun but not getting bit by a viper was priceless.

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About Nadine Hays Pisani

SCARLET MACAWS

TICO TIME

CAUGHT RED HANDED

DON’T GO HEAVY ON THE MUSTARD

ZIP LINING AND PIT VIPERS

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