Life in Costa Rica is Qualmless

New Year’s Eve and the town is going crazy. Wow, another year in Pura Vida Land. Bring on the dancing girls and put the champagne on ice!!! This time of year is a little bit of a double edged sword, because there are so many people visiting, and the place is a mad house. Obviously, that is great for business, as all the bars and restaurants are booming, hotels and rentals are at full capacity, as everyone flocks to the beach, but it also means that it is almost impossible to move around. Thousands of people are here, the street is packed, and there are lines everywhere from the grocery store to the beaches. So most of us that live here, tend to just camp out at our homes, hanging out by the pool, waiting for the surge to pass. I like it because it is one of the few times I actually do nothing, and it gives me the opportunity to reflect on some of the bizarre memories I have made living here in paradise. I find myself chuckling as I scroll through my mental rolodex, remembering some of the stories, but I can honestly tell you, I have no qualms.

Everyone knows I am an old Rock n Roller, and one of my all-time favorite bands is AC/DC. I read on their website about 6 months ago that they had brewed their own beer, and I looked for it the last time I was in the USA. I went to 3 different liquor stores and nobody had it. This past week, I was roaming around Coco, enjoying the wave of excitement and the mass of human bodies; soaking up the positive energy and holiday spirit; the pavement vibrating from all the music that spilled out from every single corner; gorgeous models in skin tight dresses and bikinis (no qualms with that) promoting everything from alcohol and beer to natural fruit drinks and suntan lotion, when I heard a shout out. “Heh Amigo!” this young beautiful Tica called. “Check out this new beer.” Low and behold, there it was; AC/DC BEER. This could only happen to me. What are the odds, that I find this new Australian beer, at a street Kiosk in Coco on New Year’s Eve week? AWESOME. It tasted a lot like FOSTERS which I would expect, since it is from the land down under, and my friends and I enjoyed a 6 pack while continuing up the boulevard. Most places would never allow you to drink a beer in public while walking down the middle of the street, but Costa Rica has no qualms and neither do I.

Tank Tops Flip Flops Newsletter edition no. 83

 Here we are again coming up on the holidays and all there is to say is ‘Tis the Season!

As most of you know, Michael Simons’ BIG annual Party went down this last Sunday and as always it was the BASH OF THE YEAR!  Nothing like spending quality time eating and drinking with 600 of your best friends.  Check out the video of the party here

This year – instead of bringing a bottle of wine or booze – everyone brought new toys to give to the Toys for Tots program sponsored by the Guanacaste Veterans Association and the Marine Corp League of Costa Rica.  When it was all said and done hundreds of toys were collected and given to the less privileged kids of the local area.  It was such a success that Toys for Tots will become a fixture at Michael Simons annual party.

Here is the thank you letter sent out to all those that helped in the Toys for Tots effort:

Hi All

A big thank you to all who were involved in the Costa Rican Marine Corps League Toys for Tots program and implemented in the Guanacaste area by the Guanacaste Veterans Association. Thank you to everyone who donated toys and money for this worthwhile project.  

We successfully provided toys and snacks to three schools, two day care facilities and an orphange. It was a rousing success to put it mildly.  

Let me start by thanking the Toys for Tots committee of Debbie, Larry, Nancy, Lee Rhea, Chip and Dan.  Thank you for your hard work and devotion to the Project.  You guys were just awesome. 

Another thanks to Dan for his unending support of the Guanacaste Veterans Association and providing us a place for sorting, staging and storing the toys, as well as, storage for all of the food.  

Next, thank you to all of  the organizations that allowed us to put a collection box in their place of business.  A very special thank you to Micheal Simons of RE/ MAX for his effort in providing us with hundreds of toys. 

Thank you to Tico Bakery for providing us with cupcakes free of charge for our parties at the schools. 

Last, but certainly not least, a thank you to one of our members, Rusty Norman, also a member of the Costa Rican Marine Corps League for introducing us to the Toys for Tots Project. 

His encouragement and faith in us to make the project go was most helpful.

Thanks, Lee

Speaking of local kids – This week we threw a big BBQ party at the Playa Panama Cacique Grade School.  The kids just finished classes prior to going to Christmas Break.  You know kids love a good Burger, Chips and of course a big bag of candy to top it off.  Check out the video of the party here

So when you are shoveling snow in your driveway so your house guests can come and drink egg nog next to the Christmas Tree – Think about kicking back with us down in Pura Vida land and meeting new friends and creating new traditions.  Tis the Season – Costa Rica style.

COME ON DOWN BABY!