Ivo’s Blog by Godutch Realty

a Costa Rica real estate blog

Traditional Costa Rican Christmas foodArtboard 2

Traditional Costa Rican Christmas food

Estimated Reading Time: 6 Minutes Traditional Costa Rican Christmas food is probably much different than what you used to eat during the Christmas holidays when you grew up. Getting used to local food in Costa Rica might be more complicated than you think, as Tico’s taste buds are very different from yours (and mine). The…

Read more
Christmas traditions in Costa RicaArtboard 2

Christmas traditions in Costa Rica

Estimated Reading Time: 7 Minutes Christmas traditions in Costa Rica are probably not what you are used to.  You can prevent culture shock by learning what Ticos do during the Christmas holidays and where they go. Christmas Eve in Spanish is Nochebuena. This country is definitely not boring during Christmas time; there is plenty to…

Read more
Artboard 2

7 Top Things to Do in San Jose Costa Rica

Though many would think that San Jose Costa Rica is not exciting, there are many things to do. Often, vacationers go straight to the beaches, or the national parks. So they don’t get even close to visiting San Jose, the capital city of Costa Rica. Many travelers flying to Costa Rica think they arrive in…

Read more
Artboard 2

What is El Güiri Güiri in Costa Rica

I’ve never been able to pronounce güiri güiri well. You probably won’t either. My wife makes fun of me when I try. That’s because you have to be able to roll your r’s. We Dutch have a hot potato in our throat, it’s an impossible task to pronounce güiri güiri correctly. In Costa Rica, güiri…

Read more
Artboard 2

Awesome Costa Rican hand painted area rugs by Laurel

Most area rugs in Costa Rica have a problem with the humidity. Stop worrying about the area rugs in your house. You can now stop putting those beautiful area rugs away when you have guests coming in with wet feet. Traditional fabric rugs with fiber don’t hold up well in the tropical weather. And imagine…

Read more
Artboard 2

Más Tico que el Gallo Pinto!

In Costa Rica, you will hear the expression Mas Tico que el Gallo Pinto.  Literally translated, this means a person is more Costa Rican than a spotted rooster. Does that make sense? Gallo is rooster and Pinto means spotted. Gallo Pinto is the #1 food for the Ticos. It is the famous rice & beans…

Read more
Artboard 2

What does Pa’l Tigre mean in Costa Rica?

Estimated Reading Time: 4 Minutes   Costa Ricans use animals quite a bit in their expressions. The tiger is one of them. Pa’l Tigre means not feeling well, feeling sick, or not having done well. Estoy pa’l tigre = I feel terrible. Something that is not usable anymore, out of order, esta “pa’l tigre”. Esta…

Read more
Artboard 2

Can I use my cell phone in Costa Rica while traveling?

Wondering if you can use your cell phone in Costa Rica while traveling? You need to be able to stay in touch with your family back home while having a good time, right? You live in Costa Rica and you have family and friends coming to visit all the time? Of course, they want to…

Read more
Artboard 2

Why do Ticos talk about the mother of Tarzan?

Estimated Reading Time: 4 Minutes   You don’t want to be called The Mother of Tarzan in Costa Rica, you know why? In the past, I have been telling you about certain slang words used in Costa Rica, to give you the opportunity to go a little bit native when you move here. Learn the…

Read more