We went to look at a vehicle. Sounds easy, si? Pero, NO! Bus @ 8 from here to Grecia, then a bus to Naranjo, then a bus to Ciudad Quesada en San Carlos, through one of our favorite towns, Zarcero.
Just a couple of older photos of the topiary in the central park there!
Got to Quesada @ 11:30 or so, meeting the guy with the Rover @ 1. Tenemos Mucha Hambre! (we have much hungry!) Grabbed a burger at Charlies Burgers ... meh, but it was food. First beef I think I've eaten since we left!
Guy (Luis) shows up early (thankfully) and the Rover looks & feels good to Roy. He really wanted something "stock" and the Lime Green is definitely NOT ... but for what it is and the price, we did a handshake deal. New clutch, new water pump, new radiator, pretty good tires, current RTV & Marchamo (DEQ & Registration). So, told Luis (& his dad, Alberto ... to whom the car actually belongs) that we would get our banking thing out of the way and arrange to return in a few days. Using their abogado (Attorney) as I don't want to pay one to go with us on an all day event! Should be OK!
Then, do that trip in reverse! One thing to ride in a bus on I-5 or 101, but way different here! Almost like going to the carnival!
Then, do that trip in reverse! One thing to ride in a bus on I-5 or 101, but way different here! Almost like going to the carnival!
January 28, 2013 - The bank & other challenges
Up early otro ves (again) and, before we got on the bus to Grecia @ 7:10, schlepped our two small loads of laundry up to Essprezzo de la Casa (because Isobel is a totally wonderful person who feels sorry for us because we don't have a Washer and said she would wash (if we would dry) until she could find someone to do it regularly). Off the bus in Grecia ... First stop: Banco National de Costa Rica (the only place to bank, per Marco). Arrived at the bank about 40 min. before they opened, but I notice a line already so decide we need to be in it! Using the translate function of my phone, was able to ask about the differences in the 4 ATM machines in the outer lobby (one is for dollars, 3 for colones) & also the location of the Municipalidad de Grecia (gotta pay the garbage bill, don't ya know).
Bank opens @ 8:30 and we are about the 7th & 8th in. Go through the security airlock thingy ... an interesting concept that I can't post a photo of because it is forbidden! Explain to the girl @ the touch screen thingy that spits out numbers that we are there to open a new account. We got our number for "la plataforma" ... which differs from "las cajas" in that las plataformas do more technical stuff ... not just changing money or cashing a check or making a deposit. Finally get to Plataforma #2, only to find that Javier doesn't speak a lick of English ... I thought they taught that in school here (they do, but they are shy to speak it).
Soon, Javier snagged MariaElena, who has perfect English. MariaElena explained to us that we needed two letters from Tico customers of BN saying what nice people we are, our passaportes, a paid bill and documents on our house. We had most of that, but set out to obtain the rest, saying we would (in the words of the "Governator", "we'll be back").
Called Mari, who said Marco was in meetings all morning and she was running late for work. Explained what we needed, then texted Marco with the same info. Feeling totally hungry again (it is only about 9:30 and we left so bloody early ... too early for desayuno (breakfast), we walked to Cafe Delicious ... a notorious "Gringo" hangout and had breakfast. Talked to a blustering, bragging gringo for a few minutes about his Mountain Bike, and we are off to Municipialidad to pay a year's worth of Garbage. Now, mind you, they pick up on Monday & Thursday, just put the bag by the road, and it is only around $65 per year ... AND you get a discount for paying by the year. Eat that WesternOregonWaste! Waited for a while for my number to come up and approached "la plataforma" ... yeah, they have those EVERYWHERE! Sadly, the young lady with whom I was "speaking" ... I am beginning to use that term very loosely ... didn't speak any English ...sigh! She turned me over to a nice young man who explained that, because we were NEW owners and the National Registration of our ownership hadn't made it's way to the Municipalidad, it would take a while to complete the paper/computer work. He got all the pertinent information from me and asked me to come back at 1 p.m. What is a girl to say? "I am NOT leaving till we accomplish this!"? ... Nah, I go!
So, with 2.5 hours to kill, Roy and I decide that there MUST be things we need to do ... like sit in El Parque Central and enjoy the day ... too restless me for that! I go off in search of a nail parlor, found two, one closed with no hours posted, the other unable to contact the nail lady. Sigh again!
Park benches are everywhere, there must be at least 50 in Grecia's Parque Central ... of course all made of cement ... so you don't sit there too very long before your butt goes numb! Still no word from Marco, so let's walk around! Not getting any messages on my phone, but getting the message that there IS a message ... hummm. Deleted a bunch of apps n stuff hoping that I would free up space, as we strolled.
Anyhoots, must have deleted enough stuff from the phone, because around the "appointed hour" (1:00) I got 7 texts in a row, mostly from Marco, saying we would need a CPA to open a bank account! What?!?!?!?!? Really? They didn't tell me THAT at the bank, only that it is easier to open savings than checking ... I don't care as long as I have a debit card and internet banking! I never write checks anyway! Texted back w/ info that the bank didn't say anything about a CPA ... he said OK, but I don't know exactly what he means by "OK".
Waited for another long time in La Municipalidad and got it done! YAY! No more pesky garbage bills for a YEAR! In Gearhart, we paid nearly $30/month ... do the math! It is only 2:00 pm. ... It only took around 3 hours to pay it, but it IS paid.
Knowing that the bus was leaving for San Luis @ 3:10, we caught a cab to Maxi Palí and bought a few of the above mentioned things, Phone rings, Mari, "where are you" ... "en Maxi Palí, y usted?" "en Grecia, con sus letters ... we will pick you up"! So ........ Back to Banco National ... where they are serving #500 and we are #529! This isn't the quick stuff either. Marco & Mari (and their granddaughter, Nicole) said they would wait in the park. So, we wait, we wait, we wait! Bear in mind, it is 2:30 and the bank says it closes @ 3:45 ... so, about 3:30, it is our turn. We feel really confident that we are going to get this done. I drag out the letters from M&M first thing ... along w/photocopies of their Cedulas (government ID that we hope to have someday) and Javier takes one look and runs off!
Marco
Marianella
Really, seriously, takes off! We see him here and there all over the bank, with letters in hand ... no one comes to tell us what the hell is going on ... beginning to expect la policia! Finally, around 4 or so, Javier & MariaElena come back and explain that, apparently, MORE information is needed in the letters. We did as they asked, but, as Bill Mahr would say, "NEW RULE"! Also, the bank needs documentation from our bank in the US, which is in the container! So, we left, not before I was near shedding a tear or two, and met M&M in the park. You all don't know Marco, but he pretty much doesn't put up with much Pura Miedra (bull shit), so he was sorta pissed too!
Despite the fact that we were going to take a bus home with ALL our "stuff", it was lateish, so Marco insisted on driving us up the hill. Being sorta pissed, he took the third different way up here, which neither of us had ever taken, very rural, very narrow, the most directo, but even the Taxis don't take it! There is this bridge ...... we will take you there when you come! Had a couple of beers (well, M&M each had one & we had wine) and they were off to the valley to resume their own lives! I don't know what we would do without them!!!
When we arrived home, the first thing I noticed was that I.C.E. got us on our VERY OWN electricity! Rats, now we have to pay the bill! ;-) For those who don't know, getting electricity, internet & phone in less than a month here is a phenomenal feat and we did it in only 13 days.
Emailed and then called (thankfully) our bank in Gearhart and voila, the PDF we need is in my email. Forwarded to Marco for printing (our printers are somewhere between Oakland CA and here) and we MAY be able to finish opening a new bank account in only two days!
Walked up the hill to retrieve our wet laundry, only to find that our new friend, Isobel - owner of Essprezzo de la Casa, had not only washed it, but line dried and folded it! It is so nice to be able to make good friends no matter where we go! She wasn't home, but her charming 16 year old (I think) daughter was, and delivered the "ropa" (clothes) and proceeded to get into an art conversation w/Roy! I anticipate many more such conversations soon! If we get a photo of them, I will update this post.
January 28, 2013 - Update on "the grrls"
Since Kiki's big adventure, the girls are both pretty much sticking close. Too Close! I actually felt like I was curling this morning when I had had enough of Kiki sleeping on my pillow with her claws in my hair ... kitties slide really well on tile! NOT HARD, OK!?! No walls involved or anything! Anyway, the grrls seem much closer since the move, actually playing together ... hide 'n seek is tough when there is nothing to hide behind! Kiki out 'n about at the moment, she had better hurry up, 'cause we are getting ready to crash.
Up early tomorrow, otro ves, & abajo a Grecia por una mas dia en el banco! Marco w/b there @ 8:15 to deliver paperwork.
Pura Vida~
Kathleen
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