Eyes on Costa Rica and Weather Records - November 2021 / Covid-19 Update

During November, visits to this blog were received from the following 11 countries:

The total number of countries and non-independent jurisdictions from which visits have been received remains at 133. Of this number, 13 are non-independent jurisdictions such as the Cayman Islands, Hong Kong, Puerto Rico, etc.

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The following is a summary of weather for the month in the area where we live:

It seems that a switch was thrown on November 8 - signaling movement from the green season to the dry season. There was at least some rain every day during the first 7 days of the month. In the remaining 23 days, rain occurred on only 6 days with significant rain on only 1 day. The total amount of rainfall in November was the lowest it has been during that month since we moved to Hacienda El Paseo in the Central Valley - much lower than last year when the total was 19.75 inches (502 mm). Dry season trade winds occurred on several days.

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Covid-19 Update

The following table updates information which appeared in my blog entry posted on November 7, 2021:

Since my last post, the death rates in Canada and the United States have each dropped (by 0.2 percentage points). Conversely, that in Costa Rica has risen by 0.02 percentage points.

If you want to see how some other country is doing in comparison to those listed, then visit the website of Worldometer. Numbers for populations, reported cases and reported deaths can be obtained from that site. All that is then needed is some simple math to calculate the percentage death rate for the other country and the death rate in that country compared to Costa Rica.

Click on images to enlarge.

Experience with the Updated Healthcare System in Costa Rica - Should You Retain a Translator?

As I have previously indicated in this blog, the healthcare system in Costa Rica is quite unique. The country has its own government run public sector system which provides coverage for all medical procedures, prescription drugs and other benefits. This is provided to citizens and ex-pats alike, the latter of whom have been in the country long enough to acquire legal residency status. There are a number of public hospitals and a network of public "Ebais" clinics throughout the country. Overall, the public system is commonly referred to as "CAJA" which is short for "Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social".

As well, the country has a private system which is also able to provide high quality healthcare services. Many doctors in this sector speak English and have received training in the United States, Canada or Europe. There are four major private sector hospitals in Costa Rica.

Some private sector doctors are also affiliated with CAJA. They work part of their time in private practice and the remaining part for CAJA. If you find a doctor in CAJA who also has a private practice, it sometimes may be helpful to consult that doctor in his or her private practice. If you meet them once in CAJA and are happy with the experience, there is no assurance that you will ever meet them again in a routine appointment in CAJA.

Over the time we have lived in Costa Rica, Lance and I have relied on both the public and private healthcare systems - whichever seemed most convenient or expedient at the time. But, it can be a challenge to navigate the public system if you are not fluent in Spanish. Some CAJA doctors are fluent in English or speak at least some English but many are not. The same is true of nurses and administrative staff. Unlike the private system, you are unable to choose your doctor in the public CAJA system and you may be met with different doctors at different times.

Recently, Lance got fed up with a persistent bad back problem which can act up whenever he twists himself the wrong way or lifts something too heavy using his back instead of his arms. He decided to get an appointment at our local CAJA Ebais clinic in Puente de Piedra (less than a 5 minute drive from our house). Today, if one is able, this is done by having the EDUS app on your computer or phone. EDUS stands for Expediente Digital Unico en Salud (unique digital health record) and this is where you make clinic appointments, see your medical history, drugs, vaccinations, etc. You look at a calendar for available dates and select a convenient date and time. CAJA then responds with an email which confirms the date and time.

After getting the appointment, we decided to engage a translator ("Minor Villalobos" - see his contact information below) to be present during the appointment. Our understanding of Spanish is limited to day-to-day stuff and does not include technical medical terminology. He is fully conversant in English and Spanish. He has a paramedic background and is familiar with medical terminology. 

The appointment went seamlessly. The Ebais doctor decided that some lower back x-rays were in order. But, they had to be taken at the local hospital in Grecia (not the Ebais clinic). The doctor provided a requisition to get a hospital appointment to facilitate that purpose. 

Normally, without the translator, we would have had to drive to the hospital, find somewhere to park, and navigate to the right location in the hospital to submit the requisition. We speculated that this could be a real chore. Minor said he would do it. With the requisition in hand he drove off to the hospital and we drove home. About 1 hour later he arrived at our home with the x-ray appointment.

The x-ray appointment was on one morning at 8 a.m. We decided that we did not need Minor for this purpose because we had a good idea of where to go and the x-ray technician would simply follow the Spanish language instructions in the Ebais requisition. We were right. Shortly after arriving at the hospital and knowing where we had to go, we left with the x-rays.

We surmised that we should deliver the x-rays to our Ebais clinic. This was wrong. The receptionist at the clinic indicated that we needed to get another appointment (going online, etc.) and hand them over to the doctor at that appointment. We left the clinic with the x-rays went home, and once again went online to get an appointment.

Lance got an appointment. We then contacted Minor to determine whether he could attend. As it turned out, he could not. He had a previous commitment. So we went online, cancelled the appointment and got a new appointment which worked for both Minor and ourselves. In cancelling the appointment, we were asked to provide an explanation and said that we were doing so because our translator was unavailable at the scheduled time. That turned out to be good enough. There was no problem getting a later appointment.

With the latest appointment, Lance and Minor once again attended our Ebais clinic. The doctor (who was not the doctor that prescribed x-rays) reviewed the x-rays and decided (a) that there was nothing particularly urgent and (b) nevertheless, the attention of a specialist was in order. There were two bone spurs at or near the lower spine which the doctor indicated should be controlled and that a specialist should be consulted for that purpose.

As a result, the doctor issued a requisition for an appointment with a CAJA specialist. Minor is currently handling that. By reason of non-urgency, it may be a few weeks before we get any feedback including an appointment with a specialist.

The above is in contrast to how a medical issue might be handled within the private healthcare system in Costa Rica. Whether urgent or non-urgent, whatever issue you might have may be handled much more promptly in the private sector. Lance is laid back. He does not care very much except when his back acts up.

Despite the bureaucracy of CAJA, we remain convinced that the healthcare system in Costa Rica is second to none throughout the world. The bureaucracy and the available options are designed to serve both the poor and the rich, and those in between, and so it should be.

For those who may be interested, the contact information we have for Minor is:

Should you retain a translator in dealing with CAJA? In our experience, a competent translator like Minor can be very helpful. So, the answer is "yes".

Lunch - El Ancla Restaurante y Marisquería

Yesterday our restaurant of choice was El Ancla Restaurante y Marisquería in Grecia. "El Ancla" translates as "the anchor" and the restaurant is maritime themed, with the emphasis on seafood.

The ambience here is very nice, with lots of covered outdoor seating and an airy interior. There is parking in front of the restaurant. The staff is very friendly and service was quick. 

First order of business - drinks. We asked for margaritas and they arrived frosty cold and rimmed with blue salt:

On the menu, a half pineapple filled with shrimp caught my eye. I ordered it with a side of fries. Lance decided on corvina with a Mediterranean salad and fries. While waiting for our lunches, we were served a small bowl of lentil and pork soup. It was delicious and just the right size as an appetizer. The soup is on the house.

Lance watched one of the cooks quickly cleaver a pineapple in half and here is what my dish looked like:

The baked shrimp, chopped pineapple and red sauce inside the pineapple shell was topped with melted cheese. Aioli dip on the side for the fries - Costa Rican fries are always good. I really liked this dish and would order it again.

Here is Lance's fish dish:

His bowl of red sauce included shrimp and was garlic flavoured. The corvina was fresh and lightly breaded. I tried both his fish and the salad. The salad was special ... tomatoes, black grapes, strawberries, peanuts and some other kind of nut with a crunchy coating.

We would return to this restaurant any time. They feature live music on the weekends.

Click on images to enlarge.

Lunch - Restaurante La Finca, Sarchi

Last week we drove to Sarchi to have lunch at Restaurante La Finca. Sarchi is only 13km from our house but the drive takes about 25 or so minutes because the road - Ruta 118 - is very twisty and hilly most of the way.

Watch for the huge traditionally painted oxcart wheel and the restaurant’s sign. You make a right turn down a narrow laneway and to a parking area. There was a fellow there directing traffic - remember to tip him when you leave. We usually give them 500 colones. There is a butterfly farm close to La Finca but it is apparently temporarily closed.

You will be greeted at the entrance and shown to a table that you select. Staff are friendly and there is a nice view. The restaurant is open air so there is always a breeze.

Lance ordered a beer and I had a margarita. My lunch choice was camarón mediano al gusto (medium shrimp to taste - garlic for me). It came with a salad, roasted vegetables, a garlic dip for the shrimp and pureed potatoes. It was very good.

I wasn't able to get a good photo of Lance's choice - corvina en salsa de hongos (corvina with mushroom sauce) - but I had a taste and it too was very good.

You can never fault the portion sizes here - they are always generous and we never have room for dessert. So if you are in Sarchi, stop here for lunch or dinner. During the tourist season, tour buses bring visitors here for a stop at the souvenir shop next to the oxcart wheel and then to the restaurant for lunch.

Click on image to enlarge.

Lunch - Botijas, Grecia, Costa Rica

 Last Sunday, our choice of restaurant for lunch was Botijas in Grecia. They have a cool logo:

I can’t find a clear translation of the name. But no matter - it’s the food and service that counts. And they are a ten on both counts!

Again, as per usual in Costa Rica, the entrance to the restaurant is unassuming. They have a Covid-19 hand washing station and all staff were wearing masks, as - of course - were we. 

We were greeted by the chef (I think), who introduced himself and showed us around the eating areas. The restaurant stretches quite a way to the back, with lots of seating. We chose a table at the rear. The decor is funky - lots of colour, mismatched chairs and tables, interesting photographs on the walls. We spied Anthony Bourdain featured in a couple of pictures.

After being seated, we were given our menus and glasses of ice water with lime slices. I already knew what I wanted to order because I had perused the menu online beforehand. First order of business - red wine sangria!

The portions were generous as you can see.

They grow their own herbs and greens in flats and several times I saw cooks coming out to snip off pieces for a meal they were preparing.

Lance ordered the pechuga de pollo al curry New Delhi style:

I had a taste of Lance’s curry and it was very tasty. It came with an additional separate sauce surrounded by sesame seeds.

And for me it was the Seis Dos, Hong Kong style:

Presentations were beautiful. Both meals were delicious. Look at the kumquats with basil leaves inserted in them! My protein was pork. At the bottom of the stack were flat rice noodles, then bok choy and other greens, the pork and then crispy rice noodles. 

This is our new favourite restaurant. Highly recommend that you give it a try. 

Click on images to enlarge.

Eyes on Costa Rica and Weather Records - October 2021 / Covid-19 Update

During October, visits to this blog were received from the following 16 countries:

The total number of countries and non-independent jurisdictions from which visits have been received remains at 133. Of this number, 13 are non-independent jurisdictions such as the Cayman Islands, Hong Kong, Puerto Rico, etc.

 _____________________________________________

The following is a summary of weather for the month in the area where we live:

The total rainfall in October was marginally lower than that in October 2018 and 2019, and roughly only half of that in October 2020.

_____________________________________________

Covid-19 Update

The following table updates information which appeared in my blog entry posted on October 10, 2021:

Since my last post, the death rates in Costa Rica and the United States have risen (by 0.06 and 0.2 percentage points respectively). Conversely, that in Canada has dropped by 0.02 percentage points.

If you want to see how some other country is doing in comparison to those listed, then visit the website of Worldometer. Numbers for populations, reported cases and reported deaths can be obtained from that site. All that is then needed is some simple math to calculate the percentage death rate for the other country and the death rate in that country compared to Costa Rica.

If you want more comprehensive and up-to-date information and statistics on the situation in Costa Rica, including various locales in Costa Rica, then the La Nacion newspaper is a good source. If you do not understand Spanish, then you will need a web browser (Google Chrome, Safari, etc.) which is set to translate to your language of choice from Spanish.

 

Click on images to enlarge.

Lunch - Vuelta al Mundo

It was Lance’s turn to select a place to eat lunch this weekend and he chose Vuelta al Mundo (Around the World). We stumbled by chance on this hostel/restaurant several months ago. We were walking across from the Grecia park and saw a menu sign displayed on the street. It was impressive. We had no idea there was a hostel with a restaurant at this location.

As is usual in Costa Rica, you can’t judge a book by its cover. Upon entering, we walked through a large area and then out into a garden area with lots of tables for seating. Service is very attentive. Since we had already looked at their menu online, we knew what we wanted to order.

Here is the menu:

Drinks: Lance ordered a Belgium beer and I asked for a mojito. He said the beer was really good, especially since it has a 6.6% alcohol content, which is more than a Canadian (5%) or an American beer (4%)! My mojito was refreshing, with fresh mint and lime.

Lance’s beer glass matched his beer bottle:

We ordered a selection of four Argentinian empanadas - two chorizo and two ham, cheese and mushroom - to go (para llevar):

For our lunch, Lance selected the tempura with shrimp and vegetables and I ordered the green curry with fish. Both orders came with jasmine rice. My curry was excellent - loaded with vegetables and fish in a coconut sauce. As is usual in Costa Rica, restaurant food portions are large and we asked to have quite a bit of the tempura wrapped up to go.

As an added bonus, there is a resident cat! He/She came over to us for a pat several times. This cat has the most beautiful coloration:

There were some Octoberfest food and drink offerings which we didn’t know about beforehand and the choices looked yummy also:

The outdoor (but covered) eating area was decorated for Halloween:

Some photos of the hostel/restaurant:

If you check out the menu, you will see they offer dishes from “around the world”, including Canadian Quebec poutine! 

We highly recommend this restaurant and will be going back to try out more of their menu selections. 

Click on images to enlarge.