Glorious Mornings, Rainbows in the Afternoon

by Propertiesincostarica.com

Retiring in Costa Rica is moving to the Tropics. That means mountains so green they look almost blue and forest and jungle can be found everywhere. People can plant flowers and vegetables in a garden successfully anytime of the year and the grass will always be green. Costa Rica is a green country not only because its people are environmentally oriented but because, from up in the air, it appears to be like a gigantic broccoli, full of huge dark green trees that don’t let you see the ground. Hundreds of majestic waterfalls and strong rivers (great for white water rafting) can be found all over the territory.

But then, of course, there is a reason for this greenery. Costa Rica is in the tropics and it rains a lot here. This country has some 7 to 8 months of rain that begins from mid April to the end of November and it doesn’t usually drizzle but pours! So, how can people put up with such weather? Well, it is because it isn’t as bad as it seems. Actually it is quite refreshing!

Costa Rican weather behaves in a very specific way. Almost every morning, people wake up to a glorious, sun shiny day. Birds sing and all flowers and plants look fresh. Going for a walk or hike early in the morning is very pleasant and coming back home for a hearty gallo pinto with fruit juice is a must. Then, the rest of the morning is perfect for going out and doing some errands, going shopping or visiting places. Almost every day, the weather will allow people to do these or any other activity they want during the first half of the day.

At noon, you can head to your house and have lunch and, by the time you finish your meal, you will start hearing the raindrops making music on your tin roof. It is almost magical! The sound of the rain on a tin roof is soothing. It makes the perfect environment for resting after lunch. Taking a nap or sitting at the porch to read a book and enjoy a hot beverage seem to be a great idea. It may rain for a couple of hours if it is a light rain, or a couple of minutes if it is pouring. Also, it may rain a couple of more times during the afternoon and you will probably go to bed listening to the melodic sound rain makes. This is exactly why most Costa Rican housewives do their house chores in the first part of the day. After lunch they just fix the kitchen and do the dishes and from then on the time is theirs and they can enjoy other activities like watching a soap opera or doing some crafts.

Starting late October until mid December rain and sun will start competing more among themselves and while one is occurring the other one will try to show off also. This competition will cause some of the most magical rainbows you have ever seen. Sometimes, there are 2, and even 3 perfectly recognizable rainbows on the sky at a time. If you happen to have a view of the Central Valley, you may enjoy this phenomenon quite often.

The great thing about this peculiar weather is that retired people find a perfect balance between daily activities and rest time. They are almost forced to sit back and enjoy nature. At the same time, all the beauty and life this weather creates is at your finger tips.