Hey guys, I am heading down to CR in a few weeks, staying in the Liberia area and was wondering what local teams I may be able to see play. I will be there from November 5 until the 12. What teams are in the Liberia area and where can I find a schedule? Thanks!
You´re a little late, there was a first division Club in Liberia that folded this year. The nearest is Guanacasteca in the second division (Liga de Ascenso in Spanish) in a town called Nicoya. http://www.soccerway.com/national/costa-rica/liga-de-ascenso/2010-2011/apertura/ All the major papers have dates for games in the first and second divisions, or you could just ask one of the locals (might be easier considering many people there speak English.) Enjoy yourself.
I'm headed to Costa Rica in January, returning to the States on Feb. 9. Will the next season start by then? What non-soccer sites do you highly recommend?
We have a house rented in Atenas for a couple of weeks and friends in Alajuela, Heredia, and San Jose.
La Fortuna (an hour from San Carlos) is my personal favorite. There are several national parks/biological reserves in Puntarenas along with nice beaches, , Manuel Antonio National Park, Corcovado National Park, Monteverde Cloud Forest, and Tortuguero National Park on the Atlantic Coast. Guanacaste, Limon, and Puerto Jimenez (near the Panamanian border) all have nice beaches. (Limon) Alajuela is known for La Liga, other than that there isn´t much to see. For a wife or girlfriend who likes shopping she´ll love Heredia. San Jose has a zoo, theme parks, and lots of nightlife. Other than San Jose and Puerto Limon (driving or taking a taxi is best at night) there isn´t much crime in Costa Rica. All the tourist resorts are safe 24/7. There are also large expat American and European communities in several different places, so even if you don´t speak Spanish well you won´t feel too far away from home.
Muchas gracias. When do the games start? We're coming home on Feb. 9. I have an LDA shirt. Is it safe to wear in everywhere in Costa Rica? I haven't been able to find a schedule for 2011. Is there a good web site for the schedule? I found the LDA site, but it didn't have any schedule except the current playoffs.
Thumbs up for the LDA jersey Yes, except on Saprissa game days near their stadium. Incidents are usually between the hooligan groups anyways. They start in early Feburary (I looked and haven´t found anything either) I´m sure you can make at least one game. If you´re going to an LDA game try and avoid the west area of the goal (where la doce congregates, everyone knows who they are.) Other than that the atmosphere is fun, the same as you would find in any South American country. Enjoy.
I can't believe I go to Costa Rica in a week. I shoveled 15 cm of snow this morning. I won't miss this that at all. Some questions: When do you use vos, usted y tu? How long to drive from San Jose to Limon, Manuel Antonio or Liberia?
In Latin America vos and tu are more or less the same (I´m assuming you know what they mean?) and are used informally. Usted is formal, but Costa Ricans tend to use it across the board. A bus from San Jose to Limon takes between 4-5 hours, the start leaving at about 5 in the morning. I´ve gone from Alajuela (40 minutes from San Jose) to Guanacaste (where Liberia is located) in six hours, so I´m sure a bus would take longer. If you´re up in the mountains it´s still cool this time of the year, and San Jose could be chilly at night, you may still need that sweater Limon and the rest of the coastal towns are hot year around.