Name: Amy

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Comment: We ventured here for relaxation, fun, surf, adventure and a bit of away time, and definitely got it all. I will keep the review brief to allow you to look at the pictures on the website, but the house and staff are fantastic and beautiful. Any expectation you may have, I'm certain it will be met from a beautiful house, thoughtful owners, attentive staff, comfort, anything you could wish for. I will definitely be visiting again! Also, they are not affiliated with the house, BUT, Norma and Henry at Dominical Surf Adventures were great as well (thanks John!) - we went with a group of "not group activity people" and were very happy with our rafting and ziplining adventures...all in all honestly, there is nothing that I could say negative about the property (or staff!) in any way! Thank you for a great vacation...the next one will be even better now that I know what awaits me!

Celebrity Wedding Endorsement At Casa Ramon

Name: Robin Gorog
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Comment: It is the most glorious place in the world to have a wedding for your daughter (or son!) Ana helped us with every single solitary detail of the wedding preparations and everything could not have been more perfect! Casa Ramon is the most beautiful, romantic place to have a wedding and it is absolutely magical at night. The entire staff is exceptional...wish we could go back every year to help them celebrate their anniversary at this magical spot.

Heart Valve Manufacturer Inaugurates Plant In Costa Rica

Medical devices giant St. Jude Medical inaugurated a new manufacturing plant in Costa Rica in a grand ceremony of its 350,000 square-foot facility, located in the El Coyol Free Zone, Alajuela, west of the San Jos&e. The company employs at the plant more than 250 people and is targeting to create an additional 50 jobs before end of the year, with plans to eventually employ 2,000 people over the next five years. The new plant will specialize in the manufacture of heart valves for patients globally.  The heart valves production will include the Trifecta tissue valve which is used as a replacement for the damaged or malfunctioning aortic heart valve (controls blood flow from the heart through entire body). St. Jude announced its plans to set up the manufacturing facility in Costa Rica in January 2009. Costa Rica represents a lucrative expansion market for St. Jude. The medical devices industry has emerged as the third-largest exporter in the Central American country with annual exports of roughly US$1.1 billion. We currently have a Neutral recommendation for St. Jude, which is supported by a Zacks #3 Rank.

Right now in Costa Rica, which has long been a haven for retirees, there’s a region just “coming into its own.” It’s a place where you could still get in early and reap the rewards as property prices rise.

Dear New International Living Reader
Thank you so much for joining us! 
Below you'll find the link to your Special Report on Costa Rica. 
And starting tomorrow, check your in-box for your free daily Postcards, too. Our correspondents based around the world will point you to the places where your dollars stretch most...where you'll find the best travel deals...the smartest real estate bargains...the best income-earning ideas...the most gracious quality of life...and more...
Take Costa Rica, for instance. Long a haven for North Americans seeking a more relaxed, affordable lifestyle, Costa Rica is not what you’d call a “cutting edge” destination. It’s discovered, to be sure. 
But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. There’s an established expatriate population, and with that comes a certain ease of living. 
“I lead a simple life here, but one filled with friends,” reports American Vincent DiFondi from home in San Jose, Costa Rica’s capital. “I rent a two-bedroom, furnished condominium in Barrio Mexico for $325 a month. (Most apartment rentals here are furnished.) My utilities cost about $45 a month. My neighborhood is convenient. I can buy all my groceries in a two block radius, and the prices here are reasonable. I use the bus most of the time to get around, which costs about 30 cents.”
Day-to-day living in San Jose can be affordable, no question. But if it’s a Pacific-coast escape you’ve got your eye on, get ready for sticker shock. Or, well, that’s what I would have told you until a handful of months ago. Now I’ve got some good news to share. Let me explain… 
Throughout the 1990’s, Costa Rica’s northern Pacific coast was “the” place to go for beachfront living. Surfers and retirees from North America flocked there. And prices soared. Today it’s not unusual to pay $600,000 for a half-acre ocean-view lot. 
But now, along an unsung stretch of Costa Rica’s southern Pacific, which has been hard to get to, “progress” is afoot. The government is paving a main access road and has earmarked funds for a new airport. This area is about to open up. And if history is any guide, property prices will soar as more people come to visit and demand for land and homes increases.
This place boasts long sandy beaches, one of the largest areas of primary rainforest left in the Americas, and vast swaths of natural parks land, set aside to protect it. It’s jaw-dropping beautiful. And right now you can still pick up a lot for as little as $40,000. Details in your Special Report, which you can access down below. 
Here at International Living, we believe you don’t have to be a millionaire to live like one. The trick, of course, is knowing where to go. And we’ll make sure you do. We’ve been on this beat for 30 years now. And Costa Rica is just one of many beautiful, good-value, welcoming destinations you’ll hear about in the weeks to come. 
Whether you’re in the market for a full-time retreat… an escape you can enjoy a few weeks or months a year… a retirement haven for the future… a prudent place to invest in these uncertain times… or income-generating ideas you can use to fund your dream life anywhere in the world, you’ll find the solutions you need right here in your daily Postcards. 
How to Make Sure You Receive Your Postcards 
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And please rest assured that we will never rent, sell, or give away your e-mail address to anyone for any reason. You can always unsubscribe. We include instructions for doing that on every email.
Here's Your Special Report, FREE
As promised, here's your Special Costa Rica Report.
More Resources to Help You Find Your Dream Life Overseas 
I'd like to invite you to visit our website, too, at www.InternationalLiving.com. 
There you'll find—free—thousands of archived reports from Costa Rica and all around the world as well as a full library of resources designed to bring you up-to-date opportunities for good-value living, proven ideas for profitable investment, and the on-the-ground intelligence you need to start enjoying the good life overseas, faster and more affordably than you ever dreamed. 
In particular, you may be interested in our section on Costa Rica. 
And again, welcome. We look forward to bringing you a world of opportunity every day. 



Jackie Flynn
Publisher, International Living