No Superbowl this year?
Jan 22nd, 2006, 07:31 AM
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No Superbowl this year?
Hey -- just read that the presidential elections are scheduled for Feb. 5 (Superbowl Sunday) and thus all bars will be closed that day. Is this really true? Rigorously enforced? Any thoughts are where to see the Superbowl if bars are closed. We're so sad . . .
Jan 22nd, 2006, 08:41 AM
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Any place that's strictly a bar in Costa Rica is closed that entire weekend. A restaurant that happens to have a bar could still be open. It's just that the bar will be closed and you can't buy any alcoholic beverages. Yes, it is rigorously enforced.
To watch the Superbowl, it would also need to be a place that attracts a predominantly American clientele. If you go into a Costa Rican-type place, they'll have soccer on the TV. Sunday is a big soccer day. I remember four years ago watching the Superbowl at the Club Colonial, a casino in downtown San Jose.
To watch the Superbowl, it would also need to be a place that attracts a predominantly American clientele. If you go into a Costa Rican-type place, they'll have soccer on the TV. Sunday is a big soccer day. I remember four years ago watching the Superbowl at the Club Colonial, a casino in downtown San Jose.
Jan 22nd, 2006, 12:08 PM
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You are in one of the most beautiful and interesting places in the Western Hemisphere and you are sad you won't be able to watch the Super Bowl? It's a football game. Priorities.
That said, if you stay at a nice enough hotel with enough channels, maybe you can find it on your hotel room TV.
That said, if you stay at a nice enough hotel with enough channels, maybe you can find it on your hotel room TV.
Jan 22nd, 2006, 04:22 PM
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Last year we watched the Superbowl in Tamarindo and had a fantastic time. It's a whole lot more fun to watch it in a bar on the ocean in Costa Rica than at home. Thanks for the tip on restaurants being open -- we can live without beer. So, the news article I read said that alcohol sales were prohibited on Sunday only. Jeff -- you're saying there will be no alcohol sales on Saturday as well? So, if we want any alcohol, we need to stock up on Friday?
Jan 22nd, 2006, 05:47 PM
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Where was the article, tortfeasor? I'm just basing this on the election four years ago, which also coincided with the Superbowl. Alcohol sales stopped at 6 on Friday night and didn't resume until Tuesday morning. Doing it on just Sunday sounds more reasonable. (I can live without beer too.)
Jan 23rd, 2006, 06:01 AM
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Jeff -- my boyfriend found the information on the internet. It was more of an in-depth political analysis of all of the presidential candidates, and as an aside mentioned that there would be no alcohol sales on Sunday. Wow -- last election it was Friday through Tuesday? I guess the Costa Ricans take their elections a lot more seriously than we take ours. I wonder if our last presidential election would have turned out differently if we'd had no alcohol sales two days prior and two days after the election?
Jan 23rd, 2006, 06:22 AM
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I think the goal is twofold: They want everyone's mind to be clear when they vote; and they want to avoid fanning tempers at an already passionate time. The thing is, election season is much less inflammatory here than in many countries, the U.S. included.
I remember four years ago going to the supermarket that Friday afternoon to buy groceries. The lines were horrendous, and they were mostly people stocking up on beer and liquor for the dry weekend.
I remember four years ago going to the supermarket that Friday afternoon to buy groceries. The lines were horrendous, and they were mostly people stocking up on beer and liquor for the dry weekend.
Jan 24th, 2006, 05:55 AM
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Today's La Nacion has a FAQ column about the elections, and one of the questions asks about the dry weekend. The law prohibits all alcohol sales the day before, day of, and day following an election. That means sales will stop at midnight Friday night and resume again Monday night at midnight.
I was talking to the Tico Times reporter who's doing a story about what expat-oriented places are doing for the Super Bowl. She said that several bar owners have told her they will just close for the weekend. But others are going to do it up big with soft drinks and fruit juices and pizza and munchies, and that even though alcohol sales are their life blood, they will promote it that you don't need booze and beer to have a good time.
I was talking to the Tico Times reporter who's doing a story about what expat-oriented places are doing for the Super Bowl. She said that several bar owners have told her they will just close for the weekend. But others are going to do it up big with soft drinks and fruit juices and pizza and munchies, and that even though alcohol sales are their life blood, they will promote it that you don't need booze and beer to have a good time.
Jan 25th, 2006, 04:12 AM
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Thanks Jeff! I do appreciate the information! I guess we'll go to the store on Thursday and pack a couple of beers in the ol' backpack . . . lol! We planned our whole trip around the Taj Mahal concert in Zancudo, and never thought to check out what else was going on.
Jan 25th, 2006, 08:32 AM
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We could have a couple before the game, in our room, and at half-time. Where there's a will . . . I think maybe our hotel is going to have the game on at their pool, so that should work very nicely.
Jan 27th, 2006, 10:11 AM
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Hey Jeff -- if you're out there -- here's the scoop: apparently a lot of hotels are having private parties for the Superbowl. They'll sell tickets to the party with so many punches for drinks. In fact, out hotel is having one of these private parties. Yay!
