Stories often have the power of bringing dormant feelings and faded memories back to life. The words ricochet off of some figment of our experience and take us back to a very special place, where nostalgia wakes up and finds itself in a portable home. The author draws a portrait of those times and of the first expatriates to come to Costa Rica. Learn about the gringo pioneers, the scoundrels and characters and events that led up to present day Costa Rica. Starting in 1980 this guide chronicles what really went on when San José was the epicenter of gringo and tico life. "A glance at Costa Rica's colorful past" -Q Costa Rica Newspaper "A journey into the people, places and events from 1980 on. Not for the faint of heart." - The Tico Times newspaper