Thanks all for weighing in. I booked a room at the Sportsmens Lodge for April 6 - 10. Will work on my Spanish in the meantime...I've meant to gain some decent fluency in it, and now I am more motivated.

I've read so many awesome things about Columbia (and Peru and the DR as well) that I know I really need a good grip on Spanish to maximize the awesomeness for future trips. I've been all over Asia and Europe, but I've only dipped my toes into Latin America so far. Living on the East Coast now has really made going to Asia a twice-a-year event at most, so Latin America will become my new home away from home. So yeah, necessito espanol.
This is my 2nd trip to CR (went to Guanacaste with a gringa last fall), it's on my list of places to potentially live as an expat. I'm 36 and looking to relocate in 2 years or so. Hoping to get some insight on CR's suitability for my future home while I'm there this time. I plan on hooking up with Pops if he's available, I'm sure he'll give me some good info.
I know a future trip to Rio or Sao Paulo will happen as well, hope I don't need fluent Portuguese there or else I'm really f#cked.

Thanks again all

See ya in the Gulch soon!
-Vince