by Ivo Henfling

Our neighborhood gang used to play baseball in some construction site near my home when I was 12 years old. The owner of the building under construction invited us to keep visiting after the building would be done.

That was when I was first introduced to 10 pin bowling, the first one in Holland (Europe). When I moved to Costa Rica, I was soon invited to play the American League in the Boliche Dent in San Pedro, the only bowling alley in Costa Rica at the time.

That was before the only terrorist act in Costarican history took place. Tico terrorists (can you believe that?) placed a car bomb against the American embassy downtown San Jose. Since most playing in the American League were US marines, people working at the US embassy and a few teachers who worked at Country Day School and The Costa Rica Academy (now International School), we were not allowed to play for the rest of the year. This was in the beginning of the 80’s.

Bowling in Costa Rica

The Boliche Dent in San Pedro - east side San Jose, was remodeled many years ago and kind of forgotten by those who live on the west side of San Jose because the new Metrobol was opened in Escazu in 1999. This was a short victory for the west-side bowling players because the owner of Aliss stores thought it would be more profitable to open a department store in 2006 and tear out the bowling.

Bowling in Cariari

Finally something more than just the Cariari Country Club. The year 2012 brings us a new bowling center with the name BolCariari, almost next to the Cariari shopping mall. The location is set very smartly as the Cariari – Belen and lower Heredia area is growing fast.

Cariari is located smack in the middle of the Central Valley, close to the international airport and is what we call in real estate location,location,location. Many large North American companies are getting installed in the many Industrial parks in the area, like Global Park and Ultra Park, creating thousands of jobs for the younger Costarican middle class.

Rock 'n' bowl

Bowling is fun and you don't have to speak Spanish if you don't want to, bowling balls also listing to English instructions! You can do it with friends, family and in a league. One of the few sports I know people practice while having a beer. BolCariari also offers Cosmic Bowling.

Cosmic Bowling is glow-in-the-dark bowling with a dance club atmosphere that rocks the center with a state-of-the-art sound system. Have fun on Thursday and Friday night while bowling with a light show, in the fog and a DJ who keeps the center rockin', it really is the place to be to rock 'n' bowl!

Huge growth area

Cariari real estate has remained very stable over the years and construction is going on everywhere. All this is creating a great market for BolCariari as bowling has been proven to be a great sport and pastime for young and old. Investment in the Cariari real estate market is a great opportunity now because of the amount of jobs that are created in the area.

GoDutch Realty and our agent in Cariari and Belen, Shell Johanson, offers a wide range of options of Cariari homes for sale, Belen homes for sale and quite a few nice rental options. Shell lives in Cariari himself and can introduce you not only to the new bowling center BolCariari but also to the Cariari Country Club if you like to play golf or swim your laps and attend you professionally for all your Costa Rica real estate needs in the Cariari – Belen and lower Heredia areas.

Contact Shell now for a property tour or to ask any questions you might haver about Cariari property.