BEFORE making plans for yearendvacations and fiestas, you may want to takenote of what’s open and what’s closed inthe weeks ahead.Anyone with any government businessshould be aware most government officeswill close their doors on Dec. 17 and reopensometime in January. The NationalRegistry, which contains all property andvehicle ownership records, will reopen onJan. 3; the courts will reopen Jan. 17 andthe Legislative Assembly will return towork on Jan. 20. The Municipality of SanJosé will be closed from Dec. 17 until Jan.3, but the country’s other 80 municipalitiesmay have different schedules, so it’s best tocall ahead.HOSPITAL emergency rooms willremain open 24 hours a day through theholiday season, as will the Red Cross (dial128) and INS emergency services (800-800-8000). The Police (911) will be onhand 24 hours a day for emergencies andcrime reports.If you require medications, the ClínicaBíblica pharmacy and emergency room(257-5252) and Clínica Católica drugstoreand emergency room (283-6616) inSan José and Farmacia Sucre LosAngeles (262-3111), across from Más xMenos supermarket in downtown Heredia,will all remain open 24 hours for the holidays.If your pet becomes ill, Dr. Bitter’sClinic (227-5017) in the CentroComercial del Sur in Desamparados, asouthern suburb of San José, is openevery day from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and 3-7p.m. and Dec. 25 and Jan. 1 from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. However, the clinic in Escazú willbe closed Dec. 25 and Jan. 1.MAKING a budget for all those holidaygifts and vacation parties? Keep inmind most banks change their schedules.Bancrédito (260-8833) will close at noonDec. 24, open again Dec. 26 and close Dec.31 and Jan. 1. Banco Nacional (211-2000)and Banco Popular (211-7000) officeswill be closed Dec. 25, 31, Jan. 1. Bancode Costa Rica (287-9154) will be closedDec. 25-26 and Jan. 1-5. BancoPromérica (296-4848) on Ave. 1 in SanJosé, will be closed Dec. 24 through Jan. 5.Embassies also will close for the holidays.The U.S. Embassy (220-3939)will be closed Dec. 25, 31 and Jan. 1; theCanadian Embassy (242-4400) and theFrench Embassy (234-4167) on Dec. 25and Jan. 1, the British Embassy (258-2025) Dec. 25, 29 and Jan. 1; and theJapanese Embassy (232-3787) willclose Dec. 25, 29, 30, 31, Jan. 1-2 butwill be open Dec. 27-28.MOST supermarkets will be closedDec. 25 and Jan. 1, including Saretto(228-6703) in Escazú, Muñoz & Nanne(253-4646) in San Pedro and PriceSmart(283-9464, 262-6365) in Escazú, Herediaand Zapote. Más x Menos (243-7100)announced the following schedule: Dec.24, all supermarkets will be open until 10p.m.; Dec. 25, the Jacó market will beopen 9 a.m.-10 p.m., but all others closeat 6 p.m.; Dec. 26-30, all close at 10 p.m.(except Jacó, which will close at midnighton Dec. 26-27); all will close at 10p.m. on Dec. 31, and will be open 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Jan. 1, except Jacó, which will beopen until 10 p.m.Hipermás (286-0033) in SanSebastián will be open Dec. 24 from 8a.m.-10 p.m., Dec. 25, 9 a.m.-7 p.m., Dec.31, 8 a.m.-10 p.m., and Jan. 1, 9 a.m.-7p.m. Automercado (257-4242) in San Joséwill be closed Dec. 25, but the others inLos Yoses, Plaza del Sol, Plaza Mayor,Multiplaza, Moravia, Heredia and SantaAna will be open from 10 a.m.-7 p.m.All locations will be closed on Jan. 1.ALL theaters offering live performanceshave already closed for the holidaysand will reopen the second or third week ofJanuary – check the Calendar section. Mostmovie theaters will be open, however –check the movie listings for times.
