www.CostaRicaTicas.com

My nephew will be going to CR soon. It will be his first time, although he's traveled overseas before. I don't want to recommend anything in the gulch. I'm looking for a hotel under $50 and some recommendations for a club to visit on his one night in San Jose. He doesn't speak Spanish.

Then he's off to Montezuma and Tamarindo.

I was thinking of El Pueblo. I know there are working girls there, which is ok. I was also wondering if Escazu would be better. Any ideas?

Actually with no Spanish skills and alone in San Jose you may reconsider where he should stay. If I were to send my son's on a trip. I feel the safest place for them would be the Sportsman's Lodge.

Solo in SJ for 1 night, no spanish in an El Pueblo night club, $50 hotel, probably not. How's he getting to the Pacific and what time is he leaving? That's another consideration.

At least at SL, or even the DR for 1 night, he's guaranteed to have gringo help if he needs it (and chica company for his adult status), so lot's of fun, and centrally located for departure. Maybe $15 bucks more for the room.

He needs to go to the Costa Rica tennis club . sorry it is 20 above the budget but very safe and having a stay on my last trip with my part time school teacher girlfriend who would never set foot in the Morazan . I vote for Costa Rica Tennis Club. Comments please from the board . Uncle H.

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If you lose your temper you’re phucking yourself - Garcia Marquez

Yes, I agree, I wasn't clear on the objectives. Thanks for pointing that out.

I don't want him to see the Gulch, since that's what I do and it is primarily for an older crowd. His Dad (my brother) knows about it, but his Mom doesn't. I don't want his Mom thinking that I introduced him to our hobby. If he figures it out, in El Pueblo or where ever, that's ok. It will be his hobby, not mine.

He probably already learned about it in Europe. He studied Italian in Italy for 3 months, visited Eastern Europe and Barcelona. I'm not concerned about his safety. I'll give him all the proper warnings.

I thought about the Best Western Irazu. I actually stayed there with my sister a few years ago. Not a bad location for a taxi to El Pueblo, I think?

He will take a bus the next day to Punta Arenas, then a ferry and another bus to Montezuma. If anybody had suggestions on a better way, I'd appreciate it.

He arrives CR Jan 18, so there is still time to plan.

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If you lose your temper you’re phucking yourself - Garcia Marquez

OK, now I see the problem.

Boynton has a pretty good plan, nice place for app $80 (BW Irazu app $100? in Jan), alot closer to a few night clubs and to the bus station.

It sounds like an adventure and I give him credit for willing to do it by himself sans spanish via public bus/ferry on a first trip. I'd say Phuck that and fly 45 minutes from SJ in-town airport at close to the hotel Pavas direct to Tamarindo on Nature Airlines for $78 (3 flights a day), bus or shuttle it back and forth to Montezuma, easy, and then fly back direct from Tamarindo to SJO international airport on Sansa Airlines (2 flights a day) for departure to US.

Current plan is way too much time on busses with unforgiving connections. Yes, more money, but tell him to hit his piggy bank, it would be well worth blowing a couple hundred more then doing that very long bus/ferry/bus torture and just relax and enjoy.






I wish him the best though.

Best Western Irazu is that the hotel not far from HLH down the hill. If it is I do not know if I would recommend that one. A Colombian drug hit was right outside of that hotel on my last trip. A friend of mine witnessed it. El Pueblo may not be the safest place either. I have been to Castro's but would not recommend a newbie to go there alone. Unless he has a partner he may just travel on to his final destination. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out what is happening in the gulch and surrounding area. I would rather be safe than sorry! That is why I suggested the Sportsman's Lodge.
At least he would be safe. The chicas are not too aggressive . Perhaps the Clarion or whatever its called now. Guy Grand can help him out.

That's Best Western "Downtown", kind of dumpy unless they've remodeled past 12 years but in a not good part of town near the gulch. Best Western Irazu facility is just off an exit ramp on the airport autopista, pretty nice. 3 stars US?

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If you lose your temper you’re phucking yourself - Garcia Marquez

Alone and doesn't speak spanish . I would not recommend El Pueblo.

Gentlemen,

Thanks for all the ideas. Last time I was at El Pueblo was 8 years ago and I didn't sense any danger, but I'll take it off the list. I'll present the other ideas to him and let him him weigh in. I've flown SJO-Tamarindo, and it is a nice short flight. I've also done the bus/ferry/bus adventure a couple times each way. That was 13 years ago. It was pretty rough at times, but an adventure.

Boynton, thanks for the links. I'm going to check them out.

No disrespect Dboy but I think that you are greatly underestimating your nephews understanding of CR. He has probably already done the research on the Internet and knows exactly what the score is. I would put him up in a safe area and he will figure out the rest.

Devo

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The most dangerous adversaries are the ones that come with a smile instead of a sword

Haha, you're probably right. I guess I just feel that if he does it on his own, then I won't get accused of anything. If his next trip is to Medellin, then he's probably reading CRT. I may end up on vacations with him at the Mansion.