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Offline robert angel

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Costa Rica
« on: October 13, 2019, 08:39:08 AM »
What's the opinion on Costa Rica? I know at only 5 million, it has about only one tenth of Colombia's population.

But for better or worse, it has a pretty large number of foreigners living there already.

I would guess the infrastructure's decent.

I'm not in the market, but how is life there for single guys?
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Offline JWR

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Re: Costa Rica
« Reply #1 on: October 13, 2019, 11:18:44 AM »
I lived there and owned a sailing charter business.


My least favorite Latin America country.  I like Colombia and Mexico much better.
It’s a dangerous dirty little [snip] hole of a country that has great marketing.  The locals profit from eco tourism, but throw trash from their cars.  There’s rapes on the beaches, violent crime, and corruption.  The crazy thing is how the influx of tourism money has ruined the locals in many ways.  They are arrogant, and really don’t respect Colombians, and Mexicans, but the Ticos love Americans when their hand is in their pockets. 


Many Americans rave about how friendly the Ticos are.  I always ask them if they speak Spanish.  Always the answer is “Un Poquito”.  Like toddlers roaming around the country, they have no idea what is going on around them.  Most times that smile on the Tico’s face is him planning a way to separate the tourist from his money.  High mortality in many traffic accidents, snake bites, tourism accidents on zip lines, boats sinking, and on and on.  The best part is NO lawsuits so I could relax with my business, even though we kept high safety standards.


When I lived there, they would do Immigration raids, and round up all the young people at night clubs in Tamarindo (mostly young women on spring break) that weren’t carrying their passports.  Load them in a cattle semi truck and take them to jail in Liberia,  Then the next day money was wired from home for fines. The young women thought they were being trafficked,  Nice way to treat tourists. 


I was married to my Colombiana while I lived there, so did not try to date Ticas.  I don’t remember being impressed with their beauty after living in Colombia.


The good thing about CR is it’s proximity to Nicaragua.  Nice Nicaraguans in Guanacaste.  I had to hire Nicaraguans to work in my business because the Ticos working on the water were not reliable. 


Lots of choices in Latin America.  Costa Rica is at the bottom in my opinion.


Pura vida!
Pura Mierda.....
« Last Edit: October 13, 2019, 11:28:56 AM by JWR »

Offline JWR

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Re: Costa Rica
« Reply #2 on: October 13, 2019, 11:31:46 AM »
Edit. This one’s an accident....not sure where the delete button went.
« Last Edit: October 13, 2019, 11:47:41 AM by JWR »

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Re: Costa Rica
« Reply #2 on: October 13, 2019, 11:31:46 AM »

Offline benjio

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Re: Costa Rica
« Reply #3 on: October 13, 2019, 12:51:13 PM »
Costa Rica is HORRIBLE!!! For all the reasons JWR listed and so many more bad personal experiences I could give you if I weren’t trying to forget them. I’m not sure how the hell they marketed it as a great tourism destination and expat retirement option but whoever did needs a gotdamn ADDY Award!!

By the way...booked a fishing charter there years ago and refused to get on the guys boat because it looked really unsafe. Pretty sure he used a picture of a brand new boat of the same model on the website. The boat sunk a few days later right before I left. No casualties but WTF?????

Offline robert angel

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Re: Costa Rica
« Reply #4 on: October 13, 2019, 04:43:19 PM »
Costa Rica is HORRIBLE!!! For all the reasons JWR listed and so many more bad personal experiences I could give you if I weren’t trying to forget them. I’m not sure how the hell they marketed it as a great tourism destination and expat retirement option but whoever did needs a gotdamn ADDY Award!!

By the way...booked a fishing charter there years ago and refused to get on the guys boat because it looked really unsafe. Pretty sure he used a picture of a brand new boat of the same model on the website. The boat sunk a few days later right before I left. No casualties but WTF?????
I lived there and owned a sailing charter business.


My least favorite Latin America country.  I like Colombia and Mexico much better.
It’s a dangerous dirty little [snip] hole of a country that has great marketing.  The locals profit from eco tourism, but throw trash from their cars.  There’s rapes on the beaches, violent crime, and corruption.  The crazy thing is how the influx of tourism money has ruined the locals in many ways.  They are arrogant, and really don’t respect Colombians, and Mexicans, but the Ticos love Americans when their hand is in their pockets. 


Many Americans rave about how friendly the Ticos are.  I always ask them if they speak Spanish.  Always the answer is “Un Poquito”.  Like toddlers roaming around the country, they have no idea what is going on around them.  Most times that smile on the Tico’s face is him planning a way to separate the tourist from his money.  High mortality in many traffic accidents, snake bites, tourism accidents on zip lines, boats sinking, and on and on.  The best part is NO lawsuits so I could relax with my business, even though we kept high safety standards.


When I lived there, they would do Immigration raids, and round up all the young people at night clubs in Tamarindo (mostly young women on spring break) that weren’t carrying their passports.  Load them in a cattle semi truck and take them to jail in Liberia,  Then the next day money was wired from home for fines. The young women thought they were being trafficked,  Nice way to treat tourists. 


I was married to my Colombiana while I lived there, so did not try to date Ticas.  I don’t remember being impressed with their beauty after living in Colombia.


The good thing about CR is it’s proximity to Nicaragua.  Nice Nicaraguans in Guanacaste.  I had to hire Nicaraguans to work in my business because the Ticos working on the water were not reliable. 


Lots of choices in Latin America.  Costa Rica is at the bottom in my opinion.


Pura vida!
Pura Mierda.....

Geeze louise! And I thought the Dominican Republic was bad. We regretted ever getting off the boat there, seeing guys with shotguns standing in most of the store fronts, etc. It seemed worse than the seedier parts of Phillipine's Manila.(Tutuban Mall--Chinese mob controlled area)

I will add CR to my 'no go to' list. Thanks guys.

Nicaragua and Panama might deserve more of my scrutiny.

I like a sweet tropical vibe. That said, we're considering places like Austin TX, Denver CO, and Sarasota, FL as our next visits, and as possible cities to maybe move to.

Right outside of Sarasota is Seista Key, rated the USA's #1 beach more than once, with a dozen or so other great, crystal white quartz sand, Gulf of Mexico beaches nearby.

We're gonna spend a week in December scoping out the area, by city sized Sarasota-- the 'Gold Coast' area. We'll see if it offers whatever we decide we want.

While where we live now (Savannah-Hilton Head, Bluffton, Beaufort, Charleston area) has a lot that has yet to be topped and we have a nice modest life here and a nicely located little house in the  (wayyy too distant) Philippines,  life's just too short to just think: 

"Yeah,  this is great, I'll stay put til they literally plant me here"

After hitting 12 cties in Europe this summer, I'd love to be wealthy enough to have a 3rd place in Paris, France. Switzerland too, although beaches and 'tropical' aren't even factors either place. Those folks know how to chill out, in style! Genteel, yet laid back.

Going around, remaining open minded noting differences and asking "How does this compare?" While trying to ignore the 'honeymoon halo' atmosphere  going to some places gives you initially, is where we're at mindwise.

My wife's adaptable, but deal breakers for her would be having to drive in heavy traffic,  super cold, nasty cold weather , or not being close enough to things like places to eat, shop, do yoga, or not enough room to run around outside most of the year.
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Offline JWR

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Re: Costa Rica
« Reply #5 on: October 13, 2019, 05:21:06 PM »
Check out Lago Calima near Cali Colombia.


My ideal life would be 6 months in Colombia, and 6 months here in San Diego.


It’s like the Lake Tahoe of Colombia. 
Florida in the winter, and summer in Lago Calima would be super.


I’m not a big fan of Panama, although I haven’t seen that much of it.  Only sailed through a couple times at the Panama Canal and up the coast.
« Last Edit: October 13, 2019, 05:47:46 PM by JWR »

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Re: Costa Rica
« Reply #6 on: October 13, 2019, 08:59:55 PM »
What's the opinion on Costa Rica? I know at only 5 million, it has about only one tenth of Colombia's population.

But for better or worse, it has a pretty large number of foreigners living there already.

I would guess the infrastructure's decent.

I'm not in the market, but how is life there for single guys?


Who cares this is where it's at   https://youtu.be/BbdcEqvSF9M




Offline robert angel

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Re: Costa Rica
« Reply #7 on: October 14, 2019, 09:16:12 AM »

Who cares this is where it's at   https://youtu.be/BbdcEqvSF9M

And for some, it is.

Just like some guys keep a kitten, some choose to tame a tiger...

But other than a quick glimpse of that site link, I have no idea.

Are they a joke or legit?

Christian? Well, either here or there, they're likely to be Catholic, which as one, I can tell you can be intense.

Likewise with sensuality--it can run high all around. The most sexually intense women I had sex with were Catholic or Jewish. They found sex as liberating and in some cases, after hardily hanging onto virginity, once having lost it, off to the races in the bedroom.

But if I'm in second place to God (Well, technically third, save Jesus) that's a short enough line for me!
« Last Edit: October 14, 2019, 02:56:14 PM by robert angel »
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Offline Hector_Lavoe

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Re: Costa Rica
« Reply #8 on: October 19, 2019, 12:17:37 AM »
Check out Lago Calima near Cali Colombia.


My ideal life would be 6 months in Colombia, and 6 months here in San Diego.


It’s like the Lake Tahoe of Colombia.
Florida in the winter, and summer in Lago Calima would be super.



I went to Lake Calima in 2018 for the first time. Beautiful spot. Really loved the drive from Cali to the lake with the changes in elevation. Going past pineapple plantations and then up at higher elevations going past coffee plantations.


Of course, it does NOT snow at Lake Calima. Don't think it gets much colder than the mid-50's (F) at night/early dawn. Lake Tahoe is routinely 20 (F) degrees at night/early dawn during the winter.

Offline Hector_Lavoe

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Re: Costa Rica
« Reply #9 on: October 19, 2019, 12:46:59 AM »
Man, I am a bit surprised how NEGATIVE both JWR and Benjio are on Costa Rica! I went for my first time earlier this year.

I do agree with JWR's point about the Ticos/Ticas flocking to Gringo tourists like bees on honey. And they are more likely to take a tourist for granted since they get so many tourists from abroad. No doubt about that. 

My least favorite Latin America country.  I like Colombia and Mexico much better.It’s a dangerous dirty little [snip] hole of a country that has great marketing.  The locals profit from eco tourism, but throw trash from their cars.  There’s rapes on the beaches, violent crime, and corruption.  The crazy thing is how the influx of tourism money has ruined the locals in many ways.  They are arrogant, and really don’t respect Colombians, and Mexicans, but the Ticos love Americans when their hand is in their pockets.  .....

Calling Costa Rica (CR) a violent, sh&t hole? I just didn't see that. Granted I was only there for one week.

Violent crime is way lower in CR than Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, etc. The standard of living for ticos/ticas is among the highest for any Latin American country. Chile, Uruguay and Costa Rica are success stories in a region with persistent violence, poverty and corruption.

Death rates for American tourists in Costa Rica are less than for Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, etc.

https://priceonomics.com/ranking-the-most-dangerous-countries-for-american/

I was married to my Colombiana while I lived there, so did not try to date Ticas.  I don’t remember being impressed with their beauty after living in Colombia.  Lots of choices in Latin America.  Costa Rica is at the bottom in my opinion......

Not many countries can compete with Colombia in terms of attractive women. But I saw lots of attractive Ticas in Costa Rica. It has the added benefit of being an easy direct flight from many parts of the U.S.

Granted, the large Gringo factor in CR is a negative. To paraphrase Robert Frost...the road less traveled in Latin America is often the most rewarding.


« Last Edit: October 19, 2019, 12:55:41 AM by Hector_Lavoe »

Offline JWR

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Re: Costa Rica
« Reply #10 on: October 20, 2019, 10:32:00 PM »
Like you I visited Costa Rica on a long vacation to do research on starting my catamaran day charter business there.
I also read all the statistics, and had a great time on my 3 trips there before I bought a $250k sailing catamaran, imported it, started a Costa Rican corporation and set up shop.  We were the 1st sailing cat there and had great business after a few months.  The plan was to work the high season, and travel outside of Costa Rica during the slow season, and just close for the slow season.  We quickly realized that we could never leave our boat in the country without us being there to guard it.  Other people had left the country and the ownership documents on their boats had been forged and changed.  When the real owners returned, they found out they no longer owned their boat.  So we were basically imprisoned within the country by our own business.

Soon after we arrived we started to have bad experiences that kept us on guard.  Our friends had squatters move into his house while he was back in the States, and on returning, the squatters threatened his life.  When he tried to sell his beautiful beachfront house, the squatters scared potential buyers.  He finally sold his house on the cheap to a retired navy seal that enjoyed fighting with the squatters, and after a gunfight, he chased them off his new property.  The navy seal never left his property without a gun for protection. 

There were regular rapes on the beaches.  Costa Rica is a young women's destination, and hordes would come from all over the world during school breaks.  Many were mugged.
I personally got into a fist fight in a grocery store after a guy broke into our house and stole the pain medication out of our bathroom.  Our next door neighbor who happened to be a Colombian identified him.  After kicking the crap out of the guy in the store, and befriending the other Colombians, there was a rumor started that we were "Cartel," and my wife didn't do anything to dispel the rumor.  Only after we had a dangerous reputation, we were left in peace to live.  Not the relaxing lifestyle I was dreaming about after 25 years in the sailing business in San Diego.

It's a crazy dangerous place for tourists.  People go there for a couple weeks, and if they aren't robbed or nothing happens, they fall in love with the place.  When we used to go to San Jose, we used to pass a lot that was filled with tour buses that had crashed.  Most of them were head on collisions, and the entire front of the buses were smashed in.  They drive like fools there.

One time as our high season ended, we ventured out onto the town for a night out in Potrero.  It was the season of the fiestas, and all the locals were out to party.  We had been hearing so much about the "bull" riding event.  Following the sounds of screaming locals we found the bull ring.  The dumb azzz Ticos were chasing the bull around the ring until the bull was so tired he would fall down and just lay there til a guy with a cattle prod would come out and shock him.  20 Ticos chasing a bull, and that's what they call the bull ride.  Absolutely stupid.  That night, my wife said to me, "these are not our people", and we have to get out of this country.   Whenever we would do something stupid, we would joke that we had finally caught the famous "shrinking brain disease".  Pura vida slowly became pura mierda.....
  Another of our friends caught hemoragic dengue fever while living in Tamarindo, and suffered brain damage.  One time our housekeeper/cook was bit by a pit viper walking alongside the road on the way to our house.  She laid beside the road for almost two hours, and nobody would stop to help her.  Another of our friend that we called Dundee because of his hat, and snake bite kit that he always carried with him happened along and saved her life.
My Colombian wife was super intelligent and vicious all in one while living in Costa Rica.  She was sweet to the Ticos and everybody loved her.  The gringo marina manager had been hassling us because he also had a charter business and we had cut into his profits.  He had been bribing the police to harass our clients after they left our boat.  My wife laughed about this challenge and called him a cockroach and made some threat in Spanish that I didn't understand.  My spanish was not great back then.  My wife then had it out for this guy, and over a period of some months made connections.  The end of the story is that the Marina owner was thrown out of his marina, his roll top desk was cut in half to make it easier to throw out the door into the mud, and he lost his business.  All of this was done by the friendly Costa Rican police carrying M-16s.  The locals hated that guy, and called us that morning.  We drove over and pulled up a chair with other locals in the area to watch and enjoy the show.  To this day, I still have no idea what she did on that one.    A month or so after we sold our business and left the country, his 60 foot sailboat sank at anchor, and I received a photo of the mast sticking out of the water.  Rumor has it that we somehow had something to do with sinking that boat.  We had become legendary, and of course we both got a good laugh out of that boat sinking.
One time my wife asked me to take her to a Hotel in Tamarindo in our big yellow tourist bus.  She said she had some business to take care of.  One of our competition had been vandalizing our sailing business signs.  Their office was in the lobby of a big hotel.  When we pulled up, as usual she told me to relax and stay in the bus and she would be right back.  I always stayed in the bus while bribes were paid, or she conducted important "business"  So I'm sitting there, and I see here giving the front desk manager, and security guard some money.  Shortly after the bribe,  the hotel staff all left the lobby and went for a walk.  So my wife grabs the giant framed glass sailboat photo off the wall behind our competition's desk, and breaks it on their desk with a crash.....my head is stretched out the window trying to watch what she's doing.  She's yelling at the lady that she's no "tico" she's "Colombiana" and she will kill her if she ever touches our stuff again.  On the way back to the bus in front of the lobby, she kisses the front desk manager on the cheek, as well as the security guard.   She climbs into the bus like nothing ever happened and tells me she's hungry, and please take her for a giant burrito at our favorite place.   Never had another problem with that company, or anybody else for that matter.


While were were married, we lived in 3 countries, sailed most of the way around the world, and my wife learned to speak English from zero.  She went to nursing school and now manages an intensive care unit here in San Diego.  She's a bad azz. 
Crazy time, and memories were made.



Man, I am a bit surprised how NEGATIVE both JWR and Benjio are on Costa Rica! I went for my first time earlier this year.

I do agree with JWR's point about the Ticos/Ticas flocking to Gringo tourists like bees on honey. And they are more likely to take a tourist for granted since they get so many tourists from abroad. No doubt about that. 

Calling Costa Rica (CR) a violent, sh&t hole? I just didn't see that. Granted I was only there for one week.

Violent crime is way lower in CR than Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, etc. The standard of living for ticos/ticas is among the highest for any Latin American country. Chile, Uruguay and Costa Rica are success stories in a region with persistent violence, poverty and corruption.

Death rates for American tourists in Costa Rica are less than for Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, etc.

https://priceonomics.com/ranking-the-most-dangerous-countries-for-american/


Not many countries can compete with Colombia in terms of attractive women. But I saw lots of attractive Ticas in Costa Rica. It has the added benefit of being an easy direct flight from many parts of the U.S.

Granted, the large Gringo factor in CR is a negative. To paraphrase Robert Frost...the road less traveled in Latin America is often the most rewarding.



« Last Edit: October 20, 2019, 10:59:43 PM by JWR »

Offline robert angel

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Re: Costa Rica
« Reply #11 on: October 21, 2019, 05:30:51 PM »
Like you I visited Costa Rica on a long vacation to do research on starting my catamaran day charter business there.
I also read all the statistics, and had a great time on my 3 trips there before I bought a $250k sailing catamaran, imported it, started a Costa Rican corporation and set up shop.  We were the 1st sailing cat there and had great business after a few months.  The plan was to work the high season, and travel outside of Costa Rica during the slow season, and just close for the slow season.  We quickly realized that we could never leave our boat in the country without us being there to guard it.  Other people had left the country and the ownership documents on their boats had been forged and changed.  When the real owners returned, they found out they no longer owned their boat.  So we were basically imprisoned within the country by our own business.

Soon after we arrived we started to have bad experiences that kept us on guard.  Our friends had squatters move into his house while he was back in the States, and on returning, the squatters threatened his life.  When he tried to sell his beautiful beachfront house, the squatters scared potential buyers.  He finally sold his house on the cheap to a retired navy seal that enjoyed fighting with the squatters, and after a gunfight, he chased them off his new property.  The navy seal never left his property without a gun for protection. 

There were regular rapes on the beaches.  Costa Rica is a young women's destination, and hordes would come from all over the world during school breaks.  Many were mugged.
I personally got into a fist fight in a grocery store after a guy broke into our house and stole the pain medication out of our bathroom.  Our next door neighbor who happened to be a Colombian identified him.  After kicking the crap out of the guy in the store, and befriending the other Colombians, there was a rumor started that we were "Cartel," and my wife didn't do anything to dispel the rumor.  Only after we had a dangerous reputation, we were left in peace to live.  Not the relaxing lifestyle I was dreaming about after 25 years in the sailing business in San Diego.

It's a crazy dangerous place for tourists.  People go there for a couple weeks, and if they aren't robbed or nothing happens, they fall in love with the place.  When we used to go to San Jose, we used to pass a lot that was filled with tour buses that had crashed.  Most of them were head on collisions, and the entire front of the buses were smashed in.  They drive like fools there.

One time as our high season ended, we ventured out onto the town for a night out in Potrero.  It was the season of the fiestas, and all the locals were out to party.  We had been hearing so much about the "bull" riding event.  Following the sounds of screaming locals we found the bull ring.  The dumb azzz Ticos were chasing the bull around the ring until the bull was so tired he would fall down and just lay there til a guy with a cattle prod would come out and shock him.  20 Ticos chasing a bull, and that's what they call the bull ride.  Absolutely stupid.  That night, my wife said to me, "these are not our people", and we have to get out of this country.   Whenever we would do something stupid, we would joke that we had finally caught the famous "shrinking brain disease".  Pura vida slowly became pura mierda.....
  Another of our friends caught hemoragic dengue fever while living in Tamarindo, and suffered brain damage.  One time our housekeeper/cook was bit by a pit viper walking alongside the road on the way to our house.  She laid beside the road for almost two hours, and nobody would stop to help her.  Another of our friend that we called Dundee because of his hat, and snake bite kit that he always carried with him happened along and saved her life.
My Colombian wife was super intelligent and vicious all in one while living in Costa Rica.  She was sweet to the Ticos and everybody loved her.  The gringo marina manager had been hassling us because he also had a charter business and we had cut into his profits.  He had been bribing the police to harass our clients after they left our boat.  My wife laughed about this challenge and called him a cockroach and made some threat in Spanish that I didn't understand.  My spanish was not great back then.  My wife then had it out for this guy, and over a period of some months made connections.  The end of the story is that the Marina owner was thrown out of his marina, his roll top desk was cut in half to make it easier to throw out the door into the mud, and he lost his business.  All of this was done by the friendly Costa Rican police carrying M-16s.  The locals hated that guy, and called us that morning.  We drove over and pulled up a chair with other locals in the area to watch and enjoy the show.  To this day, I still have no idea what she did on that one.    A month or so after we sold our business and left the country, his 60 foot sailboat sank at anchor, and I received a photo of the mast sticking out of the water.  Rumor has it that we somehow had something to do with sinking that boat.  We had become legendary, and of course we both got a good laugh out of that boat sinking.
One time my wife asked me to take her to a Hotel in Tamarindo in our big yellow tourist bus.  She said she had some business to take care of.  One of our competition had been vandalizing our sailing business signs.  Their office was in the lobby of a big hotel.  When we pulled up, as usual she told me to relax and stay in the bus and she would be right back.  I always stayed in the bus while bribes were paid, or she conducted important "business"  So I'm sitting there, and I see here giving the front desk manager, and security guard some money.  Shortly after the bribe,  the hotel staff all left the lobby and went for a walk.  So my wife grabs the giant framed glass sailboat photo off the wall behind our competition's desk, and breaks it on their desk with a crash.....my head is stretched out the window trying to watch what she's doing.  She's yelling at the lady that she's no "tico" she's "Colombiana" and she will kill her if she ever touches our stuff again.  On the way back to the bus in front of the lobby, she kisses the front desk manager on the cheek, as well as the security guard.   She climbs into the bus like nothing ever happened and tells me she's hungry, and please take her for a giant burrito at our favorite place.   Never had another problem with that company, or anybody else for that matter.


While were were married, we lived in 3 countries, sailed most of the way around the world, and my wife learned to speak English from zero.  She went to nursing school and now manages an intensive care unit here in San Diego.  She's a bad azz. 
Crazy time, and memories were made.

"Bad azz" babe indeed! And it sounds like you were a bit of a pistol yourself!

Amazing,  given how many Colombianas who come to the USA never get vocational proficiency. As I recall, she went to college here too, English second language and all.

Somehow, she doesn't sound like the stereotypical 'simple Filipina.'
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Offline Hector_Lavoe

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Re: Costa Rica
« Reply #12 on: October 21, 2019, 10:36:21 PM »
Like you I visited Costa Rica on a long vacation to do research on starting my catamaran day charter business there.
I also read all the statistics, and had a great time on my 3 trips there before I bought a $250k sailing catamaran, imported it, started a Costa Rican corporation and set up shop.  We were the 1st sailing cat there and had great business after a few months.  The plan was to work the high season, and travel outside of Costa Rica during the slow season, and just close for the slow season.  We quickly realized that we could never leave our boat in the country without us being there to guard it.  Other people had left the country and the ownership documents on their boats had been forged and changed.  When the real owners returned, they found out they no longer owned their boat.  So we were basically imprisoned within the country by our own business.

Soon after we arrived we started to have bad experiences that kept us on guard.  Our friends had squatters move into his house while he was back in the States, and on returning, the squatters threatened his life.  When he tried to sell his beautiful beachfront house, the squatters scared potential buyers.  He finally sold his house on the cheap to a retired navy seal that enjoyed fighting with the squatters, and after a gunfight, he chased them off his new property.  The navy seal never left his property without a gun for protection. 

There were regular rapes on the beaches.  Costa Rica is a young women's destination, and hordes would come from all over the world during school breaks.  Many were mugged.
I personally got into a fist fight in a grocery store after a guy broke into our house and stole the pain medication out of our bathroom.  Our next door neighbor who happened to be a Colombian identified him.  After kicking the crap out of the guy in the store, and befriending the other Colombians, there was a rumor started that we were "Cartel," and my wife didn't do anything to dispel the rumor.  Only after we had a dangerous reputation, we were left in peace to live.  Not the relaxing lifestyle I was dreaming about after 25 years in the sailing business in San Diego.

It's a crazy dangerous place for tourists.  People go there for a couple weeks, and if they aren't robbed or nothing happens, they fall in love with the place.  When we used to go to San Jose, we used to pass a lot that was filled with tour buses that had crashed.  Most of them were head on collisions, and the entire front of the buses were smashed in.  They drive like fools there.

One time as our high season ended, we ventured out onto the town for a night out in Potrero.  It was the season of the fiestas, and all the locals were out to party.  We had been hearing so much about the "bull" riding event.  Following the sounds of screaming locals we found the bull ring.  The dumb azzz Ticos were chasing the bull around the ring until the bull was so tired he would fall down and just lay there til a guy with a cattle prod would come out and shock him.  20 Ticos chasing a bull, and that's what they call the bull ride.  Absolutely stupid.  That night, my wife said to me, "these are not our people", and we have to get out of this country.   Whenever we would do something stupid, we would joke that we had finally caught the famous "shrinking brain disease".  Pura vida slowly became pura mierda.....
  Another of our friends caught hemoragic dengue fever while living in Tamarindo, and suffered brain damage.  One time our housekeeper/cook was bit by a pit viper walking alongside the road on the way to our house.  She laid beside the road for almost two hours, and nobody would stop to help her.  Another of our friend that we called Dundee because of his hat, and snake bite kit that he always carried with him happened along and saved her life.
My Colombian wife was super intelligent and vicious all in one while living in Costa Rica.  She was sweet to the Ticos and everybody loved her.  The gringo marina manager had been hassling us because he also had a charter business and we had cut into his profits.  He had been bribing the police to harass our clients after they left our boat.  My wife laughed about this challenge and called him a cockroach and made some threat in Spanish that I didn't understand.  My spanish was not great back then.  My wife then had it out for this guy, and over a period of some months made connections.  The end of the story is that the Marina owner was thrown out of his marina, his roll top desk was cut in half to make it easier to throw out the door into the mud, and he lost his business.  All of this was done by the friendly Costa Rican police carrying M-16s.  The locals hated that guy, and called us that morning.  We drove over and pulled up a chair with other locals in the area to watch and enjoy the show.  To this day, I still have no idea what she did on that one.    A month or so after we sold our business and left the country, his 60 foot sailboat sank at anchor, and I received a photo of the mast sticking out of the water.  Rumor has it that we somehow had something to do with sinking that boat.  We had become legendary, and of course we both got a good laugh out of that boat sinking.
One time my wife asked me to take her to a Hotel in Tamarindo in our big yellow tourist bus.  She said she had some business to take care of.  One of our competition had been vandalizing our sailing business signs.  Their office was in the lobby of a big hotel.  When we pulled up, as usual she told me to relax and stay in the bus and she would be right back.  I always stayed in the bus while bribes were paid, or she conducted important "business"  So I'm sitting there, and I see here giving the front desk manager, and security guard some money.  Shortly after the bribe,  the hotel staff all left the lobby and went for a walk.  So my wife grabs the giant framed glass sailboat photo off the wall behind our competition's desk, and breaks it on their desk with a crash.....my head is stretched out the window trying to watch what she's doing.  She's yelling at the lady that she's no "tico" she's "Colombiana" and she will kill her if she ever touches our stuff again.  On the way back to the bus in front of the lobby, she kisses the front desk manager on the cheek, as well as the security guard.   She climbs into the bus like nothing ever happened and tells me she's hungry, and please take her for a giant burrito at our favorite place.   Never had another problem with that company, or anybody else for that matter.


While were were married, we lived in 3 countries, sailed most of the way around the world, and my wife learned to speak English from zero.  She went to nursing school and now manages an intensive care unit here in San Diego.  She's a bad azz. 
Crazy time, and memories were made.


Damn JWR...thanks for sharing. That is some wild and crazy stuff. You've lived an interesting life. Sailing around the world with a hot Colombiana. Nice..

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Re: Costa Rica
« Reply #12 on: October 21, 2019, 10:36:21 PM »

Offline robert angel

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Re: Costa Rica
« Reply #13 on: October 22, 2019, 07:22:19 PM »
"Bad azz" babe indeed! And it sounds like you were a bit of a pistol yourself!

Amazing,  given how many Colombianas who come to the USA never get vocational proficiency. As I recall, she went to college here too, English second language and all.

Somehow, she doesn't sound like the stereotypical 'simple Filipina.'

But like I've said before and it'd be great if you guys would weigh in (I think JWRs been the the Filipina AND Colombiana route) but to me in comparison, chances are there's gonna be a lot more 'interpersonal dynamics'--- more tiger taming required with uh, 'Full Blooded' Colombiana/Latina than with most Filipinas.

Yeah, those Latinas are mighty fine, but I am immeasurably glad I got an exceptionally pretty Filipina, a very young, low mileage and easy maintenance model at that.

With her mocha morena skin, eyes like black diamonds, a lion's mane of black hair, curves that have just gotten better and ME in the driver's seat, I'm in a pretty good place.

Sure she sends money home, but it's HER earnings and she spoils me with the rest.

I don't think it's because I'm THAT old that I'm happier with an easier demeanor babe, because my wife hears from her friends that I've still 'got it' and she still sees women in public who are still a bit 'sweet' on me.

But I'm holding. She's been true blue a long time and her colors don't seem to run or fade.

Anyplace on earth, it'd be ridiculously hard for me to do half as well again overall, I figure...

I figure when I'm old, my luck's still going to hold, God willing. Oh, that's with me keeping my pants up when out and about----which is even harder whilst in her country!!

It'd about kill me if it all went south, but I'd at least know I had 14 hella good years to be thankful for.

But--do you guys agree that generally speaking you have to be more 'en garde' -- be more of a 'tiger tamer' with a Colombiana than a Filipina?

Before you start on the bedroom fireworks being better, making it all worth it, I'll say that if that was any hotter 24X7 in our house, I'd have to rewire the place from 120 to 240!

Guess that's why the voltage IS 240 in the Philippines AND Colombia!

Any of you guys tasted the wine, both places?

Where's a 'slice of the pie' sweetest?

What makes one nation's women float your boat more than the others?
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Offline Elexpatriado

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Re: Costa Rica
« Reply #14 on: October 23, 2019, 06:03:06 AM »
But like I've said before and it'd be great if you guys would weigh in (I think JWRs been the the Filipina AND Colombiana route) but to me in comparison, chances are there's gonna be a lot more 'interpersonal dynamics'--- more tiger taming required with uh, 'Full Blooded' Colombiana/Latina than with most Filipinas.

Yeah, those Latinas are mighty fine, but I am immeasurably glad I got an exceptionally pretty Filipina, a very young, low mileage and easy maintenance model at that.

With her mocha morena skin, eyes like black diamonds, a lion's mane of black hair, curves that have just gotten better and ME in the driver's seat, I'm in a pretty good place.

Sure she sends money home, but it's HER earnings and she spoils me with the rest.

I don't think it's because I'm THAT old that I'm happier with an easier demeanor babe, because my wife hears from her friends that I've still 'got it' and she still sees women in public who are still a bit 'sweet' on me.

But I'm holding. She's been true blue a long time and her colors don't seem to run or fade.

Anyplace on earth, it'd be ridiculously hard for me to do half as well again overall, I figure...

I figure when I'm old, my luck's still going to hold, God willing. Oh, that's with me keeping my pants up when out and about----which is even harder whilst in her country!!

It'd about kill me if it all went south, but I'd at least know I had 14 hella good years to be thankful for.

But--do you guys agree that generally speaking you have to be more 'en garde' -- be more of a 'tiger tamer' with a Colombiana than a Filipina?

Before you start on the bedroom fireworks being better, making it all worth it, I'll say that if that was any hotter 24X7 in our house, I'd have to rewire the place from 120 to 240!

Guess that's why the voltage IS 240 in the Philippines AND Colombia!

Any of you guys tasted the wine, both places?

Where's a 'slice of the pie' sweetest?

What makes one nation's women float your boat more than the others?

Robert

Everyone is different you cant  generalize about Filipinas :, Colombianas, Americans, Canadians.

There are caracteristics of cultures but within each culture there are vast differences in personalities.

Offline robert angel

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Re: Costa Rica
« Reply #15 on: October 23, 2019, 06:45:44 AM »
Robert

Everyone is different you cant  generalize about Filipinas :, Colombianas, Americans, Canadians.

There are caracteristics of cultures but within each culture there are vast differences in personalities.

Of course you can generalize about different nations-- their general personality characteristics, culture, predominant religion, foods, on and on and on. We do it every day, for better or worse.

If we couldn't generalize, we couldn't begin to discern those many differences that do indeed exist within cultures.

In the big pool of any nation/ culture, just to use water/fish as a sub example, there are sharks, minnows and suckers.

True or not, generalizations exist and true or not, are real as rain in that people prescribe to them, simple or not.

For example, most US citizens probably generalize that most Canadians are better behaved, a bunch of liberal leaning, beer and hockey loving people.

While that might not be an accurate portrayal of you, it's how a lot of folks view the population.

I'm asking the more open members what their 'take away' on two very different cultures is, how THEY see it and what draws them into or away from it.

We all have choices, tastes and predilections.

If we didn't, we'd never leave our own neighborhoods.

My guess (and from 1st hand personal experience) is that MOST guys would view Latinas as more volatile, requiring a bit more maintenance than do most Asians. Quicker to lose their tempers, perhaps faster to decide if there's a physical attraction, then faster to act on it too.

I'm not looking to reinforce false stereotypes, I'm looking for what views other guys, guys who've been there have actually taken away--their feelings and observations on the general differences and similarities of the women from different nation/regions.



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Offline Elexpatriado

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Re: Costa Rica
« Reply #16 on: October 23, 2019, 09:29:05 AM »
Of course you can generalize about different nations-- their general personality characteristics, culture, predominant religion, foods, on and on and on. We do it every day, for better or worse.

If we couldn't generalize, we couldn't begin to discern those many differences that do indeed exist within cultures.

In the big pool of any nation/ culture, just to use water/fish as a sub example, there are sharks, minnows and suckers.

True or not, generalizations exist and true or not, are real as rain in that people prescribe to them, simple or not.

For example, most US citizens probably generalize that most Canadians are better behaved, a bunch of liberal leaning, beer and hockey loving people.

While that might not be an accurate portrayal of you, it's how a lot of folks view the population.

I'm asking the more open members what their 'take away' on two very different cultures is, how THEY see it and what draws them into or away from it.

We all have choices, tastes and predilections.

If we didn't, we'd never leave our own neighborhoods.

My guess (and from 1st hand personal experience) is that MOST guys would view Latinas as more volatile, requiring a bit more maintenance than do most Asians. Quicker to lose their tempers, perhaps faster to decide if there's a physical attraction, then faster to act on it too.

I'm not looking to reinforce false stereotypes, I'm looking for what views other guys, guys who've been there have actually taken away--their feelings and observations on the general differences and similarities of the women from different nation/regions.

Xdefinitely wouldnt qualify me as a liberal thats for sure

Not all Filipinas  are complacent like yours.

I have a Filipino friend whos cousin brought a girl from the Fiilipines to Canada , married her.

She was a friend of the family, both families knew each other.

Turns out she was a gold digger and took him to the cleaners just like a Latina or an old stock white Canadian gringa might do.

I think you know similar stories.

Probably more the environment they are thrpwn into which changes people for the worse



I

Offline robert angel

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Re: Costa Rica
« Reply #17 on: October 23, 2019, 11:47:13 AM »
Xdefinitely wouldnt qualify me as a liberal thats for sure

Not all Filipinas  are complacent like yours.

I have a Filipino friend whos cousin brought a girl from the Fiilipines to Canada , married her.

She was a friend of the family, both families knew each other.

Turns out she was a gold digger and took him to the cleaners just like a Latina or an old stock white Canadian gringa might do.

I think you know similar stories.

Probably more the environment they are thrpwn into which changes people for the worse



I

Of course there are exceptions to every rule, in love and life. No, you can't paint any large group with a single stripe, but you can draw some broad, general conclusions.

I've heard more guys with Latinas than with Asians say:

"She had one hell of a temper, but the make up sex was sooo hot that it more than made up for it"
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Offline Oiga!

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Re: Costa Rica
« Reply #18 on: October 23, 2019, 05:58:37 PM »
Asians, like coreanas can have horrible tempers, they just don/t yell.

Offline robert angel

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Re: Costa Rica
« Reply #19 on: October 23, 2019, 09:05:48 PM »
Asians, like coreanas can have horrible tempers, they just don/t yell.


Yep, I was married to one for 14 years.

F___ing inscrutable, passive aggressive---she'd be seething, something burning under her skin for months at a time, but not saying a damn thing I'd be clueless, then in disbelief when she'd finally blow a gasket and let off.

To add insult to injury, it'd typically be over something petty she'd been stewing over.

I'd much rather have a raising of voice/shout/yelling episode once a week that blows over quickly, than glacial paced passive aggressive bullsh!t
that after months of malaise, comes to a nasty head months later.

I mean, come'on let it out. That's why in OUR house, in this marriage, the rule is if you start to say something,  if you begin to 'let off" that you have an issue, you HAVE to finish it--spit it out.

Boy, just remembering that about makes me want to take some antidiarrheal medication, but instead I'll just be thankful those cold, dark days are long gone.

It's like taking one solid punch or enduring slow death by a million needles.

I'll take the punch, thank you very much.

Your best friends stab you in the front right fast, with constructive reality checks. Others kill you in non constructive ways---slowly....

Excellent point and that negative behavior/mindset --that inscrutable suffering, has been documented across numerous Asian cultures--a real red flag to watch out for!!!!
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Offline robert angel

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Re: Costa Rica
« Reply #20 on: October 24, 2019, 05:08:20 PM »
OK, we have at least a couple of generalizations  going regarding differences between how some see Latinas VS Asians and how those characteristics effect us.

Although nobody said whether they see more of a mega 'hot make up after the fight sex' dynamic in Latinas---never mind if they think that Latinas generally have hotter tempers. (I think they do)

Any other things you guys think you see more or less of in one VS the other, that's for better or worse?
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Offline robert angel

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Re: Costa Rica
« Reply #21 on: October 25, 2019, 09:58:19 AM »
Yep, I was married to one for 14 years.

F___ing inscrutable, passive aggressive---she'd be seething, something burning under her skin for months at a time, but not saying a damn thing I'd be clueless, then in disbelief when she'd finally blow a gasket and let off.

To add insult to injury, it'd typically be over something petty she'd been stewing over.

I'd much rather have a raising of voice/shout/yelling episode once a week that blows over quickly, than glacial paced passive aggressive bullsh!t
that after months of malaise, comes to a nasty head months later.

I mean, come'on let it out. That's why in OUR house, in this marriage, the rule is if you start to say something,  if you begin to 'let off" that you have an issue, you HAVE to finish it--spit it out.

Boy, just remembering that about makes me want to take some antidiarrheal medication, but instead I'll just be thankful those cold, dark days are long gone.

It's like taking one solid punch or enduring slow death by a million needles.

I'll take the punch, thank you very much.

Your best friends stab you in the front right fast, with constructive reality checks. Others kill you in non constructive ways---slowly....

Excellent point and that negative behavior/mindset --that inscrutable suffering, has been documented across numerous Asian cultures--a real red flag to watch out for!!!!

Come on guys! (insert chicken sounds here) You gotta have some GENERALIZATIONs, some ability, words you use to describe why on earth you travel thousands of miles, spend thousands more in $$$, just to be with a certain group/type of women.

Speak up, or your all lying posers!!! ;D
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Offline benjio

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Re: Costa Rica
« Reply #22 on: October 25, 2019, 11:55:59 AM »
Come on guys! (insert chicken sounds here) You gotta have some GENERALIZATIONs, some ability, words you use to describe why on earth you travel thousands of miles, spend thousands more in $$$, just to be with a certain group/type of women.

Speak up, or your all lying posers!!! ;D

I don’t think many men (if anyone) here have actually had a long term, committed relationship with a woman that was born and raised in Asia. I dated a Filipina once but believe me when I say she was as Americanized as they come.

With respect to Colombianas, the generalizations can be found a thousand times over on this discussion board. No need to rehash them.

I will say this about Brazilian Women as I have yet to go to/live in any other country where this is the case. They are extremely sexually liberated. They don’t get hung up on things like religion or if we’re going to think they’re “fast” or sluts. If they like you, it’s gonna happen! And it will probably happen the same night you meet them. A lot of young women I knew in Brazil, well educated professionals that made decent livings for themselves, carried condoms in their purses. This wasn’t a regional thing either. From Recife to Salvador, from Brasilia to Minas Gerais, from Rio to São Paulo. It’s not a difficult country to get laid in if you’re a half decent looking guy.
« Last Edit: October 25, 2019, 11:58:01 AM by benjio »

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Re: Costa Rica
« Reply #22 on: October 25, 2019, 11:55:59 AM »

Offline Oiga!

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Re: Costa Rica
« Reply #23 on: October 25, 2019, 05:28:18 PM »
There was an interesting NPR account some years ago about the high incidence of aids in Brazil due to bisexuality being "de rigueur" in Brazillian culture. No wonder they carry condoms on them.

Offline benjio

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Re: Costa Rica
« Reply #24 on: October 25, 2019, 05:51:18 PM »
There was an interesting NPR account some years ago about the high incidence of aids in Brazil due to bisexuality being "de rigueur" in Brazillian culture. No wonder they carry condoms on them.

It’s also a culture (at least in Rio...NOT EVERYWHERE IN BRAZIL) that really embraces heterosexual anal sex. I’ve really never been into it. Watching porn these days makes a lot of men curious about it but it’s not really that enjoyable in my opinion and very dirty!! However, I biblically knew more than a few women there that wouldn’t only suggest it, but prefer it. In some cases even beg for it and remove a man from one place with their hands to put him in the other. I dated a girl that liked it so much she would “prepare” for it (starving herself, etc.) I think that, much more than bisexual men having unprotected sex, is also a big reason for the AIDS epidemic there, which was almost ALWAYS at the forefront of media coverage.
« Last Edit: October 25, 2019, 05:58:17 PM by benjio »

 

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