www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Have You ever noticed that most of the people who want to tell you that you are in "their" country are the ignorant losers that "their country" would be better off without? Here in the states I have never told a foreigner that this is "My" country. I'ts not. It belongs to everyone who carries their own weight in my opinion, whether they were born here or not and the only part of it that belongs to me alone is the tiny little peice that I purchased to live on. If the Ticos think we owe them something more than decent human respect then they are sadly mistaken. They should stop and think about how things would be in "their" country if we all stopped spending our HARD EARNED MONEY there. Jealousy and resentfulness obviously hasn't gotten them anywhere in life. Maybe it's time for them to rethink a few things. Like it or not... The very instant that my passport gets stamped, I have the right to be there and until I leave Costa Rica is my country too!

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"With foxes, we must play the fox." ~ Thomas Fuller

Devil's Advocate here.

I'm so sick of reading/hearing Americans say... "Well, the locals hate us, but it's really our fault..." Bullshit.

Ticos come in two flavors: Avaricious and polite/friendly, and avaricious and ornery. Period.

Tman, if the cabbie looked/smelled/felt as good as the lady, and if (hopefully she) fellated me, I wouldn't quibble about the dollar. OTOH, cabs are regulated; why should I not insist that a tico cabbie obey his city's own laws?

I, as a gentleman traveler, try to speak more softly, speak Spanish, act/dress/comport myself respectfully. I try to stay calm when I want to freak out and punch someone, or yell in frustration. I do not allow people to rob me/rip me off in bars etc. but I'm always calm and firm about it. They still hate me because I'm blind, and in their fuc*ed up culture, blindness is next to leprosy. It's one reason that I'm constantly waffling about whether or not to return to C.R.

Furthermore, I've met more openly racist people in C.R. than I've encountered while traveling in the entire southern U.S.

Like many underpriviledged people, especiallly those you meet in San Jose, many of whom lack education above the sixth grade, ticos resent with more vigor, blame with more venom and attempt to steal with more cleverness than one might expect.

Now, you may agree with one or more of the above paragraphs. However, saying that the trouble with locals is all our fault is as false and incorrect as blaming the ticos for all the problems. And frankly, I'm sick of it.

C.R. ain't exporting too many bananas, palm kernels and coffee beans these days. Their country's economy is largely based upon our dollars/Euros. Yes, we should be respectful and careful, but we shouldn't put up with insults either. While I disagree with Zombo's wingman for the same reasons Irish Drifter stated, I can't help but sympathize with his feelings.

My late Daddy told me once that there are three things a man must never accept from another man: his slap, his spit and his insult. I'm a pacifist, but the guys in the car stepped over the line.


BTW, whoever in this post characterized
"all the people outside the Presidente" as drug addicts has made the most moronic statement I've read on this Forum in weeks. Exactly what is your proof? "Paul Newman," a.k.a. "ShoeShine Boy" (the guy who always wears the crappy suit) is a good man who happens to loathe drugs. Stuff your anti-drug paranoia, please.

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Pura Vulva! Wandering through the dark, I am El Ciego.

Avarious and friendly I understand. Its the downright rapacious and ornery thats bothers me

Wow interesting ! In over 20 years I really have not had any problems to speak of with the Ticos. Most seem nice & polite but they do try to make as much as they can from an unsuspecting newbie. That is just general business in the real world I feel so expect this & be street smart. One thing I do is try to stay invisible the best I can & trust NO one !

One guy told me once it is nice to be important but more important to be nice.

Tman, Boy isn't this the truth! I see this type of deal all the time. We are very fickle creatures with the value of money & how we spend it.

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"Run silent, run deep"
Spunk glazed Chicas are the building blocks of the universe!

he doesn't exactly retreat to the Zona Roja every evening to distribute his hard earned wages to the "Little Sisters (darlings) of Mercy"

I like the guy too, but that is where he goes.

ps. I will admit the painted feather vendors are not drug abusers.

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The difference between a Sea Story and a Fairy Tale is that a Fairy Tale starts out 'Once Upon a Time..' and a Sea Story starts out 'This is no Shit...'

(export version only, some restrictions may apply, some assembly required, not valid where the sun don't shine...

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Say it isn't so! Paul Newman Shoeshine cracks up? I thought he was heading to church every night...no shit. I feel so violated.

I still stand by my statement that generalizing _all_ people who beg/vend outside the Presidente as drug addicts is ridiculous.

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Pura Vulva! Wandering through the dark, I am El Ciego.

you're right El....most of the people out front of the Presidente are just trying to survive and don't use drugs.

and even the ones with hard core problems of abuse have moments of decency and lucidity.

tell you what, next time we're down there together in CR, we'll go have breakfast in the Zona Roja and treat the hustlers to breakfast.

_________________
The difference between a Sea Story and a Fairy Tale is that a Fairy Tale starts out 'Once Upon a Time..' and a Sea Story starts out 'This is no Shit...'

(export version only, some restrictions may apply, some assembly required, not valid where the sun don't shine...

if you live in the states of Poverty, Darkness or anywhere outside of The Blessings of Civilization Trust, Inc...other rules may apply)