www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Enzo,
Again guys like you just don't get it and probably never will. Loco says he does but he just doesn't agree and maybe he does. But then you go and repeat an argument like the one you just made which to me proves that at least YOU don't get it. This isn't about whether the guy on the date cares what other thinks, or what whether you or I "give a shit". Its not even whether we think that those outside parties, whether in the US or living or vacationing in CR, are being judgmental or just plan wrong to make it their business to regulate the activities of mongers enjoying themselves. I think all of us would agree with that but some of us realize it is really beside the point. You asked "who gives a shit?" Well maybe not the monger involved, nor you or me, or even many of the general public, but clearly there are some outside parties that DO and they often translate their disapproval into political action that can hurt all of us. If you don't believe that just ask all the guys who wanted to visit their favorite MP's last August and found them shut down.

OUR point is that regardless how all of us feel about what we do, THERE ARE OTHERS WHO, RIGHTLY OR REALLY WRONGLY, DO CARE AND THINK IT IS THEIR BUSINESS AND REACT BY FEEDING THE FORCES THAT WOULD RESTRICT OUR HOBBY. Its not about what is right or wrong. It is about recognizing reality.

It is NOT about envy or jealousy either. That statement is completely absurd. Like you yourself said who gives a shit. Anyone with money could have their own "eye candy on their shoulders" that is just as hot if that was what they wanted. It is NOT about REGULATING our fellow mongers. They're going to do whatever they want anyway and there are already enough people trying to regulate what we ALL do. This is about EDUCATING our fellow mongers so that they understand how what SOME of us do may not be such a good thing for all of us and hopefully think more about what they do and act accordingly (ie with some restraint).

I agree that there is no model for how we should carry ourselves. We are guest in there country and like any guest, we should leave a good impression. I guess what I'm trying to say is, act like you have traveled some.

In any fine steak or seafood house you can see the folks that are new to that level of dining, maybe by the way they order tarter sauce for the halibut

Or when you stay in a fine hotel and see K*ds acting like hetherns. Mongering with a swager is fine, being an idiot isn't.

I realize this thread has been going stale but when I saw this recent post by BangBang in another thread I immediately saw its relevance here:The post was concerning the growing political power of current CR VP Laura Chinchilla who stands a pretty decent chance of becoming the next President of CR. One of her central platforms is to wipe out ALL the mongering that goes on in CR. I doubt that she'd ever be able to do that entirely but she could put a MAJOR crick in it. In fact she has already begun to. Her and her forces were the ones behind last August MP closures and the recent raid on the HDR. And what in turn drives her and stirs up her supporters? The sight of disgusting old gringos despoiling and corrupting their country's sweet and innocent young daughters (their view not mine). Even what we might regard as relatively innocent public displays can be seen by others as just another reminder of the "disgusting activities that are drawing these degenerates to CR". I know a lot of you think that you should just be allowed to do anything you want to do (as long as it does not hurt anyone else) and in a completely fair and rational world that would be the case. Unfortunately, in practical terms we don't live in such a world, and unneccessarily flaunting what we do, while an exercise of personal liberty in the short run, may only serve to lead to a much more severe curtailment of our liberties in the long run.

BTW, IMHO, taking most of these chicas out to a fancy restaurant is a complete waste anyway. First of all, in most cases she'll feel out of place not because she is with a foreigner twice her age but because she is not normally accustomed to going out to such places and doesn't know how to dress or how to act. What she probably does know is to order the most expensive thing on the menu, while thinking she'd much rather you just paid the same amount of money to her directly so she could feed herself and her bebes for a week. IMHO, if you're going to take a chica out to eat, don't bother trying to impress her by taking her to some fancy place where she'll be uncomfortable and inclined to see you as just some rich foolish gringo that she can soak for as much as she can. Instead, take her to something nice but much more modest tico style place, ie not so far outside the range of a place she might choose to go herself if she were spending the money. She'll be more impressed with your practicality, "tico-syle" and dinner table conversation and less impressed with you as a wallet for her to pluck.

Some of us have at least one person with whom we believe we have a special and closer relationship, sometimes with her K*ds as well. Unfortunately, some guys actually fall for the fantasy and get in over their head. It is so easy to do.

I would never take a woman out to lunch or dinner unless we did have one of those more consequential relationships and I had tested it several times. Mongers must always be on guard to ensure that she is not setting you up as a human ATM.

Because I had daughters who loved to "borrow" from the Bank of Dad, I had to learn how to unplug the automated teller and say NO. If there is anything genuine in the relationship between you and the special friend, she will understand no. If she doesn’t understand it, then you are just a old fool and she is milking you dry. Time to move-on.

When I go out to lunch or dinner, I go to a moderately priced typical Tico location such as Doña Lela’s.

You can tell a lot about a chica and what sort of relationship you really have with her by where she wants to go and what she orders. A lot of them will always start off with the shrimp cocktail, but certainly not all of them. It seems like Diego has a very reasonable approach to taking his "novia" out and has her well trained to have reasonable expectations.

I must be lucky.
Mi amiga prefers McDonalds to Cafe Mundo. She claims that she doesn't understand the menu. True, she did not go far in school, was raised and still lives modestly. Even by tico standards. She says that pizza and pasta are her favorites but almost anywhere we go she orders a hamburger!

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Women are like beers. I've never had one that I didn't like. Just some that I like more than others! --Western

i dont have time to go through the whole thread but i have to agree with the original poster. hell even if you are a young guy and it is patently obvious, yeesh, give me a damn break. this is especially true for those who do not speak spanish. why are you paying to exchange dumb, confused smiles with some whore while you eat sea bass and drink whatever you believe is the costa rica equivalent to bud light?

trrrbll (c) Sir Charles.

if the room doesn't have a bed and a dresser full of condoms, why would i want a whore in it?

Fair is fair... I have to say that I saw and ol timer with a hot young lady at one of my regular lunch spots in Jaco yesterday. This guy might have been in his late 60's to mid 70's and was obviously about 4 decades older than the young lady. However, the way they were acting caused them not to stick out at all really.... They both spoke very quietly... Note: you don't have to scream to let everybody in the vicinity know you are with a young hottie. The lady had very nice manners and was very well dressed. So, it is not so much an age difference situation as it is behavior...

Isn't it all part of the fantasy? Where and when in the U.S. can a 50something gringo, wine and dine and have sex with a 20something knock-out?

This is a REAL sore spot with Ticos!!! They bang puta too, but they don't go out into the street with them, It is disrespectful and embarrassing for them with they are out with their families.

This is actually the biggest driving force behind those that want to make the hobby illegal. If these guys would stay off the street the "illegalize it" movement would quiet down.

If you want to get in a car and go for a drive, that is cool. But stay off the street and other public places.

Nobody is saying don't do it... Just pick your place and do it appropropriately. Not a complex issue,,, not sure why some can't get the meat of it.....

Sounds like a politician..."I was against it before I was for it."

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Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

haha if ya don't get it, ya don't get it... C'est la vie... right as always, i defer....

_________________
Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

One of my friends just visited here and he brought along another guy from work. The other guy is religious and was embarrassed to tell the rest of the people at his work that he was going to Costa Rica for fear they his co-workers would think he was going as a hobbyist. Two middle aged men going to downtown CR -- go figure.

The traveling companion did not want his co-workers to think that he was going as a hobbyist because he wants to protect his reputation is a follower of his faith. True to his belief system, he did not go to the places you or I like to go to, nor did he partake in the hobby.

The point is that CR does in fact have a reputation as a hobbyist’s destination.

Costa Rica wants to change that image. What better way to change the image than to actually change it? Phantom is on target about the notion that the pressure to make our hobby illegal is due to the over exposure of it in the public eye. Mongering in Latin countries and throughout much of Europe is a way of life. It has and will continue to be. But it is always descrite and Americans are frequently not so.

I think we as mature hobbyists, who have a good thing going, also have an obligation to protect what we have by helping the loud and boisterous understand that they are doing great damage by being loud and boisterous. Discretion and respectful behavior are vital to keeping the hobby low key and unobtrusive and keeping it legal.