www.CostaRicaTicas.com

ON the subject of money. Do you think it is a good idea to bring travelers checks. If not is cash is king in costa rica.

Even Amex Traveler's Cheques are becoming less and less acceptable anywhere, even in the US. For example, Office Max will soon stop accepting them. I won't speculate as to why. Cash brought down or cash from an ATM gotten here is the way to go for day-to-day transactions, with Credit Cards used only in those places where security is top-notch (your hotel bill, for example).

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"A man accustomed to hear only the echo of his own sentiments, soon bars all the common avenues of delight, and has no part in the general gratification of mankind"--Dr. Johnson
"Amen, brother"-ED

I like to go to the bank on the second floor of the INS or ICE building, the one between the Del Rey and the SL, and use my CC to get cash advances. I don't use ATM's and have gone at least a decade without even knowing my PIN.

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"I'm not one those pathetic lietuenant colonels working a silly civilian job, working out two hours a day trying to reclaim a body they lost 20 years ago and four hours a night completing War College by correspondence in a sad attempt at colonel. Tyler Durden told us [i]'Self improvement is masturbation[/i].' My mid-life crisis is going to involve a new sports car, or the zoftig redhead with daddy issues in accounting, or better yet, racking up frequent flyer miles going to Pattaya."

Went to the INS building yesterday. Had read about the ATM upstairs to left ,but saw 3 right out front..Tried all 3 and they only dispense in Colones. So I went thru security and upstairs on left and used that 1 ,no waiting with option of American or Colones..

I second not using travelers checks...Once, while handcuffed to a scaffolding in Mazatlan Mexico, I tried to pay a bribe to a local cop with a travelers check..didn't work.

If you use the ATMs at INS, I highly recommend you use the one [u]inside[/u] on the second floor. You are out of sight from the public and will be that much more secure in your transaction.

CH

"Once, while handcuffed to a scaffolding in Mazatlan Mexico, I tried to pay a bribe to a local cop with a travelers check..didn't work."

You mean Karl Malden was wrong and lied to us on TV about be accepted every where?,people are not allowed to lie on TV, how could he, he played a priest for goodness sake , my faith is shaken But does sound like you got a good story to tell about the scaffolding.

I given up on travelers cks, Atm's are reaching even the darkest corners of the world now,( try any big hotel as a last or safe resort) and if not cash advance at a bank with CC may be a lot safer and easier with less " extra charges" Last time I used travels cks, the cashing bank hit me with a 15% fee, then hit me again to convert from dollars to Rubles, I ended up with about 75% of ATM would have given me on the same dollar transaction after conversion

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My best friend was the clock on the wall, and he turned out not to be much of a friend in the end

Xman: In a nutshell...

April 2001, Crazyhorse was stumbling along the Malecon, boracho after a night at the clubs along the bay in Mazatlan. I saw a cutie sitting out front of my hotel and told her to follow me walking (about 50 meters to my rear)..and we walked around a couple of blocks. I was trying to shake the policia surveillance that is 24/7 in that part of town. A few blocks later, I duck into an alley, going into a construction site, she follows. She takes $10 from me, drops to her knees, and starts doing her thing. For two or three minutes everything was cool, until I hear the police radio chattering about 100 feet to my front.....up zips the pants as the cops round the corner. He cuffs me and the chica to the scaffolding, then goes through my wallet as he explaines that my fine would be $100. I play dumb and say "of course...we were trespassing on private property...how could I have been so stupid???" Over the next 15 minutes, he grilled me about my ATM/Credit cards, wanting to take me on an ATM tour..I explained that I didn't know the PINs or that this or that card wouldn't work (..look, the strip is damaged...jejeje..), but assured him I could round the corner to the hotel and write him a travelers check to pay my fine. He didn't want anything to do with that. He took the 230 pesos from my wallet and let me go. The chica, still detained, stuck around. I'm sure he got his, from her though...

CH

thanks, good bed time story,,

but is she was in front of your hotel, any reason you did not consider your room?

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My best friend was the clock on the wall, and he turned out not to be much of a friend in the end

They didn't let chicas in.
CH

oops--didn't read far enough before reaching for the keys.

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"A man accustomed to hear only the echo of his own sentiments, soon bars all the common avenues of delight, and has no part in the general gratification of mankind"--Dr. Johnson
"Amen, brother"-ED

was there a point i missed

There have been many but in the present instance--I was going tho ask Brother CH0017 the circumstances of his incident--this was already answered. I should have said "reached for the keyboard". Clear now, sniper?

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"A man accustomed to hear only the echo of his own sentiments, soon bars all the common avenues of delight, and has no part in the general gratification of mankind"--Dr. Johnson
"Amen, brother"-ED

sniper can you please attach a link to the WSJ or NYT so I know what you are talking about

OK before this internecine warfare escalates to total Nastyville, would Brother LocoHombre please tell me what his problem with me is? I don' promise to change as a result but at least everybody would know what about me grates on your nerves. Please be specific if not pacific.

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"A man accustomed to hear only the echo of his own sentiments, soon bars all the common avenues of delight, and has no part in the general gratification of mankind"--Dr. Johnson
"Amen, brother"-ED