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Clueless couple looking for paradise
https://forum.costaricaticas.com/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=27369		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  PacoLoco [ Mon Feb 23, 2009 3:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Clueless couple looking for paradise
A guy I know through work recently informed me that him and the wife booked a cheap flight to CR to go down and "look around the island" :roll: for some retirement property. He knows that I have friends in CR and asked for some realtor info. Upon questioning him "Why CR?" I was surprised to learn it's simply because they'd found a cheap fare and heard nice things about the country. I asked do either of you speak any spanish? NO. Been there before? NO. Where will you be staying, what areas are you interested in, how do you plan to get around? "DON"T KNOW". Holy crap how clueless can people be, I just wonder how common this type of traveler is? I research places for weeks or months before booking a trip.
Anyway they want to get together before the trip to pick my brain some more, they may be in for a rude awakening when I inform them of the many dangers of being dumb gringo tourists with no spanish skills looking to spend $ in CR.
Author:  Spanky [ Mon Feb 23, 2009 3:56 pm ]
Post subject: 
You should offer them your services as a guide if they pay your way and hotel. :D

Tell them all first time gringos need a guide.
Author:  Flacoduro1 [ Mon Feb 23, 2009 5:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Clueless couple looking for paradise
PacoLoco wrote:
A guy I know through work recently informed me that him and the wife booked a cheap flight to CR to go down and "look around the island" :roll: for some retirement property. He knows that I have friends in CR and asked for some realtor info. Upon questioning him "Why CR?" I was surprised to learn it's simply because they'd found a cheap fare and heard nice things about the country. I asked do either of you speak any spanish? NO. Been there before? NO. Where will you be staying, what areas are you interested in, how do you plan to get around? "DON"T KNOW". Holy crap how clueless can people be, I just wonder how common this type of traveler is? I research places for weeks or months before booking a trip.
Anyway they want to get together before the trip to pick my brain some more, they may be in for a rude awakening when I inform them of the many dangers of being dumb gringo tourists with no spanish skills looking to spend $ in CR.


I've came across several people like you've described, I usually ask, do you speak any spanish? when they say no ,they also say they expect the people there to speak English. F***king clueless and arragant. People who don't do their research and at least have some knowledge of the language end up robbed or even worse. This is way I've excluded several destinations for myself. or least without a knowledeable wingman.
Flaco
Author:  PacoLoco [ Mon Feb 23, 2009 5:56 pm ]
Post subject: 
Everyone has to make a first trip and some things you can only learn on the ground but there's no need for complete ignorance with all the info available at our fingertips today. Then again maybe the rednecks don't own a computer. :lol:
Author:  Spanky [ Mon Feb 23, 2009 6:46 pm ]
Post subject: 
PacoLoco wrote:
Then again maybe the rednecks don't own a computer. :lol:


Don't talk about your family that way. :P
Author:  JazzboCR [ Mon Feb 23, 2009 9:34 pm ]
Post subject: 
I blame that cable show "House Hunters" for pimpin' the dogshit out of CR. The guy that owns my usual licoreria, an otherwise savvy businessman, gets a starry-eyed look when talking about buying a house here. I've tried to hip him up and get him straight but he brings it up every time i'm in there for my Imperial fix. Can't fix stupid, so they say.
Author:  BrownCow [ Mon Feb 23, 2009 10:07 pm ]
Post subject: 
Spanky wrote:
You should offer them your services as a guide if they pay your way and hotel. :D

Tell them all first time gringos need a guide.


GREAT IDEA!



And to answer the initial question... SOOOO many people in the US just EXPECT this...

Especially if they've never left the US, or only done "cruising" YES, everyone speaks English when you go cruising... b/c they know you're not going to speak anything else, and their english is limited to "xxx dollars"...
Author:  CaptainCohiba [ Tue Feb 24, 2009 12:22 pm ]
Post subject: 
These sound like the type of people who do end up buying something down there and then wonder why everything(services, infrastructure, government, etc.) is not like the US. The biggest things they underestimate.......it is a THIRD world country(does not compare to the US)....the native language is SPANISH. Not to mention the crime factor.

Some people just don't get it.

I like the part when they called it "an island." Be sure to get their trip report. The husband will wish he went solo,hehehhe.

PURA VIDA!
Author:  Nhhank [ Tue Feb 24, 2009 12:59 pm ]
Post subject: 
A few nights in the DR would be my advice :twisted: :twisted:
Author:  Chi_trekker [ Tue Feb 24, 2009 5:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Clueless couple looking for paradise
PacoLoco wrote:
A guy I know through work recently informed me that him and the wife booked a cheap flight to CR to go down and "look around the island" :roll: for some retirement property. He knows that I have friends in CR and asked for some realtor info. Upon questioning him "Why CR?" I was surprised to learn it's simply because they'd found a cheap fare and heard nice things about the country. I asked do either of you speak any spanish? NO. Been there before? NO. Where will you be staying, what areas are you interested in, how do you plan to get around? "DON"T KNOW". Holy crap how clueless can people be, I just wonder how common this type of traveler is? I research places for weeks or months before booking a trip.
Anyway they want to get together before the trip to pick my brain some more, they may be in for a rude awakening when I inform them of the many dangers of being dumb gringo tourists with no spanish skills looking to spend $ in CR.


On my first trip, I spoke zero spanish and didn't know anything about CR other than what I read in travel guides. It was the most random trip I ever made and was recommended by business partner who thought I should get some sun after a rough project.

In 5 days, I hooked up with three different girls, without even really understanding that it was mongering. Talk about clueless!!! :shock:
Author:  El Viejo [ Tue Feb 24, 2009 5:32 pm ]
Post subject: 
On almost every trip I run into similarly clueless tourists. In many cases they have been scammed or had a room or car broken into while on vacation. I cannot understand people who do not try to learn everything they can about a place before going there. Once I decide on a new destination, I read everything I can find about the place. That's half the fun.
Author:  Gringotim [ Tue Feb 24, 2009 10:02 pm ]
Post subject: 
I've had several 'acquaintances' in the past who thought Costa Rica was an island. Well, I suppose that's not surprising given the fact that many people couldn't point out Iraq on a world map, let alone Central America. Let's hear it for our educational system! I guess they don't teach geography in schools anymore. Pathetic.
Author:  SexxxyGirl [ Wed Feb 25, 2009 11:05 am ]
Post subject: 
My favorite was when an acquaintance of mine’s girlfriend was talking at a dinner party with her fiance’ about their plans for their bachelor and bachelorette vacations. She was going with some girlfriends to the Bahamas', and he was going to San Jose, CR. As I continued to sip my champagne and listen to her tout about how she thinks is wonderful that they aren’t doing the ‘tacky’ strip-club event and actually going on calm, vacation getaways with close friends I looked him up and down and just smirked..... Poor girl has no clue where he was off to.... and the only thing I kept wondering is if I would end up running into him and his party, I love it when guys get all nervous before the logic bell dings in their head and they realize why I’m in the same place... :)
Author:  MarkL54 [ Wed Feb 25, 2009 11:28 am ]
Post subject: 
SG, I thought you only came down to go marlin fishing and bird watching...or was that snapper fishing and beaver watching? :P :P
Author:  El Ciego [ Wed Feb 25, 2009 12:29 pm ]
Post subject: 
On my flight to SJO last August, I was seated with a gringo couple from New Orleans.

They had no Spanish. They had no confirmed hotel reservations. Like Paco Loco's acquaintances, they had done little or no research.

The woman pointed out the Rolex on her wrist, saying that she hoped she could find a jeweler who could cheaply adjust the watch. I tried to inform her that she really needed to keep the timepiece hidden from the view of potential robbers.

The guy, in front of his wife started talking loudly about the women in C.R. "I hear they're really easy, and most of them are bisexual." His wife scowled. "We won't find any of that kind of woman where WE'RE going..." I asked her where.

Man-yoo-well An-toe-nee," she replied. I told them not to feed the monkeys and slipped into headphones, but before I could press Play, they were again asking questions. "Heard you can get a condo down there for $30K that would cost you ten times that much in New Orleans..." "Is it true that the people all speak English?" "hope we don't run into any of those Nicaraguans. I hear they're invading C.R. just like the Mexicans are doing here."

When the lady rose to use the rest room, I quietly informed the gent that he was being an idiot, warned him about security matters, advised him to photocopy his passport pages and walk softly in country. I also informed him that the women were not all morally bankrupt, and that he needed to learn the distinction between non-pros and prostitutes. He of course wanted to know everything about hookers... I gave him the web address for CRT but insisted that he not explore the site with his wife. :lol:

Wonder if he made it out alive? Not just the Rolex, but the couple was (by their admission) wearing a lot of expensive jewelry. They were in fear of another Katrina, and so left Louisiana with most of their worldly welath hanging around necks and wrists. :roll:
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