www.CostaRicaTicas.com

BW downtown has gotten some favorable reviews here from guys who have stayed there. It is in a less than desirable location.

Think the Morazan, at about $40.00 per night with the coupon in the Tico Times, is a much better choice.

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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

The only "touristy things" I'm aware of around the Best Western is the Ch*ldren's Museum, which, under the proper circumstances, is very worthwhile to see.

I suppose it all depends on what kind of "tourist" you are. The Best Western is in fairly close proximity to a few massage parlors as well.

Zebra

Sorry.. By "touristy" I meant things like the museums, parks, landmarks, historical buildings, etc...

Does the Morazan have free wifi access ? Is the room quality better then the bestwestern -downtown ?

The Best Western Downtown is very nice and has very clean rooms. The service is great as well! There are nearby bars and clubs within about a block or two where services are provided. It's a nice 10-15 minute walk to the gulch and Delray from here. At night, I always use taxis to get anywhere in San Jose. Why walk when it's only a $3 cab ride?

The hotel is located in an area where many Dominican Republican immigrants live and party. Please ignore the blatant racists on this board that feel that a neighborhood is "bad" or "dangerous" when they see a group of black men hanging out on the streets. Maybe it's the mongers from small town America that label these gentlemen as "criminals." I grew up and live in Chicago where I understand that there is good and bad in all people.

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I will travel the world over to find a better latina! Gringas have flat asses..

Irish Drifter states that the Best Western Downtown San Jose is in "a less desirable area of town."

Irish Drifter why do you "sugar coat" this? I am quite sure that you are calling the area less desirable since black people are in the area. Therefore, Irish Drifter is a blatant racist. Why don't you come out and warn people that the "blacks are going to get them?"

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I will travel the world over to find a better latina! Gringas have flat asses..

It is a dangerous neighborhood at night as other areas of San Jose such as the neighborhood south of Parque Central, Avenida 10, Barrio Cuba, Barrio Castro, etc.

None of this has to do anything with "group of black men hanging out on the streets" or "Maybe it's the mongers from small town America that label these gentlemen as "criminals."

Sounds like someone is a little over sensitive to perceived racism.

Was just about to post this when I see Udo has added another post to this thread



Then he even gets more ridiculous and states



No sugar coating the area is well known to be a less desirable area of town. It has nothing to do with the color of the inhabitants it has to do with the crime problem. Try to turn it anyway you want it ...it is what is.

If that makes me a racist so be it. Maybe you need to look in a mirror if you want to see a true racist.

Dam, knew I should not have signed up for the NASCAR fantasy league. Now I am seen as a "good ole boy" [/u]

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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

Ask ANYONE who lives in CR, local resident or not. No one will sit there and tell you that area is good to walk around at night, especially for a tourist gringo.

No one ever mentioned Dominicans are unsafe, or dangerous.

Udo,
You need to go back and re-read this thread. I did not see any "racial" remarks, whatsoever. NOONE wrote ANYTHING about that neighborbood being dangerous because they saw "a group of black men hanging out on the streets". Those are YOUR words, not from anybody else! Try to relax my friend.......

Respectfully,
MG

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You ALWAYS have an option ....... "NEXT" !!!

The downtown BW is approximately a mile and a quarter from the Plaza de la Democracia, the National Theater and many museums.

It is in a part of town loosely called "La Zona Roja," close to many tico nightclubs, massage parlors and cheap bars/sodas. The neighborhood while fairly convenient is not good, and one would be well-advised to be very careful. While within a good leg-stretch of the Hotel del Rey, I would never walk alone, particularly at night.

WIFI? Sportsmen's Lodge, hotel Presidente... Pool? It's about the only choice. Proximity to mongering, nightlife and tourist attractions? You could do better at around the same price, maybe a little higher elsewhere.

I've never stayed at the BWSJ, but friends who have stayed there really liked it. You'll encounter many gringo mongers there, although they'll likely be more low-key than guys you'll meet at the Hotel del Rey. YMMV, of course.

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

Regarding implied racism:

As many local folks are a bit more severely tanned than I, any reference to local crime could be construed as racist. Believe me, nobody I've met on CRT expresses racism, whether the member is white, black, brown or golden yellow.

We're damn sure sexist, but not racist. Udo, if you're going to call names, at least get your "ism" straight!

Udo, out of curiosity, are you a person of color?

Hey, I'm blind and really can't tell the differences between skin colors in Costa Rica, and if it were not for ebonic speech I'd have trouble in the U.S. differentiating between races.

The fact is, whether caused by Dominican blacks, Guatemalen/Salvadoran/Nkicaraguan browns or persons of any other nationality/color, crime is still a problem in San Jose. The causes of criminality have more to do with poverty and sadly, drugs than with race, IMHO.

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

I wasn't going to post but,...............

I was born in a small west coast city, Compton, California. Annually, one of the highest murder rates per capita in the nation. As a white youth, I was the minority growing up, and beat down, physically and verbally, by the majority. Things that don't kill you make you tougher. I had the opportunity to discover what racism is all about, it was about me being white in a black man's city. Do I harbor any resentment about that, hell no? I understand that the black people have had a much harder road in life, than the road I have traveled. While I could get away from Compton, they can never get away from the discrimination of being black. I cannot tell you the amount of times I have been called a white Mo Fo, honky, or other racially charged names. So what? One thing that most whites haven't heard, I was called Gray Boy. I asked my friend who was black about it, and he said, "You are not white, and you are not black, so you must be gray." Again, was that racial, of course, but I thought funny and true, something that I have remembered to this day. I am not really white, more of a beige color.


To give an example of my stupidity, in 1966 the Army sent me to Ft. Benning, and upon our arrival they gave us a three day pass. I knew nothing about the south or Georgia in 1966 yet. I hitch hiked with a black man from Fort Benning, GA to Atlanta. As an old man, in his beat up pickup, that picked us up said; "You boys are lucky to be alive." I did get much smarter over the weekend, we took the bus back. To me, a dirty white boy from Compton, he was just, Larry, a good friend.


I often wonder about people who ask about racism, do they actually live out of their realm. If you are white, do you you live in a black neighborhood? Chances are that you will pay less in rent, for a comparable dwelling. I have been the only white person on the block, and found my neighbors there to be probably the nicest neighbors of anywhere I have lived. They took the time to come over, bring food, introduce themselves, etc. I now live in an apartment in lilly white area of southern California, and I don't even know what my neighbors downstairs look like, much less their names. Even though I live in "lilly white southern California," and I would no more want to be out walking at night there down the main blvd., than I would in Compton. The world has changed. There are dirt bags of all races that want something for nothing now, and they don't care who they kill to get it.


IMHO it is human nature for people to want to be around those like themselves, not only in a living situation, but in who we hang with. Those who have traits like us, we have more in common with, hence a comfort, and understanding, level.

IMJ, I personally have never seen what I believe to be blatant racial remarks on this board, from ID or any other person. I believe that ID, from the posts of his that I have read, is a very good man that was trying to help others stay safe, and it had nothing to do with race. He posts often, and has much to say for those of us that know less than him about CR. It would be easier for him to just go away and not post his wisdom and be flamed for it. Those of us who have gained from his wisdom would be worse off for that. By the way ID, watch Pura Vida Racing as it speeds to the front this weekend!!!

As Udo stated:


I guess that this could be perceived as racist, but I just choose to believe it is very smart of him.


While racism definately exists, the "R" word is thrown around way too much, and greatly diminishes the racism that does exist.

My dos colones, from a fat old white man. Now back to stories about phucking women!!!

Health & happiness

Santas Bro

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It's not the size of the wand that put the rabbit in the hat, it's the magic in it!!!

About the most ignorant statment made on the CRT board in a long time

You guys need to take some things with a grain of salt. I did not mean to create any anger or resentment with anyone. "Bad areas" are typically areas of low income and/or high unemployment where it's easy to find cheap booze, street walkers and plently of people selling drugs on the street. In some ways, I feel that these people are using drugs as an escape from their lousy environment.

I have experience in the bad areas of Chicago. About five years ago at my old job in Chicago's tough West Side neighborhood, I went to a local Burger King for lunch. I decided to eat inside and enjoy my Whopper. While eating, I heard a group of young black men talking very, very loudly. They said that "they would kill all the mother f'in white people if they could get away with it." I looked around immediately and only at this time noticed that they were aiming their verbal assault at me, the only white guy in the restaurant. I was color blind until this point. I quickly left the restaurant feeling that I was lucky to escape without being hurt or killed.

Later in the day, I thought to myself what I had done to provoke such behavior from these young black men? I concluded that I did nothing at all to them. These young black men were simply "attacking" me because I am white. Any white guy would probably have provoked such a behavoir from them. A more confrontational white guy may have lost his life at this ghetto Burger King. These black guys were being openly racist towards white people.

Wanting to be the better man because of my education level and income level, I chose not to every be as racist as these young black men were to me on this day. I hope it was only their lack of education and ignorance that made them say the things that they did to me. It was a bad day for me. I guess that I "turned the other cheek." Racism sucks big time!

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I will travel the world over to find a better latina! Gringas have flat asses..

Udo,

Lets be very clear on this. All your experience living in Chicago and your experience at Burger King, with or without a grain of salt, can not excuse this post you made,



You had no evidence to make such a charge and rather than a long story abut being a white guy at a BK full of black people you should post an apology to me. Naturally that would require a real man to step up to the plate

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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

Absolutely!
MG

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You ALWAYS have an option ....... "NEXT" !!!