www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Sometimes when I am driving thru the mountains of CR on my way to one location or another, I find myself needing to stop and gaze and be amazed by the beautiful view. However, if this were my only reason for visiting CR, it would be a one time thing. Most of my time is spent in and near San Jose, where the true beauty is found. Yup, hot looking women to the galore. Yes, this is the same San Jose where they pump laundry water directly into the street, which leads directly to the rivers. Not to worry tho, as the frequent rains wash all this down to the sea and leave only the white plastic Mas a Menos bags hanging in the trees. As the cartoon in The Tico Times so accurately depicted, " And behind this pile of garbage ". I would venture to say that most of the canvas hat eco tourists probably enjoy their CR vacations, yet most will be in no big hurry to return.

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My life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming...." MAN....WHAT A RIDE!!!!"

We love all you gring tourists.

If there's a slowdown in tourism, it's the first I've heard about it. Foreign visits are up. There's a few projects to increase room capacity.
Also, I'm not sure I would label the local coffe production as insignificant.

Now I am no expert at living in CR since I am only a family tourist. How ever being married to a tica and reading about all of the different perspectives of CR that tourist have is kind of funny.
The eco tourist thing just kills me because the Ticos have a different look at the Eco. When ever me and my wife go walk around the country side of our home in Tres Rios and see the debre like refrigerators, tires and just all kinds of crap you just have to ask what the gringo eco tourist would think. The parks that the eco tourist goes to are owned mainly by the foreigners that bought them and made them into parks, then after sold them to the goverment for a lot of money.
As for the family that stops by in San Jose just to take a fun trip to the beaches, mountains and other location this is just a money maker for the Ticos and hopfully a good paying future. Hopfully they will come back next year but not stay.
For the mongers just remember this is only biz . The difference between these women and the true prositutes in the U.S. is that the women in SJ are normally not hooked on drugs. The women in Sj know if they treat their clients well they will hopfully get more money.
Just remember for everyone that comes to visit CR that this is a country that we don't want to spoil with U.S. views just like the ECO tourisim we want to keep the country as it was before we came to visit.

Yeah, and from what I've been told, it is the gringo mongers who turn some of the chicas on to drugs.

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Like Wit said, post the truth about SJ on travel sites and travelers will come to CR, but maybe they will avoid central SJ (stay at an airport hotel).

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I have heard this & even seen a little where gringos invited a group to party.. To each there own but why drag this shit into their life? People are so short sighted. You reep what you sow & after they go down these mindless paths they wonder why everything is so phucked up?????????? Many Ticas have asked me why so many Gringos are CRAZY? From what I have seen most Ticas I know seem to be into normal family things & raising childred than anything else. YMMV

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