www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Hotel is only 5 blocks from the gulch is it safe to walk it at night?

NO! Does that help?

Berk......

I believe it is not safe to walk anywhere in the gulch at night. There have gringo's mugged 1/2 block from the HDR.

Cabs are cheap. Why take the chance?

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

Thanks I am going to try to get into presidente tomorrow.

That is not going to make walking at night much less dangerous. If you check back on some posts from a few months ago you will see guys have been mugged in the walk from the BM to the Presidente and vice versa.

Presidente is a great choice but do not make the move from the Amon just on the perceived safety in walking issue. A cab at night is the best choice no matter which hotel you eventually select.

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

why walk anyway take a cab be safe.

Be safe dude...... No one is going to step in and try and save you as you are being mugged....... Sure they'll watch, but the locals don't involved not even security guards..... Trust me.

Some guys tried to rob me in broad day light and as the fight went on there were about 50 people watching..... Me against 3 dudes, luckily they had no weapons..... NO one did a thing.

The locals watching a person getting mugged and not helping......I wonder.....is it they just won't help a GRINGO who's getting mugged, or could it be a fellow TICO as well??

Zebra

Historically most Tico's are very passive and will not get involved no matter who is being attacked. Obviously there are exceptions that you read about where someone jumped in but that is not usual. Do not expect any help if someone tries to mug you.

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

I suppose it's pretty much the same all over....even the U.S. My sister who lives in Fort Lauderdale works for a large business. One day, several years ago, she was mugged by two guys while on her way to the bank with the previous day's receipts. It happened very near to the bank as she got out of her car. A huge struggle ensued. She managed to fight them off [prabably foolish in hindsight] and save the money from being stolen. A large group of people watched this go down.....none helped. She suffered minor injuries.

Zebra

It feels kind of weird stepping out of the BM and paying the guy 1k coloner to take you 3 blocks to the presidente. But if that is what you do, i guess i will. I thought i could just follow another gringo taking his tica to the presidente. Maybe she will fight back knowing that i am carrying her payday check.

The walk to the Presidente is actually more dangerous in my opinion. Either way you should not walk alone after dark.

I have been mugged twice so far.

The first time was in Managua, NICA in a ghetto named ciudad sandino. The girl I was with got between me and the dude. The guy walked away cussing me as he went. I think her brothers are well known in the area. I was crashing in their house for a few days and at night it was Katie bar the door with weopons galore. One night someone stole the light bulb off the porch.

The second time was in SJO while staggering back from a local bar after closing back to the Vista Linda. I stopped at a corner Pulperia with a big crowd and tried to make friends. Three guys started fighting with me inclucing one guy hitting me with his motor cycle helmet like a bat.

Lucky for them the cops came. They cuffed me and stuffed me in the cop car. A few blocks away and out of sight they stopped, took the cuffs off and asked me where I was living.

Here is were I got stupid. I raised hell that they go back and get the 3 dudes who where fighting with me. I demanded they go back. I, by God intended to press charges.

Well they said they were trying to help me out but if I wanted to play it that way they were going to play it by the book. So they stopped again. Put the cuffs back on and off we went to the police station. Well I was doing some back peddling but it was too late for ole' Triple FFF.

At the police station the desk sgt asks me for my passport. The cuffs are off again, my hands are bleeding from defensive wounds as is my head and face from a weak defense. I hand the sergeant a copy of my passport with date stamps. He keys some sh*t into his windows 95 computer with amber monitor.

I am doing some really fast talking about how professional these guys are and how much I enjoy their country. How I am a long term guest (within the 90 day window, this time, gracias a Dios) just trying to enjoy la vida loco en la tiera pura beera & chica... er...pura vida land.

The data comes up after estended processing time giving me a clear no wants/no warrants & under 90 days in-country clearance. At that time, I doubt they coss reference Iterpol or other data bases cause usually long term in CR you are either wanted or unwanted and they know it.

So the desk SGT hands me back my blood stained passport copy and tells the two cops to take me home. On the way I thank them for their professionalism, for saving my worthless ass, and offer to buy them a beer. They explain that they are on duty and cant drink but would be happy to accept the colones for what would have been the bar tab for the beers had we actually stopped.

I was a big hit with the gate guard and owner of the Vista Linda when I was dropped off by the cops at home after a big night.

So you make the call. I usually take cabs except when I feel stronger than battery acid and need a reality check.

OK guys, in all honesty we need to stop with the over intensive scare tactics here, or at least rephrase how we are giving advice.

Not trying to single anyone out here but after constantly reading these posts and hearing the same comments..well.

Is it really DANGEROUS to walk from the Presidente to the BM? I think any of us that have been to CR can say no its not a dangerous walk, and Im sure the majority of us would make that walk in a heart beat. Would I ever consider taking a cab for a 2 minute walk? Hells no!

At the same time, have incidents occured there? Yes, theirs been a few members on here, as well as probably some tourists who arent part of CRT who have encountered problems.

I think were being a bit harsh saying you basically HAVE to take a cab everywhere at night or else your going to end up in a body bag type scenario.

To answer your question, I dont know where your hotel is located, but 5 blocks in either direction from the BM at say 10pm-2am might be a bit on the iffy side. Has it been done, yeah, but it definitly isnt the most knowledgable thing in the world.

Im not trying to say "hey be a rebel and walk everywhere", but I think alot of the opinions on here are very very one sided for some odd reason. You get guys who have never even made that walk talking about how its dangerous, and it goes on and on.

I usually take a taxi from the Del Rey to the Key Largo after dark.