www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Gentlemen,

I've been having fun today reading through some posts on this board. Some of you know me from a couple of years ago when I used to visit CR every month and was posting often. It seems like some of the names have changed, but the themes remain the same (“cien dolares”, don't fall in love with these girls, etc.). Costa Rica is alive and well, and it's great to see.

Over the past two years I have been visiting Colombia, and have got to know that wonderful country very well. The Colombianas there, of course, are just as beautiful, 1,000X more plentiful and generally do not possess the attitude and pretentiousness of those in CR.

Yet there is something about CR that I love and miss. It’s just such a great place to get away for a long weekend of hanging out, watching a game amidst the sea of beautiful chicas, enjoying a Cuban cigar, catching up with Roberto at Idem, heading over to El Pueblo, talking to guys from the boards, and selecting company for the evening. I really miss it!

I’ve since relocated from S. Florida to the New York City area, but fortunately there are some good flight deals to San Jose from here. I think I’ll be heading back sometime soon! I’ll be reading through the posts some more, and I may be asking some questions as well. A couple of years ago the Morazan was the best place to stay, Arte y Sauna was still open for business, and Zona Blue didn’t even exist. So maybe I’ll need to re-structure the way I approach things slightly, and I hope that to engage some of you in dialog that helps me do so.

For those of you guys I knew back a couple of years ago, I hope to catch up with you soon. For the others, it seems like you have a generally nice, positive community going on here. That’s awesome, and I hope to join in and be helpful if I can.

La Muerte

Welcome back,Costa Rica is easy to get to and has much to offer though I would like to visit Columbia someday when my Spainish gets better.Speaking of Roberto he has a great group of girls now at Idem.rbc100

Welcome back La Muerte. CR hasn't changed much since your last visit. You'll probably be suprised to see familiar faces in the BM, DR and Idem. Would enjoy hearing more about your Columbia experiences. Do you think you could post a trip report for us? Have heard from others that it's mongering scene is very active; the women are very beautiful and very inexpensive, can you confirm?

Papa Nut

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The best revenge is living the good life!

La Muerte

Welcome back. We are glad that you have returned to us.

About Colombia...I also would like to hear detailed information on your time down there. Did you have a Novia there and that is why you left and stayed gone from us for a couple of years? Please post your experiences because there are a few of us ( if not more ) that treasure the colombian women...( are you listening Dino? ) .

You information could be of great value for some of us.

ShowerHead

Gentlemen, I am happy to tell about Colombia. I don’t know if this is too far out of scope for this board, and how the Admin feels about this topic, so I will try to keep it in the context of comparison to CR.

I guess the first relevant fact is the safety issue. Colombia is not as safe as Costa Rica, but it is not as bad as those who’ve never been tend to conceive of it. If you stay inside of the cities and take what I think are reasonable precautions (e.g., don’t wear jewelry, don’t walk around in a drunken stupor) you’ll be okay. That’s perhaps an oversimplification, but it conveys the correct idea which is that you can be safe and have a good time.

Bogotá is huge, and has great restaurants, museums, etc. Oh, and about 8 million places to get laid, with girls from all parts of Colombia. It has a really big-city feel, and a byproduct of that is that the people can be a little bit closed off. Still I find it an easy city to navigate, to meet people and have a great time.

Cali is nuts. Bars and discos are open every night, and the women from there are beautiful. I have seen a lot of gringos there over the past year actually, although it is not an easy city to be in without a proficiency in Spanish. I think that Cali is where most of the mail order bride agencies are in Colombia, and being a gringo is not a big deal to the girls there.

Medellín is a really clean, modern city, with very moderate weather. The women there are also very beautiful, although you tend to see a lot of surgically enhanced bodies. But that look of raven-black hair with olive colored skin and really deep eyes is a classic look of a girl from Medellín. A year or two ago there was a BM girl who went by the name of Juliana who had exactly that look, and she is from Medellín.

Cartagena is a beach town with a tourist infrastructure. There are some great things in Cartagena, like the old city, but I don’t like it as much because there are a lot of touts in the street, on the beach, and everywhere in between. The girls are from all parts of Colombia, and tend to be very professional in my opinion. This is probably the safest city in Colombia, especially for the inexperienced tourist. It’s a good place to go for a first time visit to Colombia.

One place I’ve only been to for a very short time but must return to is Pereira. The girls in this city are physically similar to the girls in Medellín, but with the relaxed attitudes of the girls in Cali. It’s a smaller city, and I really wouldn’t go there without some big-time Spanish skills and experience in Colombia, but the girls there are awesome.

Here’s an important point; Colombia is large, with a population of between 38 and 42 million people depending on what you read. It’s quite remiss to get to know a few Colombianas at the DR and think that that’s how all the girls in that country are. These girls that we know are prostitutes, and tend not to reflect the intelligence and good-nature of the typical Colombian person. Colombian girls grow up to be dentists, manicurists, nuns, housewives, and yeah, some of them become gold-diggers, gringo-hunters and prostitutes. Don’t get me wrong, I love the Colombianas at the DR. They’re a lot of fun! But don’t think that you’re going to go to Colombia and find a whole country of girls like those at the DR.

So, about the hobby in Colombia; It’s alive and well, and there are actually a lot more bars and casas than there are in SJO. But what Colombia lacks is the gringo infrastructure. By that I mean a place like the DR, where you can hang out with other gringos, smoke Cuban cigars, play in the casino, dress like a tourist, speak English the whole time, etc. One would get his ass killed in Colombia looking and behaving in such a way. In Colombia you have to be really discreet about the hobby, and unless you’re into museums, restaurants, etc. (like I am actually) then you might end up bored. To me the great thing about CR is what you can do while NOT hobbying as much as the hobby itself.

I could go on forever, but I’ll spare you all in favor of taking specific questions and seeing if the Admin takes issue with this topic.

LM

LaMuerta,

I have been traveling to Colombia since 1981, and I agree with your observations. Bogota is a fantastic city, and I would recommend to any members traveling there to stay in the northern suburbs ideally "La Zona Rosa". Downtown can be nice to visit during the day, especially the Gold Museum and culture in Candellaria; however, as they used to say about some of the southern U.S. towns "don't let the sun set on your ass" there.
Whatever you do don't go south of downtown Bogota.

Also, I have had several novias there; and the difference between these amigas and any Colombianas that you would meet in CR are like night and day. The Colombian women are very cultured and feminine. Actually, the ladies that I have met prefer gringos to Colombian men primarily because of their lack of fidelity.

Denver

YO LaMuerte:
I see you found this group of misfits, many of the old farts that shiprecked from the old site. Seems like I met you once when you stepped over me while I was laying on the sidewalk on the calle as you were headed in route to the DR.

Fortunately, this forum is well constructed and moderated very well by Admin 1 and 2. Personally, I don't think any of these guys are getting laid but they sure can real off some good stories. Can't fool old Circus.

Welcome back amigo.

_________________
Damn if I'm going to repeat this shit again. I need a drink.
I've been drinking vodka every day for 45 years and I have certainly never found it to be habit forming.

LaMuerte..........how about Barrnanquilla?

Very informative post LM. I've developed an enfatuation with Latin America and am thinking of venturing further south. Columbia is high on my list as well as Peru, BA and, of course, Rio. Would enjoy chatting with you over a few cervasas at the BM sometime.

Papa Nut

_________________
The best revenge is living the good life!

Seems like the boys are interested in info on Colombia. I'm considering a trip also.

Which airlines fly there? Do you always fly into Bogota, and then connect to Baranquilla, Cali, Cartegena or Medellin? Ever do any travel overland by bus?

Thanks for all the info.

Gentlemen, thanks for the replies and questions.

Denver, your observations of Bogota are spot on, especially regarding the soutern part of the city. Have you been on the Transmilenio? It’s my preferred method of travel between downtown, el chapinero and the zona rosa.

Circus, nice to see that you’re still out there. I’d forgotten about that time I stepped over you on the street. If I remember correctly, I did step on poor Huggie…sorry about that.

Dear John, I’ve not been to Barranquilla. I don’t hear very good things about it actually. I am told it’s kind of a dirty, industrial type of city with not as many lookers as the inland cities. Funny when thinking about girls like Shakira and Sophia Veragara, but that’s what I hear.

Papa Nut, I’d love to chat with you too. I’ll keep posting, and if things go well will fin a long weekend and get myself back to SJO soon.

DBoy, Avianca has flights from Miami to Bogota, Barranquilla, Cali and Medellin, as well as New York/JFK to Bogota, Cali and Medellin. I think that American also has Miami to Bogota, Cali and Medellin. What I usually do is fly into wherever I get the cheapest flight and then buy domestic tickets while in Colombia. You can get a round trip from Bogota – Cali – Bogota, or similar itinerary between two cities for under $100 USD. I have not ever taken a bus between cities in Colombia, nor would I. Too many things could go wrong, like roadblocks or even the bus breaking down in the middle of some un-policed hotbed. Not worth the risk at all.

To everyone, I would stress to all a few things before deciding to go to Colombia. The first is to consider what you’re after. If you’re looking for the SJO/DR experience but with more hot women at cheaper prices, then don’t go. There are more hot women at cheaper prices, but as I mentioned before, you don’t have the infrastructure developed with you in mind. You’ll be disappointed, and are likely to find yourself staying inside of your hotel watching ESPN in Spanish and calling escort services at $60 per hour.

Another thing I would not do is travel around Colombia with a bunch of my gringo buddies. Maybe one or two others, but the more of a pack you are the harder it’d be to blend in…and staying safe is all about blending in. Blending in also means dressing much better than necessary in CR, probably toning down the volume and exuberance in your voice when speaking in public, and generally being very discreet about why you are there in Colombia. When people ask me what I am doing there, I always say that I am visiting my cousin who is working as an English teacher. In Colombia, you never know who you’re talking to or who they’re connected to. While just being a gringo presumes you to have money, you have to do everything you can to downplay the fact.

Oh, yes, one other very important thing. Prostitutes in Colombia are just like those in CR. They’re all players and deceivers down there too, and they’re just as good at making you think they’re in love and then taking your money and breaking your heart. Most of the girls at the DR worked in Colombia before they ever stepped foot off the plane. Don’t think that the working girls are any sweeter or more genuine - they’re not.

Now, if you want to meet a non-pro and have a real relationship in Colombia, this can be done. But that’s really out of scope from this board and is not something I’ll get into unless otherwise asked to do so.

To anyone thinking of going, I don’t say it’s a bad idea but I absolutely say that it’s not something to tread into lightly. I love it there and think it can be a great place to go, but it has to be the right fit.

CR is a quick getaway where we can enjoy beautiful women, casinos, nightlife, a beautiful country with diverse activities, and with reasonable precautions get back home with our asses in one piece. In addition we have this board, which is a wonderful way for gentlemen of our ilk to control the market prices and remind each other not to fall in love with these girls. CR is really a great fit for all!

LM

Mr. Dead,

There is a section on this message board called 'trip reports from around the world' where you can spill your guts about hobbying outside of costa rica. So, please share all your thoughts about colombia (the land of beautiful babes).

I am very intrigued by traveling to bogota for vacation.
who knows ? I might end up working there for a couple of years.

LaMuerte,

Yes, I have been on the Transmilenio, and it is a very fast and efficient method of transportation in the city. I rode it from the North al the way to end of te line on te South sde. That was the only time that I cruised the South side of town. Lots of National Police and military, all packing uzis.

Also, I work with a guy that married the daughter of the family that owns the Transmilinio. He met her at undergraduate school here in Colorado. They married and freturned to Bogota where he worked for several years. After that I went to graduate school at Harvard, andher family picked up the entire tab, i,e, tuition and all education expenses, and living expenses in Cambridge.

Will be returing to Bogota after January 05.

Take Care,

Denver

Denver,

Though just a little over the usual age, would this Family Adopt me?

HL

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Don't tell my Mom I'm a Pilot. She thinks I'm a Piano Player in a Brothel.

HL,

I have met her, ad for Colombian chicas she is rather "low" on a 1-10
scale.

Denver