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Chilimike wrote:


Or when was it? There used to be Trannies on the streets surrounding the Hotel Morazan (including between the hotel and the hotel Del Rey), but I haven't noticed any for quite a few trips now, maybe 2 or more years.

the same thing happened to me about a month ago, ....but it happened between the Del Rey and the entrance to the Morazon.

I somewhat saw it coming and didn't lose anything ...but it can be a tricky situation because they, at first glance seem like women but by the second glance they could have your goodies

I stay at the Morazon a lot and I always check out the scene before I walk the 1/2 block. I usually wait for traffic to slow and then walk in the middle of the street. I try to keep off the narrow sidewalk. Mostly beggers and street people to contend with and the trannies are usually another block west.

Not so much, Pro. I received the warning to cab from HDR to the Presidente loud and clear over two years ago. This is no new situation.

As for catching a cab outside the HDR, stand inside next to the coffee machine in the HDR cafe bar and watch for an empty cab to roll by (about 10 seconds), then step through the door with your girl and motion to the cabbie, step straight into the cab and you are gone. Less than five seconds exposure while encumbered with a lady.

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I suppose we also need to take a cab to go to the Key Largo now to since one can't even stand on the curb long enough to hail a cab but have to cower inside the HDR until you see one passing by.

A couple of years ago, it was a little different story since muggings on the street in front of the NY Bar were epidemic. Its not nearly as bad now that police enforcement has been beefed up. And, again, this was not even a story about a MUGGING but an unusual story about a jealous tico ESPOSO attacking a CHICA at her place of business (ie has little bearing on any fear of mugging)

DR Dave's story also struck me as a bit questionable. First of all, it wasn't a story about being mugged either. It was a tale about getting pickpocketed. Admittedly, that is certainly much more likely than getting slashed by a stray knife swing by a deranged tico esposo attacking his chica. However, unlike mugging, it is most likely to happen where the crowds congregate immediately in front of the HDR rather than on the nearby streets where it is easier to keep your distance. And even if you somehow flag down a cab from inside the HDR, it is just as possible someone could bump into you or grab on to you while you're crossing the sidewalk and line of cabs to get into the cab on the street.

Secondly, the few details of this pickpocketing also raised some ither questions in my mind. If they were just walking from the HDR to the Morazon, a distance of 1 block, how could his buddy have fallen 10 feet behind him? It sounds like he was lolligagging around allowing himself to be distracted or delayed by the various street riff-raff that hangs out immediately in front of the HDR. It also sounds like Dave's friend was really green since he couldn't even recognize a tranny when he saw one and I strongly suspect a HUGE part of why he was hit and Dave wasn't was due to his own carelessness.

I always walk quickly and purposefully to get past all of the HDR hangers-on. I never let any of them get close enough to grab on to me, let alone reach into my pockets. If any one tries I stiff arm them like I'm the Heisman Trophy in order to keep them at arms length. I'll glance back periodically to see if any of them are following me and to let them know I know they are there if they are. It sounds like Hank is even more cautious than I am by walking in the middle of the street. And I don't carry what little money I go out with in a place that can be easily pickpocketed. If I had a lot of gambling winnings on me, I'd be taking cabs even for short distances, but I never gamble. Also, I'd probably take a cab everywhere all the time if I was getting as drunk as I've seen some of the rest of you get, but I rarely have more than 2-3 beers per night. But those last 2 factors are as much a measure of one's own personal condition and readiness to hit the streets as they are a measure of the degree of risk towards gringos in general. I wasn't suggesting one should take leisurely carefree strolls around that area late at night, but for SHORT distances taking a cab is not really all that necessary IF you excercise basic common sense and caution.

Prolijo, Understand and agree. My point was you have to be alert at all times. My incident did have a silver lining that continued on my next visit. Long story short, went to Relax again, had a laugh abou the incident and got special treatment. Well at least I thought I was special.

Interesting that I should read this now.... two years ago I was walking late from the DR to the Presidente and right out front of the NY Bar four teenage street K*ds ran up to me with their hands out: "Please, please senor" and I felt hands start to go into my pockets while the biggest one blocked me from walking twards the NY bar door. So I kicked him in the shins and sprinted into the NY bar. After I had a beer, I peeked out the door and sprinted to the Presidente. I've heard the advice many times to take a taxi from the DR to the Presidente.
El Gordo

Ok, I hear this all the time.. Last time I was in SJ, I walked from the DR to SL about 8 at night.. Didn't see anything, but was paranoid because of things i have read. Best to take a taxi, but certain types of guys are just gonna be targets..

4 years ago I used to walk at night from the Aurola to the DR (and back) through the lovely Morazan parque. At one time I even remember a police shack in the park? I'd walk it by myself and with chicas. The door guys at the Aurola used to tell me that it was a dumb idea so I stopped doing it. One morning I was having breakfast in the SL and a guy was having breakfast with 2 fresh black eyes. He told me he was mugged in the Morazan parque walking to the SL. We all agree, best to take a taxi.

Sorry fellas, at the moment I have no additional corroborating evidence to support my original assertion. I DO know the chica in question, who was allegedly attacked. I have her pics....(and video )...for this reason I was curious to see if someone might have heard something more.

Did it really happen? Who knows? Could it? Why not?

PR

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TW,
We were talking about walking ONE block like to the Pres or Morazon, not the distance to the SL Although at only 8PM when regular people are still out on the street and in the park it should be okay to even walk to the SL. One of the security tips I have read about knowing where to walk in foreign places like SJ is to look for local male-female couples. If you see such couples (as opposed to groups of guys) casually sitting together in city parks in the evening, then that suggests that the locals consider it a safe enough place to be. And you often see such couples in both Morazon and Espana Parks at those hours. LATER it is another story and, if you decide to walk through either of them, you best do it very quickly and with your head on a swivel. You're certainly right about one thing though, there are certain types of guys who are just gonna be targets no matter what time of day they go out. One should be cautiously alert at all times.

Gordo,
Things are still bad but they're not nearly as bad as they were 2-4 years ago, at least not in that particular area. Authorities respond to particular threats and the problems just move elsewhere. SJ at night can still be a very dangerous place but the sorts of incidents that you described in front of the NY Bar are nowhere near as common. It also obviously helps considerably to avoid packs of guys like the plague and if you see them coming (which you should if you're alert), either walk around giving them a wide berth or even walk or run the other way. They should never get close enough to stick their hands in your pockets. Picking your moment to start your walk by looking for lulls in the traffic or crowd and then walking very fast, like Hank does, is also a very good idea. For SHORT distances, you can be halfway to whereever you're going before any street riff-raff have time to react (and are presumably focusing on the next slower moving guy who is closer and stepped out of the HDR after you).

my last visit (about 3 weeks ago) I did see police often even at night and in spots where gringo's would be ....and really felt safer on this trip. But if you seen my post about the beat down I viewed from the 4th floor of the Morazan when the police do make it to the crime they dont have much control of what is going on....If I would of caught that 30 mins on tape everyone would be shocked to see what went on when the police were there. I have heard many stories about when one of us get in trouble and the police get involved we have little chance of proving our point after watching what went on in front of the police ...the last thing I would want is to be in any type of trouble where they are involved

On my first trip to SJO I'd walk through the Morazan parque at night because there was a police shack and a couple of guys that had "Policia" jackets . The door guy at the Aurola laughed and told me they were not policeman that I could trust? So overall how are the Policia in SJO, are they corupt like in Tijuana and Juarez?

Yes, you want to avoid the policia AND the bad guys.

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I witnessed an assault on a gringo in the block between the HDR and the Hotel Morazan 2 months ago. Unfortunately, the police got involved right away, patting down the gringo and checking for ID. I hopped out of the cab I was in with my Chica (I gave the driver 200 colones for his 1/2 block ride) to make sure the gringo didn't get hauled away.

The police ended up being cool about it, they just wanted to make sure no one was getting harmed. The gringo was a friend of mine, the assaulter was his very jealous Dominican "novia" who was bashing him for talking to other chicas. He likes the drama. Everyone went home happy. I prefer the police being more hands on now, than absent like before.