www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Are there any large shopping malls nearby? I am staying in the Del Rey.

about a 5 dollar cab ride puts u at the mall.....full food court, 6 movies , sex shops, sporting shops ...just like usa...not cheap...just like the usa....

Mall San Pedro is not far (see 1 post above), any taxi will know. The meter should run ¢2000-2500, depending on traffic.

Thanks guys, I appreciate it.

Last time there, when I was leaving I went to catch a taxi. Dickhead didn't want to run the meter and started quoting rates (4K). Got out and found a taxi with a meter. Be sure to do the same.

Dean

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my first wingman sent me this, how true

" most of the girls down here, lie as a self defense mechanism and to not have to face the truth, thinking most men couldn't accept them knowing the whole truth. Simpler, they may just want men to think they are as perfect as they want to appear to them, trying to hide what they consider to be the ugly truth about themselves. And I may be reading more into it than is there, but I do believe they consider the basis of the lies to be justified."

Dean's advice goes for any cab ride. The two exceptions are if you know what the price should be from here to there and agree on that before you get in or the ride downtown from the airport which is a fixed price.

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Play Safe

or if there's no metered taxis around and it's your only option, especially at night.

I ride from the SL to my house 4 blocks SE (a little on the other side and south of the mall) almost every day. Except for during rush hour (4:30-6:30), it should never be more than c1500-c1700 to the mall. To my place is almost always c1600 (rush hour=c2500) From the REY is actually a little shorter ride.

Others are correct in that if you are a gringo, many times the driver will try to not turn on the meter and charge you a outragous rate. If he does not turn on the meter, ask him to; if he refuses, get out and get another taxi. If catching a taxi at the mall, I usually walk a block or so down the street and flag one down. Same taxis, but for some stupid reason it seems that if you get a taxi in front of the REY, the SL, or the Mall de San Pedro, they will try to rip you off; a block down the street from any of these places they won't (usually). Just the other night I had a taxi in front of the SL refuse to turn on the meter. He told me c4000!!! I told him to go pluck himself and walked a 1/2 block to the corner and caught a taxi who used the meter--c1500 to my house!!!!!

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Old and retired but still bang, and bang, and bang!!!

Never had that problem. If he refuses to turn on the meter, go to the next taxi, there's like 10 of them lined up. I ask even before I get, just so I don't have to go in and then out.

I usually go to the movies once a week at Mall San Pedro. BB is correct the taxis parked there are almost all ripoffs. I have had four recent incidents wiht hot meters running more than double the rate. We walk down the steps to the bus stop and catch a taxi coming by.

BKTUNA/Boyd
I am never going home

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BKTUNA/Boyd
I am never going home

All I can say is that you are/have been damn lucky!!!! As you say, never get in a taxi there or for that matter anywhere in SJ without asking first. I am certainly not the only one who has experienced the same problem at the Mall--every guy I have talked to who lives in the area has had the same problem.

As BK says the VERY FAST METERS IS ALSO A BIG PROBLEM THERE and the taxis that hang out around Cafe Mundo are even worse about having fast meters. Last time I used one of them it was up to c1500 in 5 blocks and was over c4ooo by the time we got to the mall. I told him to let me out. After getting out I handed him c2000 and told him to take it or call his supervisor. He laughed and drove off!!

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Old and retired but still bang, and bang, and bang!!!

I have had the fast meter there and lots of other places. Is there any regulation in the taxi industry there? Jesus.

One other thing to watch out for around the mall is scumbags doing sticks after dark. I heard some stories of people getting mugged right in front. There are lots of little teenage punks hanging out in front, so just be aware of your surroundings, don't take out your cash or cell phone around there.

With all the problems being reported about the San Pedro mall why bother? It is a second rate mall at best. Spend a few more bucks and take a taxi to Multi Plaza in Escazu. Except for all the Spanish being spoken you will think you are in a U.S. top class mall. Well on second thought South Florida guys won't notice any difference from Dadeland mall.

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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

Irish,

I am a South Florida Guy living in exhile in the Washington, D.C. suburbs (Yeah I know!). Your reference to Dadeland was from the point that alot of/only Spanish or both Spanish Spoken and hot chicas? Either way I am good. I can speak Spanish and loves me some chicas calientes.

I've been by there. seriously I thought I was in the OC.

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Enzo

Now in High Definition!