www.CostaRicaTicas.com

My first trip was in march. I stayed at Castillo and never took a cab to the DR. Coming home late from the KL or DR I took a cab though. Just walk fast and with a purpose. You should be fine before 11:30pm-12:00am. Watch out for the TS trying to grab your schlong though!!

Wow.

All of this debate over 1 dollar...

mh

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mh

My only pieces of advice are these: (1) Seriously consider using Brother Pops Guide service. Even veteran mongers find he shows them unknown facets + great stories http://www.popsguideservice.net or PM him; (2) Go to the Dunn Inn or SL Happy Hours. pick up a wingman, swap lies or just find camaraderie. Maybe even find a warm beer.<<Sorry about that--couldn't help myself.
I'm with the "taxi-everywhere-after-dark" crowd for the reasons presented, yes, even for 3 blocks.

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"A man accustomed to hear only the echo of his own sentiments, soon bars all the common avenues of delight, and has no part in the general gratification of mankind"--Dr. Johnson
"Amen, brother"-ED

You have more trust in the taxi meter than I have. On my second night in SJ, I took a cab from the Dunn Inn to the SL. When I asked the driver to use the meter, he turned it on and it was already 510 colones and we had just started. By the time he got to the SL it was 1200. He took the back road which is the shortest, but he went all the way to the railroad tracks and sort of made a circle. Maybe he knew I was a newbie and decided to get some extra fare. After that, I always asked the fare before we started. I don't mind paying 1000 for that trip, but I don't like to get ripped, even for 200 colones.

Like cabbies everywhere there's a certain minimum for just getting in the cab, 510 colones in this case. From the SL to the HDR and vice versa, hand them 1 mil and a big smile as you're stepping out of the cab. Nuff' said.

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"A man accustomed to hear only the echo of his own sentiments, soon bars all the common avenues of delight, and has no part in the general gratification of mankind"--Dr. Johnson
"Amen, brother"-ED

Good call, Shagger. Always cab it at night, I don't know why anyone would advise you otherwise. Heed the advice of the majority here, $2 ain't worth it. And yeah, check in, lock your valuables in the safe, and cab it to the best bar on the planet, the Key Largo..........Have fun!!!

PURA VIDA!

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Livin' & Lovin' in Key Largo....oh....And the one in The Keys, too!

GoodDayJohn, As Jazzbo said, the base for a taxi here is now c510. This is for the first kilometro; after which the marie adds c10 ever 100 metros.There is also a time factor which will add colones even when stopped at a light but at a much slower rate. Even if you know the shortest route from the DEY to SL, it involves the taxista making a illegal turn and most will not do it. This is just an excuse on their part to get more money out of you; everyone knows there is almost no enforcement of traffic laws here. But that said, even if he does take the shorter route, the marie will read around c800 by the time you arrive. With the longer route, it will be around c1000-c1100. Still only about $1.50(shorted route) to $2,25 (longer route).

As for walking; Please do not missunderstand what I am about to say!!

I would never advise anyone who does not know San Jose very well; who does not speak at least some espanol; who is not somewhat 'street smart'; who has been drinking; who is dressed like a gringo tourist on his first trip out of the USA; who has stupidly NOT left all his valuables (wallet, watch, necklace, passport, extra money) in the safe in his room, TOO ALWAYS TAKE A TAXI!!!! That said, the walk from the REY to the SL during the day and early evening, even walking thru Parque Espania, is relatively safe (though best if you are not alone--get a wingman) I live here, know the city and know what to look for and am always aware of what is going on around me! Some would say I have been lucky (maybe so) but I have made that walk probably 3000+ times and have spent 100s of hours walking all over San Jose and I have never had a problem. We did have a problem 2 times when I was doing the`MP tours, but no violence. I hear of people having problems with ladrons and cops here, but in MOST(not all) cases it was someone who was loud, or drunk, or dressed to draw attention to themselves.

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

We say you are lucky bcs you have round the clock pu*sy.

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."

Thanks for the explanation BangBang. My complaint was that rather than turning right on calle 13 (up the hill from the SL), he continued on that little curvy road all the way to the railroad tracks and then came back down calle 15. After that, I never asked the driver to use his meter, and it was always the shorter route.

Yep, it is very funny how if you are paying a set fee they have NO problema breaking the law and going the shorter way; BUT, if it is by the Marie they will almost always refuse to break the law!!

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

lot of one way streets in any downtown area. as bang bang said. some turns would be wrong. one mill will do the trick 99% of the time. except if you take one from the dr 3am. with no meter they charge double.

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the hunger is great!

At 3 AM, it's not that are charging double it's just that I'm seeing double so they get paid double. Or something like that. A distinction without a difference, I suppose.

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"A man accustomed to hear only the echo of his own sentiments, soon bars all the common avenues of delight, and has no part in the general gratification of mankind"--Dr. Johnson
"Amen, brother"-ED

Ya you guys are right it is about 1000 colones=$2.00 mi boracho......burp!...To be precise 840 colones.....exactly not a colones more hahaha.....I bet I am very close price wise if the taxi does not take you on a scenic tour...Oh ya also thats to the Armistad....Any betters out there ?...lol!!!!..........It has to be after 2:00 am for my number pick.....Driver must be over 40 no speed racers either..........Svenson