www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Although I have been there many times, it has been 7 years since my last visit so I do have a couple of questions. I will be staying at La Amistad in San Jose and the Cocal in Jaco. I arrive 9:10 PM on September 3rd and have purchased the interbus airport transfer to the hotel.

No.1 What are the smoking/non smoking rules these days. Bars? Restaurants? Hotels? I smoke a pipe and hope that there are areas outdoors where I can sit and smoke even if nothing is allowed indoors but where I live there is no smoking in parks, beaches, certain popular walking streets, etc. So I don't go out very much.

No. 2 What is the limit of the 'draw' at the ATM's in the Casino's? Do the Casino's change currency?

No. 3. Specifically does the Cocal have an ATM and do they change money at a reasonable rate?

No. 4. I am 71 and not in the best of health. I have difficulty walking. Will I have any problem with finding Taxi's for short trips in San Jose - like from La Amistad to NF?

I know of several restaurants that used to have pretty good food in San Jose but not in Jaco - any Jaco dining recommendations would be appreciated.

Thanks for your help.

amistad has a little smoking area out in front and getting that taxi shouldn't be an issue.
sure there must be good food in jaco but i don't recommend the food at cocal.
ordered fried stuff to munch on watching the parade around the pool and was sick the next day.

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im way deep into nothing special
riding the crest of a wave breaking just west of hollywood

I was in CR , three months ago and you could enjoy a smoke at the Mona Lisa ( the out side deck area) order food or drink and fire it up. Bring the waiter a pack of Marlboro reds from the states and he's your friend for life.
The El barco in jaco is pretty good , but there is a restaraunt across the street that is better( has argentine or something like that on the sighn. ) just walk from cocal to the Main Street and hang a left, it's on the first block.
I could still smoke outside part of Ricks cafe(Dunn inn) just not when lunch or dinner was being served.
Hope this helped, have fun and be safe

Thanks guys for the answers. I have a savings grace in that I suck on the e-cig's, vaping they call it. I've used the damn things on United and Asiana Airlines and in bars in Southern California so hopefully I will be able to use them in CR.

If necessary to use ATM, use the national bank ones. BCR, Banco Popular, etc
Private banks and other ATM's might hose you. However, there are agreements with some of the private banks and others that might help you out -- check first. ATM's at the branches are more likely to give more money and dispense dollars.

As I recall from my previous trips, you can exchange dollars for colones at banks downtown with a passport? Is this correct?

Yes, any bank in town will exchange dollars at a pretty good exchange rate.

So will the little bank (Bank of San Jose) in the booth next to the departure tax counter on the upper level (departure level) of the airport.

Stay away from the money changers at the airport except for the Bank of San Jose on the departure level.

You need your passport for any currency exchange at a bank.

A little more info about the banks. The Bank of Costa Rica (BCR) does not charge a fee at their ATM's. There is a branch of BCR on the second floor of the INS building, to the right of the stairs, excalators, elevator as you are going up. To the left is a BCR ATM. You can also pay your exit tax at that BCR branch without an added fee. I think the ATM's on the ground floor of the INS building all charge a fee, but they are on the outside of the building so you can go there after the INS building is closed.

Also, I have exchanged dollars at that BCR using a color copy of my passport. You may need your passport if it is the first time you exchange money at a BCR.

A BCR teller in the gulch once honored my copy of my passport when I had forgotten to bring the book. But she admonished me to bring the book the next time.

What I have been told by 2 different tellers at BCR branches (across the street from the Morazon and in the Mall de San Pedro) who I know and they know me is: "The tellers are told to only accept a passport" but "since they know me they will accept my copy" as long as the head teller is not close by!!!

It also is correct that BCR does not charge a fee. They also in most of their locations have a machine(s) that dispense only colones and a machine(s) that dispense either dollars or colones. many of the other ATMs only dispense colones. I point this out because many banks in the States will charge a fee for obtaining colones on top of their regular out of country fee for using the ATM. Bank of America for example charges $5 more no matter how much or little you get in colones. I always get dollars and walk a block and a half to the Colonial casino and get dollars change to colones at above the bank rate almost never a line and no ID required.

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

This hasn't been talked about much here. Best I can do is the TA Website--hope it helps:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurants- ... renas.html

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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

Fr. Lust:

Keeping it succinct: Do NOT do currency exchange at the SJO airport where you pick up your bags.

ONLY change money at the SJO airport UPSTAIRS in the departure section of the airport: Enter the airport doors and TURN RIGHT...go to the end of the room and there will be the tiny little kiosk bank where the exchange rate is friendly.

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"Actual happiness always looks pretty squalid in comparison with the over-compensations for misery. And, of course, stability isn't nearly so spectacular as instability. And being contented has none of the glamour of a good fight against misfortune, none of the picturesqueness of a struggle with temptation, or a fatal overthrow by passion or doubt. Happiness is never grand."
- Aldous Huxley, Brave New World, Ch. 16

the rate is 'friendly', but the tellers sure ask a lot of questions. I prefer the Walmart just outside the airport. No questions asked.

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bypassin' kinky, and usin' the whole chicken!!!

Questions? What kind(s) of questions? They've not once asked me a question other than how much I wanted to exchange. Period.

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"Actual happiness always looks pretty squalid in comparison with the over-compensations for misery. And, of course, stability isn't nearly so spectacular as instability. And being contented has none of the glamour of a good fight against misfortune, none of the picturesqueness of a struggle with temptation, or a fatal overthrow by passion or doubt. Happiness is never grand."
- Aldous Huxley, Brave New World, Ch. 16