www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Big John doesn't seem to have an issue running a property at a loss: just look at the Little Marlin.

I'm sure the profit margin at the restaurant itself covers the LM and KL.

As for 'seediness', it's in the eye of the beholder. Calle seis is seedy to me, but HDR/KL is not much different in feel than Castro's (and the area there is far more spooky at night). Of course I was almost thrown out of Castro's for committing a slight error in the men's room ... but that's all but forgotten about now.

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

CR mentality. Instead offering a ladies night, happy hour or karaoke night they do nothing. Unbelievable. If business is bad in CR u just raise ur prices. Yep that works out everytime. Same mentality as the US government now that I think about it.

Last few times I've been in Key Largo, it's basically been empty. I think the downhill slide started when they raised the dinner price from 1500c to 3500c back in 2007. EVERYONE around the Rey at night would always go to Key Largo to eat and created a large crowd. From that day forward, it seemed the crowds got smaller and smaller. The band was always a draw but as someone else pointed out, with the DJ and dance floor now, the competing music just makes my head hurt even though I usually like both types playing. They tried to use that outdoor part as a smoking area and that drew some crowds but San Jose shut that down pretty quick. The last thing is, the numbers of people in the Rey/KL have dropped so much, there isn't a need for more floor space as they needed back in the 'good old days'.

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The only thing that matters is happiness in all it forms...

Somebody like Bill, Matt or Jimmy could turn around in no time at all. Look at how good a job those guys ave done and continue to with their business.

What I liked about it was that there were many weekend workers out to make a few. A good break from the hardcore Rey.

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I am NOT a Cien Boy!!

The good old days, yes I fondly remember the good old days!

Let's face it, since the HDR/KL scene started going down hill, the whole gulch scene started going down, lower and lower where it is today. They are both one and the same. SL, Z2 and any other gringo or partial gringo venue in the gulch does not the scene make; they are nice but just ancillary venues.

Cocal in Jaco is quite a phenomenon in this case. It has created its own, and the only high end, scene in Costa Rica, where the tourist monger can visit and enjoy a high selection of chicas, all available at the same place, as was the case in HDR in the good old days!

Of course, if you are looking to pay $70 or less, you can forget about top shelf at Cocal in the evenings...just stick to gorditas in MPs in San Jose.

Isn't one of the reasons the numbers are down is due to the requirements of the Costa Rican government to work there. I guess before girls could just come and go as they pleased as long as they didn't stay more than 90 days at a time. I think this is one of the main reasons you see far less Colombians than before. They have shifted their tact to places like Panama.

But I thought I read somewhere awhile back that Costa Rica was going back to the old ways of allowing workers in the country. I think there was an article about this very topic. The Colombians made for some amazing eye candy if anything.

The work-rule hasn't changed yet.

Good points, but I think the girls were there on a visitors/tourist visa not any kind of a work permit. I have been going to CR for a little over 10 years and when I would come you would get the 90 days automatically. Starting a few years ago you would get questions from the immigration officals at the airport about the length of your stay. One time I was staying for 4 days and they marked my visa for 5 days.

I also think the rise of the scene in Jaco has caused a further detioration of the scene in the gulch. It has divided up the talent pool as well as the customers.

I also agree with the points, others have made, about the noise level of the music in the KL. Sometimes it is so loud you cant even carry on a minimal conversation with a chica you just meet and are trying to interview to see if you want to session with her later. Nowadays the KL is not even 20% of what it was 6-7 years ago and beyond.

Once authorities tightened the noose and cut off the illegals and unders, you've had to make do with the leftovers...which suits me just fine.

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

Ban, I always enjoy reading your posts and hearing your opinions, though I rarely agree with them.

"Gorditas" in MPs ??? I'd expect this sort of comment from a know-nothing newbie, and not a gulch vet. I know yer being flippant, but honestly, I spend more money in MPs each day than I do on the nightly indie from SL/HDR, and I do not have any interest in "Gorditas".

I suggest you find new MPs to visit. That will change your PoV on the quality ratio between the salas and the indie pick-up joints. (And you might be surprised how many nightly HDR girls you see working in some of those salas.)

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

He was not referring to illegals or unders, he was talking about women legally in CR for a period of 90 days, the length of their visas, who no longer come because they cant get the 90 days. Therefore they go to other countries such as Panama. Up until around 2008 the KL was a lively place with action going to the wee hours of the morning particularly on weekends.

I understood that, but I was suggesting that the 90 day stayers were not so much an effect as the other two classes that have been removed from the public places. Just in the past 2 years, I have seen many MPs lose quality performers because they were illegal and get caught in the raids that have been increasing in that timeframe. At least one MP has been shuttered for the other issue, having been cited three times in a calendar year.

I'd think that even with just a 30 days visa, we'd see them there (because it's doubtful they can find anything elsewhere ... and if Panama suddenly has a large increase in content, why isn't anyone reporting it here???). It clearly has an effect, but I think the 'gulch drying up' has so many factors, that it may not have an outstanding one.

Personally, I've found the MPs to be increasing in stock as the HDR and KL run down. However, Jaco has more of a drain on the HDR quality than anything else, IMHO. As for the reduction in foreign workers, there seems to be a drop in gringo customers, and this would have to be considered a factor as well.

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

Yeah I agree it is a combination of factors that have caused the decline. I don't think you can point to one specific thing and say this caused the demise. But even with the talent definitely down in the HDR, I still am usually always able to find something to my liking. Now I might have to be more patient of course.


Speaking of Jaco, because of all the "hype", I decided on my last trip to actually stay there a couple of nights. It was in late September of last year and I stayed on Fri/Sat night. Sure there was some talent and I might be a little picky, but I remember having to wait late into the night before making a pull. Now of course 2 nights in low season may or may not be a good indicator. All I'm saying is I wasn't that impressed.

I guess someone like Bilko could write a book on the rise and fall of the gulch. There are plenty of reasons for it's demise. Probably some of us, myself included, may be a little unrealistic about the gulch coming back to anything close to what it used to be. Probably wont happen anytime soon if at all.

BD, I have never really been an MP guy as I like to party in my room so I can comment on the talent there. The last time I was in an MP is when BK was still around and that was few years ago.