www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Former NorthAmerican Gentlemen who live in CR,
I know you miss efficiency, smooth streets and good utilities but what consumer goods and foods do you miss living in CR?
When you visit north, what do you pick up to bring back?
Besides condoms and inexpensive electronics.

I was just wondering.

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PacoLoco: "You pay for it one way or another."
Ace: "Rent everything, do not buy in Costa Rica"

Well, I dont live in CR (but I live in Panama).

What do I miss hmmm? Other than Reece's Peanut Butter Cups, and College Football games....not a damn thing!

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A Costa Rica Toast:
Here's to Looking like Movie Stars, Partying like Rock Stars and phucking like PORN STARS!

Mostly I miss just things that are bad for you and give you cancer. Fattening foods, All the special drinks with fake sugar that give rats cancer in laboratories, off the counter diet or "lite" foods with special chemicals and no fat...

Like you stated, the main things I pick up when stateside is electronic stuff, lithium batteries for cameras etc, and mainly clothes. Clothes are more expensive and less quality down here in general.

When I'm in the states...I really miss fresh fruits and vegetables...especially at a reasonable price. I miss being able to drink and smoke cigars without fear or incrimination or drunk driving arrests for having 2 beers. I miss being able to slip into a casino at will to get a little action (unless I"m in Vegas or near an Indian reservation). And I REALLY miss the smiley friendly Tica faces as I walk throught the streets of USA cities.

Wow, never have I heard words that ring so true.

I am a Chicago life long resident, I am about to embark on my 4th trip of '05 to the promised land.....

Walking down the streets of downtown Chicago last friday afernoon, just happened to say hello to a few people waiting for lights to change along the way, amazing the blank stares I received in return (who are you to be saying hello to me, do I know you type of looks)....Occassionally you get some sort of response, but not the norm around these parts....

I am a friendly type of person and have noticed on my previous CR trips how friendly and willing to help (within reason) latin people are.
As my retirement years grown closer, I will be spending ore and more time in CR for this reason alone.

For Papi......There is always trhe satellite dish for the college football fanatics among us......GO Hoosiers (I Know they suck)...College Hoops right around the corner......

Longing for my return in 19 days.....

CG

I picked up some clothes for the ladies before may last trip. Nothing special, just a few shirts, shorts and skirts. Nothing cost more than $3.00 each. You should have seen the smiles on their faces. Oh, one of the gals was just plain HOT in one of the shirts I brought. Certainly worth the few $$ I spent. They also seemed to really like the lip gross and lotion.

Size 13EEEE shoes. Forget about getting shoes in large sizes south of the U.S. border. And....

I missed the abundance and variety of the products available in a U.S. supermarket. Usually living alone I use a lot of frozen food stuff for convenience. Cheap, easy and healthy. There is not much in the way of frozen products available in Latin countries. Forget about Healthy Choice or Lean Cuisine.

Also, I missed the bagged, prepared salad veggies available in U.S markets. $2 bucks here in Tucson. Toss it in a bowl, add tomatoe, dressing and a diced up piece of microwaved chicken breast and I'm eatin' good in five minutes for under $3.

Most of the products at Automercado in Los Yoses where I shopped were inferior to and more expensive than in the U.S.

When you are partying and eating in restaurants for a week or so you don't notice this stuff. When you live there you do. (Unless, of course, you are an M-man have some honey bunny shopping and cooking for you like some guys we know )

Chuck

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There ain't no romance without finance. ¡Se trata de la PLATA! (It's all about the MONEY!)

My new ebook, "Living La Vida Loca in Costa Rica", is available at http://costaricamongering.com/

YO Chuck:
Although I never lived in Central America (except Mexico) for extended times I agree with you on the food availability. I sorely missed the frozen packages that are abundant in the states. Even when one is staying 2 to 4 weeks this problem occurs. I missed the cold tasty milk, meats, and varied selections of other "healthy" foods. Perhaps I am just spoiled by the easy availability of comsumer goods here in the states but as one grows older it is difficult to change old habits.

Yea, when I was young I managed C-Rations along with rice and ??? in many countries but now days I tend to look for comfort foods.

BTW, there is no tender delicious steak in CR. Not to mention grits.

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Damn if I'm going to repeat this shit again. I need a drink.
I've been drinking vodka every day for 45 years and I have certainly never found it to be habit forming.

For me, its "Twinkies"
LVSteve

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Just an old horney, fat gambler.

Good NY pizza
Easy light charcoal
Corn fed beef
Maine lobsters
Chinese food buffets
White Castle
Gringas who look like Hurley from Lost, but with a bad attitude....well maybe not!

....Don't live there yet, but 60% of the last 5 months (including the next month starting in 36 hours)--- PRETZELS. And also 80-100ft. visability in the ocean.

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Why Chicas Come to CostaRica:

"Predators gather where prey abounds"

water chestnuts ... basically variety of products
Bed bath and beyond
In and Out (CA)

and to be able to at least look at priceline

Handy -does your list mean that you can still receive your copy of Martha Stewart Living every month?

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Y.N.W.A.

Damn dude, maybe you are gay.

dapanz1

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Paradise= Sitting outside the Bodega in Panama City about 1 am. Drinking cool Balboas with cool friends and blazin' hot Colombianas. I want to be there..RIGHT NOW!

For me it's the close proximity to my 2 ex-wives. I miss the great expense of having them,and the even greater expense of getting rid of them. I miss the freezing cold weather. I miss the feeling of having the slush on the sidewalks seeping through my shoes.I miss the $7000/year that I used to pay in real estate taxes so that my second ex-wife could live her life as a Princess. I miss the 500/month that i used to pay the gardener. I miss the neighbors I had,most of whom never said boo to me. I miss the $150-200 that it used to cost to have a good meal in a restaurant with a date. I miss the $7000/year heating and air conditioning bills that I used to pay. I miss the dental bills that were about 5 times what they are here. Sorry but I have to cut this off now.I have a beautiful 20 year old chica,arriving soon to love and adore me for the next 24 hours.

Amen to that!

I don't live there, but from all of my visits...as Circus pointed out, cold tasty milk.

Also, real ketchup.

I'd be interested to know how many ex-pats have a car there. The tax on new cars used to be 100% but I think it's lesser now. With the abundance of taxis everywhere a car wouldn't really be a necessesity, but I imagine it would be nice to have one. Tman...I imagine you have a vehicle for business purposes. If I recall correctly, Mexpat/Chuck did not have a car. Mente, Vegas Bob, LVSteve, Ding Dong et. al...do you guys have a car?

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"In a nation ruled by swine, all pigs are upwardly mobile, and the rest of us are phucked until we can put our acts together; not necessarily to win, but mainly to keep from losing completely"...Hunter S. Thompson (RIP)