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You gotta love it! If you tripped and stubbed your toe bradbard would eventually post something on the U.S.’s involvement in world domination.LOL!! Almost every post will go down that path at some point, only David Murray will stay on point and actually address the question, although a little bit of sarcastic humor does slip in now and again.Oh yeah Alfred too….
Think of all the civil liberties that have been eroded because of this incident. It is very similar to the burning of the Reichstag, if you know anything about history, which tends to repeat itself. You might want to read Robert Baer’s books for some insight and information about what happened prior to 9-11 and what info the admin was given by him, which they chose to ignore, et voila, nous avons 9-11.
Your right. I can’t smoke in bars anymore. That was a big erosion of a civil liberty that I did enjoy. But that wasn’t because of what happened on 9/11 was it?
puhleeeeeeze, you know it has nothing to do with 9-11 and everything to do with the fact that second-hand smoke is deadly to those of us who don’t have such a terrible habit. Thankfully, they passed this law to protect people like me from people like YOU! LOL
There is no paradise for everyone. One advantage to Gringos living in CR is labor is cheap (relatively speaking). Almost any retiree moving to CR (or elsewhere in Central America and the Caribbean) can afford a full time live-in maid. But that cheap labor has a cost, poverty. With poverty comes crime. However, if you read all the news closely, spend some REAL time in CR and take a good look you will find that like anywhere else crime varies. In the cities you will find drugs, prostitution muggings like in any city in the world.
Everywhere in CR including rural areas crime is mostly petty theft and crimes against property. THIS is greater than in many places and something you must address in CR. An empty home is a prime target for this type of crime. So you put up bars like the Ticos do, OR you contract for really classy ironwork (I know blacksmiths in CR). You hire a caretaker to watch the property or make some kind of arrangements.
This is my chief complaint about CR. Here in the US I have lived in numerous places (mostly rural but also in cities) where I did not lock my doors, left keys in the car (at home) and never worried about theft. However, you could move a short distance from these places and you had better have GOOD locks. There are many such places in the US but this is a big country. Costa Rica is a small country and some conditions are universal. Theft of anything that can be carried away is one.
Those things aside, what makes Costa Rica a Paradise? The weather, no heating or air conditioning bills. The people, beautiful and generally friendly ESPECIALLY if you try to make friends. The people who’s children are quiet and respectful and generally well educated. The people who are hard working (making that low cost of living possible for retiring Gringos). The fresh food year round. . . that is relatively cheap. The soil where you can plant a stick and have a flowering bush or a shape tree in a year or less. If you like gardening you will LOVE it in much of CR. The affordable health care and beautiful landscapes. . . It may not be paradise but it is close.
Five more years….
I see some of you are getting the “leave the gringo mentality at the airport” vibe. Very Good. Come to CR to do as the Romans do, or don’t go to Rome. Rome is Rome, lets try and leave it that way.
Although, I am still sorry to say it but I will repeat “5 more years.”
I was born and raised in Costa Rica and I think it is paradise! Does it have problems, of course…who doesn’t? The bottom line is that Americans need to understand that they will be venturing into a new culture and thus they need to adapt and respect their new culture. When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
Americans are very typical! They move away from the United States to “escape it all” but as soon as they get to their destination, they immediately point out the negatives and compare it to the wonders of their home town they have just “escaped”. They then build shopping centers, sports bars, high rises, McDonald’s, Starbucks and Pizza Hut and when they are done building their “Mini America” they say “Paradise is Lost” and move on to their next “escape”. Why not enjoy their new “escape” as it is? Instead of thinking the glass is half empty, think of it as being half full. Until Americans learn to think this way they will never understand why Costa Rica is paradise.
I don’t mean to stereotype all Americans as I know that the VIP Members of this website truly love Costa Rica and there are many of Americans that despise large scale development, they live very pleasing and simple lives in their new Tico homes and they are actively involved in their communities to improve Costa Rica. Those types of Americans we welcome with open arms in Costa Rica!
Thank you for making some very good points. I just read the wish lists of other gringos on another board — the endless list of junk foods (and things nobody should eat) that they wish Auto Mercado would carry because they miss those items so much. Why wish for frozen juices when you can make fresh juice from all those fabulous fruits, all year long? Why not drink something really healthy instead of some fruit-knockoff that is loaded with all kinds of horrid things such as corn syrup? I was shocked at some of the things people would expect a foreign corporation to import to satisfy their longings. I am so happy when I am in Costa Rica because I know I can have a steady supply of fresh food all year long and the only reason I have to go into a Perimercado (or other Wal-Mart owned grocery store) is to buy olive oil, mustard, and vinegar. The rest of the time I shop the feria. It is one of the great cultural experiences of Costa Rica. The verbal exchanges I have with the vendors make my day, and the Friday-Saturday markets are the highlight of my CR experience. I chose San Ramon for its paucity of junk food places. But I fear that with the influx of gringos to that area eventually those gawd-awful places such as Pizza Hut and McDonald’s will spring up. UGH! It’s why the homogenization of America is so frightening. Shopping centers spring up in the middle of the prairie with all the same anchor stores. One research study said they did this because Americans like to travel from New York to California and be able to have all their favorite restaurants and stores in the same spot. Anything else puts them out of their comfort zone, but now they are moving to foreign countries and imposing the same problems. They should just stay home, as far as I’m concerned.
Maravilla….I could not agree more with you. I am a Gringo by definiton But I was there for 3 months last year and am coming for 3-6 months to find a place to land for good. I for one was sick to see WalMart moving to C.R. They said they would keep things simple like they are but you can bet your boots they will have HUGE U.S Wallmart store in the near future. Yes it is the Gringo Gringos that will cause this to happen. I do not care if I ever see another McDs’ Pizza Hut or any other American food chain again. I will only live Tico style in a Tico House taking only life as it is offered by the local people. This is Their Country and I for one have no intention of bringing U.S. “crud” to Costa Rica. I for one also am sick of reading on this site where you can still find Condos for ONLY $200,000. This is the sick and proverse doings of Gringo Gringo American developers. Greed, money making and distroying the economy and make up of the local people….Yes it does give them jobs but I think the overall effect is as others have said on this site a disaster for at least many parts of the country
Terry From TexasIf Costa Rica turns into a mini-Amerika, I will have to move to Argentina or Uruguay. I’ve never eaten in any of those fast food restaurants, so I can’t imagine longing for purely poisonous food from an establishment that is a blight on the landscape. But that’s the American way — export the worst of our country to some poor third world country and then ruin that culture and destroy the health of its citizens with all manner of crap nobody should ever ingest. I love the Tico lifestyle — simple, simple, simple.
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