General Trip Report 7-27 to 8-19 2000

Made a 3 week trip to CR to attend an immersion Spanish class (see my separate report on this subject for those interested in learning to language). After much web research my friend and
I attended a 4 hour a day course in Heredia. The director of the school is a Gringo married to a Tica, and he got us great prices at Hotel America for $18.50 a day if you paid up front in cash, otherwise its $25 a day if you use credit card. They normally get $45 a day if you just walk up (step down from the El Presidente).

Heredia is everything that San Jose isnt. Its safe, friendly, and a college town with great bars and restaraunts around the University located there.

My buddy and I would watch all the Ticas line up in the morning to catch their buses to San Jose, and we saw the most beautiful women in Costa Rica every morning in Heredia. We quickly mastered the local bus thing and rode the bus to San Jose
for 135 colonies when we needed a little action. The bus ends up in a bus depot about 4 blocks from Morazon Park (make sure you know how to find it as there are several stations in the area that go to different places), and easy walk to Gringo gulch. A taxi isnt much faster as traffic seems to be the limiting factor. We did the obligory Park Hotel trip. They now have added a twist on Fri and Sat night, a draw for 3 BJs after the show for an additional 1000 colonies.

Since we were staying in Heredia it was going to be difficult to have a good time with the ladies.......NOT!!!!!. Around the corner
from the Del Rey is the quick time Hotel Asia for 2500 colonies for 2 hours. They all know where it is.

The ladies were pretty much 4s and 5s with a few 7's and 8's thrown in. This time of year they ask $60 but quickly go down to $40 or so after a little bargining.

After talking to some of the ladies, many of them live in Heredia and soon I was getting big time discount right at the Hotel America, since I was saving them the hassle of having to go to SJ and the taxis etc (12,000 colonies). When I checked out of the hotel, I got billed several times for an "extra bed charge" of $10, as they would note every time you brought a lady there and she stayed more than 30 minutes. My explanation that the were simplemente "mis profesoras de espanol" was greeted with much laughter.

You finally get tired of being hammered on by the women at the Del Rey, and I was looking for an alternative of meeting a local. I found the greatest place if you like live latin music by some of the best bands in Costa Rica. Take you favorita to BAALBEK restaraunt on a weekend night. It is located in Los Angeles de San Rafael de Heredia ($10 taxi from SJ). Classy restaraunt, where the service is great and the food start at around $11 or so for a steak. Its in the mountains above the valley and you get a great view of SJ by night. The band sets up and begins at around 10:30 for the greatest meringue, salsa and ragae that Ive ever heard. By the end of the evening your lady will be paying you (or at least no charge) for the great time you have shown her. Lots of locals there also that want to dance.

A few observations:
1. Pay up front in cash for your hotel...big savings.
2. Get out of the Del Rey and avoid the double charge for Gringos. Great Italian restaraunt half block down the street towards Central Ave, that has better food for 40% less than the Del Rey.
3. Watch your back in SJ. Although I found it to be quite safe with good police presence, just be aware of where you are and and where you are going. Keep moving and act like you know where you are going. Read the general info and understand how the avenidas and calles are numbered and which direction is North and which way to go to find even numbered avenidas for example.
4. Big savings for food and hotel if you stay out of the downtown and take the bus (like Heredia for example).
5. Learn enough spanish to be able to do basic things. The ladies talk among themselves right in your presence trying to gauge how much they can get out of you. Quite funny, and I pretended
I didnt understand and just smiled until it was my turn.
6. Sorry I knew the language at times. Many sad cases there at the Del Rey. Single mothers with a crummy 6 day a week jobs in a factory for $60 a week and not enough money to survive. Many dont even have a job, but I quickly tired of hearing the stories. The real agressive ones are there for a few months from Dominican Republic or Columbia to make as much money as quickly as they
can. The Columbians tend to be quite beautiful, and you will fall in love, but 10 minutes after you are back from the room she will be hitting on the guy two seats down from you at the bar.

Mike the ZorroFox

Zorrofox,
Thanks for the well-written trip report. Here is some useful information for others who want to learn Spanish.

From another one of Zorrofox’s posts we know that the name of the Spanish school he went to in Heredia is IPED. It has a website at the following URL:
http://www.learnspanishcostarica.com/index2.html

There is a free online Spanish class at:
http://spanish.about.com/library/clase/blintroduction.htm

It uses a book titled “Spanish Now! “. I recommend using a book titled “Spanish the Easy Way” instead. It is the same book, except it has an answer key for the exercises in the back and lacks the clay coloring on the black and white sketches.