Travel Announcements Only (No questions or comments please)

[Bunda Man]

Will be at SL Valentine's and President's Day weekend. Would be great to meet up with any members who are in town for beers and good conversation.

[Que Rico]

i disagree, this is a perfect site to throw in a question like that .

markets -- there are several markets near downtown, but by far the largest is the mercado central, located between avenidas central and 1 and calles 6 and 8. although this dark maze of stalls is primarily a food market, inside you'll find all manner of vendors, including a few selling costa rican souvenirs, crude leather goods, and musical instruments. be especially careful about your wallet or purse and any prominent jewelry because very skilled pickpockets frequent this area. all the streets surrounding the mercado central are jammed with produce vendors selling from small carts or loading and unloading trucks. it's always a hive of activity, with crowds of people jostling for space on the streets. your best bet is to visit on sunday or on weekdays; saturday is particularly busy. in the hot days of the dry season, the aromas can get quite heady. if you have a delicate constitution, don't eat any fruit that you don't peel yourself (oranges, bananas, mangoes, and so on).

[Manizales911]

Are there any flea markets or local market places in San Jose?

Any types of local crafts or art, besides xxxsy.

You've got to be kidding,right? You are on a sex forum about Costa Rica and you want to know if there are freekin' FLEA MARKETS???

[Superman06]

Everything you want to know is on this forum. Just take a little time to RTFF before asking your fellow mongers to create various lists for you. Were not on your payroll, are we? Take a few hours to read the forum and notice there is a search function at the top.

I will be arriving at 8:15 PM, is this too late for the bus?

If so, does anybody know a taxi company or private driver to hire.

I'll be staying at the Hemingway Hotel, I got a nice rate $44.00 per night.

Guys, mongers, cheap-xxxsy-chasers of the world

Make a list of the Best-Of-Costa-Rica and post it!

Best bars, Best Massage Palors, Best Girls, Best Side-trips, Best Resturants

Is there any flea markets or local market places in San Jose?

Any types of local crafts or art, besides xxxsy.

[Member #4258]

I'd like to thank everyone for their advice on how to handle my Delta frequent flyer miles problem.

The day after I was told that a home-ATL-PTY/SJO-ATL-home trip would cost me 80k miles, I called the customer service number. I tried seeing how far in advance I would have to book in order to get that flight for less.

After checking 7, 9, and 11 months from now, and the "price" not coming down, the rep realized that it wasn't the advance booking that was making the price so high, but the way the flight was configured. It was an "open jaw" so instead of being one round trip which would cost 25k-35k miles, it was charging me the price for four one-ways, whichis 20k each.

I explained to her that Delta's website didn't show a connection between PTY and SJO. The rep found one with an affiliate, Copa, and that made all the difference.

So, not only do I not have to buy a ticket with Taca, for my "open jaw", but I will get home-ATL-PTY-SJO-ATL-home for just 60k miles (not 80k). Also, I will get first class for three of those five flights.

What a difference getting some good advice and talking to a smart rep makes.

60K and 3 legs in 1st class.

Sounds good to me! Glad it worked out.
Hoser

[James3433]

I will be arriving at 8:15 PM, is this too late for the bus?

If so, does anybody know a taxi company or private driver to hire.

I'll be staying at the Hemingway Hotel, I got a nice rate $44.00 per night.

Guys, mongers, cheap-xxxsy-chasers of the world

Make a list of the Best-Of-Costa-Rica and post it!

Best bars, Best Massage Palors, Best Girls, Best Side-trips, Best Resturants

Is there any flea markets or local market places in San Jose?

Any types of local crafts or art, besides xxxsy.

[Iguana Six]

I'd like to thank everyone for their advice on how to handle my Delta frequent flyer miles problem.

The day after I was told that a home-ATL-PTY/SJO-ATL-home trip would cost me 80k miles, I called the customer service number. I tried seeing how far in advance I would have to book in order to get that flight for less.

After checking 7, 9, and 11 months from now, and the "price" not coming down, the rep realized that it wasn't the advance booking that was making the price so high, but the way the flight was configured. It was an "open jaw" so instead of being one round trip which would cost 25k-35k miles, it was charging me the price for four one-ways, whichis 20k each.

I explained to her that Delta's website didn't show a connection between PTY and SJO. The rep found one with an affiliate, Copa, and that made all the difference.

So, not only do I not have to buy a ticket with Taca, for my "open jaw", but I will get home-ATL-PTY-SJO-ATL-home for just 60k miles (not 80k). Also, I will get first class for three of those five flights.

What a difference getting some good advice and talking to a smart rep makes.

[Jaimito Cartero]

I left CR two days after 911. My favorite haunt then was the Park Hotel. Do you know of any simular hotels in San Jose area now? Cheap rooms, cheap girls always at the bar, and an possibly a Gringo owner?

I never stayed at the Park, but did bang a chica there, and take in a couple of the Lesbo shows.

I don't think there is an exact match for the Park these days. I'm sure there are other cheap hotels, though. The Sportsman Lodge had chicas in the bar when I stopped by to visit a guy who was staying there. I think it's rooms are in the $45-$60 a night range, though. I'd check current threads, since I don't stay at any of the hotels, and my info could be years out of date.

[Jaimito Cartero]

Are you trying to book a first class or a coach flight? US-Central America is usually 35k for a standard coach award.

Delta doesn't have the best web interface for booking awards. Usually you want to book using the multicity tool. So you'd book your city (let's say it's Memphis), so MEM-PTY-SJO-MEM. It may only offer you Atlanta connections, or may put you through Houston (IAH) or Los Angeles.

I'm a NWA elite flyer, and I put in some dates, and was coming up with 42,500 miles in coach. The SJO-US flights were harder to come by.

If you'd like to PM me some dates, and the city you're flying out of, I can perhaps figure something out for you. I travel extensively, and am pretty good at finding decent awards.

I live in a small town with a regional airport. It has good connections to Atlanta, and Atlanta (Delta) has good connections to Central America. I've been pretty loyal about using the airline, and even got one of their credit cards to boost my frequent flyer miles.

Last fall I tried to redeem them, but I was shy of the magical 60k miles needed for an overseas flight. Now, I have 72K+. I tried to make a reservation. Home-ATL-PTY and SJO-ATL-Home. The plan: spend a four days in Panama, then use TACA to fly PTY-San Jose, then spend a four days in San Jose, then come home.

Knowing that it is all about "availability" (which is airline speak for: how we keep passengers from using frequent flyer miles on flights and dates they actually want to use) I tried making my reservation 4 months in advance.

Well, Delta said that those flights required 80k miles or $660 in cash. Since I only had 73K miles, I would have to buy the other 7k miles for $295. Should I pay for this trip and try using the miles in the fall? Or should I cut my loses, and use up my points now and "save" $330? With the recession, will the airlines just up the number of miles needed to get a free trip?

[Nickster53]

I am going to be in San Jose over the weekend of January 9th through the 12th. I am planning on staying at HLH and exploring all of the gulch activities.
I have done a lot in Brazil and Argentina but this will be my first trip to CR.

If anyone is going to be around during that time frame and would like to meet for a drink and explore, send me a PM. I speak a little Spanish and even more after a few drinks.

N

[Member #4258]

I live in a small town with a regional airport. It has good connections to Atlanta, and Atlanta (Delta) has good connections to Central America. I've been pretty loyal about using the airline, and even got one of their credit cards to boost my frequent flyer miles.

Last fall I tried to redeem them, but I was shy of the magical 60k miles needed for an overseas flight. Now, I have 72K+. I tried to make a reservation. Home-ATL-PTY and SJO-ATL-Home. The plan: spend a four days in Panama, then use TACA to fly PTY-San Jose, then spend a four days in San Jose, then come home.

Knowing that it is all about "availability" (which is airline speak for: how we keep passengers from using frequent flyer miles on flights and dates they actually want to use) I tried making my reservation 4 months in advance.

Well, Delta said that those flights required 80k miles or $660 in cash. Since I only had 73K miles, I would have to buy the other 7k miles for $295. Should I pay for this trip and try using the miles in the fall? Or should I cut my loses, and use up my points now and "save" $330? With the recession, will the airlines just up the number of miles needed to get a free trip?

Iguana,

Rule of thumb, the more complicated the itinerary the more difficult it is to find availablity. If one leg is full, it doesn't work. That said, airmiles are gold. I've flow many free flights. Thailandx2, SJOx3, Vegasx4, CTG, plus other places in the carribean and north america. I'm looking right now to book for the fall 2009. You can book a flight as far as 11 months out so I've done that many times. That's best because most of the foreign carriers will have availability 11 months out. It's the US based that get strange. Depending on the time of year, how they anticipate demand and 99 other variables, the availabity comes and goes. You need to go onto Delta's website and see the availability but then you can only see what's avail for the Delta flight. When you phone them to peice together the rest that's when they start to reccomend all kinds of rediculous alternatives. I've actually driven to ATL before to make it work. Avail can change and often all kinds of things open up closer to the departure date. It's very dynamic. Really any availabilty can open up any time but if the plane isn't going to be full, then they open more seats. Last minute can work too.

Don't give away your airmiles to the airline and don't buy any from them. The flight you just described is an open jaw and really only 35K miles so you really have enough to go twice. I never use more than the minimum but I'm always flexible. You just can't be picky on the dates, and you need to be patient and keep checking. Plus you may need to drive to ATL to make it work. I've also found that ATL can be strange for direct flights. You just never know, it's up to the airline gods.

The airlines are in a good position right now. They cut back flights well ahead of this slowdown. Because fuel is down they'll make money in 2009.

Delta already increased miles required for reward flights, eg South america is 10K more for 2009. I think Central America stayed the same at 35K..I'll need to check to be sure.

Hoser

[Iguana Six]

I live in a small town with a regional airport. It has good connections to Atlanta, and Atlanta (Delta) has good connections to Central America. I've been pretty loyal about using the airline, and even got one of their credit cards to boost my frequent flyer miles.

Last fall I tried to redeem them, but I was shy of the magical 60k miles needed for an overseas flight. Now, I have 72K+. I tried to make a reservation. Home-ATL-PTY and SJO-ATL-Home. The plan: spend a four days in Panama, then use TACA to fly PTY-San Jose, then spend a four days in San Jose, then come home.

Knowing that it is all about "availability" (which is airline speak for: how we keep passengers from using frequent flyer miles on flights and dates they actually want to use) I tried making my reservation 4 months in advance.

Well, Delta said that those flights required 80k miles or $660 in cash. Since I only had 73K miles, I would have to buy the other 7k miles for $295. Should I pay for this trip and try using the miles in the fall? Or should I cut my loses, and use up my points now and "save" $330? With the recession, will the airlines just up the number of miles needed to get a free trip?

[Rsx2005]

Hello Rsx2005,

You may want to look at the "budget" airline, Spirit Air. They fly out of Ft. Lauderdale (and Orlando) to Costa Rica. I say "budget" because sometime they are and sometimes they aren't. Their prices don't include the normal amentities of food, drink and bags. You pay for each separately. The current offerings are in the price range you mention, but if you sign up for a frequent flyer account and get their weekly specials you can sometimes get fares on off days for as low as the base price of $9.00.

But beware, the prices are the base price. Taxes to CR add about $100.00 or so to the base. I've used them for travel between Lima and Ft. Lauderdale and gotten some good prices. They also have the $9.99 club which gets you offers that aren't open to the normal sales channels.

FlyingAce

I tried that one, but it was still a little expensive. I may just go ahead and spend the $$ since it is getting a little late in the game. Thanks for the suggestion and let me know if you have any others.

[FlyingAce]

Hello Rsx2005,

You may want to look at the "budget" airline, Spirit Air. They fly out of Ft. Lauderdale (and Orlando) to Costa Rica. I say "budget" because sometime they are and sometimes they aren't. Their prices don't include the normal amentities of food, drink and bags. You pay for each separately. The current offerings are in the price range you mention, but if you sign up for a frequent flyer account and get their weekly specials you can sometimes get fares on off days for as low as the base price of $9.00.

But beware, the prices are the base price. Taxes to CR add about $100.00 or so to the base. I've used them for travel between Lima and Ft. Lauderdale and gotten some good prices. They also have the $9.99 club which gets you offers that aren't open to the normal sales channels.

FlyingAce

[Rsx2005]

Just wondering if anyone has any advice on travel tickets to CR for New Years. They were only about $350 a couple weeks ago and now they run about $750. After New Years the tickets go back to $350. It is my fault for procrastinating, but I was waiting on a couple friends. Does anyone have any advice. I am traveling out of Florida.