General Info

[R Brandon]

Noguera,I have posted a list of most of the known MP's and casas in the downtown San Jose are on the **************.com site under the MP's section as a stciky that gives locations and somewhat current prices though they constantly incease with inflation.Some of the ones are a bit hard to find in the Paseo Colon area but I have posted some hints.The places in the area do cater more to local professional business men with lots of buisness offices doctors and dentists in the area.There is also a good map there but VIP membership required to acess it I think.Places goet busy in afternoons so late morning is best time to go. rbc100

[Noguera]

Can you elaborate just a bit on this area? Names of the different casas, their exact location, pricing, quality of girls, hours, etc. Did you say this area is more local businessmen and not so many Gringos as in "the Gulch"?

I am on a plane Monday.

[R Brandon]

Nasty Boy,I definitley like the niegborhood for my morning action with near a half dozen MP's in a few blocks of each outher.Lets see Oasis ,place around corner,Veronicas ,VIP's massage and a couple of outhers in the area.Best combo of talent and value in all San Jose along with nice attitudes.Most cater to local business men but a few of us gringos know.rbc100

[NastyBoy]

For Cheap V Pharmacia Similares on Paseo Colon at Calle 22 has 50 mg. Vit V for about $1.25 each.That price is hard to beat .It is generic but it works.rbc100

Thanks RBC it's a new one on me, but in the general area where I like to play and those prices ain't too shabby.

NB

[R Brandon]

For Cheap V Pharmacia Similares on Paseo Colon at Calle 22 has 50 mg. Vit V for about $1.25 each.That price is hard to beat .It is generic but it works.rbc100

[NastyBoy]

Hello,

I lost the name of that pharmacy in Alajuela with the really low price on generic vitamin v....anybody still got it?


TIA

NB

[NastyBoy]

In either place, you probably won't be too far off to assume that an old fart attracting a much younger woman has probably as much to do with your financial resources as it would to do with your charm.

LMAO

Thanks Chase...great web site.....so it's a Raver place....that's cool. Maybe I'll check into their VIP prices and take one of my faves from Oasis...

Looking through the pics I didn't see any old "farts", but that Coleen dj sure is a strong pull.

NB

[Prolijo]

I haven't been there myself but they are located near Centro Colon and their website www.vertigocr.com/ should have about all the other info you'd need. As for P4P, your guess is as good as mine. Given the economic gulf between the US and CR, my guess would be that you could find women there amenable to a business arrangement. The trouble is in figuring which ones those are and which might be offended if you overtly suggested it. It certainly wouldn't be like the BM where every women is in play. OTOH, I happen to know that at places like El Pueblo there are many pro's dressed in "sheep's clothing" (ie seemingly non-pro). There your problem might be whether to come right out and make an offer at the risk of offending them or assuming your really just picking her up with your charm and risk discovering later that she expects compensation. I don't think this should be as much of a problem at Vertigo since it has mainly a local crowd (El Pueblo is much more on the tourist's radar). In either place, you probably won't be too far off to assume that an old fart attracting a much younger woman has probably as much to do with your financial resources as it would to do with your charm, in which case offering a voluntary gift of a little dough to help her with her expenses would not be turned down.

[NastyBoy]

Greetings...

Anybody have any info on a club called Vertigos? Is there any P4P there? Where's it located?

So far I've just heard it's a club for the young crowd.

TIA

NB

[Johnny Sax]

Hey, has anyone ever been to San Isidro de El General? (the one near El Chirripo, on the mountain above Dominical)

I will be there for a night or two in February and wondering if anyone has found any mongering places there or at least a strip club?

Back in the mid 90's I spent some time there and once I found an old fashioned "***** house" just out of town. A taxi driver drove me up there and waited in the car until I was done and then drove me back for a few bucks.

I walked in, it was only probably 6pm or so, just after dark, and it was like a bar except there was no one there, and it didn't really look like a bar, more like a dark cafe with tables, but no food. Very dark and NO ONE in there.

The madam came over and asked me if I wanted company and I said yes and she sent me over this girl who was not bad looking but not great, either, and I bought her a coca cola at her request and I had a beer. The girl seemed very shy, turned out she was relatively new at this, even though she was probably 21-22 years old.

I asked her "How does it work, here?" in my then broken Spanish (I'm fluent now) and she told me it was x amount to go to her room. I didn't see any other chicks there at all, and as I recall, the price was only around $15-20, so I said okay and we went to her room.

Once in there she asked for the money, told me to undress, she took the dough to the madam, then came back with a condom. She washed my member in a pan of warm water, sucked it and put the condom on. I got the impression this was very new to her and she was definitely only doing it for the money.

She got naked and I will never forget it because this was my first ever experience - and hopefully my last! - with a chick with very thick dark black hair on her legs, almost like a guy.

Most guys would have been OUTTA THERE, but I didn't want to offend her, and frankly I was ready to get my nut off, so I went ahead and banged her Missionary style so I didn't have to look at her body, just her face, which wasn't bad.

I got myself off - she at least had a fairly tight pussy - and then as I was getting dressed I asked her how often she was there. She said she LIVED there , like 2-3 weeks at a time, then went home for a week, then back again. Sounded like slavery, pretty much. Weird scene.

I gave her a tip when we were done, and left.

Anyone else ever gave a chick a mercy fuck, just so as not to insult her? Like when you get her back to the room and then realize she has a very floppy tummy that she had all tucked in, and with stretch marks and/or big sloppy areolas or some other such turnoff (for you); granted, some guys may LIKE big gross areolas or stretch marks! (-; Actually I like big areolas but they have to be nice looking ones. (I know em when I see em.)

So anyway, back to the subject at hand:
Is there any place in San Isidro we can go when we're there next month? I know it's a very conservative town, very farmer oriented. But hey, now that there are lots of gringos living around there, there MUST be some strip club or SOMETHING that can pass as entertainment for mongers. No?

Anyone?

[Johnny Sax]

Johnny,
No offense or antagonism was inferred at all, bro. I really appreciate whenever clearly knowledgeable guys like you post here even if we don't completely agree and actually I think you and I basically agree on this subject much more than we disagree.

We both agree that dollar for dollar retiring to CR is much more affordable than the US at whatever level you choose (or are forced by your personal finances to accept). We also agree that in CR $600/mo is barely possible, $1000/mo entirely possible and obviously more than that much more desirable.

Clearly, if all I had live on $600 a month, I'd much rather do that in CR. Where we differ somewhat is on how we would characterize that life. I'd call $600/mo a starvation existence in the US (ie unsustainable), while in CR it is entirely sustainable though still not necessarily desirable.

I'd also prefer CR if I had $1000 a month. I'd call that level in CR much more adequate than the $600 though still not particularly fancy by the US standards most of us are accustomed to. In the US, $1000/month would be more like the $600 in CR or perhaps much worse. That monthly amount here in the US would be barely sustainable if even that and even if it were sustainable wouldn't be an existence that I'd want to live.

I think you could lead a pretty decent though not overly fancy life in CR on your $1200/month. Certainly, it would be much better than living on that amount here. Probably the biggest part of your budget apart from your rent would be for a car if you choose to get one. As you probably know full well cars (as well as gas but not mechanics) costs much more in CR. If you wanted a car I'm guessing you'd probably have to compromise on your rent (perhaps going for that cabin in the mountains you spoke of) if you wanted to keep your monthly tab under $1200. Of course, if you lived in an urban area, just getting around by foot, bus or bike is much more practical than in many cities in the US thereby obviating the need for a car. If you lived up at that cabin, you could still hike to the local bus stop to catch the daily bus into the city, but you might want that car. I'm thinking going the moped route might be the most practical compromise assuming a car was out of my budget.

Of course, just as in the US more money to live on is always definitely better, to spend on trips to other places like Rio, BKK or just back to visit the US if nothing else. Then again, if you really have enough money this whole question of minimum sustainability becomes somewhat moot and one can choose from more places to live. As you pointed out, purely on an affordability basis, while CR may have the US beat, there are still much cheaper places than CR. If that were one's only criterion, I'd say to look elsewhere.

Exactly. Yes, the car is the biggest expense, especially if you live in a 4x4 only area, like up some dirt road up a mountain. The tires alone cost you hundreds, maybe a thousand dollars a year, as you get blowouts every month or two. I have never owned a car in CR but this is what my friends who drive there tell me.

I've been visiting CR since 94 and have made about 10 trips down there, 2 long extended ones (6 mo each). Back in those days the only thing I knew about was Key Largo and a place that used to be around the corner called Happy Days where the less desirable girls usually hung out. I used to go in Happy Days just to talk to the dejected hookers and practice my Spanish because it was cheaper to drink there. I would occasionally let one seduce me into going to the Hotel Asia for a quick bj. I also once had a Tico friend send me into some Tico only ***** house back behind the Holiday Inn, and it was quite an experience, though not one I would choose to repeat.

Ah, the good ole days! (-;

Actually I like it much better now that I know about all the other options. One of the most fun things to me is to just go around to all the various divey bars and have a beer at each place. Can be dangerous, but less so if you go with another guy or two and keep your wits, and take taxis.

Last time we were in SJ we went to those places over in the redlight district, you know, 747, The Hotel Park (could have the names wrong, it's been a while), Caribe..., and had a beer in each one. It was quite interesting. Only saw one or two do-able girls, but the atmosphere was like something out of some surreal noir novel from the 50's; or something like that.

Back in 94 I used to go to some of the places in the redlight district like Caribe, and some much less classy (!) by myself; that was quite risky I realize now, but it was also very interesting in a "living on the edge" Charles Bukowski kind of way. I used to walk all over San Jose at night by myself, even down streets where my Tico friend later told me, "You should NEVER walk down that street after sunset!" I guess I was lucky (knock on wood) because I never ever had a hassle with anyone. Now I know better. But I'll never forget many of my experiences back in 94 and 95 in San Jose.

[Prolijo]

Johnny,
No offense or antagonism was inferred at all, bro. I really appreciate whenever clearly knowledgeable guys like you post here even if we don't completely agree and actually I think you and I basically agree on this subject much more than we disagree.

We both agree that dollar for dollar retiring to CR is much more affordable than the US at whatever level you choose (or are forced by your personal finances to accept). We also agree that in CR $600/mo is barely possible, $1000/mo entirely possible and obviously more than that much more desirable.

Clearly, if all I had live on $600 a month, I'd much rather do that in CR. Where we differ somewhat is on how we would characterize that life. I'd call $600/mo a starvation existence in the US (ie unsustainable), while in CR it is entirely sustainable though still not necessarily desirable.

I'd also prefer CR if I had $1000 a month. I'd call that level in CR much more adequate than the $600 though still not particularly fancy by the US standards most of us are accustomed to. In the US, $1000/month would be more like the $600 in CR or perhaps much worse. That monthly amount here in the US would be barely sustainable if even that and even if it were sustainable wouldn't be an existence that I'd want to live.

I think you could lead a pretty decent though not overly fancy life in CR on your $1200/month. Certainly, it would be much better than living on that amount here. Probably the biggest part of your budget apart from your rent would be for a car if you choose to get one. As you probably know full well cars (as well as gas but not mechanics) costs much more in CR. If you wanted a car I'm guessing you'd probably have to compromise on your rent (perhaps going for that cabin in the mountains you spoke of) if you wanted to keep your monthly tab under $1200. Of course, if you lived in an urban area, just getting around by foot, bus or bike is much more practical than in many cities in the US thereby obviating the need for a car. If you lived up at that cabin, you could still hike to the local bus stop to catch the daily bus into the city, but you might want that car. I'm thinking going the moped route might be the most practical compromise assuming a car was out of my budget.

Of course, just as in the US more money to live on is always definitely better, to spend on trips to other places like Rio, BKK or just back to visit the US if nothing else. Then again, if you really have enough money this whole question of minimum sustainability becomes somewhat moot and one can choose from more places to live. As you pointed out, purely on an affordability basis, while CR may have the US beat, there are still much cheaper places than CR. If that were one's only criterion, I'd say to look elsewhere.

[Johnny Sax]

Talk about digging up an old post. I wrote that nearly 4 months ago. Just to put into context here is the question I was referring to.This was in context of the minimum income required by CR to qualify for residency. I'm not sure why Johnny quoted me rather than the original question but I'd like to add a few more comments.
CR has changed a lot in the last 10 years. Apart from the usual inflation, which roughly corresponds with the increased buying power of the dollar and thus can be safely ignored if your income is in dollars, prices (at least RE prices) have been driven up hugely in most areas popular with gringos. All of us who had been raving about the beauty of CR as a retirement destination and driven this boom are partially responsible for its PARTIAL undoing. Today, prices of beachfront property in all but the most remote places have been driven out of the range of most native ticos and many gringos as well. Starting prices on rents in the more desirable suburbs of SJ, such as Rohrmoser, Escazu, even Santa Ana are likely to eat up most if not all of your $600/month. While it is true that there are still places where one can find rents for $300/month or maybe even less, I'll still go with my original statement that most guys aren't going to be interested in such places. Personally, I think I'd be perfectly happy with a little cabin in the mountains, but I think most other guys would prefer to be a little closer to the action and I don't think most of them will be that happy living in tico working class SJ neighborhoods like Zapote, Guadalupe, etc. either.Obviously CR. Now that is ANOTHER question we can both agree on. You'll notice I never even suggested one could live in the US on $600/month either, if at all. At least in CR it is still at least possible if not entirely desirable. And if you want to maintain a tico version of your current lifestyle you should be able to do it for much less than it would cost you in the US. Just not for $600/month.That DOES put you in a different category, one that vastly exceeds the income required by CR for residency, which is what we were originally talking about. A grand a month WILL enable you "quite well" by TICO standards, BUT certainly nothing special by the standards most of us are accustomed to. Still once again where else would anyone be able to live even that well on just a $1000/month SS check? Certainly not in the US. But elsewhere perhaps? Which brings me to Johnny's last comment.If ALL you want to do is stretch your limited retirement funds further, as good as CR is, there are still other places further out on everyone else's radar that offer even better values.

Hi, I dug up the old post because I haven't been hanging here for about a year and was going back through the posts to see what was new... Not sure why I chose your post instead of the original poster, maybe it was something you said, or just random...

I did not mean to be antagonistic and hope it wasn't taken that way. I was just adding my 2 colones so to speak, trying to contribute something to the discussion, as this is something I've not only done, but also researched quite a bit.

I agree with most of what you said below, And I only meant to point out that living in the U.S. on $1000/month would be a lot less "pura vida" than living in CR for $1000/month. I didn't mean to imply you said it wouldn't be, I was just saying that as a means of making a comparison of value for the dollar.

I believe that living in CR on $600/month CAN still be done, and if that was all I had to live on, I'd rather do it in CR than in the US. There might be better places to live on $600 or $1000/month (Panama, for instance) but if you like CR, and are willing to live in a little mountain cabin, ride the bus most places, eat gallo pinto, and not spend a lot on pros, it could be done.

I myself am looking at only around $1200/month to retire on, though I hope to have my land and house paid for. I think my I can live okay on that, even in CR (certainly in Panama if I so choose), with house paid for and only untilities to pay. Also there is a good chance I will have a side-income such as renting a cabin or cabins, or selling real estate or growing fruit or hardwood or ? But even if not, I think that amount will be alright.

Some say living on $1200 month is tight. I say bullshit. Okay, maybe not living like a king, but certainly living well on that amount. Unless you have a pool that needs regular service, an a.c. you run all the time, buy all imported food and clothes, etc... I think the average guy can live okay on $1000/month in Costa Rica. And once you learn the language you should be able to meet Ticas or Nicas or ? to give you plenty of free sex. Sure, you'll want to spend a few dollars on pros once or twice a month, just for variety, but I still think if you don't mind living outside of San Jose area maybe in a mountain cabin, one can live pretty well on $1000/month.

I of course am not one to require or even want to live in a gated community, in a 3 bedroom house, have a pool and guard, and gardener, etc. etc. and drive a new car. I'd just as soon live up on the mountain, drive an old Toyota and spend my time reading in my hammock, and walking in the woods, taking the bus to the ocean a couple days a week, and making trips to San Jose for some beer and girls when I feel like it, have a girl visit me off and on, and the rest of the time just chill out on my "farm" land.

[Prolijo]

Talk about digging up an old post. I wrote that nearly 4 months ago. Just to put into context here is the question I was referring to.

Here's a new question. How the fuck does somebody live on 600US$ a month down there?

This was in context of the minimum income required by CR to qualify for residency. I'm not sure why Johnny quoted me rather than the original question but I'd like to add a few more comments.

As someone who has lived in Costa Rica, I can answer some of your questions. in 1994 I paid $250 month for a cabin on the beach, and I did live well on $600/month. Today it might be a little tighter and hard to find a place on the beach for $600/month, but I bet you could find a cabin in the mountains outside of San Jose for $300/month.

CR has changed a lot in the last 10 years. Apart from the usual inflation, which roughly corresponds with the increased buying power of the dollar and thus can be safely ignored if your income is in dollars, prices (at least RE prices) have been driven up hugely in most areas popular with gringos. All of us who had been raving about the beauty of CR as a retirement destination and driven this boom are partially responsible for its PARTIAL undoing. Today, prices of beachfront property in all but the most remote places have been driven out of the range of most native ticos and many gringos as well. Starting prices on rents in the more desirable suburbs of SJ, such as Rohrmoser, Escazu, even Santa Ana are likely to eat up most if not all of your $600/month. While it is true that there are still places where one can find rents for $300/month or maybe even less, I'll still go with my original statement that most guys aren't going to be interested in such places. Personally, I think I'd be perfectly happy with a little cabin in the mountains, but I think most other guys would prefer to be a little closer to the action and I don't think most of them will be that happy living in tico working class SJ neighborhoods like Zapote, Guadalupe, etc. either.

If you have no savings and are retired where would the money go further, here in the U.S. or in C.R.? And where would the quality of life be better? My vote is for C.R..

Obviously CR. Now that is ANOTHER question we can both agree on. You'll notice I never even suggested one could live in the US on $600/month either, if at all. At least in CR it is still at least possible if not entirely desirable. And if you want to maintain a tico version of your current lifestyle you should be able to do it for much less than it would cost you in the US. Just not for $600/month.

And let's say you have a $1000/month social security check... Well, now, living on $1000 month with your house and car paid for, puts you in the category of living quite well in Costa Rica.

That DOES put you in a different category, one that vastly exceeds the income required by CR for residency, which is what we were originally talking about. A grand a month WILL enable you "quite well" by TICO standards, BUT certainly nothing special by the standards most of us are accustomed to. Still once again where else would anyone be able to live even that well on just a $1000/month SS check? Certainly not in the US. But elsewhere perhaps? Which brings me to Johnny's last comment.

I don't recommend anyone try to live on $600/month in Costa Rica; but if need be, you can do it, and still have a pretty damned good life. Panama on the other hand: everyone tells me it is about 30% cheaper than CR to live there, and I know a guy who lives there and he says he has no need for more than $600/month.

If ALL you want to do is stretch your limited retirement funds further, as good as CR is, there are still other places further out on everyone else's radar that offer even better values.

[NastyBoy]

Johnny Sax,

Thanks for the info....It was just a thought when I read on the CR consulate page that residency could be had with only that amount of proof of income. Truthfully and in reality I would definately want to have a lot more than that to play the way I like to play down there. So it's looking like a longer term plan, but if I could just hang it all up today, all I was saying, from one source....I would love to jump in now.

I do appreciate the insight from someone who has actually done it. I like the climate in the mountains like in Alajuela, but the standard of living in Los Yoses is very appealing too. I'm sure neither can be had for $600 a month.

Thanks again.
NB