San Juan

[QUOTE=Shamester; 1384959]Thanks for posting this.

That was scary and sad at the sametime.[/QUOTE]Yes, drug is a problem here. The problem has increased since the construction of the Mex-USA wall. Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic have become the main bridge for drugs to USA. You can see guys asking money in traffic light for their drug vice. They are mostly inoffensive, you just give money or not and continue. Better not to ignore, people prefer a no than being ignored, they have been ignored all life. Compared to other countries PR is safe for tourists. Tourists are not target here. In fact Puerto Rico has a culture of knowledge of the importance of tourist to our economy. But as in any country you should keep a low profile, if you bring costly gold chains or expensive watches you will be target as any people. I live in the San Juan area since 1987, never had a problem, I know the do's and don'ts. I want with Jao to different places, including luxury hotel La Concha. Two people were murdered in this hotel on different incidents a couple of years ago, but related to drug traffic between users (tourists) and vendors.

Although Puerto Rico people blames themselves to be bad drivers we have the second lowest per capita rate of fatalities in all America, even a better rate than the USA. Use of safety belts has been cited as the main factor for this, with a more than 95% usage rate.

I lived in San Juan for 3 years. Sometimes I reminisce how great it was (and believe me, it was great). But then I see a video like the one you just posted and remember why I left. It's like a lost island.

[QUOTE=Orgasmico; 1382792]LOL wow you're still on ISG? I guess I shouldn't really be surprised. Yes, La Isla Del Encanto is a beautiful place but always be careful. This vid was an eye opener for many:

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RXX9n0Xddg[/url][/QUOTE]I didn't see any zombies. I didn't see any drugs. I walked around till 5am, nothing happened. It was a very pleasant trip.

I watched about two seconds of the video you posted, I am not interested in seeing anymore. I believe what I see and experience.

Hotel Vanderbilt in San Juan with the Porsches, Lamborghinis and Ferraris parked outside. Beautiful women in some of the bars and restaurants. Many American tourists, young and old and of different ethnicities travel to Puerto Rico.

[QUOTE=Orgasmico; 1382792]LOL wow you're still on ISG? I guess I shouldn't really be surprised. Yes, La Isla Del Encanto is a beautiful place but always be careful. This vid was an eye opener for many:

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RXX9n0Xddg[/url][/QUOTE]Some youtube videos (are there any drugs or zombies in any of these videos?)

Conrad Hotel (where I stayed) : [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzuzcgg2cOc[/url]

New Jetblue Terminal in San Juan: [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUE9L2uqHBE[/url]

Condado, San Juan: [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pfcsZOfovs[/url]

National Geographic, bio-luminescence in Puerto Rico: [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Dk-sNnMsCY[/url]

Surfing in Puerto Rico: [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sm9YGDqcQs0[/url] And [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oPBIDWPtOs[/url]

[QUOTE=Jaosousa; 1399132]I didn't see any zombies. I didn't see any drugs. I walked around till 5am, nothing happened. It was a very pleasant trip.

I watched about two seconds of the video you posted, I am not interested in seeing anymore. I believe what I see and experience.

Hotel Vanderbilt in San Juan with the Porsches, Lamborghinis and Ferraris parked outside. Beautiful women in some of the bars and restaurants. Many American tourists, young and old and of different ethnicities travel to Puerto Rico.[/QUOTE]The video was recorded in an area that a tourist never visit, in fact in an area that locals never visit. Drug traffic and use is a problem here that has increased since the construction of the wall between USA and Mexico, drug lords are using the Caribbean as the port of entrance for drugs to USA.

PR economy is in a free fall. The good and bad that happens here is because of US policies to its territory. In the past PR had privileged access to USA because of relationship with the USA. We lost this privilege with the Free Trade Agreements. In fact we are in disadvantage since we can't negotiate with any country in the world. The Senate and House of US eliminated the 936 code in the 90's which was the motor of PR economy. Since that we had lost two thirds of our manufacturing jobs and 2 or 3 jobs linked to each manufacturing job. Puerto Rico was a lot better a decade ago but there is people here working to reverse that. I still enjoy living here.

[QUOTE=Jaosousa; 1399132]I didn't see any zombies. I didn't see any drugs. I walked around till 5am, nothing happened. It was a very pleasant trip.

I watched about two seconds of the video you posted, I am not interested in seeing anymore. I believe what I see and experience.

Hotel Vanderbilt in San Juan with the Porsches, Lamborghinis and Ferraris parked outside. Beautiful women in some of the bars and restaurants. Many American tourists, young and old and of different ethnicities travel to Puerto Rico.[/QUOTE]

Let's be honest for a minute, if anyone thinks PR is anything other than 3rd world. They're fooling themselves. You realize Condado is the richest area on the entire island. I lived there and it also contains the largest housing projects on the entire island as well.

BUT, that shouldn't stop anyone from venturing out to the rest of the very beautiful island. I remember a 'road trip' I did to Vega Baja, saw a SW and decided to pick her up. When she got in I changed my mind since up close she looked like she was overcooked by the sun. She then told me she has a young girl waiting at her house that I could have! So I went (cautiously) and sure enough there was a nice little (looked 19 or 20) piece of ass there for me. Told her I wanted a bbbj and midway thru she just looked up at me and said let's fuck for no extra charge. Sure!!! Oh good times...

Remind me why I got married!?!?!

[QUOTE=Jon32; 1404514]Let's be honest for a minute, if anyone thinks PR is anything other than 3rd world. They're fooling themselves. You realize Condado is the richest area on the entire island. I lived there and it also contains the largest housing projects on the entire island as well.

BUT, that shouldn't stop anyone from venturing out to the rest of the very beautiful island. I remember a 'road trip' I did to Vega Baja, saw a SW and decided to pick her up. When she got in I changed my mind since up close she looked like she was overcooked by the sun. She then told me she has a young girl waiting at her house that I could have! So I went (cautiously) and sure enough there was a nice little (looked 19 or 20) piece of ass there for me. Told her I wanted a BBBJ and midway thru she just looked up at me and said let's fuck for no extra charge. Sure! Oh good times.

Remind me why I got married![/QUOTE]Third World? I guess that could be viewed as an insulting term. To term a part of the United States as third world, some people could get offended.

St. Regis Hotel in Rio Grande has room rates of over $800US per night. W Hotel in Isla Vieques is not inexpensive.

San Juan Airport is nice, Jetblue terminal is new and modern. New Highway East is getting completed. All the roads I drove on were in excellent condition. Old San Juan is immaculately clean, lots of lights.

I spent the early part of my life living in a housing Project in the Bronx, New York (Stanley Kubrick, Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein born in the Bronx). Tom Ridge (former of governor of Pennsylvania), Jimmy Carter, Elvis Presley, Bill Crosby, Jay-Z all lived in Public Housing (Paul McCartney of the Beatles lived in English Public Housing). Some people are not born with a silver spoon in their mouths and thrive and flourish with the assistance of the government.

[QUOTE=Jon32;1404514]Let's be honest for a minute, if anyone thinks PR is anything other than 3rd world. They're fooling themselves.[/QUOTE]Just about every taxi I saw in San Juan was a large new passenger van, in some ways nicer than the taxis in New York City.

[QUOTE=Jaosousa;1404878]Third World? I guess that could be viewed as an insulting term. To term a part of the United States as third world, some people could get offended.[/QUOTE]A lot of Americans would be insulted by a lot of things. Mainly that the USA isn't even the best country in the world to live in. Europe (imo) blows it away on multiple levels.

[QUOTE=Jaosousa; 1404878]St. Regis Hotel in Rio Grande has room rates of over $800US per night. W Hotel in Isla Vieques is not inexpensive.

San Juan Airport is nice, Jetblue terminal is new and modern. New Highway East is getting completed. All the roads I drove on were in excellent condition. Old San Juan is immaculately clean, lots of lights.

I spent the early part of my life living in a housing Project in the Bronx, New York (Stanley Kubrick, Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein born in the Bronx). Tom Ridge (former of governor of Pennsylvania) , Jimmy Carter, Elvis Presley, Bill Crosby, Jay-Z all lived in Public Housing (Paul McCartney of the Beatles lived in English Public Housing). Some people are not born with a silver spoon in their mouths and thrive and flourish with the assistance of the government.[/QUOTE]You realize that in a majority of 3rd world countries I can stay in a 5 star hotel?

You are just restricted to the touristy parts. There is a BIG difference between being a tourist in the richest part of a country and living in that country (as BoricuaOnline said ).

And with the silver spoon part and list of people, I'm not even sure what you're trying to say there.

Excepting the world's true hellholes (and asshole, I. E. Israel) there are no bad places to live. IF YOU HAVE MONEY.

People are wonderful and although I have not participated in the hobby there have always had a great time while on vacation. 3rd World? Not sure if poster has ever been to a 3rd World place.

[QUOTE=Jon32; 1405451]A lot of Americans would be insulted by a lot of things. Mainly that the USA isn't even the best country in the world to live in. Europe (imo) blows it away on multiple levels.

You realize that in a majority of 3rd world countries I can stay in a 5 star hotel?

You are just restricted to the touristy parts. There is a BIG difference between being a tourist in the richest part of a country and living in that country (as BoricuaOnline said ).

And with the silver spoon part and list of people, I'm not even sure what you're trying to say there.[/QUOTE]You seem to infer that Public Housing projects are a blight on civilization.

I have a passport from a European country and a US passport.

The Scandinavian countries in polls seem to have a populace that is happy, they are countries with a very generous welfare, social services infrastructure.

3rd world might refer to countries that have weak central government, where you might see children with AK-47 rifles in the streets and other people riding around on the backs of pickup trucks with grenade launchers and other firearms, None of which I saw in Puerto Rico.

[QUOTE=Jaosousa; 1405681]You seem to infer that Public Housing projects are a blight on civilization.

I have a passport from a European country and a US passport.

The Scandinavian countries in polls seem to have a populace that is happy, they are countries with a very generous welfare, social services infrastructure.

3rd world might refer to countries that have weak central government, where you might see children with AK-47 rifles in the streets and other people riding around on the backs of pickup trucks with grenade launchers and other firearms, None of which I saw in Puerto Rico.[/QUOTE]I am also a citizen of both places. Public Housing is not a place you want to be walking around with your wife and kids.

And Puerto Rico (a great place) is much closer to being a poor Caribbean or Latin american country than it is to Europe / usa / canada / australia / japan (all first world countries).

[QUOTE=Jon32; 1405946]I am also a citizen of both places. Public Housing is not a place you want to be walking around with your wife and kids.

And Puerto Rico (a great place) is much closer to being a poor Caribbean or Latin american country than it is to Europe / USA / canada / australia / japan (all first world countries).[/QUOTE]Puerto Rico economic situation is mostly to thank or blame the United States. US public policy toward us has brought us benefits and have also caused problems. Lately because of the elimination of the 936 code we have lost a huge amount of well paid jobs and because of free trade agreements we changed from a preferred economic partner to the US to a partner with disadvantages because contrary to independent countries we can't negotiate with other countries.

My parents lived in a Public housing project for a year before getting their own home. That housing project has over 50 years of being constructed, no murder has ocurred there ever, it is a peaceful place. Not all housing projects are no mans land. The biggest one with a population of over 20, 000 habitants is located between Condado and Isla Verde, it was a dangerous place to go. Contrary bands reached an agreement for peace a few months ago and peace have reigned there since. I hope it last forever but lets be realistic, it will not last forever.

Puerto Rico has all the ingredients to become the Singapore of the Caribbean (in economic terms) but has no power to negotiate with anybody.

Now, talking about our business, I was driving home thru Avenida de Diego in Puerto Nuevo late night. I saw a couple of cuties in front of a nightclub, dominican ownership. I drove a little further and 3 girls made me the hand sign to stop but I continued. A block later a girl standing alone with a short black dress waived at me and I decided to stop. She offered me her services for $100. She was cute, black hair, like 20 yrs old, but I said no, she went down to $75 and her final offer was $60. I have never picked up a street girl in Puerto Rico. Maybe I am paranoid because somebody will recognize me I have not paid for sex in PR since 1998 when Black Angus was torn down. Those were good times. Lucky me I continued driving, a police car patrolled the area like 15 seconds later. I was not surprised to see street girls in that area, I have received sexual advances from 3 Badoo girls that live nearby. Craigslist has dozens of classified ads of independent working girls in Puerto Rico.

[QUOTE=BoricuaOnline;1408428]The biggest one with a population of over 20, 000 habitants is located between Condado and Isla Verde, it was a dangerous place to go. Contrary bands reached an agreement for peace a few months ago and peace have reigned there since. I hope it last forever but lets be realistic, it will not last forever.[/QUOTE]Lloren tores right? That's the one I was referring to, I lived near there.

[QUOTE=BoricuaOnline;1408428]Now, talking about our business, I was driving home thru Avenida de Diego in Puerto Nuevo late night. I saw a couple of cuties in front of a nightclub, dominican ownership. I drove a little further and 3 girls made me the hand sign to stop but I continued. A block later a girl standing alone with a short black dress waived at me and I decided to stop. She offered me her services for $100. She was cute, black hair, like 20 yrs old, but I said no, she went down to $75 and her final offer was $60. I have never picked up a street girl in Puerto Rico. Maybe I am paranoid because somebody will recognize me I have not paid for sex in PR since 1998 when Black Angus was torn down. Those were good times. Lucky me I continued driving, a police car patrolled the area like 15 seconds later. I was not surprised to see street girls in that area, I have received sexual advances from 3 Badoo girls that live nearby. Craigslist has dozens of classified ads of independent working girls in Puerto Rico.[/QUOTE]$60 not bad if she was really pretty and good service. Prices have definitely gone up. I think without all the american bullshit influence it would be a much cooler place. I miss puerto rico though.