General Info

Has anyone got an update about Tamarindo?

We're heading there in June.

Thanks

[QUOTE=Pussy Seeker]Hello Brothers. I would appreciate a piece of advice on this subject.

Can Americans travel to Cuba out of Costa Rica without having a custom stamp on their passport from either countries?

I know it is regularly done out of Mexico where the mexican authorities don't give a damn and the Cuban one knows the drill.Thanks to all.Happy hunting.[/QUOTE]You don't get a stamp in your passport when you leave CR and the Cuban know the drill about stamping a seperate piece of paper rather than your passport no matter which country a Yankee is coming through. The real question here is whether you have to get a [b]2nd CR ENTRY[/b] stamp when you come BACK into CR or whether your original "90 day tourist visa" entry stamp is still good for a second entry or, at least, if it has to be renewed, they'll also do your entry stamp on a seperate piece of paper. I'm sure its a wise idea to ask them to do any stamping on a second form BEFORE you hand the tico immigration officer your passport for inspection but it would be even better to know this won't be a problem before you leave for Cuba.

The reason all this is so important is because US immigration officials are no dopes. They know the Cubans are more than happy to stamp US citizens' visas on seperate forms to help encourage them to ignore the US government's embargo and come to Cuba to spend US dollars. So the US inspectors also sometimes look for unexplained gaps in your travel stamps. "It appears you entered CR twice on this trip, where did you go in between and why isn't there another stamp for it in your passport?" The chances may be slight that they'd catch it or, if they did, they wouldn't be forced to accept your song and dance excuse explaining it, but do you really want to take that chance given the possible consequences.

If the ticos don't restamp your passport than the issue becomes moot and you just got back from an unusually long trip to CR. Now try explaining why a single middle-aged guy is taking so many trips per year to CR, a country known for sex-tourism. ICE is starting to look suspiciously at that sort of travel pattern too. Its all part of the warped and misguided foreign policy emphasis of the current administration.

[QUOTE=Prolijo]Now try explaining why a single middle-aged guy is taking so many trips per year to CR, a country known for sex-tourism. ICE is starting to look suspiciously at that sort of travel pattern too. Its all part of the warped and misguided foreign policy emphasis of the current administration.[/QUOTE]
Sex tourism is not illegal under US law unless it involves minors. So let them ask all they want. You can either tell them the truth and watch the expression on their face, or if you are easily embarrassed you can tell them you like to snorkel, hike, or whatever. Either way, what can they do? Absolutely nothing. A little over 5 years ago, within a few months of 9/11, I had a Customs officer hassle me when I arrived back from Thailand. He wouldn't accept my explanation that I was sightseeing, and he insisted that I tell him exactly what I was doing in Thailand. Since I was exhausted and exasperated after a marathon flight, I finally said "eating, drinking, sleeping, and fucking, not necessarily in that order." The guy gave me a disgusted look, shoved my passport back at me, and motioned me through with his head.

Regarding Cuba, chances are pretty good that immigration officials won't catch anything. If you are going to travel to Cuba illegally, it's probably best not to do it on a new passort. Wait until you have taken a few trips and your passport has a lot of stamps. That way they're much less likely to catch any irregularities. Very few of them look at the visa pages of a passport anyway, except for a space to stamp your re-entry to the US.

Lorenzo

Lorenzo,
How've ya been, buddy? "Sex tourism is not illegal under US law unless it involves minors." Maybe not, but it is seriously frowned upon by the authorities and in particular ICE and their religious-conservative Global Vision allies. And they're tightening the screws more and more all the time. Five years ago, maybe that Customs officer was as exhausted and exasperated as you were and just finally decided he didn't want to be bothered any further. You should ask yourself, why he even bothered to delay you at all back then or not accept your initial explanation (which was plausible enough) and whether today he might be even more difficult. Any way, Its not so much an issue of embarassment or doing anything outright illegal (except the violating the US embargo on Cuba thing, and we should have given that up a long time ago), its an issue of intimidation. "Either way, what can they do?" Maybe not arrest you for admitting to legal adult sex tourism, but they can do a lot of other things if you [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord140][CodeWord140][/url] them off. Like marking you out for a "random" customs search or flagging your passport for extra scrutiny each time you pass through immigration. After a long flight, do you really want to have to waste a lot of extra time answering (and re-answering) a lot of fool questions every time you come back from out of the country? And if you also happen to have made a side trip to Cuba that time around, maybe they'll pick up on it because of that extra scrutiny. Don't tell me such things aren't possible because I know of guys that such things have happened to (not specifically the Cuba thing, but the red-flagging). Remember, we're living in the post-Ashcroft, Alberto Gonzalez, George Bush, anti-civil liberties, big brother is watching era.

Still I'd agree with you that, barring any other red flags, the odds of them bothering to notice your stamps is very remote and your point about reducing those odds further by only trying it when you have a relatively full passport is also a good one (in which case with all my stamped pages I shouldn't have any problem at all)

Prolijo,

I've been well, thank you, as I assume you have. Might even come back to Costa Rica later this year. You make some good points, especially that ICE officials can make your life miserable if they want to. I think next time I'll tell them I was on a religious pilgrimage and see how they react...but not if I'm coming from a Muslim country. :D

Stay well.

I have stayed in asia many times often more than 6 months at a time and never had a problem on the re entry into the U.S.Yes they ask some questions and thats ok just keep thing simple and no problems.

B.B.

Greetings gents,

It's been awhile since I've been on the board and even longer since I been down to the playground but now that airfares have dropped considerably, I'm heading back down in a month or so. Does anyone know if the rates at Oasis are still 12k colones p/h? How about the quality? Still holding up?

TIA

NB

Nastyboy, Oasis is not at the level of a year or two ago but still some decent talent. There are sevreral outher places in the Paseo Colon area to chose from including Kama Sutra, Veronicas, VIP's massage and Saphires around corner form Oasis. Happy hunting. These cheaper airfares are a nice change even form Dallas these days.rbc100

Thanks for the response, RB. I've been reading your posts on that "other board" and Kama Sutra sounds like a good place to try. Sorry to hear about Oasis, but I suppose nothing is forever. I'll give it one shot and if it doesn't measure up, on to new adventures.

($337 round trip. Puta Madre!)

NB

Long Time Monger from NYC and senior member on the sister board. I am thinking about going to Costa Rica or Cuba and wanted advice from you guys on this. As an american that speaks a little spanish but not alot which is better to go to?

Do I need a Visa for Costa Rica - any pointers would be great!

Or would the thought of going to Cuba from Mexico be better let me know what is better for a Gringo from NYC.

Thanks,

Bx Loco

I have to admit I've never been to Cuba but would like very much to go one day. I would recommend Costa Rica over Cuba simply because it is so easy for a non-Spanish speaker to visit and partake in our kinds of activities. An inexperienced monger would have no problem in Costa Rica. A visa is not required for CR. CR has a lot to do besides mongering.

A visit to Cuba requires going to another country first. Put Cuba on list of places to visit in the future, but Costa Rica should be your first choice for this trip.

Thanks tell me more about Costa Rica. I will only be down for a weekend as I am doing a food show in Cancun. I saw that there are a couple Marriott there which is great for me. What about Panama? Or would you say that costa rica is the one?

Give some ideas,

Thanks,

Bx Loco

[QUOTE=NastyBoy]Thanks for the response, RB. I've been reading your posts on that "other board" and Kama Sutra sounds like a good place to try. Sorry to hear about Oasis, but I suppose nothing is forever. I'll give it one shot and if it doesn't measure up, on to new adventures.

($337 round trip,,,Puta Madre!)

NB[/QUOTE]Kama Sutra no longer has extras try Veronicas and Josephines in the same area or Oasis is still a good option.

[QUOTE=Allover]I have to admit I've never been to Cuba but would like very much to go one day. I would recommend Costa Rica over Cuba simply because it is so easy for a non-Spanish speaker to visit and partake in our kinds of activities. An inexperienced monger would have no problem in Costa Rica. A visa is not required for CR. CR has a lot to do besides mongering.

A visit to Cuba requires going to another country first. Put Cuba on list of places to visit in the future, but Costa Rica should be your first choice for this trip.[/QUOTE]Point me in the right direction!

Thanks,

Bx Loco

[QUOTE=Bx Loco Gringo]Long Time Monger from NYC and senior member on the sister board. I am thinking about going to Costa Rica or Cuba and wanted advice from you guys on this. As an american that speaks a little spanish but not alot which is better to go to?

Do I need a Visa for Costa Rica - any pointers would be great!

Or would the thought of going to Cuba from Mexico be better let me know what is better for a Gringo from NYC.

Thanks,

Bx Loco[/QUOTE]As much as I love Cuba and reccomend a trip there at some point, for only a weekend, CR is your best bet.

MC