RBCal

People may want to check out the retiring in CR website. There is a realtor there who claims there is no crime in CR and people who have retired there have posted about the big drug problem in Puerto Viejo, sometime states that a crack head was shot in broad daylight there. What reason do people have for jumping on someone posting something negative? Maybe they profit from the tourist trade?

http://www.discoverypress.com/wwwboard/wwwboard.html

RBCal

Sorry sometime = someone

CaliNurse

Do a search on this board for the thread "Is CR safe?" and you'll encounter not just interesting stories of assorted experiences, but some of the same -how to say it?--"you're either for us or against us--you either get it or you don't" attitude
Incidentally, i notice one pesrons says RBCal should have just staed the facts when he first wrote.. Well, guess what--look at his first post. That's exactly what he did. I for one am GLAD for the negatives. I think this CR board is a GREAT source of info--I've learned so much here-- but the same folks write most of the time, so it's not the best place to get a broad range of opinons. When a "newbie" expresses something less than glowing, it's not greeted very well. Some in the past have admitted their hesitation to post anything less positive.

tully

This has got to be the funniest thread here in a while, totally unintended of course. Funny the 2 types of people...those that that acknowledge things that can happen & then continue on and those that dwell on how bad things can be.

Since selective internet searching seems to be the thing here....last year 1,400 people, mostly tourists, were sickened by drinking water contaminated by sewage and other pollution. Where? That dangerous state of Ohio! Meaning: it happens, even where you think it's "safe". On the note of crime...3 years ago walking along St Severin in Paris. Felt something on my hip, turned to see a pre-teen with his hand well into my purse. Loved the look on his face when he deduced that a map & bottle of water were it's only contents. We both grinned & went on our way. Now some, like me, continue on from that without a 2nd thought and I'm sure some would vow never to return & bemoan the fact that Paris is full of thieves. Different strokes I guess. Is there a crime & drug problem in Puerto Viejo? Um yes, tell us something we don't know. Not sure exactly what that has to do with washing veggies, but I guess you take it where you can find it, hmm? Fill me in on a place in the world where there is no crime, no one ever gets sick. Acknowledge or wallow.

Pura Vida

RBCal

Another personal experience from the annoying sicko. This will also be hilarious to those that laugh at people that get sick (Why not go to a hospital and laugh your head off?)
The only time I have personally experienced a scam and seen crime while travelling was in CR. This includes Mexico, the South Pacific, Australia, Japan, Africa, the Middle East, and Europe.

Jessie_

RB, you have me thinking too much today. I did some thinking after your posting and in reality, other than signs warning of pickpockets in Ireland, the only time I have experienced or personally seen a crime was in CR and Mexico. CR-a womans chain was pulled off her neck. Mexico-we were approached by a street gang.

RufusTFirefly

tully--yes, these types of problems can happen anywhere. That isn't the issue.

The issue is that it is MORE likely to happen in some places than in others. And these sorts of illnesses are more likely to happen in CR than in Western Europe, Canada, the USA, Japan, etc.

tully

Travel the world and only sees crime in CR out of all of them?! What a ridiculously inane comment.

rbcal, curious, since you've never even said....where exactly did you go in CR, where did you stay, what did you do, when did you go? All of your reference points us to websites but is lacking in any personal experience. You, apparently, went to CR and your only comment upon return was that you got sick "somewhere" in CR after eating at some unnamed place. Just curious!

shillmac

I have one more comment, then, God willing, I'll shut up! (Wish me luck)!

Part of our entertainment around the house today has been reading this thread. It is a study in personalities! I came across one small little sentence that I guessed I missed earlier (or ignored). In speaking of "sewage running in the gutters of Quepos", the poster said "I have pictures if you want".

I had to laugh! In all of our trips to Costa Rica and all of the beauty (people and nature) of which we have taken literally thousands of photographs, it never occured to me to try to find some sewage for our photo album. . . ?????

RBCal

I'm getting as sick of this topic as everyone. However, someone asked for additional info.
We traveled by rental car from SJO to MA, along the way we ate at a beach restaurant north of Jaco. If I were to guess where we ate or drank something that made us sick, I would guess it was there. As stated by another poster, the Rio Tarcoles carries waste from San Jose and it empties north of Jaco.
From Jaco, we drove to MA and spent a week there. In MA, we did white water rafting on the Savegre River toward Dominical. We also did a canopy tour at Rainmaker which is where we saw an eyelash viper. We also saw a Fer de Lance in MA itself on the road to Ronnie Lugar's.
I didn't take pictures of sewage. I took pictures of Quepos. All the streets of Quepos have deep gutters along the side which contain sewage. These gutters can be seen in our pictures.

Percy

First let me add two things:

1 I agree 100% with what fonzie said.

2. I agree with shillmac when she said:
"we are all a little nuts" !!!!!!

Goodnight everybody

Percy

Bluesmoke2

I have contacted the other trolls that ate the organic fruits&veggies at the cave and all are wondering if we should eat the salad with our airline meal?

tully

lol bluesmoke, I would definitely advise avoiding the salad on airlines, since it may have been in contact with airline water (recent reports show airline water falls below EPA standards (full of bacteria), not to mention all the cases of airline food poisoning). It's amazing people still fly!

dariow

Back to topic.

I would appreciate the names of markets, restaurants, and sodas in Arenal, Monteverde, and Manuel Antonio/Quepos where the fruits and vegetables (Including salads) are safe (and good)

I would also apprecite good places to eat in general in those places.

6 days until I leave. Woohoo!!!

kes

i actually just got back from c.r , manuel antonio actually, and i LOVED it!!!!!!! my aunt told me they drank the tap water there and also read on this site that alot of other people did too. but went with my gut instinct and decided to drink bottled water because,frankly, just didn't want to risk it. just b/c other people didnt' get sick didn't mean that i wouldn't! RBcal you r way too funny!!!! u r blaming people on a freaking travel chat line that u got sick in costa rica. too bad u got sick but hey it happens! i got sick in georgia after i ate at wendy's for lunch. i have not travelled very much. i live in a small province in canada, born and raised, and went to central america. i saw the unpaved roads , saw the bridges , saw the starving dogs in quepose, but thats the whole experience. what else would u expect??!! i also think its hiliarious how u put all your little quotes and the comment about being in the hospital and laughing your head off, u must have alot of time on your hands, no wonder u travel so much! this is like a fodors "jerry springer".lol, keep it up though, very entertaining.

artsfan

Careful re the Cipro! It may be sold over the counter in CR, but it can have very serious side effects. I don't want to be a party pooper here, but I took it after getting e coli in Istanbul, and so did another member of my family, who came down with symptoms you gentlemen would not want to know about. These side effects can be permanent or worse. I am no big fan of the FDA but once in a while they get it right!

artsfan

Just want to say that I have done my homework on this topic and am not speaking only from our personal experience.

Bluesmoke2

To dariow: At Arenal try the El Novillo Resuarante, the steaks there are great, the kitchen is open and you can watch them prepare your meal if you get bored watching the cattle grazing or the volcano erupting. The meals at the Volcano Lodge were good also.