If you actually live here you know that you can be killed for your shoes in broad daylight almost anywhere that isn’t very crowded.

Costa Rica is a worthless %^^^hole of a country that only gets worse day by day…..unfortunatley I have two Costa Rican sons who are 10 & 11 years old…..If I didn’t feel obligated to stick around and protect them from the worthles tico culture and try and help them to be in the minority of Ticos who do not smoke crack everyday I would get the %%^&&* out of this worthless terrible godawfull country.

P.S. Illiteracy here is 65% at least government proaganda about 90% literacy notwithstanding…..65% of Costa Ricans are not literate enough to read the daily newspaper………..

Sad, Sad situation….25 years ago this was one of the most advanced and literate, and all around sane countries in the western hemisphere………but no longer and probably never again.

Now…….Well come on down and see for yourself.

Bodhi Marshall
Quepos/Manuel Antonio Costa Rica

Reading all of the thoughts and opinions of so many people, it just goes to show you that EVERYONE has their own ones. I am living in Cajon, near Grecia, and have been since April 8th of this year, so not long.
I have felt very safe walking in town, and made some friends there….the people are amazing. If you ask someone where something is they usually don’t just point, they actually WALK you there!

So I was extremely dissapointed when my purse was snatched right off my shoulder last Saturday in the park. Granted I was there at night, but I was with a local Tico friend, so I thought I was safe. But heck, even he didn’t see it coming, and was so concerned (and probably embarassed about one of his own stealing from me) that he took me right to the police station. They weren’t any help, even knew who the woman was that took it…apparently some homeless woman who does it ALL the time. But my friend was very helpful and stayed with me right up until I could go home.

Another plus is that my passport was found in a garbage can by another Tico, along with my notebook with important information and telephone numbers. He called every number in the book looking for me, the Canadian Embassy, and even my parents. He did everything he could to get my passport back to me, and that alone is something to almost counter-act the theft itself.

My point is that there is crime everywhere you go, no matter what country or culture. There is no way I would feel safe living in ANY big city in the States, heck even Vancouver is going downhill fast, with gangs spreading their violence everywhere. Vancouver is (or WAS) one of the safest, cleanest cities in the world.
And as far as the comment about the home invasions and gang rapes….THAT happens everywhere too, unfortunately.

One last thing, about the police “enforcement” in the U.S…well wake up and smell the coffee people, the police in the States are becoming so “enforced” that they are “enforcing” their way into peoples homes without a warrant or anything, and tearing peoples homes apart looking for “things”. One story comes to mind about a poor 82 year old woman that got her house broken into by the POLICE!!

So unfortunately I have to say it again, no matter where you go, crime and corruption are everywhere.
So just like anywhere else, the importance of using common sense is unmeasurable.
And if I have the choice of being robbed in a beautiful country like Costa Rica, or some slimy nasty street in a polluted and stinky city….I’ll take Costa Rica, thank you.
Know what I mean?

and the rest of that web site.

Anyhow, if anyone ever sees a dark green “Dakine” brand name backpack floating around feel free to send me an email…or just laugh. I try to think that the contents of my bag will feed a poor family for a couple months…or get them the drugs they want to ignore poverty.