Top Ten (10) Travel Tips for Costa Rica
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Hey. Good morning it's. Me Pete Smith here. With your top. 10 tips, for, traveling, to Costa Rica. All. Right well. Don't. Forget to visit Smitty's, costa rica. Travel. Website. You. Can find more tips there and get, personalized. Service, on. Your trip to Costa Rica all. Right, okay. Well to, start off my, number. One. Travel. Tip is. Make. Sure you have your destination, set it, seems like these days, when. You get into the customs in, Costa, Rica they want to know. They. Want to know where you're going, so, you. Know you, get to that deadline, where you're entering, the country at, the airport they're. Gonna ask you. Not. Only you, know what city but where, exactly are you're gonna be staying, it. Seems like they want an answer to that now it's pretty specific so, the. Funny thing about Costa. Rica though as far as address is well, if you're gonna stay at a hotel that's, fine you. Know you. Tell them what hotel in what city, but. Costa, Rica doesn't really use addresses. Like, we do like. You won't see, number. Five main, street, you. Know and a LOF whele, so. They'll, say like, when. You're looking what. Like where are you located they'll say, like. 75, meters south of. Jose's. Bar, and. That's the address seriously. So. If you use them like Airbnb or whatever just make. Sure you copy down. Whatever. Directions, they give you or whatever, they give you as an address and, be. Ready to give that to the customs. Guy or immigration, guy, because. They. Want to know that stuff now. And, uh, Google, Maps is pretty good I found, most, stuff on Google Google, Maps and in Costa Rica, so. If. You really want to know where you're going use Google Maps or probably, any of the other Matt. I know ways a lot of people use Waze over, there, those. Are all fine and. Sorry. About that, yeah, those are fine use those too to. Figure out where you are but. Just, don't be surprised when you don't have an actual address, that, you can use. Okay. So that's number one know your destination have. Your passport, need a passport. From. The US so. Number. Two I would, say is, talk. About money uh. I. Recommend. Changing. Changing. Your money. Your. Dollars if you're from the US. Or. Probably for many other countries probably worth it but especially. From the US they do accept, dollars, but. You're. Not gonna get a good rate for your dollar if it's like a local place, they're. Gonna basically. They're. Gonna give you like 2 to 1 which is it. Works out in their favor so don't I recommend. Going through a bank changing your money, right. Now you I, think. Their. Money it's a a thousand, Colonus which is like one dollar is. Equal. To I, believe. 1.75. Dollars. US. Dollars, so a dollar seventy-five so, they're. Gonna give you. If. It's a thousand Colonus they're, gonna tell you two dollars if you just if. You you know just using US dollars. So. That. Would be my first thing about. Changing. Money go, right to a bank bring your passport, you need your passport when you change of money usually and. There, give you a pretty good rate you know I've never, been. Dissatisfied. With, that I always. You know change a couple hundred dollars at a time. I'm not sure if there's a fee for doing it I think, last time I asked is sarahfey they're like yeah it's built in it, came out to a good rate it. Came out to about well. It. Was a little bit less than what you're gonna see you know in. The. New York Stock Exchange or whatever but. Oh. The. Other thing it's you credit, cards are good like. I use my credit card, a lot. Of places accept. Credit cards you know any kind of like. Decent. Restaurant, or. Supermarkets. Tourist. Shops. Hotel. Most hotels and things like that they're. Gonna accept the credit card. And. You're gonna get. Pretty. Much like my credit card gives me the best a really, good rate like. Just. About as good as any other rate I can get and, they, do all the figuring out for me self you, know things in Costa Rica are generally. Priced in. In. Colonus, they're, priced, in Colonus, not in US dollars so it. Saves you a lot of trouble just sometimes your seizing the credit card you're like, you. Know you're, gonna get the fair exchange on, that and, you don't have to go figuring things out like oh how many colones is this gonna equal. How many dollars is this gonna equal. So. That's, that's one thing by. The way I'm making this video on uh. December. 22nd. 2019. It's. The first full day of winter here hahaha, that's, why I'm thinking about Costa Rica, nice. And warm there right now so.
Okay. So that's, the money situation I would change the money I just. Like to have cash a lot of places. There. Are some places that don't accept credit you. Know there's, still a lot, of cash around there so, and. I find I can always get a better deal with cash with, their cash so, and. Then, you. Know they they usually don't try it not that they try and take advantage of it anyway, but if. You have Colonus they're pretty much you, know they know at least he's smart. Enough to change his money to are so, less. Tendency to sort of jack, up the price a little bit and, you'll probably negotiate, a little bit on a lot of things. Okay. Whereas. You're at a disadvantage if, you're if you've got American dollars. Negotiating. Is hard because, it's like that come on you've given me the American dollars and even though it's better for them, it's. Uh. It's. Gonna work to your disadvantage so. Okay. Number, three let's talk about transportation. When. You get there I just want to say buses in Costa Rica ha, I love the buses a lot. Of people don't like them cuz they're sometimes. I don't have air conditioning they, can be crowded, they can be old bouncy. And I love. Them because, save, so much money taking, buses now, granted I take, buses like five hour buses, from say San Jose to out. To the beaches on, you. Know Guanacaste, so, it's. A long ride, but. I like it and I'd love to see the countryside from a bus and, well. Let me tell you it might cost you like $100, if you if, you take like a car like, a higher at an uber or or. Even. A, shuttle like they have shuttle buses where it's, just like a van where they pool you, know pool people. Might, close your hundred dollars say, well. That same trip on a bus gonna be like six dollars five. Dollars so. You can see the savings there. Buses. Are tricky. Though you. Really have to figure out like where the bus stations are well, first they have to figure out what the bus company is that, you're gonna use cuz, it's not like one. Whole big bus company that covers the whole country. It's. Like several bus. Companies little bus companies private bus companies and. Each. Of them have their own. Stations. Stations. I, say stations. Because, you. Won't even know it's a bus station it might not even be. Bus. Station might be like a just, an old metal, metal. Building with no sign or anything. And, that's where you got to go and buy your ticket if you're buying in advanced, ticket. So. Anyway you figure out where you want to go what bus company goes there. Then. Where there station is and, then. How to buy the ticket, I recommend. Any time you're.
Going On a longer journey buy, that ticket in advance because. You get a seat when you buy the ticket. So. Buy. The ticket for that specific, day. That. Time and. And. Then you'll have a seat because if you just get on and it's a five-hour trip there's, an open seat that. Seat might be sold down the line, two. Stops away you might be standing for five hours with a lot of people you. Know you'll have your bags your, luggage. That'll. Be sitting in the. And. The bus you know in the handicapped zone and, the bus we're it's, not supposed to be but a lot of people wind up with, their bags there. It's. Just a hassle if you don't have a seat. The. Buses they do put. Suitcases on in, the under side outside, underneath. In the compartment but, sometimes. You got to call the driver out like you're getting on the bus be like hey I got a suitcase you know me maleta me maleta, la. Caja you know in. The box or whatever. Compartmental. Afuera. Outside, and they'll. Get out but sometimes they'll act like you know no, just get on you know you. Don't want to do that with a big suitcase a small bag yeah small, suitcase mmm. If, it can fit in an overhead, like. You. Know on buses with the little thing, up if it can fit in there like a knapsack. Size, or. Like. A really, like a small, carry-on. Not like even a regular-sized, carry-all then fit up there but small. Then. You can get away with putting it up top okay. So that's, my advice learn, the bus system it's worth it it's. Fun you got lots of cool pictures. Along the way and, you. Know hang out with the people on the bus you know. The real Tico's and teeka's that's. The word for Costa Ricans T, cos these girls Tico's it's boys. Yeah. So I would say that and there. Are over over works great there I haven't. Tried lift I have. Tried to over most, places it works just fine. I think, there might have been some, where it didn't work like some remote beaches but most. Of the time it works everywhere that I've been there.
And Again it's already exchange. Rate is already set and everything so you. Don't have to do any of that. Shuttles. And taxis, are gonna be very expensive well I shouldn't, say taxis, are gonna be very expensive but for. Longer trips they are if. You're going from the airport like two miles it's not they're, not gonna pitch you up for more than like a. Thousand. Colonus which is about two dollars so. To. Three dollars you can get you know from your airport to a nearby, hotel or something like that but. Anything. Like a couple hours you're. Gonna get hit pretty hard if you take a taxi. Or an over. What. Else rentals, you can rent cards they are especially. Wow. In the, high. Season like now December, January February. Car. Rentals can be a little bit pricey kind. Of like American, rates. But. Yeah I use my credit card and they give me the insurance on the credit card so I don't have to pay extra for insurance, and usually. They're okay with that they, don't force me to buy, like extra insurance or anything they're like well if. You think your credit card it's going to cover it go, right ahead you know that's fine so I do, that but. I in the offseason I've paid. What. Have I paid I think it was less. Than 38 it was like 20 20, something a day 25, a day I think so. It's not bad uh that's. Total, taxes. And everything oh, okay. But let's move on to. That's. Transportation. What, else oh, just. About I think I mentioned the bus stations, like when you're going to buy a ticket or, anything, you've. Really got to ask people like where they are and figure. It out because again there's not going to be an address there's, not going to be usually a big sign saying oh, I'll, start our bus company. It's. It's, really like. Camouflaged. So to speak so. It really takes a little doing and, also the bus stops each bus, company. Might have different stations, different, stops so. You. Never know where they're gonna stop or what, where. You're supposed to catch it but you, figure it out. What. Else, let's. See, transportation. Oh cellphone let's go to a number I think it's three. Cell. Phones I. Found. I, look. I used, Verizon, and. They're. Pretty good I like them back home but. In Costa Rica I found. The. Best thing for me was to buy, SIM card I put. It in my phone from. Like. Colby, their their local, provider, over there Kol. B I just. Go ahead and buy the SIM card with some data and. A. New phone number and. It's. It's. Really, reasonable. Price and this. Way you have some some, data and. You can reach our you know you can continually recharge, it you. Can do that very easily welcome. To any little, store. They'll, recharge you from. Put. $10, on there if you need more dad out whatever. That's. What I recommend you. Can, you, know get a plant and get a plan from your American. Phone company to, cover you while you're there I found it to be very unreliable they, just I think. They just pay whatever company is already over there, and.
It. Just didn't seem like it was worth it for me so I. Think. I want to try those. Portable. Wi-Fi. Things. Next, they, carry, the little portable Wi-Fi unit, with you they some. Companies sell that so or, rent that for a couple weeks that'd be nice. I, have. An iPhone 8 plus, work. Just fine swapping, out the SIM card work just fine, didn't. Have to do anything really just, right away it knew my new number I. Think. Like whatsapp, needed. Me to do, something like, verify. That I wanted this new phone, number on there and that was it, everybody. Seems to use whatsapp, over there so I, would. Use that just, remember you know when, you're giving out your number I believe. You need to use plus one and then, your area code and your number and over. There Costa, Rica it's plus. 506. And then. An eight digit number so. Don't. Forget that plus sign, that'll. Mess you up there you. Don't have that in there won't work, so. Cell, phones stuff. Like that technology. It. Works over there you just got to kind, of use theirs I think that's that's mine I could. Oh I could always find Wi-Fi, at Starbucks. There. Are Starbucks, occasionally, depending on where you are like. I love whele there's a nice little Starbucks. San, Jose of course you've got Starbucks, and there's. Also other places with Wi-Fi McDonald's, when you find a McDonald's although it isn't in Costa Rica I like to do things that. People. Do there and eat in places that they I don't like to do, the, touristy. Or you, know American. Fast-food and things like that but occasionally. If you need Wi-Fi there is like Burger, King or or. McDonald's, in. More. Populated, areas okay, let's. Move on so. Number, four hmm. What would number, four be Oh. See. We talked about transportation cell phone Oh packing, what, are you gonna pack when you go to Costa Rica well it's, warm there, okay. Just about any time of the year so. I, was there in a the, rainy season which I thought was gonna be so cold and wet and and, you. Know uncomfortable why, I picture myself being wet all the time and. It. Was still warm in it and it you, know it rained every day but I I almost, no I used my umbrella one time one. Time in like a month. Because. What, happens is the skies get dark and you've. Got time you after a while you get to know the skies, have. A certain look to them and, then. It starts rolling in and pretty. Soon and then you're like okay here comes the rain and. So you get some covers so. My. Advice is pack light don't, pack a bunch of heavy clothes you. Know I, always. Any. Time I've ever packed like jeans and, and. Heavy heavy, sweatshirts. And coats I they, always wind up staying in the suitcase, I wear. Shorts and. Button-down. Short sleeve shirts or t-shirts, and. I'd. Like to have socks so, I always bring like enough for a week socks, and, underwear. Are enough for a week and, t-shirts. And like, I said button-down, shirts that look nice. Costa. Ricans like to wear nice shirts so if you want to fit in a little bit wait bring, some nice shirts you know button-down, shirts and and, they like them iron too so that's another dig so. If you can, try. And keep them neat and uh, you. Know I'm not looking too shabby. Socks. I like to bring them like one good walking chute, like I bring sneakers that look kind of nice so that I can. Wear them kind of as sneakers, or as, looking. A little bit nicer. Good. For walking because I do a lot of walking there just, find myself walking all over the place I also. Bring flipflops especially, of course anywhere, near the beach but also. In the in the other, areas I always have flip-flops, they're just easy they're. Good around the house or, you know if, you find yourself in this shower you, know like. That. Doesn't look the, way you might want, it to let. Me tell you you know if you go there thinking like you're gonna be in like a five-star. Hotel, Four, Seasons you, know. Looking. For that luxury. It. Might not be the place for you, you've. Really got to love the, nature and. Ecology. And. Even. Critters, and things like that you know like lizards, and and. Like. Their windows don't have any screens, usually, it's just wide open a lot, of times the houses are just wide open to the outside most of the time windows. Open doors wide open. No. Screens. So. You got to really love nature I think to be there and to really enjoy it there if. You're looking for a like. You. Know it's, sometimes it's hard to find hot water we like where you're staying some places don't have hot water, they'll have cold water or it's just like kind of lukewarm because. It isn't freezing because it's warm there so when.
It Comes from the ground or wherever it's coming from it's generally, I. Don't. Say warm but it's not freezing cold so it's easy to get used to and. If. They do have hot water it's usually one. Of those little heater, things on the top of the top. Of the shower like, the. Water spins around a little coil in there and gets hot as it's coming out that's. So. Was. I getting at. Hotels. Fight. No 5mm I mean there are but. I wouldn't go there if you were looking for that kind of experience you, know go to a club Med somewhere or something like that I guess, I don't even know if Club Med still exists, but. This. Is a beautiful, natural place, you. Know you get back to nature and get. Back to very, simple life. People. Are very happy there. It's. One of the I don't, know if there's four or five blue zones, in. The world where, people live, longevity. Live really long like over 100, anyway. It's a beautiful place so, if. You're okay with that want to see some nice wildlife, there's monkeys. There's. You. Know like I said wizards. There's sloths. You. See a sloth. Yeah. So. What. Else where, was I dude don't. Forget the sunscreen man. It's. Very expensive, there I think I paid like 10 million. So. Pick, up some before you go, also. Bring a hat. It's. Cool when you're surfing, okay. Sorry, so, I was talking about packing, what to pack so rain gear I mean. I used my umbrella once, in the rainy season in a month and. I. Was. Glad to have it that one time let me tell you cuz I got off the bus and it. Was raining, cats and dogs I mean and I was supposed to meet somebody and wanted. To look presentable so I was, very lucky that I did have my umbrella with me I used to carry it around and, think well I kinda, stupid thing I haven't gotten rained on yet, but. Uh you, know it's. Good to have a small umbrella a, lot. Of people say bring a raincoat I never used a raincoat there just. Never did. Rainboots, never I. Don't. Know and. Most. Of my long pants and stuffing never wear I bring, one now I when I get on the plane I bring one pair of like jeans. That I wear on the plane and if you need more information on, travel. And want some personalized, service for. When you get there or before you go just. Contact Smitty's, Costa Rica comm that's Smitty's, SMI, ttyS.
Costa. Rica, dot-com. And. Smitty. He'll help you well, give. You some personalized travel service. Ok, so back to back. To number 6, which. Is. The. Language do. You speak Spanish habla, espanol. In Costa Rica they, speak Spanish. You. Don't have to speak Spanish but it helps and. I would say if you, know any Spanish at all try, using it over there because people, are very receptive when you when, you start speaking their language especially, in Costa Rica you start speaking Spanish, or attempting. To speak Spanish, they. Really like that and they'll start they'll help you you know they'll help you along to. Get to say what you want to say and, also. It helps them because a lot. Of people, in Costa Rica, want. To learn English and. There. May be a little, hesitant to start speaking English. Just. Like you're hesitant to start speaking Spanish to them so. By you sort. Of bumbling, through Spanish a little bit it, gives them that sort of permission you know and then they might just surprise, you and start speaking, English and, you. Know it's you can have a nice conversation help, each other out, so. I like to you know rather than go in there and just start speaking English like hey. Yeah. It's not it's not like a real friendly way to to, approach it, now. Try speaking Spanish, you know. If. You can't then of course you know you'll. Get by over, there. But. You know, Google I love Google train and, all, these apps now that. They have for learning, different languages are very very helpful there's probably some other ones too that are more local than than, Google Translate I've, heard that there's different apps for different. You, know specifically, different countries and even different areas, of countries. That. Will be more the dialect, will be a little bit closer, to what they're speaking there so. Those. Are all good to use. Yeah. A blast on y'all so, that's. Number I don't know what number that is, might. Be six so let's move on to seven, which. Will be M, what else can I tell you about Costa, Rica. Let's. See moving over the money. Transportation. Hotels. I don't know if I got to talk about hotels, I. Have, used Airbnb quite, a bit. And. I've used some hotels there I've, been I've. Had some good good ones and some bad ones it's just just.
The Way it goes I don't, want to get into that too much what else can I tell you yeah I'm just here in the park here taking. A hike and you. Can see it's very beautiful, although. It is wintertime it's kind. Of warm today it's like 40, degrees Fahrenheit so I, don't. Know what that is Celsius, but it's over zero. Maybe. Two. Um. Let's. See oh. Yeah. What. Was it what was it I wanted to talk about a little river here, nice. Right, oh. Okay. I wanted to talk about tipping. In restaurants, because. This. Is something that I kind, of took. Me a while to get when. You're out at a restaurant and, you're going to let's. Talk about food in general but tipping, especially, you. Might notice tax, at, the on the bill and that's fine there is a tax I think it's ten percent or something like that but. Sometimes there's another tax, it's. Like another thirteen percent or ten, percent or, whatever and. That is, a tip but, it might not say tip if. It was a tip it should say propene ah I think but. It might say impress talk which is that's so. They'll tax you twice and not tell you that you're. Actually tipping them so, just. Beware of that I used to go in and not know that and, I'd. Give you know an extra 20% so I'm giving him like 30% tip, like. No wonder why they're smiling when I'm coming in you know the, gringo. So. Just be careful you can, ask but if you ask just don't, be surprised if you don't get a straight answer because. Sometimes. Getting a straight answer on things over there's they'll. Send you around in circles which is gonna be my next one number eight. Yeah. The restaurants, are good, you. Can get like a breakfast, at a what they call a soda, it's. Like a little, lunch. Counter just. On the side of the road usually and. They'll do like guess a you know you know breakfast, eggs. And rice, and. Plantain. And, coffee. Maybe. Some meat and, it might be like $4 so it's reasonable. They. Also do lunches there too which would be like a casado. Like. A meal like, say a fish and rice and, some. Veggies and. Maybe. Some beans or. Whatever. The fresh vegetable, is at that time. And. That'll be like maybe, six or seven bucks, so. You can you can get good deals on that stuff there's always supers, which. Are like little supermarkets. You can always buy food there lots of fresh vegetables fruits you. Know you're in Costa Rica so you might as well eat there, what. They're growing and, what. They have available there which is a lot of fruits and vegetables. So. Take. Advantage of that you, know good bananas, and. Apples. And. Mangoes. And lots of lots of good stuff. I go. To the supers the poly PA Li, supermarket. Or mega. Super. I. Go, there for for. Like supplies. It's. Always have supplies nuts, and. You. Know maybe I'll look for some. Some. Some. Hummus or. Some. Tortillas, and you know eggs always I always have fresh eggs and. Yeah. So food. Is good over there. There's. Not that many like. Maybe. Restaurants. Like of course like New York you can find every nationality every restaurant, and just. Walking each, every. Block has more and more but there yeah there there here and there you might get find a Chinese food place that. Yeah. It's not really like Chinese food for, us, Italian. Food is, tough to find so. When you find a good place you know, mark. It on your on your map I. Love.
This Place called Matt Toby's in. Bupa, Dana wolf, they've. Got great Italian, food great, pizza. Anyway. So. They're yeah about the tip and about, the restaurants, and the food foods, all good, just. My own self, I generally, drink, bottled water so. I'm just drinking water there. I just feel better and if. I'm staying someplace for more than like a couple days I'll buy the I'll. Buy the big I don't. Know what it is five. Gallon you know the big bottle, that. Generally you would put in a machine. Like. A dispenser, type, of bottle I buy. That or. The couple liter bottles, of. Water. It's reasonably. Price like you. Can buy a nice 2 litre bottle of water for. Think. About a less, than a thousand Colonus so, about. A dollar, fifty. Like. That. When. I make coffee and stuff I generally just use tap water they. Do have a lot of water there it seems like never, never seems like I've. Heard people running out of water I've never have been out of place that ran out of water and. It, usually seems really clean so. Comes. From the mountains. What. Else so that's about it on the food situation okay, I'm gonna go to number I think it's eight which, is gonna, be. Asking. People for. Information. Or directions. Be. Careful with that because I found, I've gone on many a goose chase and I call it the old Costa Rican goose chase they send you on you. Ask somebody where something is oh yeah yeah if, you. Go it's not there and, you'll, ask somebody else in there oh no it's over there so. You go over there it's not there yeah somebody else oh no it's back there oh yeah, okay. So. And you'll never find it so. Just. Beware that I don't know how to tell you when. You find yourself wrapped, in like one of these goose chase things you'll know good. Be like oh no this is not and. Then, you got to just stop and like reevaluate. You'd say maybe. Stop asking, people and just figure it out for yourself because they will I always think, like when, I'm on one of those goose. Chases I picture the guy that I asked, just. Laughing, like hey, man, look at the gringo going on all. Over the place ha, ha, you. Know and maybe it's just me to, be honest it might just be my, lack. Of language. Skills. And. Maybe. I'm misunderstanding or. Miscommunicating. That I'm looking for so, they're they're. Just going by what I'm saying and I'm, saying the wrong thing so I, mean. That could be there's, a lot of miscommunication. When. You're trying to speak a language and you can't really do it but I just plow forward like, if. I don't know how to say something I'll look on Google Translate. And. So. I'll be able to start off the conversation really. Well. Like. You. Know with the first sentence, because I've looked, at it on Google Translate. But their, response. Leaves. Me like speechless like I don't know where to go from there like okay I said what I to say I'm, trying to hear what your response is and. Maybe I understand, that but then I don't know what else to say so. Communication. Is can, be tough when you're, attempting. To speak another, language. Anyway. Just be careful who you ask I was telling you about the busses earlier I just. Remembered you can buy bus tickets online. So. You can actually pay get your seat and. You. Know just show up at this, bus stop with your ticket or your your, phone, show. Them that you paid that's. Really worth doing then you don't have to go out to the bus station find, finding, where this little. Bus station window is to buy a ticket. And. There's a lot of good online sites now. Let's. See if I can link them in the description below. Minista, Costa Rica and. They. Should be able to you. Know just generally, whatever information I need, I'll. I'll. Find it I'll find. It online or, I've. Had good success with that. What. I do is uh, for.
Maps And stuff I I download. Them. Beforehand. Like you know Google lets you download. Like, certain area maps. So. That even if you're offline you can still, use. Them which is great love. That because I do find myself in some of the roads, especially. Out in the mountains or beach areas, you, start, not. Knowing where the heck you are and you're your phone's not working, you. Know not connecting, to a satellite to a signal so, if. You have the map downloaded, somehow it still figures your GPS out you. Can still locate you somehow but. You. Won't have to worry about not, having the map. Okay. So that was number eight. Okay. Here's the good one I want to talk about, hanging. On to your personal belongings. Funny, thing about Costa, Rica, the. People are very honest. I. I. Haven't, really had to worry about too, much like in that area like getting. Mugged or anything. Although, you do have to be careful in a bigger cities like San Jose. You know like, anywhere it's a lot of people from everywhere, and there. Is crime so. But. Generally speaking hang, on to your belongings, like if you're in a cafe, or something even in a small town, don't. Just leave your iPhone sitting, there on the table and, get up and go look. At the donuts or whatever, because. Chances, are your iPhones gonna be gone when you get back and. Because. People see if you leave something unattended, people are like oh you don't want it so they take it I've. Had that happen so. Just keep an eye on your stuff don't leave it unattended. I. Carry. A little shoulder bag and. I've. Had the experience of having something taken right out of the shoulder bag now. This was in a little bit of a more urban area, where some. Bad people around and I've. Had a camera stolen right out of my unzipped. My bag on my back camera. Taken out I went - what. - take a picture took my bag off my shoulder, my. Zipper was open the camera was gone so. It'll. Happen if. You're not careful if you have a bag put. It on your front put it right here if. You're in a like a heavily populated area, where there's lots of people but. Generally just keep an eye on your stuff, don't. Leave it unattended. Yeah. I find myself even in New York walking around with my iPhone, out texting. And doing different things and I want, to do that so much like. In. In the city areas I'd, be more, careful where you were. You pulling out your phone and like not looking at what's going on I have. Heard of people just running by and grabbing phones, I don't, know, so.
That Would be my advice. Just. Keep your eye on keep, you keep your belongings, nearby. Okay. Okay. I think, I'm on number nine but I'm not sure and, that is emergencies. Like medical emergencies, or something like that or you need the police for some reason, first. Of all I see, the police all the time when I'm over there generally. On bikes, seems. Sometimes in cars or. Walking, there, are a lot of times walking but, never, had any trouble with the police always very nice very, respectful. To, me. They. Don't say anything I, generally. Try and say hello if I if, I see them you, know if I walk by and they make, eye contact, or whatever I'll yeah. How you doing. One. Thing is they do look very young. The. Police are sometimes, they look like they're you know just, like, junior. High school students, now maybe it's just me getting old but they. They can look really young and but. They have the authority so you respect, them and. I've. Seen them you know come. Come and arrest people in a young. Or not they get the job done so. But. They're they're really nice if you have to call 911 it's better in advance and know, like. Where you are like, what I was saying in the beginning it's. Hard to have addresses but. Trying. Know like a business, that's right, next to you or near you or, a bar. Or restaurant. Or. A supermarket. Or something. Or, of. Course the, name of the establishment that you're at because that's going to help any emergency, service that get to you, especially. If you're not that great with the language it's, hard to tell him you know, 75. Meters, north of the bar. Jose's. Bar. With. The red door, you know because. That's how they do it a lot of times. But. Wherever. You're staying you know ask the people there where's, the nearest hospital or, the. Nearest emergency. Medical. Building. Or provider, because. It. Could. It. Could be tough to find in an emergency. I've. Never had. Thank. God I've been very fortunate what times I've gone over there I've never had anything really serious, happening I've. Been there I guess seven times and, mostly. For about a month at a time or. Two and. The. Worst I had was one, time I had like a gum. Inflammation. Or, something said. It might have been something, like, fruit. Or something that I ate seeds, of fruit but. That. Got I was, walking around looking for like something. Up wash. My mouth out with for a while like two I think. Was basically. Hydrogen, peroxide they, have something I think it's just basically hydrogen, peroxide like 10% and you, know 90% water, but. It took me a long time to find that I finally, found it at a drugstore. What's. The name of it. Rachelle's. Or, something like that or fish shells. Drugstore, it's, kind of a chain over there and I found that thing but it took me a while to find it I couldn't find it in any supermarket or. They. Will have like alcohol. Rubbing. Alcohol or. Stuff. Like that but I couldn't, find that hydrogen peroxide, bacitracin. And things like that I'm not sure you. Might need to find a drugstore for that too. So. I've been very fortunate through our hospitals. But. Again you, know you got to figure out where they are and where you are that's, that's really even more important is where. Are you because. That's what you need to communicate, in. An emergency. Yeah. Okay, so, let's move on to number 10. Well. I looked at my punch list for things I wanted to talk about and I think I ran out of things to talk about I don't know if that's ten or nine or eleven or twelve that I don't.
Know But I hope you enjoyed this video. Yeah. Check, out Smitty's. Costa, Rica dot-com, SMI. TtyS. Costa. Rica, dot-com. For. Some personalised travel service just call him or, send. Him an email let him know what you're looking for you. Can help you out with that. They. Got some nice fishing, going on over there if you like fishing. I, know. They're located, in alajuela which is where you land if you go to San Jose I guess, I could. Talk about flying, and where you're gonna go like San, Jose is the main airport it's. Actually in a town called Alajuela. And. Then if you're going more to the north, and the Pacific side, of the country in the north. Quan. Accosted a Nosara, beaches. You, might want to fly to nabatea as we say in English, Liberia. Nabatea. They, say it's. The, other airport, and. That's, closer to the beaches up in the North Pacific. Coast, side. Of the country. And. You're. Better off flying in there because then you can take a car, or a bus or shuttle, closer. To the beach from there. Depending. On where you going. I love, the beaches there the beautiful Oh, back. To those and medical emergencies, you might a, lot. Of people when they're out in the ocean. There. Are stingrays, so, you got to be a little careful with that so, when you're walking in the ocean just scuff. Your feet like this in the sand I don't. Know if you can see that but as you. Walk in the water scuff, your feet so they know you're they. Won't bother ya though they'll, move away but if, you happen to be like plotting along and. You step on one they might sting you and I, know. People that have gotten stung it, wasn't really that big of a deal but. If you're prone to have some sort of you. Know allergic. Reaction, it. Could be a problem if, you have some benadryl handy or something. It's. Like a bad bee sting I think for most people but other than that it's. Pretty safe pretty, safe country. At. Night if you're walking around on the beach bring flashlights, little flashlights with you it's always good to pack a little flashlight because. It can be dark there I've been as sometimes at night walking back from the beach area I could, not see my hand in front of my face is so black and you.
Know I wasn't really familiar with the area so it kind of like just blindly, walking. It. Can be really, dark. So. Bring a little flashlight good, good little flashlight. That's. About it I think I'm. Here in snowy, New, Jersey right now and. It's. The first full day of winter so, I am thinking about Costa, Rica. So. My, name is Pete Smith check, out my other videos I've got some some songs about, Costa Rica, one. Called alajuela, the, other called sweet home Pumbaa Dana. They'll. Be in the comments. Section. Down below or the description. You. Can click on those I've been, to the prison over there which I highly recommend. There's. An old prison really, brutal, it's, closed now but you. Can walk over that you can take a boat over there and see it it's on an island, Sam San, Lucas Island I believe it is, San. Lucas prison there, was a book about it guy. What, was his name I forget but. Anyway I'll put that in the link too well. I have a video on it so you can watch that. Alright, so. Sign. Up subscribe. If you like my videos. Like. I said I do music I do acting, you can see some of that I do. Some commentary, on different, things you know a little. Political here and there. So. Check. Out my stuff it's a mixed bag and, you're not gonna find any one particular thing on my channel so but. You'll find a lot of different things and. So. Subscribe, and if you click on that little red bell there. That'll. Notify you, know you'll be notified when I post a new video, I'm. Translating, a lot of my music videos, to have, Spanish, subtitles now, so so. That people over there can enjoy them too. If. You want to see Spanish subtitles on my videos just click on the, little. System. Wheel. The, little wheel down. Here at the bottom. Sprocket. And. That. I think you use that to change in language but if you just click on CC this, one here this is C see, that'll. Turn close-caption, on and off but if you need to select what language, then. You use the sprocket, so just, click on the CC see. What happens should, get a Spanish subtitle. All, right it's Pete Smith signing, off for now so. Long and be safe everyone. You.
2020-01-09 00:01