Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/07/02

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Costa Rica Leica
From: "Richard E. Baznik" <reb10@po.cwru.edu>
Date: Fri, 02 Jul 1999 08:52:26 -0400

We spent 12 days in the backwoods and small towns and only two days in San
Jose, so perhaps the weighting is off, but the security problems we
encountered were entirely in smallish towns, and were not targeted on photo
equipment. Specifically, we had two incidents where pedestrians were trying
to get into our locked, parked vehicle, in which we had carefully covered
our luggage. In both cases, local Ticos alerted us to the activity and
called the police. The police inevitably blamed the problem on Nicaraguan
immigrants. We lost nothing, but eventually decided we simply could not
leave a parked rental vehicle alone. I always carried my scuzzy Tamrac bag
with me.

If you plan to spend any time in vehicles outside SJ, be aware that the
roads are INCREDIBLY bad once you turn off Highway #1 (the local joke is
that it's called that because "it's the one highway"). Average speed on
typical roads is maybe 12 mph, and even then it's a very rough ride -- you
learn to enjoy the brief stretches of relatively smooth dirt between the
chuck holes. Stuff in the vehicle gets tossed around, as do the passengers.

Let me not end on a bad note. The people are wonderful, and the light is
magical both early and late, particularly on the water and in some
moderately dense forest areas. Have a great time!///Dick Baznik
___________

At 02:41 PM 7/1/99 -0700, you wrote:
>> Bill, 
>> 
>> You bring up some interesting points, do you know if the security risks
>> are solely in the airport and San Jose? What about other parts of the
>> country?
>> 
>> Im flying to San Jose and then transfering to another flight to cross the
>> country into a smaller backwoods type of place... (Not sure where yet, I
>> don't have the itinerary from the girlfriend.)
>
>
>Mark, I don't know, but, my guess is big cities are worse for theft. Why
>not compromise and just take one leica?
>
>Buen Viaje,
>Bill
>
>