Costa Rica: From the Inside Out
Maggie
Let’s start with San Jose — small, crowded and the capital of Costa Rica.
It’s a complicated city to accurately describe because although it is lacking in historical and architectural beauty, it has an amazing wealth of culture and adventure. Simple one and two story buildings are dwarfed only by the occasional Holiday Inn Hotel or the Banco Nacional. The air smells of dust, fresh-baked empanadas (flour-based pastries filled with meat or cheese), coffee, fresh pastries, the exhaust of the bus that just drove by down the street and the occasional garbage bag the was carelessly tossed on the side of the road. San Jose varies from market venders selling beaded jewelry and woodwork to the developed, commercialized hustle and bustle of a modern city.
But the charm lies in discovering ... the best cappuccinos aren’t on the main street, they’re down past the fruit venders in a little hole-in-the-wall joint that doesn’t even have a menu. The most delectable ice cream is in a market by the fish heads and raw meat, but it’s made from scratch and seasoned with cinnamon. If you want to relax in the park, don’t settle for the one that’s closest; walk a little further down the road and you’ll find a perfect bench shaded in tropical greenery. And outside of San Jose? Even more beautiful, just name which of nature’s wonders you’d like to see first ... waterfalls, mountains, valleys with rivers flowing through them, or perhaps just a relaxing trip to the beach. Rainforests, caves, woods and farmland all make up the country of Costa Rica.
It’s a complicated city to accurately describe because although it is lacking in historical and architectural beauty, it has an amazing wealth of culture and adventure. Simple one and two story buildings are dwarfed only by the occasional Holiday Inn Hotel or the Banco Nacional. The air smells of dust, fresh-baked empanadas (flour-based pastries filled with meat or cheese), coffee, fresh pastries, the exhaust of the bus that just drove by down the street and the occasional garbage bag the was carelessly tossed on the side of the road. San Jose varies from market venders selling beaded jewelry and woodwork to the developed, commercialized hustle and bustle of a modern city.
But the charm lies in discovering ... the best cappuccinos aren’t on the main street, they’re down past the fruit venders in a little hole-in-the-wall joint that doesn’t even have a menu. The most delectable ice cream is in a market by the fish heads and raw meat, but it’s made from scratch and seasoned with cinnamon. If you want to relax in the park, don’t settle for the one that’s closest; walk a little further down the road and you’ll find a perfect bench shaded in tropical greenery. And outside of San Jose? Even more beautiful, just name which of nature’s wonders you’d like to see first ... waterfalls, mountains, valleys with rivers flowing through them, or perhaps just a relaxing trip to the beach. Rainforests, caves, woods and farmland all make up the country of Costa Rica.
"Outside of San Jose? Even more beautiful,
just name which of nature's wonders
you'd like to see first ..."
Costa Rica is renowned for it’s coffee, so I insist that any trip made within the borders of this country include a few too many cups of coffee, be it in the city or in a coffee shop tucked away in the mountainside. As for the people who inhabit the country, you’ll find that the further out of the city you go, the more friendly and open the people are. And your overall personal safety goes along with the friendliness of the people — the further outside of the city you’re located, the more secure you’ll be. Although bars cover almost every window and yard of the houses in San Jose, in the quieter communities in the valleys and along the coast, you’ll find beautiful houses with the doors open and no iron bars over the windows.
It’s a country that has a strong focus on local produce and a stable economy, built from the ground up. Fresh fruits and vegetables are sold everywhere, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find any coffee but that which is grown and picked on Costa Rica soil. My recommendations? Brush up on your soccer knowledge before you come here, it’s standard table conversation. Keep a close eye on your wallet or purse (or wherever you choose to stash your cash) because if you’re not, someone else most likely is. And learn to live off the beaten trail. Costa Rica is full of experiences waiting to happen, just pick where you want to start.
It’s a country that has a strong focus on local produce and a stable economy, built from the ground up. Fresh fruits and vegetables are sold everywhere, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find any coffee but that which is grown and picked on Costa Rica soil. My recommendations? Brush up on your soccer knowledge before you come here, it’s standard table conversation. Keep a close eye on your wallet or purse (or wherever you choose to stash your cash) because if you’re not, someone else most likely is. And learn to live off the beaten trail. Costa Rica is full of experiences waiting to happen, just pick where you want to start.
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