November 2013
04.11.2013, San Jose, Costa Rica
We arrived yesterday but a bit too late to go out and do much so we set off out early this morning
to explore downtown San Jose. I wouldn't say there's a lot to see and do in San Jose but I also think it doesn't really matter. The easy going, laid back way of life here seems to appeal to my unstructured approach to meandering around the city. The city as a whole seems very social, there's not the tense urgency you get in most big cities. The streets are very much lived in rather than somewhere to inconveniently dash through. A traditional Costa Rican rice, beans and fried banana for breakfast and then spent a good 10 hours wandering between parks, markets and cafes. Had a nice moment in a tiny little local drinking hole we stumbled upon, it was the kind of place you think "is it wise to come in here?" as you walk through the door. There's graffiti all over the walls and the seating is a bench made of upturned beer crates. There's a few locals in there drinking beer and knocking back tequila, the tequila probably helps them to override the stench of fish wafting through from the markets next door. I flex the full extent of my Spanish vocabulary by asking for "dos cerveza por favor" but then the barman won't take my money because the fella next to me at the bar has decided to pay for me in an act of random kindness. I could see no motive or reason to do so except he was a nice fella and he just felt like it, he turned round and nodded to us, finished his drink and buggered off.
Poas Volcano, 05.11.2013
My only disappointment today was that the volcano didn't erupt while we were there. Imagine how exciting
