Exploring San Jose

To connect to the culture and history of Costa Rica, be sure to visit the National Museum, the Gold Museum, and the Art Museum. La Sabana is a park on the western edge of downtown that was once an airport. The control tower is now the Art Museum. A good place to relax and people-watch. Other good people watching spots are Plaza de la Cultura next to the National Theater and the Central Park in front of the Cathedral. Take a walk down Avenida Central, much of which has been transformed into a pedestrian mall. Manolo's is a good place for some food or just coffee, or try Pops for ice cream. I love San José because of the people, and the out-of-the-way corners of beauty.

Quick Tips:

There are some important 'don'ts' for San José. Don't wear jewelry that looks at all valuable. Don't wear or carry what you truly can't afford to lose. That includes a Walkman, credit cards, travel documents, large amounts of cash. Obviously you will need a credit card and some money. Carry these items in your front pants pocket. That goes for men and women. It is better to be safe than sorry. Carry a photocopy of your passport, and lock up your passport at your hotel. If you carry a purse, wear it with the strap across your chest. This is how Costa Rican women carry theirs. Avoid walking alone at night in San José. As anywhere in the world -- don't be an easy target.

Best Way To Get Around:

Take buses wherever and whenever you can. They are cheap, safe, and reliable. Bus drivers can usually help you find where you want to go. Take taxis, but only those with the yellow triangle on the side. The others are "piratas," illegal and will likely rip you off. Be cautious even with the legal ones. Make sure you can see the meter and it is running. If possible, have an idea how much the fare should be, so you can watch the meter. I enjoy walking in San José, you can see so much more, and really feel that you are a part of the city. You will also realize how small San Jose really is.

The best ice cream in Costa Rica. This chain is found all over the Central Valley. They sell fantastic ice cream in all the traditional favorite flavors. You will also see some odd flavors found only in Costa Rica such as 'kolita,' and fruit ices in 'mora' (blackberry), cas, and guanabana. Low fat ice cream has not become popular here yet, so indulge in the real thing!

Tin-Jo and Don Wang are next to each other; Tin-Jo is the classier of the two. They serve possibly the most exotic variety of food in all of Costa Rica. You can have anything from Indian curry, Chinese, Indonesian, and Thai specialties. Slightly more than moderately priced, it's the place for special dinners. The food is authentically seasoned, unlike many Costa Rican restaurants where food is rather bland.

Don Wang is more casual and less expensive than Tin-Jo next door. They serve excellent Chinese food. Again the food is authentically seasoned, and with no chayote in the chop suey! (One of my pet peeves about Chinese food in Costa Rica.) The have a wide selection of nicely prepared meat and vegetarian dishes, and friendly waiters.

This is the imposing neo-Classical building next to Plaza del la Cultura. Go in and take a look around, even if you don't have time to attend an event. You can take a tour for about $2. The National Symphony gives frequent concerts and tickets are quite cheap, as low as $3. The Theater was built at the end of the 19th century with money from the newly rich coffee barons. The story goes that a famous European opera singer refused to visit Costa Rica because of the lack of a suitable venue. The coffee elite were not about to have Costa Rica continue as the 'backwater' of Latin America, so the Theater was built. There is also an elegant little coffee shop in the Theater that serves great sandwiches and pastries.

Spirogyra is a cool, green oasis in the middle of the city. It is a great place to relax and watch butterflies in an enclosed natural habitat. There is a breeding area where you can see the pupae and newly hatched butterflies. Helpful guides will answer any question. They are open every day from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

I never get tired of this ultimate cultural experience. The market happens every Sunday morning from earlier than most of us think of getting up, until about noon. We usually arrive about 8 a.m. We head first to the food stands for breakfast -- gallo pinto with eggs, or chicharrones (bits of fried pork) fried up right in front of you. You can order strong, sweet coffee or get fresh squeezed orange or carrot juice from the stand next door. The market is a riot of color - fruits and vegetables from aguacates (avocados) to zanahorias (carrots). There are mountains of tomatoes, chayotes, bananas of all shapes and sizes. Garlic sellers stop to tempt you with long braids of garlic. You can buy fresh cut flowers, potted plants, and plastic accessories to hang in your closet. It is a great place to bargain for the best buys, practice your Spanish and just absorb the atmosphere with all your senses. The best way to get their would be a Zapote bus from San José, or a taxi.