San José (CR) - Day 1
After another almost 4 hour flight and what feels like 14 days of transiting we've finally made it to San José, Costa Rica! Getting through immigration and customs is quick and easy. We exit the airport almost immediately and by chance bump into a guy who works for the rental company we're hiring a car from who says our shuttle to the office will be here shortly. Nice.
We wait about 5 mins and the shuttle van arrives. We get some hot tips from the driver about driving in San José as Jeff nervously watches the traffic and takes notes. A bit of paperwork and a tour of the cat and off we go. The weather is muggy and the forecast has it thunder storming for a week but we're good for now, thankfully, as we hit the highway in peak hour traffic. As our driver warned, the traffic is horrendous. A 25 minute drive is set to take 50 minutes. It is bumper to bumper, big trucks everywhere and motorbikes and scooters weaving in and out and generally making life difficult.
We get to our hotel in one piece, with a few more greys in the hair. Mike checks us in and suggests a really good, authentic mexixan restaurant around the corner. Running on about 4 hours sleep and 36 hours travel we have no ability to think for ourselves so that's where we head (after a lovely shower much needed after said hours of travel).
It's a short walk to the recommended restaurant and it doesn't disappoint. It's basically a house with tables scattered throughout and plenty of Mexican decor. We're seated outose which is basically a backyard with some tables and more Mexican decor, with a TV playing a concert of a Mexican singer who has many fans. The food is very authentic and reminds us of dishes we had in Mexico (on a previous trip). Jeff gets fajitas that are served sizzling and Courts goes the tacos, washed down with local beer. It's all delicious and just what the doctor ordered after a day and a half of airport food.
We've only got 1 night in San José (all the reading says you only need 1-2 days), before we head for the hills so we're off to explore an area after dinner called Barrio Escalante. Apparently it's a trendy neighbourhood cafes, arts and nightlife.
It's about a 15 minute drive from where we're staying and while we haven't seen much of the city yet, this feels completely different. It's a fairly gentrified suburb, but with the same house converted to restaurant vibe like we ate at earlier, except a bit more upmarket. It's seems like a younger crowd and some of the places look like they probably go off on a Friday and Saturday night. We buy an ice cream and wander the streets and through a park where the kids are hanging out. It all feels pretty safe except virtually every house sits behind high bars and gates, some with barbed wire running along the tops. It gives off a bit of a prison vibe and we're starting to wonder what or who they're trying to keep out (or in). We later read that San José has a low enough crime rate, the prison bars are there mainly as a deterrent to any would be thieves.
On our drive back to the hotel through the main city blocks we can't help noticing the stark difference between the neighbourhood we just left and the streets we're seeing now. It's like we've left the future and come back to present day San José. It's much more rough and ready here and you'd feel a bit unsafe walking around (even though it doesn't sound like that's the case).
We plan to head to the Mercado (Central Market) early tomorrow morning and we can barely keep our eyes open. We hit the hay, feeling pretty pleased with what we've accomplished today.
