Blogs from San José, Costa Rica, Central America Caribbean - page 6

Because of the very early flight tomorrow I stayed in the recently opened url=https://www.yyc.com/en-us/calgaryairportauthority/newinternationalterminal/about/internationalterminal.aspxCalgary International Terminal. Its vast expanse of gleaming glass, polished marble and flooding light was disorienting. I requested directions to the Marriott Hotel from the information desk, and then had to asked a passing maintenance man. The hotel's decor was a continuation of gleaming white and aluminum, even up into the room. Almost immediately I left to explore the new terminal to make things easier in the morning. I learned from the United agents that I would have to check-in at 4:15 a.m. Yeesh! 3:30 wake-up call. I went down early for dinner, pretending to still be on daylight-savings-time... read more

Photos of Cementerio de Obreros...... read more

Photos of San Jose...... read more

When I arrived in San José at 6am it was nice and warm, I took the bus to the center, the taxi to the hostel and went straight to the university because I missed friday, when they organised everything. So I got there, got lots of papers for the visa and for the immatriculation. Back at the hostel I fall asleep. Somewhere inbetween home and San José I ate something wrong.. San Pedro, the part where the "U" University is located, is not very nice. Many american shops, malls and restaurants - nothing green. However, the campus inbetween is beautyful. Lots of palmtrees, bambus and nice places to sit. Tuesday night I got invited to a birthday of one of the exchange students, so I first met all the other students from all over the world. ... read more

San Jose, a 1.6 million metropolis, has grown rapidly over the last 1/2 century, with regular waves of refugees from adjoining states like San Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua and even Mexico. A modern doughnut of city and industrialization surrounds the old city core which houses the Opera House, Museums, Art Galleries, Cathedrals, ..The highlight was my one day in San Jose was a visit to the modern Pre-Columbian Gold and Numismatic Museum. You enter through underground vault doors to become entranced with vast collections of Pre-Columbiam gold artifacts and jewelery. When you re-emerge, unfortunately you re-enter the faded, neglected down town world. Interesting, but not really stimulating. Heading for the bottom of the Nicoya peninsula -- should be more stimulating.... read more