Dateline – San Jose Costa Rica
I let myself sleep in this morning to make up for the prolonged travel day yesterday but I was still up and out by 9 am (we’re on Mountain Time here so I’m stirring earlier than I might otherwise). Breakfast was typical upscale hotel breakfast buffet but it did have fried plantains (which I do enjoy) and the pineapple was fresh and juicy which is always a treat. You only get really good pineapple in the tropics as they have to cut it early for shipping purposes and it’s never quite as good in more temperate climes.
The weather was reasonable after thunderstorms last night so I took a long meandering walk through town to the city center. Costa Rica has a reputation of having somewhat terrible drivers. I learned very quickly that the best way to cross a street is at a dead run as they tend to barrel forward at high speeds, no matter what color the lights may be or what the street signs may say. I still have all my limbs intact so so far, so good. Tomorrow we have five hour drive on mountain roads. We’ll see how that goes.
I ended up in the central plaza downtown and proceeded to explore the museums. First stop was the National Museum chronicling the history of Costa Rica from neolithic times through today. It’s located in the old national army barracks up on a hill with a nice view of the city. Costa Rica got rid of its military in the late 40s after World War II, preferring to put its resources into bettering the quality of life of its people. I don’t see that happening in the US soon. There is a national police force to keep order but the country has been politically stable for decades, unlike most of the other Central American states, and there isn’t a lot for them to do. The exhibits, consisting mainly of artifacts and drawings or photos of various historical periods are well presented but it’s not that different from dozens of other museums of its type that I’ve been too over the years. It is, however, the first history museum I have been to where the main entrance is through a butterfly garden.
After completing the National Museum, off across the square to the Jade Museum which covers pre-Columbian cultures and artifacts (many made of jade, hence the name). It’s a modern and spacious building well thought out and designed with exhibits both for adults and children. Lots of stone metates, ocarinas and other musical instruments, and various adornments in jade, copper and gold. I found myself puffing a bit on the stairs going up and wondered why until I remembered that we’re at about 4,000 feet here, not at sea level and it’s been a while since I’ve spent any time at elevation. More wandering through the city and ending up at the Gold Museum, which is more pre-Columbian artifacts and antiquities, this time focusing on the gold which brought the Spaniards and caused them to name the area Costa Rica (rich coast). This one is also quite modern, only you descend into subterranean depths and pass through vault doors to enter. I guess they’re trying to keep conquistadors from running off with what remains. Warrior adornments in gold were fascinating but I think they would be somewhat impractical as protective armor.
More wandering, a bit quicker this time as it was starting to rain, and eventually back to the hotel for a quick nap before meeting the tour group I am joining. This is going to be a very different group than my usual. Often, I am at the young end of the age spectrum represented by my fellow travelers. This time I am older than everyone else by a good twenty years. This will either make me the sage or the old guy that everyone expects not to be able to keep up. Forty years of medicine and twenty years of performing on top of that have given me significant stamina. I think they’re going to be surprised. The group comprises of a family of four with two teens from Florida on their first international trip, a mother and teen son from Nashville on fall break, young newlyweds from Virginia, a young lady from Germany who has done eight other National Geographic tours and loves them, and a forty something year old birdwatching woman from Scotland. We got the intro to the week from the guide and then had dinner together. I think we’ll all be compatible.
Have to be up early to catch the van for tomorrow’s trip to the Caribbean side.
Life, The Universe, and Everything 