The Long Road to San Jose
18. Mar, 2009 
12 Comments
I left Puerto Viejo on the rainiest day so far, the back of my pants covered in mud from the 20 minute walk to the bus terminal. By ‘terminal’ I mean two benches next to a food stand that sold patties–delicious savory pastries with a spicy filling. I was drenched, but ate two patties before hopping on the bus, a ride to San Jose that should take about 4.5 hours. 30 minutes later we were on the side of the road, waiting for a new bus– engine failure. “Es normal” the bus driver informs us, and then makes fun of the girl next to me for being so pink. “What is he saying?” she asked. Oh, nothing, just noticing your sunburn. The bus driver mimes the peeling of skin.
I like other travelers. Who are these people that use all their sick time to spend a month in Costa Rica? Or the college students who skip the last few days of the semester to eek out a little more time abroad? Or the guy that graduated from college and decided to volunteer for a year, helping school kids with their math? It’s rare to find them back home, but on the road, it’s impossible not to run into someone kicking ass in some unexpected way.
For an hour and a half, I talked to these very people, standing underneath a small roadside shelter, watching as one by one they compared travel stories, where they’d been, where they’d be going next. Two girls from Maine were teaching English in San Jose, part of a semester abroad program. Someone had just completed a home stay immersion program in Costa Rica, and we compared notes on our host moms (yes, they are all that overprotective, and likely to overfeed you). Someone else was a commercial fisherman from Seattle who traveled in the off season, because it was cheaper than living at home. We were dripping wet, but in good spirits and soon enough a new bus roared down the road. The seats were so small that I had to fold my legs awkwardly to fit in my seat, but I was finally dry and on my way to San Jose.
There is a gringo trail, and I keep finding myself on it. It’s easier, definitely– the buses run more regularly, there are more hostels, the shops have western foodstuffs like curry or feta cheese (in addition to the local fare) and for me, most importantly, there is internet. I have said this phrase so many times, it’s not funny: “Hay internet?*“ It’s like my greeting these days, right after a hearty, “Buenas” I get down to business. It’s not unusual to be researching a place and not find a single hotel with Wifi. It’s difficult to use internet cafes, because I’m stuck using their PCs. But if you plan around it, it’s fine. I won’t be hacking through the jungle with a machete anytime soon (or at least until someone invents an ever-lasting computer battery and portable satellite internet that I can afford). But seriously, I can’t complain.
The ride to San Jose is quite nice. There are parts that look exactly how you expect Costa Rica to look. Broad palm fronds, expanses of that succulent green, tiny waterfalls formed down the black rock that had been carved away to make way for the road. Then you hit San Jose, and you forget where you are. This is Costa Rica? This sprawling urban mess with dirty streets and shifty men eying your backpack when they think you’re not looking?
I arrived at the Hostel, and there was a police car outside. Two British kids had been robbed. Someone climbed up the building and pulled their things through an open window. I went to the gate and the full time guard at the hostel looked at me through a peep hole, then slid open the massively thick wooden door with cast iron grates. Hmm, if they are that concerned about the people on the outside, maybe I should stay in?
It’s not fair to sum San Jose up as one thing or another based on a few observations. If I was on assignment I would have stayed. There’s a great market and some architecture I wanted to check out. It took me almost 6 hours to get there, and I couldn’t wait to leave. The next day, it was back on the trail, this time, to a little beach town gone bad: Jaco.
*Hay is pronounced like the English word eye. Hay is one of the best Spanish words to learn if you’re traveling. Hay un bano, Hay un menu, Hay una cama (Is there a bathroom, menu, bed). Very useful.
“it’s impossible not to run into someone kicking ass in some unexpected way.”
I completely agree. It’s great to find people with such great attitudes and energy towards life. Meeting people while traveling is great. It’s too bad many of them remain long-distance friends after the adventure, considering what each has to offer.
Mark Lewis´s last blog post..Listen to Your Friends and Family
One thing I found while traveling in Thailand with my notebook computer was that many (most, all but one) internet cafes let me unplug their computer’s Ethernet cable, plug it into my notebook and do my email transfers that way. Worked pretty slick and at slightly less than 1 cent per minute, incredibly cheap.
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It is impossible not to meet awesome people while on the road, isn’t it. That goes hand-in-hand with the joy of seeing new locales.
Stevo´s last blog post..Hakka Missle Silos
I agree wholeheartedly with you and with Stevo. It really is impossible to not meet awesome people while traveling. You get to hear so many incredible, amazing, inspiring stories along the way.
Graham´s last blog post..To Be, or Not to Be … Milk
You in CR now! You have to make you way to Arenal. Toursty but one of my favorite spots. And when you go to Monteverde, go to the organic shade grown coffee farm- its like monteverde coffee…its like drinking chocolate
pura vida
nomadicmatt´s last blog post..Top Signs You Are a Travel Addict
The gringo trail is magnetic–even when I don’t intend to, I find myself pulled back. Like you, it also has to do with internet for work purposes.
I’ve also heard good things about Arenal from travelers here in Guatemala…
I just love to exchange stories with other people when I’m traveling! everyone seems so awake, alive, passionate… very different from the typical small talk, “what do you do?” conversation and exchange of business cards! Not to mention being soaked, with huge backpacks, wearing flipflops, eating patties and loving every part of it!
I’m curious to hear your impression of Jaco – it had a bad element in 2000 when I was there.
I’m enjoying your travelogue! Your updates are taking me right back to CR while I work in my cubicle (saving and saving for my own escape…).
Are you writing this real-time? And heading south? Playa Esterillo Este is a great low-key place to hang-out and learn to surf. At least it was low-key the last time I was there (and probably not as low-key since gringo-Shane bought a bar/restaurant there (gringo-Shane is a good guy – he is a friend of a friend) – and it is a nice place)
sumdumsurfer´s last blog post..The Year of Living Frugally – Week 52
I am also a “long term traveler”, and I just came back from a surf trip to CR for a quick pit stop at “home”… I was there for a bit over a month. Two things:
a) No, you are not being unfair to San Jose. Trust your gut feeling on this one. Get out. Now. And a bit of advice. If you take a taxi at night. Remember, red lights are more of a suggestion there. So close your eyes. It’s better that way.
b) Ohh.. Jaco. Yup.. I called it “A big brothel that also sells surfboards..”. But alas, traveling is all about the experience, and looking back, my week(!) there was not only the most memorable of my stay, but might even end up marking a major turning point in my life!. So.. gotta love Jaco for that
“On the road, it’s impossible not to run into someone kicking ass in some unexpected way.” So true!
Was gonna ask the same thing as sumdumsurfer, is this real-time?
Yup, that sounds like my theory on San Jose as well. It really doen’t do justice to the rest of the country.
Fly Girl´s last blog post..Paintball in Paradise
Most people say that Gringo trail is magnetic but I think there’s more our can see. And yes, it’s hard to connect to the internet and you’ll just end up not complaining because you have enjoyed the trip. Hay.