San Jose daytime

A couple of Australian Dorks at Playa Jaco





The morning was much better we wandered off towards the city, about a half hour walk and we were stopped by some police who looked through our bags and wanted to know if I had a gun. With a negative answer they let us pass and we walked into a square where hundreds aof people, mostly school kids had gathered. It turned out that 15th Sept was also Costa Rica´s Independence day. We watched the speeches, well heard them anyway, watched the celebrations as the President was there and then continued on to the city where there was crowds and crowds of people. The population of San Jose is 400,000 and they must have been all in the city. It was great festivity with bands dancing as they waited their turn to march forward. What a great place to people watch. The pants and top sizes here are also 1 (maybe 2 or 3) sizes short.
Later at night as we looked for a coffee and found a little place a few streets away and after Spanglishing our way to a couple of cappuchinos, we discovered they could not change the 10,000 colone note which we presented ($1 US = 500 colones). So they said we could have it for free. A taxi driver tapped Nick on the shoulder and with more sign language held out some notes and changed the 10,000. 2 caps and 2 little cakes 1300 colones.
We decided to go to the beach, the Pacific Ocean this time, so we went to the bus station and for 2,500 colones, the 2 of us travelled to Playa Jaco, about a 3 hour trip, but only about 90 kms.
It was slow going through the mountains.
Watched the sights, had a great seaside meal, fish combination, which was a whole crayfish, prawns, squid, octopus, mussels, fish, rice and salad for 9,000 colones, a bargain we thought.
Sand was black, photos will follow.


The place we are staying at consists of about 36 rambling rooms each with a shower and toilet, and abuffet breakfast is included. Internet is free but there are no USB ports to download pictures.