A day of travel and hola Costa Rica!

Thursday, March 22, 2018
San José Province, Costa Rica
We had originally booked the only direct flight from Cancun to San Jose which would have given us almost another full day at the resort. Alas, this flight was later cancelled which required us to rebook on another carrier which means we have to travel via Panama City adding extra hours onto the trip. 
Somewhat weirdly for this trip a business fare was not much more in cost than economy so that’s what we booked. On check in at Cancun airport this was a godsend as the check in line for Copa Airlines was a nightmare and we were able to skip it! 
There was no lounge unfortunately at Cancun airport so we sat at the gate. There was an awful screaming child nearby. Who then sat behind us on the plane. Omg - we wanted to return to the adults only resort where there are no screeching toddlers...! The child screeched at earpiercing decibels for an hour before the parents took turns sitting in the toilet with her to muffle the sounds so that was appreciated at least until she finally passed out. We enjoyed our wine, and our cheese soufflé on the 2 hour flight whilst the demon child was in the toilet and then asleep.
As we flew into Panama, Tim (in the window seat) was able to glimpse the ships lining up for the Panama Canal. We found the Copa Lounge in the terminal and it was very busy. But hey - free beers and food and WiFi so we coped! 
Our next flight was like Groundhog Day. We sat in exactly the same seats 1A and 1B, and had more wine and cheese soufflé. 
On arrival at San Jose airport, it was evident how touristy it is. Lots of English speaking passengers, lots of touristy signs, and WiFi throughout the terminal. We cleared customs and immigration and off we went on our trip to our hotel in downtown San Jose. There is really nothing appealing about the city and most travelers do not stay long except as a gateway to the rest of the country. Our driver was great - born here but sounds American. He went to an American school here. It was nearing 5.30pm as we drove through the city and it was chaotic with people everywhere. Apparently Nicaraguans sell illegal wares on the footpaths everywhere but whilst police regularly move them on, they return again as soon as the police leave. There were hundreds of them!
San Jose is generally safe enough during the day, but it is not recommended to be out after dark as streets are generally empty once buses stop running. In fact, the Australian Government recommends that tourists don’t arrive at the airport after dark here. 
Hence, we decided to spend the night in our hotel and have a few drinks and dinner in the Sports Bar. The local beer is pretty good. We had a few drinks each, and a meal each - for $50 AUD. Our hotel (a Holiday Inn) was, once upon a time, a flash hotel. Those days are gone! Oh well, it served it’s purpose but was quite the downgrade from our previous accommodation!
Costa Rican’s staple dish is beans and rice. Tim was able to try this fantastic dish for the first time at breakfast. Our pick up was at 7.15am for the next exciting installment where we head to La Fortuna.
In Costa Rica, it is common to say Pura Vida. It means Pure Life!
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2025-02-11

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