San Jose: 13th - 16th November 2025
13th November – Thursday
OMG, I woke to rain, not heavy rain but rather that fine mist of rain that just doesn’t stop. I had planned to go and get an early breakfast and then walk to the station, but I really didn’t fancy getting wet so I sat and drank coffee and eased myself into the day in my normal way. At one point, for about an hour, there was a heavy downpour but by 11:30 it had subsided and was just a misty rain once again. I went to the bakers and got a breakfast pan and then on the way back stopped a taxi and booked him for 12:30. Even as I was booking him I had a funny feeling he wouldn’t turn up and I was so right. I waited for him for 5 minutes and then, as the rain had finally stopped, walked to the bus station and got there with plenty of time to spare.
It’s really hard not to fall asleep on these buses, although this was not a bus, it was a coach. I woke up just as we hit the suburbs of San Jose, so I must have been out for about an hour and a half. It took a good hour to reach the centre of San Jose, the traffic was that horrendous. I think it was the start of rush hour. Anyway we finally got to the bus station and as usual we were greeted by a hoard of taxi drivers as we disembarked. One followed me and I told him I needed to vape, he said I could vape in his taxi and he had a meter, so I went with him instead of calling an Uber. Uhm, it cost me £15, I must admit the journey did take a good half hour and the traffic was dire, but really I should have known better as this happens to me every time I get to a new town/city – I should have got an Uber!
My new hostel, Costa Rica Guest House, is lovely and my room is so big. You could fit 3 of me comfortably in my bed, it is that big. This hostel also owns the back packer hostel across the
road and that is where we have to go for breakfast, dinner and to swim. So I went for dinner, which was really cheap and very tasty, but the cook was very moody and only had smiles for the Spanish speaking people. I had a really strong Mojito at the bar after my food, It wasn’t really a mojito, it was a Bacardi with mint, she didn’t add any lemonade to it, it certainly did the trick – lol.
There are quite a few bars in the area local to my hostel, I even passed one that was quite lively on the way to the shop, but not tonight. It is now 9:30pm and I am exhausted, travelling always takes it out of me, even if I do sleep most of the journey! So far it feels good to be back in a capital city, there is always so much more to do and see I look forward to tomorrow, but for now, I’m going to chill and binge – lol.
14th November – Friday
I went out twice today, not intentionally. The first time was supposed to be the only time. I decided to visit a couple of the parks and possibly a museum but first needed an ATM. The nearest one was not working so I headed to another which was on the way to the main centre. It was by a lovely little green park but one of the roads was cordoned off by the police. I walked through the park only to find lots more police at the other end. There was some sort of political meeting going on. There were guys in the park selling flags, which I presumed represented the political party and lots of cheering coming from a building across from the park, next to the ATM. I went into the ATM only to realise that I had left my card back at the hostel. I felt so frustrated but had enough money on me to go to a soda for a brunch, and it was delicious, chicken, rice, vegetables, plantain salad and a drink for £5. And the lady gave me a free sample of some cakes she had. The first was good, a kind of moist fruit cake, but the second was amazing, bread and butter pudding, the best I have ever tasted in my life. I would have bought some but didn’t have enough money!
I got back to my room by about midday and stayed for an hour while I digested my food, then headed out again. The first place of interest I came across was the Plaza de las Artes. There were a few statues there, the photo I took I think is of Paul McCartney, John Lennon was sitting on a bench. I tried to get my own photo of it but there were too many people so I gave up. Opposite the plaza is the Our Lady of Solitude Catholic Church, which was quite pretty, but I didn’t go in. Instead I continued my walk to the Plaza de la Cultura in the hope of finding an ATM. I didn’t find just one, I found 4! Three of them I could not access as you needed a swipe card to enter the booth, I tried using my Starling card to swipe open the doors but with no luck. I then walked across the plaza, past a mini Trafalgar Square fountain with pigeons and people selling pigeon food, and past the National Theatre to the fourth ATM, but it was out in the open so I didn’t want to use it. Uhm, finding a suitable / usable ATM shouldn’t be such a task. I eventually found one that I felt safe using at the Parque Central de San Jose.
What a relief and what a journey, and I saw and smelt quite a few down and outs and drug addicts on my way as well. At one point a guy walked past me and I was hurtled back into my mid teens by the smell of glue, I still like that smell! It is a side of Costa Rica that you don’t really get to hear about and after being in the mountains and on the beaches one that, for a moment, I didn’t think existed here. But it does, Costa Rica appears to have quite a major drug problem, I saw a peek of it in Jaco and got a good eye full of it today. It is so sad. But then I suppose it is typical of any major city across the world, London included.
With money now in my pocket I walked back to the Plaza de la Cultura and went to the Gold Museum. What a treat that was. I really enjoyed looking at the pre-colonial gold artifacts and learning about how they were made and what they were used for. There was also several displays about pre-colonial culture, so
I also learnt a lot about pre-colonial Costa Rica which was awesome. The next floor up, you start in the basement, was all about music and how it was used in pre-colonial days, again it was so interesting even if I found most the music I listened to very sharp on the ears. Finally on the way out there was a fantastic exhibition of marble carvings by a lady called Ingrid Rudelman Wohlstein. The exhibition was called Clandestine Routes The Nameless, and it represented her concern about the increase in the humanitarian problems caused by the displacement of so many African and Latin Americans in the last decade. She developed her carvings by looking at a map of Africa and the Americas and stripping away the details, then marking the movement of people onto the map. She then took the patterns she had created from her markings and turned them into carvings. I also found all of the information that went with the exhibition so informative. I really did enjoy it and ended up going around it twice.
By the time I came out of the museum it was raining, that misty spitty rain again. I decided to walk back in it rather than take shelter and it actually stopped after 5 minutes, so I was barely wet. On route back I walked through the bar area. However, even though it is Friday night, I am exhausted and am going to stay in and do a bit of work on my website. I will try to do a little less tomorrow during the day so that I have the energy to go out tomorrow evening. Anyway, overall it has been a good day and so far San Jose seems ok.
15th November – Saturday
Very upset this morning, I went to the soda I lunched at yesterday, very much looking forward to a healthy feast, it was closed! With pangs of hunger I continued my walk to the bus station, it took about 30 minutes, and what a sad walk it was. I aimed to go straight down avenue 1, but as per usual, I diverted and ended up on Avenue 5. OMG, it was riddled with down and outs and drug addicts, and the entire road stank of piss. San Jose really does have a serious problem, and it’s not just Av. 5, it is everywhere you look. I think this city is the worst I have seen for drug addicts and poverty. All the other parts of Costa Rica have been so beautiful but San Jose is quite the opposite – it is not a nice place.
The woman at the bus station ticket office short changed me 2,000 colones. I should have counted my change at the kiosk but instead I went and sat down, so it was too late to question her. I hope she uses the money to get a few more blonde streaks in her hair. From there I went to the bus station soda, I had a stir fried rice with meat, salad and plantain chips, it was very delicious but also very expensive compared to yesterday. I thought it would be cheaper given it’s location, perhaps the guy added an extra 2,000 on because I am a tourist. Most of the people I have had dealings with so far in this city are not as honest as they are in the country and beach areas. It is such a shame as it has really changed my opinion of Costa Rica. Nicaragua is far nicer
country and most things are half the price of here, especially food. Anyway, I now have my ticket for Puetro Viejo on the Caribbean coast, all I need now is accommodation.
On my way back I walked down the main shopping street to the Central Market. It was packed with people, too much hustle and bustle for my liking. The main shopping street, in many ways, reminded me of Oxford Street on a Saturday, however here street hawkers are permitted and are plenty-full. Many of the shops have a black November sale on, but one had a yellow November sale, which I found quite funny. The market was just as manic so I didn’t stay long but did have a good walk around, it truly is a rabbit warren. I came across a pet shop and they had puppies in small cages, so sad. I tried to take a picture but the owner had his eye on me and there were signs every where saying no photos. The puppies were so cute and desperate to be bought / freed, I really could have bought them all.
I passed by the National Museum, purely by accident, it is a really beautiful fortress / castle style yellow and white building. It was built in 1917 and was originally used for quarters for soldiers and held barracks, it was used in the Costa Rica civil war in 1948. I didn’t go in but sitting here now I wish I had. Such is life. My final stop was for a post shopping beer at the bar on the corner from here. I was the only customer. Although the bars open early afternoon I don’t think people here start drinking until late evening, unless they have a tipple with their lunch. I was a little shocked when the bar attendant refused to give me the wifi password, it must be the first time since I’ve been in Latin America and I cannot remember it ever happening in SE Asia. I tried to video call Danie but she must be out doing something fun. I think I should drag myself out later and look for some fun, even just a half hour walk around the local bar area would be more fun than my room and there is always the hostel across the road, lets see how I feel later. But for now I think a little cat nap is in order.
16th November – Sunday
Had a lovely chat with Danie and Errol last night. I was right she had been out raving with some girlfriends. Understandably, Errol looked very sad, I so wish I was there to give him a hug. I also went for a little walk last night to the bar / club area. I didn’t go into any, to be honest I felt a little out of place and didn’t like the way the guys hanging around on the street kept ogling me. It would have been different if I had been with someone.
This morning I did my meditation, it is the second day now. A guy on the net suggested doing it when you first wake up, obviously empty the bladder first! You sit up straight, so you don’t fall asleep again, and count backwards from 100 and then focus your mind on your goals. Supposedly doing this as soon you wake up is best because your brain is in the alpha zone – or at least I think that is what he said, and you can reach a deeper level of meditation. I need to watch the video again.
After a slow start to the day I went for a walk to the University of Costa Rica. I read that the gardens are very ‘jungle’ like and worth a visit. However, I didn’t get to see them as they were all taped off. I even tried access them from round the back which meant a walk through the university grounds but had no luck. However, it was a nice walk and I, yet again, saw another side of San Jose. A more wealthy, middle class side. The streets were very clean and tree lined, there were lots of expensive cafes and restaurants and even attendants to help you park your car! This was all in the university zone of the town, no down and out drug addicts here. On my back I stopped at a flower shop come coffee and had an expensive but extremely delicious cheese and ham sandwich with homemade mustard and a weak cup of coffee, which I ate and drank with the beautiful aroma of flowers wafting up my nose.
While having my sandwich I did think about going to the National museum but got sidetracked with finding a vape shop. I’m now back at the hostel and rather than being holed up in my room I am sitting in the communal area. Music is playing, the receptionist is singing along and the Christmas tree lights are having a flashing time.