San Jose, Costa Rica & environs

ALL PICS RELATED TO THIS TRIP HAVE BEEN POSTED ON-LINE @kodakgallery.com

We have mixed reviews on this trip:

The Good (see detailed descriptions):

1. zip line canopy tour-

2. volcano-another spectacular sight, asides from Hawaii's Kilauea

3. Food: see "Machu Picchu" in the dining review

4. Our hotel: see "San Jose Marriott"

What’s not too hot?

-Gas prices: I’d think that being a Central American country and its connection to Mr. Chavez of Venezuela, the gas would be dirt-cheap. WRONG! It costs us nearly 50USD to fill up a ¾ tank. We rented a compact car, mind you.

-Dark by 5:30p: Insane!  there is so little time to be out.

-Airport departure tax: 25USD. OK, this is an airport w/less than 10 gates and one runway. There is something wrong when an airport like this imposes a tax that’s more expensive than many mega airports like Hong Kong & Tokyo. That’s outright robbery! We waited almost 30 mins at passport control, so is this what they call an "airport improvement" using the tax dollars? They have ppl blocking the check-in line unless you have proof that you've paid the taxes at a nearby booth. I have this b***h giving me an attitude early in the morning for complaining about the whole stupid process. "Hey honey, you should be grateful that I even step foot at your Stone-Age country!"

What really stinks?

1. The roads. Driving can be a nightmare here. 5+ yrs of aggressive driving experience in Boston does not prepare me for San Jose. Street names are non-existent, even for main thoroughfares. We were able to get to our destinations by counting streets and had some occasional dumb luck. People were running stop signs & cutting into traffic left and right. Potholes are everywhere-some are as big as craters that run the width of an entire lane. Stalled cars are seen every few blocks. There is no traffic enforcement whatsoever. I wonder how much they are paying for insurance or it’s not a mandatory thing in Costa Rica?

2. The taxes: a whopping 16% tax on goods and services-that’s right, from groceries to lodging. By looking at the sordid state of how people live, I wonder what improvements the gov't made to the quality of life. One night I was watching the local news and saw a guy killed in a motorcycle accident. Two guys, one on each end, just grabbed the arms and legs and threw the body in the back on a open top pick-up truck w/o any cover as if they were throwing out some garbage. There is no dignity even in death. Life sure is cheap there for sure.

Conclusion:

We came mainly for the outdoor activities and weren’t disappointed. The view is spectecular and generally people are very helpful and friendly. However, if Costa Rica is considered a more advanced Central American country, we are not impressed. Most people are living in the valley where their homes are constructed by metal sheets, but they seem to be satisfied with what they have, compared to many arrogant Americans who were brought up in sheltered homes and don’t know how hard it is to make a buck.