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I don't know what to make of Costa Rica. So far, I have been spoilt by some of the most beautiful places in Latin America. What I have loved about them is their unique, rich culture and heritage. Not to mention the warmth, spirit and beauty of the people of the countries that I have visited so far. Costa Rica has left me slightly indifferent.
That's not to say that it isn't doesn't have it's own treasures. It has some of the world's cleanest and prettiest beaches. an abundance of wildlife and Central America's answer to the Amazon. But something is missing and I can't put my finger on it.
Before I went to Venezuela , I actually flew into San Jose. As far as cities go, it is fairly average. The architecture is ok and it has an interesting Gold Museum and one on the history of Costa Rica. I learnt that it is the only country in the world that doesn't have an army. A part from that, there is no reason to stick around. So, I left the day after I arrived.
I went to Manual Antonio which is on the Pacific coast. There, you can observe angry faced howler monkey swing from branch to branch in the jungle as they eye up your bag with evil intent. I saw one lady get attacked from above because the cunning little monkeys wanted a banana she was carrying. The national park there contains white sandy beaches with crystal water which is as warm as a baby's bath. Palm trees reach down to greet the sea and it almost feels like a forgotten paradise until you realise that you are surrounded by tourists. Not such a paradise after all. That's about all there is to see there. Don't get me wrong, I love the beach (yes Fed and Sarah, when you come to meet me , I will still be happy to spend some quality beach time with you) but I just didn't find the place very interesting.
When I got back from Venezuela, I went straight to Puerto Viejo, which is on the Caribbean side. At this point, I started to wonder in which country I was. On the Pacific side, an overwhelmingly non
Costa Rican population inhabits what can only be described as the Marbella of Central America. The fact that so many American's live there is testament to the fact that prices are ridiculously high. Puerto Viejo, similarly is heavily American influenced but due to an influx of Jamaican settlers at the turn of the century, it feels like a little piece of Bob Marley's back garden.
Firstly, I am really confused about what language to speak to people in. Spanish is generally received with scorn and I am not sure why. I refuse to speak English in a Latin Country so that is not going to happen. The locals also speak Patois. I can barely understand but luckily for me , Sean Paul is one of my favourite performing artists. The lyrics ' row de bot and gid dem a run' came in handy.
Again, the beaches looked like they were straight from the Bounty adverts of the 80's and I was almost attacked by monkeys as I stared at the sloths.The food which generally consists of 'Rice and Beans' is also pretty tasty but it's generally on the menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. So that's that really.
I did really like hiring a bike and cycling to Manzanillo, a beach near Puerto Viejo. Along the route, you can catch sights of all sorts of wildlife. I have grown quite fond of the land crabs that scuttle around as if they are secret agents about to attack the place. They are actually quite cute.
I am being quite unfair to Costa Rica. All of the Costa Ricans that I have met so far are really friendly and tend to moan a lot about the States. The men are very good looking and give you the whole latin charm speel and annoyingly, the women are beautiful too. And friendly, if not wary of why their boyfriend is talking to you. I appreciate the nature but I was really disappointed by how lacking in authenticity it is. To begin with , this place felt like an American colony. On the Caribbean, it felt like Jamaica. It's hard to make out what the real Costa Rica is about because tourism is such an accommodated industry. There is also no need to learn Spanish here as most people arrive here not even in the slightest bit interested in learning it. Hence everyone automatically speaks to you in English. I just hope the other places that I visit won't leave me felling this way.
previous travel blog entry
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