Given that it rains most afternoons we started early with a quick breakfast in the club lounge and then off we went to the centre. We have been well warned not to wonder far from the core streets so we didn’t. On the way to meet Jorge, our guide for a city walking tour, we passed through the central market that was just coming alive. Our guide, just like the one in Bordeaux, was extremely knowledgeably but perhaps not quite as entertaining. I learned many thing that I did not know about Costa Rica. For one they abolished their army after the 1848 revolution and have not had one since. They are a democratic country but have had periods of socialism (almost communism) and they retain the socialist principles of health care for everyone, advance education availability to everyone, and a minimum weekly wage of $600US for a 40 hour work week. Sadly, we also learned that this country has not been much better than Canada in the way it treated its indigenous peoples. They were also sent to schools by the Spanish where their language and cultures were suppressed. There is an attempt to revive some of the languages but unfortunately 2 of them have been lost forever. San José is the capital of Costa Rica now but it has been in another city called Cartago in the past. After the city tour we visited the Pre-Columbian (before Christopher Columbus) gold museum and then went back to the market for a late lunch at a soda (fast food stand). The one we picked was very busy this morning and again when we passed through the market this afternoon. so we figured it must have good food. After a late lunch we went back to the hotel to avoid another rain storm.
The view of the mountains around San José from the breakfast bar this morning.
Pre-Colombian balls in front of the legislature building. These stone spheres associated with the Diquis delta and the Isle del Cãno. They are attributed to the extinct Diquis culture dating back 500-1500 century. There exact purpose is unknown but they are perfectly spherical.
A tower in what was an armoury before the army was dissolved. The building is now a museum but bullet holes remain in the tower from the days of the revolution and they are not allowed to be filled in. It is a reminder to the people of the past.
In the gold museum they also showcased many coins. The distinctive hole identified them as coins to be used only by people suffering from TB or leprosy. It was an attempt an avoid spreading the disease to the well.
The locals have nicknames for their currency like we do. The 1000 colones is red so called a “rojo” and the 5000 colones has a tucán on it so it is called a “tucan”. Sort of like loonies and twoonies.
