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Click on any photo to see an enlarged version.
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| Beautiful bills from the 1980s, but just souvenirs now. World's most beautiful? |
Five colones today is worth less than a penny. |
Our hotel, the Santo Tomas. |
Breakfast was included. |
Enjoying the hotel patio area on our first day. |
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| A better view of the patio/courtyard area. |
In front of potted coffee plants at the Gran Hotel where we stayed years ago. |
The first stop on our 3-in-1 excursion, butterflies and a trip thru the rain forest. |
A tapir. |
Esteban, our guide at this stop was excellent. This is inside the butterfly enclosure. |
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| A friendly butterfly attracted to red. |
The cable car for the tour. |
Lots to see. |
A beautiful view of what we used to call the "jungle." |
Eugenio, in charge of our tour, points out that only the white part is the flower. Our 2nd stop, the Selva Verde Reserve. |
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| A walk on the suspension bridge. |
A native frog. |
A good lunch was provided. |
The begining of the 3rd stop. |
On the Sarapiqui River. |
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| An iguana on the river bank. |
We could hear and see monkeys howling. |
Small bats lined up on a tree. |
The Gold Museum under the Plaza de la Cultura showed how Indians made gold items. |
Carole was the photographer. |
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| The Gold Museum also told how pre-Columbian Indians lived. |
$11 per person to see the beautiful National Theater. |
Harry's/Larry's/Taberna Restaurante Poas across from our hotel. |
Great hamburgers! I liked Bavaria better than Pilsen and Pilsen better than Imperial beer. |
Horacio arranged for Juan Cedeño to drive us around. Leaving Alajuala which had a statue of Juan Santamaria, a hero who stopped William Walker in 1856. |
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| Sarchi, the cart factory where we bought our carts years ago -- now over $400. Only 1/3 the visitors since the new highway was built. |
Inside the Fabrica de Carretas Joaquin Chaverri factory. |
The church in Zarcero. Our driver Juan suggested the church and the park in front were "must sees." |
Inside the church. |
The park was spectacular for its topiaries. |
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| Juan with our group. |
Really worth the visit. |
Lots to see. |
I think this thanks the 78 year old man who created the topiaries, |
The man responsible also does work like this overseas. |
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| Going back, a stop for queso palmito. The retired American on left said $300 for 2 months of medical insurance. $1k/mo. needed to live as a pensionado. |
"Ruins" of the original (unfinished) Cartago church, the Santiago Apostol. |
The Basilica de Nuestra Senora de Los Angeles in Cartago. Finished in 1924. 22 kilometer pilgrimage on Aug. 2nd, feast day of the Virgin of the Angels. |
Inside the Basilica. (Cartago had been the original capital but had wanted to join the Mexican Empire of Augustin de Iturbe, so capital was moved to San Jose) |
More of the inside. |
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| After Cartago, a stop at the San Isidro de Coronado Church. A wedding was underway. |
The bar in the Il Gattopardo Restaurant in the Mona Lisa Hotel a few blocks downhill from our hotel. |
Produce stands are common in San Jose. Some fruit we never see in Florida |
A busker. One of only two cats seen. |
Central Park of San Jose |
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| Inside the Mercado Central. Delicious empanadas, lots or food, produce and souvenirs for sale. Glad we finally found it open. |
Many police in the central part of San Jose. |
The Jade Museum was terrific. |
Many displays describing ancient tribal practices. Much jade, ceramics and how they were produced. |
Wonderfully done displays in the Jade Museum. |
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| Very interesting ceramics. |
Avenida Central view from 2nd floor of the El Patio del Balmoral Restauant where we had some beer before our last dinner in Costa Rica. |
Inside restaurant view from our table before we went down for dinner. |
Beautiful restaurant with vines growing inside, |
Walking to a cab stand after dinner on the Avenida Central. |