Im currently in San Jose in the hotel. We got in yesterday and it took us 3 hours to get in between getting off the plane and getting to the hotel. The customs line was ridiculous. I also almost didn´t get a seat on the plane because they overbooked.
Once we made it to the hotel we all went to wander around the city. We saw some cool parks and a market and also managed to find the city center. We saw a lot of anti-Bush grafitti and particularly a lot of ¨No TLC¨which we found out basically means free trade(Tratado Libre something, Comercial maybe?) which they had written in Ecuador too(sort of interesting...). We ate at Cafe Mundo near our hotel and it was amazing food. We were allowed to spend about 9000 colones which is about 18 dollars. How we can afford that, I don´t know.
Today we rafted Rio Pacuare and it was SO much fun. Supposedly Rio Pacuare is one of the
After we got back we went to a restaurant in the center El Patio de something and we took a taxi back to the hotel--which was kind of a bad experience. First a taxi wouldnt take us ´because the driver said he was going somewhere else, but I´m pretty sure it was just because we are gringos. Then we got in a taxi and we had to ask him twice before he would turn the meter on and then when we got to the hotel Dr Lekus had to ask the guy to sign a piece of paper because we had to have a receipt and the guy got really billigerent and refused to sign the paper and kept yelling at us to ¨vaya vaya.¨ I get the idea that the attitude towards gringos here is really bad. I guess you might think with so many Americans here they would be used to it but they seem really resistent and like we are an annoyance. I didn´t feel like that in Ecuador or Argentina, so I´m thinking it might be more of a Central American thing and maybe a city thing?
I have to keep reminding myself that I´m not in Ecuador. There are quite a bit of similarities(including the same cable channels).
We are going to the campus in Monteverde tomorrow. We are leaving here at 9 and taking a 4 hour bus ride there. So far so good!
Today we rafted Rio Pacuare and it was SO much fun. Supposedly Rio Pacuare is one of the
5 best rafting rivers in the world. The guide told me they are trying to build a dam across it, which would really be a shame. I'm nice and sunburned now and I bruised the palm of my
hand(which I didnt´realize was possible until now) from holding my Tgrip. In the bus we saw a lot of ferns growing to be exported (mostly to Holland we were told) and coffee(which i didnt realize was so bushy) and sugarcane.
After we got back we went to a restaurant in the center El Patio de something and we took a taxi back to the hotel--which was kind of a bad experience. First a taxi wouldnt take us ´because the driver said he was going somewhere else, but I´m pretty sure it was just because we are gringos. Then we got in a taxi and we had to ask him twice before he would turn the meter on and then when we got to the hotel Dr Lekus had to ask the guy to sign a piece of paper because we had to have a receipt and the guy got really billigerent and refused to sign the paper and kept yelling at us to ¨vaya vaya.¨ I get the idea that the attitude towards gringos here is really bad. I guess you might think with so many Americans here they would be used to it but they seem really resistent and like we are an annoyance. I didn´t feel like that in Ecuador or Argentina, so I´m thinking it might be more of a Central American thing and maybe a city thing?
I have to keep reminding myself that I´m not in Ecuador. There are quite a bit of similarities(including the same cable channels).
We are going to the campus in Monteverde tomorrow. We are leaving here at 9 and taking a 4 hour bus ride there. So far so good!
6 comments:
Hi, Lily: Kathy Hoard here. I work with your mom at Public Service and Outreach at UGA. She gave me the address of your blog. I love reading about your experiences; I feel that I am there, too. I think Americans are treated like undesirable Gringos in many areas of the world; I recently had a cab ride in Paris which was much like the one you describe. However, I always try to imagine what people from other lands visiting our country think of us as well. Write and tell us if the luxuries we all take for granted here ... air conditioning, 24-hour electricity and internet service, abundant food choices, etc. are available in the locations you visit. Also, let us know about the beauty and history of each place you visit. Thanks for including us in your trip!
Your many fans in Athens are looking forward to the next chapter. How is the Ecolodge? Is it as beautiful as on the Web site?
Hi, Lilly:
Really enjoyed your second posting. I have never seen a sloth! I hope you are taking pictures of any unusual animals you see. Also, if possible, would love to see some photos posted on the blog.
Kathy Hoard
Lily:
This installment was great!
You are REALLY close to nature. I realize you cannot post photos on the blog at this point but am looking forward to seeing a lot of wonderful photos upon your return.
Staying at Ms. Alicia's sounds like a good deal to me ... especially the hot water part.
Do you know if the "average" size family there is as large as hers?
Kathy Hoard
TLC stands for Trabajo por Los Costarricense. When I was in Costa Rica there was huge billboards.
Lily:
I love reading about your adventures ... and they truly are.
Do most people you meet speak English? Do you speak Spanish?
Also, how would you describe the music and dancing there. Does the music translate to be much like the music that young people enjoy in the U.S.? It sounds like you are having a great time. When you return, I hope you will have a travelogue where you will share all your photos!
Kathy Hoard
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