On Monday, March 19, we left La Fortuna and rode for almost three hours to the capital, San José, where we were stopping for the next two weeks. The first couple of days were spent as they usually are in any new city we stop in – logging in some work hours, grocery shopping, getting acquainted with our new temporary home and neighbourhood.
We spent our whole Wednesday exploring the city center of San José and it did not disappoint. The first stop was the Parque Nacional (National Park) where we enjoyed the numerous offbeat sculptures that were scattered all over the park. The art was not just limited to the park; we came across so many stunning murals and beautifully-painted buildings that we couldn’t help but wonder why more cities don’t do the same.
Interacting with the art
-
- Thinking outside the box
-
- The National Monument of Costa Rica
-
- Close-up of the statues
-
- Butterfly building
-
- Murals
-
- More murals
Aside from the artistry that permeates throughout the city, San José is an interesting mix of modern and historic. Founded in 1738 and named as the capital in 1823, it is considered quite a young city, especially by Latin American standards. You see the old colonial-style buildings, but you don’t get the uneven, terrible-to-walk-on cobblestone streets that usually accompany such architecture. Big win for San José in my book!
San Jose
-
- Entrance to Chinatown
-
- Iglesia Nuestra Senora de la Soledad
-
- Sunny day in the city
-
- Tourist in the city
-
- Colonial buildings
-
- One of these things is not like the others
Mandatory tourist selfie
After lunch and some more exploring of the city, we finished our day with a visit to the Teatro Nacional de Costa Rica (National Theatre of Costa Rica). The theatre was inaugurated in October 1897 with a performance of Goethe’s Faust, for those of you who enjoy your literary tragedies. The architecture is not as impressive as some others we have seen of similar stature; however, it is beautiful in its own right and worth a visit.
-
- Courtyard of the National Theatre of Costa Rica
-
- Poopers in the courtyard
-
- Theatre lobby
-
- Auditorium
-
- Upper-floor seating
-
- Stairway to the foyer
-
- Cherubs on the lamps
-
- The foyer
-
- Cool sculpture in the foyer
We returned to our apartment before nightfall and enjoyed a homemade dinner. Our Thursday was spent indoors, logging in more work hours, with plans to do some day trips in the surrounding areas over the next couple of weeks so, we should have more interesting stories and pictures to share with you guys in the upcoming posts!
