After 3 nights in Alajuela, we felt caught up on our sleep and ready to go. We had 5 days to get to Nicaragua, and our reserved hotel in Granada, Dec 20. However, this was not to be!
When we took a taxi into San Jose on Dec 16, our plan was to purchase a ticket on the Tica Bus. This is an intra-country bus line that operates throughout Central America and into southern Mexico. They offer reserved seating, movies, A/C, and a bathroom on board. When I heard the word bathroom, I was sold!
But the first day that we could get a ticket was Dec 24!! TransNica, another bus company with similar amenities was also full until Dec 24. Apparently, I should have booked the Tica bus or TransNica bus long ago. Later we discovered that Nicaraguans who work in Costa Rica are travelling back to Nicaragua for Christmas. (Or as our taxi driver told us, one million Nicaraguans go home for Christmas, and two million return.) All carriers were booked, and the waits at the border could be as long as 5 hours! So after coming into San Jose, checking both intra-country bus companies, and opting NOT to pay $445+/person to fly San Jose to Managua, Nicaragua, we changed our plans.
My original plan had been to go to the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica and then enter Panama overland. Stay in Bocas del Toro, fly to Panama City and start the trip back. We are back to this plan, and it looks like we will have to suffer with a few weeks on the beach at Christmas rather than two weeks in Granada – I think we will survive.
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| Finding a hotel on the Caribbean coast |
Shopping in San Jose
Before leaving San Jose on Dec 18, we had time to find our way around and observe the locals doing their Christmas shopping. Note that people on the pedestrian mall have someone watching over them - La policia! We may have security at home, but it’s not quite at this level yet.
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| Police presence everywhere |