Alajuela Costa Rica - Alajuela, Costa Rica
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Alajuela, Costa Rica
The bus journey from Granada Nicaragua to Costa Rica was a long 10 hours. All the border crossings
up to now have been fairly painless. Not this one!! It only took half an hour to do the formalities to leave Nicaragua but when we reached the entrance to Costa Rica there were at least 500 people in thé line.
We had to wait out in a big yard under the sun. I felt like I was in one of those Japanese prisoner of war
camp movies. One and a half hours later I reached the desk for a stamp that took one minute. Then it was back in the bus for another half an hour wait until the border police came to check the baggage. Out of 50 passengers
guess who was the only one they picked on to open her bag. Yes well I really look like a drugs or arms smuggler.
The other passengers commisserated with me afterwards,saying I was a symbol- not quite sure what they meant by that.
Anyway I am now staying in a lovely town-Alajuela -in Costa Rica,s Central Valley-half an hour from the capital,San Jose, and only a few minutes from the airport. It has a lovely leafy central plaza where I shall enjoy
chilling out. I am also in a bit of culture shock having spent the last couple of months in 3 very poor countries.
Costa Rica is much more developed and the shops here are full of consumer goods. I popped in a nearby supermarket last evening and it was on a par with anything in the States or Europe. My eyes were on stalks.
I was hoping to visit the caribbean coast of Costa Rica but haven´t left myself enough time. I think I have packed quite a lot into these 3 months but of course only scratched the surface of Central America and Mexico. You often get people posting questions on the lonely planet thorn tree forum asking if 2 weeks is enough time to see Central America. What ARE they thinking!!
Yesterday I did my last excursion of the trip to Volcano Poas=the second largest accessible volcanic crater in the world= and also to a beautiful coffee plantation and a waterfall park. The scenery on the way was stunning. Lush green rolling hills very reminiscent of Europe with herds of jersey cows and sheep but also with large coffee and tropical fruit plantations.
The crater was at about 9000 feet with a small lake in its centre which was steaming away at a temperature of 40 degrees centigrade. They keep a close eye on it for eruptions and last year it had to be closed for a while because it was getting quite active.
The waterfall park was beautiful with a huge aviary and separate butterfly and hummingbird enclosures. I just regret I don´t have longer here in Costa Rica.
On Sunday I begin the long journey back and hopefully arrive in Lanjaron Tuesday afternoon tho whether my luggage will be with me is a moot point. I am due to fly into the new Terminal 5 at Heathrow which opened yesterday before flying on to Madrid.I hear however that the opening was an absolute disaster with lots of baggage missing. Oh well not to worry.
This is my last post and to all of you who have been reading them thanks for being on my trip with me.
entry & travel map
Alajuela, Costa Rica
The bus journey from Granada Nicaragua to Costa Rica was a long 10 hours. All the border crossings
up to now have been fairly painless. Not this one!! It only took half an hour to do the formalities to leave Nicaragua but when we reached the entrance to Costa Rica there were at least 500 people in thé line.
We had to wait out in a big yard under the sun. I felt like I was in one of those Japanese prisoner of war
camp movies. One and a half hours later I reached the desk for a stamp that took one minute. Then it was back in the bus for another half an hour wait until the border police came to check the baggage. Out of 50 passengers
guess who was the only one they picked on to open her bag. Yes well I really look like a drugs or arms smuggler.
The other passengers commisserated with me afterwards,saying I was a symbol- not quite sure what they meant by that.
Anyway I am now staying in a lovely town-Alajuela -in Costa Rica,s Central Valley-half an hour from the capital,San Jose, and only a few minutes from the airport. It has a lovely leafy central plaza where I shall enjoy
chilling out. I am also in a bit of culture shock having spent the last couple of months in 3 very poor countries.
Costa Rica is much more developed and the shops here are full of consumer goods. I popped in a nearby supermarket last evening and it was on a par with anything in the States or Europe. My eyes were on stalks.
I was hoping to visit the caribbean coast of Costa Rica but haven´t left myself enough time. I think I have packed quite a lot into these 3 months but of course only scratched the surface of Central America and Mexico. You often get people posting questions on the lonely planet thorn tree forum asking if 2 weeks is enough time to see Central America. What ARE they thinking!!
Yesterday I did my last excursion of the trip to Volcano Poas=the second largest accessible volcanic crater in the world= and also to a beautiful coffee plantation and a waterfall park. The scenery on the way was stunning. Lush green rolling hills very reminiscent of Europe with herds of jersey cows and sheep but also with large coffee and tropical fruit plantations.
The crater was at about 9000 feet with a small lake in its centre which was steaming away at a temperature of 40 degrees centigrade. They keep a close eye on it for eruptions and last year it had to be closed for a while because it was getting quite active.
The waterfall park was beautiful with a huge aviary and separate butterfly and hummingbird enclosures. I just regret I don´t have longer here in Costa Rica.
On Sunday I begin the long journey back and hopefully arrive in Lanjaron Tuesday afternoon tho whether my luggage will be with me is a moot point. I am due to fly into the new Terminal 5 at Heathrow which opened yesterday before flying on to Madrid.I hear however that the opening was an absolute disaster with lots of baggage missing. Oh well not to worry.
This is my last post and to all of you who have been reading them thanks for being on my trip with me.
posted by baby at
2:30 AM
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