Day two in San Jose dawned bright and clear and we enjoyed yet another great breakfast on the hotel patio. The hotel is an old “tropical Victorian” home that was converted to an inn. The newer additions complement the older house and comprise a warren of narrow hallways, courtyards, and planter boxes filled with tropical flowers – ginger, ficus, dieffenbachia, bromeliads, and potted poinsettias. Modern touches include a bamboo screen in the lobby, but the setting is true to the Victorian décor, including lots of stained glass, dark wood, and patterned fabrics. The staff is friendly and conversant in English, although not overly warm.
Yesterday we met Jay Ireland and Georgienne Bradley, a couple from California and formerly eight- year residents of Costa Rica. They are leaving today on a trip to film wildlife documentary footage at a national park on Cocos Island, located 360 miles off the coast of Costa Rica. The island, populated with tree ferns and other “Jurassic” foliage, was the inspiration for “Jurassic Park”. They encouraged us to get off the beaten path and converse with the locals, but cautioned us to be careful in the tourist areas; apparently, muggings and backpack snatching are common.
This morning, we are awaiting our flight at the Sansa Regional terminal. According to a poster in the lobby, which is under construction and reeks of solvents and paint, Sansa is “In Harmony with Nature”. We are traveling this morning to the Pacific coast, to an area called Manuel Antonio. This is a real adventure, because our flight is on one of those small planes with a couple of boat propellers. I don’t mind the small plane, but when they asked me how much I weigh, I regretted eating that extra piece of bacon this morning. I assume the lighter, the better.
