San
Jose, Costa Rica is located almost in the very center
of this Central American country. It is set in a fertile
valley in the Central America portion of the Andean Sierra
Madre Mountain Range. This city is the capitol of Costa
Rica, and also one of the most densely populated cities
in it as well.
In San Jose the Streets or Calles, as they are called
in Spanish, run from north to south, while the Avenidas,
or Avenues are from east to west. Any Avenida north of
the central avenue are going to be an odd number, while
the Avenidas south of the central Avenida are even, beginning
with the number 2. Downtown San Jose is where most of
the plazas, parks and museums can be found. Barrio Amon
and Ottoya are two picturesque neighborhoods whose historic
edifices are filled with renovated Costa
Rica hotels and restaurants. The Central Avenida is
a pedestrian only street, with fountains and cobblestones
for your viewing pleasure.
It's not hard to stay in touch while you're in San Jose,
Costa Rica. Drop into one of the Internet cafes that are
springing up everywhere. Take a break from the sun, order
a cool fresco and enjoy an hour of Internet access from
rates which will run you only $1-3 dollars per hour. If
you're out at the Las Arcadas Shopping Center, visit its
Cybercafe Las Arcadas. If you have a laptop you might
find the Rasca, the official run cybercafes. Buy one of
the prepaid usage cards, which can be purchased in 5,
10 and $15 dollar increments. You will connect to the
net through a local phone call, so you can buy a phone
card and plug in anytime you feel like and use this at
its other locations across the country.
The Juan Santamaria International Airport is within easy
reach of San Jose; buses being only 60 cents or a $15-20
dollar cab ride to make the 20 minutes journey to the
capitol of Costa Rica. The bus stops is directly outside
of the airports main terminal, although if you have a
lot of luggage a taxi might be a better option.
On the way to the city from the San Jose airport you
will pass plantations, which grow some of the finest coffees
in the world. The perpetual sunny, spring-like climate
is the perfect weather in which to grow coffee. San Jose,
Costa Rica is the source of the pulse of this, Central
America's most cosmopolitan capitol. As you enter the
city, you will feel its faster pace, a far cry from the
relaxed vistas of the verdant farmland you passed on your
way from the San Jose airport.
