San Jose

Population 330,000; metropolitan area 900,000 Compared with other Central American capitals, San Jose is more cosmopolitan, even North American in character. There are department stores and shopping malls, fast food restaurants and blue jeans. It takes a day or two to get the real tico feel of the city. Perhaps the first sign of being in Costa Rica is the friendliness of the people. Asking someone the way will often result in a smile and a genuine attempt to help you out.

The city was founded in 1737, but little remains of the colonial era. Until the Teatro Nacional was built in the 1890s, San Jose was not a notable city. Today the capital boasts several excellent museums, good restaurants and a fine climate, which are San Jose's main attractions. Costa Rica's road system radiates from San Jose and the capital is a good base from which to visit the rest of the country. The city stands at 1150 meters in a wide and fertile valley called the Meseta Central. Inhabitants of San Jose are called josiffinos.

Orientation

The city center is arranged in a grid. The streets are numbered in a logical fashion, street addresses rely on it. Avenidas (Av, or Avs) run cast to west and calles run north to south. Avenidas south of Av Central have even numbers (Av 2, Av 4), while avenidas north of Av Central have odd numbers. Calles west of Calle Central have even numbers while calles east of Calle Central have odd numbers.

Street addresses are given by the nearest street intersection. Thus the address of the ICT tourist office is Calle 5, (between) Avs Central and 2. This is often abbreviated to C5, A CtI12, or C5, A 0/2. This system is used in many other Costa Rican towns.

Avenida Central becomes Paseo Colon west of Calle 14. The building on the north side of Paseo Colon Calles 38 and 40, is known as Centro Colon and is a local landmark. Ticos use local landmarks to give directions or even addresses an address may be 200 meters south and 150 meters east of a church, pulperia or radio station. Sometimes the landmark no longer exists, but because it has been used for so long it's known by all the locals. A good example is the Coca Cola bus terminal it used to be a Coke bottling plant. A city block is called cien metros, literally 100 meters, so if someone says '250 metros al sur' they mean 21/2 blocks south regardless of the actual distance.

Museo de Jade

This is Costa Rica's most famous museum, housing the world's largest collection of American jade. Many pieces are mounted with a backlight so that the exquisite translucent quality of the gemstone can be fully appreciated. There are also archaeological exhibits of ceramics, stonework and gold, arranged by cultural regions.

The museum is on the 11 th floor of the Instituto Nacional de Seguros at Av 7, Calles 9 and 11. Hours are Monday to Friday from 9 am to 3 pm, and admission is US$2. There is a good city view from here bring your camera.

Museo Nacional

Housed in the Bellavista Fortress, the old army headquarters on Calle 17, Avs Central and 2, this museum shows Costa Rican archaeology, some jade and gold, colonial furniture and costumes, colonial and religious art, historical exhibits and natural history displays. Some pieces are labeled in English as well as Spanish. There is a garden with cannons; some of the walls are pockmarked with bullet holes from the 1948 civil war. There's a gift shop. Hours are Tuesday to Saturday 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, and Sunday and holidays 9 am to 4:30 pm. Admission is US$1; students with ID and children under 10 free.

Museo de Oro Precolombino

This houses a dazzling collection of preColumbian gold, a small numismatic museum and a display of Costa Rican art. The museum is next to the ICT on Calle 5, Avs Central and 2. Hours are Tuesday to Saturday 10 am to 4:30 pm, and admission is US$5, for students with ID US$1.50. Security is tight: You must leave your bags at the door. and 20th centuries. The sctflpftifesari especially worth a look. There are also changing shows of work by local artists.

The museum is in Sabana Park, which used to be San Jose's airport. The collection is housed in the old airport terminal just off Calle 42, Pasco Colon and Av 2. Hours are Tuesday to Sunday 10 am to 5 pro. Admission is US$2, free to children and students with ID. Everyone gets in free on Sunday.

Museo de Arte y Dlseno Contemporaneo

This museum houses changing exhibits of work by contemporary Costa Rican artists. The museum is next to the National Library on Av 3, Calles 15 and 17. Hours are Tuesday to Sunday 10 am to 5 pm; free admission.

Serpentarlo

Live snakes and other reptiles, many native to Costa Rica, are on exhibit here with a bilingual biologist sometimes available to explain the collection. There is a small gift shop. The serpentarium is on Av 1, Calles 9 and 11. Hours are weekdays 9 am to 6 pro and weekends 10 am to 6 pm; admission is US$3.

Museo de los Ninos

This children's museum is housed in the old penitenciario (penitentiary) at Calle 4, north of Av 9. The hands on displays allow children to learn and experience science, music, geography and other things. Part of the old jai( can be visited. There are exhibits about children's rights and lives in Costa Rica. Hours are Tuesday to Sunday 9 am to noon and 2 to 5 pm. Adult admission is US$5, with substantial discounts for children depending on age.

Parque Zoologico Simon Bolivar

This small national zoo is in the park of the same name. Many of Costa Rica's animals can be seen, along with a few exotics. Some visitors have not been impressed with the conditions in which the animals are kept (though it's better than in some zoos). The gate is at Av 11, Calles 7 and 9 (go north on Calle 7 to get there). Hours are weekdays 8 am to 3:30 pm and weekends9 am to 5 pm. Admission is US$I.

Museo de Ciencias Naturales

The natural history museum is in the old Colegio La Salle (high school) near the southwest corner of Sabana Park. This collection of stuffed animals and mounted butterflies is a resource to those wishing to identify species they may see in the wild. There are also paleontology and archaeology exhibits. Hours are daily 7 am to 3 pm (subject to frequent change); admission is US$I (half price for students).

Museo de Insectos

This fine collection of insects is curated by the Facultad de Agronomia at the Universidad de Costa Rica. The museum is in the basement of the Artes Musicales building on campus. There are signs, or ask. Hours are weekdays I to 5 pm. Ring the bell to gain admission (US$1.50).

Spirogyra Jardin de Mariposas

This butterfly garden (not to be confused with a large, and much more expensive, butterfly farm in La Guacima) offers a close up took at Costa Rican butterflies in a garden setting close to the city center. The garden is 100 meters cast and 150 meters south of Centro Comercial El Pueblo. Spirogyra is open daily from 8 am to 3 pm. Admission is US$4.

Museo Postal, Telegrifico y Filatdlico de Costa Rica

This philatelic museum is upstairs in the central post office, Calle 2, Avs I and 3. Hours are weekdays 9 am to 2 pm; free.

Museo de Criminologia

The stated objective of the cri minological is the prevention of crime through the presentation of exhibits of criminal acts. The display reportedly includes such niceties as limbs that have been separated from their rightful owners by machete wielding criminals. The museum is in the Supreme Court of Justice, Calle 17, Av 6; it's open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from I to 4 pm.

Museo Nacional de Ferrocarril

See the first locomotive serving the San Jose Limon run, as well as a model railway, old photographs and railroad paraphernalia. The museum is in the old Atlantic railway station at Av 3, Calle 19, and is open erratically.

Teatro Naclonal

This is considered San Jose's most impress sive public building. Built in the 1890s, it is the center of Costa Rican culture. The outside is not particularly impressive: a columned facade and statues of Beethoven and Calder6n de la Barca (a l7th century Spanish dramatist) flanking the entrance. Inside there are some paintings of Costa Rica, of which the most famous is a huge canvas showing coffee harvesting and export. (This painting is on the old five col6n note, which street vendors outside will sell you for US$I orUS$2.) The marble staircases, gildedceilings and parquet floors of local hardwoods are worth seeing.

Performances are held frequently and this is the best way to see the inside of the building. The cheapest seats are just a few dollars. Otherwise, it is open Monday to Saturday from 9 am to 5 pm, and it costs US$3 to visit.

Mercado Central

This is interesting to visit, although a little tanne compared to the markets of other Central American countries. It is at Avs Central and 1, Calles 6 and 8. A block away is the similar Mercado Borbon, at Av 3 and Calle 8. Beware of pickpockets in these areas.

Parks & Plazas

The pleasant and shady Parque Nacional is between Avs I and 3 and Calles 15 and 19. In the park center is the Monumento

Nacional showing the Central American nations driving out William Walker. Opposite the southwest corner is a statue of national hero Juan Santamaria. Important buildings surrounding the park include the Asemblea Legislativa (Congress Building) to the south, the Biblioteca Nacional to the north and the Fubrica Nacional de Licores (founded in 1856 and now housing an art gallery) to the northwest.

The small Parque de Espana has the tallest trees in San Jos6 and is a riot of birdsongjust before sunset. On Sunday, there is an outdoor art market. The park is between Avs 3 and 7 and Calles 9 and 11. To the north is the Museo de Jade in the INS building fronted by a huge statue of 'The Family.' To the northeast is the Casa Amarilla, which houses the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Parque Morazin covers four city blocks and is graced in the center by the dome roofed Templo de Musica. The northeast quarter of the park has a small Japanese garden and a playground.

The Plaza de la Cultura is the site of the Teatro Nacional, Museo de Oro and ICT office. The west side of the plaza is an open air market of arts and crafts it's very busy just before Christmas. Young people hang out here and check out what everyone else is doing.

Parque Central is between busy Avs 2 and 4 and Calles Central and 2. This is the place to catch many of the local city buses. To the east is the fairly modern and not very interesting Catedral Metropolitana.

Parque La Sabana has tennis, volleyball and basketball courts, baseball areas and jogging paths. There's an Olympicsized swimming pool, but it's only open from noon to 2 pm, and it costs US$3 to swim there.

San Jose Hotels

Hotel Fleur de Lys Tels: (506) 223-1206 / 257-2621, Fax: (506) 221-6310, Email: reservaciones@hotelfleurdelys.com Address: 50mts North from Drs. Echandi Clinic, PO-Box: 10736-1000 San José, Costa Rica
Hotel Presidente - Central Ave Blvd 7TH St San Jose 1000 Costa Rica
Bougainvillea Hotel - San Jose 2120 Costa Rica
Tikal Hotel - Avenida 2, Calles 7/9 San Jose Costa Rica +506 223 2811
Hotel Don Carlos -779, Calle 9 & Avenida 9, Barrio Amon San Jose 1000 Costa Rica
Melia Cariari Hotel - Autopista grl Canas, Cruce San Antonio San Jose Costa Rica