The other student is nice. Her name is Kat and she is from the Netherlands, and will be doing the International Peace Studies program. This morning Annie introduced us and I invited her to come along with us.
We had no trouble getting the bus, and it was quite a comfortable ride, especially compared to what we are used to from transportation in Tokyo. A nice woman who spoke perfect English saw Alistair and I looking at our guide book and asked us if we needed help. She kindly pointed us in the direction of the Central Market (mercado central).
Stepping off the bus was pretty crazy - the area around the bus station is a bit dirty and hectic, as areas around most bus stations in most parts of the world tend to be. The wind was blowing strongly, kicking up dust in our eyes and adding to the chaotic feeling. We stepped into the market, which I was expecting to be equally hectic, but it was surprisingly calm and tranquil. There were souvenir shops, food stalls, household items and produce. We stopped for a drink in a cute little cafe and looked at our map inconspicuously (the woman on the bus had also said, "Be careful. San Jose is really dangerous. Don't flash anything valuable...." which perhaps was why I was feeling edgy when we got off the bus).
From the market we walked through the central area, aptly named Avenida Central. It was a bustling pedestrian area, and much cleaner than the neighborhood near the bus station. It's nice to have pedestrian areas - it is definitely not a pedestrian-friendly country. The drivers are not paying attention to people crossing the street, and crossing the street can be scary. Pedestrian zones, of which there are a few in San Jose, are a welcome haven. We visited a large church that was surprisingly modern, then went on a hunt to find an electrical adapter for Kat, which gave me a chance to practice some more Spanish. Then we set out to find some English schools for Alistair, a goose chase which took us to a torn-down building in the industrial part of town. Unfortunately, we never found the school. A project for another day....
Our next project was to find the Museo Para La Paz, a peace museum founded by Oscar Arias, the Nobel laureate and current Costa Rican president. At first we couldn't find it, and instead found a great little souvenir market near the national museum (and managed not to buy anything). Then we did find it, but it was closed - according to the guide book, it would open in ten minutes. After a tour of the market, we returned to the alleged museum - only to find out it wasn't a museum. The gate was still locked, and there was a buzzer, so we rang it. I said "Is this the peace museum?" And the woman replied, "It's not here anymore." Que lastima! We made our way back to the bus station, passing an English book shop, with a good - but expensive - selection.
By the end, we felt very comfortable in San Jose. We'll still keep our wits about us when we walk around, as theft is supposed to be a problem. But the city is easy to navigate, not too dirty, not too crowded, and rather relaxed, traffic aside. I'll be going back next Monday to meet with a peace and justice organization, Amigos para la Paz, who I've been in touch with.
Meanwhile, tomorrow I'm attending a yoga class with a fellow Kripalu yoga teacher, and will speak to her about the possibility of teaching at her studio. I'm excited both by the prospect of teaching and just being able to enjoy a class let by someone else.
I'm going to start posting some pictures too, as we get them up!
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