Day 14: Dec 4 - Monteverde to Grecia

MonteVerde to Grecia -

Up at 5:30 a.m. to catch the bus to San Jose, about 4 hours or so. - 2500 Colones ($5)

bus from San Jose to Alajuela, about 45 min maybe. - 400 C

caught it right where we were dropped off in San Jose and waited about 15 minutes or so.

Original plan was to go to Heredia but completely missed the stop and had some difficulty conversating with some locals on the bus as to where we were. So we just kept on to Alajuela which was a bust. Walked around and searched out hostels but was having little luck and decided to skip town to get a little more remote.

bus from Alajuela to Grecia, 45 mins. - 600 C around

Showed up on Sunday so things were a little sleepy and tranquil, so looked good. Also we were in the foothills of mountain range so some pretty good views just outside of the main square area.

Did the meal thing after settling in for bit, skimped and went the taco route again. Again the tacos are fried like a tostada that I'm used to Mexico. So far every 'taco' I've had in Nic. and C.R. have been fried except for the taco stand in San Juan del Sur.

around 1400 C

Shawn and I caught a Futbol match at a local tavern around the corner - apparently we arrived in town to one of the biggest matches of the year. The teams are from the Costa Rican Primera Division - a semi-final match between Alajuela and San Jose. The other semi-final match was a little earlier in the day between Heredia and Cartaga, to which we experienced a little of the hype when we passed thru there earlier in the day.

So we ended up watching the whole game at the Saprissa bar, and getting into it with the locals which were mostly rooting for Alajuela, although a sizable fan base from Saprissa (san jose) was there too - maybe because of the bars namesake. Pretty great game as far as futbol matches go. Goal for goal and some amazing one too with Alajuela squeaking out a with with less than a minute left in regular time, however, the won with a tie somehow which I still don't understand completely. Right proper sporting madness after - not unlike a Sabres win in downtown buffalo, incessant horn melodies for hours into the night, and people milling about all over the park/square area, and filling the local fast night food shops. (to which we'd be no exeption).

The final match is Saturday, we'll have to see where were at and if we'll be able to catch the game.

Day 4 of Antibiotics and all still good there, although I did have 4 costa rican Imperial beers at bar with may negate some of medicine.

Staying at Mangifera Hostel. The only hostel supposedly in this town.

$30 - split with Shawn - most expensive stay so far on our travels. Although it does have the best breakfast so far included.

Grecia - Costa Rica

The main point of interest in the center of Grecia - The metal church. Read it's somewhat rumored as its reasons of origin. But is was shipped from Belgium in pieces.

Some shrub plant we saw along a walk around Grecia this morning.