Day 56: San Jose

A few rough but successful days of traveling, and now back in the good ol' United States, with its Subway sandwiches, AM/PM stores, and pick-up basketball games. What's that you say? It's not the good ol' US of A? But in fact San Jose, Costa Rica? Wow, coulda fooled me.

Rewind. I was supposed to leave Cartagena early in the morning, and duly arrived at the airport at 5:30am...only to find out that there were issues with my transportation. According to Copa Airlines, my former airline of choice, I needed to be able to prove that I was not going to stay in Panama -- proof being a ticket out of the country, which I did not have. I haggled a bit with the airline counter ladies to no avail, but they did let me go into the office behind the counter to use their computer to try and buy a bus ticket online. Those behind-the-counter offices have that forbidden-fruit appeal that gives me excitement. Excitement was dulled, both by lack of sleep and the realization that the only company who sells tickets from Panama to Costa Rica online had their website "Under Construction". What timing! So I bought an airline ticket instead, closely reading the cancellation instructions to make sure I could get my money back as soon as I cross through Panamanian customs. Side note: the immigration lady in Panama couldn't have cared less about my travel plans. Damn those Copa folks.

Because of the delay caused by this issue I had to change my flight, and the flight that got to Panama quickest left at 5pm. So I had 10 hours to kill, and kill it I did. Some reading. Some internet communications. Some Walkman. Some grub-gobbling. What's that? The flight is delayed another two hours? Oh. Well.

Made it to Panama City, which I would describe as a mix between Queens and Miami, if you, Oh Imaginative Reader, can comprehend such an urban creature. Taxi was quite expensive, but the driver was helpful and I was able to safely collapse into a bed under a ceiling fan...a room with my own bathroom. But unfortunately, because of the flight delay I would not be able to visit the Panama Canal as I had planned.

Or would I! Yes, I would! Went early to the bus station in the morning (after the worst breakfast I have had in months, years, possibly ever, consisting of saucy hot dog pieces and an old empanada), dropped off my big backpack at a baggage-guarding place, and hopped a converted school bus to the Miraflores Locks on the Panama Canal. Nice little museum and viewing roof, got to watch two big boats go through the locks. Back to the bus station and on to David, a city on the Western/Costa Rican side of the country. I ended up staying in the over-priced hotel bus station there, as we arrived after midnight and I had no desire to explore. Ran to catch the 8:30am bus from David to San Jose, which went fairly well. Border wasn't too slow, and made some friends on the bus -- two teachers from Chicago -- and we attempted to solve American education problems en route. Successful? Only time will tell.

Stayed in a fancy hostel upon arrival to San Jose last night, then hiked over to the Hostel Galileo this morning -- dormitory for tonight, then double room tomorrow!

I could not check in for a few hours, so went to take a walk through Parque La Sabana, a big green expanse with lots of soccer, baseball, and basketball facilities. Joined a nice pick-up basketball game and played pretty well in the first game, not so much in the second. Picked up a nice scar on my elbow from a sweet highlight-roll defensive play. All about it, go big or go home.

Which is where I will be going now, home for the week, to check in and hopefully take a nice nap after lunch. The Saturday Afternoon Nap. I would say that life is nice, but that wouldn't quite capture the feeling.