February 13 & 14

Time to leave Panama so 6:30 taxi to David and an hour wait at the ticket window (a cell phone stall to change the date on my ticket.

Goodbye Villa Alejandro

Finally got on comfortable bus but someone beat me to the comfy back row.

Costa Rica customs Paso Canoas

Leaving Panama- had to get electronic fingerprints and promise I wasn't smuggling coffee. At Costa Rica entry, they saw a Colombia stamp on my passport and had to call authorities. I guess I am not listed as part of Cartel.

But what an 11 hour bus ride, sometimes stopping for an hour for construction.

National Theater

Time zone change, exhausted but a quick walk around the Cultural Plaza. At Costa Rica's banana and coffee zenith, the building was meant to bring the Old World to the New. In 1897, the murals and sculpture were imported from Italy.

The lobby was to gather with coffee before the opera.

And partake of champagne from a fountain at intermission

The President's box. The seating can be removed and the orchestra floor jacked up from below to create a huge ballroom

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4OMlCcYqs4

And then a walk to the central market, too loud for my nerves.

even the devil rides a bike

lush parks and public art in San Jose

and some ornate 19 c residences

A new museum has a wealth of precolumbian artifacts in stone, ceramic, and gold

My favorite gold frog, apparently frogs were a medium to the spirits. I have experience being a frog in my younger days

I have decided not to trek across the country. 2 or 3 hour hikes are great but 10 to 12 hours not enjoyable. I am here to think, read, write so I head to the Caribbean tomorrow for at least 8 days. 4:30 wake up for 5:30 shuttle, but then I can hike, snorkle, swim and relax.