March 25, 2008

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  New York & Costa Rica Trip

  
  

  I’m done with Asia. I’d never thought those words would ever germinate within the swirling masses that is my brain. But it has. I’d also thought I would curtail my travelling this year but that bridle idea has gone the way of Linsey Lohan’s career after embarking on this trip. If it wasn’t for a close friend planning to celebrate his big birthday early next year in Asia then that maginificent continent will be off-limits for a long while.

  
  

  My destination of choice has gravitated towards the Americas: North, Central and South. Replicating my previous trips to Asia by using Hong Kong as a base, I could use my favourite city of New York as its equivalent. Miami, Houston, Los Angeles and San Francisco are also future possible hubs depending on the destination. An additional requirement, which is probably not a bad thing with the exception of time consumption, is for me to learn Spanish. Ideally, attending regular classes in a college would be my preference but the roster system at work has nipped that in the bud. So I am now on the lookout for a good audio and book combination for beginners. I did borrow one from a friend but it wasn’t any good. If anyone has any recommendations please feel free to post it on here. Besides, there are a couple of Spanish girls at work that I can practise newly acquired words and grammar on.

  
  

  
  New York – Saturday 1st March 2008      

  
  

  If Delta Airlines’ sale had included flights to Cost Rica on a Saturday, an overnight stay in the Big Apple wouldn’t be required. However, it turned out to be quite a blessing as my friend from London, MH, would still be in town. She would be away the following weekend when I would be back in NYC for a few days. I was staying in the Upper West Side (UWS) where MH also happen to reside with her American husband. I much prefer the UWS to the Upper East Side and as MH pointed out, there are fewer tourists, if any.  

  
  

  
  
  Pic taken with camera phone

  
  

  Zabars is a popular cafe for the natives of the UWS and houses a supermarket next door where I was exploring while waiting for MH. The Zabars supermarket is reminiscent of Whole Foods but retaining its local flavour. Over coffee at the monopolistic Starbucks (in UK there are three coffee chains), MH was divulging the business aspects of her website My Red Packet which sells offbeat gifts at reasonable prices. I am currently in discussion with MH in offering a discount to my readers so watch this space!

  
  

  
  San Jose, Costa Rica - Sunday 2nd March 2008 

  
  

  By the time I’d finally checked into my hotel, it was already starting to get dark. After unpacking, showering and eating dinner at my hotel, I’d headed out to a bar among tourists downtown. As advised, in a taxi. Trawling through forums and guide books, one theme emerged about San Jose – it is a dangerous place at night. It is advisable to get a taxi even if the distance is only four blocks. One American I’d met at my hotel regaled how he was attacked at night by a gang of transvestites and robbed! During the taxi ride, I’d saw these transvestites loithering around in a small nearby park.  

  
  

  At the bar, an extremely beautiful barmaid asked me whether I wanted a drink in English. “Beer,” I’d responded. She didn’t understand.

  
  

  “Cerveza.” Still no luck.

  
  

  The American guy sitting next to me ordered for me in Spanish. “It’s the accent. The locals can only understand an American accent mostly.”    

  
  

  That bodes well for my trip then. I had an interesting conversation with my new amigo Americano, Kevin. He’s from New Jersey, runs his own business in home improvement and frequently visits San Jose to find workers. Kevin was in town to secure American visas for a new group of labourers he’d recruited to take back to NJ. The visas are only for 12 months and as Kevin explained, the average salary in Costa Rica is $200 a month. If the Costa Ricans he hires are careful with their money in NJ, they can return home with an average $5-6,000, representing a huge amount in relative terms. Kevin invited me to accompany him to an area of bars where the locals hang out. I don’t recall the name of the area but after one drink, I’d called it a night.

  
  

  
  Monday 3rd March 2008

  
  

  After a long lie-in, longer than I had wanted, I’d walked from the hotel to downtown San Jose. It was a brisk 5-10 minute strode, passing through the small park where the trannies hang out at night except it was now frequented by couples. Even during the day, forums and travel guides issue warnings not to carrying anything of value as pickpocketing is rife. What is noticeable in SJ are that all the houses have bars on their doors and windows resembling a penal colony. It was reminscent of a quick tour through South Central in Los Angeles that I’d undertook in 1996. It is argued that crime is commited by undesirable immigrants from neighbouring countries rather than the local Costa Ricans. Anyway, heeding the warnings, I’d locked up everything of value in the hotel safe and headed downtown with 10,000 colones (around 500 colones to $1) and my mobile phone.           

  
  

  
  Pic taken with camera phone

  
  

  Passing through the small park and across the road lie this building. I don’t know what it is but it seemed governmental as on my return to the hotel at dusk there were long queues stretching around the building.  

  
  

  
  
  Pic taken with camera phone

  
  

  Plaza de la Cultura (Square of Culture) with the Teatro Nacional (National Theatre) in the background, is where a lot of folks just sit idly by and people watch.

  
  

  
  
  Pic taken with camera phone

  
  

  Except that I was observing thieves observing potential targets, mostly naive tourists.

  
  

  
  
  Pic taken with camera phone

  
  

  One of the many avenidas in downtown San Jose.

  
  

  
  
  Pic taken with camera phone

  
  

  A fountain

  
  

  
  
  Pic taken with camera phone

  
  

  One of the plazas in downtown. An ideal place to get robbed at night.

  
  

  
  
  Pic taken with camera phone

  
  

  One of the many queues waiting for buses.

  
  

  
  
  Pic taken with camera phone

  
  

  The Teatro Nacional (National Theatre) at dusk. Unfortunately, I’d missed the tour as it was late.

  
  

  
  There really isn’t that much to see in San Jose itself. All sights can be done in one day unless “bullfighting” (just ticos playing with bulls) and a football match are included. Tourists pass through SJ either en route to other destinations in Costa Rica, take day trips outside of SJ, stay in resorts, or to receive dental treatment or cosmetic surgery.

  
  

  With two full days remaining, I had booked two day trips at my hotel starting tomorrow.  

  
  

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  Secret Affair

  
  

  A married man and his secretary are having an affair. They decide to leave the office early one day and go to the secretary’s apartment for an afternoon of sex. They fall asleep and don’t wake up until 8PM later that night. They quickly get dressed and the man asks his secretary to take his shoes and go rub them in the grass. The secretary thinks this is pretty weird but she does it anyway.

  
  

  The man finally arrives home and his wife meets at the door. The wife is very upset and asks him where he has been. The husband replies, “I cannot tell a lie. My secretary and I are having an affair. We left work early today, went to her place, had sex all afternoon, and then we fell asleep. That’s why I’m late!”

  
  

  The wife looks at him, takes notice of his shoes and says, “I see those grass stains all over your shoes. You’ve been playing golf again, haven’t you?!”

  
  

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  Inadequacy

  
  

   
  
  

  • 12:50 am
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