Costa Rica, like many other countries, requires folks who are here on a tourist visa to leave the country every 90 days, for at least 72 hours. Back in the day, there never was a question, really. I was working hard, marketing mostly to Canadians and Americans, and my travel was predestined. Now, with The Oaks over 80% sold out and leisure time on my hands, where to go? First stop: San Jose for the 70 something birthday celebration of an old friend at our favorite Italian resturant, Ólivo in La Sabana.
Wow. Culture shock. Cows on the road passes for a traffic jam outside Tamarindo, in Guanacaste. On arriving in Escazu, we found a traffic jam worthy of LA. What the heck!? It was even on Channel 7 news! Seems that the new highway from San Jose to the Pacific coast had advanced sufficiently so that the Authorities decided to raise the toll from 75 colones to 310 colones. This jump ( highway robbery!!) caused everyone and his cousin to exit the highway onto the old road in Escazu, just before the toll plaza. Result: a traffic jam of newsworthy proportions. So far, neither the Authorities nor the public appears willing to give way. This could go on for a loong time. (For perspective, the toll jump in dollar terms is from $0.13 to $0.54.) The good news was that on coming back to Escazu it made for a nice, empty toll road.
Ah, but where to go for 72 hours? Our first trip to Bocas del Toro, Panama, of course. An easy one hour Nature Air flight from San Jose, Bocas is in a time warp. Sort of a cross between the Bahamas and Key West, or how I imagine Key West on food stamps. Laid back, the people a little more aggressive than in Paradise, but with our own private holiday rental condo on stilts over the bay, ten minutes away from everything by boat, solar for electricity, waves lapping under the floor, and total, I mean total, silence. You can check out our genial host at www.bocasvillas.com. Lovely.
