Costa Rica: Buses and Shopping

by Donna L. Watkins


Riding the buses helped me to feel like I was really integrating myself into the country and city, but now, 10 days later, it has lost all of its enchantment. My attention to the details of watching so I don't miss my stop, has waned as I have become more familiar with the landmarks. The crazy driving at rush hour holds no glitter for me. The time spent in the city becomes more suffocating with each day. When I think of the amount of people who deal with city life every day, I am amazed at the adaptability of the human race.

© Donna L. Watkins - Colita in Costa Rica
Last week on the way home I had an irresistible urge to shop for produce. We order our groceries every five months, so at home all I have to shop for is bread at the bakery and produce at the market. I guess I wanted to put a bit of 'normal' in my life. There's a store where I get off on the way home, so I strolled in to look for produce and bought seven (7) bananas and three (3) fat, obviously home-grown, carrots. My bill came to a total of $.38. This is the kind of travel budget I can love! Yes, that is thirty-eight cents.

It's nice to arrive home to a warm welcome from Colita. That's the family's Miniature Chihuahua. She actually runs downstairs hoping it's somebody in the family, I'm sure, but I pretend she's there to greet me. At home, I'm definitely not greeted by Squeek, my cat. She fits the description most people have of cats. Very independent and not the least bit interested in letting you think she may have missed you for a moment.

The city is a huge challenge for me with the exhaust and litter everywhere. I saw that they are budgeting to clean up San Jose which has 700 tons of litter in the city. It would make a huge difference on how tourists view the city, I'm sure. They're also working on solutions for the increase in theft and crimes. Seems this current president isn't burying his head in the banana trees.

My husband, Randal, is a wonderful man. After 30 years, he's only gotten better, like fruit as it ripens. When I arrived and processed through the culture shock, he was my rock and knight in shining armor. When all seemed lost on being able to stay at the place of my dreams for rainforest time, he made it happen! That story is to be told in the next post.

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