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    Day By Day in San José, Costa Rica: The Definitive Insider's Guide to Hit the Ground Running Like a Local
    Day By Day in San José, Costa Rica: The Definitive Insider's Guide to Hit the Ground Running Like a Local
    Day By Day in San José, Costa Rica: The Definitive Insider's Guide to Hit the Ground Running Like a Local
    Ebook156 pages1 hour

    Day By Day in San José, Costa Rica: The Definitive Insider's Guide to Hit the Ground Running Like a Local

    By Dennis Hambright

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    About this ebook

    Dennis Hambright has written a real insider's look at San José, Costa Rica with his 'Day by Day in San José'. Hambright isn't just another wannabe who declared himself a local expert. He lives there, works there, speaks the language, and understands the culture and the people. He digs into all the nooks and crannies when it comes to getting around town like a local, and how to get the best bang for you buck. Hambright peels back the puffy veneer that most travel writers hide behind and exposes the city like none other, covering everything from where to eat, play, workout, shop, and even where to wash your undies. Whether you're there for a day, a week, a month, or fall in love with the place and decide to stay, this is definitely the insider's guide you don't want to be without.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBookBaby
    Release dateAug 10, 2017
    ISBN9781543909302
    Day By Day in San José, Costa Rica: The Definitive Insider's Guide to Hit the Ground Running Like a Local

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      Book preview

      Day By Day in San José, Costa Rica - Dennis Hambright

      Book

      CHAPTER 1

      A Little Introduction

      …and what this book is and is not about

      I’ve been very fortunate to have traveled a lot in my life, and one thing I’ve learned is, whenever I land in a new destination, there are always those same basic things that I need to know right away to get the best out of my trip. Those are exactly the kinds of things I want to share with you in this book. Things like:

      With Day by Day in San José, my goal is to give you a real insider’s look at getting around town just like a local. I want you to enjoy the sights, sounds, and experiences this great city has to offer, and at the same time help you get the biggest bang for your buck while you’re here.

      What this book is:

      This is a book for travelers who plan on being in San José for a day, a week, a month, or even those who might fall in love with the place and decide to stick around for a while. It’s a book about navigating the town and finding all those things you really want, and not just all the touristy stuff. It’s about helping you make the most of your valuable time in this great city and offering you information you won’t find in most traditional travel guides.

      Don’t get me wrong. I’m not just going to point you to all the low-end cheap-o stuff. I want to help you find everything that you need, have some fun, and get the best value for your money. Sometimes that will include things that are definitely worth paying a little extra for.

      Bottom line: This is a book about living in the now…Day by Day in San José.

      What this book is not:

      This is not a book about the history of San José. You won’t find a bunch of dates and details about the founding fathers, the historical significance of buildings and landmarks, and all that other trivia that might win you the big bucks on Jeopardy. You can find that information in a hundred other places. Granted, San José is full of truly interesting history, but that’s just not my bailiwick.

      This is also not a book about high-end luxury travel. If you’re more accustomed to calling down to the concierge and ordering up first class, hold-your-hand service and paying an arm and a leg to get it, then there are plenty of guides to point you in that direction. This isn’t one of them.

      This is also not a guide for people who just want to hang out with other tourists. I tell people all the time, If I wanted to hang out with tourists and do all the stuff that I could do back home, then I would have just stayed back home.

      This is not a book about having experiences that you could have without getting a stamp in your passport.

      If this is the book you’re looking for:

      First of all, thank you for buying Day by Day In San José! Please visit my website:www.OutlawTraveler.com and send me a message if you have any comments, questions, or suggestions about what you might like to see in future editions.

      Pura Vida!

      CHAPTER 2

      San José, Costa Rica

      …and why it’s like dating an ugly chick (or dude)

      I love San José. I really do. I live here, write here, and have business here. Of all the places I’ve visited in my travels around the world, I chose to settle here in San José. Obviously, there’s something about this place that hit a sweet spot in my heart.

      That being said, let me give you a little inside skinny-on-the-city. Hanging out in San José is a lot like dating an ugly chick (or dude). It’s a little like hooking up with someone who has way too many dents and dings and maybe a couple of long green toenails, and yeah, maybe they’re even a little snaggletoothed and rough around the social edges. But hey, the good news is, those are exactly the ones that will try even harder to make you happy.

      Sometimes, when you walk around certain parts of downtown it can seem like a little bit of a dump. You’re not going to find the pristine, trash-less streets that you might encounter in some other Latin American capital cities. And for a country that’s world-renowned as an ecological haven, the river that runs through the middle of town is lovingly referred to as Poop River (and yes, I cleaned that moniker up a little). It’s brown, muddy, full of gunk-and-stuff, and definitely not a place you want to dip your toes.

      However, fear not, because once you get outside the confines of the city and into the surrounding countryside, that’s when you’ll start to see the Costa Rica of your dreams; lush green hills, crystal clear rivers, cascading waterfalls, emerald tropical jungles, and endless white sand beaches. Multi-colored toucans, lazy sloths, and playful monkeys abound, and yes, it is absolute paradise.

      If you’re expecting to see all of that eco-wonderland stuff within the confines of the city of San José, I’ll tell you right now, you’ll be sorely disappointed.

      Now, let me say again, I love this place, and without a doubt, San José is an amazing city. Even with all of its dents and dings, I bet that you’ll find it just as exciting and engaging as I have for all these years.

      _________________________

      San José is the capital city of Costa Rica. It’s the largest city in the country and has a population within the city limits that’s estimated at right around 350,000, with a metro area population around 1.5 million. That’s about a third of the population of the entire country.

      Although there aren’t many people who actually live within the borders of downtown San José, it is the primary work center of the country, with an estimated one million people a day that come wandering through here. It’s also the seat of the national government and a lightning rod for political and economic activity. Like most big cities that claim those distinctions, it’s crowded, noisy, and congested. Basically, it’s a cluster-hump of activity. However, it also has a long list of great assets on its side for residents and tourists to enjoy.

      Here are just a few of the Oh Hell Yeah! reasons I think you’ll find that just might make you love San José the way that I do:

      Bottom line: San José truly is a diamond-in-the-rough city. If you’ll take the time to scratch just below the surface and overlook a few cosmetic flaws, I believe you’ll find it to be a wonderfully interesting and fantastic place to visit.

      Insider’s Tip: One of the first things that comes as quite a shock to many first-time visitors to Costa Rica is how expensive it is. Costa Rica is a country with an economy heavily dependent on tourism, and there is very little manufacturing. Consequently, anything that’s imported into the country gets hit with a heavy tax. Clothes, electronics, food not locally grown, and many everyday items like razor blades, sunscreen, deodorant, cereal, and the like, carry a surprisingly hefty price tag. Compared to our neighbors Panamá and Nicaragua, the cost of living in Costa Rica can be up to twice as much as it is in those countries, and some items can cost even more than what you might be used to paying back home. That’s not to say that you can’t find some great bargains if you know where to look (which we’re going to help you with in this book), but it is something I want you to be aware of so you can plan your travel budget accordingly.

      CHAPTER 3

      Ticos, Ticas, & Pura Vida

      …the he, she, & what life’s all about in Costa Rica

      Before we get into the nitty-gritty details about enjoying your time in San José, I think it’s a good idea to talk about a few things you’ll probably hear or see as soon as you arrive at the airport, and will definitely be exposed to on a daily basis during your time in Costa Rica.

      Local Currency:

      The local currency in Costa Rica is the colon (koh-LONE). The plural of colon is colones (koh-LONE-ehs). I’ll go into much more detail regarding money matters in Chapter 13, but I thought it might be a good idea to go ahead and let you know what the local currency is since I’ll be referring to it throughout the book.

      Ticos & Ticas:

      In general, Costa Rican’s are known as Ticos. Just like people from Mexico are Mexicans, people from Germany are Germans, and people from Canada are Canadians…the native people of Costa Rica are Ticos.

      More specifically:

      - Men are called Ticos (the masculine form).

      - Women are called Ticas (the feminine form).

      The terms Ticos and Ticas are not slang or defamatory

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