Weekend in San Jose

Well, San Jose is not what I would call "the prettiest city," nor the "most quaint." Nor would I use the phrase "especially easy to navigate," seeing as how streets don't really have street signs and most places have addresses such as "on the road off of Main Street, next to the white house." However, everyone is very nice and helpful, and, in the end, I had an exploratory and lovely little weekend.

Saturday I went off exploring a neighborhood called Barrio Escalante, where, perhaps, I might find an apartment. My goal here is a view, as I like to be perched, to be able to, at the beginning and end of every day, view the city where I work. It gives me perspective. And a feeling of being able get out of the urban mess, to some quiet. So, I wandered about a neighborhood looking for something that looked safe and pretty and high up. (I have yet to find anything.) (I will.)

My new friend Niamh (remember, that is pronounced Neive, those wacky Irish) is really rather a god send (thanks God)- I was on my way into town after my apt. hunting and she was at a local spot called "Bagelmans" (they, um, have bagels there, and wireless internet) and she called me name as I passed. THAT is a nice feeling in a foreign city.

We made plans to meet up later, and then I went off to explore downtown San Jose. I found a map in a bookstore (I have to say, I've been in 2 bookstores now, and it's pretty hilarious, but most of the books that they have in English are classics, particularly Shakespeare. Like most English speaking travelers want to unwind on their vacation by kicking back with a one of the Shakespeare's histories or something) and tried really hard to find this one modern art museum, but the whole streets having no names thing foiled me, and I got tired of walking and went home.

Niamh met me at the hotel that night, and we went to her Brazilian friend Mariana's apt, and we were picked up by Mariana's two friends, older women, one Brazilian and on Tica (Costa Rican) and we drove out to the western part of the city to go to this Brazilian party. I am SO sad I left my camera at home for this one). It was some celebration of Brazilian country folk, or farmers I guess, and it was in a tennis club community room/dance hall and everyone was dressed in sombreros and farm wear- the girls had fake freckles and braids, and the dudes all had jeans with strange patches sewn on- and it was a strange scene. Food, and traditional drinks and these massive group dances, like line dances, but I guess Brazilian too, and then came out the traditional dancer, all in loin cloth and this amazing feather headdress, and he worked it out on the dance floor.

And then we danced. It only took me 3 days to go dancing in San Jose, and that makes me HAPPY. It was fun, me trying my best to find the beat (hip hop this was not) with my new friend and these Latin Amerian ladies, with strobe lights and smoke (oh, yes) and latinas doing things with their hips that us gringas may never ever master. But we will try. We certainly will try.


Today I relaxed, and then had the most lovely afternoon- I went to see a Flamenco show at one of the theaters downtown. It turned out to be a dance school, so some of the dancers were, um, really bad, and some were really young, which was just weird, and a few of them were so so good that they got me to yelp a couple of "Olé!"s. I then successfully found one of San Jose's asian restaurants, which was gorgeous inside, and had a full vegetarian menu, and I had hot and sour soup, and green curry and it was so peaceful in there and I finished, finally, reading "Jitterbug Perfume" which is just, lordy, such an amazing book. I mean... yes.

My waiter kept calling me princess, and then offered to help me find an apartment. That's how the Ticos are: nice and helpful. Even the men, when they give you attention in the street- it's more of a helpful attention, if that makes any sense. Like, they're not being lecherous, they're just trying to brighten your day. Ecuador, this is not. Gracias a Dios.

Tomorrow I start work. I am READY. Have been for years.


xo,
Kabira