Friday, 2/25/05
We're on our way back to San Jose. We're going on Highway 3, a tiny 2-lane road, but in much better shape than the Pan-American Highway, which is pitted and rutted by the big 18-wheelers that travel on it constantly. We were at sea level when we started, and San Jose is at 3900 feet, so it's a long long steep climb! On our right we can see the highest mountain range in Central America at 13,000 feet.

still Friday, 2/25/05
We went through the big town of Atenas (Athens) on our way to pick up the Pan American Highway again. The National Geographic says that Atenas has the best climate in the Americas. We stopped there at “the best store”, D'Molas y Cafe. Arthur and I went crazy buying gorgeous molas. We also got a small wooden bowl and spoon made from Nazareno wood (Purple Heart or Amaranth Peltogyne). The best mola we bought was made by Elka, a Cuna Indian from Central Panama. She was there sewing in the shnop, so I asked her if she would sew her autograph on the mola, which she did. The Cuna Indians are from the San Blas coral islands off the Caribbean coast of Panama. When he was stationed in Panama during the Korean war (~1952-54) Arthur went to the San Blas islands and bought a couple of beautiful molas.

still Friday, 2/25/05
Back on the bus to the Main Square and Teatro Nacionál in San Jose. We were on our own for a couple of hours for lunch. eight of us, Leonard and Kerstin, Nils and Lynn, Arthur and Dora, and I and Arthur went to the Central Market for a quick lunch. Leonard and Kerstin were the winners with fish Casaderos. Arthur and I and the other Arthur and Dora all had some empanadas de carne, which were also good. Lynn bought some pretty wooden bracelets for herself, Kerstin, and me. Then we all split up. Arthur and I went to the Museo de Oro underneath the main square. It was excellent, with lots of Pre-Columbian artifacts very imaginatively displayed. Unfortunately, they did not allow photos.

We met up with everyone else at 2pm at the Teatro Nacional, took a group photo, and drove back to the Courtyard Marriott outside of San Jose - the same hotel we stayed in for our first night. We had the same beautiful view of the canyon with a cataract.

still Friday, 2/25/05
After some rest and a shower we met for a drink in the lobby, before being driven by Olman and Alejandro to a gorgeous restaurant high (5,500 feet) above San Jose (3,900 feet). The view of the city below was tremendous. The food also wasn't bad at all, and we all had a great time taking goodbye photos. Greg and Alice (who it turns out are newly-weds! they were married in April, 2004) bought a big map and held it up so we could all photograph it.
Back to the hotel, where we said goodbye to Olman who will not be joining us to the airport tomorrow. Leonard, Kerstin, Jean, Earline, Lynn, Nils, Arthur, and I all went to Leonard and Kerstin's room for a nightcap. Then to bed.