Costa Rica Travelers Blog

My readers call me Sireno Bukowski (1989), the new travel chronicle correspondent.  I commenced the Pura Bírra Endeavors a few months ago (January 5^th, 2012) due to the lack of employment.

Last December The Fermented Times, a Wisconsin based newspaper, shut down the printing press, which in turn shut down both my laptop and my general income.

Long story short, I decided to leave the cold winter of Wisconsin to take a dream vacation somewhere warm, but where I thought.

Cancun is filled with gigantic five star hotels. The Bahamas didn´t seem too appealing. The main language of Jamaica is English. I´m afraid of cruise ships.  But where shall I go? The idea took form.

I recollected what my classmates had said about the Spanish trip when they visited Costa Rica. The positive “Pura Vida” attitude would be a perfect place to let off some steam.

I arrived to San José with just my pack. I lodged at a reasonably priced hostel named Pangea Hostel, which is located on 7th ave, between 3rd st and 3 bis Barrio Amon,  San Jose. The nightly rate was under fifteen dollars. Plus, the hostel has an outdoor pool to refresh guests.

The atmosphere became quite social thanks to the happy hour. Backpackers tend to get together on a nocturnal basis to tell anecdotes about the same day in San José or stories from back home.

An action had to be taken after the fifth night and the beer tab…

Fellow blog readers:

Please don´t be alarmed. The Costa Rica Travelers Blog has undergone some changes. From now on the blog will be a series of travel chronicles about CR written by a handful of archetypical alter egos, which I have, as you would say, walked in their flip flops. Enjoy the weekly adventures of our two new correspondents: Sileno Bukowski and Blanche DuBois.

TLF

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream.

Costa Rica often heats up the streets with ultraviolet rays of peace, but, after all, the peace rays are HOT. Eating ice cream can alleviate even the hottest days in Costa Rica.

Remember, ice cream is just as common in Costa Rica as in the USA. You can buy a gallon in any super market our corner store, not to mention the Maravassi and Pop`s ice cream chain.

I recommend visiting the Maravassi or Pop´s ice cream shops to try the different flavors and dishes. Of course there are ice-cream sundaes, granizados, malts, ice cream cones and more.

Be aware: the brain freeze will occur if you eat the ice cream rapidly!

From the river towns, to the mountain and beach towns, every town or city has a central park in Costa Rica. On some downtime, I recommend to take a stroll through the local park: you will hear and see birds, couples, families, singles, and, in general, people trying to enjoy a beautiful Costa Rican day.

Find a park bench and observe. For example: the parks during this time of year (October) are filled with sounding parrots. The parrot calls soothe the air and truly make the Costa Rican peaceful atmosphere.

This next activity is a must-do in the park: Older men usually push a small ice-cream cart around the parks, however, they do not sell ice cream but granizados, which are like Dairy Queen Misty´s topped off with ice-cream and some caramel or leche condesada..

Go to the park by yourself, with that special someone, or the whole family. Try the granizado test!

With or without children, our sweet tooth comes into play: candy bars, gummy-bears, cookies, doughnuts, and other sweets savor our taste buds from our infancy to adulthood.

Although there are American treats in Costa Rica, such as M & M´s, Snickers, Reese´s Pieces, Milky Way. . . , there are some national candy that every tourist should try.

Candy is attainable at any supermarket, pulpería, convenience store, or liquor store. Also, a candy store can usually be found in each town. Ask for the candy store Confiticos.

A brief list of sweet tooth food found in Costa Rica follows: choy´s, Milke, Chocofresa, Chiki´s, Chococoque, gomitas, canasta, sorbeta. . .

Trick or Treat!