How to experience the best of Central America in 50 days solo and overland – Stop 5 San Jose, Costa Rica

27-28 February 2024 From the shore of Puerto Viejo of the Caribbean, I took a bus for 5 hours to the capital of Costa Rica – San Jose, in the heart of the country. The bus pulled into a quiet part of downtown at 9 pm. Fellow passengers whispered warnings of seediness and danger at this spot. Before I realized it, the passengers had dispersed. Fortunately, my Uber ride arrived just in time at the almost deserted station.

As the capital, skyscrapers are surprisingly uncommon. It is as if it is afraid of heights. Instead, it is a sprawling canvas of low-rise buildings. Many of the downtown streets have been proudly transformed into pedestrian walkways. Among the humble architecture, colonial-era gems emerge – European and Latin American styles dating back to the late 19th century. The sun was glorious for a few days but the wind was chilly, lowering the temperature to sub-tropic. I strolled in a capital city where I could see more of its sky, breathe easier in its open space, and dance to the echoes from the past that meet modern rhythm.