Although most tourists start their Costa Rican experience in San Jose, many are whisked away to the rain forests so fast that they miss the chance to take in the city. In the spring of 2003, I was lucky enough to be attending La Universidad Latina in San Pedro (just a twenty minute bus ride from downtown San Jose) and got the chance to check out the local sites.

Costa Rican culture is laid back and diverse. While tourists should be careful walking around in the city when alone or after dark (as visitors to any large city should), I ... (more)