Cartago Old capital of Costa Rica. Religious center of the country. Home of the Virgin of Los Angeles. - (41) more edit 2006-03-03 - rec# 168

Most all of my focus so far has been on learning Spanish (not that it shows much..argh!!) Today I wanted to go to Cartago for a couple of reasons. It would get me out of town. I would need to muse my Spanish in situations where I had no other option. Cartago was the capital before San Jose and is also a major pilgrimage site. (That's a couple...right?) Cartago is about 10 miles south of San Jose. I grabbed a bus in San Pedro that said "Cartago" and at once needed to get some information from the driver. All OTHER buses list the price. Not THIS one. So "quanto?" No in English we don't always say "two HUNDRED fifty". It'll be "two fifty" or "two fiver" or "two and a half". Same is true in Spanish, or course. There's the way we were TAUGHT to say numbers and the way that's used. Well, we got that straightened out. For something like $.50 I can go to Cartago. Cartago is a small town at the foot of a volcano. This has presented a bit of a problem for the city in the past. It's been wiped out twice in the last century by earth quakes. I got off the buss and started to walk around a bit just to get my bearings. I had noted a couple of tall markers I could use to get back to the bus stop as long as I didn't stray too far. There are two things the guide book says are worth looking at in Cartago. The old cathedral (destroyed by the last earth quake, and the basilica. I wasn't close to either. As usual no street signs or addresses and I left by GPS home (not a good idea!). I was lost, so kept walking about with the general idea of getting my bearings on a small map I had and finding the bus stop. After about an hour I was back at the bus stop and had made enough notes that I felt I could get a taxi back if worse came to worse. Cartago's not very large and I had an idea (from my map) where things were. The first thing I stumbled on was the ruins. (AH! Now I KNOW where I am on the map...) All that is left are the walls around where the cathedral WAS. The entrance ways have been grated off and a garden planted inside the walls. Outside is still the square that was once there. There is a large cone in the square. I need to find out why... Was it there in the beginning? A part of the church that was saved? I spent some time there taking pics and just exploring. Then went down the road. I soon came upon the basilica. Again I don't have the entire story, but will work on that. There is a small figure (reminds me somewhat of the "Jade Buddha" in Bangkok) that is venerated in this basilica. From what I understand of the story at one time it was to be moved to another place. It was taken down, carefully wrapped and boxed, but miraculously returned to the church. (I'm not sure at this point how much of the story I have correct). On 2 August there is a pilgrimage from all over Costa Rica to this basilica. People WALK from all parts of the country to Cartago to come to this church. Then, on their knees, crawl up to the alter to receive the blessing of the figurine. While I was in the church there were three men, on their knees, slowing crawling up the isle saying the rosary. From the outside the basilica looks much like a basilica. The inside is this beautiful, vaulted, wooden structure. Five clicks south of Cartago is the "Jardin Botanico Lankester". Sort of a "Buchart Garden" of the tropics. It "started out as a hobby gone out of control" and now is a project of the UCR (University of Costa Rica). The guide book says to get on a bus going to "Paradisa" and tell the driver you want to be dropped at the garden. So I asked around (using my Spanish!) and found the bus stop. Found out how much the trip was and tried to tell the driver that I was going to the "Gardin Botanico Lankester". Well, those instruction were all well and good. But the driver insisted that I was to sit down and not talk to him. There was no talking to the driver! Ok... So I'm on this bus. No English speakers. I don't know where to get off and don't know where the bus is going. But I can do this! This woman sits beside me and I ask her if she knows where the gardens are. She does and tries to give my instructions about where to get off, but I'm not exactly up to speed with her instructions and I really need to know. I ask her if she can tell me when we get to the stop. "No I get off before the stop". At this point a man across the isle joins in and tells me that he can tell me when we get to the stop. Great.... So the woman gets off and we continue. After a while the man indicates to me that the stop is at the top of the hill. I stop the bus and get off. Off goes the bus leaving me in the middle of the country. OK..the book says about 500meters from the bus stop. There's a sign that points to the gardens just down the road. I walk (MORE THAN 500 METERS!) and get to the gardens. They are marvelous! Got pics of orchids and wandered around the cactus gardens, the secondary forest gardens, the ponds, the Japanese garden and in all had a great time. So it's about time to go back. I walk back up to the highway and wait for a bus. There is always the question of how many buses come by here that are the wrong one and how often does MY bus come by. The Costa Rica bus system is really very good. It's part of the government subsidy and, given the state of the equipment, very reliable and cheap. There really is very little reason to have a car around here. I'm all alone. Two buses come by and leave me. The third is the correct one. I return to Cartago. So back to San Jose. I'm hungry (never a problem around here...lots of places to eat) and need to find my bus back to San Jose. Get something to eat and I'm off the the bus stop. I arrive and there are about 5 buses there that say "Cartago" San Jose". That's good! However they are not returning to San Jose. They are all on the leg FROM San Jose and are going farther out. So where is the bus stop TO San Jose? "Over there, at the terminal." OK.... Can't be far. I find the terminal just about where I would have expected it. Two blocks up and in the direction he pointed. But this is not were the buses are that are going to San Jose. "No, not the terminal, you want to go up 4 blocks, turn left and then go... (well he holds up one finger and says) 'ocha' blocks. ALRIGHT! Should be enough information that I can find it. Up 4 blocks..ok..turn left..ok..go one block and see the buses to my right (up a different street). Ask if THESE are the buses going to San Jose (I'm getting really good with this question by now) and am told yes. Pay my fare and I'm back on the highway. Quite the adventure. I survived on my Spanish (such as it is). Saw a beautiful little town with lots of Costa Rican history. Walked my legs off and contributed a bit more to a small sunburn. It was a good day. Pics can be seen here! That's you reward for making it all the way through this! In the evening I went back to Jazz Cafe and got home (again) around 1am. Tomorrow is the beginning of a big arts festival for children in town. I wonder how late I'll be up