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San Isidro De Heredia

San Isidro de Heredia Just wanted to see what was on the other side... - (16) more edit 2008-08-03 - rec# 33

San Isidro de Heredia Last day before school starts...gee it's been four years since I've said that! Thought I'd take a trip to another city in the province of Heredia that I had not yet visited. This time...San Isidro. San Isidro is the other side of San Pablo (where the school is) from me. I started with just that information and the sure knowledge that there would be a bus going there. So the first step is finding the bus. Now most of the buses that head east seem to be down by the old rail station, so that's a good place to start. It's where I catch the bus for school. However all the buses there were going to San Pablo via some or another route. Then I bumped into a friend. There's this really short and equally happy man that runs the San Pablo route that I use. We've gotten to know each other. He was on the phone talking to someone and asked them to hold while he talked to an old friend (me!). He asked if I was going to San Pablo today and I said no, that I was looking for the bus to San Isidro (no such thing as a map of bus routs around here…). He gave me directions and asked if I understood. I at least got the general direction and range and had an idea of where it was, so said yes. Headed off in that direction, one more "ask a bus driver" (they know EVERYTHING) stop confirmed that I caught the first set of instructions correctly. I stepped up into the bus and asked "how much?" I was told he was on break and would pull the bus forward when he was ready. OK. After about 20 minutes he pulled forward and we got on. I asked "how much?" Sounded like he said 100. So I gave it to him and asked if that was correct (100 is really small for a bus ride). He looked at me and repeated the amount. Now, I'm really good with numbers…but I couldn't follow what he was saying. He started to assemble the correct amount from his change to show me (big help without my glasses on) when I offered him a 500. He gave me change and I went to me seat feeling once again like a dumb gringo who can't understand. I checked my change. He gave me 250 back. Then I realized the problem. I was assuming the fare would be 100 and something…so was listening for the something part. When I didn't get it I began to focus on the "o" part of the number. The part in front of the "o" would be the hundred and after the remainder. Couldn't catch the "o" part of the number. I've been fooled by this before. You'd think I'd learn. He wasn't saying "two hundred fifty", he was saying "two fifty". Duh….just like in English! Dumb gringo! On the way up we passed this really interesting looking church in the middle of noplace. Dome shaped with huge stained glass windows. The church was as much stained glass as anything else. (Make note…find this place again and take pics…) We arrived and got off at the stop…in front of the church. Where else? Hay…I know this place. Why would I know this place… When I got around to the front of the church I realized that Deb and I had been here once with Elvira. On Good Friday in 2007. Ok…so it wasn't a new place. That's OK. I went into the church (I love churches!!!) and took some pics from the outside. There's a river that runs past the church. A CLEAN river…which in Costa Rica and near a city is sadly rare. The way rivers are treated here is a crime… I wandered around just to see what there was to see. Then I saw the bus heading out for Heredia. Hay, I thought, maybe I can walk down the road a bit. Perhaps find the church I saw on the way up. In any case I can catch a bus along the road whenever I get tired. So off I went. Right to the cemetery. I find cemeteries fascinating. They say if you want to know what a man values, look at his schedule and his checkbook. Cemeteries tell a lot about how people view themselves, or perhaps how they want to be view. I'm a Clingon (sp?) when it comes to death and bodies. It's just trash. The person is no longer there. Just throw it away. I could never understand why in combat we go back for the bodies. What a waste…but that's just me. When I die use what's left for art, for science, for fertilizer. It's just the ultimate recycle object…that's ALL. But not everyone feels like that, I'm sure. I wandered around looking at these grand monuments to….well….I've never really gotten that. Is it to the dead? Or to the family? Or is it the way I (who built this monument to my parents) want my children to remember me? But each culture shows it's values in it's cemeteries I believe. I hope nobody wastes that much concrete on me…. Then I continue down the road, just smiling and enjoying the sights, sounds and smells. I quickly ran across a problem. The road forked. It goes to the left and it goes straight. My GPS tells me that my house is some 9k to the right. So I go straight…which proved to be the road less traveled by. This was NOT the bus rout, but it was (for now) going down hill and was going through some really pretty country. Why the hell not? So I continued. There's a bird that Deborah never got to see when down here. If I were cleaver I'd recall the name, but I'm not cleaver. But I DID hear it (them) as I was walking. They make a very peculiar sound as they hop over each other. I know that sound, and I heard it. I sat there for some time looking up into the trees (not to self…pack binoculars more often…), but never did see anything. But what I really enjoy about the birds is the sound…so I'm happy. The road continues, never turns right, I'm flying 90 degrees from the course I want to get home (that GPS has proven handy when I'm wandering in new country), still haven't seen any buses, have been walking now about 4 hours. But then we break out onto the highway. And there's a bus stop. I wonder what bus comes by here? After about a 45 minute wait the Santa Domingo bus comes by. I get on. Anything going in that direction is welcome. In Santa Domingo I catch the San Jose/Heredia bus (ah! Familiar territory) and get back home. Long day…lots of walking…school starts tomorrow…the adventure continues!