Number 4  

How to figure out where a bus goes in Costa Rica in 2 steps

We are trying to learn the different bus routes and schedules.  We would normally pick up a nicely printed brochure and look for the area we want to go and find the appropriate bus stop and go. 

  In Costa Rica, there are no schedules anywhere. I believe the routes and schedules are passed down like folklore from one generation to another. You see buses all over, but there is no way to figure out where that bus goes, you must know the route before you get onto a bus.  It’s a vicious circle of confusion for newbies.  So yesterday we decided to figure out where just one bus goes.

Here are the two easy steps to finding where a bus goes in Costa Rica:

1.       Wave at each bus that passes until one stops for you.

2.       Get on the bus and ride it to the end of the route or until the driver makes you get off.

We decided to see where “Routa 2” went.  So we walk to the nearest bus stop and we wait and wait and wait.  Other buses are stopping but we WANT route 2.  To pass the time we start watching these construction people putting a new cement side walk.  I want to get a picture, they were so happy to have their picture taken, they stop their work and smiled for the camera. I must say there are no friendlier people in the world than in Costa Rica. 

We are still waiting for the bus……  One of the construction workers finds a 5 colon piece of money in the dirt and calls me over to give it to me (worth about 1 penny in Dollars).  I am still not sure why, did we look that bad that this man wanted to give us money? I will save that 5 colon piece to remember the happy man working very hard.

  Still waiting for the bus…..

So, after at least 30 minutes Roger’s idea is to walk up the same street about 100 meters and wait at another bus stop, ok? We see a Routa 2 bus coming and we start waving!  He stops and we pay our fee and sit down. 

We feel quiet proud of ourselves

  I start counting the turns Left than right than left than right for 6 times.  I am trying to figure out if we had to walk back we could retrace the route.  So now there are only 2 other people on the bus and it stops at the last bus stop.  The 2 women tell us in Spanish to get off.  I must have looked shocked.  We smile and continue to sit on the bus.  The driver comes to a cull de sac in the middle of nowhere, and parks the bus.  

We’re still smiling.  The driver says something and motions for us to stay on the bus. So we sit and smile some more.  He gets off the bus leaves all his money there in front of us and walks away.  

We are still smiling.  He finally comes back and starts the bus again and does a reverse of the left and rights he took to get us nowhere.  He says San Jose and we say Si.

Finally we end up in downtown San Jose and he tells us to get off. 

 Accomplishment of the day:

No need to ever take the Routa 2 bus again!

The sidewalk got finished