Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Sunny San Jose

Today, in the middle of rainy season, we had a soft, sunny day in San José - we took full advantage!

We had a slow, easy morning, then walked around downtown.  We saw some brilliant flowers (and their visitors on the way.
 








We made a quick stop at the cathedral - there was a service in progress, so we didn't take any pictures of the amazing interior - stained glass windows, woodwork, painted ceilings, and processional statues.

  Across the street, we found a shady bench and had a snack while we people-watched.  Camera out, snapping shots, we were watched in return :-).

Some of the "people" were entertaining, but not entirely real...   


 The breeze snapped the flag...











Across the street, we *finally* saw the Teatro Popular Melico Salazar - we had been past this building uncountable times, but never made the connection until now.

 
I put the camera away (that made Rick happy), and we walked back to the National Theater in time for the MedioDia, a lunch-time concert - this time it featured a *great* pianist, playing the romantics.

After the concert, we walked around downtown a bit, hitting up a few fruit-stands, the post office, and the cheese shop.  We got lunch, then caught our bus home.

And it was *still* soft and sunny!

2 comments:

Paul M. said...

A cheese shop...? Where is that exactly? Does it have a wide selection, like foreign things, Brie, Gjetost???

Someone else I know today mentioned buying cheese in SJ but never said exactly where, but they bought it after attending the symphony today (SUN).

The new AutoMercado in Alajuela has a lot of cheese and there were quite a few kinds of foreign cheeses laid in, including Ile de France Brie (a wedge that was about an eighth of the wheel cost about ¢7,400; back in Floirda it would be half that around $8.00). I bought a wedge and enjoyed it but that's really pricey. And I noticed that a week later it was all gone, so the store really must've stocked it just for their grand opening.

Now at that AM all they have is little Ile de France baby bries in round boxes about 6-inches in diameter but if you look inside the box is mostly padding and the 'baby' inside is amost a 'premie' and is only about 3-1/2 inches in diameter. [sigh]

They also have some other brand of brie and camenbert that I have never heard of in little square boxes about 6-inches across and an inch thick. I bought one to see if it was any good and it was REALLY awful. Won't buy that kind again. At least it made up for it by being a 'premie', too: it was scarcely more than four or five bites!

I'd buy the Ile de France again even though a wedge factors out to be around US$14.00. [grimace] But I wouldn't do it all the time; too pricey, but a wonderful treat once in a great while. But forget the bries and camenberts in those offbrand boses. They got my money once for that, but never again.

Hope there were some nice, interesting cheeses where you found yours in San José.

Cheers!
==

Julie said...

Hi Paul - this cheese shop had your basic Costa Rican cheeses, nothing imported. They do have cheddar, but I haven't tried it. I generally stick w/ the local stuff; don't have terrible cravings for unusual cheeses. I'll wait for a trip to France for that ;-).
However, if you are in the market for local cheeses, the east-west street one block north of the SJ correo and BN are chock-a-block full of little shops!

Rick went to the symphony today - said he couldn't hear it too well due to the Breast Cancer parade going on - lots of drums, etc. on ave 2 drowned out the symphony.