City Tour of San Jose
By Anissa Comas
Our first day in Costa Rica consisted of us touring the beautiful city of San Jose and seeing all the history the city holds from the museums to the markets. What fascinated me the most was the National Museum of Costa Rica which was the first place we visited on our tour. This museum held more than just countless information on Costa Rica's political history but also embodied Costa Rica’s connection to nature and the environment. They did this by having the museum’s entrance be a path through a butterfly garden, Costa Rica is home to about 1200 different species of butterflies and the museum shows just how important wildlife is in Costa Rican history. The rest of the time in the museum was a journey between different exhibitions that showed Costa Rica during different time periods, every section of the museum was beautifully integrated with nature with plants and flowers in almost every section. This kind of setup really inspired a sense of wonder and allowed for each new exhibition to be visually exciting while intellectually stimulating. After learning about Costa Rican history in the museum we were able to see some historical sights in person when we visited and walked through a market that had been open since 1880, I remember walking through the market and being fascinated by all the shops and people that were moving about. While hearing the history behind the market I found myself imagining what it may have looked like when it first opened up compared to now. The fact that we were able to walk through something that was so historically rich after exploring that very same history in the museum was amazing and made me wonder if there was anywhere back home where I could get a similar experience. And all this was before lunch! Afterward, we visited a National Theater!
Our experience touring the City of San Jose was one we will never forget. In particular, I loved the National Theater of Costa Rica (Teatro Nacional de Costa Rica). When researching this beautiful theater, I learned a lot about the creation and importance it holds for Costa Ricans. I was also reminded of my own travels with my family, particularly in Mexico when I visited the Palace of Fine Arts.
In the National Theater of Costa Rica, there is a beautiful mural called “Alegoría al Café y al Banano” that we learned is one of the most beautiful painted ceilings in the world. I attached a picture below. What a privilege to have experienced this piece in person!
Therefore to the reader of this blog post… If you have traveled before: Do any of these places we visited on our San Jose tour remind you of somewhere you have visited in the past? If so, where and how?
When researching el Teatro Nacional de Costa Rica (the National Theater of Costa Rica), I am reminded of when I visited el Palacio de Bellas Artes (the Palace of Fine Arts) in Mexico City. For Costa Ricans, this theater is a great source of pride, just as the Palace of Fine arts is to Mexicans. What beautiful theaters to hold amazing performances!
If you have not traveled before: Which one of these places piques your interest the most? How do you think you will feel when you visit this place and why?
Overall, I learned so much about the rich and beautiful history that San Jose has. I can only imagine what other beautiful history I will learn about other parts of Costa Rica as the trip continues!
