El Fin de Semana, the end of the week (aka, weekend). In my head this would be a chill weekend during which I would lazily get to know Santo Domingo better, and maybe try to take the bus into San Jose or Heredia one afternoon or something. NOPE. I am having a VERY hard time being lazy here…
On Saturday, I head into San Jose to check out the Jade Museum. It was definitely worth it. I know so little about pre (or post for that matter) colombian history and culture of Central America and the museum was a great place to build a foundation, though I left with MANY more questions than I’d had when I entered. Today, I asked my Spanish teacher about where to learn more, and now have 3 more museums, very close to the Jade Museum, to check out. I spent hours on the first 3 floors. The first was a traveling exhibit of Costa Rican art that was stunning. The 2nd floor is ALL jade and the 3rd floor is called “night and day.” There were children’s videos (that I FULLY took advantage of watching) that taught about why Jade was such a big deal in mesoamerica. The exhibits included tools and methods of working Jade, as well as the beliefs and uses of and for Jade. It was all very general, which is why I have SO MANY more questions, and I hope I have time to dive into more specific histories soon.
Hours after I entered, I noticed that it was pouring outside. Luckily, I have my capa (poncho) and the rain is no hay problema para mi. I explored the various markets, from the old market, inside a building with stalls for each tienda to the new markets, such as a pedestrian street full of modern stores and loud music and even louder workers in the stores with microphones telling you there is a sale for this hour only, you better come in and get xxx. It was a lot of fun, but I was still trying to find the theater my host family suggested I check out. After discovering that the beautiful building I had passed 3 times was the National Theater (not the theater they had directed me to, but also very beautiful)
I needed internet to figure out WHERE ON EARTH I was and find the bus back to Santo Domingo, so I ducked into a starbucks. My body is anti-caffeine so when in starbucks, I order a hot chocolate. The cashier was very confused by my “chocolate caliente” so I showed him the order from the app. He was still confused and had his manager come in to show him what to do. She showed him the button on the computer for it, and I was set, or so I thought. My drink comes in, and I get the password for the internet and settle in to sit, drink and stare at google maps. One sip, and yup, this has coffee in it. I go back, and ask for just the hot chocolate. The manager apologizes and has them make me a new cup. I sip it at the counter and laugh as I have just received another mocha. She needed to tell them, no, seriously, NO COFFEE, just the chocolate. It was very good, once they figured it out.
After setting my phone in two apps to show me where I needed to catch the bus from (yes, I have a map of the area offline, but the GPS is not so accurate without wifi and street names are more suggestions than reality here) I set out to find the stop. First I went a street too far, and then went back too far, until I finally figured out it was the thing that kinda looked like an abandoned parking lot. I asked a few hundred people a few thousand times if this was the stop for the bus to Santo Domingo, and yes, I am in the right place. I get on the bus, settle in knitting, people watching, and seeing the country pass by. Eventually the bus is full enough that a woman sits next to me, and we engage in conversion. All of a sudden the driver shouts back to us and pulls over. Something is apparently wrong with the stick, and we are going to wait on the bus for the next bus to come and pick us up. I pull out my phone to see if I can figure out where we are and how far away I am from Santo Domingo. “Santo Domingo!” the woman exclaims. It seems we passed it a WHILE ago. Everyone on the bus then engages in RAPID spanish thinking what is the best way for me to get back to Santo Domingo. Eventually, it is agreed that I should continue on to Heredia, and get on a bus back to Santo Domingo. The next bus picks us up, we go the last few stops to Heredia, and the bus that is headed back to San Jose (which will pass through Santo Domingo) is right in front of where our bus stopped. The woman in front of me on the first bus walked me to the bus, and shouted from the Street up to the driver that I do not speak spanish, and I am need to get off at the park in Santo Domingo. Then the woman I sat next to stops by and tells the driver the same thing. Finally, the man that was across the bus is on the driver’s side window, telling him to make sure I get off in the right place.
I got off in the right place :)
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