San Jose

 From Tortuguero, I took a 5 a.m. boat ride to connect with a bus to take a bus to take a bus to San Jose. I didn't see much of San Jose because I took a 5 a.m. international bus in the morning to Granada, Nicaragua.

Scam? When I first arrived in San Jose, a taxi driver immediately latched on to us and said the international bus terminal had moved and the hotel we planned to stay at would put us too far away for a morning departure. He recommended another hotel that would be closer to the new terminal.

I had read in the guide book and been warned that the taxi drivers receive commissions from the hotels and will do just about anything to get you to go to their hotel. I scurried around the domestic bus terminal asking people what they knew. They confirmed the international had moved and was in Barrio Mexico. When I asked the driver where the new terminal was, he said Barrio Mexico. Still not convinced, we first had the driver take us to the new terminal, got out of the cab with our luggage, went into the terminal, bought the tickets and then had him drive us a couple of blocks to his hotel. In this case, the driver was honest and helpful. I saw him later at the hotel receiving the commission he had earned. The hotel was very nice, Meson del Angel, about two blocks from the new bus terminal.