Costa Rica Jade Museum

Being the capital of a country known for its Caribbean travel and adventure travel, San Josè is a pretty cosmopolitan region that is not completely definitive of what Costa Rica is all about. However, the high-rise buildings and malls do not take away the fact that the country is essentially defined by its forest, beaches, and natural sights. Case in point: the Jade Museum.

I know you’re probably want to puke once more after reading another tourist attraction that has something to do with nature. But swallow that vomit and bear with me for a couple of minutes. Unlike most of the places introduced to you on previous entries, the Museum boasts a wide collection of ceramics, gold, stones, and of course, pre-Columbian Jade dating back from 500 B.C. to around A.D. 900.

If you are not familiar with Costa Rican history, Jade is actually the most expensive material in the country. Aside from jade and the other materials mentioned, there are also terra-cota vases and figurines that happen to be modern and sleek in design, which shows that Costa Ricans possess technique and skill in making pots from clay.

If you’re not much appreciative of antique and stones, then you should at least find the view of Costa Rica from the 11th floor of the Museum a visual treat. It is best advised for you to bring a camera and your best poses.

The Jade Museum won’t be a problem if you’re coming from San Josè, as you can simply ask the locals for directions. Adults will have to pay for 500 colon, which is around a dollar. The place opens from Mondays to Fridays at 8:00 A.M and closes at 4:30 P.M., but you can simply dedicate an hour or so to see and enjoy the entire Museum.

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More Facts About Costa Rica

After delving into the Caribbean travel and exotic vacation spots in Costa Rica, here are some more factoids and rather strange information that you should know about the country:

* Apparently, broken hearts are an epidemic in Costa Rica as graffiti of big golden hearts with cracks on them all over walls of the street. Unfortunately, they’re not singing songs of My Chemical Romance while doing so. At least, not that I know of.

* While touring all over San José, you may notice kids running without footwear or slippers. These kids are actually made by their parents to run across the region and beg from money from tourists and other people. Unlike the vendors, they do not sell anything but they just put out their saddest face in order to draw sympathy from other people and force them to give money to the children. However, some of the families of these children are really broke and are in dire need of financial assistance in any way or manner. This might become a problem to you because you won’t be sure whether these children are deceiving you or not.

However, unless you are comfortable in not giving away your money, there is a way to remedy this, but it is advisable for you to only do this in a public setting. Once a child approaches you and asks for money, invite them to a place to eat, perhaps at a nearby restaurant or food stand. If they are really desperate to eat, they will take your offer. Before eating with their children, always remember to not bring these children inside your car if you have one or touch them in any way because you can be misconstrued as a sex offender.

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Enjoy Juan Santamaria Museum

It’s not such a bad thing to enjoy the night time thrills all over exotic Costa Rica. However, after a night of revelry, you might want to see the other side of this country. The other side that is rich in history and culture. The side that gives you a certain point of view of how Costa Rica has evolved. And for you to get an inkling of what I’m talking about, visiting the Juan Santamaria Museum located in Alajuela would answer most of your questions.

As mentioned in my previous entry, Alajuela is the proud town of the Juan Santamaria, the national hero of Costa Rica. His story is an interesting one because he was merely a drummer boy. He served for the army that revolted against American William Walker and his attempt to conquer Central America. The Costa Rican army was not able to successfully drive away the invaders but had a golden opportunity when Walker and his men settled at a hostel close to the town circle during their battle. The plan of the army was to set the hostel on fire by having someone run across the battlefield with a torch in hand. After many costly attempts, Santamaria finally volunteered. He managed to advance towards the hostel, set it on fire, drove the invaders out and flushed the enemy out in the process. Although Santamaria was shot while running across the field, his courage and determination became an inspiration to everyone and had endured to become a revered figure in the country.

Now, that you know the story behind the figure. Big deal! He’s another version of Paul Rever. But what makes the place named after him so special?

Aside for sentimental and historical purposes, the Juan Santamaria Museum has an exquisite butterfly and orchid collection that is definitive of the natural beauties found in Costa Rica. There is also a balanced display of arts and craft to pique the interests of artists and historians alike. Even for those who have no inclinations towards arts or history should find the museum a pleasant visit, just for the sake of getting acquainted with Santamaria’s story.

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Caño Negro Nature Reserve: Paradise Utopia

Costa Rica is known for being one of the most eco-friendly tourist spots in the world due to the sustainable provisions of the country. The country works hard to restore and develop its natural resources and it shows. So one wouldn’t be surprised to see the same beautiful landscapes and luxuriant surroundings if you visit Costa Rica half a century from now. You can always come back to the country and discover a lot of nature places that you have yet to experience. One of those is the Caño Negro Nature Reserve.

This particular wetland in Costa Rica is located in the province of Alajuela and near the Nicaraguan border and has an 800-hectare lagoon that runs through the area. Aside from these natural gifts bestowed to the land, the Reserve serves home to a variety of flora and fauna known to man, which is a treat to every botanist planning on visiting the country. Due to its bountiful collection of plants, the wetland is a regular stopover to most of the birds in the area. In fact, birds love the Reserve so much that over 200 types of birds have been found and discovered in the place. Talk about staying together.

However, the Caño Negro Nature Reserve bears importance because it hosts the rarest and most unique plants and species of birds. Only in this wetland will you find the Cayman (a reptile belonging to the crocodile group), Grackle (a type of bird originally found in Nicaragua), Giant Bear Ant (a bear or an ant? You decide), and a variety of iguanas, monkeys, pumas, and fishes that are bountiful and awesome enough to make you piss all over your piss, for some reason.

Overall, the Caño Negro Nature Reserve is not merely a display of Costa’s Rica natural resources, but primarily a fulfilling trip reminding each and every one of us that nature is meant to be taken care of. There is so much beauty in the world and it is our role to maintain their precious states.

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