Costa Rica's so-so capital

Through Central America, I was lucky to visit some pretty awesome, interesting and endearing places. San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica, was not one of them. Not to say that it was awful or a nightmare, simply that it was relatively mundane. It was a city with some more affluent neighbourhoods, one of which we stayed near and much poorer areas on the outskirts. Hardly breaking the mould. The city centre has your typical pedestrian shopping malls, parks and institutions. When we went out, there was a nice restaurant or two and the dive bar we went to was fun in it's dive-iness. But again, nothing really to write home about. There was one redeeming element though.

The Poas Volcano National Park is about an hours drive out of San Jose making it easily accessible as a day trip. In the Park are two crater lakes both engulfed in acrid sulphur dioxide, so much so, that they they have signs warnings visitors not to remain at the lookouts for longer than 15 minutes. In reality, the gas wasn't too bothersome and didn't detract from our enjoyment of the sights. Depending on the direction of the wind over the active crater, you may see the turquoise waters of the lake. We were lucky that there was a break in the steam/mist long enough to get a look in. The water's colour looks so unnatural that you definitely wouldn't feel inclined to jump in. Aside from the water, the crater is spectacularly large with a spectrum of colours in the earth.

Toxic steam pouring off the crater at Poas Volcano

Unfortunately the mist never cleared at the inactive crater, Lake Botos. However, all was not lost as to reach the lake you get to take a 1 hour circuit trail into the cloud forest. The cloud forest was eerily magnificent, gnarled moss covered trees all around you. It was like you were in a haunted wood from a fairytale. I can only imagine what the place would be like at night.