One nagging concern I have about our travels around the world is whether it’s a wise use of our resources. Why should we indulge ourselves in luxury travel when so much of the world is suffering in poverty?

Costa Rica’s economy isn’t all that bad – steady growth in GDP (5%-ish) not-all-that-bad unemployment (less than 10%) and poverty levels that are declining (25%-ish currently). Costa Rica’s economy is driven by services – 70%, followed by industry (20%) and agriculture (4%). Tourism contributes 8% of GDP and is a major source of economic growth and jobs growth.

So, our contribution to tourism here and most places has a positive impact. Is the same true of a more developed economy? Italy and many other tourist hotspots are driving tourists away. But here the tourism business is welcoming.

So travel we will, for better or worse. It’s a ton of fun and a great way to gain an appreciation of how the rest of the world lives.

Today, Saturday, we saw the Costa Rican economy in action. We walked from our hotel about 3/4ths of a mile through the central shopping area of San Jose. Sidewalks were crowded with shopper. Stores and street vendors were doing a good business by all appearances. There was a vendor selling lottery tickets about every 100 feet along the way. Some of the vendors are unlicensed and our guide said they had to be on the lookout for police, ready to roll up their operation and run. Daniel, our guide, started his career selling limes, unlicensed, at street corner at age 14.

He also said that central shopping district had no neighborhood associated with it – no apartments or houses at all. After 8 PM the streets are taken over by drug dealers, criminals and prostitutes.

And speaking of the lottery, Costa Ricans are highly superstitious. We walked by a statue of a rather voluptuous woman, La Chola. Rubbing her backside brings good luck. A good place to rub your lottery ticket.  Most of the Ticos passing by when we were there gave her at least a pat on her well-worn posterior. Pat her hand to bring friendship. Rub her stomach so you’ll never go hungry. Rub her chest and . . . Well, you‘ll have to guess. This is a family blog.

Daniel was leading us on a foot tour named Bites and Sights of San Jose. We met in front of Los Presentes, a group of statues representing the agricultural workers who used to occupy downtown San Jose. They’re gone by now, moving to the countryside. And as the tour name suggests, he led us through two large markets, along the streets of downtown San Jose to  Mr. Sloth’s Coffee Shop, stopping along the way to sample fruits, ice cream, Costa Rican empanadas and finally Costa Rican coffee. He also pointed out important buildings and historical sites.

Beforehand, we ate breakfast at the hotel, violating big time our intermittent fasting routine. I may have used this line in earlier blogs, but while traveling we practice intermittent eating: 16 hours eating, 8 hours fasting. Judy had eggs Benedict and I had a traditional “Tico” meal of eggs, rice and beans, plantains, tacos and cheese. Can’t say enough good things about the Grano de Oro. Every nook and cranny is filled with vegetation: green plants, flowering plants including blooming orchids everywhere.

The walk to the meeting place helped, we rationalize, to use up some of the unaccustomed AM calories. Skies were partly cloudy; temps up to 80. A breeze kept things comfortable.

San Jose has no “old town,” dominated by Spanish cathedrals and governmental buildings. Such structures are scattered around town but there’s no one area where they are concentrated. Part of the reason is that San Jose’s land is unstable, particularly from earth quakes. When a structure is damaged, it isn’t rebuilt, it is replaced.

We stopped by the National Theater, built in the late nineteenth century to entertain business people from Europe and elsewhere. The plan was to finance its construction from coffee duties. In the end, such duties contributed 4% of the cost. The balance came from Costa Rican income tax revenues.

We visited the main cathedral on what was the central plaza of San Jose, the place where independence was declared and site of other important historical events. The cathedral is Catholic. Eighty percent of Costa Ricans are practicing Catholics.

The first market we entered was spread over a collection of buildings. We stopped in the basement of one where local farmers sell their fruits and vegetables. There we sampled a wide variety of Costa Rican produce. Many are not indigenous to Costa Rica. Bananas were introduced by Chiquita and the rest. Many are from Asia.

In the Central Market we sampled a gelato made on site since 1909, if I remember correctly. Neither the ice cream nor its stand have names. There’s only one stand and only one flavor – cinnamon, nutmeg and I forget what. After a taste the success of the business comes as no surprise.

Mr. Sloth’s Coffee Shop served us the better part of a meal. It included banana ceviche, vegetable tamales wrapped in banana leaves and plantain empanadas that we made ourselves (brown sugar and cheese on the insides). A cup of Costa Rican coffee ended the day. Costa Rican coffee is 1% caffeine, compared to the typical 3%. The coffee is much milder than Starbucks, et al.

In all, a fun and educational day.

After, around 3 PM, we hailed a two-stop Uber to take us first from Mr Sloth’s to the Grano de Oro (grain of gold, not sand like I said yesterday) where we picked up our bags. Then our driver took us to the Marriott where we checked in with the hotel and with the Tauck staff. The latter had us fill out information sheets and waivers. There are roughly 180 guests on this trip with five guides so we’ll be in groups of 30 or more each day. We’ll fill up the good ship Bellot.

Next, the welcome cocktail reception at 6 PM this evening followed by dinner. Tomorrow, we’re off to a coffee plantation and then an eco park feature rain forest and waterfalls.

The recpetion – a mixer, really – was nice. The group is a cross section of Sun City Center – 60 to 80-year-olds. Most seasoned travelers. The lady I sat next to at dinner was on her 26th Tauck tour. Dinner was a four-course affair. We won’t be going hungry.

We leave for the coffee plantation at 8:30 AM.

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