Beautiful Feet

(I had something eloquent to write, but seeing as my mind is having a hard time in Ingles, my writing is reduced to simple words.)

Tonight, I was invited to the National Theatre in San Jose. It is a gorgeous place, intricately painted and decorated in gold lame. The theatre itself is quite small, but as all of the Old World elegance expected of a place produced by rich Spanish colonialists.

At the theatre, Lizziey and I were the only white people at a play about the history of Cartago, a city a few minutes outside of San Jose. It was the first city established in the Central Valley of Costa Rica. A beautiful place, home of healing water and ancient church ruins.

I understood almost none of the speech, although the full 2 hours was narrated. I could only read the language in their bodies, as they contorted their frames to tell the history of a place complete with loose women and magical fruit. From traditional Latin dancing to sections of modern dance, this performance never left you bored. One of the final songs included the story of the headless priest who haunts Cartago who came dancing in on stilts.

I was enamored with the presentation. Moreso by the hospitality of my hosts, who bought our tickets and made sure we got the opportunity to see true Tico culture.


Thus far, I have not seen the Costa Rica of postcards. I have been to no rainforests, no mountains, no beaches. My time has been spent in San Jose, the "big apple" of Costa Rica, but a city that feels much more like an overgrown village.

Yet, while my trip has not been iconic, it has been remarkably perfect. I hopped off the plane and went straight to a huge party for a girl who I had never met, complete with a handsome Tico man asking for my email (despite our major language barrier.) The following day, I got to sit in the place of honor at the Basilica in Cartago and tour the ruins, followed by a mountaintop dinner at a Tico steakhouse. Tomorrow, they are taking us to Poas, a nearby active volcano.

I would not trade an entire week in the jungle for this week in the city. These people are amazing, and I would rather take 5 days with people who restore my hope in humanity than 5 days lounging on the beach, working on my tan and drinking Imperial. Aqui, en Costa Rica, yo han hallazgo mi familia.