I’ve heard this is true in Boston, I don’t know. Xavier says it is – he’s from they-ah. It is definitely true in Costa Rica. Just because it’s on the map, just because you can see it from whey-ah you are standing, does NOT mean you can get they-ah. I mean, you can get they-ah from somewhey-ah. Maybe just not from whey-ah you begin. For instance.

Map_with_purple
Yesterday, we went to Atenas (circled in purple) to the First Annual Chili Cook-Off at Kay’s Gringo Postres to benefit their local orphanage. Hint: to see any photo bigger on the blog, click on it. It opens in it’s own window.

According to our maps, there is a more direct route than going to San Jose and picking up the autopista (the top green line heading out of the pink blob that is San Jose.) We are in Escazu, just to the lower left of SJ (also circled in purple). The map says we can head to Santa Ana, pick up that bit of purple line (red on the original map) heading north, which is 27, and follow that as it turns west toward Atenas…

We tried that and ended up in Colon, which is on the red line heading south. Where was the purple line heading north? How did we end up in the opposite direction? Well, we drove around in circles for a bit with no solution… Then finally drove into San Jose, picked up the autopista and got to the party. We decided to figure it out on the way home. That stretch of road has got to be somewhey-ah. It’s ON THE MAP, fer crissakes…

Map_small
The drive home was, um, interesting. And long. That little stretch of road so neatly drawn on all our maps and highlighted in purple hee-ah, ain’t they-ah. It does not exist. Fortunately, we’ve been, ahem, down this road befo-ah. Although it’s been awhile since we’ve been lost, we remembered to keep our sense of humor intact. Essential when you are trying to find a new place in Costa Rica. The scenery is always fantastic, which helps. Except for driving past the huge prison. From which even I could escape…

But it’s not just the maps. This is the first time we’ve had a map be this far wrong. Maps are often missing essential jogs in the road but if you have a compass and are determined, you can figure it out.

Maps aside, the real frustration is when you can see it but you can’t get to it. Like heading south on the autopista from the airport toward San Jose, you can see the Cariari Mall on your left, so you take the next exit. But there’s no way over the highway to the Mall. You just go further down the road parallel to the highway, then back on the highway going the same way. Now I know there is a way to get they-ah. A friend told me: you head off to the west and circle back around to go over a one-way bridge that’s behind you… but I couldn’t find it on my own. And I was pretty determined.

The other day, X was in Rohrmoser trying to get home. He could see the highway, but he couldn’t get to it… Part of the problem is lack of bridges. There are big rivers to cross to get hee-ah from they-ah, and there just may not be a bridge handy. He had to drive quite a ways to get to a bridge…

Remember that, like in some small towns in the states, just because there is an exit off the highway, this does not mean you can get back on the highway going the other way!!!! You may not even be able to simply get back on the highway going your original way. Just don’t forget your compass. Or your sense of humor.

Previous Post
Next Post