Nomadic Narrative

To really understand a place, you have to see it from many different angles – night versus day, summer versus winter, up close versus far away, etc. While most people choose to avoid San José, I’m determined to explore it inside and out to find a seed of charm. After the Cow Parade, it seems as though many people have rediscovered San Jose’s center—hopefully a sign of better times ahead. I remember what San Diego, California’s city center looked like 20 years ago, and this gives me optimism for other forgotten centers.

Last weekend, I went on a walking tour of San José winding through the congested city center—the up close perspective. Incessant honking, exhaust fumes, drug addicts begging for money, crumbling colonial architecture, abandoned buildings, a few cafes and bars, and side-by-side storefronts make up the heart of this city. Inside the tin and cement jungle, if you take a minute to look up, the mountain views are a quick reminder of the natural beauty that lies just minutes away from the smog-choked city. (Though, look up quickly as it’s not a city that allows for much meditative meandering!)

This weekend, I climbed to the peak of Colón mountain with a group called Pico Tours led by the famous Costa Rican mountaineer, Warner Rojas, to see a panoramic view of San José—the far away perspective. From the surrounding mountains, San José actually feels like a “city.” While it’s populated like a city, San José has a very “rural” feel. Most people think of it more as a sprawling town than as a city. From the outside, it was impressive to see just how far and wide the city stretches.