Limon Costa Rica

We left Bocas early in order to cross the border into Costa Rica and onto the city of Limon,on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, where we were spending the night. We were then going onto Moin to take a two night trip into the Tortuguero National Park. The journey to the border was without problems, the bus dropped us at an ancient bridge where we, after paying $10.00 exit fee, quickly passed through Panamian customs. I forgot to mention that the currency of Panama is the US$! A 'helper' carried our bags across the bridge, I was rather alarmed to see cars and lorries going across. It was one of these wooden bridges where you can see the river below through the broken slats! Our customs lady in Costa Rica was very stern, she insisted on a ticket to prove we were leaving Costa Rica - we had no ticket as we were travelling overland - but after a discussion she accepted our BA ticket back to London in April! She then thumbed through the pages of our passports to find a space for her stamp - it is becoming increasingly difficult to find a space and even more difficult for the customs officer to find the entry stamp in order to put the exit stamp! The expressions on some of their faces are a picture! Pictures are not a good idea at borders, Police get a bit itchy, so, no pictures of the bridge.
We knew a bus went to Limon, but several kind taxi drivers offered to take us for a large number of dollars. But, just as we were wondering what was going on a bus arrived. To say it had seen better days was an understatement! But on we got and settled down for a two and half hours of bumping along our first Costa Rican road!

Passing changing scenery, misty hills in the distance. 

and bananas after bananas - they look the same don't they? but the sky is different!.

Houses were made of wood.

Limon is Costa Rica's biggest port, but imagine our surprise when this came into view.

Once settled into our hotel we decided to see what Limon had to offer.

The church was very strange.

It was very hot and we were feeling a little shaken around by the bus journey so we hunted for somewhere to have a fruit juice. We came across the local market.

Where all the usual things were being sold in old fashioned shops.

 The herbs looked good.

And the cat guarded the pulses stall.

We found our drink and ventured out again to see what was happening in the local park.

Huge palm trees soared into the sky.

The ship looked as though it were parked in the park!

1920's buildings lined the streets. 

Men watched the world go by.

The windows were open to let the heat out!

The post office building was the original one.

With appropriate decoration round the windows.

The last 'photo of Limon makes me glad that Javea has a better 

Casa de Cultura than this!

The next day we were to catch another bus up the coast to Moin, where we were to begin our trip into the canals and rivers of  Tortuguero National Park.