Impressions
Wild. San Jose is an anarchic, congested, smoky, alive place. The sky is constantly moving as are the people. It was windy while I was there and the locals didn't like it, but I found it exhilarating. There is plenty of moisture in the air and an abundance of rainbows, one of which I saw spanned the entire sky in the valley end to end. It feels fertile, as if it's only waiting for new things to grow.
I ran into locals and expats, who all seem to intermingle with the tourists without effort. The taxis are ubiquitous, and everyone seems to be going somewhere. There is also a haphazard way about the place, tin shacks intermingled with hi-rises, liberally sprinkled with bars and casinos and eco-tourist retreats and bed and breakfasts.
Even though the property values are among the highest in Central America, there seem to be plenty of opportunities for new ventures and building. There is much discussion of infrastructure improvements in the press, and the government seems to be among the most stable in the region. Its neighbors Panama and Nicaragua are also growing and stable; and while the Nicas come there to work, the Panamanians come to sightsee.
It is truly a cosmopolitan city with plenty of Americans and Europeans and even Asians coming to suss-out what all the excitement is about. There's plenty of room for improvement with leftover monopolies and government cronyism, but the rule of law seems to be sticking, with two ex-presidents in the clink and new tighter restrictions on residency. Easy to get broadband and cell phones abound, and satellite TV, plenty of new cars and naturally friendly people make this an easy place for a foreigner to operate. Petty crime seems to be the major drawback, with most houses having at least large sturdy fences, and anything not nailed down disappears.
More later.
