Private Tour of San Jose, More Cocktails

Up early again- the time difference and the 5 am sunrises mess me up but since this whole trip is unplanned, it's good to work on these plans for La Fortuna.

Went to brunch alone @ Franco ( the Escazu location). Franco was cool, besides all of the damn flies. Good for healthier breakfasts and super dulce pancakes or French toast. Very much an urban sprawl with patrons having their pups on a leash.

Franco:

Cappuccino 1.788

French toast 5.528

Private Walking Tour $157 total

Headed back to the condo to meet Fernanda and my cousin to start the 4-hour private tour. We walked to the old/first airport which is now a Museum of contemporary art. Then it started to downpour. We uber'd to the San Pedro Mall- somewhere I'd love to go back and shop-then to a tea place where I got to try the golden milk. Started to walk to the center of downtown when a gentle rain began, but Ticos ( the nickname for Costa Ricans) are so used to it so we trudged along with my poncho. Visited a pastry shop, the gold museum, passed a festival across the street from the National Library, walked by the jail-like building for the "Congress" folk and then the artesian market. It's pretty much a building with several stalls of people selling the same trinkets (or Chackhis). Unfortunately, it was now 5 pm and the Central Market was closed so we couldn't go back there.

Fernanda departed us after giving her a 5 mil tip and we left for dinner at Sikwa.

Pretty nice open space area. Nothing much from the outside appearance.

Sikwa:

San Pelligrino 3.700

Vegan Empanadas 4.878

Pork Empanada 6.910

Los diabitos 6.504

Baby corn 4.227

Curry Filet (Mahi) 9.674

Shrimp dinner12.195

Truffle Chocolate 6.910

The empanadas were deep fried, the baby corn was good but the sauce was better, the cocktail list was a thumbs up (except that they didn't black out what wasn't available), the filet was excellent, the shrimp was not deveined but seasoned on the outside (not marinated) so the meat Itself lacked flavor and my side of rice was cooked too hard. The truffle chocolate was different- the Marmalade sauce was surely a surprise and Very acidic but good. The chocolate is typical for a country that makes Chocolate: not sweet but just right. Great experience.

But now I have to wake at 4am for a boat tour.