Day One - Travel Day
I'll do my best to post a blog and video every day of the trip but because of the travel and spotty wifi, I can't promise. Also, as I only have my older laptop, I reserve the right to go back and add edited pictures later.
Day One
I stayed up late last night getting a few projects done and then hanging with a few friends at the pub. I probably should have stayed home but what’s the fun in that. Friends demanded their goodbyes and I couldn’t disappoint. The morning was a little more hectic than I would have liked but that’s to be expected before such a big trip. Still, though, I got everything into two travel cases and didn’t need to check any luggage.
And we’re off!
I’m a moderately experienced traveler so I have a pattern that I like to follow to make all my trips easier. All the while, I expect things to turn to shit and rarely get bent out of shape when things go wrong. The one stunning exception is the time I was traveling back to Alaska with two kids in tow and was kind of a jerk to the guy at the bagel sandwich shop. My traveling companion, a far more experienced traveler than I shamed me into better behavior.
No big issues popped up in either leg of the trip. A kid near me on the San Antonio to Dallas flight played her game with far too much volume but I’ll always give plenty of slack to parents who travel with kids. A little extra noise to prevent them from freaking out in the flight is a small price to pay.
On the Dallas to San Jose portion, I was blessed with a polite and silent fellow passenger in my row and an empty seat between us. Sadly, close by were three fellas who were former college buddies and headed down here for fun. They seemed like cool guys but they would not stop talking. They were so excited for their trip and as they drank more, they just got louder. I can’t be too upset with them as they seemed nice enough, just coming down for fun. They were very engaging with their seatmates and included everyone in their fun. Nice dudes but did I mention that they never stopped talking?
Arrival was a piece of cake. Customs and immigration folks were nice and got us all through smoothly. My first challenge ... finding the bus stop in the dark. My Airbnb hosts gave me great directions but there was so much construction that I must have looked like an ass wandering to and fro to find the place. Oddly enough, I finally was able to find it by just looking for the clumps of people waiting by the side of the road. After a comical moment of the driver speaking too fast and me not knowing what the different piece of colored paper meant, I was on board and headed to San Jose.
During the drive, I got the impression that this place was more European than American. The odd traffic interchanges, the clear paths for public transportation and bikes, the clusters of industry, retail, and residences so close together, and the tightly packed populace reminded me more of Paris or Hamburg than anything we have in the states. So many of the companies that we’re familiar with in the US are down here and seeing their familiar logos and slogans in a different language and culture was super cool. As much as I like to notice the differences in cultures, I also like seeing how we do the same things ... but differently.
As we reached the main San Jose bus terminal, I made the decision to NOT take a cab the rest of the way but to walk instead. In hindsight, I only regretted this because of the monsoon rain that kicked up halfway to my place. I love to walk as it’s how I’ve always been able to get the flavor of a place. The bus terminal was in a part of town that, well, where bus terminals are. Dirty, crowded, and sketchy. As I walked, I passed so many bodegas with a variety of weird but oddly familiar foods that I’ll have to go back and explore more. The sidewalks are mostly there, red and green lights are taken as suggestions rather than rules and I’m about 7 inches taller than anyone I passed.
Near the city center, thousands of folks seemed to be getting ready for some sort of show. I just didn’t have time to figure out what it was. I’ll head here tomorrow to see more as it seemed to be an awesome park/civic center.
Drip drip drip
The rains began slowly enough and I thought I’d be fine but they quickly turned ugly. As so much life lives so close to the street, there were many I overhangs and canopies covering much of the sidewalk so I was mostly fine. As I exited the vibrant center, the walk became more exposed. While double checking the path to my place, a dude passed me carrying an umbrella. He yelled something from across the street but I said “No, thank you” in Spanish and hoped he’d move on. He didn’t look like a threat or a grifter but I could tell he wanted something.
He asked where I was headed and I gave him a vague answer and he offered to walk with me and lend me his umbrella. It was slightly awkward as I could tell that he was expecting a gratuity of some kind but as the rain was now coming down in sheets, I didn’t complain too much. We arrived near my place, I thanked him, gave him a fair tip and sent him on his way before he could see where I was actually staying.
I’ll skip the details on my abode until tomorrow as it deserves its own space but I’ll just say that it’s super cool.
I arrived, met the hosts, dropped my goodies and headed out for a bit to eat at a place I passed along the way, Stiefel Pub. It’s a super cool joint tucked away in a bigger building and their food menu is awesome. Weird burgers and high-end food but the place was too dark for good pics. I’ll come back for lunch sometime and try again. Their beer menu, while extensive, was a long list of hoppy beers and tart ales that I’ve never liked.
Did I mention the rain? Holy cow, there’s a lot of it. My hosts said the area has been getting soaked for 6 hours then they’re good for the rest of the day. The forecast says that this’ll hold for a while. Good! I love the rain and rarely set it stop me. It’ll interfere with picture taking but I’ll live.
Lessons learned today -- a 13% gratuity is added to your food bill so tipping isn't a requirement but adding 5-10% for great service is a nice extra.
Ok, friends. I’m tired. Tomorrow we begin in earnest.