Dias uno y dos de Costa Rica

Arrived at 5:30am (3:30 Oregon time) in Costa Rica after a long but uneventful red-eye flight. I settled into San Jose with my mother-in-law and waited for my dad to show up on the bus. Besides eating, napping, showering, and grading hydrology labs, I spent the day in the middle of the city. Markets -- noisey streets -- remembering pieces of a language I have neglected.

Today I hopped on the bus to Heredia where the National University of Costa Rica is located. I quite enjoy this small suburb-town north of San Jose. It is located on the foothills of valcanoe Barva and faces southward with views of San Jose and volcanoe Turrialba and Chirripo across the valley. Nice parks with many flowering trees and an old church in the center square.

I had the privilege of meeting with Professor Nelson Arroyo of the UNCR Geography Dept. this afternoon. It was a very beneficial meeting as far as info for my PhD research down in this neck of the woods goes. ... to many details to share on a blog.