Headed back on Thursday morn for San Jose and the flight back to Phoenix early Friday morning. It was very difficult for us to pull ourselves away from this place and our new friends.
After an uneventful trip for the first hour and a half (finally used to the bumpy roads and simple bridges--Paula wondered where the potholes were) we entered the Pan American Highway in Bagaces. We are cruising along on the road for about a half hour and I get flagged down by the policia! My guide book warned me about this but as I passed a truck, exceeding the speed limit by 15kph, there he was waiting for me. He showed me his radargun and the 95 kpm was right there. He takes out his ticket book after taking my passport and calling me by my name. He tells me the fine was to be 30,000 colones (about $60) and that that I had to go back to Liberia (2 hours in the wrong direction) pay the fine at the bank and then go to court the next morning! He also asked when I was returning to the USA and when I said the next morning he gave me a look like that was too bad. Finally, after several back and fourths, I asked him if I could pay him directly and he said yes. So out came two $20 bills, which he took with a smile, and let me go on my merry way. We both felt quite queasy after that experience! Such is life in Costa Rica. "Pura Vida" (translation: "it's all good") were the words we saw everywhere. In this case I guess it meant "cash talks with the policia".
I can only say watch your speed at all costs especially when the limit changes from 80kph to 60kph entering each little town. We did get stopped again, but only as a courtesy stop to check our passports. The whole ride back we were on the lookout for the police. We intend to fly into Liberia next time. No more 5 plus hour drives to our rainforest retreat from San Jose!!
After an uneventful trip for the first hour and a half (finally used to the bumpy roads and simple bridges--Paula wondered where the potholes were) we entered the Pan American Highway in Bagaces. We are cruising along on the road for about a half hour and I get flagged down by the policia! My guide book warned me about this but as I passed a truck, exceeding the speed limit by 15kph, there he was waiting for me. He showed me his radargun and the 95 kpm was right there. He takes out his ticket book after taking my passport and calling me by my name. He tells me the fine was to be 30,000 colones (about $60) and that that I had to go back to Liberia (2 hours in the wrong direction) pay the fine at the bank and then go to court the next morning! He also asked when I was returning to the USA and when I said the next morning he gave me a look like that was too bad. Finally, after several back and fourths, I asked him if I could pay him directly and he said yes. So out came two $20 bills, which he took with a smile, and let me go on my merry way. We both felt quite queasy after that experience! Such is life in Costa Rica. "Pura Vida" (translation: "it's all good") were the words we saw everywhere. In this case I guess it meant "cash talks with the policia".
I can only say watch your speed at all costs especially when the limit changes from 80kph to 60kph entering each little town. We did get stopped again, but only as a courtesy stop to check our passports. The whole ride back we were on the lookout for the police. We intend to fly into Liberia next time. No more 5 plus hour drives to our rainforest retreat from San Jose!!
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