Beginning of the journey in the region of Matina (north of Costa Rica): a railway line used only by freight trains.But the villagers have boards with wheels to move them goods.Philippe meets a family carrying a sick cow on their board with wheels.Suddenly a freight train arrives and they take off the cow and the board with wheels.Then Philippe is in San José, the capital (1.200 meters above sea level,about 2 millions of inhabitants).He goes to a suburb of the capital; there is an arena where Philippe meets Lynsy a young woman who practices bull rodeo (there are now 4-4 women practicing this sport in Costa Rica).Then Philippe goes the railway station for Cartago: a statue of the Sacred Heart of Jessus where some passengers pray before their travel.In the train to Cartago; interesting talk about "pura vida" (an optimist sentence: everything goes well,have a positive mind).At Cartago Philippe visits the Cathedralof Our Lady of the Angels , then travels to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca: near this town Philippe meets Sebastian, an Cabécar Indian who invites him to visit the jungle and to catch poisonous snakes: Sebastian learns to the people how to behave with serpents.Later Philippe is in an banana plantation, no trains, but cable car pulled by mule: a mule can pull 75 bunches of bananas on this cable system.Philippes makes a salt at the Pacific Coast and takes a little touristic train in Caldera.Then in the province of Nicoya Philippe meets Don Pacito ,an 104 years old man riding on a horse and who goes to the birthday of his girlfriend , Dora , who is 100 years old; there is a birthday celebration with music (marimba), cakes and pleasant talks about this place where about 5 % of the population are 100 years old (strong family ties, good local food and the pleasure to be together).
—zutterjp48