They say it’s hit or miss when you take the trip to see the main crater of theΒ IrazΓΊ Volcano ~ some days it’s clear, and other days, it isn’t. Sad to say that on the day I went, it was invisible to the human eye. Nothing but clouds as far as my eye could see. The cool thing is that itΒ isΒ the tallest volcano in Costa Rica standing at 11,260 feet (3,432 meters,) so it was a good feeling no matter what to ‘have my head in the clouds.’
Regardless of my experience, I am going to provide you with up-to-date travel and cost information for a day trip from San Jose to the volcano. I’ll also post photos I took to give you a good laugh, and also, at the bottom, I’ll show you Β a pic borrowed fromΒ wikipedia that shows you what youΒ shouldΒ see, and what youΒ wantΒ to see, when you plan this trip.
Public Transportation:Β Daily from San Jose and Cartago. Catch the bus across Avenida 2 from the National Theater (Teatro Nacional) at 8:00am (only ONE departure per day!) or at 8:30am at the Tierra Blanca stop in Cartago. Bus leaves the volcano at 12:30pm. About $5 pp round trip (2,515 colones is what I paid for a one-way from SJ) + $15 park admission. I paid that in colones (about 9,125).Β
For perspective, between the sign and the front bus door, you can faintly see the National Theater. Also, on the actual sign, you can see in faded red lettering: “Volcan Irazu.” This bus departs one time daily from San Jose at 8am.
The bus ride made the whole trip worth it for me as I was able to get some cool shots out of the bus window with my camera, and I was able to see more of what surrounds San Jose. The bus stops a few times on the way, the main one being in Cartago, and the stops are quite seamless and not troublesome at all. The volcano is about 53kms from San Jose, so if you travel by car, you’d probably make it in about an hour. The bus takes approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes.Β
*Important Note! Getting on the bus to return at 12:30pm, you pay less than you do for the first ticket you buy to come to the volcano (theΒ returnΒ ticket is about 2,000 colones, I think.) I didn’t know why, until…The bus didn’t return us to San Jose. Rather, it dropped us in Cartago and we had to walk a few blocks to a bus terminal and catchΒ another bus that would take us on the final leg back to San Jose. This cost 625 colones (just over $1 usd).Β
Once you arrive at the park, the bus driver has you disembark to pay the man in the ‘tollbooth’ for your admission ticket, and then you get back on the bus, ticket in hand, and the bus takes you to your final stop. This is where the bus will remain for the duration of your time there, so, at 12:15pm, try to get back to the bus because it departs at 12:30pm sharp.Β
It’s a very short walk to the path that takes you to the crater. No hiking is involved on this route at all, and within 5 minutes, you are there:
Somewhere in there is a beautiful crater. Just trust me.Β I mean, could I have picked a worse day to try to see the crater?! Answer: No.On the way to the main crater, there is volcanic ash everywhere. Looks like an alien surface.Sorry, I’ve got nothing for you…Just F O G .It’s tough to look at this photo, realizing that this beautiful scene was covered by clouds and fog on the day I was there. If I don’t laugh, I’ll cry. This photo is fromΒ wikipedia, photog unknown.
Public restrooms:Β Yes, and they are maintained quite well. Shopping:Β Gift shop with coffee, snacks, and every type of souvenir. ATMs: No, not that I saw. Gas stations: No (nearest is in Potrero Cerrado 20 mins from crater) Cell Phone Reception:Β Yes, reliable. Restaurants: No Nearest medical facilities:Β Hospital in Cartago (1 hour) Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Best TimeΒ to Visit: December through May, but can be visited all year round, *except February 25, 2019*, obviously) Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Wear: The change in temperature from first stepping onto the bus in San Jose to arriving at the peak, isΒ real. Wear pants, shoes (no sandals), a hat, and a windbreaker or sweatshirt. At least have them on hand, or you’ll be tempted to waste about $60 on gear in the gift shop. (I didn’t do it, but I definitely stared longingly at a nice windbreaker with a hood.)
So, you could say my trip was a bit of a bust, BUT, as I mentioned earlier, I did get some nice shots along the way. And for that, I am eternally grateful. Have a look below:
It’s something special to feel this high above it all, in the clouds.Quaint villages mark the route from Cartago toΒ IrazΓΊ.A ‘farm store’ in Cartago.In the clouds.Field workers.Charming Red House of Worship in Cartago.Sufficiently immersed in clouds as we ascend towards our final destination.
25feb19. Cartago &Β IrazΓΊ Volcano, Costa Rica.Β
I hope you found this post helpful and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask. I’ll be hanging around San Jose for a little while longer…
The collection I had to have in my BUJO, is my BOOKSHELF.Β I read 5-7 books at a time, so, on the left-hand page, are the books I am reading, and when I finish them, I highlight them (you can see the blue and yellow highlighted ones.) On the right-hand page, are the books I want to get, whether I’ve heard about them on my own, or if someone in particular has recommended something to me. The two books next to the apple were recommended to me, so I wrote my friend’s name above them, so that I know who to follow-up with once I’ve read them. π Also, you’ll notice one has been highlighted in blue. That means, I have procured the book.Β This collection is all aboutΒ foreign filmsΒ andΒ tv shows/series.Β On the left-hand page, you can see, I made a list of the Golden Globe nominations for best foreign language film this year and I just watched “Roma,’ so I was able to highlight it as ‘seen.’ And “Roma” was the overall winner, as well, so I’ll need to indicate that with an asterisk or something. There’s another box of past award nominees I haven’t seen yet, but want to, and a random list of others plus documentaries, I want to see, and also a box for Oscar nominated foreign language films and documentaries. I travel around the world so much, so I don’t watch regular tv and I have found it difficult to remember when a series is starting, etc, so I note that stuff down here.Β This isΒ Movies to SeeΒ (I need to add ‘to see’) – and I list ones I hear about and also ones that are recommended to me. On the right-hand page, I will take note of Blog Ideas and Photo Projects I want to do throughout the year.Β AnΒ InstagramΒ page for particular addresses I want to remember for tagging purposes, for hashtags, for photo series ideas I have…and theΒ Twitter page is also for taking note of particular addresses I want to remember for particular themed photo tweets I do (i.e. if I’m posting street art and graffiti, I want those addresses. If I’m posting surfers, I want addresses for surfing…)I write a lot of postcards throughout the year, so this page will keep track of who I’ve sent what to, and to make sure not to duplicate…this other page is to keep track of all of the books I read about teaching methodology. I am currently reading “Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer” by Roy Peter Clark, but I haven’t written it in yet. Yes, I just think it’s a good idea to keep this separate from myΒ Bookshelf.I also listen to audiobooks so I made this collection to keep track of them. πΒ Ok, so, on the left-hand page here, I have aΒ Top Ten List of BooksΒ (highlighted ones have been read) and a list ofΒ Books 2 FriendsΒ to keep track of who I give to and what I give, for a number of reasons.Β Note:Β One of my favorite books to give is “Man’s Search for Meaning” by Viktor Frankl. On the right-hand page, I haveΒ Random Thoughts. It’s just what it sounds like. Sometimes I get a semi-original thought and I need to write it down somewhere for that book I’m eventually going to write. πΒ Now, this is going to be a FUN one! π I am a huge Trappist Ale fan (if you’ve been to Belgium, you get what I’m saying) so I wanted to understand better about its history, how it came to be brewed in monasteries, etc. And like I tell everyone, I feel like I’m doing my part for charity every time I drink one because once the monasteries are taken care of, any money left over goes to charities. π I have had quite a few of them already, but I feel it’s important to start all over and this time, put a check next to each one I try… π – There are a couple more listed on the next page, if you were wondering…
So, there you have it, a few of my collections – I have others, like aΒ TravelΒ page where I have my airline membership #s, passport #, travel insurance info, etc, a MusicΒ page, etc, etc… – so, for YOU, you will just want to make collections for the things that you are passionate about! π Enjoy !
In 2018, Brazilian artist Eduardo Kobra painted a whopping 18 murals in New York City & Brooklyn! I was able to get to about 16 of them. Here they are below, with their locations:
“27 Club” at Rivington & 170 Forsyth
“Ellis” at 16 Clarkson Street in the West Village
“Stop Guns” at 231 Eldridge Street
“Run DMC” at 12th Street & 191 Ave A
“Stop Wars” at 391 West St & Christopher St
“Einstein on a Bike” at 780 3rd Ave
“Elvis” at Bedford Ave & 142 N. 5th St in Williamsburg, Brooklyn
“Einstein” at 212 8th Ave & 21st St in Chelsea
“Firefighter” at 150 E. 49th St & 3rd Ave
“Statue of Liberty” at 49 Thompson St in SoHo
“Mother Theresa & Gandhi” at 130 10th Ave & 18th St in Chelsea
“Rushmore” at 210 10th Ave & 22nd St in Chelsea
“Michael Jackson” at 180 1st Ave & 11th Street
“Soulphia” at 16 Clarkson Street
“Roy Lichtenstein” at 225 E. 44th
“Boy and Balloon” on the other side of the Statue of Liberty piece at 49 Thompson St. SoHoClassic “Warhol & Basquiat” piece of Kobra’s still up in Williamsburg, Brooklyn at 162 N 9th St & Bedford AveNYC-based artist, City Kitty, got into the “Kobra action” and put up a cheeky piece in response to Kobra’s takeover of the city. In Chelsea near the “Rushmore” piece: 10th Ave & 22nd St.
All photos taken in November 2018. NYC & Brooklyn, NY
Justinuskirche or St. Justin’s Church is the oldest building in Frankfurt. The church dates back to the Carolingian era and was first consecrated in 850. The three-naved church was modified during the fifteenth century, although it still retains much of its original design. The choir however was completely rebuilt in a late Gothic style. The bombastic altar was created in the eighteenth century in the then popular Baroque style. http://www.aviewoncities.com/frankfurt/hochst.htmThe white painted watchtower of the HΓΆchster SchloΓ towers over the old town. Originally built in the fourteenth century, work on the castle continued during the following centuries and at the end of the sixteenth century it was expanded with a new structure in Renaissance style, the Neue SchloΓ (new castle). In 1908 the dilapidated complex was acquired by the local industrial magnate Adolf von BrΓΌning, who opened the castle’s park to the public. Since 2002, the complex is owned by the German Foundation for Monument Protection. http://www.aviewoncities.com/frankfurt/hochst.htm
The original GoetheβSchiller Monument (German: Goethe-Schiller-Denkmal). It incorporates Ernst Rietschel‘s 1857 bronze double statue of Johann Wolfgang Goethe (1749β1832) and Friedrich Schiller (1759β1805), who are probably the two most revered figures in German literature. The monument has been described “as one of the most famous and most beloved monuments in all of Germany” and as the beginning of a “cult of the monument”. (Wiki)
GroΓer Geist. “Great Spirit.” Thomas SchΓΌtte.Herakut. The church of Ss Peter and Paul is also known as Herderkirche (Herder Church) after Johann Gottfried Herder. It is the most important church building of the town, and is called Stadtkirche (town church), opposed to the courtly SchloΓkirche (court chapel). It has been the church of a Lutheran parish since 1525, after the Reformation. The church is part of the World Heritage SiteClassical Weimar. (Wiki)
Justinuskirche or St. Justin’s Church is the oldest building in Frankfurt. The church dates back to the Carolingian era and was first consecrated in 850. The three-naved church was modified during the fifteenth century, although it still retains much of its original design. The choir however was completely rebuilt in a late Gothic style. The bombastic altar was created in the eighteenth century in the then popular Baroque style. 
The white painted watchtower of the HΓΆchster SchloΓ towers over the old town. Originally built in the fourteenth century, work on the castle continued during the following centuries and at the end of the sixteenth century it was expanded with a new structure in Renaissance style, the Neue SchloΓ (new castle). In 1908 the dilapidated complex was acquired by the local industrial magnate Adolf von BrΓΌning, who opened the castle’s park to the public. Since 2002, the complex is owned by the German Foundation for Monument Protection. 
21oct18. HΓΆchst, Germany π©πͺ
GroΓer Geist. “Great Spirit.” Thomas SchΓΌtte.
Herakut. 
The church of Ss Peter and Paul is also known as Herderkirche (Herder Church) after 
Rathaus Weimar.
Goethe’s House.
