Today we took a train to San José  where our tour guide, Cindy, showed us around the capital of Costa Rica. She took us throughout the many parks nestled throughout San José. Each park had its own unique sculptures and statues paying homage to certain figures in the early history of Costa Rica. Afterwards, we visited Teatro Nacional and Museo de Oro, which both represented different aspects of the culture of Costa Rica. While walking for hours on end took a major toll on me, Cindy was very knowledgeable about the ins and out of the city and it was nice to meet her.

It was interesting to compare and contrast San José and Pittsburgh while visiting there. San José is reflective of the culture of Costa Rica, where Ticos are passionate about their history and want to support that. This ideology is obvious through the art and parks nestled throughout the city. Additionally, San José had a large central market where one could buy anything from classic Costa Rican fare to souvenirs and fresh produce. Pittsburgh, however, is more focused on a forefront for business. San José had some taller corporate buildings, but nothing like downtown Pittsburgh. The business culture has only started to spring within San José as tourism has recently become its most profitable industry. However, as San José begins to grow, the government is becoming more strict on companies paying taxes, as improving infrastructure will be key to keeping up with the country’s growth. Even more so, the government is instilling a high 15% tax rate on all industries in July as a way to stir the economy. It will be interesting to follow how Costa Rica will face these challenges in the near future, especially with their strong small business culture.