Today we explored the city of Heredia on foot and were able to visit many different parts of the city. We started in the town center where we were able to see people going to and from church and music was being played outside the church. We then went down and were able to visit the market and see everything from plantains to cow hoofs. There were many different stands some had fresh vegetables and fruit and others had spices or different kinds of meats.

After we were done visiting the market we walked around and visited a park that had an outdoor basketball and Fusball court. This park was a gathering place for all ages and many people were out sitting and relaxing on the benches there. At the end of the day, we visited the mall which was very different compared to the U.S. since it was open air. It also had a very large outdoor space where people were sitting and enjoying the weather.

Overall compared to the U.S. the overall environment of Costa Rican towns is different. The structure of the towns and cities is one of the main differences since they are set up in a more grid-like fashion with a town square in the center, therefore making it easier to navigate. There also is a very strong sense of community here and everyone seems to be very happy. The market was also very vibrant and the food seemed much more fresh and diverse than a traditional supermarket back home.