Independence Day Celebrations in Cartago

Demonstrators chant against the the approval of the Central America Free Trade Act Friday during pre-Independence Day celebrations in Cartago, Costa Rica, east of San Jose. Costa Ricans will vote in a referendum Oct. 7 to approve or reject the controversial trade pact with the United States.


Costa Rican president Oscar Arias watches pre-Independence Day festivities Friday in Cartago, Costa Rica. He later gave a speech, highlighting Costa Rica's 186-year Indepencence from Spain, as well as the upcoming CAFTA referendum, Oct. 7.


— Christopher

Downtown San jose, Costa Rica

This downtown pedestrian street runs for about four blocks through the center of San Jose´s governmental complex and near the National Museum. I take the bus to work every day and walk through this to get to the office of the Tico Times.


Temperatures stay between 75 and 80 here in winter (it is early winter right now), and every other day, more or less, we have torrential rains for an hour to two hours.



- Christopher