9-24 - 9-30 Puntarenas & Puerto Calderas

Puerto Calderas: About 2-1/2 hours east of San José is Puerto Calderas on the Pacific Coast. It is a significant port for import of such goods as iron, vehicles, paper, banana, bagged cement, fertilizers, salt and fruits as well as bulk salt, corn, soy, wheat, malt, rice, fertilizers, sand. On the export side (formally a minor share of total traffic, but now almost 1/2) are fruits, vehicles, banana, bagged cement, and cattle--including but not limited to...
I interviewed both the Director of Port Security and the Assistant Director of the Port regarding my project. These were the first interviews I have had at a workforce level, and so the information was very useful. I got a tour of the operations there and was quite impressed with the modern facilities. This port has been privately owned and operated since 2006. The major financial interest is Colombian.

I have been recording all of my interviews on cassettes. The Institute has provided work-study students to type the transcripts. Yet, I am falling behind as the tapes take about 4 hrs. to transcribe. What to do? Not sure yet, but hope to resolve this week.

Puntarenas. I am told that Puntarenas was once Costa Rica's busiest ports. That's not so anymore since the port facility at Calderas was established. Frommer's Costa Rica guidebook (2007) says of Puntarenas that it "... has yet to shed its image as a rough-and-tumble port town" (p. 256) despite efforts to attract visitors and clean up the beaches. This appears to be an accurate assessment, yet it is relatively close to San José if one yearns for a view of the ocean.

Food. I was told to have a Churchill on the way back. It is a combination of milk, ice cream and fruit. However, I had just eaten a yummy corvina (see below), and had no room. Perhaps next time.

Wow...Oct 1 tomorrow. I'm here 2 months. Where has the time gone??