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Basilica of Our Lady of the Mercedes
The primary Catholic Church in
Palmares, Costa Rica
One of very few in Costa Rica of stone, built 1894-1914 |
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Basilica of Our Lady of the Mercedes
Palmares, Costa Rica |
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Palmares Central Park is Partly a Tropical Garden
Palmares, Costa Rica |
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Unlike a lot of towns’ central parks
Palmares, Costa Rica |
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But also has the traditional sidewalks, benches & band shelter
Palmares, Costa Rica |
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Some high school kids came dressed for a church festival
Palmares, Costa Rica |
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Including their band!
Palmares, Costa Rica |
Palmares is a 50 minute bus ride north from Atenas over one of the most winding mountain roads near us and a beautiful drive through something like the Appalachian or Ozark Mountains to this cowboy town where the biggest Tope (horse parade) happens once a year. It is much bigger than Atenas with 31,000+ plus people.
This was my “practice” bus ride here and then on another bus for the shorter ride to San Ramon where I am going by bus in November to be picked up by the staff of Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort which is north of San Ramon.
I’m getting better at bus travel and even made a last minute change today. Aeropost sent me an email saying my CPAP supplies were ready to be picked up in Alajuela. So instead of returning to Atenas from San Ramon (through Palmares), I got the direct bus to Alajuela for my package, ate lunch at Jalapeno Central Restaurant and then my regular Atenas bus back home.
I was particularly impressed by the bus station for one bus company in Palmares. See photo below.
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Terminal Buses Carbachez
Palmares, Costa Rica |
This reminded me of the nice one I used in Turrialba. There are many competing bus companies in Costa Rica and they build their own terminals, not shared with other companies. Think of the old competition between Greyhound and Trailways in the states. This station is for Carbachez buses. Had I come here on one of our CoopeAtenas Buses, I would have gone to a different terminal that is not as nice. And I left from a third terminal to go to Alajuela. It was clean, but smaller and not as nice as the one above.
And a few buses between towns just stop at a bus stop on a main street, no terminal. For example: when I went to Tarcoles with Ed we caught our bus at a main stop on Ruta 3 highway going through town. You have to learn how to ride buses and there is a great website with schedules, though going through Palmares to San Ramon did not come from them! Got that locally! The site routed me through Alajuela which is longer. But then I came back that way anyway! 🙂
As a Senior Adult (
Adulto Mayor). I rode 3 of my 4 buses free and the San Ramon to Alajuela longest trip was just 75¢ or half price! Buses are the economical way to travel here even if you pay full price!
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