Viking Sky docked in Costa Rica this morning, and Tim and I prepared to take different excursions. Tim was taking the “Jungle Boat & Crocodile Safari,” and he was hoping these amazing reptiles would be active today.
I had booked “A Walk in the Clouds” to explore the cloud forest along suspended aerial walkways. However, just ten minutes or so before it was time to board my motorcoach, I reluctantly concluded that it would be more advisable for me to stay on the ship to be close to certain ”facilities.” I didn’t want to tempt fate and humiliate myself by being on a two-hour bus ride. That decision turned out to be a very wise one – disappointing, but wise!
Instead of touring, I spent the morning working on the blog and then enjoying a Viking burger and fries at the Pool Grill for lunch.
A walk into Puntarenas occupied an hour or so of my afternoon, and I discovered a few historic buildings as I walked around the town. Puntarenas was founded in the early nineteenth century and quickly became a hub for commerce and transportation. Today, it is one of the largest fishing ports in Costa Rica and a popular destination for tourists. In 1940, Puntarenas became known as the National Bathing Resort because most of the inhabitants of Costa Rica traveled here to enjoy the sun and beach.
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| Welcome to Puntarenas |
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| The Beach Is Still Popular |
As I walked down the Paseo de los Turistas, the pedestrian boulevard along the beach, I spotted an interesting Art Deco-style structure. I later found out that building was constructed in 1938 as the Customs Office of Puntarenas. Abandoned in the late 1970s, it became the home of the Pacific headquarters of the National Technical University in 2009.
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| The Former Customs Office of Puntarenas |
I headed farther into the city to visit the church that had been mentioned to us in yesterday’s Port Talk. Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral, or Puntarenas Cathedral, was built in 1902. This stone church is the only cathedral in Costa Rica that has its main entrance facing west.
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| Puntarenas Cathedral |
Near the cathedral I saw the original command center, barracks, and jail for the Guardia Civil, which was founded as a national police force. The building was transferred to the Ministry of Culture in 1977 and now serves as a cultural center for the city.
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| The Former Guardia Civil Command Center |
Art is important in Puntarenas, and I passed by several stone sculptures on the cathedral boulevard. Street art also seems to be popular here.
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| Interesting Sculptures |
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| And Street Art |
On my way back to the ship, I did check out the shopping area that caters to tourists. Textiles, woodcarvings, and lots of souvenir items made by locals were plentiful, but there was also a vendor selling fresh fish.
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| Lots of Souvenir Possibilities, and Fish |
Tim returned later from his jungle boat adventure, and I was happy to learn that he had seen crocodiles.
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| A Crocodile Sighting |
Tonight’s special event was a Viking BBQ on the pool deck with entertainment by Paolo, our guitarist. Every type of barbeque was available, and I sampled a bit of each type. Another delicious meal.
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| Viking BBQ |
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