Destinations
Puerto Limon
This is the capital city of the Limon Province. Costa Rica has two Coasts, and with that two Cultures. Spanish/Latin on the Pacific and Highlands and Patua-English/Caribbean culture on the Caribbean ocean. The City of Limon is the only urban setting on the Caribbean. Here a unique Afro Caribbean culture has influenced the architecture, colors, and tastes of this incredibly rich coast.
Often a key stopping point on the way to other areas of the coast, Puerto Limon is an interesting city. Due to the dual cultures here, Puerto Limon gives the foreigner coming from via the Central Valley the impression of being in a completely different country. The heavy Afro Caribbean influence is definitely felt here as most of the locals have Caribbean (i.e. Jamaican,...) ancestry. The locals are speaking a form of Patua with is similar to the Jamaican/English dialect. One notices that besides the culture also the architecture is quite different. Be sure to stop by and relax at Parque Vargas to gaze out at the Atlantic. If you plan on being in Costa rica on October 12, Carnival is quite the spectical. This festival is centered around Colombus day, where people celebrate with incredible costumes, wonderful Latin music, and a parade of spectacular floats.
