In the heart of Costa Rica's richest sugar region* Green, 
sunny acres of waving sugar cane, vast pastures, large pine¬ 
apple plantations and trim coffee estates charm the eye at 
every turn of the road. Near Cacao you can watch the com¬ 
plete transformation of sugar from the raw cane to the white 
crystals of the tea table in the most modern of sugar mills* 
Across the road, in a humble ttapiche, you mav see the cane 
being converted into rich, pure, brown sugar under primitive 
conditions, the motive power of the mill being a team of 
oxen or an ancient water-wheel. 
Century-old Parish Church. — Heredia, Costa Rica. 
Las Nubes 
Another interesting excursion into the mountains, this 
time entirely by automobile and much nearer to San Jose* 
Las Nubes is the chief dairy district of Costa Rica. The 
best time to visit this picturesque region is round about 
sunset wlhen the red fires of the dying day paint the distant 
mountains with that splendor of color which proves that of 
all great artists. Nature is the greatest* 
Trip lasting about two ours costs $ 2*00 (1 to 4 per¬ 
sons) * 
San Isidro de Coronado 
A popular Sunday excursion from San Jose is the trip 
by automobile to San Isidro de Coronado where the Summer 
Colony for children is located* Changing panorama, tran¬ 
quillity and picturesque details of native life here contribute 
towards the enjoyment of your stay in Costa Rica* Trip 
lasting one hour costs $ 1*00 whether for 1 or 4 persons* 
Cacao 
National Monument at National Park 
Trip to Cacao lasts 3 hours* Costs $ 4.00 (1 to 4 pet- 
sons). 
Heredia 
Capital of the Province of the same name and the cen¬ 
tre of an important coffee region* At each and every one 
of the numerous coffee plantations you will be welcome to 
spend a pleasant hour and see for yourself how the red berry 
on the tree is converted into the bean which you buy at your 
grocer's. 
Trip requires one hour* Costs $ 1*00 (Taxi capacity 4 
persons) * 
Alajuela 
One of Costa Rica's most important provincial cities* 
Alajuela is famous for its flowers and in the Central Park 
you will find a wealth of floral beauty which it would be 
hard to equal anywhere* A weekly cattle fair of considerable 
magnitude is held in Alajuela and on market days all the 
ox-carts in the country seem to make this their gathering 
place* 
Historically, Alajuela is famous as the home of the na¬ 
tional hero, Juan Santamarfa, a humble drummer in the. army, 
who, at the expense of his life, was instrumental in bring¬ 
ing about the capitulation of the filibuster, William Walker, 
in the year 1856* Santamana's memory is perpetuated by 
an inspiring statue erected in one of Alajuela's many parks* 
The trip to Alajuela is comfortably made in 2 hours* 
Naranjo and Grecia 
4 
These truly rural towns are further afield than Heredia 
27 
