The Champagne Party

With the Duty Free champagne chilling and the little bit of work I needed to finish before could fully be on holiday completed I ducked out to explore San Jose before Nicola, Tiffany, and Jane arrived from London. At least as much of San Jose as was in the immediate vicinity of my hotel. And by that I really mean the AmPm the Costa Rican equivalent of my most favorite American store –  7 Eleven.

I love a convenience store and I especially love a convenience store in a country where I don’t speak the language. Rows of chips, cookies, and sugary treats with unfamiliar cartoon characters fruit and vegetable combinations on their labels. I’m in. I rejected the prepackaged ceviche (I wouldn’t get sushi at a 7 Eleven after all), but did grab some salsa, quac, two types of chips (one which turned out to be plantain), and an odd tub of something called Dip con jamon. Dip with ham? Yes please.

Their welcome snacks ready, I watched videos about Costa Rica until my London friends arrived with two more bottles of bubbly for good measure. We were, I was told, dubbed the Champagne Party by Jorge, who is to be our guide for the trip.  I’ve been called worse.