Southern Costa Rica Buenos Aires

Hemmed in on all sides by lucrative pineapple plantations, Buenos Aires is a typical farming town: busy with business by day and deserted by night. In contrast to the bustling city of San Isidro, 64km northwest, the town has few attractions, though tourists often find it a necessary layover on south-bound bus routes. Buenos Aires may also serve as a base for exploring nearby Reserva Indígena Boruca, an environmentally sustainable Durika community as well as the under-appreciated Parque Internacional La Amistad.

Transportation. Two bus companies operate in town. GAFESO (☎2771 1523, 2730 0215, or 2771 0419) is across the street from the southwest corner of the mercado. Buses go to San Isidro (1½hr.; 12 per day 5:30am-6pm; ¢685). The TRACOPA (☎2730 0205) ticket office is in a small passageway in the center of the mercado (Open daily 7am-4pm) and buses leave from a terminal on the north side of the mercado. Buses leave for: San José via San Isidro (4.5hr.; 5:45, 9:15am, 4:15pm; ¢3370), San Isidro (1½ hr.; 9 daily 5:45am-5:45pm; ¢1720), Cortés (2hr.; 1:15 and 7pm; ¢1920), Ciudad Neily (3.5hr.; 6, 8am, 1:45, 5:45pm; ¢2585) San Vito via Las Tablas (2½hr.; 6:45am and 3:15pm; ¢2240). Taxis wait between the market and the park (☎2730 0800).

Orientation And Practical Information. Facing uphill, the city center from west to east includes a central marketplace with the parque . Facing the parque central, the modern pink church is on your east, and the mercado central is on your west. The GAFESO station is south of the mercado, and the Banco Nacional is north of the parque . Banco Nacional (☎2730 0210) can exchange money with a passport and a 24hr. ATM that accepts MC. (Open M-F 8:30am-3:45pm.) A Banco de Costa Rica 24hr. ATM is located on the corner just north of Cabinas Violeta. Accepts MC/V. Public bathrooms (¢150) are available in the market. The police station is 50m north of the front of the church. (☎2730 1324 or 2730 0103. Open 24hr.) The Red Cross (☎2730 0078 or 911) faces the TRACOPA terminal in the market. La Clínica Buenos Aires (☎2730 0116) is about 2km north of the police station. Farmacia CVS (☎2730 0154) is located near the southeast corner of the market. They also have a small English-speaking clinic behind the main pharmacy. (Both are open M-Sa 7:30am-7pm, Su 8am-2pm. MC/V.) The fire department (☎2730 0251) is west of the north end of the market. Public phones are located on the southeast corner of the parque central next to the taxi stop. Internet access is available in the Internet cafe (☎2730 4526) on the second floor of the MegaSuper building. (Open M-Sa 8am-10pm, Su 8am-8pm. ¢300 per hr.) Terranet, just 50m east of the MegaSuper, has Internet access and copying services. (☎2730 5050; ¢350 per hr.; b/w copies or faxes each ¢10; open daily 9am-9pm.) The post office is next to the police station. (Open M-F 8am-noon and 1-5:30pm.) Postal Code: 60301.

Accommodations And Food. Most tourists don’t stay longer than is necessary to make their bus connections, so options are limited. Cabinas Violeta , is next to the fire station just 50m southwest of the mercado. This orange and blue motel-style building is located at the end of a quiet street and houses clean, well-lit rooms with private cold-water bath, cable TV and fans. It also offers plenty of parking spaces. (☎2730 5252. Singles and doubles ¢6000; triples ¢7000; quads ¢8000.) Cabinas Fabi is conveniently located next to the GAFESO bus terminal (just look left). Though the noise of traffic can continue until late at night, the spacious rooms boast fans, cable TVs, and private cold-water baths. Ample parking exists here as well.(☎2730 1110, 8812 8863 or 8828 1763. Singles ¢6000; doubles ¢8000; triples ¢10,000; quads ¢12,000.)

Groceries and essential toiletries are available at the MegaSuper, one block south (downhill) of the southeast corner of the market. (☎2730 0938. Open M-Sa 8am-8pm, Su 8am-6pm. AmEx/MC/V.) Soda El Dorado is across the street from the GAFESO bus terminal. Offers the same filling tíco fare at slightly better hours, and the lacy, peach-colored drapes and floral decor will make you feel like you’re sitting in Grandma’s kitchen. (☎2730 1142. Gallo pinto, arroz con pollo, and plato del día ¢1000. Coffee ¢300.) The town’s best seafood is at Marisquería Felipe , a block south of the GAFESO bus terminal, where local families gather to enjoy fish and patacones (¢2200) while watching Spanish music videos on a small TV. (☎2730 1050. Open daily 8:30am-9:30pm.) Nightlife in the city consists of small local bars scattered around the market. The largest and busiest option is La Orquieda, next to Terranet, a bamboo-furnished bar that fills up at night with locals listening to folksy Latin music, drinking Imperials (¢700), and munching on appetizers (¢1300-2500). Open daily 2pm-2:30am.

Daytrips From Buenos Aires. The Reserva Indígena Boruca is a vibrant, welcoming community of indigenous people 20km south of Buenos Aires, the same area where they have lived since pre-Columbian times. Although the Boruca have adopted modern dress and the Spanish language, many traditional customs persist. The primary occupation of the village is artesanía, vocational crafts that include weaving, painting, and carving. Approximately 80% of the members of the community do this work, cooperating in family groups to produce masks and woven goods. They also carve balsa drums of all sizes and richly decorated canteens traditionally used to dispense chicha, an alcoholic beverage made from corn. The vibrantly painted masks are used during the Fiesta de los Diablitos (Festival of the Little Devils), which takes place from the night of December 30 through January 2. The celebration depicts the indigenous peoples’ struggle against the Spanish. When the Spanish moved to the area, they referred to the indigenous people as “diablitos” (little devils). During the four days of the festival, men wearing traditional dress and hand-carved devil masks play a game of chasing and dancing to drive away the “Spaniard,” a villager dressed in a burlap bag and bull’s mask. On the final day the Spaniard, “El Toro,” takes off his mask and throws it to the group, signaling his defeat.

For those who can’t visit during the end of the year festival, the Museo de Boruca (☎2730 2462; www.borucacr.org), a one-room museum located 100m uphill from the bus stop, is open daily 9am-4pm. The museum features an exhibit on the artesanía process and the year-end festival. Just outside, a display of crafts is set up for perusal and purchase, including hand-woven bags, belts, money purses, elaborate masks, drums, and bows and arrows. The Borucan people are also eager to share their artwork with tourists. Doña Marina Lázaro Morales (☎2730 1676), a town matriarch and head of the La Flor Co-Operativa, can arrange demostrations of the craft-making process and tours of the community. A series of three waterfalls good for both swimming and views is also located just a 20min. walk from the museum.

For those visitors wishing to spend more than the day in the village, which may be required for those arriving by bus, Doña Marina can also arrange homestays in her own home and in the homes of various members of the community. The community doesn’t explicitly ask for payment, but for a night’s stay with prepared meals, artisan demonstrations, and incredible hospitality, a contribution of US$30 per person is appropriate. If something more private is desired, non-indigenous Memo Gómez of the Bar/Restaurante Boruca 100m uphill from the museum, has several small cabinas for rent. The basic, cement-floor cabinas can accommodate up to three people and offer fans, hot water and parking. (☎2730 2454; ¢5500 per person). The attached restaurant is open daily 11am-midnight. Visitors can also pick up snacks and basic supplies at the Coope Brunca located next to the bus stop at the bottom of the hill. (☎2730 1673. Open daily 8am-1pm and 3-10pm.) Buses leave Buenos Aires for the Reserve from the TRACOPA station (1½hr.; 11:30am, 3:30pm; ¢550) and arrive next to Coope Brunca 100m downhill from the museum. Buses leave from the covered bus stop near Coope Brunca for Buenos Aires at 6:30am and 1pm. A round-trip taxi ride to the village from Buenos Aires should cost around US$60.