Construction on Highway Ruta 32 Started - & Alternative Route

UPDATE:  January 10, 2013  -  
Ruta 32 will be CLOSED on Monday - January 14 from 9am until 1pm, as the National Roads Authority (CONAVI) start demolition in the sector comprising from the toll to Rio Frio.


Another "ONLY in Costa Rica":

Route•Ruta 32 - the Braulio Carrillo Highway is THE MAIN route between San Jose and the Caribbean side in Costa Rica.  This route is populated not just with beach goers to Puerto Viejo, etc. but the MAIN route all the trucks take going from Costa Rica's MAIN port in Limon!

So the highway needs work on it BIG TIME and though most of the work is due to damage on the highway from the Rainy Season - the timing they've chosen to do it happens to coincide with the PEAK of the Peak Tourist Season (I would assume this means the peak of when shipments are also coming in to meet the extra need as well as people moving TO Costa Rica).

What they're going to be doing is replacing concrete slabs with asphalt.  What's the difference between concrete and asphalt you ask?
ConcreteIsBetter.com/vs.html
BrightBubEngineering.com/concrete-technology/45858-concrete-roads-vs-asphalt-roads
(I got a WONDERFUL VERY DETAILED response from an "expert" in the field.  See the note at:

They're saying this work will occur from January through "March-ish" (unfortunately based on history - estimates usually take MUCH longer than initially told).

So bottom line is unless you have the patience of a Saint and don't mind sitting in traffic and/or going slow - you SERIOUSLY might want to consider alternative routes during the next 3 months.

FYI - much of the work will take place close to San Jose near the Estadio•Stadium Ricardo Saprissa in Tibas (yikes!  Are there fútbol•soccer matches going on then??  HOPEFULLY they'll have the sense not to be doing any work that effects traffic at least on Saprissa home game days to make traffic even more worse than normal!!  Check here - fussball.wettpoint.com/en/matchschedules/112642-home.html).

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ALTERNATIVE ROUTE
BETWEEN SAN JOSE AND LIMON AND PUERTO VIEJO IS
(via Cartago, Turrialba, Siquirres)

Again, once you find the highway to Turrialba, it would be difficult to get lost but you will need to navigate to Cartago and onto the Turrialba highway first. It would be simpler in the other direction though as there are more signs pointing towards San José. From San José to Puerto Viejo by this route takes a little longer, perhaps 5 hours.

There are several signs in San Jose pointing you towards Cartago, and several signs on the way to Cartago. If you stay on the main road leading into Cartago and go until the street ends (you will have just passed the Basilica - a very large, beautiful church) on your left. You would turn right at the stop sign and then left at the next stop sign (100 meters). This is the road to Paraiso. You'll continue on about 6km before you reach the center of Paraiso, marked by the usual church and park. Once you reach the stop light at the corner of the park, you'll continue one block and take a left. You'll see signs pointing you towards Turrilalba.

This beautiful, windy road will lead you directly into Turrialba. It will take you about 1 hour and 20 minutes from downtown Cartago, or 1 hour from Paraiso. Once you are at the bottom of the very steep hill and you enter the actual town of Turrilalba, you'll want to stay on that main street (many people will be turning left) until it looks like the street is ending (several blocks). You will see signs for Limon telling you to turn left. At the next street light, maybe 2 blocks ahead, you'll turn right, again following the sign to Limon.

This continues on another windy and scenic road. After about 30-minutes you'll come to the outskirts of the town of Siquirres. You'll see a sign on your right telling you to go straight ahead for Siquirres or to turn left to go to "San Jose 99km." Take this left. (the sign to Limon has been stolen). Once you turn left, you are brought around a circle and are dumped out at a very major road. Go left to head to Limon. One hour later you'll find yourself in downtown Limon.

(SOURCE FOR THESE ALTERNATIVE DIRECTIONS:
the WONDERFUL site on getting to the Caribbean site and all things Puerto Viejo
PuertoViejoSatellite.com/transport.php

MAP THAT SHOWS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE:

Puntarenas.com/map.asp?o=San%20Jos%E9&d=Lim%F3n  and Puntarenas.com/map.asp?o=Turrialba&d=Puerto%20Viejo

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TURNING LEMONS INTO LEMONADE!!!

Being a Ms POSITIVE (one that ALWAYS finds the "Gift" in EVERY situation!) - this alternative route is a VERY scenic route and the roads are some of the best in the country!!!

There are some WONDERFUL things to see and do along this alternative route so maybe take an extra day or two if you have that luxury!

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THINGS TO DO•SEE ALONG THIS ALTERNATIVE ROUTE

In/Around the Orosi Valley:

WHITE WATER RAFTING along the Pacuare River

(I can book you with what I've come up with in MY VERY detailed search to be one of THE BEST operators for White Water Rafting in Costa Rica [in BIG part because the owners are INTERNATIONALLY recognized AWARD WINNING White Water Rafters] and the Pacuare River is THE BEST river to do it on!!).  Email me to book this - LivingLifeInCostaRica@gmail.com

CARTAGO

Basillica de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles • Basilica of our Lady of the Angels (one of the premier churches in Costa Rica)  •  One of Costa Rica's few Ruins – the "parroquia" of Santiago Apóstol Parish - located across a historic cobble-stone street from Cartago's central park


Guayavbo National Monument  - wikipedia.org/wiki/Guayabo_National_Monument  • CostaRicaWeb.cr/en/guayabo-national-monument-costa-rica • CostaRica-nationalparks.com/guayabonationalmonument.html  -  MY FAVORITE Ruins in Costa Rica as it's a VERY MAGICAL SACRED space!!!


CATIE Botanical Gardens  -  catie.ac.cr/BANCOCONOCIMIENTO/C/COLECCIONES_JARDIN_BOTANICO_UN_MUNDO_TROPICAL/COLECCIONES_JARDIN_BOTANICO_UN_MUNDO_TROPICAL.asp?CodIdioma=ESP&CodSeccion=15&CodMagazin=8&Viene=&NomSeccion=Vis%EDtenos&NomMagazin=Jard%EDn%20Bot%E1nico


Volcanos - Vulcan Irazu and Vulcan Turrialba


Lankester Gardens  -  BEAUTIFUL Orchid Gardens with LOTS of tropical plants!

CACHI

Casa del Sol • House of the Dreamer  -  facebook.com/pages/Casa-del-So%C3%B1ador/430747146988572 - Has beautiful carvings made from the root of the coffee plant and bamboo and beautiful wooden house designed by the now deceased master craftsman Macedonio Quesada.

Cachi Hydro Electric Dam•Presa de Cachi and Lake


There's a new place in this area where you can book Canopy, Bungee Jumping, Rappel, Tarzan Swing, Rappel Xtreme, Big Swing, Canyoning all in one (I can assist with booking you with that!!   Book it through me and receive my guide on "Things to Know Before You Go - to Costa Rica").  Email me to book this - LivingLifeInCostaRica@gmail.com

UJARRAS

Offers some spectacular Vistas and many picnic areas and the RUINS of Costa Rica first colonial church - built in 1570.


For assistance booking any of the tours I mentioned (and did not give a link to) - or other Custom Travel Planning email me at LivingLifeInCostaRica@gmail.com (or just tell them that Vicki with the blog referred you please!!).

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BOOK TOURS OR CUSTOM TRAVEL PLANNING THROUGH US
and receive a
FREE COPY of Vicki's 
"Things to Know Before You Go - 

to Costa Rica"

With helpful hints on things to do/know before you come to Costa Rica, hints/links (and warnings) on getting around (including names of some English-Speaking/gringo standard Customer Service drivers for private transfers/drivers/guides), safety, weather, bus schedules+++.  This is REAL - NOT promotional•sugar coated information!!    A $10 value!

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CONTACT:
LivingLifeInCostaRica@gmail.com 
1-941-312-7569-U.S.#   •   (506) 8-378-6679-within Costa Rica
Skype:  VallartaVicki



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