We needed some supplies for the house, so
Melaney thought we should go to Price Smart.
This is a very large super store in Alajuela. It is an American chain and just opened in
2009. We did shop at the store about
three weeks ago, but Rita was with us and could direct us to the location. Melaney decided to try it on our own.
I
am not in favour of the principle of these chain stores; like Costco in Canada. They
charge a $30 per year membership. I have
never liked the idea of paying a membership to shop at a store. I think they should feel privileged that I
should shop in their store. I suppose
you have to pay the premium to use a store with the large selection that they provide. We bought the membership.
This
store is as large as any in Canada,
and has a huge selection of goods, much of which is imported from the U.S. There is where the high pricing comes in,
because the extra costs in shipping and handling are incorporated in the shelf
price. However, until we can become true
Ticas, we will have to pay the piper.
Now
the adventure was getting to the store.
We knew about where it was located, but in true Costa Rica style, there
are many roads that lead to the same place, and if you overshoot one turn, (and
the roads are very twisty and turny) you can find yourself going around in
circles if you are lucky, and just going off into the far beyond, if you are
not so lucky.
We
left Gigi to herself, which she put up the usual objections, and headed
out. The store doesn’t open until 10 am
so we left at 9:30. It is about half an
hour’s drive into the city. We didn’t do
too badly on the drive, and soon we were in the outskirts of Alajuela. Then the fun began. There are so many roads that look alike. There are many one way streets. Even at 9:45 in the morning, the streets are
busy with all kinds of vehicular traffic and pedestrians. We were being fed into the centre of the
city, and we knew the store was close to the outskirts. I don’t know how Melaney does it; she must
have some kind of homing device built in because by turning a few corners and
backtracking a couple of times, she came right out on the street by the store. I am surprised that a store that big doesn’t
put up some advertising signs directing traffic to their location, but they
don’t. Also, you must understand that
street signs are non-existent. One has
to remember that the correct corner to come home has a Chicken restaurant on one
corner (it is actually a Pizza Hut--Mel), and a cemetery on the other side of the street. The one location that is well advertised on
the road is the direction to Mount
Poas Park
which is the direction that we need to get home. There is only one small item to
remember. At one junction, you don’t go
to the park, but take the other turn which leads into Poas town.
Once we arrive in Poas, we are home
free. We know that town very well now,
and have no more problems.
Each
time we pass the park in the centre of Poas, we remark about how many people
are in the park at any given time of day or day of the week. It’s a busy gathering place, a cool oasis of
shade in the middle of town.
I am really enjoying reading your posts. But even more amazed at Mel finding her way around.
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