posted by Travel Cat on May 23
In this post I will quickly run down what there is in the Santa Elena/Monteverde Region in terms of eating as well as tour information and the bank.
First Things First:
If you have booked accommodation in advance, go straight there and check in. Many hotels and other accommodation here have their own sources of local information and companies they like to recommend. Find out all about what your own hotel has to say before heading out as there are one or two touts in town who will pester you if you don’t have the right info. There are PLENTY of tour shops in town all trying to convince you of their best deals - but don’t buy the first ‘deal’ you see - make sure you shop around first.
If your hotel seems a bit unhelpful or has little information for you (or only speak their own version of Spanish that you can’t understand - as happened to us) then head to the Pension Santa Elena, (just down from the bank) where the staff are a fountain of all knowledge and can recommend the best of everything and get you picked up from outside your own hotel.
Eating in Town:
If you are on a mega-tight budget, then don’t eat in town - most hostels and pensions have shared kitchens - so go to the big ’supermercado’ on the corner of the main street and stock up there. They have bulk buy offers on staples like beans, rice and cereals as well as 5 litre bottles of water.
Maravilla Cafe- This little eatery opposite the bus station is great for all meals, whether it’s a giant gallo pinto for breakfast or a huge omelet you want - served with fresh fruit juice, then get here before 11am. Come back later for a soft tortilla or a burger and fries, or dinner of a pork or vegetarian casado with a hot chocolate. Most dishes are less than $5, with drinks around $1. The staff are polite and there is plenty of room to bring larger parties of travellers inside to share stories.
Morpho Restaurant-This cafe round past the supermercado is upstairs and double the price of Maravilla, but you do get better service including cloth napkins and more decoration - mainly butterfly related. They offer many vegetarian dishes and their food is delicious. Most dishes are around $10 and drinks $2.
The Tree House Restaurant- This showpiece is on the main road and has a giant tree growing out the middle of it. We didn’t eat in here ourselves as the menu was much more expensive than we cared to spend (seeing as the Maravilla was about 5 shops down) but never-the-less it was always full of people up there - and you got free Internet with your food.
Chunches Cafe- This little mezzanine to the Store opposite Pension Santa Elena has some basic dishes at very reasonable prices, including cakes. The staff are very helpful and usually English speaking so you don’t just have to point to the menu and smile. They also offer free Wi-Fi to customers and free or cheap books in all languages.
There was also a lovely little bakers to the right of Maravilla’s (as you face it) that is open very early in the mornings and serves the most tempting pastries, hot out of the oven. With fresh bread available as well and take-away coffee this is definitely the place to visit before that early morning bus to San Jose or a trip round the rain-forest! Prices range from less than $1.
The Bank- Now this was an adventure! The entrance to the building is across a very nice car-park and the security guard will let you inside. In this lobby there are 2 ATM’s and a selection of lockers. What for you ask? Well you are not allowed to take and bags inside the bank, you must choose a locker. Then you pass through a little screening ‘box’ where you have to step inside and let the door behind you close before it scans. If it doesn’t like you the door behind you will open again and you will be checked. If you pass their screening the door to the bank opens and you walk in. No hats to be worn in here, and the barriers are drawn on the floor.
It seems that every single thing done in here needs a duplicate receipt printed, so the queue moves very slowly indeed. I was about 7th in line when I entered (my partner was refused entry so had to wait in the lobby). After about 10 minutes we hadn’t moved - the only thing moving were the printers, throwing out endless paper to be signed. One woman already at a counter wandered off to get herself a glass of water she had been there so long. Good job they had MythBusters on the TV to pass the time.
After about 30 minutes I got to the front! I wrote down my withdrawal amount as the cashier spoke no English, then watched him punching details in to his computer. He disappeared off to confirm my card details then came back and starting printing stuff out - then he froze. Then he wandered off.
He finally came back with another staff member who spoke to me - ‘There’s been a problem’. Oh no, what’s happened? My partner was sitting outside - I didn’t want to lose my place in the queue - ‘What’s the problem?’. Phew, it turns out that he had typed in $4 less than I wanted due to the exchange rates (my card was in £’s, the bank dealt in local Colones, and I wanted $’s).
He looked so relieved when I said that everything was ok! I signed about half a dozen receipts then we were done. I left the bank.
45 minutes after entering!!!
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