The Walk to School

We walk to and from school each day (about 2.5 km) and this is just one of the many hazards we encounter.  The sidewalks are VERY uneven, if there is even a sidewalk.  There are also random holes everywhere.  This one is about 2' x 3' and at least 3' deep.  They also don't use maps, addresses, street names, or GPS - so all directions are given by landmarks.  Here are some of the landmarks I follow each day.

From our house, we walk up the street until we see the yoga place, and then we turn right.

Then when we see the pharmacy, we turn left.

Across the street from the pharmacy is this thing that is covered in graffiti - this is also a landmark for us to turn left.

Then, when we see the little store with the Nestea sign painted on it, we turn right.

When we see the blue gate next to a church (below), we turn right again.

The blue gate and the church.  If you look in the lower right corner of the photo, you can see this is an area with no sidewalk.

I didn't take a picture of it, but we turn left at the University of Costa Rica and then go all the way down the street until we pass the big orange building.  The school is about three blocks past the big orange building, which is an often-used landmark.  I think they like to use it because it is a multi-story building and it's easy to spot from many places.  It is called an outlet mall, but it's not like the outlet malls in the United States.  So, that's our 2.5 km walk each day.