We had a long discussion about the drink-ability of the tap water. As you would expect, most of us are experienced travelers and have at one time or another been told "don't drink the water, don't eat the uncooked food, don't eat the street food"... But Luis, a university student who prefers sitting with us over sitting with the other students even though he speaks not a lick of Inglese, googled for us that CR has had water purification since 1961 and is one of only TWO countries south of the US where you're allowed and welcomed to drink the tap water.

They certainly have no lack of water in this country, as I myself have seen 12 hours of rain on Friday, 5 hours of rain on Saturday... So making this abundance drinkable is a fantastic accomplishment!

These advances do not include the sewage systems, sadly, and (as often seen in India and Thailand) we aren't allowed to flush the paper. In each bathroom and stall there is a trashcan where the paper goes. Conversation in our bedroom confirms that both Australians and Americans are having difficulty with the ick-factor of this. Oh well... I can do anything for 4 months.