Costa Rica, 8/2021 – Cartago – Mirador Sanatorio Durán

The Finca Sanatorio Durán, translated as the Duran Sanatorium Estate, was named after the primary doctor and founder, Carlos Durán Cartín. The hospital was created in the early 1900s as a tuberculosis ward, a disease that Durán’s own daughter had been suffering from. As time went on, the hospital began accepting patients with other ailments including leprosy and mental illness. The Sisters of the Charity of Santa Ana came to the sanitarium to assist the doctor in caring for the growing number of patients.

By the 1960s, larger and more advanced hospitals were established. With the threat of tuberculosis waning and the mentally ill patients transferring to better-equipped hospitals, Sanatorio Durán shut down.

We were told that after the hospital closed down, the building was used as an orphanage and a prison for a short period of time. A large-scale eruption by the neighboring Irazu volcano caused irreparable damage to the building, and it was permanently closed in 1973.

Costa Rica, 8/2021 – Cartago – Basílica de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles

We stopped for lunch in Cartago after visiting Valcan Irazu. There was a service so could not go inside of the church. Interesting history: The Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels is consecrated to the Virgin of Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles, a small representation of the Virgin Mary carrying the infant Jesus, said to have been discovered by a peasant girl in Cartago. Tradition claims that the little girl found the small statue on a rock and took it home. The next morning she found that the statue was not there but back at the rock, so she took it to the priest and he locked it in a small box. The next morning the statue was back at the rock. During the construction, the church was destroyed by earthquakes so many times, it was finally decided to move it to the location where the statue was found and they were able to finish construction. Many people think that the earthquakes were signs that the Lady of Los Ángeles wanted the basilica built there.

Costa Rica, 8/2021 – Braulio Carrillo National Park Route 32

Was with my friend Samuel who was also a pastor of the Lutheran Church. I traveled quite a bit with him to small parishes across the north of Costa Rica. This was a trip back toward San Jose.

Costa Rica, 8/2021 – Arenal – La Fortuna

Visited here with a guide who was willing to take me off of the beaten path.

Costa Rica, 8/2021 – Some Places I walked in San Jose

I walked a lot in San Jose. Organization at the church was loose so I had a lot of free time. I easily walked 40 miles across the city. Probably in some places not recommended yet I never felt unsafe.

Costa Rica, 8/2021 – Saturday Market in San Jose

This market was between my Lutheran hostel in Carmon Barrio and the main plaza in downtown San Jose.