San José - Costa Rica - page 200

Mora Books BOOKS
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 8383-8385; www.morabooks.com ; Calle 5 btwn Avs 5 & 7; 11am-7pm)
Dog-eared paperbacks in English, Spanish, French and German teeter in precarious towers
atop crammed shelves at this chaotic jumble of a used bookstore. The best place in town
for stocking up on reading material for the road. Hours are hit and miss.
La Casona MARKET
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Calle Central btwn Avs Central & 1; 9:30am-6:30pm Mon-Sat)
Step right up to the number-one tourist trap in Chepe! What you give up in authenticity
you'll make up for in convenience. Various stalls spread out over two floors stock T-shirts,
banana-leaf paper journals and tree-frog stickers. Shop around, as some quality crafts can
be found.
Mercado Central MARKET
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Avs Central & 1 btwn Calles 6 & 8; 6am-6pm Mon-Sat)
This is the best and cheapest place in the city to buy just about anything, from hammocks
(Hecho en Nicaragua) to pura vida T-shirts (made in China) to a vast assortment of forget-
table knickknacks. For something decidedly more Costa Rican, export-quality coffee
beans and cigars can be bought here at a fraction of the price you'll pay in tourist shops.
Mercado Artesanal MARKET
(Crafts Market; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Plaza de la Democracia, Avs Central & 2 btwn Calles 13 & 15;
9am-6pm)
A touristy open-air market that sells everything from handcrafted jewelry and Bob Marley
T-shirts to elaborate woodwork and Guatemalan sarongs.
Rincón del Habano CIGARS
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Calle 7 btwn Avs Central & 1; 9am-6:30pm Mon-Sat, 9:30am-5:30pm Sun)
You'll find a wide selection of cigars in this tiny shop. The international array of stogies
includes brands from Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and Cuba.