Parque La Sabana, San Jose, Costa Rica

When the old airport in San Jose became obsolete with the opening of the Juan Santamaria Airport on the road to Alajuela, the government actually chose to do something constructive for the people - they turned the old airport into a big, beautiful park. Included in the park are the National Museum of Art, the National Stadium, a high school, play grounds, riding, biking, and jogging trails, a big lake stocked with bass and other freshwater fish, soccer fields, tennis courts, a boating lake, a children's wading pool, a hilly area for kite flying, picnic tables, woods, fountains, and beautiful plantings. Various countries contributed trees for the park - rainbow bark eucalyptis, Japanese cherry, flowering "pau d'arco", pines, bamboos, African tulip trees and other tropical plants, Several species of duck enjoy the lake, as well. Old folks can sit on benches in the shade and chat or watch a basketball game in progress. Youngsters can use the art cum playground equipment. Middle aged men and women exercise on the jogging trails. The park is always in use and filled not only with people and flora and fauna, but also art works. There are contests at various times throughout the year in every kind of sport imaginable. Vendors of ice cones and snacks and cold drinks are in the park with special permits. They do not overrun the park as they do the city streets. Below are some photos taken during a short time in the park on a Friday at about lunch time.