Back in the old days when I rode the MTC around Minneapolis, my view was never like this. But here it is--what I look at as I wait at the bus stop near the truck full of pineapples being sold to passersby.
To get to ICLC, I walk to the corner (5-10 minutes) and get on the Dolce Nombre bus—that’s “sweet number” in English. And sweet it is. It’s a lumbering old Blue Bird school bus painted white with a couple of hot pink stripes around it. I can tell when it is coming because its squeaky brakes announce it.
I ride for 10 minutes or so to the main intersection with the road into Alajuela. There I transfer to the bus that will take me away from the city to the small town of Carrillos near where ICLC is. If I get to the corner by 7:15, I can take the one bus that goes all the way to ICLC. If I go a little later, I get off the bus in Carrillos and take a 5 minute taxi ride the rest of the way. All this public transportation costs me about $2.75—25¢ or 50¢ for the bus, $2 for the taxi. And the bus drivers make change!
That may sound like a pretty complicated path to work. It seemed that way at first, but now I hardly think about it. Most days it’s 45-60 minutes from when I leave home until I arrive at ICLC. Yesterday I hit the timing just right and was there in slightly over 30 minutes. Fast or slow, I enjoy the scenery and watching the people. And I am glad not to be commuting by bike as many do on these busy, narrow roads.
One of the drivers on the Dolce Nombre recognizes Marie and me, so we get an extra-friendly hello and know that he will remember our stop. We also have begun to recognize other regular riders—like one of the security guards at Marie’s school and a couple of people who live on our road. By the time we leave, we will feel like locals.
To get to ICLC, I walk to the corner (5-10 minutes) and get on the Dolce Nombre bus—that’s “sweet number” in English. And sweet it is. It’s a lumbering old Blue Bird school bus painted white with a couple of hot pink stripes around it. I can tell when it is coming because its squeaky brakes announce it.
I ride for 10 minutes or so to the main intersection with the road into Alajuela. There I transfer to the bus that will take me away from the city to the small town of Carrillos near where ICLC is. If I get to the corner by 7:15, I can take the one bus that goes all the way to ICLC. If I go a little later, I get off the bus in Carrillos and take a 5 minute taxi ride the rest of the way. All this public transportation costs me about $2.75—25¢ or 50¢ for the bus, $2 for the taxi. And the bus drivers make change!
That may sound like a pretty complicated path to work. It seemed that way at first, but now I hardly think about it. Most days it’s 45-60 minutes from when I leave home until I arrive at ICLC. Yesterday I hit the timing just right and was there in slightly over 30 minutes. Fast or slow, I enjoy the scenery and watching the people. And I am glad not to be commuting by bike as many do on these busy, narrow roads.
One of the drivers on the Dolce Nombre recognizes Marie and me, so we get an extra-friendly hello and know that he will remember our stop. We also have begun to recognize other regular riders—like one of the security guards at Marie’s school and a couple of people who live on our road. By the time we leave, we will feel like locals.
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