SHOPPING IN COSTA RICA      

      Shop for replicas of pre-Columbian jewelry, pottery, miniature oxcarts, jewelry made of semiprecious stones, hand-painted feathers, wood carvings and leather goods. Don't expect to find the array of inexpensive, high-quality handmade articles available in some Central American countries. For local treats such as coffee, rum, coffee liqueur, macadamia nuts and hearts of palm, try shopping at grocery stores or roadside pulperias: The prices are usually much better than in gift shops, and you'll find a wider selection. (Coffee is relatively cheap in Costa Rica: A law requires that a portion of the annual crop remains in the country for domestic consumption).
      Costa Rica has a population that believes strongly in folk medicine. As a result, you'll find stalls in most markets that are run by herbalists displaying plants, spices and other remedies.
      San Jose has some of the best options for shopping (though it may seem at first glance that every other shop is a shoe store or a photography studio). On the weekends, vendors set up shop in Plaza de la Cultura to sell T-shirts, leather goods, jewelry and handicrafts. The stalls on the west end of the Plaza de la Democracia have similar goods.
     The crowded Central Market has practically everything - from fresh produce to souvenirs. Across the street is the Flower Market, which has more handicraft items.
The National Artisans Market sells reproductions of pre-Columbian gold jewelry and wood carvings, and the souvenir marketplace at La Casona offers a substantial supply of affordable gifts.  

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