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Introduction: The Long Way to Costa Rica
Missed United Airlines Flight from OKC
Irregular Operations on United Airlines
Review: Landry’s Seafood – Houston Intercontinental Airport
Missed Flight on American Airlines from Miami
Review: Springhill Suites by Marriott – Miami Airport South
Review: American Express Centurion Lounge Miami
Review: American Airlines (737-800) Economy Class Miami to San Jose, Costa Rica
Review: El Camino Del Vino
We had an eventful time getting to Costa Rica, but our time there was more about relaxation. I did take my friends to Crocodile Bridge and Jaco Beach. For out last night in Costa Rica, we decided to stay at the Marriott Costa Rica. I have stayed at the property in the past and wanted to experience it again. We were supposed to stay at the hotel our first night in Costa Rica, but we missed our flight out of Miami.
On this occasion, we were deciding what to do on our last night in San Jose. While having a drink at the bar, I noticed many people entering the main ballroom. I inquired about the event with the concierge, Kimberly. She informed me that it was due to “El Camino Del Vino, which translates to The Road of Wine. Did we just stumble upon a wine festival?! I asked Kimberly for specifics, but instead of only telling me about the event, she offered to give me a tour of it.
The first stop was the registration booth where Kimberly introduced us to the staff. I was told that the entrance fee was $40 USD, which was reasonable. The fee came with a full sized wine glass for tasting. The staff also informed me that there were more than 300 wines from 5 different continents.
Kimberly took us inside. The place was packed with people. The ballroom was separated into three rows with a snake pattern traffic flow. What that means is that the traffic flowed one way, for the most part. Patrons could exit at the end of row three and reenter, but a lot of the others went against the traffic to taste a particular wine again.
The first two rows had wine tasting/selling on either side, while the third row only had one. Near the entrance was a guy playing music and people were gathered nearby taking it all in. At the end of the second row, on the right side, was a buffet of hors d’oeuvres and soup. This was a great idea, but it created a traffic jam.
The third row had wine tasting/selling on the left side. At the end of the third row and across the hall was another ballroom. It was setup for the performance that would occur at the conclusion of the wine tasting event.
My friends and I briefly talked it over and decided to take in the event. I thanked Kimberly for the tour and wished her a good night. The wine event was the first one that I had gone to in a long time and it did not disappoint. There were some amazing wines, delicious food, and an overall positive atmosphere.
Final Word
While the trip to Costa Rica was an adventure, El Camino Del Vino was an excellent way to cap off the trip. If Kimberly did not take us on the tour, I do not know if I would have entered the venue. Thank you Kimberly and thanks Marriott Costa Rica for a another great time.
