Costa Rica — Tattoo’s and Money (Part Seven)

Alex Gallo J Tattoo 

When we arrived back in San Jose, my kids and I wanted to get a tattoo to memorialize our time in Costa Rica. While in the hotel, we all committed to researching the local tattoo scene and finally agreed upon trying to schedule with artist Alex Gallo J. I contacted him via WhatsApp and was able to schedule four of us to receive tattoos at his shop. Upon our arrival, he met us outside and then escorted our group to his second-floor studio. 

The studio was clean, sparsely decorated, and lacked air conditioning. Other than having to rely on fans to cool us down, Alex had to be one of the better tattoo artists I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. His line work and attention to detail was exemplary. One of my adult children made the observation that he was meticulous to the point of perfectionism and she was right. His fees were also reasonable, charging about $70.00 US per hour. 

The location of his studio was in the Alajuela suburb of San Jose which was an interesting place to explore because during the day, the neighborhood was a bustling area with narrow cobblestone streets, old world architecture, aging infrastructure, and limited parking. When we first arrived to his studio in the mid-afternoon, traffic was snarled and the streets were clogged with people. By the time we left (around 12:30AM), the streets were literally deserted. It was an eerie feeling driving back to the hotel, and made me feel as if I was missing something or maybe there was a curfew I wasn’t aware of. Nevertheless, it was a great travel experience and memory. 

Money

We were told to by several people who been to Costa Rica to exchange approximately $200.00 US dollars to the Costa Rican currency (Colones). I followed their advice, but definitely disagree with them after spending time in San Jose, Jaco, Parrita, Quepo, Playa Hermosa, and Playa Espadilla Norte. From my point of view and personal experience in Costa Rica, we primarily used our credit card for most transactions. If we didn’t use our credit card, then we used US dollars which were accepted everywhere (renting surfboards and boogie boards, paying for parking, paying for food and drinks, tipping, buying gifts, you get the hint). In addition, there were several places that declined accepting the Colones currency and told us to use our credit card instead! Bottom line is you can use Colones currency and deal with the confusing exchange rate (during our stay it was approximately 5,000 Colones equaled $9.00 US) or keep it simple by using your credit card and/or US cash. My advice is to keep US ones, fives, and tens handy for smaller transactions and pay for larger tabs like restaurant meals and drinks, gifts, guided tours, or adventures with your credit card.