Costa Rica Rainy Season Dries Up Business for Some

Germán Viales grumbled something under his breath Tuesday afternoon as thunder warned him of the rain that would soon dampen his table of lottery tickets if he didn’t move.

He picked up his portable table from the cobblestone walkway outside the San José Courthouse and moved it under the cover of the cement awning outside the headquarters of the Judicial Investigation Police building.

“Very bad,” Viales said of the rainy season which is approaching the Central Valley. “There’s no one to sell to. No one’s out.” Except for a lone man selling umbrellas, the streets were soon clear, as most

people went inside or huddled under the awning.

After a year characterized by torrential storms and unusually heavy rainfall – in 2008, the country recorded more rain than it had in over six decades – the National Meteorological Institute is predicting a relatively normal rainy season this year.

But in Costa Rica, normal still means wet.

– Daniel Shea

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