Edmonton , General info:
8/10

Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta, located on the North Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is an area with some of the most fertile farmland on the prairies. It is the second largest city in Alberta after Calgary, and is the hub of Canada's sixth largest census metropolitan area, with a metropolitan population of 1,034,945, making it the northernmost North American city with a metropolitan population over one million. At 684 square kilometres (264 sq mi), the City of Edmonton covers an area larger than Chicago, Philadelphia, Toronto or Montreal. Edmonton has one of the lowest population densities in North America, about 9.4% that of New York City. A resident of Edmonton is known as an Edmontonian.

Edmonton , Cheap stuff:
8/10

Edmonton serves as the northern anchor of the Calgary-Edmonton Corridor (one of four regions that together comprise 50% of Canada's population) and is a staging point for large-scale oil sands projects occurring in northern Alberta and large-scale diamond mining operations in the Northwest Territories.

Edmonton , Different stuff:
10/10

Edmonton is the most northerly major city in North America. At the summer solstice, Edmonton receives seventeen hours and six minutes of daylight, with twilight extending well beyond that. Edmonton receives 2,289 hours of sunshine per year, and is one of Canada's sunniest cities.

Edmonton , Don't miss:
9/10

The Edmonton International Fringe Festival, which takes place in mid-August, is the largest Fringe Theatre Festival in North America, and second only to the Edinburgh Fringe festival in the world. More than 1500 performers take part in the festival each year. In 2006, over 77,000 tickets were sold to indoor shows, and over 500,000 people visited the festival site.

San Jose , General info:
8/10

San José is the capital and largest city of Costa Rica. Located in the center of the country, sprawling across the Central Valley, the city is the seat of the government, the focal point of political and economic activity, as well as the major transportation hub of this Central American nation.

San Jose , Cheap stuff:
9/10

Super markets and grocers usually have better prices than shops that cater to tourists.

San Jose , Different stuff:
9/10

There are no street addresses in San Jose, or for that matter, in Costa Rica. This does create problems. People here give directions by referring to landmarks.

San Jose , Don't miss:
9/10

Gold Museum, which offers a rare look at various gold artifacts of the ancient Latin American civilizations. The collection consists of 1600 pieces of Pre-Columbian gold work dating from 500 AD to 1500 AD. Information is given on the processing and making of the pieces as well as their social, cultural and religious meanings.

San Jose , Food:
8/10

Restaurants in San Jose, Costa Rica, offer dining opportunities that span the globe. From sushi to Italian, from fast food to French cuisine to Argentine beef to Peruvian seafood, you will find far more than just rice and beans in local restaurants

San Jose , Hotels:
9/10

San Jose is full of hotels from one star to perhaps three. Just a few luxury hotels with great service.

San Jose , Safety:
9/10

The traffic is dangerous. Cars don't stop for pedestrians, and they generally drive fast. The area around the Coca Cola Bus Terminal is not safe at night, and you should watch your belongings at all times in the city. If you have a flat tire on the main highway to the airport, don't accept help except from an established service station, and never accept help from a person who offers to help on the highway. It may become a car-jacking. If you travel by bus, never put your luggage into the storage space, even if the driver wants you to at the beginning of the travel. Crime is a serious problem, so be constantly on the alert. Also, police may stop you and take you to jail for not carrying your passport, or a photocopy of the main page and the entry stamp.