Sweet dolphin tour

February 1: 92 degrees

We're behind on the daily blogs, so Kasia is kindly letting me take a shot at our first full day in Puerto Jimenez.  

Golfo Dulce at high tide

This day came complete with one of the coolest experiences we've had on our trip, a dolphin tour of Golfo Dulce.   After a delay in our trip due to an unexpectedly low tide, eight tourists, a tour guide and a boat captain set out into the gulf.

Golfo Dulce means "sweet gulf", and it got this name because fresh water flows into it from numerous rivers.  The fresh water rises to the top of the salty sea water and it makes the water look like glass.  It's gorgeous!

Plus, we're on a boat! A small one.  And I'm able to sit on the front of it and dip my feet in the water as we speed away from shore.  After about 20 minutes, we've located the gigantic pod of spotted dolphins.  They are jumping and playing and swimming all around us.  It. Was. Awesome.  And because of my seat at the front of the boat, I had a prime view of the few dolphins who wanted to watch us, swimming right in front if the boat, just below my dangling feet.  If I saw it on tv, I would swear it was all done with a computer...it was so clear and detailed that it seemed fake.   

We have some awesome dolphin videos, but only this sad little pic. 

Also on the boat with us was a couple from Virginia and 4 guys from Czech Republic.  The guy from Virginia, Bob, was about 60 and we got to talking about our trip, our jobs (that we quit them to travel), and traveling in general.   He said to me, "Sounds to me like you have made a very wise decision" and he proceeds to tell me that he's done that about 5 times.  The dude has been everywhere! He traveled In the 1970s through Mexico and South America.  He's lived in Thailand.  In India. In Mexico.  Hell, he was in Costa Rica doing architectural work for a national park and they bring him to Costa Rica a few times a year.  He was such an interesting guy.

Our tour guide, Josh, was from Seattle and had been doing tours in Puerto Jimenez for about 10 years.   He told us there was a band playing at a bar just outside of town that night, so we went.  We were early to the show, and we couldn't tell if the bar was open, if food was available, or whether we wanted to be there.   But since we'd taken a taxi to get there, we decided to give it a try.   And they did indeed have beer, which helped.  We sat at the bar and listened to music and met some other folks who were mostly from the USA and fans of the band.  One guy told us we must go see Cabo Matapaolo, and invited us to his house for a beer if we made it down there.

After a few beers and a couple of skewers of grilled meat on a stick, we headed out.  We walked instead of taking a taxi.  It was a pleasant walk, but about halfway back a drunk Tico teenager decided he could probably get some love and kisses from any girl who walked by.  He was harmless, but tried hard. His friend, who was on a bike, was not drunk and kept the situation cooly under control.  It wasn't unsafe or scary, but the drunken bravado of a 17-year-old boy is the same in many cultures.

Surprise! Some boats got caught in the unexpectedly low tide.   No fishing for you today.

Welcome to the Osa Peninsula

January 31: 93 degrees

We are on the move again today.  Our final destination is Puerto Jimenez in the Osa Penninsula.  As we drive south, the landscape is what I imagined Costa Rica to look like. It is lush, green with exotic plants and trees, and shows very few signs of development.  Every picture taken with our mediocre camera doesn't even begin to capture the essence of its beauty.  

Our first glimpse of the gulf

The first leg of our trip is fairly straightforward until we turn just outside of Chacarita. From this point, we wind our way up and down mountain sides blown away by nature all around us.  The further we drive, we begin to see signs of the gulf.  We pull over to get a picture, and again it just doesn't capture the stillness, the sounds nor the enormity of the moment.

Finally, we arrive in Puerto Jimenez and try to check into our cabina.  The woman looks at us strangely and asks if we had a reservation.  For a moment, our hearts pound as we have selected Puerto Jimenez as one of the places we were going to settle for  five days and splurge on a place with more amenities.  After showing the woman our online confirmation she makes a phone call to confirm.  Apparently our reservation was stuck in their spam filter, but she is going to check to see if our room was ready.  She waves us over indicating it is ready.  Relief.

Mandy settling in too soon at Cabinas Jimenez

In the middle of unpacking, the woman from the front desk stops by to tell us that they are double booked for the next day and asks us if she can help us find a place to stay for the night.  After a long day of travel and the anticipation of settling in for a few days we think, "What the f@&$k? Why not help the other people move since they are only staying one night?" But we remain calm, and we know it isn't her fault.  The woman apologizes for the mix up and explains that the other reservation was actually made before ours.  Dammit.  We agree to stay somewhere else for a night.  It pains us because we have a great little room with a fantastic private porch that overlooks the gulf.  Oh well, we will take this as an opportunity to explore other parts of town.

We settle in by only unpacking for the night.  Now, it is time to explore the town.  Exiting our room, we meet a couple from Canada named Bill and Michelle.  They were hanging out at the pool just outside of our room.  I can't remember how we even started talking to them but we engaged in conversation for about an hour.  We talked a lot about travel.  Places we've been, places they have been, favorite places, etc.  We even told them that we quit our jobs to experience the world for a while.  Their response similar to just about everyone we have told.  We are congratulated and encouraged to do it every chance that we get.  Bill himself, although retired now, has taken time off to travel about 4 times in his life.  Now, he is making a retirement out of it.  It feels refreshing to be around others who feel similarly about life and the worth of experiences.  It is so easy to get caught up in the day to day that we often forget about this huge world around us and all that it has to offer.

Finally leaving our place, Cabinas Jimenez, we venture out to check out the town and grab dinner.  Puerto Jimenez is a small town with a handful of restaurants, bakeries, a cafe, a produce shop and many tourist shops offering any tour imaginable related mainly to Corcovado National Park. Because of its hard-to-reach location in the gulf, Puerto Jimenez has its own airport.  Only a handful of small charter planes and inter-Costa Rica flights come in and out.  It's cool to watch the planes take off and land. 

We cut through town and head toward the gulf for a bite to eat.  Tucked behind a very small beach is a restaurant where we sit to have a bite.   In front of us are many locals enjoying the beach and picnic tables.  Mostly families.  Looking around us, Puerto Jimenez appears to be a small and humble community with a strong sense of family.

Town of Puerto Jimenez

Exploring around Uvita and Marino Ballena

January 30: 86 degrees

As we left our hammock bed from the night before, the owner told us of a beautiful beach that is amazing during low tide.  If we hurried, we could get there in time to see it.  We were now heading for Playa Ventanas.  When we arrived, we had to pay a couple of dollars to park but it bought us someone to watch the car while we head to the beach.  That peace of mind is important since all of our stuff is in the trunk.  After we parked, we walked through a beautiful garden to get to the beach.  Once we set foot on sand, we were blown away by the beauty of this place.

The caves at Playa Ventanas ("windows" in Espanol)

There was barely anyone on the beach yet, so it felt very private.  We headed directly toward the caves so that we could walk through them before the tide rose and filled them with water.  We enter the caves slowly not knowing what to expect.  We can see the ocean on the other side as more and more water begins to splash in.  The cave is dark and long and, for some reason, we are acting like we are in a haunted house and just waiting for something to jump out at us.  We walk closer and closer to the end wondering if we can make it to the other side.  As more and more waves come crashing in, we stop just short of the other side.  I know...chickens.

The view at Playa Ventanas from the water. 

As the tide begins to rise, we go explore the rest of the beach.  Looking around us, we are surrounded by palm trees that are being hugged by the jungle.  Ahead of us is a couple of islands poking their heads out of the ocean and a string of pelicans grazing the tops of the rolling waves.  It is as peaceful as it is beautiful.  We lay down a blanket to take it all in and relax before we check into our room.

The balcony and yoga area at our hostel.  A private room and private bathroom for $32/night? Yes please! 

We are heading to a new place to stay today, and it is a bit up in the mountains.  It is at a hostel called Cascada Verde (small, green waterfall).  This hostel just "feels good" when we walk in.  Most of it is open to the elements that surround it and it is tucked into the jungle.  The owners are playing some soft and soothing music and the people we interact with are extremely friendly.  We no sooner find out that Cascada Verde was formally a yoga retreat.  "That explains it!"

We settled in and saw signs for a nearby waterfall.  "Let's go check it out!"  Less than a quarter mile up the mountain side, we find a trail to the waterfall.  There is a pleasant mix of both tourists and local Ticos there.  We finally make it to the base of the waterfall.  Mandy wants to jump off a rock into the tide pool.  It's not that far, but it's still a bit of a jump.  It is brisk yet refreshing! We sit upon a couple of rocks in the water and watch four Tico boys dive and flip into the water.  They even climb to the top of the falls (maybe 25-30 feet up) and slide down it like a large water slide.  Soon, some of the tourists join.  At this moment, I turn to Mandy and say, "Don't even think about doing it! I am not carrying you around after you get hurt." With a sad but understanding look on her face, she agrees.

Sorry, no risking our camera during the waterfall swim.  This is from downstream. 

Funny how life just works itself out

January 29:  88 degrees

We are on an early rise today.  We are renting a vehicle for the first time during our adventure.  I think, deep down, we are thrilled to have this luxury.  In our minds, a vehicle equals freedom.

We are now going to travel down the Pacific coast and to the Osa Penninsula.  Everyone we have talked to thus far said this is a "must see" in Costa Rica.

Since travel is going to be a 4-5 hour trip, we decide to take our time and spend the night about half way in the town of Uvita.  Along the way, we have heard of a couple of other recommended beaches.  Now that we have our new found freedom, we have nothing but time on our hands.  We search for the little signs on the side of the road that indicate where the dirt road to the beach is.  We find Playa Matapalo just North of Domincal.  We pull up to this beautiful beach and there are only a few people there.  It continues to baffle us just how very few people occupy these beaches.

Thank you Frankie! 

In Matapalo, we back in the SUV and open up the back to watch the waves roll in.  Within minutes, we were approached by a man who was trying to sell coconuts.  At first, we said no but then he came back in about 5 minutes to just sit and talk.  This gentleman's name is Frankie and he is trying to practice his English.  Mandy is thrilled with this because it gives her the green light to practice her Spanish.  The conversation with Frankie was an extremely enjoyable one.  Right before we departed, we did buy a coconut after all.

We drove south to Playa Dominical, which was equally enjoyable but much different.  This beach was full of artisans and surfers.  The nearby streets were lined with restaurants, tour shops, surf shops and a plethora of rooms to rent.

Playa Dominical view just steps from the beach

Now we head to our final destination, Uvita.  Our roommates at the Manuel Antonio hostel recommended a place that was nice and cheap.  Just up our alley!  We search for a couple of hours with no luck.  Keep in mind that most roads are unmarked and asking for directions don't always get you where you want to go.  Bottom line, we were looking for a place that no longer existed.  We finally found someone who knew it and said the owner just closed up the business and that is common here. Ok, I guess we aren't sleeping there tonight.

We search for a while longer but now, the sun is starting to go down and it is going to be difficult to find a place.  We check out a few more but they all seem to be going up in price.  We look at each other and decide to stop our search.  We have a large vehicle and we can sleep in it for a night.  "Let's go have a beer."

We pull up to a place and feel good about being off the road. We toasted to the decision.  To make a long story short, (because Mandy already blogged about this part), we meet some people at the bar and hang for a couple of hours.  It turns out that we end up getting an offer to stay at this guy's house for the night.  Four of the people we met were heading there for the night.  One of them was a musician who was going to be playing in an upcoming music festival in town.

We all follow each other back to this dude's house and it was phenomenal.  He owns a huge beautiful home, his kitchen is open to the outside and his dining room is on his upper deck.  He also owns 3 cabinas that he rents out to people and also sets up several different types of tours in the area.  Score!

We had a great night with new and kind friends.  We even got a mini concert from the musician.  At the end of the night, Mandy and I slept on a hammock on the upper deck that is also a platform for yoga classes.  What an unexpected night.  Funny how life just works itself out sometimes.

Our perfectly comfortable bed for a night

Things that might freak out an American

Kids driving motorcycles

Parents driving their kids on the front of motorcycles

Family of four on one motorcycle

No helmets on motorcycles or bikes

No hairnets, clothing requirements or gloves for restaurant cooks or food preparers

Walking in the street in all directions (people and animals)

Vehicle passing and "understood" driving rules

Unsupervised children diving off bridges into rivers to cool off

Diving off waterfalls (nature's water slide)

Dogs in public restaurants

Dogs off leashes

We swear the bugs are bigger here.  Yes, that is a standard size key. 

Teenagers drinking beer in public

Bugs in hotels

Waiting. And waiting. And waiting for service at bars and restaurants

The Honor System still works!

Buying drugs like Benadryl, one pill at a time

Pharmaceutical drugs, like antibiotics, that anyone can ask for/buy without prescription 

Using your car horn to say hello or other greetings

Geckos in your home

No windows in your home

You live in nature's home

Guys walking around with big machete 

Frequency of ants on you, in your shirt, on your neck, etc.

Geckos falling on you from the ceiling

Iguanas engaging in a "stare off" for your porch space

No AC

Spending a day in a pool of your own sweat

House roofs are awnings

Sleeping in mosquito nets

Walking, riding bikes/motorcycles or taking the bus (cars are often too expensive)

No guard rails around dirt mountain roads where you are in danger of driving off a cliff

No rails on bridges over rivers.

Driving your car through rivers and water.

Not knowing if you're on a main road or in someone's driveway

Cicada-infested kitchens

Toilet paper goes in the trash can, not in the toilet

Best beach by far - clearest

January 28:  91  degrees

Today, we get up early to go to Manuel Antonio National Park.  We hear that our chances of seeing a lot of wildlife is much greater in the morning.  Since we opted for a tour guide, they came to pick us up from the hostel.

The tour guides are equipped with some high-powered telescopes and it seems like most things are only visible this way.  As a matter of fact, halfway through the tour, we are convinced that they are placing slides of animals in front of the telescope before we look in.

Sleepy sloth

As soon as we walk into the park, the guide sets up and spots an animal that is half iguana, half snake (Mandy doesn't believe that this is true -- she's trying to tell me it was just a baby iguana -- but I know what he said). I try hard to see it with my naked eye but I cannot.  We make our way into the park and it feels much like Disneyland.  It is crowded with tourists and we are carefully having to walk around each other to stay with our group.  We make our way down the path and we are able to see a deer, spiders, bats, monkeys, insects and sloths.  It really was a cool experience.

Tucan sighting

The path ends at one of a few beaches that are part of the national park.  As a group, we stop to have snacks and drinks as we try to fight off the monkeys and raccoons for our food.  A good tip that we might be able to take home was to deter a raccoon by kicking up sand in its face.  This was before we realized that sand is not so readily available in our backyard in Ohio.  Will keep the tip though.

Our trail snack attracting monkeys and raccoons  

Upon finishing up the tour, we are allowed to stay at one of the beaches if we wish.  Our tour guide recommends the last beach before exiting the park.  We soon find out why.

There was only one other couple at this beach and the water is the clearest I have seen so far in Costa Rica.  We were a little hesitant to get into this water because the waves were big, the tide high and we weren't sure of any rip tides.  We figured the tour guide wouldn't have recommended it if it weren't ok.  Right?

We get into the water by a steep entrance from the sand.  Once we were in, we were in for quite a ride!  The waves were high and we could feel a pull from both in front and behind us.  But the pull wasn't strong and it actually was quite safe for a swim.  We were getting a little thrashed around and loving it.  An older couple joined us later and the woman got stuck in the waves on shore.  Just as soon one pushed her over, another one came crashing, not allowing her to get her footing.  She began to laugh either hysterically or nervously.  Nonetheless, you can tell she was having fun.  We all were.

Later, we return to our hostel and meet a couple that moved into the bedroom next door.  We will be sharing our kitchen and bathroom with them.  Katrina and David are a couple in their early 30s traveling from Quebec.  It didn't take long for the chemistry amongst us to show, and before you knew it, we were eating Wanda's Pierogies, the couple was sharing quesadillas Katrina made, and we were drinking together.  Our chats and cheer lasted about 6 hours that night.  I think we made some new friends.

Homemade Polish Pierogies in Paradise

January 27: 92 degrees

First up today was to try and move rooms.  Luckily Mandy got online last night and found a hostel with the desired combo of great reviews, availability and a private bedroom.  We head up the hill to Vista Serena.  Great view.  Cool people.  Clean room. What a find! 

Sunset view from Vista Serena Hostel

As we stay in Manuel Antonio, we are too close not to visit the town of Quepos.  Before we left for Costa Rica, we thought that Quepos may be a place to spend 3-4 weeks of our time.  We were told of a great little restaurant right next to the bus station.  We take the bus there and split some food and drinks there.  The restaurant is open air and is located on an intersection which makes for some great people watching.  The street is busy with both vehicle and foot traffic.  Vendors are selling fresh fruit out of the back of their truck across the street.  We casually enjoy the stop but someone along the way had told us of a place called, "Wacky Wanda's".  We decide to check it out. 

We walk into Wacky Wanda's, sat down to have a drink and then, our lives were changed. Mandy notices a sign behind the bar about Polish people and points it out to me.  A woman at the end of the bar notices and asks if we are Polish.  Not knowing what answer she is expecting, Mandy decides to tell the truth.  "Yes, we are Polish but Kasia is VERY Polish."  The woman gets up and moves towards us.  We are now talking to Wacky Wanda herself and she is LOADED.  However, she seems genuinely excited to be talking to a couple of gringos.  She very quickly goes into a rant of deep-rooted Republican conservatism, assuming we share her point of view.  We listen intently as we begin to notice signed photographs of Bush senior and junior on her wall.  She explained how a few musicians have come into and out of Wacky Wanda's as well.  We listen politely but I know Mandy and I are thinking similar things right now.  Both of us are smirking in curiosity of where the conversation will take us.  We can't stop Wanda now. She prepares herself another drink.

We continue our conversation with Wanda and decide to just make the most of it.  By this time, Wanda began to talk about Polish food.  Before we knew it, she was packing us a bag of a dozen perogies, a stick of butter and a lime.  Holy shit, we just scored dinner for tomorrow night.

We leave Wacky Wanda's a little later than we expected so it was time to catch a bus back to our hostel.  We walked and laughed about the crazy conversations that were just had. We also wondered how it is that where we end up in these situations where people offer us, help us or accompany us in some unforgettable times in our life.

Definitely won't be forgetting Wanda anytime soon!

Whales!

January 26: 92 degrees

Today, we leave Montezuma to explore southern Costa Rica along the Pacific coast.  We are not exactly sure of our final destination but know that we will be taking a water taxi to Jaco.  The water taxi is about an hour ride across the gulf.  The boat is relatively small and boards about 12 people and their bags.  We get started and are quickly filled with excitement for the experience.  We love being on the water and today, the sun is warm and we have a pleasant and constant breeze on our faces.  We look off into the distance periodically to capture any signs of wildlife that may be around us.  About 40 minutes into our trip, I look off to the left and see something spectacular!  I point it out to the crew...it's a whale!

Whale sighting just outside of Jaco

The crew quickly steers the boat in that direction and as we get closer, we realize there is more than one.  We spent the next 15-20 minutes following four whales along the coast.  The crew was as excited as the rest of us and explained how rare this sighting was at this time of year.  The whales tend to come around during the rainy season which ended in December.  The whales were playing by jumping out of the water and splashing their tails.  This, by far, was the coolest and most unexpected part of Costa Rica to date.

We finally get to Jaco and the beach we land upon is absolutely crowded.  We learn that we are actually just outside of Jaco and they have arranged for a cab to take us into town.  When we get into town, it is very busy and bustling.  Small shops, bars, surfing, lots of cars, etc.  It just didn't feel like a place in which we wanted to stay.  In fact, we were advised that there wasn't much to see and do there and our time is much better spent a little south.

We begin to walk the streets in search of a car rental.  We stop to three places within a half mile of each other with no luck of an available rental for that moment. Looks like we are going to bus it.  We know that we would like to end up in the Quepos/Manuel Antonio area.  We catch the bus and for the next couple of stops we are picking up others who were on the water taxi from Montezuma as well.  It appears that a lot of us "backpackers" are on a similar logical travel itinerary.  We are finally dropped off at the bus station in Quepos and trying to decide if we want to grab lunch and a room there or if we continue on to Manuel Antonio.  We turn around and a couple are grabbing a taxi and ask us if we would like to split the cost.  In a flash, we decide to march on to Manuel Antonio.

We are dropped off near the National Park and it has the feel of Disneyland.  Cars scouting for parking and people being dropped off by the bus loads.  It is close to sunset, it has been a long, hot travel day and we still don't have a place to stay.  We walk up and down a narrow road of hotels and restaurants when we were approached by a gentleman selling tickets to the park.  Seeing our bags, he also asks if we need a room for the night.  At first we tell him no but, again, it is getting later in the day.  He shows us a room in what looks like a motel and it is basic, clean, has a shower, ideal price range and within feet of the National Park that we would like to visit in the morning.  We take it and just as the gentleman hands over the keys, he informs us that the park is not opened on Mondays.  Shit.  At least we have a place to stay for the night.  We will figure out the rest mañana.

We drop off our bags and head to the beach to catch the sunset.  It never disappoints.

Sunset on Manuel Antonio beach

Montezuma bus stop

January 25: 94 degrees

Today we are in Montezuma and it is a very small town with lots of artisans, some musicians and a couple of bars and restaurants.  It has one very small grocery store in which they call a "Mini Super".  The feel in Montezuma is a bit hippyish with yoga classes around every corner.  The town is at the southern tip of the Nicoya region and requires travel through the dirt roads of the mountains to get there.

We notice that most of the locals do not live there.  They only come to the town to work and/or for some of the nightly activities.  The town is full of tourists who gather at certain times of day on the beach for either a tour or a water taxi to the other side of the gulf.

Today,  we decided to catch the bus to check out Cabo Blanco National Park in a neighboring town.  We head over to the bus stop and wait.  Here, we expect a regular bus that we have seen pull into town often.  Instead, a much smaller vehicle arrives with a small sign in its window indicating that it is the bus to Cabo Blanco.  So we board and try to pay for the trip.  The driver signals us to have a seat and pay later.  We have a seat and we wait about 20 minutes.  The longer we sit the more we begin to question whether or not this is the right bus.  What can possibly be the hold up?  Was the bus early?  Does it always casually wait this long?  What are we waiting for?  Suddenly, another much larger bus pulls up and drops off passengers.  A few hop onto our bus and we head off.

Our ride was full of views of empty lots, some cows and a few houses along this dirt road.  We stop a couple of times to pick up locals who know this bus route even though there is no official bus stop.  As long as they are on the route, they can flag down the bus anywhere to be picked up.  Sometimes, there are locals along the route to catch the bus to have goods delivered to other people along the route.

Anyway, we arrive at Cabo Blanco National Park at the entrance sign.  It requires about a quarter-mile hike just to get to the visitors center and hiking trails.  We are welcomed by a small information center that describes the three different trails that we can take.  We opt for the middle trail that should take about two hours to complete.  Off we go!

Hiking Cabo Blanco National Park

There are very few other people on the trails so, most of the time, it feels as though it is just Mandy and I.  We intently look and listen for any sign of wildlife.  All we saw that day was a white tail deer, and we heard howler monkeys in the distance.  The good news is that we got our exercise for the day.

We return to our room that is located on the grounds of a yoga retreat.  It is very quiet and we are enjoying the peace when we hear a voice say "hello".  We quickly engage in conversation with Cheryl.

Cheryl is an early 30s New York lawyer who just recently started her own firm.  She was born and raised in NY and, boy did she sound like it.  I think Mandy mentioned her in the blog earlier about people we've met.   Cheryl came to Montezuma for a few days to relax, take some yoga lessons and become one with nature.  Within the first couple of minutes of talking to her, you could tell that she wasn't necessarily accomplishing her goals. In all sense of the words, she was "loosing her shit!".  She didn't know how to relax nor handle activities outside of her normal daily routine.  She expressed that she was used to a Starbucks on every corner and is accustomed to three cups of coffee a day.  She talked very quickly and making lots of money was at the forefront of her mind.  She didn't hesitate to express how much money family members made and a sense of obligation for her to do the same.  At some instances, we could not believe some of the statements that came out of her mouth.  Statements of racism, judgement and blatant insecurity.  

We continued to politely listen, engage in conversation and just take this in as another part of a larger experience.  Once Cheryl left, we had a "holy shit" conversation about her.  Our conversation included a lot of gratitude for recognition of our wants and needs at a relatively young age.  One that allows us to recognize and enjoy the little things in life that bring true happiness to us.  Thank you Cheryl for the important reminders!

Re-energizing

January 24: 92 degrees

We begin our first full day in Montezuma with a healthy breakfast, a good cup of coffee and taking our time before we begin to explore the town.  We don't want to get caught up in tours and just the general buzz of people who are trying to get in all activities before the end of their brief vacations.

After breakfast,  we walk around a bit and find ourselves a comfortable little bench in the park.  Here we sit amongst some tall mangrove trees who are protecting us from the hot sun.  A couple of hours later,  we are immersed in reading and writing in the park.  I can't remember the last time we have made so much time for this.  It was a quiet and relaxing day.   Real relaxation.  The kind where you connect with yourself again, re-energize and take note of all the natural beauty around you.  Life is good.

 

Our place in Montezuma.  Tucked into nature. 

Peace and relaxation

January 23: 90 degrees

Just as we finish up our last sips of our morning coffee, our shuttle to Montezuma arrives.  We pack up our bags, hug Sara, tell Samara goodbye and head off to our next destination!

The shuttle stops in town and pics up a few more people for the trip.  Mandy is extremely thoughtful when we travel together.  She knows that I like to sit next to the window to see and explore,  all the while, avoiding getting sick.  With this kindness, Mandy is also subject to whoever might sit beside her.  Today, it is a tall, stinky German guy who insists on sitting with his arms up.  The body odor is unbearable and the shuttle's AC doesn't seem to be enough to push the smell away.  At one point,  Mandy taps her finger on my arm and asks, "Is it rude if I ask him to put his arm down?"  I laugh and we try to adjust the AC again.

After a couple of hours through dusty and bumpy mountain roads,  we arrive in Montezuma and walk into town.  It is a very small little hippy town with just one major intersection.  Here, cars, motorcycles and ATVs pass and the road is aligned with fruit trucks, artisans and tour stands.

The town of Montezuma

We learn of a trail that leads to a waterfall that is about a 5-min walk from where we are staying.  After unpacking our things and changing our shoes,  we head for the trail.  It isn't long before we come upon the stream that will lead us to the falls.  Many big rocks and a hiking trail later, we come upon the waterfall and it is beautiful.  The water below is crisp and cool.  You can feel the coolness from the mist in the air.  There are only about 10 people here and everyone is pretty spread out so, it feels like it is even less crowded.  Mandy gets into the water and by the expression on her face, I can tell the water is cold.  She tries to get me in but I am hesitant.  Instead,  I sit back on a big rock and just watch.  It is such a peaceful place, the air smells fresh, I can feel the mist from the water and the sound is calming.

Mandy swimming in the waterfall pond

Amongst the peaceful waterfall,  the calm of the yoga retreat in which we are staying and the hippy artisans in town,  I think I am feeling what Montezuma has to offer.

It's not our day to die

January 22: 89 degrees

Today is our last day in Samara.  What initially was intended to be a 3-day part of our trip turned into 12 days.

I accompany Sara to a local lumberyard to help her find some wood scraps for future projects.  The scraps are plentiful but we must really climb and pick through to find those pieces that will both serve their purpose and provide a lot of character.  If you have ever seen or stayed at LazDivaz, you would know why this is important.  The grounds are full of little natural creations.

We pick out the perfect pieces with only minor scrapes and splinters!  We then work together to hoist them up to the roof of the car and tie it to the top.  Mission scrap-wood is complete!

Local lumber yard.  The perfect piece is among us. 

We get back to LazDivaz and drop off the wood. It's our lays day, and we had promised ourselves a walk to the end of the beach.  The trick is that we must go during low tide in order to make it all the way to the point.  Low tide is at noon.  Yup, at about the hottest point in the day.  Let's go!

With excitement, we make our way down the beach with a bottle of water and our camera.  The end point looks so close and attainable.  Surely we will get there in no time.  We walk and walk and walk until Mandy finally decides she is going to get into the water.  "Keep walking, I will meet you at the point." Says Mandy from the water.  About 10 minutes pass when Mandy realizes that it is farther than she expected.  She gets out of the water and joins me.  We finally make it out to the point and start taking pictures.  The water is beautiful, our trek is rocky and we begin to notice how many buzzards are circling us above.  We are now out of water and we can feel the sun taking its toll on the back of our necks.  "I think we should go back."  Plus, the rocks are taking a toll on our bum ankles.  Mandy stepped funny and couldn't wear flip flops for a few days after this walk.

Walking to the edge of the world

We begin to make our way back and both of us realize we need more water.  It is damn hot and we have quite a hike in front of us. We see some type of establishment just ahead and figure we can get a bottle of water from one of the beach front restaurants.  We begin to exit the beach and make our way toward a parking lot full of cars.  At this point,  I can feel many sweat beads rolling down my back.  We didn't make it very far before we were stopped by a security guy who was wondering where we were going.  We look around and it appears we are at some sort of retreat with many villas.  Surely they have a restaurant or a reception desk with a sundry or something.  The security guard does not allow us to pass and he explains that the restaurant is only for their villa guests.  This man obviously doesn't realize that we are going to die from heat exhaustion.  If he doesn't let us get some water, the buzzards will pick away at our remains and no one will ever find us.

We make our way back down the beach and just try to concentrate on making it back.  We don't see many other people along the way.  Of course not, what type of idiots go for a two-hour hike on the beach during the hottest time of day?

"Just keep your feet moving and we will get there." We make it a little more than halfway back when we start laughing hysterically.  In front of us, we see some water on the sand but we are not sure if it is a mirage or not.  Then, we see three horses emerge from the brush on the side of the beach and they also look hot, skinny and thirsty.  The buzzards are circling again.  "Just keep moving your feet. We can't die today!"

I don't think we are going to make it. 

Mandy decides she cannot make it without getting back in the water again.  I decide not to stop.  I can see our place and I am determined to get there.  She has the audacity to ask me to carry her shoes and clothes back for her.  I am now convinced she is trying to kill me.  I do it anyways in hopes that if I do die, at least she won't have any clothes or shoes to carry her back to safety either.

Finally, I make it to some shade and shuffle my way to a sink.  I MADE IT!!!  I drank water for what felt like an hour.  I am thirsty and now drenched in my own sweat.  " I just hope we got some good pictures."

One of our favorite pics from the day

Feeling productive

January 21:  93 degrees

Mandy continued her Spanish lessons with Angelina today while I helped to sand and restore the porch of one of the casitas at LazDivaz.  The floor is made of teak wood and very sensitive to sanding.  This floor in particular has a lot of history and we are trying to restore it the best we can.  I am happy to help and feel productive while we are away.  This might even prevent me from any major projects to my home in Columbus when we return...maybe.

Teak porch of the Tina Turner cabina

After the project and Mandy's Spanish lesson, it was time for dinner with Sara and Angelina at Colochos.  This is a Tico-owned and run Soda that is slightly difficult to find in Samara.  Sara and Angelina swear it is the best food around.  Of course we order Casado con pescado (Casado with fish). Casado is typical Tico food including rice, beans, salad, plantains and meat or fish all on one plate.  When our food arrived, every bite just melted in our mouths.  It was in fact, the best food we had since arriving in Costa Rica.  The ladies definitely did not steer us wrong on this night.

Us and Angelina, Mandy's Spanish teacher

We will be posting a review on Trip Advisor for Colochos...the best food we've had on this trip.  Thanks again ladies!

No room for the night = a super cool experience

We had quite a night Wednesday on our first night in Uvita.  That day, we got a car and took our time driving South from Manuel Antonio, ducking into beaches and towns along the way.  We were headed to Uvita for a hostel that was recommended.   Long story short...it didn't exist. We had no place to stay. We drove all around looking and asking. It would have been super frustrating at home, but after 4 weeks of being in Costa Rica, we didn't get upset.  It was entertaining in some way.

We said "oh well! it's dark now! maybe we can sleep in the car! let's get a beer."   At the main bar in Uvita we sit for about 2 hours, talking w other English speakers.  We talked to John from the Southern Osa Peninsula about going to Panama (his recommendation). Then, a couple of guys came to the bar...the one guy was American and everyone seemed to know him.  

Kasia and I ended up sleeping snuggled up in a hammock with a gorgeous view at this guy's kick-ass house 20 minutes up treacherous hills in the jungle.  It was him, a couple from Canada (25 ish years old) who live there and help the business, and some musician from California.  We drank a few beers, hung out and had a cool free concert.  OMG.  Awesome experience! Totally safe. Totally fun. Totally chill.  

The guy is the organizer of Best Fest in a couple weeks.  We're coming back for a least a day. Good times, all because we stopped worrying and just rolled with it.

People We've Met

We've met so many interesting people on this trip.   Some of the most memorable...

Magdalena, the drunk lady at the bar at Los Portreros our first night in Costa Rica. 

Graduation day with Claire and Lisa

Claire and Lisa, two great girls from the Pacific Northwest who took Spanish classes w us in Tamarindo.  They are trying to stay in CR as long as possible/until $$ runs out.  They are fresh out of college and doing the dream so many have to travel first.  Buen suerte girls!

Todd and Jan, a very nice couple from Florida, and their dog Ella.   They are trying to decide if they want to move to CR in their retirement.  Plus, they invited us to go lobster diving in Big Pine Key Florida. Ok! 

Josephine and Alex, a cute and kind and awesome couple.  Alex is a Frenchman living in Montreal.  Josephine is a beautiful and sweet Phillipino girl from San Francisco.   They were much fun to hang out with for dinners and fire pits.  I hope to keep in touch with them!

Peter, an almost 60-years old gay man from Australia traveling for the year with his boyfriend.  But his boyfriend was in Ecuador for a couple weeks visiting family while Peter "took a vacation from him" in CR.

Alex and Henry, a cool couple from the UK. They were honeymooning for 6 weeks (wow!), starting w/2 weeks in Mexico, then to Costa Rica and on to Peru.   One night, we hung w them, Alex and Josephine, and Sara from LazDivaz for an impromptu dinner grilled w fire near the beach. It was thrown together at the last minute based on what groceries anyone had.

Alex, Josephine, Sara, Kasia, Alex and Henry

Sara, owner of LazDivaz and our friend.  We met her in 2010.  I'm so glad we went back to stay at her place again.  She was great to us in so many ways, and made us feel at home on Samara Beach.   I'm not sure we can thank her enough.  

Angelina, an old friend and ex-Spanish teacher of Sara's.  Sara graciously called her for me, and the former university professor gave me some Spanish lessons at a good price, and joined us for dinner at the best soda in town for authentic Tico food.   

The Germans who took the shuttle w us from Samara.  Man did that guy stink.  I know that Americans are a little over the top w hygiene (I know I am) but c'mon.  Or at least put your arm down.  The windy, bumpy, crazy 4-hour ride of death was nothing compared to his pit smells wafting my way the ENTIRE ride to Montezuma.

Ken, a cool guy from Boston on a vacation to celebrate retirement.  For about 6 weeks, it's just him, and his wife is joining him after that.  He was super talkative and happy to chat w English speakers.  He talked Geraldine's ear off!  But he was kind and as non-creepy as they come (especially for a married guy traveling alone).  He had a car rented for 2 whole months!

Geraldine, who lived in Switzerland, was traveling the world by herself.   She was smart and nice enough to listen to Ken for hours during 3 whole days.   "He was such a nice guy. At home, he would be exactly what people think of as typical American."  She didn't mean this as a slam, just as an observation.

Cheryl from New York.  O.M.G.  This 34-year old lawyer was SO tightly wound.  She was there for yoga and unwinding for a week, but she was losing her shit a little bit without a Starbucks on every corner.  I'm surprised she's able to do yoga.  For goodness sakes, I wanted to spike her water w some vodka or maybe even a roofie so she'd act more normally screwed up like the rest of us.  I can be a little tightly wound myself, but she was out of control. She seemed more like a caricature of a driven young lawyer from NYC in a movie by the "Best in Show" guy.  

The couple from Amsterdam who is traveling for 6 months around Mexico and Central America and shared a cab w us from Quepos to Manuel Antonio, ultimately helping us to stumble upon a "good enough!" apartment for one night after a long day of travel.  

Wanda, 71-year-old owner of Wacky Wanda's bar in Quepos.   Kas and I were talking about the Polish signs behind the bar, and the lady at the end of the bar chatted us up.   Finally, she walked to the other side of the bar (where people work), chatted w us about Polish recipes, life, etc.  She even gave us some homemade pierogies (plus butter!) to thaw out and cook at our place.  Can't wait to try em tonight!

 

About the little things

January 20: 91 degrees,  hot and no wind

This morning we walk to a local pharmacy.  There are many things in which you cannot get in a grocery here.  There is nothing more that we want right now then a pair of nail clippers.  We have been on the hunt for about 3 days.  The pharmacy has one but we are fairly certain that it is made to clip horse hooves and not our nails.  We hang our heads down in disappointment when the clerk asks us to hold on.  He searches a box below and pulls out the most beautiful pair of nail clippers we have ever seen!  Just one American dollar and it could be ours.  Once we had it in our hands,  you would have thought we were Charlie from Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory with the last golden ticket!

Mandy scheduled another private Spanish lesson with a friend of Sara's.  Angelina was to stop by LazDivaz at 2 pm for 2 hours to chat.  During this time,  I decided to walk the beach.  I didn't feel as though paying for a session for me would be worth it since Mandy knows a lot more Spanish than I do. While walking the beach,  I was keeping an eye out for pretty shells or anything else interesting that may have washed ashore.  Then I saw something ahead that looked something like a stick.  As I got closer and closer, I noticed it was moving.  As I walk upon it, I realize that it is a small eel that was stuck on the sand.  Not sure of what type of eel it was and, my obsession with National Geographic, I knew this little guy was going to be hard to handle.  I grabbed a nearby leaf, wrapped it around its body and tossed him into the water.  Within seconds, he was washed ashore again.  For a second time, I grabbed him by leaf and tossed him as hard as I could into the water.  Today, I saved an eel's life.

Spending so much time in Samara also has given us some insight into local living.  We can post all day about the beautiful beaches, sunsets, surfing, etc, but of course it is not all rainbows and unicorns.  Stuff goes wrong. Not everything is easy to get. Locals have become extremely savvy with using resources available to them.  An example includes using an old flip-flop as a hose washer or for applying to the bottom of furniture in order to not scuff their floors.  We also witnessed Sara build a car rack on the roof of her car out of two branches and some rope.

It isn't that we couldn't do any of these things ourselves but,  it just makes me think about how accessible everything can be back home.  How easy is it to get in your car and drive to Lowe's or Home Depot?  Have the conveniences of places like these taken the creativity out of our problem solving?  Maybe it guides our problem solving in the same direction of those who have manufactured these "easy fixes" or tools.  Definitely got me thinking.  Necessity vs. convenience.  Both serving the same purpose.  Money can buy you convenience and necessities.  It can also take away creativity and appreciation.  Interesting.

Jimmy Buffet, Peyton Manning & Tom Brady

January 19:  90 degrees

Mandy blew a flip flop Jimmy Buffet style at the beach.  We are on the hunt for new flip flops that won't break the bank.  On the way, we notice a place called Arriba's that is advertising the Broncos and Patriots game.  Arriba's didn't know that they just touched a little place in our hearts.  Mandy whispers, "I wanna do that", as she looks at me with that "please, please."  Look on her face.  "Ok, let's indulge in a little Americana".  If we were only going to be in Costa Rica for a week vacation, I probably would have talked us out of it.  It felt fine now because we have so much time.  During the game,  we split some ceviche.  I don't know if it is because it is so hot here or if they have just mastered ceviche but,  it was mouth-watering.  After the second and third quarters, with the Broncos well in control, we headed off.

We walked off our food and drinks by heading up the hill and retrieving our flashlight from a couple who borrowed it a few nights back.  Oh yeah,  this is also how directions are given in most places, "Go down the dirt road about 200 meters, cross the bridge and take the foot path to the right.  If you see a foot path on the left, you have gone too far".  

I know that this makes perfect sense to someone from Lodi, OH but I am used to street signs and right/left.  Nonetheless,  we always seem to find our way.

This evening we relax on the porch of our casita and we are accompanied by a family of monkeys migrating in the trees above.  We sit in amazement every time we see them.  This reminds us of how fortunate we are to have this experience.

Finally,  the day was topped off with getting to see and talk to our families back home.  You guys are the reasons why doing something like this is hard.  We love you.

Fun facts

January 18:  88 degrees

Population: 4.5 million

Life expectancy:  almost 77yrs, one of the highest in the world

Geography:  the country is about the size of Vermont and New Hampshire combined and has 800 moles of coastline

More than 25 percent of Costa Rica's land is dedicated to National Parks and reserves.  Maybe it is because Costa Rica hosts more than 5 percent of the world's biodiversity even though it's land mass takes up only .03 percent of the planet's surface

More than 121 volcanic formations, 7 of which are active (Arenal Volcano is one of the 10 most active in the world.)

Per capita income in 2011:  $11,562

Three Americans, two Brits, a French Canadian and a Diva

January 17: 88 degrees

This morning, seven of us pack up to go to a beach that we are told is beautiful 20 minutes away and off the beaten path.  Almost guaranteed to see no Gringos there other than ourselves.  Towels, check!  Flip flops, check!  Sunscreen, check!  Husbands and/or wives, check!  Let's go!

We pack into two vehicles and one turn of the key in the ignition and we discover that Sara's car is dead.  We flag down Henry to make sure he doesn't leave just yet and pull out some jumper cables.  Pop open the hood of each car and everyone stops.  We have two Brits, two Americans and one Diva amongst us and no one knows how to use jumper cables.  Surely, being from a town that resembles the wintery depths of hell, I know enough about a dead vehicle to jump start this car.  I grab the jumper cables and begin to attach them.  With the help of Henry and YouTube, we were able to figure out where the second black grip goes.  Start vehicle one and let it run a few moments.  Now, turn vehicle two...success!

I can jump start this bitch

Revelling in our new found success, we head off to the beach.  The path there is mostly dirt roads and we had to ask to make sure that the river we have to cross is low enough to do so.  We cross the river in our vehicle and are surrounded by beautiful trees and fields.  With so many twists and turns, there is no way we would be able to get to this beach ourselves, let alone tell anyone else how to get there.  Besides, we have been sworn to secrecy to preserve the beach's tranquility.

Upon arrival, we unpack chairs, towels, lunch, etc.  We cannot yet get there without crossing a small river by foot.  Just as everyone was about knee deep in the river, Sara conveniently reminds us to watch for alligators.  Everyone pauses to see if she is kidding.  We still don't know for sure.

We find some trees for shade and we unload all of our things there.  Time to hit the water.  The water is gorgeous and the waves are much bigger than what you would find at high tide in Samara.  Good thing we brought boogie boards.  The waves are rolling in quickly and they are big.  We are catching quite a few waves but getting thrown around like rag dolls. Mandy was addicted and rode the waves almost all day. It is necessary to hang onto these boards with everything that you have and hope that the wave doesn't swallow you.  It was so much fun, and only one out of 7 people lost their bottoms to the waves that day!

Us, catching some waves! 

Sara invites us to a fundraising event in the neighboring town of Carillo.  The event brings local kids to perform original Guantecaste dances.  Funds proceed the continuation of this traveling dance group through the country, as well as to help fund their costumes.  The event is very interesting since it was being held at a newly owned resort and very few people attending knew any Spanish.  The introduction of performances were delivered in both English and Spanish.  At first,  the crew was experiencing technical difficulty with the music.  It didn't take long for an expat behind me to start shooting off remarks and criticism.  At this moment, it struck me who all I was surrounded by.  I was surrounded by a lot of Americans and Europeans who have lots of money and they loved to talk about it.  We heard stories of how many times they have travelled to Costa Rica,  where they have invested in property and their expectations of the places in which they stay.    

Guanecaste dancers

I couldn't help but to wonder if they had any clue as to how the average Tico lives on a daily basis, besides serving them, of course.  All those trips to Costa Rica and no effort to learn Spanish?  I heard a couple of guys behind me wish that the locals spoke more English.  We are so very spoiled.

The Guanecaste dancers were great, the costumes beautiful but I wasn't sad about leaving the pretentious group we were surrounded by.  I noticed how much we identify people by what we do for a living rather than identifying with people because they are people.

We headed off for dinner at El Sueno Tropicale, newly owned by Sara's Cuban friend Jose.  It was a great meal with great people.  All who tried to convince us to visit Cuba from here.  They guarantee we will love it.  Great discussions topped off with a few deer in the garden eating scraps left on a daily basis.  They were close enough to touch.

Another successful night of cool experiences.

Cooking when we can

Many restaurants here are great, and the sodas with local Ticos making local Tico food are the best (and cost the least).

Gallo Pinto, a typical Costa Rican breakfast.   Delicious! 

This food is great, but eating out every meal can be a pain, and it can be expensive.  In fact, my favorite meals have been the ones that we've made.  The ability to cook changes depending on our place.  So far we've stayed in 4 rooms/apartments in 3 cities.   One had no refrigerator and no way to cook anything.   Two have had stovetops.  One place we had no kitchen, but access to a big, we'll-equipped one with a blender and cutting board and full stove, etc.  

Once we got to Samara, we were able to cook much more.  First, we hit the grocery... 

Coffee, plantains, cheese, mangos, tomatoes, etc.  Plus the freshest eggs I've ever eaten!

Since then, we've eaten out much less often and we've gotten to spend quality cooking time with a bunch of cool people from around the world.   Thanks to this, Kasia can make some mean fried plantains and I may need a new blender at home that can adequately handle fresh fruit smoothies.