Travel Day

One could get used to this rhythm of life. A walk on the beach at sunrise before the heat comes. Breakfast. Rinse. Wash. Repeat. 

We met a one for our bus (es) to Rincon.  A group of five women from all over were not too pleased to be with us (especially this one bitch from Palo Alto). She's giving Louis a hard time. 

We stopped in Liberia the biggest city in Guanecaste. The girls stocked up on snacks and other essentials while I grabbed a quick bite. An hour later we climber into the hills toward the volcano and arrived at Buena Vista. 

Once everyone was secured I headed up to the sunset bar just in time to catch a small glimpse of the setting sun. 

Dinner was a simple buffet of meat pasta rice beans salad. Simple. Whole. Tasty. 

A drink with Luis the guide, Joel and Daniel the drivers at the sunset bar then an early night. 

TW2

Again the hammock as an intermediary.  What a brilliant relaxing way to start the day. Went to the beach first thing. The sea a cobalt blue. Cumulus clouds at the horizon. Montanas. 

Breakfast of a pancake with bananas and a strawberry and bad maple syrup.  A swim after. Then a book and a hammock. 

My trusty rasta whip (aka bike ) needed a quick adjustment.  How I fill the day. Lunch at Gusto where the volleyball tourney is wrapping up but they were on break so I only caught a bit. Then back to Buene vista with another group of six. Thunder clouds threatened as we walked the beach. 

Volunteering went well. We had seventeen older kids from el torrito as well as our usual dozen little ones. Megan handled the little ones while I bounced between the two groups. The rain came early. The older kids were supposed to get some volleyball lessons but the weather washed out those plans. Megan taught clothes and had the kids do a relay race where they put on adult clothes. It was fun and funny. 

As I left my house I wasn't paying attention, my Keens half on. The bottom steps were slick with rain. Like ice. I flew in the air, literally coming out of my shoes. I landed on my right shoulder/upper arm in an awkward position. I think I tore my rotator cuff. It runs in the family; my father just had his second shoulder done. I have ver limited range of motion with pain if I move in certain ways or directions. I brought tiger balm

Now I'm at Lagarto a steak place that used to be on the beach but lost its lease. It's the nicest joint in town with $20 steaks. (  a fortune!). I ordered a bottle of red with assurance whatever I don't finish I can take with me. After to Arriba to watch the game. 

Wed W2

Wednesday week two

Now the first thing I do when I wake up is crawl into the hammock. It's a good transition from the sleeping to the waking world. 

Took some of the girls to Buene Vista. They were a bit freaked by the crocodile warning signs. But it was near low tide and everyone tells me it's been years that one was seen there. I think the signs are to keep the tourists away. We forded a thigh deep estuary with a muddy and rocky bottom. 

Next we walked to the rocky outcropping at the south end of the beach which was treacherous as well. 

On the ride home a huge tribe of howler monkeys jumped around in the trees above us. The girls loved it. 

I met up with Maria Fernanda and Wolfgang after CREAR at their house.  Wolf showed me a picture he had of Samara from the early nineties. It was amazing how much had changed in twenty plus years. He was optimistic about Samaras  growth. I learned the two small villages south of Samara are called "singing Hawks" and "singing frogs". I understand the singing frogs as there is a large marsh where the frogs are cacophonous. It was a good visit with friends I have known for five years. 

After I had my hour English class with the three ladies. I had given them a pack of flash cards to study and they memorized them all! To have such students is beyond refreshing. 

On my way home I drove into Flying Taco for a quick bite but ended up staying for a couple hours. There was a band (Scott from Vela Latina was on drums). Ashley one of the students joined me along with her friend Maddie from Palo Alto who had attended UConn her first years and is finishing up her pre-med at Tufts while also playing volleyball. Impressive kid. 

Tuesday W2

Another lazy morning of reading and writing. Egg and bacon sandwich. A bike ride south and east into the farmland just ten minutes by bike from out of town. Past the singing frog pond. Rode for a half hour out and then turned back. Contemplated what a life would be like here. 

 I was supposed to bring a group to Playa Buena Vista in the afternoon but the group was out late the night before and was too tired. 

Volunteering went well. 

After I went to La Vela Latina then to Lo Que Hay. Lo Que Hay 

Watching volleyball. 13-16 year old beach championships for all of Costa Rica. Two young teen girls take on older, bigger guys and kicking there asses. There's a naked kid about two watching them. A stray dog will wander onto the court occasionally. And have to be pulled out by the collar. 

Next to Mama Gui for pizza. 

This guy was outside my apartment. He's about four or five inches tall. 

I'm almost finished with the Theroux book. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/130507.To_the_Ends_of_the_Earth 

It's interesting to see what he left out. That night I netflixed Mosquito Coast with Harrison Ford based on Therouxs novel of the same name. It held up. A distopian look of a man trying to create a utopia but is completely misguided. 

Rainy Day

The rains from the night carried on throughout the morning, although not as hard with periodic breaks. So I spent a lazy morning in and out of the hammock. When the rain stopped I went to a bakery for a ham and cheese croissant and stopped by the grocery for supplies. But then it was back in the hammock. I am enjoy the book by Theroux as well as McCullough's Wright Brothers. I also surfed the web, etc.

Just before noon, feeling like a sloth, I decided to get some exercise down at the beach, doing my normal routine. After lunch of a ham sandwhich, I went to CREAR to help set up the activities for the day. The parents/kids are so excited that they are coming earlier and earlier.

For some reason, the kids were super hyper. Poor Fi had to deal with their energy while she taught them parts of the body. Heads, shoulders, knees and toes. Drawing chalk outlines on the ground. Their energy level just kept increasing. It eventually devolved to this:

Finally I kicked a soccer ball into the field and let them run.

That evening we had a guest speaker come. Alonso Munoz Solis, a Costa Rican author of South of the Memories. An engineer turned writer/activist, he is concerned about the Nicaraguan population and the environment, especially concerning the use of plastics. He spoke for an hour or so about both topics. I think the girls really learned something. He challenged them to a 30 day fast of single use plastic (bags, bottles, straws, etc). But when we got home as it would be very difficult when traveling.
After we had dinner cooked by a local woman. It had a Chinese influence. It was really good. Laura, Lindsay, Alonso, his girlfriend and I talked about books and writing. It was a nice evening.

Don Juan Coffee & Zip Lining

A map of Costa Rica made from coffee and cacao beans.

Sunday was a busy morning. Everyone had to be up by 7 to eat breakfast (tipico = scrambled eggs, rice & beans, toast, cheese), get ready, and check out. Most of the group was going zip lining at Extremo. http://monteverdeextremo.com/ While Alba and I went to Don Juan coffee tours. http://donjuancr.com/

The coffee plantation was small, and seemed mainly there to offer tours and to sell coffee. The majority of coffee is produced elsewhere in the country.

The cacao fruit The seeds inside are crushed to make chocolate. 

We learned all about coffee production: it's history, growth cycles, health benefits, etc. I realized I am not a coffee fan because I don't like bitter things. I also learned that roasting coffee beans destroys the caffeine. Therefore, light roasts have the most caffeine, esspresso and darker roasts the least.


The tour also showed us about sugar growing, another important crop in Costa Rica. We took a sugar cane, pressed it multiple times with a hand cranked press, and in the last go round included a lime, collected the liquid and drank it. It was not as sweet as I had suspected it to be. They must boil that liquid down (like maple sugar) until sugar is formed.

The seeds of the cacao are ground up. We added spices like salt,
pepper, cayanne, vanilla to make this amazing paste. 

Next we worked on the chocolate part of the tour. We ground up some cacao seeds, added spices and made this delicious paste that was a sacred food to the Mayans.

Of course the tour ends in the store so I bought bags of coffee for everyone (they had placed orders with me before we left), as well as some coco butter, ground coco, and come sugar.

After, Alba and I returned to the hotel to wait for the others. I had time to catch up on emails as well as some writing. I also went into the town and bought a hammock for $26 and a hat for $8.

Once the rest arrived, we jumped in our van and went to lunch at a local place near the soccer field. It's funny to see these girls get their phones out as soon as we stop. They know now to ask right away for the password to the wifi. Conversations are stuttered as some focus on their Instagrams, photos, Snapchat accounts. It did not exist if it is not posted!

The only problem we had occurred on the way home. We stopped at a "soda" a diner of sorts called Mi Finca which is known for its Macaws out back. In the midst of the confusion of ordering smoothies, two louts approached Ashley and distracted her while she was checking out. A few minutes later she realized her phone was missing. We searched the area multiple times, backtracking her steps but could only surmise it was the two who had distracted her.

Once back in Samara, some of us met up at Lo Que Hay to see Lindsay sing with her boyfriend, soon-too-be baby daddy.

It was a good to end to a nearly flawless weekend. But just as I arrived home, while the girls still had some walking left to do to get to their Tico homes, the skies opened up. I had never heard such rain (my place has a tin roof and I am on the top floor.) I thought of the girls I had just left who probably got drenched before reaching their homes.

To Monteverde

We met at ten for our drive to Monteverde. I woke early at 6 and went for a walk and swim. The tide was high making it difficult to walk. 

My compound was quiet. Carlos's car gone. I did laundry, hanging my sheets on the hooks I installed for my hammock. 

We left almost on time. One girl, Jackie, is the perpetually late girl. Our guide Luis and driver William met us at the school. Luis guided us last year. An intelligent man in his fifties who teaches English to elementary school kids in Nicoya. 

As we drove he gave a nice lesson about Costa Rica. Jackie of course needing attention had us stop as she was car sick. And she needed the front seat. 

Our first stop was at the church in Nicoya at the church. Next to it is a park where locals hang out. There's a giant mango tree with many large iguanas. 

A little later, we stopped for lunch and ate local food which was great. This group is really willing to adapt. 

We arrived in Monteverde around 3:30. Got checked in at Hotel Don Taco.  http://www.cabinasdontaco.com/

I drank a beer and watched Colombia defeat Costa Rica in soccer. 

Around 5;45 we were picked up and taken to kinkajou reserve http://kinkajounightwalk.com/ for a night hike. We donned rain ponchos and were given flashlights. First he showed us a beetle found in banana trees with large pinchers in front.  Its shell was hard and it looked prehistoric. 

Next we entered the jungle and tried to find some frogs. Our guide Bartel had a walker talkie which the guides used to inform each other of unique sightings. The radio crackled of a sloth sighting. 

After searching the canopy with his flashlight we focused on other critters.  A tarantula, a poisonous viper, a giant cockroach. As we were walking he noticed something dart into a hole on the side of the trail. He gently used a stick to vibrate the entrance and an albino tarantula came out. 

At one point he left us to search for the sloth for about five minutes. We kidded that this was a test. Finally he came running to us breathless. He found one and we tried to keep up. It was near the entrance. In a tree soaking wet. Alas. Ahabs white whale. 

Afterward we saw a kinkajou which is related to the raccoon family. 

The van dropped us off at bar amigos. http://baramigos.com/

Anegelica who works at Intercultura recommended the chichafrones, a fried pork dish with rice, beans and pico de gallo. It was tasty. A big group of high school kids came in and started dancing. Some from my group joined in. Bruce's daughter is supposed to be in country while I'm here and it would've been funny to run into her. 

Lo Que Hay-It is what it is.

Friday

Break of day on the beach running three then thirty push-ups, running three, then forty v-ups, running three, then fifty squats. 

Travel is strange. We go to a special place. With rituals and ceremonies. We wait. We get locked into a metal tube. When released, it's a different time. A different place. 

Breakfast at Sherifs. Eggs, corn tortilla, rice and beans mixed together (gallo pinto), bacon. I read a great essay by Theroux visiting Borges in Buenes Aires. The clouds gathered at the horizon like frigates with large white spinnakers. 

Next the hardware store. I hacked my airbnb.  Talked Kim into installing hooks for a hammock. Four bucks. Installed them and hung my laundry to dry. I'll buy a hammock this weekend. 

Next I bought some primer for the chalkboard we are making for CREAR. I brought down a quart of chalkboard paint (turns out they sell it down here unbeknownst to Andrea). The asshole at the first store tried to sell me some crap they couldn't sell. Red or gray oil based crap. I went across the street. There was still some confusion. I thought I was buying latex but it ended being oil based. Anyway got a coat on a four by eight sheet of plywood that we'll make into a chalkboard with the paint I brought down. Andrea and I talked about her moving in with her boyfriend. It was great to hang with her. 

After had lunch at a place inside the "hippy organic compound". A grilled wrap. Two retired couples were comparing notes about the keys in Florida. 

Then back to the school for the horseback riding. 

Augustine who works as a maintenance man at the school along with his two daughters who teach there led the horse back tour along with Orlando. We took the beach to the north end to the road in canagrajal. We made a left past the green iguana store up into the hills. And climbed. Some of the horses did not get along and the girls shrieked when the cabellos fought. At the top we dismounted and took photos. We road down the other side to playa Buena vista. We finished our ride at pablitos a beach front local bar that serves cups of stew with every beer. How many times will these girls pull up to a bar on a horse? 

That night I ate at Lo Que Hay http://isamara.co/loqhay.htm and crashed early. It was a long day. 

Day Three

Took half the group to Carillo Beach. It's 7 kilometers south. We all had rented bikes; it isn't a bad ride on a windy road through the country side with only one hill big enough that we had to dismount and walk. We pass through El Torito a small, impoverished village of fisherman where CREAR offers programs. 

It was partly cloudy which was nice because I got burned pretty good. The girls did alright. We stopped when we heard howler monkeys in the trees above us. But they were far from the road. 

Carillo is one of the nicest, undeveloped beaches I've ever seen. 

We swam, I read a bit. I was a bit pissed because one girl was in the water with us who obviously couldn't swim. She slapped at the water after every wave, making me very nervous. I told her so. She had wanted to kayak with the group but I sternly suggested otherwise. What is she thinking? What pisses me off even more is that she took a surf lesson yesterday. Of course it would be my fault if something happened to her?

Ate lunch at a new restaurant near my apartment called the flying taco. Owned by a young guy from Florida. They had an amazing salsa from mango, coconut, and ginger. It was blended smooth. 

After I took a siesta Latin American style and started reading essays from Paul Theroux. They are throw always from some of his books that didn't make the cut. I like what I've read. After I went to the school and read in the hammocks there. The palm trees swaying above me, thunder in the distance. It was a peaceful moment even with the threatening storm. 

Today was the first time a student led the volunteer work. Jocelyn did a great job teaching the kids about community workers. Firemen, policemen, nurses, etc. 

now I'm in Los Olas (the waves) having a beer before I teach English to Rachel, Nidia, and Rebecca. It's an hour class. On Monday it lasted for an hour and a half. 

Tommy Two Times

Because of the Spanish class schedule, I have to do some things two times. Going to Playa Carillo for instance.

Playa Carillo is a 7 kilometer ride south, past the town of Samara, through El Torito and past some lush, green jungles. At the curve before the narrow bridge where only one car can pass, a troop of monkeys were hanging out in a mango tree.

This time we were lucky to see a crocodile in the estuary at the south end of the beach, although it was far away. (on the ride back we saw one next to the road in another estuary, but it disappeared too quickly and we couldn't get to our cameras quickly enough.

The girls took some great photos of the waves breaking behind them, causing a white backdrop of foam.

Here are the interns for CREAR. Quinn, Kara Nevil, (IDK), and John. Quinn, Kara, and John are from Florida State while Nevil just graduated from Long Island University. She's from the New York via the Dominican Republic.

The volunteer went well. The numbers are increasing. I let the little ones play with my phone's camera.

We had another, older group from El Torito show up, so I took over, found some sight word flash cards and went over them with the kids. They are incredibly eager to learn. I try to make it as fun as possible. They made their own flashcards and test each other. Liz had made a word find worksheet that was too difficult for the little ones so we set the older kids up with it. They really got into it.

 After the volunteer project, I took the girls to Tabanuco for a beverage. Most of them ordered fruit juice.

At night I ate at MamaGui which is right across the road from my house. Great Pizza. After I went to Arriba and watched some of the NBA Finals.

It was an early night, and I am finally feeling like we are in a routine and I can breathe.
It's been a good group so far. They mostly stay home at night which takes out some of the drama. One girl had some stomach issues, but she seems like she is doing ok. She is on antibiotics. Other than that, these girls seem to be settling in.

Me? I am getting more Tico every time I come here.

Dia Dos

Don't know where the day went. Woke for a run on the beach. The sun was already blazing. It's hotter than I remember. 

Went to the school at break to make sure everyone made it home safe. One girl had trouble getting through the gate at her house. I suggested doing it during the day AND sober before she went out again. 

The rest of the day was spent getting ready for the volunteer work, swimming, napping, and eating. 

Had a little hiccup with the schedule.  I arranged surf lessons for the girls two hours before the volunteer work. It wasn't enough time as they showed up after we had finished. Tico Time. 

After I had a beer at Gusto and talked with the interns. 

First Day

This guy was my first visitor of the morning. He had to inspect the apartment.

The first day went smoothly, albeit hectic. I met the students at the school at 7:30 to make sure everyone was settled in. There's one who has the fifty yard stare as if she is ready to burst in tear.
I think she'll do alright.

Next I met with Lindday the group coordinator to map out the events for the trip. Since this is our third program together, it goes easily.

Next I go to CREAR to meet with Andrea, a super sweet Texan down here for five years. She and I work well together. We catch up, and plan for the volunteer part of the program. She had four interns this summer, and I get to meet some of them.

I head back to school and jump in the water. It's probably about ninety, with similar humidity.

For lunch I head home and make myself a sandwich.

The volunteer work goes well; after we go to Tabanuco, a restaurant on the beach next to the school to talk about the afternoon's activities.
Because of the Spanish classes, I have two groups. This group are the beginning Spanish learners, which makes the volunteer work difficult. But CREAR's interns really help out as they are fluent in Spanish.
Tomorrow's group are the native Spanish speakers.

Day 3

Took half the group to Carillo Beach. It's 7 kilometers south. We all had rented bikes; it isn't a bad ride on a windy road through the country side with only one hill big enough that we had to dismount and walk. We pass through El Torito a small, impoverished village of fisherman where CREAR offers programs. 

It was partly cloudy which was nice because I got burned pretty good. The girls did alright. We stopped when we heard howler monkeys in the trees above us. But they were far from the road. 

Carillo is one of the nicest, undeveloped beaches I've ever seen. 

We swam, I read a bit. I was a bit pissed because one girl was in the water with us who obviously couldn't swim. She slapped at the water after every wave, making me very nervous. I told her so. She had wanted to kayak with the group but I sternly suggested otherwise. What is she thinking? What pisses me off even more is that she took a surf lesson yesterday. Of course it would be my fault if something happened to her?

Ate lunch at a new restaurant near my apartment called the flying taco. Owned by a young guy from Florida. They had an amazing salsa from mango, coconut, and ginger. It was blended smooth. 

After I took a siesta Latin American style and started reading essays from Paul Theroux. They are throw aways from some of his books that didn't make the cut. I like what I've read. After I went to the school and read in the hammocks there. The palm trees swaying above me, thunder in the distance. It was a peaceful moment even with the threatening storm. 

Today was the first time a student led the volunteer work. Jocelyn did a great job teaching the kids about community workers. Firemen, policemen, nurses, etc. 

now I'm in Los Olas (the waves) having a beer before I teach English to Rachel, Nidia, and Rebecca. It's an hour class. On Monday it lasted for an hour and a half. 

Energy

When I arrived to my apartment, I was a half hour later than what I told Kimberly to expect me. Yet, when I climbed up the stairs the landing was cluttered with junk and this 50 something blond woman came out to greet me apologizing. At this poiint I had been traveling for a good twelve hours, and I just wanted a shower and a bed. Hell a bowl of fruit would be nice too. No such luck. She had decided to make some changes before I came. She had a sewing machine out. Paint brushes. A mop. Boxes of crap. 

I asked her how much more time she needed. She said a half hour. I gave her an hour and went swimming and dropped off the food requests for dinner that night at La Vela Latina. It's always my first stop, first beer when I arrive. Needless to say, it wasn't ready. 

Once she finally got some of the stuff out, I was able to unpack and unwind, lay down. It's a nice place. A studio with great woodwork, nice tile, a small kitchen and batch. Looking out the window I see nothing but foliage.

This is why I come.

Dia Uno

Sunday may 31

Our travel went well. Better than expected. I even got to sleep. I'm very aware this trip that many have never traveled internationally let alone even flown. There are many things I take for granted so I found myself explaining things that are already second nature: checking in, filling out forms, etc. 

One strange occurrence was running into Stephanie from last years program at the airport. Small world. 

I sat next to two doctors. I only know the s because the captain asked for medical personnel and they, the couple got up right away. 

I used the time to use the restroom and make sure it wasn't one of my charges. It wasn't, but it was a very pale college age kid. I'm not sure what happened, the two were tight lipped about it, but it opened the door to talk. They were pediatricians at USC. On holiday. 

Everything went smoothly. Customs. The bus ride. Gilbert was our driver. He had driven us two years ago. His English is as bad as my Spanish. But we manage to communicate. 

The tricky part is always getting the kids to the right home stay. It takes an hour because  there are no addresses. Only vague directions like 100 meters west of the church.

Once they were settled in I went to my apartment. I am staying at a new place this year to save some money and to switch it up. My first impressions weren't that good...