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Published: August 7th 2007
Casa del Sol
Jenny´s castle in the sand and sun... a crab moved in shortly to claim it as his own. We allowed it.Casa del Sol
Jenny´s castle in the sand and sun... a crab moved in shortly to claim it as his own. We allowed it.Hola amigas and amigos!
The first week in the country, we were positively spoiled, so it makes sense that there must be a (slight) fall from grace somewhere. We got our first taste on a tour to Volcan Arenal. We decided we´d chance the weather (against the recommendation of our guide, Giovani) and take the volcano tour the next day as opposed to right after getting back from Rio Celeste. We were tired, after all, and wanted to enjoy our stay at the hotsprings. Oops, because the next night it rained for exactly the hour we did a jungle tour, and was clouded over when we went to watch the volcano. But that was okay, because nature is uncertain. The guide, though, was something else. After this guy we really learned how much we appreciated David and Giovani. He would go off on weird and very unrelated tangents about the old days or some Russian guy who had grabbed him by the throat, or people that would ring the hotel to complain in heavy words about him...
Crab on beach
There are tons of these critters around, they pop out of holes in the sand. Jenny and I got a whole lot redder after that. meanwhile we´re trying to learn about plants, flowers, trees and animals. Oh, and that looming volcano. Oh well, you can´t win all the
Crab on beach
There are tons of these critters around, they pop out of holes in the sand. Jenny and I got a whole lot redder after that.time.
The next day we went for a hike to Cerro Chato, a volcanic crater lake that overlooks the active peak. As we got to the top of the hike (about 260m through jungle) it rained. Oh boy, it rained. Both of us in shorts, me in sandals and only having the aid of my spike-footed tripod for a walking stick. We decided to turn around at the top, because of the waterfalls going down to the lake, and it took as long going down as it did going up. But we made it, after a few slips and bumps, basically in fine shape. So to lighten the mood, we agreed that another trip to the Baldi hotsprings was in order. Good choice. We even decided to get a second massage, after having a full-meal-deal treatment the night before (after the volcano tour). What a great idea. Jenny is
Futbol.... GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!
These guys appeared out of nowhere to have a hardcore oceanside game of futbol. It was just for fun, but that didn´t dampen any sense of competition. now firmly convinced on the merits of hot stone massage and reflexology treatments. I was content with the 40 minute neck, shoulder and back massage. Wow, I felt like butter after, and now understand what Monty means by saying, "it hurts so good" after a quality massage. Then we had
Futbol.... GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!
These guys appeared out of nowhere to have a hardcore oceanside game of futbol. It was just for fun, but that didn´t dampen any sense of competition.to pack for our first taste of beach time.
It was a long day filled with five busses through Tilaran, Cañas, Liberia, and after then Nicoya, we finally made it to Samara. At Nicoya we had to flag the bus down as it was leaving and ended up having to put our packs on the back door exit. After about an hour, one local had had enough and told Jenny in rapid fire Español that it was up to her to move them, or she would. So Jenny obliged, grabbed her bag to put on her lap and then the lady tried to move mine. No dice. HAHAHAHA... that´s what 30+ kilos feels like. I kind of hope she threw her
Hangin´ Ten
Watching these guys learn stoked our confidence, so as soon as we´re not so sore from the burns we´ll give it a go for US$35 each. back out because we were only doing what the official at the bus depot directed us to do and Jenny didn´t deserve that. Oh well. I moved back after I got change from the driver out of our big bill (a 10,000 note) and grabbed my bag too. It was funny at the end, because the driver tried to pull away before we were off, and I had to shout out, "Alto, alto, alto!"
Once we were
Hangin´ Ten
Watching these guys learn stoked our confidence, so as soon as we´re not so sore from the burns we´ll give it a go for US$35 each.on the ground in Samara, we basically grabbed the first place we looked at as the recommendations in the LP guide inferred that it was about the best in the budget range. Bad choice. Even worse, we paid for 3 nights, and were sorry the very first morning. I would not recommend Cabinas Arenas to anyone, even if they were Yanks. Who we´ve seemed to notice are uninclined to smile or nod or converse. Just like the girls from Quebec we met... odd.
So after being a little grouchy with eachother, we hit the
AHHHH... paradiso!
It really is just so beautiful here. We had to (gently) pinch ourselves to believe that in one day we went from the jungle and an active volcano to this magnificient beach village. beach for breakfast. Where I bit into a small stone in my arroz-pintos, squarely on my tooth that had a pre-trip emergency root canal and does not yet have a crown. Oops. I didn´t complain, mostly because of the language barrier, but also because it must have been untended, at least I hope so. And the food was good... so, I said meh.
Once we hit that sand, we were like children set loose... what with all the frolicking and sandcastles and digging for crabs and jumping in the waves and all. After a bit Jenny and I found what must be a kilo
AHHHH... paradiso!
It really is just so beautiful here. We had to (gently) pinch ourselves to believe that in one day we went from the jungle and an active volcano to this magnificient beach village.of premium seashells, and we (well, Jenny) found two sand dollars! Even a green one! So we´ll rinse them out later and keep the best ones. Seashells for everyone! That´s right, no tacky shot glasses or t-shirts, you get crustacean villas.
We´ve found the food to be quite good here, with the seafood oh so fresh. Had Mahi-mahi for the
first time on our first night, and oh my good lord, it was tasty. Even, dare I say, better than the Seabass in Santa Elena.
One thing we´ve noticed all around the country (though even more incongrous here at the beach) is an apparent fascination with all things X-mas related, music included. What the!?!
Just hanging out around our (dive) hotel we saw our biggest toad yet, a fist-sized crab (RIP) and a gecko that went into someone else´s room. Haha. And they have a caged parrot, which seem so cruel. Especially after seeing them in the wild.
If our burns subside by tomorrow, we´re going to get some surf lessons. We´re both excited, as we´ve been watching them go for it and it looks like a blast. Plus the water is so amazing, it´s a
Beached boat
great excuse to play among the waves again. I might rent a dirtbike and zoom around, everyone looks to be having fun on them. It´s been years too... so it is very likely. We´d go down the coast about 4km SE and check out a town called Carrillo, where some French-Canadian B&B owners can arrange dolphin watching tours. That should be cool, if it´s reasonable.
Tomorrow night, we have new accommodations arranged. And the only word, especially after Cabinas Arenas, is palatial. Wait for the photos, it´s an unbelievable bargian for US$40/night. Now that we´ve got better digs lined up, we can just laugh off the dive we´re in. Thankfully.
We´re starving, so it´s about time to check out Pasta a Go Go... it smells so wonderful.
Ciao everyone, and thanks so much for the comments we really look forward to them.
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Grams
non-member comment
Love to surf with you
Your trip sounds so wonderful, wish I was there, got the boaat launched last week and will go out for a couple of weeks on the long weekend. Brian and Louise will be with me for a couple of days. lots of love Grams