I am a Surfer

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Ok, let me try to remember whats been going on since the last entry.....

The Italians were worried about immigration police coming around and asking questions. A lot of foreign business owners arent really supposed to be allowed to own businesses here. So, they took off to Pavones because there was a big swell coming. When Pavones is on, its one of the longest waves in the world.

They told me I could stay, but they were closing operations for a few days, so I would have the place to myself. Again, I cant tell you enough how cool this hostel is...I want it to be mine.

Usually, I wake up early and go surf, then I head to Casa Zen where I met some friends. I socialize, eat breakfast, have a fresh smoothie, use the internet, and go back to my peaceful abode when I want to be alone. Then I walk around town or just chill out in a hammock and surf again in the late afternoon.

My relationship with Giovanni’s three-legged doberman started off kinda rocky. Sometimes he liked me, sometimes he growled at me. After a couple of days, he loves me. Who wouldnt? I’m irresistible.

I have been cooking these days to save money and because I like to. I plug my ipod into their surround sounds speakers and rock out by myself. But now I´m rockin out with some new people that showed up yesterday...two Frenchmen and a Spaniard who are all traveling together. Really cool guys.

A few days ago, I took a little surfing safari with my friend Brad from Cali, an Aussie, and a Kiwi. We hired a cab to take us to Cabuyo and to wait for us for a couple of hours. It was just what I needed...The Aussie and the Kiwi surfed a left point break, while Brad and I surfed a right beach break about 1 kilometer away. The waves were nice and gentle. I needed that bc the waves at Santa Teresa have had too much pitch for me to progress lately. I just get tossed when I paddle into a big one.

Josh Montesinos is going to Nicaragua on the 17th to renew his Visa , go to a music festival, and surf. Nicaragua is supposed to be really cool, but I dont know if I want to waste a day traveling back up north, when I could be surfing. Need to decide tonight.

I went looking for the perfect waves today. I woke up at 6 and walked about 3 miles north to Playa Hermosa. The waves were sweet!! I caught so many waves and today I feel like a real surfer. Met a really good surfer, Greg, from Cali who is now a Costa Rican citizen. He works at a surf camp for the disabled at Hermosa. He took me to the camp after surfing. Really nice place. New cabinas that are so nice. And a big, open, central area with a palm roof covering the kitchen, table, and hammocks. If any of you have seen the surf movie Step into Liquid, Jessie, the quadriplegic surfer in the film, will be at the camp in a couple if weeks. Right now they are empty, so Greg is going to talk to the owner about giving me a good deal for one month. Normally they sell their cabinas, food, and surf package for $1600 a week. Hopefully, I can get the cabina for $300 or so for the month.

A word for those who think Costa Rica is very safe for gringos....

Although I have had no problems here, locals tell me crime is rising. Greg told me about some crazy stuff that has happened. He mentioned that there are no police in the Santa Teresa/Mal Pais area. Come to think of it, I have not seen any police nearby. The police from Cobano just drive thru Santa Teresa once a week. Criminals from Central America see Costa Rica, with its droves of white tourists, as a gold mine. Some guys staying at Casa Zen had there rental car stolen a few days ago. I was reading the paper today at the surf camp in Hermosa and learned that recently, a couple woke up in their cabina with criminals on top of them, and another one stealing all of their stuff... The man was almost strangled to death and stabbed in the head and stomach. Other reports speak of similar robberies and of women being raped. Criminals recently stole guns from the Cobano police station while the police chief slept inside. Its safe enough, but good to have a heads up on when, where, and to whom crimes are committed. Its kinda like the wild west here, because of both the dusty roads and the outlaws.

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