Life is Beautiful

Mal Pais- Sorry I haven´t blogged in a little while, you can all stop sending me emails pitching me shit :) Life has settled in to something of a routine now. I wake up, make breakfast ( or Tessa makes breakfast), usually scrambled eggs with avocado on them or cereal. I go to the beach or the pool, usually the beach as the water is cooler than the pool, although still really warm. I read a book and work on my tan and then midafternoon I go home and write. Sunset time comes and I have been driving up the hill to Vista de Olas where there is a beautiful infinity pool and panoramic views and Oliver works there and he makes great pina coladas. Usually people come with me because I have a car and so you don´t have to hike up the hill. Azul loves going up that dirt road (actually I just get a kick out of driving it up there as it is so steep and bumpy). Then dinner plans are made, we usually cook but sometimes go out, its pretty cheap, our favorite restaurant is Mary´s where they have this awesome Ahi dish, it´s only $8 which is actually a little expensive for these parts. But it is totally worth it and its huge so you can split. They also have great nachos.

Depending on the night there is always a party going on. Wednesday nights its always at Surf Camp where they have a mechanical bull, they go easy on the girls so I usually don´t get bucked off. I´m actually pretty good on that bull! Which reminds me I haven´t described the rodeo I went to.

The rodeo was one of the highlights of my trip thus far. It was very Costa Rica. There is this large round structure with wood bleachers for spectators who sit about twenty feet off the gound floor of the open air arena, I had a front row seat. The bull comes charging out of the gate with the rider. There are a ton of people standing around inside the arena and after the bull bucks the rider all these people standing aroun the inside of the arena taunt the bull and when the bull starts running around the arena all the people clambor up the side walls of the arena and kick the bull as it charges past below. It is hilarious. And, I have video. And all the people in the arena are drinking while this is going on. Of course it can be a little perilous, one Canadian guy in the arena got a little too close and was kicked in the face by the bull. He had to go to the hospital and get stitches. (There are more Canadians here than American´s) After the bullriding the arena closes and everyone goes out on the road where all these little gambling games are set up. Darts in the balloons, ring around the bottle, a simplified roulette wheel, and many more, carnival style. There´s little rides for all the kids. There´s also an area for merengue dancing and a pavilion for a live band. We had a blast and we all danced all night. On the way home on the bus (I didn´t have my car yet) this crazy drunk gay Tico guy was harrassing some of my guy friends. He was saying all kinds of lewd stuff to them and laughing uproariously, we didn´t know what he was saying (we don´t speak enough spanish to understand) but we were all cracking up anyway. One of my friends has closely shaven hair and the gay Tico guy kept trying to rub his head. It was hilarious. In the states these guys would never have allowed it but here it was just really funny.

I tried to get a ¨I was at the Cobano Rodeo in 2006¨ T-shirt but they were all sold out.

My madre arrives on Saturday. It will be great. We are going to the Volcano Arenal and Monteverde rainforest first, it will be chilly and rainy. Then we´ll come back here where it is 90-100 degrees every day. Mom, can´t wait to see you! In case any of you are trying to come down here My bro and sis decided not to come so I have time open in April for visitors (Beth that means you! :) I hope all of you are well and I love getting your emails so keep sending. I have an interview at a restaurant tonight. I might work a few nights a week, not only will it be extra cash but I won´t be able to spend while I work. Hope you are all well and thanks for all the encouraging emails. Ciao!