Stateside

Wednesday, March 29, 2006

Sorry to cause worry...

The last time I went to post a week or so ago I wrote a nice long missile only to have the computer crash three seconds before I clicked on the post icon. That was very frustrating as I had spent a good twenty minutes writing about my life and my mom´s visit. So here is another try.

My mom and I had a great time. She had a full seven days just in Mal Pais and Montezuma and so she really got to see a peice of my life here. She met my roomates and other friends and we had great food and plenty of tropical cocktails. We also saw the Arenal Volcano, Hot Springs and Monteverde.

My apologies for making everyone worry due to the infrequency of my emails lately. I was on the road with friends. We traveled up to Samara and Nosara and hung out up there for a few days. It was a really fun windy dirt road all the way with several river crossings. Those are really fun but my poor car broke a brake line so I took it to the mecanic in Nosara to get it fixed. He´s this chunky Tico named Budda. He worked on it for an hour and a half and only charged me ten dollars including the part. I felt so bad I bought him a six pack. It was nice to get away for a few days and see some new scenery but I´m glad to be back ¨home.¨

I am now living at a friends place. It is spacious, comfortable and right on the beach. The waves are so loud that you constantly are aware of the roar.

I also got another job. I´m working the day shift at Tabu Bar three days a week. It is also right on the beach and has a great sunset view. It´s pretty slow during the day but I have met some really cool people through there. I still have my surf shop job too. Fortunately I have sundays off. The bar is the Hotspot at night around here so I might work a night here or there but only if they need an extra hand. Hopefully I will make enough this month to make a difference.

Hope everyone is well and thanks for all your emails. Saturday is my half-way day. Half of my trip is past. I have to make arrangement to go to Nicaragua or Panama for my passport stamp. You are only allowed to stay here for three months before you must leave for 72 hours. Ciao!

Monday, March 06, 2006

Waterfalls and Volcanoes...

Friday I went to Montezuma and hiked up the falls. Very beautiful and good excercise. I had to scout it out before I brought my mom. Saturday I took the bus into San Jose to pick her up at the airport (techinically I was there to meet her and we grabbed a cab to the hotel). We then early the next morning headed to the Volcano Arenal. We took a sketchy hike in but were rewarded with an impressive vista and fiery lava rock tumbling down the hill. Then off to the Baldi hot springs. There we had a cocktail in the water and the swim up bar then dried off and had an awesome sea bass dinner. Today we came to MOnteverde where I am now posting from. We bought some internet time so the bartender would open our wine bottle, my opener was taken at the airport (not my favorite domain drouhin one :). Tomorrow at 6 am we head home to Mal Pais, I cant wait to get back there. This packing up everymorning is so overrated. More soon....

Thursday, March 02, 2006

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!