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| Canopy Tour |
Friday, February 27, 2009
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Friday, February 20, 2009
Rainy weather in a rain forest? What??
When we arrived in La Fortuna yesterday afternoon it was absolutely beautiful, hot, but beautiful. The skies were mostly clear with a bit of clouding at the peak of the Arenal Volcano. We walked up to the hostel and checked in to a dorm because the private suites were taken. I could have kicked myself for not pre paying at Pangea. Oh well. I can be flexible about a lot of things as I get older--but I learned that I like my space. It wasn't as bad as I expected (sharing a room with 7 other people.) But I do like to be able to spread out and relax. Dad loved the scenery (the young college aged girls with hot bodies) but HATED the techno music that pulsed through the main common area. The hostel was beautiful, just not our style. To make matters worse it started to downpour around 10pm. When we woke in the morning the rain had stopped just long enough for us to walk to town to grab coffee and breakfast. Just as we arrived it started to pour again. The sky looked grim with no hopes of letting up. Over breakfast we decided to save some money and sanity and just bite the bullet and catch a bus to the Pacific. Turns out it's about a 9 hour bus ride direct to the coast because of the mountainous terrain. The fastest way to the coast would be to catch a bus to Alejuela/San Jose and then catch another bus to the coast. The rain lightened up so we quickly left the cafe and went to pack up our stuff. About 15 minutes later we were off to the bus terminal to catch a bus to....well, we weren't sure. When we got there a bus to San Carlos was getting ready to leave. We spoke with a friendly officer who pointed us to San Carlos, then to San Jose, then off to the coast. Our bags had to go underneath again b/c they are "more secure" there. They may be secure but the under storage compartments are DIRTY. I had a rain cover over my bag for today's trek thankfully, so my pack didn't get too dirty.
On the way down into the valley from San Carlos Dad suggested that we head to Alejuela, which was fine with me after 3 nights in San Jose already. We were both up for something new. I looked at the handy Lonely Planet book and picked out a few hostels/hotels to check out upon arrival. We got off at the airport and go another bus to town. Turns out, like most CR cities, there were no street signs. I'm not exagerating. NONE. Momuments and that's all. There aren't even many of those to go off off. Sticking out like a sore thumb with a giant bullseye on our backs the locals that spoke English began their descent and pointed us in the right direction. We checked out one hotel because dad was tired of walking. I vetoed it because the woman who ran it only spoke Spanish...I didn't think that would be very helpful. I decided that we should walk a few blocks and check out a few more places. We settled on a hotel with decent reviews and found a room with two beds and a shared bathroom for $28. We were set. We dropped off our bags and I told dad that I would melt down if he didn't feed me. He eventually agreed after laughing at me, thinking that it would be funny to watch me turn into the wicked witch of the west. The hotel manager pointed us to a cafe up a few blocks. We went in and waited for a seat. The place was the most packed cafe I've seen in all of CR up to this point! Dad was freaked out because they didn't serve beer, they served coffee, pasteries, and food. I told him to get over it :) We ordered burritos because, frankly, it was the only thing we recognized! The menu was in Spanish. The burrito was not memorable but I was fed and muy contento. We walked around some shops and looked around. The rain drizzle had followed so we didn't want to venture out too much. We found a wood shop with some beautiful cocobola wood. I found some canes that were intricately carved and a staff that I really wish I could have bought my Uncle Vince. I think he would really like it...but I can't really see backpacking around CR with it for another 10 days. I will have to buy gifts on my last day. Maybe it will still be there. Maybe we'll go to the village where the local tribe carves this hard rosewood. Hmmmm.
We went back to the hotel and just wanted to veg. I was going through work out withdrawl. I spent about an hour working out and made dad work out some kinks in my neck. That was funny. While today sucked a lot we kept our spirits light and are feeling much better after a recharging our batteries a bit. I just took a shower and am getting ready to work on school and follow up on some rentals I found on the Pacific Coast on craigslist.
SIDE NOTE: I'm in the hotel lobby area and there is a group of college kids planning to "go out partying." There are so many young adults traveling in groups and even solo. I am so envious. Why didn't I travel when I was younger? I am totally going to travel outside of the US more. Central America is super cheap and very relaxing. CR is the most expensive country in Central America. I bet a little American money would go a long way in some other Central American countries! Watch out world here I come...with my backpack ;) V, get ready cuz you're coming with me next time!
On the way down into the valley from San Carlos Dad suggested that we head to Alejuela, which was fine with me after 3 nights in San Jose already. We were both up for something new. I looked at the handy Lonely Planet book and picked out a few hostels/hotels to check out upon arrival. We got off at the airport and go another bus to town. Turns out, like most CR cities, there were no street signs. I'm not exagerating. NONE. Momuments and that's all. There aren't even many of those to go off off. Sticking out like a sore thumb with a giant bullseye on our backs the locals that spoke English began their descent and pointed us in the right direction. We checked out one hotel because dad was tired of walking. I vetoed it because the woman who ran it only spoke Spanish...I didn't think that would be very helpful. I decided that we should walk a few blocks and check out a few more places. We settled on a hotel with decent reviews and found a room with two beds and a shared bathroom for $28. We were set. We dropped off our bags and I told dad that I would melt down if he didn't feed me. He eventually agreed after laughing at me, thinking that it would be funny to watch me turn into the wicked witch of the west. The hotel manager pointed us to a cafe up a few blocks. We went in and waited for a seat. The place was the most packed cafe I've seen in all of CR up to this point! Dad was freaked out because they didn't serve beer, they served coffee, pasteries, and food. I told him to get over it :) We ordered burritos because, frankly, it was the only thing we recognized! The menu was in Spanish. The burrito was not memorable but I was fed and muy contento. We walked around some shops and looked around. The rain drizzle had followed so we didn't want to venture out too much. We found a wood shop with some beautiful cocobola wood. I found some canes that were intricately carved and a staff that I really wish I could have bought my Uncle Vince. I think he would really like it...but I can't really see backpacking around CR with it for another 10 days. I will have to buy gifts on my last day. Maybe it will still be there. Maybe we'll go to the village where the local tribe carves this hard rosewood. Hmmmm.
We went back to the hotel and just wanted to veg. I was going through work out withdrawl. I spent about an hour working out and made dad work out some kinks in my neck. That was funny. While today sucked a lot we kept our spirits light and are feeling much better after a recharging our batteries a bit. I just took a shower and am getting ready to work on school and follow up on some rentals I found on the Pacific Coast on craigslist.
SIDE NOTE: I'm in the hotel lobby area and there is a group of college kids planning to "go out partying." There are so many young adults traveling in groups and even solo. I am so envious. Why didn't I travel when I was younger? I am totally going to travel outside of the US more. Central America is super cheap and very relaxing. CR is the most expensive country in Central America. I bet a little American money would go a long way in some other Central American countries! Watch out world here I come...with my backpack ;) V, get ready cuz you're coming with me next time!
Thursday, February 19, 2009
The Great Arenal
Well here we are--Arenal. We left San Jose this morning around 8 to catch an 8:40am bus to La Fortuna. I thought I might have forgotten my camera so I was on edge most of the way. I met a nice woman my age, Claudia, from Switzerland who was also heading towards Arenal. We ended up staying at the same Hostel (Arenal Backpacker's Hostel). The bus ride was long and arduous all the way here. I was hoping to get some school work done but was unable to because of all of the switchbacks. The bus filled up quickly and the ride was cramped and long (5 hours). One stop for about 8 minutes in San Carlos. Today was definitely not one of our best days. Very draining. It pretty much started last night. We stayed at Hostel Pangea in SJ. I thought it would be nice to prepay our room at Arenal so we would be all set. Turns out that they only accept cash, so that didn't work out. We decided to come here for the night to find out that they only have a dorm bed available. This place touts its horn like it is the best place in town and it's all fluff--or lack of fluff. The "orthopedic beds" suck. They are the equivalent of hospital beds, plastic wrapping and all. Dad's upset (I think) because they don't have a TV room. I spent 1.5 hours trying to connect to the Internet and was finally successful, but even more frustrated. Hopefully tomorrow will be better. Arenal is much more touristy than I would like. Maybe we'll move on to a nearby town where things aren't as expensive. Seems like there aren't even any local people here just a bunch of hotels, spas, and tour guides. Things are really overpriced too. We'll see how tomorrow shakes out. Glad I got to vent a bit.
We decided that we would do 3 adventures-we would each pick one and then the third would be something that we both want to do. I definitely want to do some hotsprings. I hear that we may be able to find some free spots if we can find some local people to talk with. I'd like to do whitewater rafting and dad and I both want to do the canopy tours. There are so many tour companies bombarding you with "specials" it's really hard to know who is reputable and who is not. I'll need to do some more reading in my Lonely Planet book to be safe.
I think dad and I both enjoy the local communities more than the touristy stuff. Even if we don't speak spanish, the Ticas are just so nice and pleasant you can't help but be relaxed. I find myself more frustrated and uptight when we're around other tourists and tourist hotspots. The bus rides are very interesting, for the most part! Today I saw many heathly beef cattle grazing the countryside with chickens at their side. I'm reading the Omivore's Dilemma currently and I couldn't help but think of the natrual farm the author spoke of and how rotating the animals and the crops to more or less mimic nature is ideal. There isn't corn here. If you've read the book you might wonder how it works then. I mean, everything in America is corn dependent. Livestock relies mostly on corn as do people. We are corn. It's so refreshing to see a sustainable agriculture country that is close with the land. It's not all marketing and packaging. There are fruit stands and vendors all around with completely natural snacks. There are fruits that the street vendors serve to passers by by cutting the top off with a machete and penetrating the interior membrane with a straw. I'm not sure what these fruits are called but I am going to find out. I keep seeing these things around but haven't really bought anything from them. I will do this the next time we take a long bus trip...which will be soon.
I feel more connected here, connected to life, Earth, the people. America is exhausting. That's the only way I can put it. It's draining. It's very sobering to see millions of people living peacefully and happily with very little. Parents here are outwardly much better than in the States. I don't know what goes on in the homes behind closed doors but I can tell you that children are much different and happier here. If a child cries the parent is concerned and calming. I've seen mothers singing with their children. The relationships I've witnessed are so caring and compassionate. I have not heard one mother yell at her child, reprimand them, or threaten them. I have not seen a child misbehave. They sit quietly and play games with their parents or just chill out during long bus rides. No Gameboy, no nothing. In the US it seems like the kids are always sitting with a Game Boy or misbehaving. Almost daily in the States I see mothers yanking their 2 year olds around the grocery shouting at them and threatening them. It's so peaceful here. There are a lot of dogs that just wander the streets like regular citizens. They are peaceful too. I haven't heard own growl, seen one dog fight, or witnessed overt cruelty. Most dogs are not fixed and breed rather regularly. I know that puppies are disposed of more or less, which is unfortunate by my own standards. Things seem to work here though. I know that I feel more at peace and envious of the Costa Rican people.
OK, I need to come back to reality a bit. I have school assignments due tonight. I feel absolutely gross and need to shower before the room mates return. I'll post pics and more tomorrow.
We decided that we would do 3 adventures-we would each pick one and then the third would be something that we both want to do. I definitely want to do some hotsprings. I hear that we may be able to find some free spots if we can find some local people to talk with. I'd like to do whitewater rafting and dad and I both want to do the canopy tours. There are so many tour companies bombarding you with "specials" it's really hard to know who is reputable and who is not. I'll need to do some more reading in my Lonely Planet book to be safe.
I think dad and I both enjoy the local communities more than the touristy stuff. Even if we don't speak spanish, the Ticas are just so nice and pleasant you can't help but be relaxed. I find myself more frustrated and uptight when we're around other tourists and tourist hotspots. The bus rides are very interesting, for the most part! Today I saw many heathly beef cattle grazing the countryside with chickens at their side. I'm reading the Omivore's Dilemma currently and I couldn't help but think of the natrual farm the author spoke of and how rotating the animals and the crops to more or less mimic nature is ideal. There isn't corn here. If you've read the book you might wonder how it works then. I mean, everything in America is corn dependent. Livestock relies mostly on corn as do people. We are corn. It's so refreshing to see a sustainable agriculture country that is close with the land. It's not all marketing and packaging. There are fruit stands and vendors all around with completely natural snacks. There are fruits that the street vendors serve to passers by by cutting the top off with a machete and penetrating the interior membrane with a straw. I'm not sure what these fruits are called but I am going to find out. I keep seeing these things around but haven't really bought anything from them. I will do this the next time we take a long bus trip...which will be soon.
I feel more connected here, connected to life, Earth, the people. America is exhausting. That's the only way I can put it. It's draining. It's very sobering to see millions of people living peacefully and happily with very little. Parents here are outwardly much better than in the States. I don't know what goes on in the homes behind closed doors but I can tell you that children are much different and happier here. If a child cries the parent is concerned and calming. I've seen mothers singing with their children. The relationships I've witnessed are so caring and compassionate. I have not heard one mother yell at her child, reprimand them, or threaten them. I have not seen a child misbehave. They sit quietly and play games with their parents or just chill out during long bus rides. No Gameboy, no nothing. In the US it seems like the kids are always sitting with a Game Boy or misbehaving. Almost daily in the States I see mothers yanking their 2 year olds around the grocery shouting at them and threatening them. It's so peaceful here. There are a lot of dogs that just wander the streets like regular citizens. They are peaceful too. I haven't heard own growl, seen one dog fight, or witnessed overt cruelty. Most dogs are not fixed and breed rather regularly. I know that puppies are disposed of more or less, which is unfortunate by my own standards. Things seem to work here though. I know that I feel more at peace and envious of the Costa Rican people.
OK, I need to come back to reality a bit. I have school assignments due tonight. I feel absolutely gross and need to shower before the room mates return. I'll post pics and more tomorrow.
Monday, February 16, 2009
2/16/09 Waking up early is Cahuita.
2/16/09 Waking up early is Cahuita.
Yesterday we made it to the Caribbean Coast and are in a little town on the coast, Cahuita. We arrived around 3pm after leaving Las Vueltas on the 6:30am bus to Turrialba. From Turrialba we caught a bus to Siqqurres, then to Limon (the major port town), and finally to Cahuita. Ahhhh, where to start this blog?
I feel that we are growing as Costa Rican travelers. Every day we learn something new and are finding the bus system easier and easier to navigate. When we first left San Jose bound for our final destination of Las Vueltas we were very overwhelmed by not being able to communicate. It's difficult to get directly to your final destination and a bus change is almost always required. The problem is, while there are bus stations in most large towns, the bus may not necessarily depart from the main terminal, it may leave from a block or two around the corner...or from the other side of town. When we arrived in Cartago from San Jose on 2/12 we knew we had to find a bus going to Tuccurique. Simple enough, right? WRONG. After grabbing a quick lunch at Musmani Bakery, a bakery chain in CR, we set out to find our bus. Let's just say it took about an hour to find the correct bus stop and another 20 minutes before we were on the bus. I stroke up a conversation of gestures with a woman a bit younger than me traveling with 3 small children. Turns out, she lives near Las Vueltas and knows (roughly) where we are heading! We also met a very nice guy, around my age, who spoke English rather well, Luis Anderson. He was heading home to Tuccuriqe after a day of working in Cartago. He helped us communicate with the bus driver and some other passengers to make sure we got off the bus in the correct place. While San Jose to Cartago was mostly highway (one of two in the country,) the ride to Tuccurique was the polar opposite. I've been giving a lot of thought as to how I should describe the terrain here. I guess the pictures will have to do, but I feel that you will not be able to grasp the sheer scope of the land. The bus wound up and down the fertile mountains, across creeks and rivers, next to abundant coffee fields, sugar cane, and bananas. When we finally arrived in Tuccurique Luis departed and reminded the bus driver to let us off in Las Vueltas. Luis invited us to have a beer with him but we declined because another bus would not be going through today and it was about a 4 mile walk to our final destination. I took his number and told him I'd call if we came back through. It was amazing to me how helpful the people in CR are. Even though we can't communicate because of the language barrier they are always helpful and kind. When we were in Cartago word traveled very fast that we were lost and couldn't figure out what bus to take. I think they went around town looking for someone who spoke English because a nice young man approached us in the street and said that he heard that we needed help!
We got off of the bus in Las Vueltas and asked some people at the bus station where the Gringos lived...ok, we probably just said "los gringos" and they blankly stared at us like we were nuts. I suggested that we walk a bit further down the road, confident that I would recognize the place by the pictures. It was raining, so busted out the rain gear (thanks for making me bring the pack cover V) and we started walking. About 2 minutes into our walk Patty and Allan came up the street in their 4x4 looking for us! Patty was waiting with an umbrella near her house and when the bus came by they told her they dropped us at the previous stop! We were very relieved to be there! Once we settled into the cabina we regrouped and decided to go on a hike to nearby river on a cleared trail through the farm. On our hike we encountered cutter ants, water apples, coffee plants, and many other native plant and wild life species. A flock of parrots flew by--noisy little buggers. We haven't seen any up close yet thought :(
After our hike Allan and Patty brought us a beautiful and excellent dinner--eggplant parmesan! They are excellent cooks and every meal was excellent! After dinner we had fresh strawberry shortcake for dessert with fresh cafe (coffee). We took showers and went to bed early that night. For all of you who know me well, you'd be proud. I wore the same pants for 3 days! They are very dirty now. I'm retiring them until after I do laundry. I seem to be loosing a bit of weight or something b/c my pants are bigger than they were before I left. I have been trying to exercise but have only done so twice :(
In the morning (2/13) we had a typical Tico breakfast (black beans, rice, and fried papayas, with eggs and coffee). After breakfast we went on a hike with Allan and he showed us around. Same hike we took the first day but with more information. When we came back from the hike we grabbed the machete and went to cut some bananas! You would not believe how good an organic banana is! They taste so much better and are much yellower on the inside! We took lots of pics of this activity. After you cut the bananas you have to cut the tree down (it's like a giant stalk). Each tree yields one bunch of bananas. You know that they are ready to cut when every leaf on the tree is dead. The bananas are still green and take about a week to ripen in a sack. We didn't get to eat the bananas we cut, but Patty and Allan had a sacko banana from the week prior for us to try ;)
We got cleaned up and took the bus to Tuccurique to use the Internet and send word that we made it to our destination! After talking a bit with V via Truphone (best application ever!) we walked around town, met the locals, sampled local food, and ate a small meal y bebir tres cervezas :) Reference the beautiful views from the restaurant above the river valley and the statue pics (he he he). Look closely.
On the walk back we met Renae (who may have been a bit tipsy). He has a green thumb and is growing grapes and making wine. He offered us a sample and it was actually pretty good! We decided to walk back to Las Vueltas from Tuccurique, which ended up being very fun. We stopped at a sugar shack on the way back ad tried some sugar candy and took pictures of the operation.
OK, iPhoto is being difficult and we want to go explore a bit. I'll post more tonight!
Yesterday we made it to the Caribbean Coast and are in a little town on the coast, Cahuita. We arrived around 3pm after leaving Las Vueltas on the 6:30am bus to Turrialba. From Turrialba we caught a bus to Siqqurres, then to Limon (the major port town), and finally to Cahuita. Ahhhh, where to start this blog?
I feel that we are growing as Costa Rican travelers. Every day we learn something new and are finding the bus system easier and easier to navigate. When we first left San Jose bound for our final destination of Las Vueltas we were very overwhelmed by not being able to communicate. It's difficult to get directly to your final destination and a bus change is almost always required. The problem is, while there are bus stations in most large towns, the bus may not necessarily depart from the main terminal, it may leave from a block or two around the corner...or from the other side of town. When we arrived in Cartago from San Jose on 2/12 we knew we had to find a bus going to Tuccurique. Simple enough, right? WRONG. After grabbing a quick lunch at Musmani Bakery, a bakery chain in CR, we set out to find our bus. Let's just say it took about an hour to find the correct bus stop and another 20 minutes before we were on the bus. I stroke up a conversation of gestures with a woman a bit younger than me traveling with 3 small children. Turns out, she lives near Las Vueltas and knows (roughly) where we are heading! We also met a very nice guy, around my age, who spoke English rather well, Luis Anderson. He was heading home to Tuccuriqe after a day of working in Cartago. He helped us communicate with the bus driver and some other passengers to make sure we got off the bus in the correct place. While San Jose to Cartago was mostly highway (one of two in the country,) the ride to Tuccurique was the polar opposite. I've been giving a lot of thought as to how I should describe the terrain here. I guess the pictures will have to do, but I feel that you will not be able to grasp the sheer scope of the land. The bus wound up and down the fertile mountains, across creeks and rivers, next to abundant coffee fields, sugar cane, and bananas. When we finally arrived in Tuccurique Luis departed and reminded the bus driver to let us off in Las Vueltas. Luis invited us to have a beer with him but we declined because another bus would not be going through today and it was about a 4 mile walk to our final destination. I took his number and told him I'd call if we came back through. It was amazing to me how helpful the people in CR are. Even though we can't communicate because of the language barrier they are always helpful and kind. When we were in Cartago word traveled very fast that we were lost and couldn't figure out what bus to take. I think they went around town looking for someone who spoke English because a nice young man approached us in the street and said that he heard that we needed help!
We got off of the bus in Las Vueltas and asked some people at the bus station where the Gringos lived...ok, we probably just said "los gringos" and they blankly stared at us like we were nuts. I suggested that we walk a bit further down the road, confident that I would recognize the place by the pictures. It was raining, so busted out the rain gear (thanks for making me bring the pack cover V) and we started walking. About 2 minutes into our walk Patty and Allan came up the street in their 4x4 looking for us! Patty was waiting with an umbrella near her house and when the bus came by they told her they dropped us at the previous stop! We were very relieved to be there! Once we settled into the cabina we regrouped and decided to go on a hike to nearby river on a cleared trail through the farm. On our hike we encountered cutter ants, water apples, coffee plants, and many other native plant and wild life species. A flock of parrots flew by--noisy little buggers. We haven't seen any up close yet thought :(
After our hike Allan and Patty brought us a beautiful and excellent dinner--eggplant parmesan! They are excellent cooks and every meal was excellent! After dinner we had fresh strawberry shortcake for dessert with fresh cafe (coffee). We took showers and went to bed early that night. For all of you who know me well, you'd be proud. I wore the same pants for 3 days! They are very dirty now. I'm retiring them until after I do laundry. I seem to be loosing a bit of weight or something b/c my pants are bigger than they were before I left. I have been trying to exercise but have only done so twice :(
In the morning (2/13) we had a typical Tico breakfast (black beans, rice, and fried papayas, with eggs and coffee). After breakfast we went on a hike with Allan and he showed us around. Same hike we took the first day but with more information. When we came back from the hike we grabbed the machete and went to cut some bananas! You would not believe how good an organic banana is! They taste so much better and are much yellower on the inside! We took lots of pics of this activity. After you cut the bananas you have to cut the tree down (it's like a giant stalk). Each tree yields one bunch of bananas. You know that they are ready to cut when every leaf on the tree is dead. The bananas are still green and take about a week to ripen in a sack. We didn't get to eat the bananas we cut, but Patty and Allan had a sacko banana from the week prior for us to try ;)
We got cleaned up and took the bus to Tuccurique to use the Internet and send word that we made it to our destination! After talking a bit with V via Truphone (best application ever!) we walked around town, met the locals, sampled local food, and ate a small meal y bebir tres cervezas :) Reference the beautiful views from the restaurant above the river valley and the statue pics (he he he). Look closely.
On the walk back we met Renae (who may have been a bit tipsy). He has a green thumb and is growing grapes and making wine. He offered us a sample and it was actually pretty good! We decided to walk back to Las Vueltas from Tuccurique, which ended up being very fun. We stopped at a sugar shack on the way back ad tried some sugar candy and took pictures of the operation.
OK, iPhoto is being difficult and we want to go explore a bit. I'll post more tonight!
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Second day in CR
My brain is fried so this will be a brief rundown of today's activities.
Fell asleep writing in a journal V enclosed in my pack. I was fully clothed and I hadn't brushed my teeth or washed my face. I felt ripe by morning. I woke up around 4am. It was strangely quiet...until the gate buzzer mounted over Dad's bed went off. I struggled to get back to sleep after that. The noise picked up by 6am. My had was 6 inches from a french door with a quarter inch crack between the door...the other side of the door was the street.
I woke up around 8am EST, 7am here. Dad woke up around then too. We made white sweet bread with jam for breakfast. Interesting. Sweetly bitter coffee with sugar and no cream. I got to work on school while dad flipped through TV stations. He grew restless and went to the bank to exchange dollars for colones. I kept working on school. Finally posted final assignment around 12pm. Dad was anxious to go out and buy bus tickets, so much so that I was only allowed to wash my face and throw on a hat before leaving. I felt gross.
We took many detours on our way to the bus, which you will see in the pics. I'll let them do the talking for me! It was a very impromptu trip around the city. We didn't intend on being out long and we didn't bring the map. We caught lunch at a neat little pizzeria soda. I ordered Coca Cola light (Diet Coke). Everything here is in glass bottles so far. It's neat.
Our final stop was to the bus station to buy our tickets for tomorrow...or so we thought. Thank god Dad's a good navigator. I'd be lost without him. In preparation I learned phrases and was very prepared when I approached the window. I proudly said: "Dos billettes por Jueves las nuevo en la manana," or something like that. She said something back and I couldn't understand her...don't think she understood me either. I handed her colones, she handed me tickets. Dad looked at it and said this isn't right. About that time the teller came out of the booth and tried to explain something to us. Luckily two very nice women offered to help, they were bilingual ;) Turns out the bus we want isn't available for pre purchase. To make a long story short she refunded our money and we returned the tickets. We will return in the morning for a 9:30 bus to Cartago. I'm scared.
When we got back to our hostel I uploaded pics, corresponded with Coffee farm owners, downloaded a CR bus book and Spanish phrase app to my iphone for 99 cents, money well spent. Dad became very unsettled and decided to walk to the market and get something to cook for dinner...$5/pp was too much to spend (the hostel dinner rate). I worked out legs and did situps etc. while he was gone. He arrived a bit later with a chicken breast, 2 potatoes, 2 onions, and a 6 pack of Imperial Cerveza-Costa Rica's premium beer or 4700 colones (about 5 US dollars.) There is this chef guy here, Caesar-he is Peruvian, and he 'helped' Dad spice up dinner. It turned out really well...although I am worried my arteries are clogged! You should have seen the amount of oil my dad used to cook in!
Before dinner I braved the shower and was pleasantly surprised. Hot water. I felt great. The new pack towel is perfecto! Well worth it. After my shower the hostel people asked if we would like to be upgraded. Their service guy was working in our room all day replacing windows and doing construction. So we moved to a much nicer, much quieter room with 6 beds! All to ourselves. I get the bunk, dad gets the double.
We talked with some hostel visitors over dinner. The people here are incredibly nice. Will talk more about them tomorrow...
Fell asleep writing in a journal V enclosed in my pack. I was fully clothed and I hadn't brushed my teeth or washed my face. I felt ripe by morning. I woke up around 4am. It was strangely quiet...until the gate buzzer mounted over Dad's bed went off. I struggled to get back to sleep after that. The noise picked up by 6am. My had was 6 inches from a french door with a quarter inch crack between the door...the other side of the door was the street.
I woke up around 8am EST, 7am here. Dad woke up around then too. We made white sweet bread with jam for breakfast. Interesting. Sweetly bitter coffee with sugar and no cream. I got to work on school while dad flipped through TV stations. He grew restless and went to the bank to exchange dollars for colones. I kept working on school. Finally posted final assignment around 12pm. Dad was anxious to go out and buy bus tickets, so much so that I was only allowed to wash my face and throw on a hat before leaving. I felt gross.
We took many detours on our way to the bus, which you will see in the pics. I'll let them do the talking for me! It was a very impromptu trip around the city. We didn't intend on being out long and we didn't bring the map. We caught lunch at a neat little pizzeria soda. I ordered Coca Cola light (Diet Coke). Everything here is in glass bottles so far. It's neat.
Our final stop was to the bus station to buy our tickets for tomorrow...or so we thought. Thank god Dad's a good navigator. I'd be lost without him. In preparation I learned phrases and was very prepared when I approached the window. I proudly said: "Dos billettes por Jueves las nuevo en la manana," or something like that. She said something back and I couldn't understand her...don't think she understood me either. I handed her colones, she handed me tickets. Dad looked at it and said this isn't right. About that time the teller came out of the booth and tried to explain something to us. Luckily two very nice women offered to help, they were bilingual ;) Turns out the bus we want isn't available for pre purchase. To make a long story short she refunded our money and we returned the tickets. We will return in the morning for a 9:30 bus to Cartago. I'm scared.
When we got back to our hostel I uploaded pics, corresponded with Coffee farm owners, downloaded a CR bus book and Spanish phrase app to my iphone for 99 cents, money well spent. Dad became very unsettled and decided to walk to the market and get something to cook for dinner...$5/pp was too much to spend (the hostel dinner rate). I worked out legs and did situps etc. while he was gone. He arrived a bit later with a chicken breast, 2 potatoes, 2 onions, and a 6 pack of Imperial Cerveza-Costa Rica's premium beer or 4700 colones (about 5 US dollars.) There is this chef guy here, Caesar-he is Peruvian, and he 'helped' Dad spice up dinner. It turned out really well...although I am worried my arteries are clogged! You should have seen the amount of oil my dad used to cook in!
Before dinner I braved the shower and was pleasantly surprised. Hot water. I felt great. The new pack towel is perfecto! Well worth it. After my shower the hostel people asked if we would like to be upgraded. Their service guy was working in our room all day replacing windows and doing construction. So we moved to a much nicer, much quieter room with 6 beds! All to ourselves. I get the bunk, dad gets the double.
We talked with some hostel visitors over dinner. The people here are incredibly nice. Will talk more about them tomorrow...
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