Confessions of a Recordplayer

Meet Fred, Wilma & Eddy

These little guys came back with me from Costa Rica.  They are made out of a gourd that you can only use for storage.  In fact, they used to store water in them because the gourd would never head up and keep the water cool.    They now hang out with me in my living room..

Back on the ground..

I arrived in San Jose around 5pm yesterday after a great rafting trip.  The level 3 and 4 rapids were definitly exciting and the view was amazing.  The river was lined with ancient trees, etched canyons and mini waterfalls allowing the rainforests to drain excess into the river.  Definitly a sceen out of Indiana Jones and the temple of doom..  They took pictures of all of us during the trip, but wanted $30 for a CD-R of digital pics.  No thanks..

I went back to Tranquilio Backpackers hostel last night for my final night in Costa Rica.  This time I landed in a dorm rooom ($7) since all the singles ($13) were booked up.  I met a lovely young lady and we had a fabulous dinner and drinks at Cafe' Mundo.  But it was to bed early for me since I had a 4am wakeup call and a 7am flight.

Back on the ground, tan and just wanting to clean my laundry and get back to the things of everyday life, to plan the next excursion...  I am working on some prose to fully describe how amazing the journey was.  But until then here are some pics...   

Cahuita as the days blend together

I just awoke from a nap in a hammock outside my room at Cabanas Jenny in the sleepy little town of Cahuita on the Carribien.  Its on the ground floor overlooking the ocean and the gentle waves lurred e to sleep while reading "How to be good" by Nick Hornby that I was lent by a fellow traveler.

The past few days have been amazing.  I met many neighbors at Casa Verde and expolred and ate with them.  I hiked through the woods and river to find a waterfall I climbed p and dove off of into the water below.  The waves have been too small to surf  and its too hot to do a ton of stuff.  Something about a ton of ions in the air or something... Swimming in the ocean, loungin my hamock and lots of writing have defined the days.  Puerto Viejo has a thriving hosteling culture and tons of people to dance with in the evenings at one of the many dance clubs blaring dance hall riddims. 

Tomorrow I join a rafting trip here on level 3 and 4 rapids that will drop me off in san jose for my final evening..

catch you all stateside soon. 

Puerto Viejo - Day 3

The evening of day was spent with 2 girls I met who were from B-more and we had peeps in common..  Too small of a world.  Dinner and then dancing at Bamboo, which had a big reggae night that it seemed the whole town was there.  Fun and sweaty..  the club happended to be right on the beach so when it got too hot we would step outside and be on the palmtree lined seashore..  what a location for a club...

The next morning I had a surfing lesson with a guy named John.  I rode a few waves, standing up and all.  I got so much sun that I spent the rest of the day chilling in a hammock in the shade finishing my book.  I will return with a crazy tan..

Today I think I am renting a motor scooter and off to the indiginous village of Bribri to hike to a water falls.

peas.....

Day 2 - Puerto Viejo

Its not hard to understand why life here is so tranquilio once one puts their feet in the Caribbean ocean.  Its warm and soothing and is kept company by tall palm trees.  I arrived in PV last night around 7 in a torrential downpour. It is a rain forest and the rain is no joke.  I love it when I feel as though I have stepped into a movie, as that is the only place I have seen such a charming little village before.  I have been getting by with my broken spanish and getting smiles as I try to communicate.  Although most here speak english so its not too hard.

Once i left the hostel yesterday I walked through San Jose with Melissa and Nick, 2 travelers who I had met the previous eve.  I bought a shirt and some toiletries to hold me over till mine arrived.  They were good conversation and full of hints and suggestions about PV since they had just come from there.  In fact it was Melissa who had stayed at Casa Verde that led me to stay there.

The bus ride, $20, was as bit hairy.  Since some mud slides had taken out some of the usual roads we went farther inland through the mountains and then back to the coast.  The driver must have been a NYC cab driver in a past life because he drove the bus like it was a race car.  Passing cars around corners and through out the extremely curvy and dizzying roads in the pouring rain.  I sat next to a gentleman who just opened a language school in Cahuita. It turns out he had taught at U of Richmond..  Small world. 

I arrived in PV, soaked and a bit dizzy and exhausted and decided to stay at a nicer place, one that might loan me a towel and have a softer bed.  The hostel the night before was great to meet people and get a lay of the land for $13, but it was bare bones accommodations.  Casa Verde is an amazing place that gave me the comfort I needed.   Complete with a hammock on my porch, I will call it home for at least 2 days.  It may be hard to switch to a less comfortable place however.

Word arrived that my bag had arrived 24 hours after I did and they were sending a messenger to PVC to deliver it to my hotel.  I hope that it will have arrived upon return.  I see this as a lesson in minimalism and have thoughts on how to pack on my next international jaunt.

The food is amazing, people are friendly.  I have coffee and good conversation with some Israelis (sp?) and am planning tomorrow out.  Possible a kayak tour, perhaps just renting a bike and taking a personal tour of the beaches.  There is much to do. 

On a side note, I began reading the Master and Margarita.  Strange but compelling so far..  Cannot wait to see where it leads..

I'm off now to enjoy the life...

Day 1 - CR

This will be brief, but i will fill in the details more later.  I had a great evening at the hostel hanging out with people from all over (lots of Americans and British) and talking about random animal facts (did you dolphins raped each other? or that kangaroo in Aboriginal means "I do not understand what your saying" as reportly in response to what is that called?) and getting travel tips about my destination. 

I awoke to free pancakes that you make yourself, coffee and a response from contential that they have not located my bag yet.  At this point I shrug it all off and am heading out to Puerto Viejo after I buy an outfit, a hat, bathing suit and a towel.  The airline will forward my stuff on if and when it arrives.  I am headed to Puerto Viejo instead of Cahuita first because they have more stores at which I can buy the little things I need. 

I am treating this as a lesson in necessity.  I have a small bag with essentials and my health and a camera...  What else do I really need? 

I landed safely but my luggage was not so lucky..

So this will be somewhat brief, the flights were good with nice conversation among my seat mates and lame movies (see Maid in Manhattan & Hitch)..  But all in all i'm going to CR so even a 10 hour flight did not faze me much.  When I landed and got through customs however I found my pack to still be in the shadow of the big apple.  Things could be worse...  I will call tomorrow and find out its ETA.  I have some books, clothes on my back and Colones (CR Cash). 

I upgraded to a single room at Tranquilio Backpackers so I can try to sleep in.  I had dinner at a great resturant called Cafe Mundo for $5130 Colones (about $3). 

More on all I've seen and where i'm going tomorrow.  Now its time to chill....  there's a whole hostel full of strange languages to explore. 

Off to Costa Rica

5:15am Its not even light out and I'm packed.  One hip pack and one backpack full of everything I'm going to need, i hope.  The super shuttle is late..  so be it...  the coffee shops are not even open yet.  a cruel and unusual punishment.  I'm going to have to settle for airport coffee.  I will be flying into Newark (i know) and then hoping onto a plane to arrive in San Jose Costa Rica at 9pm tonight.  I have the only reservation of my whole trip at Tranquilio Backpackers hostel.  Tomorrow after a meal I'll hope onto a bus to Puerto Viejo in the southern Caribbean side of the country where I will be wandering for next week.

If I don't make it back.. its been.