When I woke up this morning, I realized that I have but fifteen days remaining on this current adventure. Thoughts of home and what awaits are beginning to creep into my mind. Things like unpleasant winter weather, finding a job, tying up some personal loose ends, etc. Ugh. That’s not to say that all thoughts of home are unpleasant. There is also family, friends, and the excitement of figuring out the next chapter that I am greatly looking forward to. I miss my son terribly and can’t wait to see him. Anyway, there’s fifteen days left and I’m determined to enjoy them.
A friend visited me this past week. I really enjoyed playing the tour guide and showing off this beautiful country. I had a checklist of “gotta-do’s” and “wanna-do’s” and I’m happy to say that we were able to get all of the first list and most of the second. We had a rental car for the week, so that helped tremendously. We even made back to Tabacon resort at Arenal for an overnight visit to the hot springs. It was a very enjoyable week.
Relaxing at the hotel pool while waiting for my friend’s plane to land
Random pics from the past week…
It’s festival time here in Guanacaste. The festival moves from town to town each week. There’s a rodeo, rides for the kiddos, food, and a beer tent. Saturday night was the first one and, as luck would have it, it was right here in my little barrio. We had a great time, and after a number of trips to the beer tent, I exhibited a profound lack of judgment by getting into the ring with a bull. I survived, obviously, but what the hell was I thinking? Lol.
Festival/Rodeo Pucs
Sunday morning, I took my beach walk. It’s about a five mile walk from the Taco Star in Playa Grande to Vaquero in Tamarindo and back. Afterwards, I came back to the apartment for some chill time at the pool and cleaned up around here a bit.
I have another friend coming for a visit on the 9th and will fly home with me on the 16th. I’m looking forward to it.
I’ve blogged about a lot of things here so far, but I’ve managed to keep politics out of it. This couldn’t be ignored, though, so this is my first – and hopefully last – political post.
This morning, we visited Playa Negra and I saw this sticker on a sign. With the surfing culture being what it is here, this is as strong a criticism as it can get lol.
A friend is visiting from the United States this week. I’m currently in San Jose waiting for her to arrive. I drove here yesterday and I’m staying at a Doubletree by Hilton near the airport. It’s a beautiful hotel and very reasonably priced, so I’ll be staying here when I return home in a few weeks.
Poolside Restaurant at the Hotel
I’m looking forward to showing my friend around this week. I’ve been here long enough, and have experienced so many things, that I think I’m going to make a decent tour guide. Also, it will be fun to share the beauty of Costa Rica with another person.
Another friend is trying to arrange a visit for my final week here, so that should be fun if it works out. I have three weeks remaining on this visit and want to enjoy every single moment of it. Pura Vida.
So, I took a salsa dancing lesson tonight. A few takeaways:
â Salsa dancing is harder than it looks, especially when you can’t feel your feet.
â Salsa dancing is harder than it looks, especially when the instructions are en español.
â Salsa dancing is harder than it looks, especially when you’ve lost a considerable amount of weight and have yet to purchase new clothing. You can expect at least one, and as many as three, embarrassing moments.
â Salsa dancing is harder than it looks, but it’s fun and you get better at it quickly if you don’t mind looking foolish for a while.
We spent the day in Arenal yesterday. In the middle of a rain forest, high up in the clouds, relaxing in natural hot springs. The water is heated by the volcanic activity and flows through the resort at about 100°F.
The resort that we visited, Tabacon, is one of two resorts there that uses only the water from the natural hot springs. Everything from the swimming pools to the showers to the guest rooms themselves… if it’s wet, it’s from the springs. It was a great day and I’m going back next week with a friend for an overnight visit to enjoy more of the experience and do some things that we didn’t have time to get to yesterday. A special thanks to Dany’s friend, Ernesto, who works at Tabacon and took really good care of us!
These are the only pictures that I could successfully upload. It will have to suffice until I figure out what I’m doing wrong.
Tonight, I am continuing my Costa Rican habits of experiencing new things and stepping outside of my comfort zone by going to Santa Cruz with Dany and taking salsa dancing lessons! Haha wish me luck!
I have taken my time here in Costa Rica seriously, even if it looks like an extended vacation from the outside. I have spent a tremendous amount of time and emotional energy reflecting on the circumstances that brought me here; my life and life in general; the people that are important to me and those who aren’t; and, considering all of that, what comes next for me.
The explosions of June 21st and subsequent events have changed me in very fundamental ways. A few days ago, while contemplating things on the beach at Playa Flamingo, I came to realize that I was no longer simply at peace with all of it, but I was actually grateful for all of it. I’m not exactly sure when the transition from peace to gratitude took place, but there it is.
One of the major decisions that I was faced with was whether I was coming to Costa Rica for three months or for good. The three factors that needed to be considered were (1) whether I liked it here enough to stay, (2) whether or not I could afford it, and (3) how much I would miss my family, my friends, and my life at home.
(1) I have decided to retire in Costa Rica. It truly is a beautiful country and the people are amazing. I cannot even begin to count the number of times that I have literally had my breath taken away by the views that present themselves before me. The sunsets are spectacular. The food is great. I am going to be very happy here. Eventually… see #3.
(2) I can certainly afford it. You can live in Costa Rica very inexpensively if you choose to do so. I can certainly afford to stay if I do it properly.
(3) I have also decided that I am not ready to retire yet. I know in my heart that I have more to contribute before laying down my sword. I have made certain commitments to people and organizations that I feel strongly about seeing through to completion. Costa Rica will be waiting for me when I’m ready, but I’m just not ready. I will be returning in mid-December to reenter the ring. I will need to figure out what I want to be when I grow up and get a job doing it, so expect me to be pestering my friends about that lol.
I have been having technical difficulties with posting this week. I’m pretty sure it’s me, not the site, so I’m going to give it another try here.
Monday is the day that my friend Dany typically takes off from his spot at Piratas and this Monday was no different. We made plans to visit beaches south of here that I haven’t seen yet, and even a couple that he’s never visited. By day’s end, we had been to seven beaches and had dinner in Nicoya, which we also spent a little time exploring. The beaches were Playa Lagarto, Playa Marbello, Playa San Juanillo, Playa Ostional, Playa Pelada, Playa Guiones, and Playa Garza.
Ok… this is where the pictures go, but I still can’t upload them. You’ll just have to trust me when I tell you how beautiful they were.
On Tuesday, I drove the scooter to Playa Grande and parked at the Taco Star. From there, I set off walking to Tamarindo. It’s a couple miles to get from the Taco Star to my favorite beach bar in Tamarindo, Vaquero. You can walk almost all of it, with the exception of a crocodile-infested river which separates the two. That must be crossed by boat, which costs one dollar. Not a bad investment in my book. Anyway, it took me just under an hour to reach Vaquero, where I enjoyed two beers and the company of a Canadian couple who were on vacation, before heading back to the Taco Star in Playa Grande. Once I arrived there, I celebrated with two fantastic tacos and another beer. Before heading back to the apartment, I drove to Piratas to hang out with Dany for the remainder of the afternoon. Before the day was done, I had walked over seven miles and felt really good about it.
(Pretend that the pictures from my walk are here.)
On Wednesday, I took a much needed day of rest, most of it in the pool at my apartment. After dinner, Dany and I were heading to Tamarindo to have a beer at Vaquero. On the way there, I felt something crawling up the back of my neck, which I quickly brushed away. You get used to things like this in Costa Rica lol. It was dark in the car and I had no idea what exactly it was and I didn’t think too much about it. A few minutes later, I put my hand on the seat and suddenly felt like a lightning bolt was shooting down my middle finger. I immediately assumed that whatever I had brushed off of my neck was a bee and that it taken its revenge, only it hurt far more than any bee sting I could remember. A few minutes later, we arrived at Vaquero and I got out of the car and walked up to the beach bar. A few seconds later, I hear Dany approaching me from behind yelling “Oh my God, DON’T MOVE!” There was a scorpion crawling up the back of my shirt! Dany knocked it off of me and killed it and the mystery of what stung me was solved.
(This is where you pretend that you are looking at a picture of a dead scorpion.)
I have a month left in my visit here, and I’m looking forward to enjoying every single day of it. Hopefully, the scorpions will cooperate.
Today is the 244th birthday of the United States Marine Corps. Born, appropriately enough, in a bar in Philadelphia on November 10, 1775. I will miss celebrating with my friends back home… but not too much. đ
Over the past weekend, Rusbin had family visiting from San Jose. His cousin Roxi, her husband Luis, their two children and their friends.
We spent Sunday afternoon at Playa Penca, where I took the paddleboard out for an hour or so. Roxi’s birthday was the next day, so before leaving the beach, I invited all of them back to my apartment for a cookout by the pool. On the way home, I stopped by the grocery store for food. Chicken, pork, salchichon (a Costa Rican sausage), and lots of fresh vegetables.
Luckily for me, my friend Dany also attended and took over all of the cooking duties. We had a great meal, drank too much, laughed a lot, and eventually were shushed by the landlord when we were having so much fun that we lost track of time.
It was an unforgettable evening and I was very happy to host the celebration. ¥Feliz cumpleaños, Roxi!
Paddleboard at Playa PencaPlaya Penca Dany at the grill Dinner The SpreadDigging in Roxi and LuisFamiliaHanging out Birthday Cake Make a Wish!
Yesterday, while Rusbin was seeing off his family visitors, Dany and I went to two new (to me) beaches. These beaches were a little further out than I usually go and they were absolutely gorgeous.
First, we went to Callejones. Dany said it’s a “secret beach,” but we found it easy enough. A friend of Dany’s, who he calls Pollito, lives nearby. Pollito spear fishes for lobster and other goodies and he gave us two fresh lobsters and three gigantic clams before we left.
Callejones Callejones Dany, Me, and Pollito at Callejones
After a swim and spending some time at Callejones, we stopped by to pick up Dany’s friend Laura on the way to our next beach, Junquillal. Sea Turtles lay eggs at Junquillal and people protect them from poachers as seen below. Apparently, the poachers have some level of ethics and will not take the eggs from the protected area.
Protected Turtle Eggs – Junquillal Protected Turtle Eggs – Junquillal Sunset at Junquillal Me, Laura, and Dany – Junquillal
On our way back to Huacas, we stopped at a Caribbean restaurant for a couple beers and a fantastic (and fantastically inexpensive) meal. The food was delicious, the owner was a gem, and I departed a very happy man.
Grilled Fish, Caribbean-style Rice and Beans, Salad, and Patacones
Today is the fourth straight day of cloudless skies and not a drop of rain. I’m loving it. Pura Vida.
Not having a phone for two weeks wasn’t easy, but it really made this blog suffer. I do ninety percent of my posts from the phone. After several unsuccessful attempts to restart my daily blogging, I’ve finally decided to not try to catch up on things I’ve missed and simply start blogging my daily activities again.
Here and there, I’ll randomly post about something that happened during the down time, but I’m not gonna stress over it. I have a ton of pictures to save to the phone before I can upload them, and I’ll get to it whenever I get to it.
The green time is coming to an end here in Guanacaste, and I’m being introduced to an entirely different Costa Rica. The good news is it hasn’t rained at all in more than three days now, restaurants and bars that were closed for the off-season are starting to reopen, and it’s two or three degrees hotter which makes the ocean seem even more refreshing. The bad news is the days of having a beach entirely to myself are apparently over.
I have a small, but important, piece of advice for all of you. If you leave the country for an extended period of time… do not, under any circumstances, lose your phone! I took the scooter into Villareal the other day to go to a fruits and vegetables stand. When I arrived, my phone was no longer in my back pocket. I backtracked my route, to no avail. My friends picked me up and we drove it again, this time with three sets of eyes, to no avail. AT&T hasn’t made it easy, but my awesome sister has dealt with most of that aggravation for me. Thanks, Al! Anyway, my replacement is currently being shipped to her house and then she will send it to me. The blog may be less active for the next ten days or so, but otherwise it shouldn’t affect me too much.
The past few days (other than Sunday and Monday which were pretty much washed out by rain) have been filled with beaches, friends, food, and amazing sunsets. I will post pictures as soon as I figure out how to transfer them.
Today, I am spending the afternoon with Rusbin and Emilia at Mar Vista, a luxury hotel with a restaurant, bar, pool, and amazing views.
Yesterday, I turned 55 years old. We celebrated with an all-day beach bbq with Dany at Playa Real, dinner at an American bbq restaurant in Playa Portrero called Perlas, a birthday cake, and a completely unnecessary nightcap at Fofi’s. One of the young ladies that works at Fofi’s, Joko, shares my birthday and we toasted each other to celebrate her youth and my… lack of youth.
BahĂa de los Piratas
After a beautiful cloudless morning spent poolside, Rusbin picked me up at 1:00 just as dark clouds were rolling in. The rain started immediately after I jumped into his car. By the time we reached Matapalo, just a few kilometers away, it had turned into a full-blown thunderstorm and things weren’t looking too good. I told Rusbin that it wouldn’t last, but that was more hopeful thinking than meteorology. From Matapalo, it’s 7km of bumpy dirt roads to BahĂa de los Piratas (Pirate’s Bay). Rusbin’s niece, Meli, is expecting in December so we took it very slowly and stopped for a few moments to give her a break on the way. By the time we arrived, the thunderstorm was over and the sun was shining brightly in a near-cloudless sky again.
The ocean at BahĂa de los Piratas was as calm as I’ve ever seen it. The waves rolling slowly in before breaking gently right at the shoreline. It made for some great swimming and I took full advantage of it. Immediately after we arrived, Rusbin gave the contents of his cooler – sausages and steaks -to Dany, who went straight to work on the grill. Everything was delicious.
Beach BBQDany doing his thing
We spent a great afternoon eating, drinking, laughing, swimming, enjoying the perfect day, and we were treated to the most spectacular sunset I’ve seen since I have been here. Oh, and I finally had one of Dany’s famous mojitos.
We had some visitors drift in and out throughout the day, some that I knew from previous visits and some tourists. A Canadian couple on vacation stopped for burgers and mojitos and we enjoyed their company almost as much as they enjoyed Dany’s burgers. The puppy that visited last week returned for more loving (and food) and got plenty of both. Dany has named her Cachiflin. Don’t ask me what that means because he doesn’t know the English translation and Google Translate returns Cachiflin when you try it. Cachiflin and Meli developed an immediate mutual affection for each other and it was fun to watch. Later on in the afternoon, we were visited by Dany’s friend Alex, who I had also met before. Alex was there to do some fishing, but sadly returned empty-handed. Shortly thereafter, an ATV tour from Tamarindo arrived. I had met the tour guide the other night while I was out with Dany and he was guiding a half-dozen or so men from New York, who were in Costa Rica for their friend’s bachelor party. There was some good-natured Philly/NY trash talking and I challenged them to get to the cave, which two of them did. One of them was a member of FDNY and I thanked him for his service, at which point he noticed my USMC tattoo and thanked me for mine.
Rusbin and Dany Rusbin and Dany Meli and Emilia Dany preparing his famous mojito (L to R) Meli, Dany, me, Rusbin, and Emilia Alex and his Costa Rican fishing rodAlex returning empty-handed. Better luck next time, my friend! Meli and Emilia preparing to watch the sunset ATVers from New York Hanging out in Pirate’s Bay Spectacular Sunset – Playa Real (BahĂa de los Piratas)
Birthday Dinner at Perlas
After leaving Playa Real, Rusbin dropped me off for a quick shower and change of clothes before going to Perlas, an American BBQ restaurant, for a birthday dinner. How we were supposed to eat dinner after eating all afternoon I had no idea. It turned out not to be a problem, however, because the food was so good there was no way not to eat it. Perlas has great food, a fun atmosphere with live music, and the service and people were top-notch. We were joined at dinner by Rusbin’s niece’s in-laws, George and Lorena, and it was nice to meet more of my newly-adopted family. đ
We ate more, we drank more, we laughed more, I had “Happy Birthday” sung to me Marilyn Monroe-style by the band’s female lead singer, and I was surprised to the point of tears by a birthday cake to top off the evening.
Outdoor BBQ Pit at Perlas Perlas Perlas Perlas Birthday Dinner at Perlas Rusbin and Emilia George and Lorena Darrian and Meli Me and DanyMy BBQ Chicken Dinner Rusbin and Dany shared this Lava Bowl, which looked amazing Rusbin going with the Magnum P.I. look“Happy Birthday” Marilyn Monroe-style My birthday cake – “I’m not crying, you’re crying!”“I’m not crying, you’re… ok, never mind”Thanking Rusbin for the cake… and everything else Hugging it out with Dany
Nightcap at Fofi’s
After leaving Perlas, four of us (Rusbin, Emilia, Dany, and I) stopped by to Fofi’s for a completely unnecessary nightcap. Joko, who does all of the cooking there, shares my birthday. We had a nice, but brief, stay and Joko and I toasted our birthdays.
Joko and I… one of us looks sober
So ends the story of an amazing day spent with amazing people. I am filled with gratitude and look forward to my 56th trip around the sun. Thanks for reading!
Today is my 55th birthday! Yesterday, Diana told me that Rusbin has been very excited about it and has planned a beach bbq at Playa Real to celebrate! (I’m not crying, you’re crying!)
I’m not counting my years today, I’m counting my blessings. Thank you to all who have made me who I am today. I’m very grateful for my family and friends, both old and new. ÂĄFeliz cumpleaños!
After a lunchtime thunderstorm, we all went to Playa Flamingo this afternoon. I had a nice swim, a little bit of a walk, and a brief nap. There’s really no better way to spend a couple hours, is there?
Playa Flamingo Playa Flamingo Time for a napMy new bamboo walking stick, provided by Mother Nature at Playa Flamingo
After leaving Playa Flamingo, we came to Playa Danta. I remembered that I had great empanadas at the oceanfront restaurant called Limonada the last time I was here, so I went directly to the bar for an order of those and an Imperial while everyone else went next door for a coffee. We saw yet another breathtaking sunset and, then… the rains came. We are supposed to go into Tamarindo for pizza tonight, but we are currently waiting out the storm under the shelter of the bar at Limonada. I’m giving 50/50 odds right now of getting that pizza tonight.
Playa Danta Sunset Waiting out the storm at Limonada – Playa Danta
Sometime prior to our arrival to the beach this afternoon, an artist created a mural in the sand using, I assume, a stick. There was no way to capture the entire thing in one picture, so I took a few pictures to get all of the various pieces in. I’m posting them here and you can put them together in your mind however suits you best. I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did.
We are currently having a coffee and a bite to eat at Pico, a small bistro on the beach in Tamarindo. We are enjoying the coffee, the company, and yet another amazing sunset.
We came to Tamarindo for a late lunch and some beach time. On the way here, we saw about a dozen monkeys in the trees to our right. The good thing about being a monkey is having the ability to cross the road without risking getting hit by a car.
What a day I had yesterday! After my morning routine of poolside coffee, catching up on a few things at home, and tidying up a bit in the apartment, I walked to Rusbin’s house where I had left the scooter the night before due to the rain. After a nice lunch and enjoying each other’s company, we set out for the beach.
We were originally headed for Playa Portrero or one of the other beaches along that stretch, but the skies looked troublesome in that direction. Rusbin, in a solid display of sound decision-making, made an immediate u-turn and we went to Playa Grande instead. The waves at Playa Grande were milder than usual, so I had a nice swim while remaining upright the entire time.
Returning safely from my swim
There is a large rock formation at the ocean’s edge at Playa Grande. I’ve decided that I will reach the top of it before I leave. It’s a harder climb than the rock island at Playa Real, but easier to get to as there is no swimming involved. I spent about an hour walking around the base, looking for the best way up and trying out a few possibilities and I think I’ve found my line for the ascent. I also discovered that crabs hang out on the ledges and crevices of the rock formation… either that or maybe they’re guarding it? Either way, I’ll have to deal with that also whenever I make the climb.
The New Challenge Waves Breaking at the EdgeThis Way Up
The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian
Late in the afternoon, it began to rain and we were chased from the beach before we could enjoy the sunset. We decided to go for coffee in Huacas. When we arrived, I saw my friend Diana sitting outside at the table! I was very happy to see her! She is the person who is responsible for this entire experience I’m having and I’m so very grateful for her friendship.
Diana and I
After coffee and conversation, I went back to the apartment for a shower and some fresh clothes. My friend Dany picked me up and we went to his fĂștbol game in Brasilito. It was a good game, but sorry to say that the Brasilito squad prevailed 4-0.
Dany
When the game was over, Dany and I went to Fofi’s for a late dinner of Costa Rican-style tacos and a few drinks. One thing led to another, and “a few” turned into “a few too many.” It happens. Lol
Costa Rican Tacos A Few Too Many
I slept in today and am moving slowly. Time to get in gear. Have a great day and thanks for reading!
Yesterday, after a morning spent poolside at my apartment, I went to Rusbin and Emilia’s house for lunch and an afternoon at the beach.
When I arrived, I had the pleasure to meet their niece, Meli, and her husband, Darrian. Meli is with child and they are due in December. Darrian is a Pennsylvania native, hailing from the Carlisle area.
After a nice lunch of pork chops with rice and beans, we all loaded into Rusbin’s car and headed to Playa Longasta for the remainder of the afternoon and a beautiful sunset. It was a bit cloudy, which interferes with the sunset itself, but in return offers some moments of spectacular colors as the sun drops behind the clouds. I could write an entire blog post, I think, about how much Rusbin loves sunsets. Maybe I will one of these days.
We stopped at a supermarket on the way home and I grabbed a fresh fish filet, some fresh vegetables, and a couple odds and ends that were needed at home. By the time we arrived back to their home, it was raining and there was an amazing display of lightning flashing horizontally across the sky. Rusbin offered to drive me to the apartment and let me keep the scooter at his house overnight, which I gratefully – and enthusiastically – accepted.
Playa Longasta – Panoramic View (L to R) Darrian, Meli, Rusbin, and Emilia Sunset at Playa Longasta Playa Longasta Playa Longasta Dinner
It would be easy enough, I suppose, to read this blog and assume I’m just on an extended vacation. Easy, but ultimately untrue. I came here to do some serious thinking, and I am doing that.
I’m trying very hard to not force anything, though. I’m feeling my feelings and letting things come to me as they will, rather than trying to guide myself to some pre-determined outcome. I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on my life experiences and life in general. I know that many of the answers that I’m looking for are already inside me and I’m taking the time to let them come to the surface.
I’ve been able to make some very hard decisions regarding certain people and things in my life, and I have many more to still sift through. It isn’t easy, but it’s necessary. It’s a process.
