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Since my computer took a dump, I’m having to write this using my telephone. Needless to say it makes things difficult and complicated. Therefore, I decided to create this post the old-fashioned way… Just dump a bunch of pictures. So here goes I hope you enjoy some of the things I’ve seen why I’ve been in Costa Rica. 
Before you set off on a trip, you tend to believe that your time away will be nothing but glorious. Today was not that day.
It started with my computer that decided it did not want to wake up when I did. As a matter of fact, it hasn’t woken up all day. This is obviously a very bad sign, especially when you are living in the middle of rural Costa Rica and there’s nowhere that can fix it . Therefore, I’m attempting to write this blog by speaking into a microphone. We shall see how it goes, but I would expect a lot of typos that I’m probably too lazy to fix.
After I discovered the bad news about my computer, I decided to take a walk. It was a lovely morning … cloudy with mist hanging over the mountains and not yet hot. I had one cup of coffee in and enough caffeine to probably get me to the next village when I heard this.:
After that excitement, I drove to Nicoya where I was delighted to find a new store with all sorts of gluten-free items. Of course, it was expensive but great to find as I started home. A huge thunderstorm arrived. The thunderstorms are very loud because they echo across the valley. It’s kind of cool and I like them. However, I lost my GPS and therefore my way home. I ended up only God knows where in the back country, even further back than I currently am, trying to find my way out. Eventually, I made it home, unlocked the gate in the pouring rain, looked up, to see what all the racket was. It was these beautiful parrots. Take a listen and a look: (For some reason you have to press the triangles even though there is no movie… then it shows up)
All is well until right after I finish filming this when I slipped on a wet rock and landed on my shoulder, you know the one with the torn rotator cuff. At first, I thought I broke my wrist, but I didn’t. Thank goodness, but I did screw up the shoulder again. I’d like to say the video of the parrots was worth it… We shall see about that!
Today is the festival so I will be going to the school at 4 PM to help celebrate. I was invited and I think it has something to do with beans. It is also Costa Rica’s Independence Day so I guess I will find out how beans tie into that But I’m excited and honored that I was asked to come. I’ll let you know how it goes. 
Since everyday is a hot day in Costa Rica I don’t have much advice about keeping cool with no AC except walk early, shower often, and keep your cooking short and sweet so you don’t heat up the entire house. Sometimes standing out in the relief of the daily evening rainstorm is helpful too. (note that there’s no water in the swimming pool) Sometimes life is cruel that way!
So, did I tell you it is mucho caliente aqui? It is, and for that reason I have been walking early in the morning which led me directly to a wonderful day. As I was walking down the rough stone road I saw a young man on the porch of a very old home and he was giving a man a haircut. I assumed it was his grandfather and I yelled out “Buenos Dias!” Now, since I am probably the only white girl in a 20 mile radius I tend to draw attention to myself just by breathing. Shouting “Good Day” adds a whole new dimension so the hair cut immediately ceased. I tried in my very Malo Espanol to talk to them, when the young man with the scissors in his hands, after wincing at my pronunciation stated, “I speak English.” And that began our conversation which led to me hiring him to come over three times a week to just talk to me for an hour in order to try to improve my Spanish. I am paying him of course and he is as thrilled as I am. The people in this area are impoverished and money is hard to come by so this works well for both of us. As you can see there is not a lot around here….there are more hooves than feet.
Yesterday he arrived on his small motorbike and we talked for over an hour. He is a barber and also a chef. He showed me pictures of the food that he has created and I drooled. Everyone who knows me will tell you with a shake of their head and a little “tusk-tusk…the poor dear” look that I am a lousy cook. Therefore, I am working up the nerve to see if he would cook for me once a week so I actually eat some authentic and healthy food.
After my Spanish lesson with him; I went on my walk and yelled out again “Buenos Dias!!!!” to an older woman. Turns out she knows absolutely no English but we managed to communicate a bit until she grabbed me by the arms and led me to the next house where she went in and brought out a young woman named Allan who speaks some English. Long story short we are going into town for breakfast this weekend to celebrate Costa Rican Independence Day. I think it will be fun and I am excited. The people here are so nice and welcoming.
Today I finally decided to leave the house and make the 30 minute trip to go to Nicoya using the 6 speed stick shift which I have been avoiding. I actually had no choice….I have had a headache for five days, another medical issue and was almost out of food. The traffic in Nicoya is horrid as there is one two-lane road in town and they are doing road work on it making traffic come to a crawl all the way through town. I got lost going to the hospital and ended up in the back woods down by a school where all the kids were going home in their blue and white uniforms. They looked adorable. When I finally found the hospital I went inside only to find a waiting room with about 100 coughing/snuffling people in it. But it was after visiting to bathroom I made a decision: I was not meant to be seen by a doctor on this particular day and I left.
I then proceeded to the store (which has some Wal-Mart Brands) and then drove home. I am amazed at the price of food and am surprised that people aren’t walking around skeletal-like. I mean seriously who can afford to eat? Not that the pictures that I put up are really food anyway but still…..
I arrived home to my new pets…this kitchen spider and the HUGE red ants that share my house with me. There is no use in trying to kill them as they are just replaced by their pissed off buddies. So now I just try to live and let live while just trying to get along with everyone. With any luck I will do no harm and neither will they.
Meanwhile, my daughters are in Massachusetts visiting with cousins and having a great time. I was suppose to be there and then decided to be traveling instead. I am wondering if I made a slight miscalculation. Here is a Video by my daughter Kellis of their afternoon…..you will notice there is water in this pool.
If you have ever dreamed about getting away from in all…come to Costa Rica. Yes, there are resorts and San Jose, but if you really want to get lost, come to rural Guanacaste where the Brahma cows out number humans, the monkey are louder than them, and the nearest town is about twenty-five minutes away by car and 2 days if you are walking.
Yesterday, I went to the very small school down the road to see if anyone there could help me with my Spanish by talking to me a couple of hours a week and I would pay them. No one knows English, which while expected, was disappointing because even with my translator no one understood what I was really wanting. No one had to speak English just be willing to to talk to me in Spanish. If nothing else I proved to be a sizable distraction for the kids who thought my attempts at communicating in Spanish were hilarious!
It is very impoverished here but I am not sure that anyone in the valley is truly aware of it. Everyone waves and smiles, and during my walk today several people waved and answered me back after I yelled out “buenos tardes!” Tonight I plan to go down to the bingo hall and play a game or two as a benefit for a sick child in the village.
The day before they left my hosts took me into Nicoya which is the nearest “big” town. It has A McDonalds, KFC and Burger King. Sigh. There are three supermarkets and a lovely town plaza full of Iguanas of all colors. I love the orange ones. Food at the supermarkets is expensive and I don’t know how the locals afford to shop. For instance a small sized Wall-Mart shredded cheese is $4 here while at home about $2. I was shocked and my heart went out to all the less-fortunate folks for whom shopping must be a cruel joke.
On Wednesday I took I & E to the airport in San Jose so they could go home to France to visit their first grand baby. I drove their truck…a six speed stick shirt. I was terrified. Why? Because no one seems to follow traffic laws, I had not driven a stick in 25 years, and I was driving in a big city.
Driving here is arduous. It is about a five-six hour trek from here one way to the airport. I don’t think it is because of the roads per se even though the first thirty minutes is spent dodging potholes the size of small continents along rutted dirt roads. No, I think it takes so long because the trucks NEVER pull over even though there are fifty cars behind them and they are going 30 mph. Add to that road work and tree trimming along the highway and the time it takes to get from here to there increases dramatically. But the scenery if truly spectacular and it was nice passing the ocean and stopping off at the butterfly farm. Unfortunately, the farm had experienced a major crisis two days before I came when birds got into the butterfly pen. Let’s just say I was told that there were numerous casualties inflicted by the invaders.
All in all my stay thus far has been a 180 degree change from my time in Mexico. It is HOT here and so very HUMID. There is no air conditioner which means I am too hot to cook and as a result I have lost 5 pounds. I am also sleeping under mosquito netting thank goodness. Yet despite all of this I developed a massive headache (which I never usually have) and my stomach feels like I have been sailing. I am hoping that I am not coming down with anything and that the tick that bit me is not some disease carrying vampire. Yes, I know, I am sounding like a whiny American and as sick as I am feeling today (now Saturday) I have earned the title. But I know that soon I will be feeling better which will improve the attitude and the whining will cease.
So, I have been in Costa Rica for a little over 24 hours and I am experiencing a bit of culture shock. For me, the shock is not from living in a deeply rural part of the country near Nicoya but from the heat/humidity found here. I am just not used to it and it feels weird that my body constantly feels like it has been rolled in a vat of ice cream and then laid out to dry….only you never do… which means that boob rash will definitely be making an appearance soon. I feel sticky and wet and for a girl who has really never sweated in her life I have to wonder if there is such a thing as a deodorant that truly works!
The people whose home I am sitting are marvelous. They are French and moved here two years ago. They are kind and generous, make a mean rum drink, and are giving me advice about everything under the sun such as which fruits I can eat off the trees and which snakes could possibly kill me (luckily there are not THAT many) They are doing everything in their power to make me feel comfortable and for me to enjoy my experience here.
I can eat these!!! They are yummy!
The wildlife is amazing on this land. There are iguana’s of every color and size. They are quite loud when they fall out of the trees and land on the ground with a huge thud. One is also the pet who comes and begs for food. Macaws fly through the trees as do yellow-headed green parrots. Butterflies of all types float through the clouds and land on the banana trees. There are peccaries roaming the property, armadillos, and I can hear the howler monkeys on the mountain behind the house.
While there are few people there are plenty of trees. The property has Guanacastes, Bayan type trees, mangos. papaya, and a sweet lemon. Pineapple are just starting to reach their second year of growth. My hosts have really worked hard on their property and it shows.
I’ll leave you with the spectacular views that can be seen within the 14,000 hectares that I will be living amongst for the next six weeks. I hope you are as awed by them as I am.
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