So here we are in a small hotel, just about 4 minutes walk from the beach - Coco Beach. We left Monteverde the other day with the wind still blowing like crazy. It was interesting that even though it never seemed to let up, there were no clouds of dust around - maybe the wind had blown all that away already... It was quite unsettling walking through the cloud forest the day before on our own, with that wind howling so much.... we heard many trees cracking and it gets kinda lonely in there with the tree tops waving all over the place and the screeching wind way above.
The roads out of Monteverde are something else.... by that I mean that they are an adventure in itself. For about an hour we rattled, hopped, screamed, dove and climbed tiny, bumpy, rocky dirt roads with no barriers, no safety things as all. The road is narrow and from sitting inside the van, it seems as if it should be a one way road. But no. Not at all. Big trucks would come at us, mostly from around corners when we were higher than the tree tops and on an almost blind corner, and yup - there was space. Just. The rear view mirrors nearly always kissed in passing and many of us on the passing side unconciously scooted over as those trucks passed by. The sides of these roads are eaten away by the rain and wheels and I am absolutely convinced that if we had fallen off there, no one would ever find any trace of us at all.
The views were just stunning and the camera clicked away insanely, trying to capture bits of Costa Rica to take home with us... Hmmmm - I said that h-word a tad easier this time. The green of the countryside is beautiful and there are endless streams and little rivers flowing in almost all directions. And then we seemed to come off out of the clouds and back onto ground level where people lived, shopped and walked around again. It was like a different universe. We travelled a good way on the Pan American Highway, which is a road that literally starts in Alaska and ends in the south of South America.... That was one seriously busy road - only two lanes, one each way, no sidewalks, pull off places at all for miles and miles. We drove along the coast for a while which was beautiful, dotted with islands all over the place and the sea a lovely blue. There was a big four masted ship lying at an angle that told us that her adventures were over - but she had a good view, at least.
Then we stopped for a "poo poo rest" as the driver so delicately put it. Any stopping places here involve fruit and veggie stores, touristy things and a mignicifient displays of colors in towells, cloths and other goodies. We also stopped off at a big river where we all walked for waht felt like half a mile out onto the bridge to look at the crocodiles in the water. They were big. They were faaaar down and they barely moved. Everything here is so basic - not in a horrible way, but there really are no frills to anything, and its all totally ok. The fruitstands are filled with fruit straight from the trees, no polishing or picking only the pretty looking ones - they are all there. When we sit down at a table, we always have to wipe away some insect, leaf or dust of some kind. The tables are on wonky legs, the table cloths have definitely seen better days - and its all ok... its part of what Costa Rica is. We found this in Baja as well and loved it there just as much.
After driving through a good many little towns, past a good few obviously tourist-only places, we finally arrived in Manuel Antonio. And the roads we had to drive to drop some other off at some of the fanciest of hotels were just horrendous!! I swear the driver paled a good few times as the wheels lost traction going down hill and the van stalled twice when trying to climb some of those hills! Again, this was not on a road as we know it, but a pathway of rocks, stones, sand and slipperly leaves, at about treetop height and about half as wide as they should have been. Seriously, those hotels need to make a better road in. Or not. Tourists go there anyway, evidently.
We were picked up this morning at Poco A Poco Hotel - a lovley place with really great owners and staff, by the way, at 7am and got here around lunchtime - about a 6 hour drive. We were tired and hungry and wanted to get to the beach, so after unloading here at Coco Beach Hotel, we grabbed the camera and headed down the road. Then monkeys yelled at us as we walked down the road, swinging in the branches. The beach here is also not long at all, and after walking for a while, we found a little eating place right on the sand.... They served awesomely cold beers and a fantastic hamburger and fries. As we sat there sighing is enjoyment and watching the surfers dance the waves, we all jumped at a huge and sudden clap of thunder.... and then it rained, and rained. And Rained! Huge ploppy drops thundered on the corrugated iron roof and people scrunched into the covered area, meeting new people as they all sat at already occupied tables. It was a lovely atmosphere. The couple that sat down with us spoke some language that I could not identify or understand at all. We had a good many laughs though and sign language worked some of the time. I think. Maybe thats why they were laughing! After about an hour, the rain cleared up enough for us to walk home in a light drizzle - it was fantastic and cool - right before everything steamed up again. Literally.... the roads, paths, roofs, trees - everything steams!
And then on Saturday we went for a guided tour into the National park. Our guide, Albin, carried a powerful telescope with him on a tripod to see closer up what there was to see. This time we mostly just enjoyed the walk while we chatted with him, all of us learning a bit more about both our countries. We did see a couple of sloth, a strange variety of lizard and had a green parrot come to say hello. As we walked away from him, that bird yelled at us! We could almost hear him yelling 'Wait for me - where are you going?", and then he walked on the electric wires above the path right above our heads! Albin said it was unusual to find this type of bird in the park and its need for human company was obvious. Probably someones parakeet that had escaped. When we turned a corner and lost the powerlines, it was almost sad to hear the desperate sqwaking of this bird... until another group of people came along and then we kept them company back up the pathway.
The beaches in the park are beautiful with long lazy limbs of trees reaching out low over the sand towards the waves. Poison green apples litter the ground everywhere, mid sized iguanas scrambled from shady spot to shady spot, trying to beat us there. the waves pounded onto the shore in a very impressive way and it was hot, very hot and very humid. After walking around for about 4 hours, we stopped off at the little grocery store and bought some more water, mangoes, beers, chips and chocolate - energy!! We also stopped off for a twirly whirly ice cream and two slices of pizza to eat later. It was funny that when we were ordering our food, the guy behind the counter, who was about 28 - 35 years old, barely made eye contact with either of us... but as we sat there eating the ice cream and waiting for the pizza's to be warmed up, we watched in amuzement at how that same man bobbed, and danced, smiled and laughed with the two young ladies who had come in behind us! We sat and watched and smiled with a lovely kind of peace.
It was a very lazy rest of the day - we slept a bit, walked back to the National Park for another look and wander down those beaches which were less crowded than the one near the hotel and generally just let life pass by at a very gentle pace. It gets dark here around 5.30 and thats pretty much when Franks eyelids start falling..... oh wait - talk about falling...... After our walk through the National Park in the morning, Frank came out of the bathroom after having a shower and slipped on the tiled floor. What a horrible horrible moment that was. It was as if it was all happening in slow motion and I could not get there fast enough to catch him! He bounces well, but ended up smashing his head into the wall with the rest of him scrunched up into the corner, just groaning. Horrible, horrible moment. Fortunately nothing broke, cracked or split open, but he started growing an egg on his head and I ran downstairs to the kitchen to get some ice. Today he is fine, a little achey but fine and just has a buise on his head left. His hand swelled for a while - but... All ok again. PHEW.
And so yesterday ended and today began again, wake up, switch on fans, head out for breakfast of fruit and scrambled eggs and a lovely huge cup of coffee. And then we relaxed for a few more hours, took an amble down to the beach again and found some little knick knacks that wanted to go home with us and here we are, again parked off gently, watching the trees for monkeys or suchlike and waiting till out pick up arrives to take us to the Mangrove swamps for the afternoon, and dinner.
It's heckishly hot here. hot and humid and if someone had to ask me for just one tip about visiting Costa Rica, it would be to buy clothing one size bigger than you normally wear!
Tomorrow morning we are heading even further south to the Osa Peninsula and Drake Bay area. There we will be picked up by a boat and taken into the jungle where we will stay for a few days, at least. Apparently their internet is not working - she emailed me to tell me this. Hmmm. Okey dokey. Maybe she was just talking about their wireless and maybe we can fix it and maybe not. So, if you dont hear from us for a while - this is why.
I am hoping to get some photos up tonight - but that will depend on what time we get back from the Mangroves. We seem to have slowed down quite a bit, or rather, it feels as if we have run into a wall of heat and its really tiring us out quite a bit. The lady I spoke to from Corcovado Eco Lodge, where we are going next, says its nice and cool in the rain forest there and they have plenty of fans around too. We looked at many places to stay in the Corcovado area and most were around $110 per night per person! This place is $50 per cabin per night - food included. It's definitely going to be interesting :)
This was going to be a short update - but look there - another book! ah well.
Till......the next internet connection.
love, light and laughter
Annie
yes,yes, U3 too! :)
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