Pura Vida Máy

So the last time we spoke we were buming around in Tamarindo, surfing, cooking four ounce filet migion that cost only 600 colones a piece, just about a dollar, that we served with rice and beans and ate with our swedish roomates.

One evening in Tamarindo we took a taxi up to Via Real, where there was a local festival and Rodeo going on. Open bbq pits, music, beer and bucking bulls. For two thousand colones you could sit in the bleachers, for free you could sit out side the ring and fight for a good view, for a great view and no additional cost you simply had to crawl into the ring and run from the bull when it came for you.

Naturally we entered the ring. As the anticipation built we watched a group of young Tica dancers preform some traditional dance...then the bulls. Oh boy was that ever dangerous, but an unriveled rush. So people in the ring would immediatly climb the ring and stand and watch, others would run, others would taunt. One time I was running from the bull and he looked right at me. As I jogged around the outside of the ring the bull jogged just a few paces behind me until I slipped into the crowd against the wall and all was good. Whew!

After we got our fill of danger we exited the ring and tried some local fare. yum a dum dum.

We had a good life there in Tamarindo, AC, TV, great people for only 12 dollars per night. But it was time to move on.

So us and four swedes rented a Toyota Prado and headed down the Nicoya Penninsula its southern tip, to the towns of Santa Teresa, Mal Pais and Montezuma.

I drove most of the time because Swedish people just are not very good drivers, narrow winding dirt roads with bridges that can only fit one car (with two way traffic) made for an action packed trip. but we arrived safely to our destination, Brunelas Hostel in Santa Teresa. This place was the ultimate surfer hang out...most of the residents had been coming there for years and staying for months at a time, the owner Juan let everything go on the honor system...There was a stocked fridge and a tally sheet where you kept track of how many beers or sodas you had consumed.

In Santa Teresa there wasn´t much to do if you were not an experienced surfed, I tried the waves once and had little success as mosterous waves crashed down on my board and body as I helplessly tried to paddle out, the only way to combat the waves is to have an expert board that in less bouyant so the surfer can go under the crashing waves..I could not.

So we decided we would drive to Montezuma where we booked a Snorkeling trip for 35 dollars a person that included a 45 min boat ride to las Islas Tortugas, snorkel rental, lunch on the beach and two cold brews. A fine deal considering we ate fresh marlin and raosted potatoes with all the fruit our hearts desired. I actually was able to speak with a local fisherman who for 40 years had taken either his hand carved wooden canoe or small motor boat from Paquera to the islands. This particular day he took the canoe and informed me that he paddles for 2 hours, then dives for fresh oysters and sells them on the beach, I bought two for a dollar a piece and watched him crack them open and prepare them right in front of me.

The snorkeling was also great, I was able to dive down and swim up through schools of fish with numbers in the hundreds to thousands. I would say we saw 20 diferent species of fish.

Then after three days in Brunelas we stayed one night in Montezuma, where we made a bonfire at our hotel and met people from all over the US and Canada.

The next morning we awoke and took the water taxi to Jacó, where we caught a bus to Manuel Antonio where we now stay. Yesterday Dan and I went rafting down a fiver on Duckies, inflatable kayaks, that was a blast then we came back and strolled the beach...I saw a monster coco fall from the tree and picked it up, I began to smash it against a tree and a local Tico saw my struggles and proceeded to give us a lesson in Sobrevivencia, survival. after his lesson I was able to remove a cocos husk and crack the nut slightly and then drink the sweet water trapped inside.

Then today we went into the national park of Manuel Antonio. There we saw three sloths, endless monkies (both white faced and howlers) and endless iguana, oh yea and this giant rodent looking thing that at first I thought was a Pizote but later realized it was just a monster rodent of some kind.

Anyways were doing fine and having tons of fun, next we are thinking of heading to Bocas del Toro, in Panama.

We love you all!

Pepito, José