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The countdown is on, less than a week to go! I'm off to Costa Rica on Friday morning! I have probably gained quite a few new gray hairs over the past few weeks, what with all the hassle in getting a correct authentication/apostille on my birth certificate (would you believe the California Secretary of State made an error and the Consulate would not accept the document?) I had to have that in order to get a student visa. I ought to run for President, what with all the problems with my birth certificate. I have had to order THREE of them!

So, look for me hereon this thread over the coming months, and I will post up some photos (and likely even some hikes) from time to time. It will be fun to keep in touch with everyone while I'm there, too!

This has been a great read so far! Have fun and I look forward to reading about more of your adventures...

Azbackcountry wrote:This has been a great read so far! Have fun and I look forward to reading about more of your adventures...

Thanks! Today was not my favorite day, seeing as I woke up with diarrhea, and my friend Cora had something weird happen to her when she was out running on the beach early in the a.m., (a man performing a lewd act where she could see it). Also, I realized fully this morning that living in this house, where the mother and daughter often argue, and I am treated just like a boarder and not too much like part of the family, making me realize once again that life is not perfect, and that my desire and willingness to be "outside of my comfort zone" and to "keep life interesting" will also have bad days. And in fact, the director of our school warned us to expect ups and downs. I could ask for a different family, but in many ways this one works for me. It's pretty quiet here, and they pretty much leave me alone. The mama is a bit moody but is usually very friendly in the afternoons and evenings. She seems to be worried a lot, probably about her finances. I think they are kind of struggling. It is probably very important to them to have the income provided by boarding a student.

When I go to my school I meet up with the sweetest people, the young people who are my fellow students--really great group of people at my school. They're from all over the US, plus one from New Zealand. And I have fantastic teachers (two profs and a dance instructor) who are really nice, interesting, very intelligent, and are also native to this country.

I think I have talked myself out of the afternoon swim in the ocean since it is very windy. But, maybe I'll go...

You know you are getting old when you start talking about "young people".

When we were in Cancun years ago, there were signs everywhere stating "No Molestar los Iguanas"

kingsnake wrote:You know you are getting old when you start talking about "young people".

Yup. I'll be having a birthday while I'm here. I'll be 59!!

I walked to the downtown today on an errand--had to have some little passport-sized photos made for the office at my school. It seems to be something to do with needing them for my visa. I went by myself, partly to see how I would do on my own. I could have asked my Tica mama to go with me, but I didn't. I found a surf shop selling a pretty good knock-off of a Morey boogie board, but not a real Morey board. But it was 32,000 colones, or about $74 US. I can't afford that. And the kiddie ones in the general stores are styrofoam that looks like it will break the first time I ride a rough wave. I think I will stick to bodysurfing for now. There is no surf in Puntarenas due to the fact that the town sticks out into the Gulf of Nicoya, which shelters the beach here from the main swells. You have to go down the coast, such as to Caldera, where we went last week. So when I go to the beach here, I just swim parallel to the beach, try to get a little exercise. It's a bit choppy, I wear my fins.

On Saturday I'm probably going to go to Jaco, a touristy beach down the coast that does have surf.

Well, I've been settling in and haven't posted on here in awhile. Have been to a few places, such as Jacó beach, and up to San Ramón to see a coffee mill and a sugar mill.

Observations:
1. I love old Toyota FJ40 Landcruisers. They are a dime a dozen here. Want to know why? Because they manufactured them in Brazil until 2001, (but haven't imported them to the US since 1984, where they are VERY expensive now. Look at Craigslist sometime. 20 grand for a nice one.) I suppose if you bought one here and drove it to the US you'd have yourself a customs nightmare. But you probably wouldn't make it to the US. Someone in El Salvador or Nicaragua or Guatemala or Mexico would point a gun at you and take it from you.
2. Gallopinto: red beans and rice. I am pretty sure I'm tired of it by now. But I'm also used to it. 3 meals a day, I am served it. Very bland. Ticos don't spice up their food very much. For what it's worth it means something like "painted chicken" although it normally has no chicken in it.
3. Bikinis. Tica women wear them. Doesn't matter what the bod looks like that's sportin' the bikini. Sheesh... Tight clothing, also.
4. Cars: Toyotas, and Fords and Toyotas, and Nissans and Toyotas and Chevies, and Hyundais and Toyotas. But they have models you've never seen before. And who knew? Hyundai makes 15 passenger vans and buses? And so does Toyota?
5. People: They are all willing to greet you. They will greet you first, or if you greet them, they never ignore you, they greet you back. If you start talking to them they are almost always willing to have a conversation. It's a very chatty culture, and most people have good manners.
6. Traffic. Is insane. Pedestrians do NOT have the right-of-way. Cars pass on curves on winding roads.
7. Bicyles. Every household has bikes in Puntarenas. People use them a lot. They are an odd assortment, mostly beach cruisers.
8. Noise. It's a beach town, and on weekends it's noisy, all night long! I am dreading Carnaval, which starts in two days, and lasts two weeks.

More later, and I have some photos I'll post up later, too.

I saw a guy driving a 1995 four door ford bronco. i had to ask him were he got ot cause I had never even heard of one before. His reply... bought it from some mexican guy that bought it southern mexico. He said that Ford made them but only shipped the four doors to South America cause demand was so high. I have yet to see another one.

kevinweitzel75 wrote:I saw a guy driving a 1995 four door ford bronco. i had to ask him were he got ot cause I had never even heard of one before. His reply... bought it from some mexican guy that bought it southern mexico. He said that Ford made them but only shipped the four doors to South America cause demand was so high. I have yet to see another one.

Then there is the Nissan Patrol, not available in North America. Very cool vehicle.

Is this the Bronco? I'll watch for it here.

There is also a four door Ranger that looks like a newer version of the SportTrac that is being sold to Afghan security forces (who then wreck them en masse). Since both the Ranger and SportTrac are discontinued here, I wish they'd offer it over here as an alternative to the F-150, for those in the market for a small truck. With an eco boost engine, it could get really good mileage too...

Meanwhile, back in Costa Rica...

Carnavales begins here in Puntarenas this Wed. and goes for two weeks of insanity. My host family hates it, as do many of the locals. It will be non-stop noise and the worst kind of drunken behaviors. Wall to wall people, rock bands set up every few hundred feet, a megabar along the beach, people sleeping on the sidewalk in front of the house, etc. All of this a block or so from the house where I'm living.

I'm planning to go to Arenal Volcano on Saturday, to escape some of the insanity.

I'm packing my bags right now.

Don't forget the beads ...

@azbackpackrThat looks like a mid 60s. Havent seen one of those either. This on was a mid 90s with a six inch lift.

That 4 door Bronco is really cool, I've never seen one.

Alston Neal wrote:That 4 door Bronco is really cool, I've never seen one.

I thought so to, but just for the record, that Bronco was not in Costa Rica. Nor was the Nissan Patrol. I just found the photos on the internet because of the discussion. The Toyota FJ40's I see here, every day. FJ40 pickups, too. I really want one now! I've been looking at Craigslist Phoenix. Sheesh! Very expensive!

Ok, I have decided to post the sugar mill separately from the coffee mill (triplog and photos). Many of you looked at the sugar mill photos earlier, but I had not yet put up the most interesting ones, so please take a peek: http://hikearizona.com/photoset.php?ID=18661

Are you going to do any jungle hikes/camping while you are there?

That would be awesome...