I have finally got a few photos of the animals I encountered while in Costa Rica up on the web site.
Recently in Costa Rica Category
It is always odd re-emerging into my daily life. It is hard to see which why is up. It is harder because I am leaving town early in the AM for a week.
The always on internet connection. The fact that there are people who are my size (after spending two weeks in the land of 5' 6" people). I cleaned and re-arranged my room before I left and some remodeling was done in my part of the house. I don't know were anything I own is.
13 nights and 12 days in Costa Rica and the conclusion:
All suffering exists because we perceive ourselves differently than God sees us.
It is pouring rain. I am standing at the street corner i think a hostel is suppose to be on. There is a clothing store instead. Did I say it was raining.
Three high school studnets struggle through my spanish to help. We can´t find my hotel, but one send me to another down the street.
Same rate (more or less), but it includes free internet, breakfast (which I will miss because of my early ride), and they pay for my cab.
Angels. They are everywhere. Thanks be to God!
The day was spent in cafes and parks.
Lots of reading and writing.
Bus to San Jose today, noonish.
Head to the airport at 5am tomorrow.
Home by dinner.
The squire boy provides his reflections on his life to mine this week.
After the profesion of faith the priest said, "This is our faith....amen" which was followed by a lack luster "amen" from the body. He made us do it again with feeling.
I have no idea wha the homily was about. It was late. My brain was tired. Sound system echoy. But padre smilled through the whole thing.
There are people in our lives who move to the beat of a differnet drummer. There was a young man at mass who moves to a tuba. He wonered her and there. Shaking hands. Durning the concecation he went up to the alter kneeled and raised his arms. After the comunion hyme, padre told the musician to play it again and had us stand, sing, and clap along. The young man danced his way up and down the aile.
Peace for a place of peace.
Yesterday consisted of walking, reading, writting, praying, sleeping, eating, and meditating. My mind is alive with ideas. My heart and soul are at peace I as I learn more about myself and the world.
It is a quiet place at the foot of a valcano, who pokes her head out from time to time through the clouds.
While walking yesterday saw a lizard. Not unusual here, but it was 5 feel long. It´s head was bigger than both my fists. His back was coverec with 5 inch spins. A very acient looking creature. Just muching the leaves. When I came over to look it just looked back. Then continued on with it salad.
Lunch yesterday was Chinese. Opened with Tacos Chinos (egg roles). Funny name i thought, but it is possible someone would think our translation of egg role is odd. Language is such an odd thing, moving from one to another. There is not a one to one match. We have one word they may have three for the same thing, each with nuance. On the tv was a piece from an american news mag. It had a translator talking over the piece. The american doctor said weight lifting. It was translated into "activities of strength". Too fun.
Off for a walk. Lunch. More reading and writting in some cafe on the park.
After ten hours of sleep last night I am back to speed (though a nap is going to follow this).
Long exhale here in La Fortuna, but fist a catch up.
LA PLAYA
Okay, so the water wasn´t bad. I love the water. It the sand and heat I could do with out. I bought a long sleeve surt top. SPF 50, perfect for my pasty white skin. Spent about an hour in the ocean, playing in the waves and avoiding being hit by the surfers. Had a shower, lunch, and then back into the water for an hour. Followed by reading, a shower, reading and dinner. Rough life I know.
Durring dinner the skies opened. I would be willing to bet 4 inches fell in an hour. Amazing (in Wyoming we get 8 inches a year and most of that is snow melt). And life went on as if it were nothing. Sure there was less foot trafic on the street, but no big deal. The restart I was in had not front wall. Just a tin root. Really it looked like a well decorated garage. The rain beat down on the roof so you could not hear the person next to you. So I sat, eat and staired at the rain.
WHO IS TRAINING WHO
The night before as I was walking home from dinner there was a group of people looking up with cameras. In the trees where a few monkeys. Three types. As the monkeys showed up the touriest stopped. Not that monkeys aren´t cool to look, they are. But it came off as a show, after taking pictures and video the tourist didn´t what they were supose to, produced bananas for the monkeys. It was as if they (the monkeys) knew this was the ending the whole time. They had trained the tourist into bringing them dinner and all they had to do was pose for a few pictures.
LA FORTUNA
The town of 8000 is in the foot of an active vacano. It is a tourist town, but is full of not only extranjero, but also ticos on vacation. It is a very competitve so prices are good. The town is in the valley with lots of space. There for there is a lager park in the certer of town flanked my a beautiful chuch (with is doors always wide open). Lots of teens and old folks milling in the park.
Very slow place. Very comfrtable. I could feel my chest unclench right as I stepped off the bus. This is the experiance I was hoping for when I planed to spend my last few days in the beach.
This morning was brisk walk, breakfast, read and write in coffee shop.
Next is nap. Lunch. Walk. Read and write.
The Tico motto is Pura Vide (pure life). Right here, right now it is.
I am very sleep deprived at this point, so this will be short and sweet.
Yesterday was a very good day in the beach town. Will share details tomorrow.
Caught the 330am bus this morning. Woke up 2 and couldn´t get back to sleep. 6 hours to San Jose. Two hours at the bus station. Ordered Golla pico con pollo off the breakfast menu, not know what to expect (minus chicken). Ended up with chicken and black beans and rice. Odd breakfast, but since I had been up for 7 hours it worked.
Caught a 5 hour bus to La Fortuna (already lit a candel for Fr. Stan in the church). The highlight of the ride and maybe the trip was while we were stopped to pick up passagers there was a group of middle school kids waiting for there bus. One of the boys (12 or 13) was play (very poorly) bah bah black sheep on his recorder. It is nice to know something cross cultures.
I am in La Fortuna. Lots to say. Beautiful place, but I need sleep badly.
So basically this is a note to my family "I am alive. Well. Full of Costa Rica´s best Itialian food. Off to bed!"
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