A journey of a 1000 beers begins w/ a single drink
Trip Start
Nov 12, 2005
1
8
Trip End
Nov 29, 2005
Costa Rica,
Costa Rica
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
We left Puerto Viejo this morning and the weather could not have been nicer. Last night we were all a little wiped after a day at the beach. Double J was swimming in the ocean yesterday letting the warm Caribbean waters caress his smithyriddles. We rode bikes (with no "incidents) to Playa Cocles, a beautiful stretch of beach only a mile north of the cove where my ocean kayaking debacle happened the day before. We watched the tide roll in and the topless girls hang out (literally). I think JJ was impressed.
Carola showed up with a surfboard that was twice her height
01 Two Gringos danced the night away here
. To her credit, she decided to try surfing with nary a lesson. But Mother Ocean is a cruel mistress and once again, her and I in the same waters means danger. Within five minutes of entering the angry sea, a wave hit her, flipped her board and it came crashing down on her face. She got a sizeable gash that started to bleed on her left cheek. To me, it looked stitchworthy, but Mister Medic said "no" and I will not ask for a 2nd opinion. JJ performed more EMT stuff and she sat out surfing for the day. She was very disappointed, but SOMEONE had to use her already rented board. So my fat ass set out to hang ten for the first time since Ecuador. After a long wait for a decent set, I got 3 very brief rides, they were breaking quickly and the waits between were long, but I DID get up. (JJ said he only saw me up once, but there was a topless chick near us, so do the math) But I had fun and quickly wore myself out. So last night we went to one of few bars we have not frequented called Baba Yaga, they have a little hut with a table in it that we sat in. JJ and Carola had watched the movie called "GOAL!!!!" at this cinema cafe thing earlier in the evening. It was a British film about soccer that used every sports film cliche every put down on celluloid. From the Slow Motion First Defeat to the Unemotional Father screaming "Thatīs my son!!" at the TV screen. Pretty cheezy! The best part of the movie that I saw was when the many feral dogs in town walked past the projector on the floor, creating a huge doggie silhouette on the screen, and putting subtitles on the dog
02 Feral Dog in Puerto Viejo
. The dogs of Puerto Viejo must taste great, they are ALWAYS sampling themselves. Yummah.One of the nights we were at Jhonnyīs disco in Puerto Viejo, we watched a Tico roll a joint in his hand without stopping dancing throughout the whole process. Itīs that kind of craftsmanship that is sorely missing from much of todayīs manufacturing.
Last night, JJ bailed a bit early again, but we were all pretty tired. Carola and I went to Bar Maritza for some Imperials and Guaros. Somebody ordered us Guaro and Milk shots, Disgusting. By the time we went back to Baba Yaga, it was hopping and so we had some more beers and hung out at Carolaīs hotel next door with some people we met. We also bumped into the cocaine overdose guy, Ashley, he was still rubbing his nose and speaking Cockney jibberish. He had a big bandage on his elbow and had no idea that I had held his head while he had his seizure. Drugs are bad, kids.
On the way back from PV, we drove through the stunning scenery of Braulio Carrillo National Park. In the background loomed the Turriabla Volcano, as if to remind us that even the best friendships can be undone by 20 vertical miles of pure adrenaline.
We said goodbye to our good friend Carola, who is as sunburnt, scarred, and hungover as I am on my bestest trips. She did a great job keeping up with us and putting up with my obnoxiousness. Kudos to the Dutch Girl.
I will also miss the fruit stand girl, all of the friendly neighborhood Rasta drug dealers, the surfer dude laundry service guy, the Uber Deutsche hotellier at Coconut Grove, the hordes of friendly and loud Jamaican children, the guy who lays in the tree in the center of town all day, the many misshapen feral dogs, the kebab stand girl that now hates both JJ and I, and mostly, my little Sahara
03 Little Surfer Boy, Ok not so little
.I will not miss the smell of raw sewage and the guy who drives through town yelling "Potty, Potty, Potty" every morning.
Today, we are doing a bit of shopping in San Jose. I need to get enough bottles of Lizano hot sauce to hold me over until I return. IF I return, that is. We found out that there are two brothels on the same block as our hotel. Letīs hope JJ rings the right bell when he comes home solo tonight. Nah, it will be an early evening for both of us. More than likely, some roast chicken, a moderate amount of Imperial, and two friends recounting the torrid tale of travel that deconstructed their friendship. We may need a vacation from each other, but we will always have the memories of this insane trip to laugh about as old men. Well, IīLL be laughing, anyway.
Say what you will, I really tried to show him a good time. But one manīs good time is another manīs descent into the inferno. Iīm not asking for much, only his soul, right? But I know that despite the stress of travelling with someone who NEVER stops EVER, JJ had a good time, getting to see and do things he would never have on his own. I think the things he may learn about other people in other cultures will help to broaden his mind and hopefully spark the wanderlust that has bewitched me all these crazy years. Or maybe it will keep him in the States permanently, I donīt know. What I do know is that you donīt get to experience the beauty of the world by hanging out on the couch. And no matter what anybody says, he was a brave madre for attempting this trip in the first place. When I get back, I will be kissing my Anna. When JJ gets back, he will be kissing the ground
04 Hmm.. They must feel like this. . .
.The Costa Rican have a famous phrase: "Pura Vida" meaning "pure life", the experience of actually living for the moment and enjoying where you are. Sometimes it means that you have to push yourself to get over your fear, and sometimes it means that you have to realize that you only live once and there is no time like the present. And I think that we both had quite an exhilirating time here in this beautiful country. But excitement and international intrigue eventually have to end, and the bland realities of our lives will again take hold. JJ will always have bragging rights to some of the craziest adventures Iīve concocted. And as you know, nothing is more important than bragging rights. So itīs time to develop the pictures, let our bug bites and abrasions heal, and detoxify our bodies from an orgy of Caribbean food and questionable liquor. This was a great time, folks. Thanks for tagging along, giving us moral support, and sitting through these e-mails. You had to be there, and in many ways, you were.
There will be more travelling in my future, you can be sure. Whoīs up for a bike ride? Trust me on this one. . .
Peace, Love, and Friendchip!!!
TT
Pura Vida, Everyone!!
