Caliente Karaoke!

Trip Start Apr 04, 2005
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Trip End Jul 18, 2005


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Flag of Costa Rica  ,
Friday, April 22, 2005

Yesterday I went to Heredia to visit Joy and to tour her cute town. Heredia is a much larger city than where I am staying. It is the former coffee capitol of Costa Rica and has been around since the early 1700¡¦s, so the colonial architecture that has been preserved is really beautiful. There are a ton of English speaking students due to the Universidad Nacionale and the many Spanish schools in the area. It was clean with eclectic little shops lining the bustling streets. I met Joy in the Parque Central, which is dominated by the Basilica de la Imaculada Concepcion, a huge White House looking building that is almost a full block square.
Joy was as cute as ever in a flowered skirt and sandals, soaking in some rays and making friends with a local couple. She introduced me to her new friends, Shara and Anselmo, who ended up being our companions for the evening. We went to the Boulevar for a couple of beers and then toured around Heredia. It was nice but the smell of the pollution and the crowds are just overwhelming. I look forward to getting out of the city and into the country.
Speaking of getting out of the city, I am staying in San Joaquin for another week. I missed some school due to gastronomical distress and also severe headaches. I went to the local doctor here who gave me many drugs and little explanation. I was severely dehydrated and need to learn to always have water and be drinking it. It is just so hot here and my body isn¡¦t yet acclimated. So my school is going to provide me with a private teacher for one week if I stay here so there is no question. I will benefit so much from that so I am happy with my decision despite only getting one week at Monteverde. I will have plenty of opps to see the country but not many to get private tutoring in Spanish so it¡¦s all good.
So on Friday my familia Tica threw a big fiesta and I tell you what, it was quite the party! They set the TV up right in the driveway and as soon as the sun went down Wilson, his friend Carlos, Marianita, Nadia, Carlos Jr., Christopher, and Michael started belting out the tunes much to Joy¡¦s and my surprise. It was LOUD! But the neighbors must be used to it. This sort of thing would never fly in the states. The vodka and whisky were flowing and even with the words on the TV I couldn¡¦t really understand what was being said. Eventually Rebeka showed up- Wilson and Marianita¡¦s 21 year old daughter- and danced with us and even tried to teach me some of the local moves. I was shakin my groove thing. I¡¦m sorry, Papa, it had to be done! Griffin, you would have been proud of my turns!
Although at first it was weird for me, after the night was said and done we all had a great time and I even sang a song! La Bamba by Los Lobos¡K. Hahaha sooooo funny. Joy and I went to the store and bought everything for guacamole and it was a huge hit so we were glad about that.
We were up at the crack of dawn to be in San Jose by 5:45 to catch our bus to Manuel Antonio Park on the Pacific Coast. We caught the bus and made it to the beach by noon or so.. My battery is low and I forgot my charger so I will write about the weekend and post it tomorrow. It was B E A U tiful!!!! And very interesting things happened¡K Tune in tomorrow and hopefully I will have some photos. Love ya! PS- Joy left this morning and so now I am on the journey solo.
Joy- It was so nice to have you here Joy to help me transition. Sorry for getting something in my eye when you left! fº Thanks for everything, amiga!
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