The Downpour

(A view from how far away and how high up we were.)

Today we wanted to explore Playa Biesanz. We were told how to get there and so we got on the bus and started the journey. We did not know it was going to be a 45 minutes walk down steep hills. Then a dirt path through a hole in the fence. When we came out of the knee breaking journey: 

It was a beautiful little cove. First step: run in and cool off. 

Then we decided to rent a kayak. Hannah gets in and then throws the oar in the water. What the heck? I'm floating around now with an oar- what she then decided to verbalized is that there was a ginormous spider on that oar who was now in the water with me. And I mean BIG. Red. And NASTY. It also could walk on water. Seriously. So Hannah paddles away and I'm left with a man eating red spider and a Baggie with my phone and money, oh and a go pro down the front of my suit. 

What a way to start kayaking. 

Then it gets super wavy and I'm getting motion sick, go figure. We paddle around for a bit and then a huge storm starts to roll in. 

We can hear the thunder and see the ominous clouds blowing in quickly. 

See that dark scariness approaching!? So we head back to shore.

Now, you know that 45 min walk down hill that was steep enough to hurt the knees. We needed to go back up that. I refused. However, there was no one to bum a ride with and trying to save money led us to the decision to walk it. At this point the fierce rain had descended. I'm not joking. This was the most insane blankets of rain I have ever seen. and somehow it continued to get worse as the minutes went on. 

Look at the droplets by Hannah's feet. 

Everyone who went by in car honked and smiled or laughed. Yeah two girls out in the torrential rain storm, walking up steep hills while floods of water poured down those hills. We had to take our shows off a few times so we didn't lose traction. 

Soaking wet. 

At the top of the hill we treated ourselves to falafel. So good. So, so good. 

What an adventure. Not the beach day we had hoped for, but hey it's rainy season after all. 

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Manual Antonio

Manuel Antonio. Wow. The pictures do not due this place justice. Teal blue waters, black rock cliffs and protruding jungle pinensula. And to get to these beaches you hike through the jungle part of the natural park full of sloths, monkeys, raccoons, iguanas. And the beach is full of monkeys, raccoons, and iguanas as well. The raccoons are not scared of people at all and come after your stuff, you have to hold onto it. 

While airing on this beach a raccoon got less than 6 inches away from me to take my peanut butter container. 

Infact there is one sneaking up behind me right now. Then the monkeys come too. 

Lots of them. Some had babies on their backs. 

Can you see the baby hugging it's moms back on here? So cute. 

Also iguanas that just chill right next to you. 

It's awesome! So I was playing in the water and then a huge wave came and took me out. It was bad because I was on a lot of rocks and tumbled and tumbled. 

This was the beginning when the blood started to peak through on me knee and all over my foot. Stung, but not too bad. 

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The Drop Site

Our friends Ron and Eric had their GoPro stolen. I think I told you this. Anyway the guy who took it was caught on the security camera of the super market (pictured above). The townspeople knew this crook and said they would contact him and maybe a trade could be made. The hostel and the people told the boys to not go to the police. BS the first thing I would have done is gone to the police- it was done on camera. 

Anyway the guys stayed in town all day to meet someone who was going to orchestrate the trade. Except that night they were told it wouldn't happen until morning- problem was they were leaving. That's when we come in, the new friends. Now we were going to do the trade in the morning. Oh boy. They have us $100 American cash and we were to go to the super market and meet a theirs party and trade for the camera. I was thinking if it's a third party in a public place there is no way I am paying the money. I'm taking the camera and leaving. Well, the morning comes and goes and nothing. Late afternoon we get a call that it's going down. We head to the drop site aka the super market liquor store and wait. The lady says a guy is coming. A car pulls up and he tells us to come outside. I make sure we are safe and head out... It's the freaking theif!!!!

What a piece of crap. The nerve. Steals the camera then makes them pay to get it back. He was scary otherwise I would have taken the camera and run. I am not down with dishonest people. But it occurred to me that my safety was worth $100. Plus it wasn't my money. So as soon as the deal is made we go right back in the store and wait until he leaves. I hope he gets due punishment. Karma. 

Now I have the GoPro and am baby siting it until we get home and I can mail it to them. Here's to hoping it doesn't get stolen from us. 

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Tamarindo: Where's My Stuff?

We have learned that Tamarindo is the land of thieves. Hannah's friend had the wallet and backpack stolen. She had her towel stolen. Her Canadian had his wallet and something else stolen. Our roommates had their GoPro stolen.

So our roommates Ron and Eric are the ones who's GoPro was stolen and there is footage of it being stolen from the super market. Anyway the townspeople all know the guy who stole the camera and they were like let us contact him and we can get it back. So apparently the lady at the market brokered a deal where the guy drops off the camera and then they drop off $100. I'm like Hellz no that makes me so mad! Anyway they were planning to go to their next destination today but since they had to wait around for the camera they invited us to go explore a town called Nicolya with them. I of course said yes because it meant spending the day in an air conditioned car. So we start driving turns out there is nothing in this town. We pulled over and took some photos in a pretty place. 

Then we went and got a pizza. The pizza was not so great but it was pizza.

anyway on the drive back they find out the guy isn't going to be I town until tomorrow morning! So now Hannah and I are going to pick up the go pro and mail it to them. Hopefully it goes okay. Stupid theives. We are not scared to be here and keeping a super close eye on our belongings. Before we went on the drive with them we went to the beach. 

Waves and waves for days. 

But the water is warm and clear and there are pretty shells. 

Oh the boys also showed us this cool cove where they saw crocodiles. 

So stunning! 

Current status; hiding from the mosquitos in my room with AC

The sunsets here and beautiful! 

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Tamarindo: Surf Town

I can only think about my dad right now and that I wish he was here. We are in a surf town today. Surf shops and surfers everywhere. Surf town is fine but maybe not so great for people who don't surf lol.

This morning we hung out at our hotel in Playa Del Coco then started the string of buses that would get us to to Tamarindo. It was so hot and humid, the bus was pretty miserable. A few hours later we arrived.

The hostel lady was so rude and short tempered. It's the worst hostel experience from staff I've ever had. 

The room though has air conditioning so I won't complain too much. Not sure how I am supposed to occupy three days here though. Maybe I'll find some more diving, problem is when the hostel personnel are not friendly then it makes finding activities very difficult. I'll go on the hunt tomorrow. Hannah is currently off with one of the men she met. I am sitting on a beautiful beach watching the sun go down. But then I will be running inside to escape the mosquitos. ;) 

It is pretty, beaches just aren't my ideal of a perfect vacation. I would be happy going back to the mountains with the cool weather, hot springs, and waterfalls. But compromise. No room to complain. I'm on a beach, in Costa Rica.

Pura Vida ✌🏻️

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Diving with Sharks

Today I dove. Not going to lie I was nervous! I have not dove since Fiji, 2 summers ago. There were 8 of us diving and I was partnered with the master diver who was so kind and held my hand literally. So we are on the little boat and go out about 15 minutes, and then the boat starts to rock. Of course the sea sickness sets in... The one time I don't have Dramamine in my purse. Gear up, including the horrific wetsuit. Have you ever worn a wet suit? They stink. By the way everything is currently moving right now even though I'm on solid ground. Okay so, gear up and fall in. As we decend I can't sink. My instructor leaves me on the rope and surfaces to get me more weights. No problem now, I swear he attached an anchor to me. Sank just fine. He held my hand for the first 15 minutes of the dive. What was crazy were the swells. You know in the movie Finding Nemo where the turtles are riding the current? Yeah. It was like that. We would just get taken along, then pushed back, then a warm current would come in, then a freezing cold one. It was interesting. Okay for first time down we saw lots of rays. All sorts of them! There was a crazy lobster. The neatest thing I saw by far were the octopi. Octopi? Anyway the octopus was unreal! You couldn't see it at all on these red rocks then the instructor touched it. Bam it saw away turning an electric blue. Then it landed on a yellowish rock and bam it wa a yellow. I was amazed! I've never seen anything camouflage like that before and to see a living thing change to three different colors in a minute! Everytime he found an octopus I was amazed! You need to google it. The second dive we went on the first thing we saw were sharks. Decend. Bam, 3 white tipped reef sharks.  Then huge eels. Like huuuge. Also some small ones. Tons of fish on both dives. At least 20 different species. The puffer fish were beautiful. The visibility was okay. Nothing like Fiji but decent. There wAs also a small sunken ship. Anyway. What an experience! 

Then I came back and swam with Hannah and had some beach time.

The mosquitos here are horrible! My back and back of my arms has been attacked. Also my ankle and parts of my legs. Hannah met this boy and he is COVERED in bites. Hundreds. I've never seen anything like it. Apparently mosquitos are attracted to certain a people's bacteria and scents. Great, they love me. Also they target you from 50yrd away. I'm a walking mosquito feeder. 

Glad I can be of service.

My mom messaged me saying glad I was going to look extra nice for JW. Great, especially since those bites takes weeks to heal. 

I just got back from the smoothie shop. This time fruit and beets with some protein powder. 

Beets make the most beautiful color! There will be not many photos of me in the coming time since I'm not a beach person. You know how some girls go to the beach and their hair naturally waves, their skin glows, and they have that beach look? Yeah. No. I'm the one who looks like the beach attacked me. Not something I was blessed with. I am freaked out about these mosquitos and having to live with them for the next week and a half. I miss the mountains already. 

On another note the appetite is back!

Also I bought shampoo. I really hope it helps the hair situation. It was a lot do am fingers crossed. 

Okay back to relaxing. 

Oh I should mention I almost got hit by a boat. Did I also mention the crow who attacked my head yesterday? I was walking down the beach and literally it open clawed grabbed my skull. Ok so tee were making our accent on the second dive and I start going up. Next thing I know my dive master is grabbing my leg pulling me down and someone is pushing me from the shoulders. Really quickly, I look up and a boat is right there. Apparently it was a close call bc when we surfaced my dive master started yelling at the boat captain, like a lot. Then he was telling the others in our boat about it, all in Spanish but phew. Another thing. I physically felt someone shove my shoulders down as he grabbed me from below but I'm not sure if there was another diver above me.... Guess I'll never know but I'm glad I want sucked into a propeller today. 

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Playa De Coco

This morning we left Monte Verde at 5am, that was early. Hence no photos. We then traveled by bus 2 hours and got off literally at a road junction. 

We sat on a makeshift bech under a mango tree and all around us were rotting mangoes. Mangos. ? Es or s anyway. Imagine the bugs and the smell. Now do it times two. About 40 min later a bus came and we got on that to Liberia. A few more hours later we arrive. At the bus station we find that we need to go to another bus station. Luckily a man overheard me and my broken Spanish and showed us where to go. I am always blessed with guardian angkes when traveling. It's so nice. 

Then we get on yet again another bus and travel an hour to Playa De Coco.

It's beautiful! This is right infront of our hotel. I'm staring at it right now while laying on an amazing outdoor bed. I decided when booking this trip that by this time I would need a break from the cheap hostels so hotel on the beach it is. 

This is our cute hotel: I am currently on the second floor patio. 

The view. A thunderstorm is rolling in. Should be fun to watch. But the beach brings rain and major humidity! When we first arrived we were so hot and tired we threw on our suits and raced to the water. It's perfect. Warm, and soft sand. There are cold and hot pockets in the water which is pretty nice. I then went and booked a double dive for tomorrow! Woohoo! So excited! Then we relaxed on the beach. After we headed to the grocery store. I decided to say goodbye to Hannahs college budget and hello to my working professional budget. Fresh smoothies and Subway, loaded with  veggies. I think I will be having these fresh smoothies every day. After that it was baby bell and Greek yogurt. Time to treat myself 😂. Yes, my appetite is coming back! 

This place is awesome and so relaxing. However... Today on the bus my bug spray fell out of my backpack. My nice bug spray. So now I only have the crappy back up one and guess what... Just got out of the shower and noticed my back has been eaten alive! I forgot to spray back there! I also wish I had my aerosol can! That stuff is pricey, I now have a pump one that sprays giants streams of stinking liquid. Further, is it even good to out that on your day on and day out for a month? What is a natural repellent? Wish I had brought some long sleeves.

Ah! It is down pouring! 

I wish it hurt when a mosquito bit you so you knew it was happening. They are silent Devils. Now I'm 8x more likely to have Zika. 😱

One more thing. Did I tell you about the bandaid ripping off my skin on the death hike: 

My foot hurts! 

Until tomorrow. ✌🏻️

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Monteverde: A Cheesy Tour

Today Hannah went zip lining. I really didn't want to do that since I've done it before and some freaking Tarzan swing was involved in this one so I decided to take a pass card. Instead I went on a cheese factory tour. 

Got to sample a bunch of different cheeses and learn about the factory, it was started in the 50's by a group of Quakers from Alabama. They were leaving USA because they didn't sign up for the draft since they didn't believe in the war. Anyway they came to Costa Rica and started a small cheese factory.  Which eventually grew bigger and now makes quite a bit of a cheese. They get all their milk from local small farms with free range cattle and some even still milk by hand. It was neat learning how they made the cheese. And of course samples are a plus. After I had some of their ice cream it was so creamy and delicious! 

I decided to do the hour walk back to town and get my steps in. I made a friend. This little pup followed me for a ways, I just wish I had had some food to give him. Then I stopped and sat for awhile atop a beautiful

Viewpoint:

The pictures don't do this justice, I wish you could actually see it.

and now we are going back to that crazy fig tree. Hopefully this time I can climb it! I think part of what I'm feeling is anemia. That's my self diagnosis but at home I get a lot of my iron from spinach and here... No leafy greens. I probably should have brought supplements but that could explain the fatigue, loss of appetite, maybe. Anyway time to go do the straight up streets again to the tree!

Went back on the crazy steep hike and tried to climb the tree. It was too scary and too high! 

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Monteverde: A Day In The Clouds

Today we walked on clouds. We walked on the top of the world. No, really. 

After breakfast we headed to Selvatura park which is full of hanging bridges. 8 to be exact. We climbed through the rainforest and awed at the natural beauty. 

The bridges were slightly scary. Especially when someone wiggled them, they were indeed high. But as Hannah said the higher the better bc if they break at least we know we are dead and not stuck half broken in a river. Amen.

We met this cute girl named Becky from New York and did the 1.5 hour hike with her. My fit bit was throwing a party on my wrist super early today. No problem hitting 10k this morning. 

Some of the bridges were ontop of the canopy and others like this, through the canopy. By the way I haven't had sugar in 8 days. Costa Rica is going to cleanse me of Americans sugar addiction. Though, I really want some chocolate right now. Hey, at least my appetite is coming back!

After this we walked to the cloud forest: Santa Elena Reserve. 

Almost stepped on this guy. Insane caterpillar! We did an hour hike through intense lush rainforest. Everything was green, huge leaves, miss everwhere, vines, trees growing in Trees and plants on those trees. 

It was beautiful! We then hit this look out point and had to climb this metal tower. 

Then a little ladder through a hole to a platform. Slightly freaky. 

But I made it! The view was great:

Pictures don't do justice. 

Spending the day in the rainforest was awesome! The weather was perfect! 

Then we came back and made dinner. Scrambled some eggs and made a skillet of onions, black beans, peppers, and beets. I know it's a weird combination but it was the cheapest of everything and I needed vegetables. Hey it's dinner for $2 in a very expensive place! Costa Rica ain't cheap! 

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