Jun
22
Surf Highlights
Filed Under Travel | Leave a Comment
I just came back from my surf trip to Costa Rica and Nicaragua. What a trip! I left early Tuesday morning May 24th and spent the whole day travelling. The first thing I noticed at the airport was, a couple had Balikbayan boxes. Presumably lost? The Philippine Airlines counter is right next door. I just realized Balikbayan boxes are used by other people to other destinations. How cool is that?
This is my fourth trip to Costa Rica. I would think I learned enough Spanish after several trips. My Spanish is getting better. I can speak conversational Spanish and understand most, but it’s one thing to “speak” in Spanish and another to “think” in Spanish. I still think in English and it gets me in trouble sometimes.
You think you have it figured out, then a local would throw in an occasional “colloquial” word and you are thrown in for a loop. For example, a towel is called “toalla” in most Spanish-speaking countries. It’s called “panuelito” in Costa Rica. An ironing table is even more amusing. It’s called “burro”, “caballo”, “tabla” and a few more names in many countries.
I finally arrived in San Jose. I took a short taxi ride to Alajuela to catch the bus headed to Tamarindo. I was told by the local merchant the bus to Tamarindo only stops on certain days. I asked how about today. He said, “no se.” Great! He suggested I take the bus to Liberia and then catch the Tamarindo bus from there. So, I’m finally in Liberia, waiting at a bus stop. I waited and waited for about 2 hours. My bus finally arrives and two more hours in the bus. Ay caramba!
I have many friends in Tamarindo, a small fishing town. It’s now a tourist and surf town. The surf is not that great in Tamarindo, but there are other surf spots in the area that’s worth the stay. I stayed in Tamarindo for a total of three months two years ago. A lot has change since I left. Many new shops, new buildings and to my surprise, even a Burger King. All prices have doubled since I left. I used the Internet Cafe for one hour and I had to pay $6 dollars. I thought I got robbed when I left the cafe. I know the owners. Just kidding, Cinza and Carol.
It’s my second day of surfing. My arms were tired from paddling the day before. Stormy conditions. Is it worth going out? I was thinking to myself, “I’m only here for 3 weeks, I might as well take advantage of the warm water.” So I went with a friend. Then a “medusa” or jellyfish got me. Instant pain, stinging, itching, I don’t know how to describe it. It was all over my neck and on my right leg. Good thing I was wearing a rashguard. It would have been all over my chest. The huge pelt stayed on my neck and leg for about a week. Scratching it certainly didn’t help, but I couldn’t resist at times. I was lucky. One guy had it on his face.
Nicaragua. We exchanged “dollars” into “cordobas” at the border. My friend received old worthless money worth about $30. Lesson learned. If it looks funny, it probably is. We hired a taxi to take us to Popoyo. It was a 2 hour trip on a dusty dirt road. We arrived tired and hungry. We left Tamarindo at 4:30am and arrived in Popoyo at around 11:00am. We learned Popoyo was firing 8-10 foot waves. I finally went to surf after eating and resting for about an hour. It looks even bigger in the water. I was scared. One of a few times. I had to duck-dive 2 big waves when I was caught inside. But, I made it through the other side. My friend broke his board in two pieces. Que lastima! I got one decent ride and I was done for the day. We surfed again the next morning, but the waves were smaller and more manageable. We headed for Playa Madera at noon.
We took a taxi to Rivas, the nearest town. We had lunch there and took another taxi to Playa Madera. This time, it wasn’t a taxi. It was a cattle truck. All 5 of us on the bed of the cattle truck with 3 surfboards tied to the railings. It rained on the way to Playa Madera, but it didn’t matter. We didn’t care. It cooled us down from the hot sun. I have been to Playa Madera before, two years ago. When I went the last time, it was the best surf session I have ever done. The conditions were great, offshore winds the whole time and I was catching waves left and right. I was in surfing shape then after 3 months of non-stop surfing.
This time around the conditions were not that great. Choppy and onshore winds. I waited for the next day. It looked promising the first few hours of the day, but the winds shifted from offshore to onshore around mid-day. I finally went out to surf. Bad timing. A big set came in. I had to duck-dive many times. I lost count. I estimated about 15-20 times in a row. I realized the current was taking me to the side were the rocks were. I paddled back and tried another area further down the beach. I made it finally through the breakers after 15 long minutes. I caught a couple of waves and called it a day.
Back in Costa Rica. Finally, the second to the last day, a swell arrived although it only lasted for a day. Nice waves with some umph. Finally some power. Of course, fewer people out. It was great. I enjoyed it. Several great rides. I’ve decided this was the highlight of my trip plus a few other surf sessions in nearby “Casitas.”
It was good to see friends once again. I’m glad my friend Eve is doing quite well with her boyfriend Giovanni. It was fun hanging out with Kathy, as well as getting to know Eveline in our Nicaragua trip. And of course, “rastah” Walter, the fearless surfer. I wish I could be as fearless as you.
As always Ari gives a few laughs at Nogui’s bar. I was glad to see Isabel again. I miss Luca’s cucina and comida. I miss those nice Italian meals. Luca moved to Panama and his brother is in another beach in Costa Rica. I don’t know when I’ll be back to Tamarindo again, but the place has a special place in my heart. Like they alway say in Costa Rica, Pura vida!
Jun
21
Back From Costa Rica
Filed Under Travel | Leave a Comment
Hello. I just came back from Costa Rica and Nicaragua a week ago. I have been busy and I haven’t had the chance to upload the pictures I took nor made entries in my journal until now. I just uploaded 2 picture albums for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy. I’ll talk more about my trip when I have time to write. Ciao for now.
Sep
5
I’m Back Home
Filed Under Travel | Leave a Comment
It’s been such a long time since I posted last, over three months ago. Well, after Argentina, I ended up going to Rio de Janiero, Brazil for four days. Went to see Pao de Azucar and Corcovado and also saw a soccer game at Maracana stadium with a capacity of 120,000 people. After Brazil, I had a stopover in Bogota, Colombia for about five hours where I ended staying at the airport the whole time.
I was scared to go out especially with an American passport. I headed back to Ecuador where the trip started. After Ecuador, I went back to Costa Rica where I stayed for majority of the time, almost two months. I surfed pretty much everyday. I also traveled and sometimes surfed the rest of Costa Rica, Jaco, Playa Hermosa, Quepos and Manuel Antonio, Dominical, Puerto Viejo, Cahuita, La Fortuna and Monteverde.
On the way back, on my last leg of my trip, I got a ride from someone I met in Cahuita back to San Jose, Costa Rica. We were stuck behind a huge landslide. The whole highway was closed. We ended taking another route for an additional three hours. The guy barely made his flight. I ended taking a bus from the airport to San Jose. I also went to Nicaragua in San Juan del Sur with a couple of friends. We stayed in Playa Majagual which is a walking distance from Playa Madera, and excellent surf spot with only three people out. Excellent waves.
Pssst. Don’t tell anyone. Well, I’m back to the US. I will post all the pics I took in the next couple of days. Ciao for now.
Apr
21
Costa Rica Pictures Online
Filed Under Travel | Leave a Comment
Hola! Como estas? I finally got a chance to upload the pictures that we took in Costa Rica on the website. We took over 200 pics, although we could have taken more, but I’m not much of a photographer and I seldom carry the camera with me when walking around town.
We are still waiting for a couple of waterproof disposables cameras to be developed of the pictures we took at the beach and while surfing. I can’t wait to get those uploaded as well.
Well, I’m back here in California for a couple of weeks. I’m headed out to Ecuador and the rest of South America on April 30th. After South America, we are heading back to Costa Rica for a month or two. That’s the plan right now. We are still trying to work out our visas to Brazil.
Hopefully, that will materialize and we get to see Brazil. Other than that, I’m just chilling out and enjoying the comforts of home. I was watching folks surf in Santa Cruz yesterday. I don’t know. It looks really cold out there. I got a little spoiled with the warm water in Costa Rica.
Other than that, just chilling and relaxing at home. To view the pictures we took in Costa Rica, just click on the gallery link to your left. Ciao for now!
Mar
2
Now In Costa Rica
Filed Under Travel | Leave a Comment
Hey guys, I finally made it here to Costa Rica. Actually, I have been here for 4 days already. I am now in Playa Tamarindo. I surfed this morning for about an hour, but the waves really suck, so I didn’t stay in the water for long. There are several internet cafes here in town.
This one seems to be better. At least, the machines are newer, although the internet connection is still very, very slow. I have met many, many people the last four days.
I arrived in San Jose Wednesday night at around 8:00pm. I took a taxi to Hotel Mango Verde in Alajuela, only about 5 minutes from the airport. Nice place. It’s cheap, only $15 dollars a night. I stayed there for two nights. I met Roly the owner who invited me to his house the last time I was in here in Costa Rica during the World Cup back in June 2002. I met a Dutch girl staying in the hotel. Mama mia! The most beautiful girl I have seen. I almost didn’t make it here to Tamarindo.
I spent some time checking out at the capital, San Jose last Thursday. I met a couple girls in the city center and I chatted with them with my limited Spanish. I didn’t know how I managed, but I got their email addresses. I left for Tamarindo Friday. I didn’t have a place to stay, but I wasn’t worried. I got off the bus after 7 hour trip, took 4 steps and 10 seconds later, I got a place to stay for just $20 a night. I just moved out and checked in at the school, which is Wayra Instituto de Espanol where I am going to be living for the next three weeks.
My days here are very relaxing. Today, I took a three hour lunch and I still had plenty of time on my hands. Keep checking this site to vicariously live my vacation experience by way of the internet. By the way, the Spanish keyboards suck! It took a three minutes to find the hypen sign and a few more to find the ‘arroba’ or the @ sign! Ciao for now! Hehe..
Feb
25
One More Day To Go
Filed Under Travel | Leave a Comment
I have one more day before I go on my Central and South America trip. I still have a few things to take care of before I head out tomorrow morning at 6:30am. I’m still haven’t packed, although I’m only bringing a few things with me: 2 surfboards, 2 pairs of shorts, 2 pairs of pants, 4 shirts, and a few necessities. I’m also bringing a tent just in case a hike is necessary.
I just finished unloading a few belongings to the storage. I won’t be needing them for a while. For some reason, I feel like I’m forgetting something, but it’s probably something minor such as my tax return. I already filed my tax return last week. Off I go!