PURA VIDA EN COSTA RICA

Journal Entry
March 28, 2006
Playa Samara, Costa Rica


the beautiful playa samara

As I write this now I'm privileged enough to be sitting on the hot, sandy, beach of Playa Samara, under coconut palm trees that sway with the breeze. I have once again returned to the beach life and, for the first time since LA, the Pacific coast. The waves behind me are crashing forcefully into the shore as the tide appears to be heading out.

As I said goodbye to the GAP group yesterday morning, I was excited to head out for a solid week of relaxing in one spot. Emma and Lisbeth, from the GAP group, decided to join me at the beach, for their couple extra days in Costa, before heading home from San Jose. We decided to go the faster, private, route to get here and hired a jeep and driver to set out on a little road trip back through the mountains of Monteverde, for the coast. Our driver, Alex, was really friendly and very talkative, which gave me, riding shotgun, ample opportunity to speak Spanish. It's one thing to learn the vocabulary, and something else entirely to understand locals and their many different accents, pronunciations and, most of all, slang. That's all a part of the challenge though and it's a challenge I accept gladly.


the road trip crew: Lisbeth, Alex, myself, Emma and teh red truck

Once we arrived in Samara, Alex very generously drove us from place to place in search of the best deal for accomodations. We found a little piece of paradise in our last stop. It's mere metres from the beach, with sparkling clean bathrooms (never underestimate the importance of clean bathrooms), a full service kitchen and so much more. The relaxing garden area has hammocks hung from the many branches of the huge, shade bearing, mango tree and out back we found a family of howler monkeys munching on their favourite fruit from the trees there. With that, another mission accomplished. Get close enough for great monkey pictures...CHECK!! You know those put a smile on my face!


look at that monkey!!

I really like the place I'm staying and hope I won't have to switch tomorrow when Emma and Lisbeth leave. That, however, depends on whether Rob, also from the GAP group (and fellow Canuck) will be here tomorrow night from San Jose (note: Rob will be here and I don't have to move...sweeet!). He's planning to spend an extra week in Costa, here at Playa Samara, so I have a friend until I head to Mal Pais at least.

I'm really hoping this week of relaxing on the beach will give me the energy I need to wrap out my final couple weeks of my trip on a high note. I'm certainly not complaining about being on vacation, but 4 months on the road can be quite exhausting in it's own rite, and I'm feeling that exhaustion right now. What I'm not totally sure of is whether it's the trip as a whole that's taking a toll, or just the busyness of the last couple weeks with the tour. Either way, I hope this week will give me some more energy, and hopefully a travel companion or two, to close out my trip with some of Costa Rica's finest beaches and just general good times!

-----------LATER THAT DAY-------------

Something occured to me this afternoon as I walked back from the beach and I found it a little strange. This trip, especially the point I'm at now (in two days I will officially have been on the road for 3 months) is the longest I've ever continuously been away from home. It's no wonder I'm feeling tired and thinking a lot about going home.

Sure, I've been away form home a lot, and for long stretches of time, but I realized today that the longest continuous stretch thus far is only 2 months....

EUROPE = 2 months
CAMP = at longest 7-8 weeks = 2 months
MONTREAL = okay 8 months but I was home roughly every 2 months

It's no wonder that as I close in on my 3 month travel anniversary, I'm wishing I could see my family and friends. I'm not pining for home exactly, but I do miss you all very much!

Luckily, I have the beauty of Costa Rica to help keep me distracted and remind me of how lucky I am to be here. Also, I know just how quickly April 19th will arrive and I will be navigating connecting flights at Miami airport on my way to home sweet home.

Across The Final Frontera

Journal Entry
March 24, 2006
Monteverde, Costa Rica


my fearless GAP leader Jemise

The conclusion of my trip has officially begun as I have no crossed my final International border (okay, save for that stop-over in Miami en route home) and now find myself in Costa Rica. The GAP tour is merely 4 days from over and soon I will once again be left ot my own devices to wander the Pacific coastline of Costa Rica. Of course, I have mixed feelings about this. I'm excited to be travelling on my own terms and schedule once again, but the apprehension about setting off alone, that I have faced a few tiems already on this trip, in once again setting in. Again, I find myself slightly worried about whether I'll be able to meet people to travel with. It's a constant mind game when you travel alone and I've had such a varied trip in terms of the periods of self reliant travel mixed with the security of friends, tours or homestay families, that I've found myself stuck in this mind game more times then is normal while away on a solo tour. The truth of it though is that meeting people while away is half the challenge of travelling alone, and more than half the reward.

One thing about this trip that I've enjoyed more than my trip to Europe, as far as meeting poeple is concerned, is the fact that I've met a lot more locals and been able to learn more about life here than just your average tourist trip. On our last night in Ometepe, Maria and I joined Evert, one of our waiters, on the beach for a couple Cuba Libres, after he was done his shift. It was great to be able to practice my Spanish with someone who is native to the island. After Evert left, however, we met Luis, the hotel's night security guard, and that conversation was incredibly interesting. Interesting and, in fact, quite sad. Luis told us about his desire to study more and be something more, like an engineer. unfortunately the reality for 22 year old Luis is nothing more than a fourth grade education (couldn't afford more than that) and a night security position that pays about $40 a week. He's originally from Grenada but had to move to the island to live with his aunt because it's the only place he kind find work and, as he put it, you have to work to eat!

Although I certainly don't have a lot of money by Canadian standards, I do from a world point of view. At least I have the opportunity to travel. It may have taken me 8 months to save for the trip, living with my parents, and still facing a decent credit card bill upon my return home, but I can still do it! Rent in Toronto is outrageous but, provided I'm working, I can pay for it! I am very lucky to be Canadian and to have the family and friends that I have, there is no question about that!

As for the worries I have about setting off alone again, well I just have to remind myself how easy it is to meet people on the road and, even if I shouldn't, Costa Rica is a much easier country to navigate and apparently my Spanish is pretty good, or so some have told me. I know it's at least good enough to get by.

OH MY OMETEPE

Journal Entry
March 22, 2006
Santo Domingo, Ometepe Island, Nicaragua


Unfortunately we only have a short 2 night stay here on the muy bonita Isla de Ometepe. Even just one more night would be nice, although I have no doubt that something more like a week would be easily accomplished. The hotel here is my hands down favourite and I doubt any other ahead will overtake it. It's very aptly named Villas Paraiso and it's right on the beach in the small town of Santo Domingo. The people here are wonderful. I can honestly say that the people of Guatemala and here in Nicaragua are my favourite. They are all so soft spoken (easy to understand which is a bonus), so kind and take a genuine interest in you.


Ometepe's finest in the gardens of Villas Paraiso

This accomodation is an island paradise. The gardens are immaculate and our rooms equally so, decked out complete with patio furniture and hammocks. The breeze is ever present and the sound of the waves crashing into shore creates a constant soundtrack of relaxation. It's the perfect place for relaxation and adventure to mix. The island is home to two massive volcanos, Conception on the north end and Madera on the south. Both are good for climbing though neither is a small task to hike. On top of those hikes, there are a plethora of other activities for nature lovers, including jungle walks and horseback riding...or you could always just lounge on the beach.


sunrise over Ometepe Island on the moring of our jungle walk

This morning a few of us awoke at the crack of dawn for a walk through the virgin jungle as all the animals awoke to the day. I was satisfied within minutes as we instanly saw about 10-15 monkeys swinging through the trees, and different kinds too! We saw plenty of birds and beautiful flora as well, but of course nothing made me happier than the monkeys.

After our walk we had a lovely breakfast (the hotel restaurant is great) and I read my book for a while before lunch and our very pleassant afternoon horseback ride through town. We took the horses to "Ojo de Agua" (Eye of Water) for a refreshing afternoon dip. "Ojo de Agua" is this beautiful, natural swimming hole in the middle of the jungle with cool, fresh, water and a rope swing. After our cooldown, we hopped back on the horses and made our way back to the hotel along the beach. Another life dream accomplished, horseback riding along the beach...gorgeous! It was a beautiful ride and I'm very glad that I got the opportunity to do some riding on this trip.


riding "deche" on the beaches of Ometepe

Tomorrow we leave this beautiful island far too soon and head for our final border into Costa Rica. Just a few more days with the tour before I commence the final leg of my trip. I plan to take those 3 weeks to relax on the beach, work on my tan and see if I can't get my ass up on a surfboard.

TOURing Around

March 20, 2006
Granada, Nicaragua

I met up with GAP adventure tours on my last night in Antigua for a 17 day trek through a couple different countries en route to my final destination of Costa Rica. What can I say about GAP tours? The group of people I´m with are an interesting mix of about 6 people in aorund my age and about 6 more who are enjoying their retirement days. Everyone is really nice and we all get along very well but the group dynamic is certainly an interesting one. One thing I can say for sure is that I doubt I´ll do another tour anytime soon. Don´t get me wrong this tour is a very good one but I´m not really one for feeling like a duckling following my mother duck and the rest of my family around on public transportation. Especially when I know that I´m completely capable of making such arrangements on my own, and though it´s nice to be staying in mid range hotels as opposed to hostels, it´s really not neccesary and I´m not sure it´s worth the expense given the type of traveller that I am at this stage in my life. That certainly isn´t meant to be a knock at GAP or my guide as both are very good. My guide Jemise is really great in fact. She´s a lot of fun and someone I would totally hang out with if I met her on the road, as are many of the others on the tour. I guess it´s just my independant nature that disagrees with the whole tour concept in general.

Anyway, after a VERY early start from Antigua for our first day on the road, leaving at 4:30am, headed for the Honduran border and the days final rest stop of Copan. There are very beautiful Mayan ruins in Copan...I didn´t see them. I was really tired from a busy week and a long, early travel day and opted instead for a relaxing afternoon of reading my book and yes, I´ll admit it, watching a movie, since the hotel had TVs with HBO. It´s been a while what can I say.

The next morning we headed for Roatan Island, off the northern coast of Honduras. I was hoping to hook up with Sam´s mom, Perri, for a day on her boat, but that didn´t happen as they had taken the boat to another of the bay islands and didn´t get my email until the day I left (tour schedule and all). It was too bad but I still enjoyed Roatan. Again, on Roatan, I decided to keep things pretty mellow. I didn´t want to spend a lot of money as I´m feeling a bit worried about it, since I have to pay for 3 weeks in the very expensive country of Costa Rica still, and was still just feeling a bit drained. There comes a point in every long trip where you just have to give in to a few days of straight relaxation and Roatan was that place for me. I would have done most of my realxing on the beach, but the sandflies were pretty bad and in the 20 minutes I´d spent lying there the first day had managed to accumulate about 20 bites on one leg. So, I opted instead for a coffee at the Bakery and some reading, and yes, another movie. Ladder 49 is pretty entertaining, I liked it! I just couldn´t resist a little time in the comfort of my room with a good movie. Especially since I knew it would be a while (like whenever I got home) before I would get such an opportunity again. I did however really enjoy the west end of Roatan, where we stayed. It was another jolt back into the English speaking Carribean Island culture that I´d experienced on Caye Caulker, and in the past in Jamaica, and it´s a chillin culture that I really like!


night spider (think i'ts a tarantula) on roatan island

After Roatan it was a couple of very heavy travel days with one night stop in the large Honduran city of Comayagua, a couple hours outside the capital. We didn´t have time for much more than dinner and a trip to the supermarket there before taking of the next morning for our most gruelling travel day yet. About 13 hours, and another border crossing later, we arrived at our hotel in Granada, Nicaragua, thankful to be staying in one place for the next 3 nights.

Granada is another of Central America´s beautiful colonial cities. It reminds me a lot of Antigua but with fewer (still many, but fewer) tourists and the fresh coat of paint that Antigua has received. I like it here a lot. I think it´s one of the stops on this tour that I would spend more time in if I was here on my own. I really like these old colonial cities, they are so beautiful just to walk around and gaze at.


climbing rock walls in the enchanted forest

Yesterday we took a trip up the dormant Volcano Mambocha and walked around the top of the overgrown crater, through the enchanted forest, along the Puma trail. We were very lucky to have a great guide who enjoyed practicing his english with us while we too practiced our spanish with him. Legend has it that the volcano is home to many spirits who haunt it frequently. Security guards have reported many an incident of old trucks with no batteries that suddenly light up in the middle of the night, and apparently the enchanted forest on the Puma trail is a an especially haunted area. It was a beautiful walk atop the volcano and the day all ended in my favourite kind of way...with a canopy tour.


monkeying around at the canopy tour

I really think I have a bit of a problem with these things. I just can´t resist them!! I love swingin through the trees and this time I even tried a couple tricks, doing one line in the "superman" position and then another upside down, and I have great pictures to remember it by. We totally scored and had about 5 guides come with us, all of whom were really fun and gave me another opportunity to practice my spanish. By day´s end we had decided a couple drinks (after a much needed dinner) were in order and arranged to meet our guide, David, at Cafe Nuit.

Cafe Nuit has a decent tourist presence but it´s more easily overlooked as there are also plenty of locals. A live band provides music with a DJ spinning a mix of Salsa, Reggaeton and Hip Hop in between and after sets. It was great to dance the night away and continue still to practice my spanish. Most of the people on the tour know very little in the way of the Spanish language, but Maria (from Australia but born in El Salvador), Emma (British and a felllow student of mine from Ixchel) and I made a pact to use more Spanish with each other yesterday and so far we have been pretty good about it. Of course our guide, Jemise, is also fluent and very good about speaking to us in Spanish. I ususally understand it all but if there are parts I miss then I just ask and she makes sure I understand.

Tomorrow we are back on the road making our way to Ometepe Island. Ometepe is essentially and Island formed from 2 volcanos in the middle of the world´s 10th largest fresh water lake, Lago de Nicaragua, and I´m very much looking forward to the, apparently gruelling, hike up Volcan Maderas, and hopefully catching a glimpse of the only freshwater sharks in the world somewhere along the way. After a couple nights on the island we cross our final border into Costa Rica where I will be with the tour for about 4 more days through Monteverde and La Fortuna, before breaking off on my own again and heading to Tamarindo to commence the final leg of my trip down the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. I see many days on the beach ahead and some surf lessons, but beyond that, not a whole lot. It is time for me to wind down and beef up the tan, as the end of my trip is officially in site. I have booked my ticket and will be seeing you all again on the 19th of April. Well, probably more like the 20th since I get in that evening but what´s a few hours!

Looking forward to it friends! Hope everyone is well. Stay tuned for the final leg!

Much love from Nicaragua!
Mols xoxoxo

Keeping Busy In Antigua

March 11, 2006
Antigua, Guatemala

You know it's always a good sign when you look through your travel journal, or in this case blog, and there are no entries or updates for more than a week. My blog and journal are both in just that state right now. It's almost always a sign that things are going well and you're having a good time!


con mi madre de guatemala, Carolina, en el jardin

That is absolutely the case for me in the past couple weeks. Tomorrow I move out of la casa de mi madre de Guatemala. I will miss both Carolina and the comforts of home that her house provides me (including my own private bedroom) very much. I've had a most amazing time in the last two weeks learning and practicing my spanish every morning with mi maestro Vinicio and enjoying sometimes raukus mealtimes at la casa de Carolina. She is the sole family member (not including Sooky and Potsy the dogs) with which I stayed but she loves to host students and currently has 6 of us there with her. All from different parts of the world, it makes for some very fun and interesting mealtime conversations.

The last two weeks have certainly been a filled with a whole lot more than just classes and meals mind you! Last weekend Samara and I headed out to Rio Dulce, very close to the southern Belizean border and the Carribean Sea. After a long, hot, bumpy, extermely crowded and just downright treacherous 7 hours on the bus (we were told it would take about 5 but "Guate time" is just something you have to get used to down here) we found our refuge at Casa Perico, a place that I can only describe as a jungle oasis on the Rio Dulce. We pulled into it by water at night and immediately felt the stress of the day's travels wash from our backs. It is an open air haven with vast boardwalks connecting all the various rooms and main bar/restaurant area together and the sound of tropical rains each night were the perfect background for some much needed sleep.


muy bonito, el Rio Dulce

In our first night there we met some local (and VERY well off not that that really matters but it was clear)Guatemalan boys. They were all in Rio for the weekend after having completed a long run of mid terms at University in Guatemala City. It seems that Rio Dulce is like the Muskokas of Guatemala and in some ways riding along the river, through the vast canyons actually did remind me of days spent tripping through the lakes of the Haliburton highlands with a group of kids and a few canoes. Our local guides treated us to our very own private trip up the river as well as a delicious shrimp ceviche lunch and dinner and drinks back at the "cottage" (luxury home) afterwards. It was a great experience to have, enjoying a more unique couple days than your average tour would offer and getting an insiders point of you to Guatemala. I thank our hosts, Juan, Louis, Andres and Gustavo very much!

The bus ride home from Rio was far shorter and more comfortable and pleasant than the ride back and we were extremely pleased to arrive back in Antigua in time to catch the weekly Sunday evening procession through the streets. Weekly, during lent anyway, as we lead into the Easter celebrations of Semana Santa. I'm very glad to have been here to experience this little piece of the culture down here. The Semana Santa celebrations are very important and the procession is a stunning sight to behold.


Semana Santa procession at central park in Antigua

With a great dinner from "Traveller's Menu" in our bellies we headed back to my place to catch the Oscars, seems like Jon Stewart did a great job but I was only able to catch half of what he said as the lady translated over him in Spanish, making it very hard to focus on either language, and leaving the pictures to tell most of the story. Of course I watched mostly for that moment at the end where I got to see someone I've worked with on the nomination list for Best Director. Very exciting indeed and many congrats to Bennett Miller.


mi maetstro Vinicio y yo learning some slang on my last day

The next day I was up early again for my second week of classes. I have truly enjoyed every minute of my classes and learning the Spanish language and my only regret is that I couldn't stay longer to learn more. I guess now it's up to me to make a point of using what I've learned. As my final week came to an end, I found myself hoping that I will be able to make it back here next year to work again with Vinicio to continue to improve upon my last couple weeks.

This past week was jam-packed with far more than just my classes mind you. On Monday, Sam and I took an hour long walk with a group of other up a hill in Antigua afectionately called Cruz, for a bird's eye view of this ancient and beautiful city. The afternoon activities certainly didn't end there mind you.


overlooking the beautiful city of antigua from "la cruz"

On Wednesday we headed out on our most extraneous endeavour yet to tackle the very much active el volcan de Pacaya. The walk up is meant to take about 2 hours. I'm proud to say we did it in about 1 hour 40 minutes, but the last climb to the crater was some of the most difficut and frustrating hiking I've ever done. Not so much because of the physicality in it, though it was not easy, but because climbing volcanic rock is like walking on a treadmill. Every time you take a step your foot slides back about 15 cms from wence it came.


El volcan Pacaya spewing it's hot lava

We made it to the top though and it was so worth it. The peaks of the rock were spewing smoke and the centre crater was panting a loud rythmic breath as it glowed a burning hot red. Not long after we reached the crater, it started spewing lava. Small bits at first and then gradually bigger and bigger chunks came flying into the air as the panting got louder and louder. We were able to stand and admire it for about 25 minutes before it was time to head back down, both because the spewing was getting stronger and the sun would soon be setting. It was easily one of the coolest experiences of my whole life and one that I will never forget. I very much look forward to the volcanos that will follow as I continue on my adventures and hook up with the GAP adventure tour Monday that is aptly named "The Volcano Trail".

The fun didn't stop there but it sure did take a decidly calmer turn. On thursday afternoon we took a tour of an absolutely beautiful Orchid farm. The monk orchid (which funny enough resembles Ontario's trillium) is a beautiful stark white, 3 petelled orchid with a bowing centre that looks like a praying monk, and it's Guatemala's national flower. My roommate Michael and I splurged on a beautiful purple, potted orchid while there, as a thank you to our wonderful madre de Guatemala, Carolina, for all her hospitailty in having us at her place. It is six yaers old now and I hope it lives with her in her beautiful home for years to come.

I've opted to stay in town this weekend to tie up looses ends (like updating everyone here and finally posting a bunch of pics) before taking off to Honduras Monday morning. Tomorrow we will rise at the crack of dawn to take the 3 hour trek out to Chichicastenego to visit the famous Sunday Market there and pick up some things for the road.

There is no doubt that I'm sad to be leaving Antigua so soon, but I look forward to the many adventures that undoubtedly lie ahead as I begin the final month of my adventures away from home. Though I'm not homesick in the traditional sense of the word, I must admit that I am looking forward to seeing you all again in just over a month, though I'm sure it will feel like much less time then that once it arrives. I guess I should probably get that ticket booked!