My last e-mail ended at the start of my 2nd day in the beautiful house on the hill. In the following 3 weeks, everyday I was on the lookout for snakes and fortunately did not see a one. I did, however, see the white face monkeys again one other morning. During those fast paced 3 weeks I had 3 couples come for a visit - 2 from California, the other, my friends from Grecia, Costa Rica whom I met on the Panama trip. Each day was spent playing the local tour guide which I thoroughly loved. I tried to make sure that each couple had the time of their life here in this amazing country. It was so much fun to share something that I have come to love with other people that I love. The house was perfect for get togethers and so I also had 2 dinner/pool parties with my local friends meeting my old friends. Many walks on the beach hunting for shells, road trips into the mountains and jungle, searching for macaws in the village and even surfing lessons.
A few days before the constant flurry of activity began, I was walking my good friend Bart early in the morning. As we passed a beach house I have been by many times, 3 other dogs came running out to see Bart. All of them were barking and as we kept walking, the middle size dog came up behind me and bit me on the right calf. Not just a nip, but a real bite that drew blood. I couldn't believe it! Knowing how it works here, that it would do me no good to try to find the owner, I went straight home and for the next 2 hours washed and peroxided (not sure that is a real word) the wound 3 times. Obviously I did live, but geez, it really hurt. What made it even worse is I had cut my ankle on my surf fin the day before - same leg and by the end of the dog day I had acquired a rather nasty spider bite to accent the rest of the trophy injuries. It has been over 6 weeks now and I can still see the dog bite scar.
While my friends from Nipomo, Doug and Melanie were here, I did go somewhere I had not yet been: Tortuga Island. Fortunately the catamaran that crams 50 people for a tour was already full and so wonderful Doug chartered a small fishing boat to take the 3 of us to the island. The trip over took about 40 minutes on the water. The island is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. If you just think of a lush tropical jungle, palm trees bordering a perfect white sandy beach with only one small tourist shop and no other buildings and other small islands within swimming distance - you've got Tortuga Island. Lunch was provided after a wonderful swim in the warm turquoise water. After a couple hours, we got back on the boat, saw the other side of the island and then went snorkeling at a different island. Saw many beautiful tropical fish.
Oh - the crocodiles. I can't believe I forgot this the last time I sent out an e-mail but I did. About a week before I moved into the big house a friend and I were sitting at the LowTide Lounge on the beach watching the surfing. It was about 10am, beautiful morning, little wind, small perfect waves. There were only 6 guys in the water. I knew 4 of them. All of a sudden, all 6 were headed for the shore - paddling like crazy. As it turned out, there were 2 crocodiles right there in the water with them. One about 12 feet, the other maybe 6. As we all stood on the beach looking at the waves, as a wave was just about to crash, you could see the larger one in the curl. I did not see the smaller one but was convencied it was there also No one was in the water for the rest of the day. The next day - business as usual - most everyone was back in the water. I was not. It took me about a week to get back in and that was when I cut my ankle.
The crocodiles, several good tumbles including the cut, followed by weeks of company and comings and goings became a huge detourant to surfing. Until about a week ago I had only been back in the water once for a friend's birthday surfing lesson. What happened was I actually lost my confidence. Finally two other friends insisted I get back in and so I did. Unfortunately the waves were way to much for me but I did manage to paddle out and get back in without a disaster. Two days later I decided I was going out again. My friend Ann, who has had only one surfing lesson, decided she would paddle out with me also. When this decision was made the waves were very small, it was early in the morning - simply beautiful. She needed to walk up the hill, find our friend Chuck, get a board and get back down to where I was. About an hour later, as I was giving up on her and following another friend into the water, here she came followed by Chuck with 2 short boards. Mind you she has only been out once before when she had her lesson on long board. Chuck has been surfing for 40 years and is from Huntington Beach, CA. He is a short board rider and convinced Ann a short board was the way to go and he would be there to help. By now it is high tide and the waves are really coming in. Larger than I really wanted to deal with but here we all where and in we went. It was a struggle but I finally got out past the breaks. Chuck let his board go and made Ann swim since she couldn't deal with the board and the breaks. Finally we are all out in the line up watching a huge turtle who was looking at us like "what's the big deal". Ann is all over the place and can't sit on the board. It is sort of like riding a boogie board that has been cut in half length wise and trying to balance yourself on that while waves are rolling and tossing you. On top of this she was sea sick! After about 20 minutes I insisted she take my board just so she could at least sit up and hopefully feel better. This was also my first time on a short board. I found out very quickly what the problem was. It was like trying to straddle a toothpick. It was hard to get balanced but I did. When paddling a long board (mine is 8 feet) you just glide across the water. On a short board you are basically swimming - it is a lot more work. Then I sort of got into it. I was paddling all over when I decided to go out further because I was afraid a wave was going to break on me - even as far out as we were. By now, I am way out. (Remember my boogie board incident last year???) Amazingly I am quite a ways out when I see Chuck coming towards me and telling me we are going in. I start paddling as fast as I can but Chuck is like a motorized boat. He is headed for shore and way in front of me. No way can I keep up. I called him back and told him I felt like I wasn't getting any where. He confirmed that I wasn't and that I needed to paddle harder and deeper. I simply could not. Chuck then told me to get off the board and hand me my leash. Now a bit of panic set in because that leash is my lifeline. But I did as I was told and as I had one arm around the board I was swimming with the other and kicking my legs. We made some headway - but it was slow and difficult as the tide has now been going out for almost an hour. Finally, finally we make it back to the breaks. A huge wave comes and tumbles both of us together. I felt one board, a leash line and Chuck. Then we got slammed again. Probably the most experienced long board rider was close by. Chuck called him over and told him to give me a ride in. Troy came right away and before I knew it I was laying flat on his board with my face about 6 inches from the tip. Troy caught the next wave and we were flying. In the first few seconds I thought this was going to be me, Troy, and the board all under the water again. But no - we were flying - fast. The ride in was long enough that I actually had the whereabouts to realize just how amazing and fun this was. No work on my part - a moment I will never forget. He brought me right up to the beach and I rolled off into about a foot of water. That evening several of us discussed the "daring rescue". If I had been on my own board that would never have happened - but it did - and what a great ride it was. What would have made it perfect was having Leonardo DeCaprio and the theme song from Titanic playing as the wind and water was ripping threw my hair.
After all my company left, 3 days later my friend Ann and I went to Granada, Nicaragua. She had to do the 90 day thing (if you are not a resident of Costa Rica, you can only stay in the country for 90 days at a time. Before the 90th day you must leave and be gone for at least 3 days. Upon re-entry, the 90 day period begins again. Many people I know here must do this. This was the reason I went to Panama in March.) Granada was founded in 1524 and is the oldest mainland city in central America. The city has beautiful well preserved colonial architecture, cobblestone streets, a magnificent old Cathedral that is painted a beautiful warm bright yellow with white trim. When the sun hits it, it simply glows like a jewel. Ann and I took a bus from Jaco to San Jose, spent the night before leaving at 7:30 am the next morning and finally arriving in Granada about 3 in the afternoon. We stayed in a beautiful hotel that cost each of us $22 per night. Many beautiful restaurants - very inexpensive. Next to the Cathedral is the plaza. For the tourist, colorful horse drawn carriages were available to rent for very little. We needed to get back to the bus terminal and instead of using a taxi, hired a carriage driver. He took us on a tour of the city and then the next day we had him pick us up at our hotel, drive us the 30 minute ride to a dock at the lake where we took a boat on another tour of the lake islands. Several hours later, upon our return, there was our Manual waiting to take us back to the hotel. We also spent a morning walking thru a 3rd world market which was a real eye opener for me. I have a great photo of a butchered pig's head hanging over the other raw meat displayed on a table - out in the open - for sale. Two and 1/2 days of the charming city was not enough, but chances of my returning are slim. I want to see all I can and the next time I need to leave I will go somewhere else I have not yet been.
Last week, while Ann and I were walking down the beach, at low tide, I found the largest, most beautiful perfect shell I have ever found. I should know the name but do not. It is one of those shells that is about the size and shape of a waffle cone with the pink and coral lip hanging over. When I got home I went to show it to Jerry, Eleanor's boyfriend from Canada. As he was returning the shell back to me, my wonderful Bart poked his nose up and caused Jerry to drop the shell on the tile floor. Several tips broke off and there is a crack at the end that I know will result in it eventually breaking off. I was upset but told Jerry it was ok and after-all it was my beloved Bart who caused the accident. The next 4 mornings I was up at the crack of dawn walking the beach hoping to find another. Finally it occurred to me this had been a gift from the sea. The shell is special and there will never be another like it. Like the macaw feather I found when I first came here, it is now a prized possession.
Just last week I made plans for my return trip to California. I will be back on December 15th to spend the holidays with my family. After that, I have no idea where I will go or what I will be doing. The best part is - I don't have to think about that now. Right now I do need to have lunch, get my board out and head out to the waves. I can hear them from where I am sitting. It will be a great afternoon!
I apologize for this being so long. I will try not to wait so long before I send out another. On Monday, a friend and I are taking a water taxi to the Nicoya Peninsula and will be headed for a surfing community named Malpais. We will be staying at the home of a former boyfriend of hers for about 5 days. I'v been told the waves are small and fun. I am so looking forward to this trip as I have never been to that part of Costa Rica.
Love to all of you. Hope all is well in your part of the world.
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