This morning Sharon and Jeff left to return to New Jersey. They hope to be back next January. Pepper leaves next week for upstate New York. She will be working on an organic farm for 6 months. Mike and Martha have sold their house and are returning to Galveston next week. Eleanor and Jeni are leaving for Toronto in 2 weeks. Jeni will be back for Christmas, Eleanor will be gone for several months - maybe more. She is trying to reestablish her residency in Canada and needs to be there 6 months out of the year. A huge thing for a girl who has lived in Costa Rica for almost 20 years. Brigitte returns to British Columbia the 1st of June as she and Fred do every year. They usually return in October.
People coming and going is a constant here in Esterillos. There are those of us who live here full time but many have to do the 90 day thing. There are those who come at least once a year - others several times that own property but need to be in other places for work. There are the travelers - mostly guys who come for the surf - often more than once a year. Then there are the new people who arrive weekly that become a part of the EO family and we will for sure see them again in the future.
The tide comes in......the tide goes out.
This morning, when Sharon and Jeff left, a major tidal shift began. All these people are loved by all of us who live here.....and they will be missed.
In preparation of this change, I held a girls party at my house Tuesday evening. Everyone brought something to eat, something to drink. Most of these women love to cook and thus the food was outstanding - boxed wine was in abundance :)
I wanted to do something "special" but had no idea what. Bri had suggested "a women's circle" with a "talking stick" When someone had the stick in their hands, they had the floor. What was said and heard was not to be discussed outside this circle. For the talking stick we used my magic wand that I held while riding a horse, in my fairy costume in last year's EO Mardi Gras. It served the purpose well.
This was a special evening for all of us as it gave us the opportunity to express just how important we are to each other. Sisterhood is a powerful thing I knew little of until I lived here. I am very grateful to know all these women - for the trouble and experiences of their lives they have shared, for the strengths I admire in each of them. It was my pleasure to host the evening and now promise to do it again in the future.
4 Good friends - Jeni, Eleanor, Desirae, Pat
3 Great dogs - Buddy, Brownie and Coki
1 Hot Surfer - That would be Ray!
Juan is from Nicaragua - I think... but do not know for sure......What I do know is he can climb a tree like a monkey and I don't say that to make fun of him - that's just the way it is. Juan is not a young guy but is in great shape. He is quick, goes straight up and balances himself, climbs around the branches like it is nothing. The photos were taken on Sunday as I sat across the street watching surf......and Juan do his magic. Our lovely Lisa at LowTide enjoying a fresh agua de pipa while watching the action. Pura Vida
This week is Semana Santa - holy week. Esterillos is full of tico's from San Jose here for the holiday. The village is packed and a good time for those of us who live here - to leave - even if only for a few hours. Yesterday was a great day to do just that and so I invited Pepper, picked up Desirae on the way and off we went to the mountains to once again see Manuel - the tico artist who creates wild, scary wood carvings from his dreams and is one of the most humble and kind men I have ever met.
Once you get off the main highway and into the country, this is where you see Costa Rica. It is not in Jaco or the many tourist places to stop on the highways - it is in the mountains where life is quite, way more simple. Farm land, horses and cattle, modest homes - no sign of gringos.....
Since this is now my 3rd blog in about a month about Manuel and the trip to San Antonio I don't need to say much - however - each trip is different because of whom I am with. To have both Pepper and Desirae with me made for a perfect day. They were delighted to meet Manuel and he them. Afterwards, the 3 of us stood on a high bridge and enjoyed looking down on the simple joy of tico's on holiday. When I was last on this bridge, there was no one below us. Yesterday, all along the Rio Tulin we saw people playing in the water, tents set up, enjoying family time together.
On the way back we saw a young man working on an old carriage. I stopped and asked if we could see what he was doing. He was delighted to tell us about this 100 year old carriage that is from Nicaragua that he is restoring. It was a special time visiting with him, taking photos.
We stopped along the country road to watch young bulls butting heads while Papa bull and a baby bull watched. It was very interesting this macho bull training session. Afterwards, we sat by the river with our feet in the water. On the way home, I stopped and took photos of the ceiba trees that I always look upon with wonder. Awesome lunch at a favorite soda before heading back home.
A perfect get away. Thank you girls for a wonderous afternoon in the mountains.
Pura Vida
Besides those of us who live here full time, the visitors that travel to CR only once, the ones who own property but live between Costa Rica and where ever their other home is for months at a time, are the group of surfers who come to EO at least once a year, like the Texas and Daytona boys. This week and next is another of my favorite's - the Half Moon Bay boys. I first met this group about 3 years ago. It consists of Maui Jim....who now lives in Maui, Bruce who still lives in Half Moon Bay with his lovely wife YaYa (Yael - from Morocco), Johnny who lives with his wife in the valley outside San Fran, and Jason who also lives in Half Moon Bay but did not come on this trip. Jason.....your absence has been noted and both you and Jae are missed :). All these guys know each other from their younger days of living and surfing in the Half Moon Bay area.
Jim and Johnny arrived this week a day ahead of Bruce and YaYa. Like every surfer I have ever seen or met, as soon as they can drop the board bag in a safe spot they are headed for the water and that is just what they did Wed. morning. I knew they were here but had not yet seen them until about 1:30 pm when they came out of the water. Right out the gate - they had an experience they will talk about forever.......
Yes......crocodiles!
A few blogs back I wrote about Gladys, the wonder dog that was attacked by a caiman on Monday. About 9am, Tuesday morning I see Larry doing a wave check. I am considering going out until he tells me he saw croc tracks on the beach about 5:30 am near the girl's expressway - my expressway for getting out. I decide not to go and later in the day hear there were several sightings. Early Wed. afternoon I see Maui Jim and Johnny coming up from the beach. They had been surfing out in front of LowTide. A quick hello and then the story begins. Jim sees something in the water - thinks it is a log, maybe just his imagination. Then Johnny who is about 20 feet closer, knows exactly what it is....a crocodile looking right at him. Then the croc opens his mouth and shows his teeth. They both say it did not make any advance towards them but just wanted them to know....he was there. Size....they both believe it was between 8 and 9 feet long. I chose to not go out that day either. The following day, more sightings both out front.....plus "the secret spot" - now were are dealing with at least 2 crocs.
I'm not really freaked out about this but on the other hand....whenever there are sightings I just can't go out and it takes me days to get over it. Plus, I haven't been in the water for over 3 weeks now. With Erin here and other things, I just didn't make it out. When I have a long spell of no surfing, I can't even explain what it is......the first time back in is a bit worrisome until I actually get on the board and start paddling......then everything is alright and beautiful again.
Today??? I think I will think about this a little longer before I get back in.
The photos were taken last night at Brett's place - Soda Mary. Maui Jim was the cook for the night, YaYa, who is an amazing artist was drawing a rasta pattern on Jims' " Jeff Clark" board. Jeff lives in Half Moon Bay and is famous for having surfed the huge, wild, very dangerous wave "Maverick's" for many years until others finally had the courage to paddle out and see what it was all about.
Shortly after I had my first surf lesson with Brett back in Nov. 2006, the first surf movie I ever saw was Riding Giants. This basically gives a brief history of surfing, interviews with pioneer surfers, a few specific surf spots featured...one being Maverick's. I have lived in CA for 30 years, have former in-laws that still live in that area and had never heard of this place. But then.....even tho I had lived near the ocean for all those years, surfing was never a consideration.
When I returned home to CA in Dec. of 2006, after my first ever time in Costa Rica and that was for 3 months.....I was obsessed with the country, surfing, everything. By the end of Jan. 2007 I had returned to Esterillos and have been here ever since. But, before I came back, I actually made a trip to Moss Beach, just up the road from Half Moon Bay and stayed with my former brother and sister in-laws, Mark and Jeri Chidester. I had a girlfriend with me and my mission was to see Maverick's. So early the next morning after our arrival, there we went. It was flat, nothing going on but it was truly amazing to be standing on that beach after all I had read and knew. Afterwards we went to Jeff Clark's surf shop actually hoping to meet him. Instead, the nice girl working there helped us pick out t-shirts. I was happy to just have been there.
Several months later, back in EO, I was telling this story to Tony who was managing the LowTide Bar at that time. He tells me Jeff Clark was just here the week before! I drilled him......Jeff Clark from Half Moon Bay......Maverick's' Jeff Clark??? He was positive.......I still don't know.
It is wonderful having this familiar group of people here that I love but will shortly be gone until the next time. The tide comes in.....the tide goes out. Such is this amazing life in EO.
Pura Vida
Yesterday was Roni's son Kalan's 20th birthday. I have never met him and he lives in Washington - however - Roni asked some of the girls to pose with this happy birthday greeting. I am posting this because I am sure some of my follower's will appreciate this photo :)
My dear friend Pepper is leaving Costa Rica the first of May to work on an organic farm in upstate New York for 6 months. After that.....who knows. I simply love this girl and it was her idea to have a special night before she leaves. We planned to have dinner and in the stages of planning it was she who suggested we fire up the jacuzzi at my house that believe it or not - I have never used. Last night was the night.
Pepper brought all the fixin's for an awesome salad. I had picked up the strawberries, a box of CR boxed wine and a bottle of "Champaign". Sean, EO's best chef had given me a dish of berry/mango dip. I had lit about 15 tea light candles for our "romantic evening" During dinner, the tunes were on, the tub was filling up. Both of us had discussed bubbles but neither of us had followed thru to buy some, so Pepper grabbed my shampoo and I dumped it in.
When the water was deep enough I turned on the jets. It became obvious real fast, I had put in way more shampoo than was needed. Bottom line, the bubbles were out of control! Pepper and I were laughing hysterically - for a very long time.
Pepper - You know I love you, I wish you all the best! Thank you for a night we will always remember and will definitely laugh about again!
