Friday, July 31, 2009

Costa Rica

I have alittle time on my hands and Im tring to stay busy so I figured I would write about my trip to Costa Rica. 

Day 1: 
I arrived in San Jose after spending what seemed like for ever in lines at the airport in Atlanta. My flight had to be changed due to snow in Atl. On the flight I met a nice man from San Jose that was going back to see family. we watched twilight and talked a bit. After I arrived I split a cab with another guy I met at the air port to get down town.I got to the hotel that Gabe Kadmiri was staying at.Nice hotel in a bad neighborhood. It was late so we talked and crashed out.

Day 2:
We woke up and had breakfast at the hotel.Looking around it was hitting me that not a lot of people spoke English. I speak like 10 words in Spanish but luckily Gabe knows a bit.We took a cab to a place I heard about online and from a few people at the air port. Its a cool little hostel in San jose called "BackPackers" The rooms were small with 4 bunk beds in them.costing 12$ a night.free Internet. A really cool place. We put togather Our bikes and went to a shop to get some air. We ended up walking in to a bike shop and hearing "Gabe Kadmiri" turns out the workers there rode flatland. We took some pics and went to go ride.
   The town is interesting filled with shoe shops,vendors, and places to eat.We met a really nice girl named Ailyn. We asked her to have breakfast which we would be late for the next day. :(  We rode a bit more then went to a bar and met this cool local named Bernard. We kicked it with him for a bit then went back to backpackers to sleep.I fell asleep in a hammock out side next to the pool then went to my room in the middle of the night.

Day3:
We decided 2 days in San Jose was enough and we need to get to moving if we really wanted to see more of the country.We caught a cab to a bus station and payed 15$ fo a bus ride to Jaco' At the bus station we met this guy named Tim that would stay with us the rest of our trip.Cool surfer guy from San Diego.The bus ride was about 3 hours long and we had to stand due to over crowding on the bus.on the bus we met this Kid named Jairo a pro surfer from Jaco' .
Im really glad we took a local bus and got to see how they get around. Also met a cute local girl that was very nice and gave me  apiece of candy after I started feeling weak from standing for 3 hours holding on for life on the bus with out eating all day.
we stopped at a little market and got some fruit and met some German girls that were on the bus 2.I got there email but cant read there hand writing.we arrived in Jaco' and quickly met this crazy girl name Maggie who drove us around looking for hotels.we found a small hotel for like 13 dollars i think for the night. while reaching to get my money out I realized I was pick pocketed on the bus or had dropped my wallet somewhere.quickly called my bank so it was all good. Spent the night catching some tags around town and walking around with gabe and Tim. Was almost caught tagging so It got me to thinking maybe I dont wanna go to jail in Costa Rica. 

Day 4:
Day four was spent mostly at the beach. we went surfing for a bit which was great but due to my bad ankle I didnt get to surf as much as I wanted. Jaco' is a crazy place filled with beautiful woman  riding bikes everywhere.Prostitution is legal so the woman are out at night everywhere. Icant count how many times I was offered weed and cocaine from the locals. we walked around and saw Jairo in this surf shop we went to. A little later we met this guy called Herman "the German" we arranged a boat ride to Tortuga Island to snorkel and eat lunch the next day. We found a nicer hotel that was referred by the crazy chick Maggie to sleep in so we could get a hot shower and have some AC for a night.The girl Malissa that rented us the room was super nice and i ended up talking to her for an hour or so.walking down the street that night Jairo pulled up on a Motor scooter. We talked a bit and said bye.The town was dead except for prostitutes and drug dealers for the most part. we walked into a strip cub for a bit where i met Fernanda the girl of my dreams (im kidding). after we chilled awhile and spent sometime tring to figure out which strippers where men or women we left.   

Day 5:
Hermans people picked us up at our hotel the next morning at 8. after a short ride out of town we hoped a speedboat to Tortuga Island. The boat was fast and a great ride. Gabe seemed to really enjoy the ride. We even saw a hump back whale. Tortuga is a beautiful island filled with palm trees, clear water and groups of people on boat tours.We came across a pig that was half buried in the sand and chilling in the shadewe went  snorkeling then ate a awesome lunch on the island. After lunch I walked around with this girl I met and took pictures with her around the island.

Tim had a blast playing soccer with the locals here also. We got up with another tour and hitched a boat ride to Montezuma.On the boat we met Bebe and Amy. 2 cool girls from New York. Montezuma is probably hands down the coolest place ive ever been. A small town on the beach with 2 streets,jungle and travelers.Stray dogs seem to be everywhere.
(Montezuma)
We found a great little hostel for 12$ a night then went on a hike with Bebe and Amy. 
Following a river up stream we saw this cool little monkey chilling on a branch. He didnt seem to mind us much and being that close to town im sure hes use to seeing people.After a good little hike over rocks and small water falls we come around a corner  to a huge 80 foot water fall. 
(Waterfall up river Montezuma)
We jumped off some of the smaller jumps and chilled.  Back at the hostel the guy that run the place made everyone a good meal of fish and pasta. We met alot of really great people here like Gunther and his friend from  Austria, girl named Jessica and 2 cool travelers from Germany.The night was spent at a local club beside the beach. Got to break dance with some locals which was fun they all really seemed to enjoy it. Went back and crashed out.

Day 6: 
The next day we went back to the waterfalls told by the guy at the hostel that there was more waterfalls if we keep going up we wanted to see so we hiked out.While walking we saw a huge iguana.
Making it up to the other falls wasn't easy but worth it when we got there. Gabe spent a while looking over one of the falls about 40 feet high im guessing. I figured I would just run over and jump off with out thinking. The jump was alot of fun and after I came up I looked up to see how high it was. and I see Gabe flying off the top with Tim after him. This was a highlight of my trip for sure. 
The Ticos (locals) were insane. Swan diving out of trees. It was awesome to see them. we walked back another way and became lost for just a bit in the jungle. realizing we went the wrong way we back tracked and got back headed the right way. Hollower monkeys where yelling and Gabe messed with them a bit yelling back at them which was pretty funny.spent most the night walking around and looking at the stars.

Day7:
Montezuma was a great place and I could have stayed there the whole trip but we had to see more.  Tim suggested Santa Teresa a small surf town which was having a surf contest this week.. We went to the bus stop but was greated by a man named Max. He offered a ride for 15 dollars to Santa Teresa. we took him up because it would be faster. Max was cool and we had a fun ride to Santa Teresa. Arriving there we found a cool place to stay called franks place. a pretty nice hotel with a pool and internet. The town is very dusty due to the dirt roads and 4 wheelers everywhere. We chilled around a bit and met 3 girls to chill with a bit.  Sitting around the hotel Jairo comes walking up and says "I know you guys" I couldn't believe we keep running into him all over Costa Rica. pretty funny. He was in Santa Teresa for the surf contest.   That night we went to a club called D&N  on the beach. This was alot of fun. The club was more like a bar on the beach with a few hundred people. I saw some people from the club in Montezuma that remembered me and came up. We couldnt understand each other but I gathered he liked my breaking. I went to the beach for a second and saw a fight then went  back to the hotel.

Day 8:
Tired of lugging his surf board all over town Tim found a shop and sold it for 100$ The guy at the shop through in some boards for us to surf for the day which was cool. We surfed for a while but I was so tired from the past few days and my ankle was killing me so I didnt surf much. The beach was the most beautiful one ive ever been on.
after dropping the boards off we took a long walk down this random street. I really enjoied this walk cuz I got to see alot of locals and kids playing. Seeing people working and how they live there everyday lives. After walking for about an hour Tim reminded us we had to walk back .One the way back I was wondering how far we would have walked if Tim wouldnt have reminded us we had to walk back. While walking back we saw Bebe and Amy again.They had a new friend with them that was pretty cool. Amy showed us a huge bruise  from her jumping off the water fall we jumped off the day before. 

Day 9:
The next day we went to say goodbye to Bebe and Amy at their hostel. We say our goodbyes and as we go to leave we run into Jairo for the last time lol. He was staying at the same place. We went to the bus stop and waited for the bus. This would be the end of the road for us traveling with Tim. Its weird I felt like Ive known the guy for years and people that met us thought we had too.Said good byes and we got a bus to a small town I dont even know the name of. We boarded a ferry headed to Puntarenas. 
     The ferry ride was another highlight. It was late after noon and the sun was setting. We didnt talk to much just looked at the sunset which was awesome. I spent the time thinking about the trip,country and people I met.  the sun set with perfect timing and we arrived in Puntarenas.
Hoping back on the bus we rode back to San Jose'. we decided to go back to back packers because that place was really cool and cheap.

Day 10:
 We awake and rushed to the air port forgetting about the time change/difference so we got there 2 hours early.getting on the plane I sat next to the same nice guy I met on the plane on the way to Costa Rica. He asked did I like the country and I told him it was Beautiful and I loved it.
Arriving back in Atlanta I was happy to see the city but I miss Costa Rica and the people there.Best trip ive had.

 
me and bebe

Jaco'
Gulf of Nicoya Sun set from the fairy
Santa Tearsa
Montezuma
The jungle
Iguna

Monkey
Tortuga Island
Montezuma Falls
Tortuga Pig
Gulf of Nicoya
Gabe Kadmiri, Myself
Tim and Gkad
Jairo
Market on the way to Jaco'
Trace on the bus
Gkad whopper
Plastic Man in San jose





0 comments:

Post a Comment