Costa Rica - Part VII - Hometime and Random Thoughts!

Well, for the last time...Pura Vida, mi amigos!

Last post about Costa Rica.  What's left to say, you ask?  Well...plenty!  I can write about anything!  Clearly! Ha!

But seriously, mi amigos...get ready for some random thoughts!

Costa Rica - Part VI - The Penultimate Entry - Dinner Partying!

Meow! Hiss!  Cat's don't like fire!

Pura Vida!  The penultimate post about Costa Rica!  It was going to be the last one, but I didn't want to miss an opportunity to use the word "penultimate".  Plus as one post, it was running loooong.

On the Defriending - or - JJ, don't be sad, 'cause one out three ain't bad...

Ouch!

Hello!  Hey! This isn't about Costa Rica?  Nope!  Although I do have one more Costa Rica post in me!

This one...is about friends.  And the loss thereof.  

When the ex and I entered splitsville, I tried to be realistic.  I was pretty sure that the entire group of friends was not going to stay friends with both of us.  Certainly, there was group of friends that you would consider closer to her than to me.  And vice versa.  And I tried to prepare myself for that.  "Steel myself", if you will.  "JJ, you will likely not have further contact with these people." 

Costa Rica - Part V - Zip Linin'!

Rock and Roll Casabas!

Pura Vida!  JJ here! Back again! More Costa Rica! Sheesh, you'd think JJ never goes anywhere, by the number of posts!  And you'd be right! So I'ma gonna just keep posting!

Costa Rica - Part IV - Croc Tour!

Los Suenos mi amigos!

Pura vida!  As you can tell from my no longer oddly sized/placed photo, JJ is now reunited with his laptop in good ole' Canada.  But he isn't done describing Costa Rica! No sir!

Up there is a pic of the modest villa where we stayed.

Know what they have in Costa Rica? Crocodiles.  And you can go on a boat tour to see 'em  ! Let's go!

A van picks us up from the hotel. Six-ish year old kid in the passenger seat.  No explanation.  It's cool.  we drive for 20 minutes or so. Stop outside the Costa Rican equivalent of a variety store. Kid gets out.  We start driving again.  Cool.  My tour mate asks "is that your son?"

"Yes".  Ok.  Man of few words. He didn't seem like a dick or anything.  Just not chatty.

And here we are!  Who has to pee before we go?

Cool urinal, bro.

Then into the boat, and we're off!  Our tour guide is a very nice young fellow.  He points out the animals on the shore.  An iguana! A basilisk!  How does he make sure we see the animals (which there is a 90% chance I wouldn't)? He uses a green laser pointer.  Cruising down croc river with a green laser pointer.  Man, I did not see that coming.   

Now! Where them crocs?

These them?

 Nope.  Just lifejackets and a tourist.

These them?

Nope.  Just some cows wading in the river that has 17 foot crocs in it.  No big whoop.  Does the farmer who owns these cows have croc insurance? I dunno! Hope so!

Hmmm...where could they be...?

Croc!

I'm a croc! If I wanna lie here with my mouth open, that's what I am gonna do!

Then we motor to this embankment and ground the boat.  The driver hops up, rolls up his pant legs, then reaches into a cooler and pulls out some raw chicken pieces.  Then...he does this:

Yikes!  Am I right?  And true, you could probably find lots of videos of croc feeding on YouTube, but no other ones with JJ's witty editorial commentary! For example: "...holy crap...(nervous laughter)..." Brilliant!

Then we tool around some more... and then feed another croc! (not me of course...our intrepid boat driver).  This one is like 17 feet long we are told.  Apparently National Geographic measured him last year.  

This guy didn't seem as hungry.  It's possible that we were the 25th boat or more that stopped and gave him some chicken that day.  Dunno. But whatever, what a monster!

We zoom around some more, then back to shore.  Into our man of few word's van (this time... no kid) and back to the hotel!

JJ out! Next time...Zip lining through the Jungle!

Costa Rica - Part III!

Pura Vida!

Day two!

Busy all morning. Got responsibilities.

But afternoon free. Monkeys! Gimme!

Talk to a woman about where I can go to see monkeys. She says "go here!" "At 6 in the morning!" It's afternoon now, but ...maybe?

So I get my running gear and head out! Go down this road by a golf course. It starts to go up. And up. And up. And it's so hot. And humid. And monkeyless.

So keep going. See nobody. No cars. No folks. (No monkeys!). Until the road ends. At a gate. And a private property sign. And a dog bowl. And a dog house. And a leash staked to the ground. With nothing attached. Ahh! Wild dog on the loose! In the middle of nowhere!

But beautiful view! Right?

Then run back to hotel and eat and drink and stuff.

JJ out!

Costa Rica - Part II!

Day one!

Get up and go for a run! Along the beach. Nice. Hot. Humid. I walk across stones to island. Figure I will climb to the top. No path. I struggle through the brush for a while. Lots of thorns. Owie. Hurty. Fuck it. That's high enough. Went back down. But here's a pic from the majestic peak! Which was no where near the majestic peak!

Plus: Lizards! So many! This guy was on my deck chair. So I killed it. And then are it. No I didn't! I just said "cool lizard bro".
Because I am cool.

But no monkeys. Just so you know, I have vowed (solemnly even) that I will see a monkey on this trip. And I intend to keep that vow! By the seven! Or the weirwood! Right? Winter is coming! Right? Right.

And then I went to the hotel bar and drank some all inclusive beers and ate some all inclusive food. Magical!

Pura vida! (That's what the Costa Ricans say!)

JJ out!