Marianna In Costa Rica

Marianna In Costa Rica

Well the flight was a long one,crowded,and of course I happen to sit in front of someone as usual! with a baby who cried and kicked me the majority of the time.while grandpa uttered look, look, look over and over till I wanted to say I looked already.. needless to say it was anoying.

Then going through customs was not at al what I thought, it was very simple, wait in line for some time then walk up to the window hand over your passport wait, then he just looked at the papers that we filled out on the plane, and stamp it and let me go.
It was muggy out and a little gray, lots of people at the airport, all uttering english and spanish. You deffinately know your not in the USA. Then I saw Amanda, she is five foot seven, thin and long very curly ringlett hair, smiling and the first thing out of her mouth was GOD YOUR SO SHORT, I had my thongs on so no heels, realizing I was shorter than she remebered.

The drive out of San Jose in the begining was busy, the cars are flying and the roadside was a sure sign of poverty. Little shanty shaks, metal roofs, and some garbage along he way. Lots Of bill boards, and many signs for other business filled the road side. THEY DRIVE FAST AND CRAZY but nothing I have not already experienced by living in California. As we drove the countryside began to fill with foiliage, trees, banannas and palms, crotins large tropical plants,and businesses, such as bars, and small sodas. These are open cafes with food, and coffee. there mostly open with just a roof. As we drove the road to Jaco was a two and half hour drive over moutains, and valleys, and small little one road towns. Littered with fruit stands and other types of stands with bars, and services. Sometimes I would see just a guy sitting with his boxes selling his daily pics of what he had grown. The scenery as we progressed got more and more beautiful along the way, I saw lots of pillars roman style around the gardens, with replicas of the spheres that I saw in a dream. I did actually see them on the road side infront of someone house, they where huge. Two of them placed in front of the gate.

We drove to the top of the hills and on the top, overlooking this awesome views of the valleys below, coffee plants,massed on the hillsides, cornstalk plants like we use to have in pots in our houses, and all sorts of tropical plants and flowers. We saw these soda stands, we passed one I thought was cute, and saw another one then I asked Amanda of we could turn around and she just whipped it the middle of the road going uphill with on coming cars, wheww I was scared. We parked and got out there was a lady on a stool, sitting next to a tree with bags of fruit that was small, red and green. She was eating them. they are like a small tiny mango, but they make your mouth feel all dry and puckery,, I do not like these. We went into the Soda a group of Ticos where sitting all playing cards since they had no customers to help. They greeted us with the words bueno, we sat at this bar over looking the view outdoors, it was all open, then we orded casadas. This is a traditional plate of white rice, black beans, fried delicious plantans, fried fish with garlic that was so good, and some other veggies that I didn't recognize. We had some tyical coffee with unrefined sugar, seems everyone uses that. Its alot better than what we have in the states. Here is the view of what I saw while eating, there was a set of bonoculars sitting on the counter so you could see what was out there. Wow breath taking.

We continued up the road and as I said many stands, lots of cars just pass at any time maybe three cars all going the same way at once, a bit unerving to me. Then I saw this furniture maker, a young Tico man, half clothed, carving away on the roadside. I yelled stop, so we went back and looked wow, really cool tables huge peices, with natural bases, all made from the Guanacaste tree, massive trees that canopy the drive. We know them as Silk trees, with pink flowers. These trees can get up to 20 feet wide. I took photos to send for Exportation, I am already on my way and its only a few hours into the journey. I was impressed by the kindness so far that people showed.

Continuing on we stopped to get gas, and well of course the men at the gas station seeing two pretty ladies had to all come and surround the car and chat with us, they thought we were TIcos and complemented us on our spanish. I did not say much as I really feel overwhelmed with trying so quickly to speak spanish. Needless to say they were very friendly and greeted us good by. Then we stopped at this bridge got out and it was sweltering heat, just hot as hell. We walked across the bridge to look down at lots and lots of Crocodiles, all camofloging them selves with the surrounding sand and water... I WAS FRIGTHENED AND QUICKLY did an about face and practically ran back to the car. Also because there was a Tico standing on the brigde looking at the car and all my belongins where in it still, worring about him breaking in and taking things as I have read this happens frequintly, and more so if they know your an American.

We drove on just a short way and I saw the sea, it just came out of nowhere. It was Jaco, A small very Tico, but lots of American bars, and other american establishemts, Kinda run down, much resembling Mexico, actually.

The house is nice in comparisons to the majority of the houseing here. Its in a back alley though and you have to access it through, the alley. Its all dirt no pavement. I got settled in, and just dropped, it was exhausting the whole ordeal, then the heat. Not adjusted to the Heat, yet... Seems it is very muggy cause of the rain. We ate some type of yogurt drink with fresh honey that is made from all the tropical flowers, it was so different. At this point I do not know how to describe it. Sweet but not really like our honey? People here drink water and eat honey?? its good I tried it, suppose to give you energy. Then we had some Strawberry Mango and watermelon, and sat on the porch outside where the dinning room table is.

After we got changed, and walked down the alley to the beach. Its like no more than a half block. The beach was littered a little not much, but lots of palm trees right to the water, and very tall waves, this is a surfing town, all surfers, not much swimmers. We just waded in the water, it was hot too??? GOD I WAS DYING! I was all swollen up for some reason, very swollen, and very allergic, have no clue to what? so I watched Amanda and the girls play and watched my first Sunset, I was in awe over the cloud formations. The sky was so colorfull, and so unusual coloring, Our skin looked like it glowed, I AM NOT EXAGGERATING, she even said that people say you glow at sunset. I saw it right away. I have chills right now typing this and telling you about this. It was different than anything I have seen. Feeling tired and so out of sorts,I layed on the



Right now as I sit, In the open kitchen with tall ceilings, Isabella is yammering, upstairs which it open to the whole house, and the birds are singing loudly, I have no clue what kind but there loud.