My first day in the apartment

My first day in the apartment

Waking up around 6:00 boy I tell ya any day in the states would I wake up automatically at 6:00, there is something about this place that makes you rise and shine early. I read this but I didn’t believe it would affect me as I really do not like to get up that early.

But alas I am up daily not just because Amanda’s kids cry, but even here at my own place I arose early?? Curious to me??

The location as I said before is on the south end of Jaco, Pronounced Hocko. This area is sorta country it’s a very pretty and a soothing bike ride, an even more interesting walk into town which is about a mile. The road, I live on dead ends, just like the road I lived on in Vancouver, only instead of ponds, just around the corner is one of the best parts of the beach here in Jaco. There is very large and impressive club / hotel called Hotel Del Mar It’s the most impressive in my opinion in the whole area of Jaco. It sits on top of the ocean at the end of the beach right up against the mountains. These mountains are the jungle. My place is just less than half a block on the beach. There are only four apartments, they are only a year old, and are pretty Americanized compared to what I have seen. THERE ARE NO BARS ON THIS! Which is why I suppose I was thrilled to be in it? But on the other hand it could be scary from what I have heard. Although I am on the top floor so the likelihood of me getting broke into is less, than below.
We have high walls and a very heavy Iron gate to detour someone from trying.
The neighbor a younger half black half white guy named Terry is from Florida, he is part owner in a bar called Jungle soul in Hermosa. I am going there on Saturday because he invited me. They have Karaoke for the first few hours then dancing. I think it would be fun to see it at least; it sits off the road in the jungle not on the beach. He is really nice too and very helpful.
The apartment sits on the front of this lot just like my house did with the same amount of property almost but instead of the trees in the back it has palms and beach. In the front there is an older hotel in a coral color, around it and on the left of it and my front door is jungle and pasture. It’s a mix the terrain here is very different than anything I have seen. Its thick jungle then flat pasture with jungle plants mixed and then green green grass, occasional rivers and streams but basically flat.

Upon waking up I heard no roosters, even though the soda next door has a huge family of them. Big roosters too. I think its because they feed them early they really don’t crow? I dunno? But I didn’t hear anything It was the best sleep I have had since coming here. I opened the sliding glass door and looked out to the beach wow what a site in the morning the sun shining bright, it was warm that early and the trees softly whispering, the sound of the waves but not loud. The luxury of Air conditioning is the something I totally appreciate now, not having it for so long makes me see that little things here are now important. I was happy to get up and see the sun and the surroundings. I made the coffee, got dressed and rolled up the blind’s and took a deep breath and thought oh my I wish my kids were here to see this. Wow I thought this has to be ‘one of the best things I have done… now if jobs come through I will have no worries. It is so peaceful and so gorgeous how could one not love it aside from the heat.
And there were no barking dogs, like in the town. I watched the chickens eat down below and drank my coffee and made a list of things I wanted to accomplish.

Got my shoe’s on and walked all the way into town. I left the bike at Amanda’s and I had to walk in order to get into town. It took me almost an half hour. I walked very fast too. Today was pilates and yoga. God I am not sure I like this but I do it anyway. To me it was boring, if not repetitious and didn’t feel like it did anything??

Today the moves were really strange. I didn’t know I could some of those things, almost like a pretzel.
After class I asked leatha this Tica gal if she could give me a lift down to Jaco bell to talk to Eida and borrow Joeys bike, instead of Amanda.
I had a list of things I wanted to do for the day.
I found these bowls or platters out of wood painted just exactly like banana leaves I mean a very good replication of them so I got them. Eida had them in her shop, plus this container that I put sugar in that is in the shape of an apple made from The coconut.

We had a grilled cheese sandwich and coffee, and talked for a while outside Which is where everyone eats here. She took me to her house we got the bike and I left to come home. I ran in took a shower by this time it was 11 or so I was kinda antsy I wanted to figure out something’s, like Email Hilton to see If I got the job there in Vancouver, go to the bank, find a mirror, which Eida had! And try to figure out how I was getting wireless internet so I could use the computer here. Well I only got a few things done. With out a car it is not that easy to do these things, Never got to the bank.. But I did find internet. I had to disguise the computer, I had a back pack for my snorkel gear so I took all of that out and amazingly it fit I rather take the case but here someone would notice and may try to knock me off the bike and grab it. Instead my neighbor dropped me off in town and I went to the cutest Furniture store owned by Petra. I want this table in there for a hundred American dollars. I go there and work on the net for hours. I email people and tried to contact Milo but he was unavailable. God I miss him… I email Brandon but no answer. Then I got a message from the Hilton asking me when I needed a decision on the holiday décor? STRANGE??? IT said that all the other designers have been calling asking when they are making there decision? That she thought I should know this? And I asked when I needed the answer? I wrote back saying “when you give me the answer”
A simple but positive one I thought.
Petra and Jennifer were happy I was there talking with them. Petra and jenny use to live in the Turks and caicos, they have a furniture store there too so obviously they have money. They were allot of fun they opened a bottle of wine and drank while customers shoped in this small but very cool shop. I plan on buying this bamboo rug and a very cool table there tomorrow.

Here nothing really is out of manor; people do not care if you walk down the street with a beer or a glass of wine or a drink. They don’t care if you walk in practically nothing either, I should take some photos of the girls to show you which I think I will today. I was shocked at first but now I am Helosa because I wish I had a body good enough to bare my tummy at least everyone does. And believe it or not there are not very many fat people, people here are slim. I am fat in comparisons.
But I am working on it.

We had a lovely time, a man from Florida came and we all talked for a long while, and then he invited me to go to the Monkey bar later in the evening.
I asked the gals for a ride home and they drove all the way to my house and dropped me off. People here are so accommodating.

When I got home I looked at the beach out my back window and decided to change and walk down there. Here it gets dark at 5:30 so it was already getting dark.
I walked down and watched the waves and walked a bit a dusk. It was very pretty, but I noticed that the beach was littered with lots of garbage, plastic lots of it?? So I wonder who is dumping? Cruse ships? Who? It was sad. I know I can not do everything to make a difference but I did think I may on Saturday spend the day at the beach and at least pick up on my area of the beach. Its sad no one here cares about garbage. We are in one respects lucky in the states were kinda clean. They called it here

After I went to the soda al amistad next door and had there nachos??? Ok this was not nachos; it was bowl with weird cheese not melted over a stew like thing with beans and meat? It was good I ate it all but not Nachos? LOL I have to laugh, but I did have tamarindo naturals. This fresh drinks they make are like 75 cents and so good. The whole thing cost me $1.85 I am realizing that you should eat on the outskirts this is where all the locals eat and the prices are cheap.
Oh I forgot I met a man named MILO he’s a Yugoslavian man, not the Milo I talked about earlier, my Milo but a very interesting man that lives on the road across the way. I will take photos to show you he is a genius, He is building a restaurant up the hill and I am going to take the hike up there and see all the birds the parrots, the monkey’s and Toucans and more. He is something and I really think he and I will work together. I have so many opportunities here. I just need to get on them.

He is in his late 70s or close to 80 but a fireball; I will probably be like that when I am that age if I stay here. Not in the states, will grow old and lonely there. I do not know what it is here, but I have some many acquaintances already? My wish right now is that My Milo would find a way to come and stay and be a part of the Pura vida here, that my children would experience this, although I know they have no desire, but if only they saw and could feel it I know my boys, they would be laughing and digging it! Jordan has the opportunity now to work at possible four restaurant, I have that many people wanting to hire him. Nancy would have an instant Job at this huge best western or any of the larger hotels, I have talked to the Gm at the one here and he said tell her to call and he will hire her. Funny they like Americans with experience makes the customers very happy.
Brandon could do anything here and be fat and happy. For me I can’t even begin to tell you how many people want me to do things. I am over whelmed. I just need a car now… But I have to get this House sold.
I do not plan on buying yet, as Eida wants me to work solely with her on Real estate then our plan is buy a huge chunk of land on the mountain, I build with hopefully Milo as our Architect, and I am the of course the designer. We completely furnish the houses in different styles but all med. Tropical, and sell and do another one just keep turning them. So I told Carlos here at the apartment I wanted to rent this for the next year and just work out of here as an office. Besides, This may be the home of Bella Esperanza that’s a later story… but Its Ironic and yes it got offered to me by him. The property behind this apartment building is just like mine as I said, and he plans to put time shares and a restaurant and I will be involved with it, and it could be mine he said and Jordan can run it or be the head chef and manager.

After eating I came home and hung out for a while then took a cab into town and walked around looking at people, kinda quiet night but It was different.
I woke this morning to beautiful sun again and it was cooler this morning, I ate on the porch, swept the balcony and drank my coffee watching and listening to the birds and chickens, I could Macaws and parakeets but I didn’t see any, But I did see a huge Iguana, when I came back from work out.

Got dressed and rode into town with a flat tire, I had the biciletta muchacho put air in it. Then rode to class. Today was step, I HATE STEP, last Friday I injured my ankle in it and it still hurts. I just hate step its so damn boring, this instructor is Not like Sharon, creative and inventive. I wanted to cry I hated it I finally stubborn as I am threw the step back on the pile and did it without finding that I could actually make it more like Jazzercise, and I had some fun. So next week NO STEP FOR ME… I tried to tell Natalie that its outdated that in The USA no step. She kinda got mad, I couldn’t communicate well enough my Spanish sucks.

Came home saw the Iguana, and now I’m sitting in a towel with the air blasting the ceiling fan blowing listening to all the birds and looking out the windows which are huge the whole apartment is windows. It’s the best! I always loved windows, and now I finally have them. I plan on building a very cool house I think I have the whole thing in my head now, and its going to have lots of windows so you can see all over here! There is much to see. When it rains its still pretty here, and when it doesn’t’ its fabulous. The skies are so blue? And the colors of all the greens, kinda like the northwest but humid and hot.

Ok Shower time and off to the town, today is Farmers market, I think I will take Joey’s bike back have Eida drive me here, and then have my furniture delivered!
I ended up going to the bank waiting two hours for a teller and exchanging money, then to this little store where I bought some wine glasses, and some candles, and knife and a peeler.
Then I rode the bike down to the furniture store and paid for this darling table for the phone, later I will use it in the house I build on the hill overlooking the la playa.

I rode then to the farmers market were I bought all my fruits vegetables, and some eggs, sausage, and more!! Its so fun I love the market.. there is one man there that swears he will give me his whole booth I will go with him.. I laugh There is no way I would ever even think of it, but he always gives me something for free, I smile and say gracias, and move on. As soon as I was done it began to rain, WOW THE RAIN WAS HARDEST I HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED.. the thunder was so loud it was frightening. It rained so hard I as soaked to the bone.

I went to Eidas Jaco bell and she got the car, picked up my beautiful plants for the porch, a bromeliad, a antheirum in pink and a giant corn stalk. Eida and I braved the storm, and I mean to tell you it was a horrible storm. She helped me put it all away, we sat on the balcony and drank and imperial, and talked and laughed then I got my pjs, and spent the night with her and the girls.Eida and talked late last night and now today I am taking the girls on a mountain for a hike to see the animals, and then to the beach. Later they go to a party…
More to come and many photos