Taking Costa Rica with me wherever I am

This particular evening reminded me of the precious moments I spent with a good friend of mine in Quepos Costa Rica before my departure recently. My friend Dinia, a Zumba Student with me in Quepos, and Manuel Antonio Costa Rica.

This itsy bitsy teeny tiny sea town is a based on a cape of sea at the foot of Manuel Antonio. The primitive outdated Costa Rican town even as it was stole a small piece of my heart. The Majestic and magical views of the sea from the only ocean side park in town was always a place to find a wonderful sunset and some peace of mind. I walked  (as you know if you have ever read any of my writings here) everywhere. Ever since my car was stolen some years ago in Costa Rica I was bound to walking everywhere, taxi's or bus. This part of Costa Rica believe it or not I miss. I learned how to accept my life and to use it to my benefit. I Will forever be taking Costa Rica with me no matter where I am in the Earth.

The Tropical breeze, the hot humid climate the smell of flowers and fruits combined with sweltering heat, is something I will never forget.    I enjoyed teaching Zumba in this heat, losing weight like crazy, never being able to drink enough, insatiable thirst, and exhausted from exertion!! What I wouldn't do to be exerted right now! bored stiff and sitting like an old MAID. 

When I was walking,  I would always looking for shade to rest my head and  cool down.  The crazy drivers, and horns, sirens and alarms on cars!!! FOR WHAT? I have no idea most of them are not anything that literally need alarms but the theft threat is so prevalent that just about every heap of metal that travels the roads have them. SOUNDING OFF ALL THE TIME DAY AND NIGHT and sometimes in sequence as if it was a symphony of car alarms.

I do not miss that but it was kinda of humorous and always happening so you became accustom to it in time. ( SO THEY SAY) not me!! I hated it but it is humorous at times mostly ANNOYING more than humorous.

The one thing I should say if you are wanting to travel to the country is, be aware that eyes are always on you, the reason is when they see a extranjero, (Foreigner) they know your on vacation or that you are living somewhere in the country and sorry to say can become a target, Here are a few things I noticed of travelers and especially USA citizens.  DO NOT TALK SO LOUD, lower your voice do not be so obvious, be aware of who is around you. Not that you should always be worried but you are in a slightly poor country where the poor have no scruples when it comes to robbing. ANY OPPORTUNITY is not robbing its an OPPORTUNITY to them.  Be aware,  Be friendly, say hello to people, try to at least say buenas, or hola. That is a way of greeting people that you walk past and for sure say Gracias! Thank you.....

Never leave if your a woman your purse on the floor, or on a chair back, put it on the table or around you in front. Do not leave things exposed in your car, perfect opportunity for someone to see it and say wow I need that! Do not wear big jewelry makes you a target, and if you are in a beach town on the south coast do not worry about changing your money. THEY USE USA DOLLARS, in fact in most places I found they will take the dollar just like the colones, but they may try to give you the lowest rate of exchange. Just be cool, and enjoy, watch the wild life, be careful driving they are some of the most radical drivers ever!  there is so much more but even in saying all of this I MISS IT. I lived there for so long, it is for sure ingrained in me, and no matter where I go in the world I will take Costa Rica with me. 

                                                    My life is a part of the PURA VIDA

                                                

Reminiscing my travels with Anthony Bourdain ALL ABOUT SPAIN

As I sit here in a cold  little house, watching Anthony Bourdain eating and drinking delightful delectable bites of tapas in Spain and watching the bullfights. I am recalling my time spent in Spain eating and drinking my way around. The life of Spaniards is a really different life, as I look back a life to live with passion and love of food, Wine, Dance and Music.  Feeling is a big part of living, not just working and passing of people not be able to take time by stopping in a local bar and chatting with friends, and work mates, strangers eating free tapas and drinking mass amounts of wine, or absinthe,or great beers with lemonade ( Shantee). Dancing in a crazed state, or sleeping mid day in your siesta.
Yes as I review my memory, while watching him eating his way threw Spain, I realize if I could have been less closed up open to expand my reality. I am sure I could have enjoyed even further than I did originally.

Spain will always be a love for me, It was not easy as some of the people are hard, very stern some loving and welcoming, depending on the areas you are in. Of course the more humble types were in smaller towns, not in Madrid or in Barcelona, but in the small outskirts of these areas were you find the welcoming plazas were everyone gathers, sits half the day eating and drinking and then returning to there jobs.

The architecture, overwhelming to a designer who notices every stinking little details, to witness the geometric and grand arches, the  columns, fountains, sculptures. How the light was affected in the framing of the structures, the inlaid tiles in repetitious patterns and marbles. the rounded peaked ceilings. So beautiful and so amazing to ponder that  this was all done in times when technology did not even exist. Nature was the dictator to all that was built, forms that reflected fruits and  plants, and mathematics were the key to the structures as engineers developed the most complicated and intricate designs in history.

To visit Spain and not fall in love would be a crime, I fell in love with it but fought it as of course I went as I normally do on my adventures on a shoe string, very little money and no travel partner. But If this should ever happen to me again ,I would diffidently return to Spain after I am in Italy, and be sure to spend time listening to the Spanish Guitars, watch the Flamenco Dancers, eat my self sick with the sausages, and hams, drink loads of wine, and for sure eat CHUROS with Chocolate sauce!   I have met some lovely Spaniards, some of which I miss dearly, They are a type of DEEP and very Real people who live for the food, the companionship, the drink and the dance. THIS ONLY  LATELY I have learned is one of the true keys to life. What is life if you are not passionate? mundane, superficial and empty. PASSION cones from suffering, and most of them have done some sort of suffering, Making them a Passionate society. I CAN RELATE, MY SUFFERING has made me a PASSIONATE AS WELL.  SIMPLE is best!