6 Enero, 2016
Padre’s Song of the Day:
(Open in separate tab to listen while reading)
Currently reading: Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters by J.D. Salinger
“If there is an amateur reader still left in the world — or anybody who just reads and runs — I ask him or her, with unreliable affection and gratitude, to split the dedication of this book four ways with my wife and children.”
-J.D. Salinger
First time I am writing (er… typing) 2016 down and it feels strange. It brings me back to grade-school days where we’d have to date every single paper — do people write things down anymore? I hope so.
Recap of the last few days: Flew into San Jose, Costa Rica, where I was met by my friend Brandon. We then drove to Tamarindo, Guanacaste. Passengers included B, myself, and his dog Meeko*, an Old English Sheep Dog (picture that in a tropical climate).
“Friend” can really mean anything. We were only acquaintances until B invited me to stay at his house in San Jose which turned into us driving 8+ hours and back to Tamarindo and spending 3 full days together. A wonderful experience and we managed not to kill each other :)
B knew a guy who owned a couple hotels** in Tamarindo named Diego. What a guy. It’s amazing to see how generous and sincere people can be with only knowing you for a day. Makes you have faith in humanity…but then you look at the good ol’ USA and then you’re just like ‘ahh shit, never mind’.
* Unbeknownst to Brandon until he moved to CR, “meeko” apparently means “pussy” in Costa Rican slang!
**If you ever travel to Tamarindo, definitely stay at either Casa Aura or Tamarindo Beach Resort and tell them Sydney sent you. (No, I’m not getting paid to write this)
On my first night, I was introduced to the lovely Cacique Guaro — a sugar cane liquor. That was a wicked fun night, but a wicked bad morning.
We spent the next day at Playa Conchal (Seashell Beach…except there are no more seashells. Damn people.) It was beautiful. We saw wild Howler Monkeys in the trees. They didn’t throw poop at us, PHEW.
Afterwards, Diego asked if any of us wanted ceviche. YES, PLEASE. A couple minutes later, we pulled up outside a more-than dilapidated shack, but with a ton of character. It was a place that had car seats as chairs, a dog tied up in one corner, no locks or lights in the bathroom, a paper bird hanging from the ceiling…you know what I’m talking about. These types of places usually have the best food, though, and damn, was he right.
Tried my first real michelada as well. Beer, lemon, and salt. Yum.
Oh…I LEARNED HOW TO SURF! No pix because I’m cheap AF…but really, $25 for photos? That’s half of another surf lesson. No thanks. Going to gloat and tell you that I got up EVERY time. Maybe I’ll go pro.
What else…. We found this new bar with a Canadian flare. They specialized in poutine. YUM.
On our drive back to San Jose yesterday, we looked up at this MASSIVE tree and saw wild Macaws. Sometimes I forget that animals we have domesticated originated from the wild. It’s refreshing to see these creatures in their native habitat instead of cages in a pet store.
Fun facts:
- Because there are mostly dirt roads in Tamarindo, they spray them with molasses so the dust doesn’t cover everything and everyone. It gives the town an interesting smell, especially in 91º weather with a blazing sun.
- “Casado”, a traditional Costa Rican dish, literally means “married man”. The dish coined this name for two reasons: 1. wives would make it for their husbands and they would ask for the dish in restaurants 2. Rice and beans are “married” since they are always together.
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@Seeeyudddd
Until next time….
-S
“Nowadays most people die of a sort of creeping common sense, and 8discover when it is too late that the only things one never regrets are one’s mistakes.” ~Oscar Wilde
