Tamarindo The sequel

Wednesday, March 26. Here's Mud in your Eye
Our last excursion of this trip.  Unfortunately, BIL was again having health issues and decided at the last minute not to go.  We were picked up at 6:30am, along with two other couples, both from New Jersey, although they did not know each other.   The one couple stayed at Playa Grande, the next beach north of Tamarindo which we look onto from our condo.  However, to drive there took almost 30 minutes.  After a bathroom break in Liberia, we arrived at Rincon de la Viejo National Park around 9:30.  The park is on the slope of the Rincon volcano, which is still active.  You can not hike to the rim of the crater at present.  There was a mist in the air.  It was raining at the very top, and the downdraft that blows down the slope as the warm air from the volcano cools, carried rain droplets.  While the lower slopes are very dry, particularly since it was the dry season, the upper slopes were lush and green.  We began with a 3 km. hike through the forest.  Along the way we saw howler monkeys and spider monkeys, the largest monkey in Costa Rica.  We learned about some of the flora, including a strangler tree that begins to grow from near the top of another tree, after seeds are deposited there by animal. As it grows, it drops roots down along the trunk of the host tree.  Over many years, these roots wrap around the host, slowly strangling it, and killing it.  Eventually only the strangler tree is left, with a hole in the middle where the host tree used to be.  We visited vents where thermal steam from the volcano shot up in the air, as well as bubbling hot mud pools.
After this we walked another twenty minutes into a canyon where there was a beautiful waterfall and crystal clear water.  We jumped from the rocks into the pool at the base of the waterfall.  I expected the water to be cool but not too cold, given the thermal region.  I was wrong.  I jumped through the air and the minute I hit the water,  a question came to mind,"What the heck were you thinking to do this?"  It was very cold and it seemed like it took an eternity to get myself to the surface after the plunge.  Over time it became bearable and we were quite refreshed when we got out.  Our guide, Miguel, took a shine to Jo.  He called her "me momma", and was always ready to give her a hand scrambling over rocks, even carrying her backpack.  From there we drove to a resort that is used for zip lining, and had typical lunch.  Rice, black beans and a meat/fish of your choice.  No surprise
there.
In the afternoon we went to another location where we had to walk across a suspension bridge.  It was way wobblier than the one in Lynn Valley, North Vancouver, and only two people were allowed on at a time.  On the other side we were given large paint brushes and a bowl of warm mud, and we covered each other in mud.  That had to dry for ten minutes.  Then we climbed into the river to wash off, or used showers attached to two trees.  Once clean, we could go into the hot springs pools hewn out of the rock.  Supposedly, this was great for our skin.  It was lovely in deed.  We did not get back from our trip until 6:30pm, and Miguel promised to email us the many pictures he took during the day.  Another great experience, while I had held out some hope of seeing one of the local toucan species, a coatimundi or anteater, or some of the large birds I had yet to get a photo of, it was hard to complain.  Plus, we did see the last monkey species that had eluded us.  I was feeling a little sad though that we only had one more day here.  It did not help when one of the two leaders we had learned about my interest in wildlife, and confided that bird watching was his passion.  He knew a few places he could recommend where I could see a lot of birds, and up to 30 varieties on one outing.  Next time?
When I first suggested returning to Costa Rica, Jo was not very enthusiastic.  She said she preferred Belize because the people were friendlier and she liked the beach.  She eventually agreed to go when I assured her that we would be seeing different parts and experiencing it differently than last time,when we  stayed in one house in a non-touristy area, with a rocky beach. For the past week she had been saying how much she enjoyed our experience and how much more she loves the country.  Even the people were much friendlier than what she experienced last time.  Today she went a step further.  She said she would love to come back some day!

Thursday, March 27. Don't Bank on It!
Today was our last full day here, and I was still sitting on 12,000 colones, about $24US.in old 1Mil, 2Mil, and 5Mil old bills that had been replaced by new, copy-proof bills similar to what Canada did.  These old bills are no longer accepted by merchants, but according to the internet, can be easily exchanged for new bills at the bank, since they are legal tender.  The security guard confirmed this on my last visit a few days ago, when I did not have my passport on me.  So today, I decided to walk down the hill on my own and go to the bank with my passport.  Again, the door was locked and I had to get the guard's attention to let me in.  I again had to empty my pockets and get scanned before he would even talk to me.  I told him I wanted to exchange old colones, and he pointed me to a machine by the door.  I looked confused and got out my passport to see if it had to go in some slot like at the airport.  The guard shook his head and pushed a button. Out came a card saying I was number 31.  There were three open wickets and only one other customer.  An electronic board flashed that number 31 was to go to wicket #1.  I have no idea why they use a card when there is no line up.  Typical third world bureaucracy.  The tellers were behind glass.  It seems like Costa Ricans assume everyone is a thief or a liar until you prove otherwise.  All decent accommodations have security guards outside, and even restaurants have someone in a vest guarding the parking lot.  Anyway, I showed the teller that I had old bills for exchange.  She immediately shook her head, and said I had to go to San Jose to exchange these at the bank.  San Jose is a good three hour drive and not exactly a reasonable request to make of a tourist.  I left in disgust.  While there are many things I loved about the country, it was these type of things that would turn me off of living here.  While the average people were nice, officials treat tourists, the bread and butter of the country, like dirt.  So, I did my long, hot walk for nothing.
After lunch, a mishmash of leftovers that had to go, we went to the beach for one final romp in the waves.  It was very hot, about 36 degrees, but also windy.  The wind blew against the waves, so that after a wave passed over you, you would be hit by spray blowing back at you.  Also, it hurt to stand on shore as sand pelted the back of your legs.  One final mango smoothie and it was back up that darn hill for a final dip in our pool.  By now it was late afternoon, and I decided to check out the trees just down the street from us one last time.  Leroy was there and watched over me.  It seemed that the bird population came out to say good bye. First there was a little gnatcatcher that posed frequently for me.
Then a flock of wrens stopped by and alit in the bushes a few feet way.  In addition to the very common birds that were everywhere, not one but six bright yellow orioles sat in a tree for me.  Two magpie-jays, a bird similar to a blue jay but with a long tail, came by, and finally a new bird, bright red, made an appearance. I was missing happy hour so I said good bye to Leroy, my adopted howler friend who sat in the tree above me.  For good measure a hummingbird posed for me, and what looked like a spoonbill did a fly by.  I am so busy here!
For dinner we went to Amore!, an Italian restaurant at the bottom of the hill.  There was another group of three there, and when they left, we were the only patrons.  On the way out I asked the owner why most restaurants we saw were so empty.  He said there were over 100 restaurants in town, too many for the population.  One last trek up the hill and our vacation was coming to a close.

Friday, March 28 Adios Amigos!
I got up early again today, at 6:30, and thought I would go say goodbye to Leroy, but he was not around.  A number of birds did stop in though.  Henry came by to pick us up for the airport at 11AM.  I gave him the old colon bills I was unable to change so he could exchange them the next time he is in San Jose.  We learned from Henry that the Nicaraguans are the cause of all problems in Costa Rica.  I told Henry about my experience at the bank, and how you are made to feel like a criminal.  He agreed, but said he thought it was justified because a while back there was a bank holdup by a group of Nicos in one of the towns.  There was a shootout with the police, and several police were killed, as were all but one robber.  That robber mysteriously died while trying to break out of jail, but Henry figured the police were just getting revenge.  Speaking of robbery, as we neared the airport, Henry suggested we stop at a store to buy water, because the cost at the airport is so high.  He said the businesses at the airport take you and shake you upside down until any last money you still have left falls out before you go.  I think he was right.  We went to the only restaurant for lunch, since there is no food service on the flights.  A muffin cost over $7US.  Jo and I ordered a quesadillas (for Jo, not for me), two small slices of pepperoni pizza, a coffee and a smoothie and it cost 27,552 colones, or $55.10US.  That was probably triple the price of similar food in town.
Our flights went smoothly.  In Houston we had to pass through Immigration, retrieve our luggage, go through Customs, re-check our luggage, and then go through Security again to board our flight to San Francisco.  It all went reasonably quickly and we got onto our plane within the 40 minutes we had.  We arrived in SF at midnight, and everything was closed.  Our flight to Vancouver did not leave until 8AM, so it was a long night.  We went to the proper gate, and tried to sleep, but that was an imaginary plan.  It was the noisiest gate in all of SF.  Crews walked around us vacuuming forever, women took their breaks near us and spoke loudly, and we were near Security.  Also, the benches had arm rests for every seat, so you could not lie down.  The women lied on the floor for a while.  I dozed off and on.  But, everything went well and it was a great trip.