October 4th: I have to confess that there has been far to much adventures and wayfares to write the past two weeks. I would apologize, but I don't feel bad at all. I wouldn't trade a single experience for a few minutes glued to my laptop.
Today we left for Tortuguero National Park. In the beginning of the semester those who were willing to pay the six hundred dollars for this eccentric field trip. I enjoyed showing up with my single backpack as many of my fellow Gringos hephed and humphed their rolling suit cases under the bus with distress. Our breakfast at Restaurante Ceibo was awaiting us just passed the security guard and gate. I soon realized that my Idaho country girl manners are inadequate for the formal dining of resort five-star breakfasts in Costa Rica. Thankfully, there was an entire table filled of inadaquates. Cheers!
Our bus ride was excited as we made a couple of rabbit trails. We stopped at a banana plantation. We walked through the rows of banana trees hanging with blue banana bunches. (say that ten times fast). The banana bunches are covered at a young age to protect them from the pests and from the pesticides smothering the fields. There is a long wire that runs through the plantation that acts like a zip line. The workers put the banana bunches on the wooden plank then kick off cinder-block pillars that line the plantation floor. They zip right on through the feilds! A rabbit trail with in our rabbit trail: someone found a Rhino beetle and decided that it would be entertaining to pass this gignea pig sized insect around the over populated group of turists. Gross!
Arriving at the docking station, we hopped onto small safari boats for a two hours boat ride through the dense jungle and mud colored waters of Costa Rica. The feeling of being inches from water that you could chew from amount of minerals is a terrifying emotion for a poor swimmer. However, this emotion was quickly overcome as I looked from right to left at the lush forests hugging the miles of the Tortuguero canal.
Have you ever watched one of those cheesy promotions or movie scenes where the group of turists step off their mode of transpertation to be greeted by the locals with flowing champane and tropical flower necklaces? Me too. But even better, I got to witness the experience first hand. Fresh non-alcoholic smoothies awaited our smiling faces as we entered the most beautiful hotel resort called the Pachira Lodge. The cliche handsome Afro-Carribean man, Roberto, introduced us to the grounds and gave a reason for many girls to start a caddy fuss. Roberto plays a later part in our Tortugero experience that I will explain now. Roberto has a fetish for red heads I found out as he cornered me on the boat dock. He told me many things I already knew about myself, along with an invitation to come back for free accomodation and a booty call. No thank you, but I did find a small part of it flattering. Apparently Roberto and my business conversation went a little differently in his mind than I intended. "Your landscaping is beautiful" was not taken litterally by the General Manager of the resort, but rather as a phrase of sensuality. I did not learn this cultural difference in my USAC guides.
We were assigned our rooms after engulfing far too much buffet style food. We made our way through trails, brush, howler monkeys, tucans, ten foot wide spider webs, and tree house hallways to our cabins. We went to explore the town of Tortuguero, which is so tiny that they dont even have streets, rather just dirt pathways. The whole town in on one path that takes less than ten minutes to walk from one end to the next. There is one discotech the size of a modular and one over priced grocery store. Our hotel and Tortugeuro are on opposite sides of the canal. Tortuguero lies on a stretch of land that divides the canal from the ocean for miles of forest of rich landscapes.
The rest of the day was filled with a boat tour with Henry and Giovanni on the canal that led us through the rivers inlets into the rain forest. I am almost possitive that we should have been used for the next Jurassic Park because the setting was perfect and the drama ripe. We might not have seen dinosaurs, but we did encounter the closest of creatures. We were lucky enough to encounter mulitple Baskilisks (otherwise known as the Jesus Christ lizard because of its natorious "water walking" talent), spider monkeys, Kamens (small alligators), river turtles, sea turtle tracks, birds, and a diverse selection of vegetation.
Night life was limited when your only source of transpirtation is by boat. Though limited, our night was eventful. We entertained ourselves for hours taking underwater pictures in the turtle shaped pool, drinking pina coladas, and particiating in drunken games. I say drunken games because most everyone besides a small minority of our group, including myself, was sober. I have to confess that I thoroughly enjoy staying sober. I am already a pathetically happy person. My energy level fits nicely with the majority of my friends' happy stupor. The games became more and more entertaining with each round of drinks. My favorite and the gran finale was "animal." Instructions: drink a lot (or don't be ashamed of being an idiot) and create an animal identity. I am so relieved that we inhabited this resort in the low season because I could just see the poor chinese family banging on the walls of our cabin after having woken up from a reoccuring nightmare filled with rythmic noises and animals sounds.
October 5: Four AM wake up call came from the anonomys howler monkeys outside our cabins. The best part was the naive comments at breakfast regarding the obligation the hotel should have to warning us about the possible calls of nature. After breakfast, we took off into the forest. Our guide, Henry, took us so deep into the dense rain forest that the sun no longer made its way to the earth. The rain no longer drops to the earth due to the density of canopies. Safely under our natural umbrella, we explored through trees, spiders nests, plants, and insects.
Bucket List Check-off Update: Sea Turtle Nesting and Hatching!
Right before I left, my grammy gifted me with enough money to pay for the expensive night tour to the beach where I was able to watch a mommy green sea turtle make her way from the ocean to the destination of instinct. She labored up the shore at low tide to a low laying area under the protection of beach trees. Molly, Jade, Luke, Poa, Kirena, and myself were blessed with the only turtle of the evening. We watched in awe and wonder as she dug her protective boundries, lowered the next generation into the nest, and then neatly and efficiently lay a blanket of sand over her loved ones. I was surprised by her size, mobility, and her accuracy.
Never happier, I turned in early so that I would be prepared for the next mornings hunt to find babies!
October 6th: Another four AM wake up call. We taxied our way to Tortuguero just before dawn. We made our way down the beach blind in hopes that our adjusting eyes might glimpse a hatching nest. Rain followed us to the beach as we pushed forward. Many gave up the search, but the deturmined pressed on. Suspense and fatige building, I spotted the first baby turtle fighting towards the ocean. Yelling out, my girls join my side. We anticipated this moment for days. I have anticipated this moment for years. The poor lighting of the dawn was unforgiving for photography. Scared for the moment to pass and the safty of my camera in the rain, I was unaware of the little one who made its way toward me. Notified quickly by the little flippers tickling the top of my foot was a highlight to my entire adventure. We watched in happiness as each turtle made its way to the white foam of the Carribean ocean.
Returning to the hotel in joy, we prepared ourselves for the upcoming trip that would take us to the next wayfare. Panama came quickly. Remember earlier how happiness came upon me as I packed my one bag on my back while many wheeled their belongings along in a matter of heaving and tugging? This emotion soon repeated itself as we crossed the bridge that divided Costa Rica and Panama. With each step, skip, jump, and stumble I took, I could only laugh at the struggling noises and complaints behind me from the air craft carriers of the luggage world.
I recieved my Panama stamp in my passport and appeared in multiple security guards' camera phones. I am disappointed by the slyness of the soldiers in Panama. If they think that they can take a picture from behind blinds in a window only feet from me than they deserve the unflattering pose I chose for their stalker pictures. I was satisfied with the red cheeks of embarrasment from being caught that followed my acknowladged smile and turistic peace sign pose.
Once again, we were transported by little taxi boats to our hotel. However, no fiesta of greeting or virgin cocktails from the attractive black man. Dratts.
Dinner followed by ladies night at theSurf Club was in our evening itinerary. My hours of dancing was interupted by my good friend falling on the floor on her way to the bar for another drink. I fought and pleaded with her to accompany me back to the hotel instead of another swig. My friend was reluctant to leave her newly met german boyfriend so I manipulated the situation a tad. I told the german boy he could not buy her another shot, but he could walk the lovely lady to her door step RIGHT NOW! He understood my directions and staggered out the door with my friend tucked under his arm. Reluctant again to leave him, I had to work my imagination. The key is to make drunk people think that they are going to have more fun by listening to you then if they were to continue doing their current status. So, I told her that her prince charming walked her all the way to her door step, like a gentlemen, so that he could give her a special good night kiss. And that's excatly what happened. She even had a balcony audience of gringos to serenade the moment with hoots and hollars.
October 7th: Complimentary breakfast brought on the highest of stress levels. The afro-caribean woman who took our orders does not like her job. Molly was full of whitty comments to lighten the mood. My favorite that is noteworthy followed our attempts to make the lady's day better by stacking our finished plates. Without missing a beat said, "let's stack them so high God confuses our languages."
We sunblocked ourselves white in preparation for the severe Caribean sunshine. Our first stop was to a small island that looked as if Johnny Depp could dive from its tall cliffs and into our gringo snorkeling clusters.
Next, we boated our way to "play de las estrallas" meaning "beach of starfish." The sea in panama is so clear that you can see right through the aqua waters for miles. The starfish guided are ways to the soft white beach. My girls and I made our way to the depths of the waters in search for white dolphins. The yaht sailors anchored close to us must have spotted some because they were crowded on their decks pointing.
The last stop was Red Frog beach. The water was so clear you could see through each rising wave. A few of the gringos and myself participated in a sloppy game of volleyball. My coaches would be proud. I sprawled and dove so many times my entire body was a beach. I had sand in places I would never mention on the public web.
Sunburnt and fatiged, the gringos went back for some z's before a pirates' dinner. We went dancing again at the 'Barco Hundido' or 'sunken ship.' This was an appropriate title due to the shunken ship that lay beneath the dance floor that was acutally a series of docks. The dancing was lame and the men lamer. I was done after an over-friendly tico wanted to join me for a squat in the bathroom. Molly and I began to walk home in the rain, but were stopped by a familiar song in the Iguana. We rabbit trailed in to find our program directors having a few drinks at the bar. The older (by older, I mean he could be my grandfather) asked me to dance. I was tired and needed a good laugh so I abliged. Needless to say, I got more than a good dance. I also recieved my first, and hopefully last, strip tease. Molly and I almost peed ourselves laughing.
October 8th: Another Stressful breakfast and sunblock slathering morning.
The morning's island was familiar to most of us. Zapatilla Island was used for a series of 'Survivor.' Our adventures here were less dramatic and much more enjoyable. Molly, Caitlyn, and I made our way out to the coral reefs that extended for miles. For an hour we spotted white dolphins among the trenches of brain coral, pencil fish, sardines, urchins, and many other fabulous creatures. Once we returned to the white sand, Molly tested her survivor skills in coconut hunting. She ripped a coconut open with her bare hands. What a beast! What an awesome party trick too!
The next trip took us to a restarant called Cayo Coral. It rested upon a wooden pier, islanded by the clearest water. After rock-lobster and seafood, we dove out of the restaurant and into the ocean for more snorkeling. I was impressed by our jelly fish dodging skills. We spotted cuddle-fish, lion fish, jelly fish, fish fish, and some kind of bottom feeder that looked more like shark turd.
Fatiged and even more sunburnt, we went back for more z's before our American Hamburger dinner. Once again, we went dancing. This time we made it to another island to the Aqua Lounge. This club was on a pier that held two swings at the end. I danced with an Isrealian man who tried with all his might to convince me to kiss him. Tired of fighting the persitant perv, I decided to do the unthinkable - I jumped off the pier and swam away. Problem was, I had too much fun jumping, so my friends and I began swinging off the pier and swimming to escape the crowds of people.
Wet and laughing we swam to the taxi that would take us to the 'barco hundido.' I enjoyed every look I got from the ticos brave enough to dance with me and my soaked clothes. Another enjoyment this evening was slapping an Argentinian man when he chose not to understand the meaning of 'no,' even when I am certain that 'no' is the same in both English and Spanish. The last enjoyment of the evening came when Molly and I stole away in a closed restaurant to jump off the deck into the bioluminecent waters! What a finale!
October 9: Yet again, another stressful breakfast with a side of eggs; followed by returning to our bus. We stopped at a little pizzeria to recover from the nasiating bus ride to the boarder. After being stamped out of Panama and into Costa Rica we saught refuge from the rain under a semi-truck. The bus ride home was uneventful but quick. Heredia's rainy evening welcomed us with open arms and hot showers to wash off the brime of the ocean.
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