30 Colon para minuto

I´ll update my site when I leave Puerto Viejo. Currently, I´m having to pay 30 colons per minute, $1 per 15 minutes!

I´ll be staying here for a couple days and then heading to Boro Del Torro, in Panama.

Total cost for updating this blog... $0.30

Description of Arenal Volcano

Here's the description of Arenal that I wrote the evening I saw the volcano.

Diamonds glistening in the dark, rock of fiery red gently pushing from Arenals cone.

Natures beauty would be served a hard blow if I had attempted to capture the natural wonders of tonight. There are times when a picture is worth a thousand words, there are also times when a word is worth a thousand pictures; and tonight was one of those moments. Except for the words of my pen, the ability to understand the natural wonders of this evening would only be possible by personal experience.

The night carried a translucent hue, similar to a deep sea dive when all is still except the headmasters beam. Bolts from the distance illuminated the silent sky, creating a silhouette of the giant above. Silence, overtaken by the chirps of crickets, the musical animation of a bottle cap collector, and the tumble of rocks as they emitted from the mouth of the fiery dragon. Deep breaths, similar to a slumbered beast kept our anticipation for a smoldering trail of creation alive. In a gradual state of expression, lights would emit from the tips of the volcanos crest; Eventually, the heavy, yet systematic breathing would cease and in it's place a stampede of red rock would begin making it's way to it's new home of slumber.

Information from nieces regarding Panama

Dearest Uncle Arin,We had a good time looking at the maps and trying to find a really great place for you to visit. We found a place called Las Lajas, it sounded interesting, but they grow Noni plants (the smell is worse than rat puke, it is really bad), so we didn't pick that place. Santa Clara sounds beautiful with white sand beaches, as does Contadora Island and Cerro Azul. But, of all our choices, we think you should not miss the Baha'I Temple. It is behind Panama City and one of 7 Baha'I Temples around the world (the others are in Australia, Uganda, US, India, Germany, Samoa) Keep us updated, we love knowing where you are and hearing about your trip!We love you!Jade and Krystal (and Julia)

Heading out

George and I will depart from Joco tomorrow. He and I will head up to the Caribbean side of Costa Rica. We'll be visiting a place called Puerto Viejo de Talamanca. The area is supposed to have amazing snorkeling and very interesting informational sites regarding the Bribri indigenous people. The trip will consist of a two hour bus ride to San Jose and then a 4 hour ride to Puerto Viejo.


Son is heading back on Tuesday, so he will stay another night in Joco and then leave straight to the airport.

Quick insight into Joco

The following are things I've experienced, seen, or currently think of Joco...

The place we are staying:
We've hunkered down for the past few days at La Cometa. The place is a pleasant mix of Hostel, upper end motel, and garden Terrace hangout. The cost is about $8 pp and includes kitchen use. The owners are a couple. The man is from French Canada, and speaks a weird dialect of English- he essentially seems like he's constantly on acid... Think Ozzie, but unassuming white guy. His wife, who seems to boss him around, is a local. If you've seen the Dark crystal, the woman is a splitting image of Aughra (see picture to the right).

Surfing:
A wise and sane person would say "these waves are too intense for beginners" but, Son George, and Arin would say "when in Costa Rica, enjoy...". Yesterday and this mornings experience was, how shall I say, an experience. Not sure if anyone has ever surfed, but attempting to catch a ride on 10' foot waves probably isn't the safest thing for a beginner. After many ill fated attempts, the three of us managed to pull ourselves together and conquer the unsubmissive sea- just don't ask for how long.

Old men in Heaven:
The more the two of us walk the strip, the more it becomes evident that this place has an underworld. We've met several Americans who've come down here for the sheer pleasures of Joco... There seems to be this otherworld where men of age have managed to seek out youth and, seem to be rather successful with their pursuits.

Incognito

Just a quick explanation regarding me and e-mail. I've received a fair amount of e-mail from people and, am trying to respond as time, expenses, and ability deem possible. I realize it looks as though I have a huge amount of time - I mean, if you read the blog, it seems like there are internet cafes all over the place... Which, for some of the places I've visited, is true. But, if it seems like I've forgotten about you, or are just attempting to ignore you, please realize that this surely isn't the intention. Many times I'm just running on limited time and, I'm trying to give first attention to the blog- as informal of as this is, I'm at least able to reach many of you at the same time.

So, for all of those who are still awaiting e-mail from me, bear with me. Your in my thoughts and you'll get a message from me.

Off to meet-up with the rest of the group.

Joco, Costa Rica

The closest coastal town to San Jose. Quoted by the Lonely Planet, "People from around Costa Rica come here to spend a couple days in the sun". Reading this, who could refuse the temptation of being around a bunch of locals. Well, actually, or reasoning was more influenced by the opportunity to learn how to surf... We will be renting surf boards shortly...

Besides the chance for surfing, this place isn't that great. The strip is rather picturesque but the town is expensive and feels very US; Food and lodging are about the same price as in the states.

My state of mind

Many would consider Costa Rica "the perfect place". There's lush vegetation, several different climate zones, friendly people, the environment is relatively safe, they have a progressive government, it is developing in a healthy manner, and the American dollar against the Colon is rather strong. So, why do I look forward to my departure from this place? Call me crazy but I miss the developing world. In many ways, Costa Rica reminds me of the states - in all good ways, of course. And, this trip was not about the states.

In a very odd way, I miss the system of Guatemala and Honduras. The process, as dysfunctional as one might claim they are, works. A great example is there bus system. I miss the camaraderie of sharing a single seat with 3 other people, or stopping on the side of the road to pick-up the occasional hitch-hiker. I know, it all sounds a bit crazy, but this trip, even with it being in such an infancy, has been filled with spectacular experiences. And, most of the experiences were generated in Guatemala and Honduras. The zaniness of trying to figure out what others are saying, the zaniness of having others try to figure out what you are saying, meeting the plethora of like minded budget travelers interested in experiencing something different, and the freedom to just do something. Except for the fact there aren't any emission laws, I just felt like I was able to breath better.

Project for Jade and Krystal...

Hi Jadi and Krysti,

Your mom says that the two of you have been following my adventures. Have you found it interesting? I have a task for the two of you. In one week, I plan to head South, into Panama. Unfortunately, I don't know much about the area. I plan to see Panama City, where the Canal is. But, I think it would be neat to visit some other spot along the way, preferably up north. Can you help your uncle and find something interesting for me to visit. I promise to take a picture and post it on the blog.

Monteverde

I currently write this from an Internet cafe in Monteverde, Costa Rica. George, Son, Katherine, and I will be departing this town at 2:30 and, will begin our trek to Joco. The Lonely Planet describes Joco as a beach town resort, the closest to San Jose. I can't say that a beach resort would be my first choice, but it is nice having the additional travelers.

My inspiration for detailed pros is a little weak right now. But, since I have neglected this blog for the last couple days, I feel I should at least input some updates.

Son and I arrived in San Jose, Costa Rica around 11:00pm on the 22nd. Except for minor confusion with room reservations, we were able to smoothly meet up with Katherine and George.

Since my current traveling companions are running on limited time, we decided to skip the sights of San Jose and head straight to La Fortuna. The 4 hour bus ride was about $3 and, was incredibly picturesque.

Upon arriving in La Fortuna, a man by the name of Marcus solicited a room for four people. We accepted his offer to show us the place and, immediately upon seeing the room, took it. Total cost $5 p.p.

From what I'm able to ascertain, the town of La Fortunas sole business is tourism, and they do a decent job of catering to the foreigner. The town was exceptionally clean, many of the people speak English, and... this has been the first town Son and I have visited in Central America where you can safely walk around at night...

Our Tour DeJour for La Fortuna was the Arenal Volcano. We opted for a packaged deal which included 3 hours at the Baldi hot spring and an evening viewing of the Volcano- The evening viewing of the volcano has entered my list of "natures most spectacular moments"; I've written a more detailed description of the setting, which I will share in a later blog.

The next morning, after a relaxing night of soothed muscles, we took a jeep to the Laguna Arenal; crossed the river in a rinky 30 person boat; and then road for about 1 1/2 hours on the longest, bumpiest, and windiest road I think I've ever taken (Dad, think initial point of the mushroom road... when the rain has created for lovely washboard!). Monteverde was the destination. And, we found a Gorgious place, Alondre Inn, for $5 pp

Yesterday we spent most of the day walking around the town of Monteverde. Apparently, the community was founded in 1951 by North American Quakers, who started dairy farming. Today, we did one of the most touristy things one can do in Costa Rica, ride the zip lines. The morning adventure was fun, though a little rushed. I, being a rock climber, enjoy checking myself each time I disconnect and reconnect my carrabeaner. They, on the other hand have this stuff down so quickly that it's like second nature...

Me: "wait, am I tied i..."
Staff: "go, go, go!"
Me: "bu... ahhhhhhh!"

Tegucigalpa

We arrived in Tegucigalpa, the Capital of Honduras, around 9:30 this morning. We were hoping to catch the bus to San Jose Costa Rica. But, the bus departed around 9:00 (it was expected...).

We currently are checked into a hotel in the city. Decent place, AC; Color TV with tons of channels - I've been catching up with all the happening in the US -; and fast free internet... Well, somewhat free- The hotel was $65. Anyway, that's beside the point. As you've probably noticed, I've taken advantage of the free time and free internet and have posted a bunch of photo's, enjoy.

We will be heading to Costa Rica tomorrow. We'll be departing at 7:00 in the morning. It's about a 16 hour bus ride. Katherine and George should be there when we arrive. We've reserved a place at kap's, in San Jose.

I'm off to go for a swim...

Travels from Flores, Guatemala - Utila, Honduras

I just sent this to a fellow traveler and thought it would be interesting to share with the blog.


Travels from Flores, Guatemala - Utila, Honduras:

As with any travel, the initial thought -at least in my mind- is actually much easier then in practice. This was definitely the case for traveling to Utila. When looking on a map, the Island of Utila looks incredibly close to the the city of Flores. And, in reality, if one had wings, it is. But, when you're dependant on Central American transportation, those tiny distances can truly add up.

Our adventure began at 4:30pm. We loaded onto a bus that was headed to Rio Dulce, about a 3 hour bus ride from Flores. Our departure was delayed by about 45 minutes due to a mechanical failure of the bus. Once fixed, we managed to make pretty good time. Until, our bus driver got the craving for dinner and pulled off onto the side of the road for some grub. Another 45 minutes later and we were off again.

Our arrival into Flores was a bit sketchy... Throughout our travels, I've been learning that evening arrivals just don't seem to be a good idea- the streets of city's transform into another realm entirely...

Due to the late arrival, we ended up having to stay the night in Rio Dulce. A taxi driver suggested The Backpacker Hotel. It is located on the other side of the bridge from the bus station. Cost of the Hotel was 75 Q pp.

The next morning we were able to catch the 8:00am bus that took us to some town which I don't remember the name of, then caught a bus to Puerto Barrios, and then another to the border of Honduras. We were then dropped off at the Honduras border where we waited for another bus to take us to immigration- this actually turner out to be a flat-bed truck. We were then dropped off at immigration, received the necessary stamps for entry, and then waited for a truck to take us from immigration to a bus headed for Omosa -the roads were weather worn and therefor commercial buses were unable to handle the terrain.

After some 16 hours of traveling, we arrived in Omosa, were we decided to stay the night- gorgeous place!

The next day, we grabbed a chicken bus headed to Puerto Cortez, then caught a mini-van to San Pedro Sula, and then took another bus to La Ceiba. Once in La Ceiba, we took a taxi to the port, and then paid $14 for the Ferry to Utila. The rides were long but the trip was definitely worth it!

Random shots of Honduras

My favorite out of this batch is the last photo- This was what I found while passing through the border, at imigration in Honduras. Notice the bucket on the right hand side of the photo...

Pictures of Flores and Playa Volcan, in Guatemala

Tikal

If you look close you´ll see two spider monkeys in the upper photo.

Pictures of Antigua

Son on the steps of a church. Below... Andre and Yen... Sorry, but we left this at Los Amigos in Antigua. I had to start unloading some weight.




Notice the big shower head. This is where the water is warmed... Oh, and for those of you who appreciate your own space, this was a communal shower.

More Pictures

Left is Son and I at our $3.75 room. Below is the fire dancer we saw juggling fire the night before in Utila.

These are three shots of Utila

Honduras

to the left, the the truck we managed to hitch a ride with- The roads were so bad that commercial buses were unable to drive them. Below is me trying to get a covert shot of guards frisking passengers of our bus.

Left is the bus heading to Omosa.

Departure from Utila

It seems that Son and I will be departing this tropical oasis tomorrow. And with this, access to Internet until... not sure. So, for all of those wondering where we are, we'll be somewhere in Nicaragua or Costa Rica.

Cookin with the locals

Son, the charmer that he is, somehow got us involved with cooking at 5:00am. The conversation started out like "this doesn't seem hard"... and ended with "why don't the two of you come tomorrow morning"... So, we did. What a fun adventure. Son was the guy in charge of taking orders. I was the dish boy. While working, I mentioned that I used to work at a pizza place... So, they asked that Son and I come back later in the day and cook one for them... we did... Besides the appreciation of the food, they got a kick out of us. Especially, since neither of us speaks spanish and they didn't speak english. Ah the international sign of affection, food!

Descriptions

So, as I promised, the following is a bit more of a descriptive of some of our interim journeys... the picture to the left is how we crossed the border in Honduras... 30 minutes and a free ride later... We safely made it across. If not a little wetter.


The mini Bus in Guatemala and Honduras:

Step back from reality for a moment. Place yourself in a time when the heat of mid-day surrounded you, consumed you. The sweat of an army of Cesar's, after fighting a winning battle, surrounds your every sense. This, this was the experience of yesterday. Surrounded on all sides, like a freshly packed can of Sardines, we sat, eagerly, yet adventurously, in a VW bus with 26 other people. Our destination... the border of Honduras.

The Boat to Utila:

We currently sit swaying in a cradle motion. The sounds of crushing waves play as the orchestra. Behind me is a place we spent little time, La Ceiba. Slowly, as I peer over the bow of the ship, the island of Utila appears... Off the starboard a wave just sent me a soft and subtle kiss.

Free Internet

What a wonderful thing it is to have a portable skill. The woman at the Internet Cafe was so grateful that she has given Son and I free internet access during the rest of our stay. Now, some would wonder, since it is free, why the blog hasn't had massive updates or a tone of photo's posted... We'll it's because the connections are so $#@$ slow and, because the weather is so gorgeous.

Son and I spent most of yesterday lounging on the beach. Each of us received a minor burn on our shoulders. Fortunately, our plan has us on this Island for another 2 days- I don't think our bodies could handle placing the sacks on our backs.

Internet!

I currently write this from an internet cafe in Utila, Honduras. The owner claimed the system was broken so I offered to look into the problem. 10 minutes later, the system is fixed... Apparently, there is only one computer person who serves this island. Her description, and I quote "Fat man, slimy, smokes while working and attempts to squeeze as much money out of here as possible... he charges 400 Lempira an hour -currently the equivalent of 20 US- and is a slime".

I've unfortunately left my journal at home, but to summarize the last couple days:

- Took an 8 hour bus ride to Flores. The night bus, which provided security and 24hour survellience from police was $25.

- Spent the evening in Flores. Our room cost was $5 pp. And, found a wonderful, and cheap cafe.

- Hiked the ruins of the Mayan temples in Tikal. WOW, what an amazing place.

- Took the afternoon bus to Rio Dulce. Arrived Rio Dulce late evening. We were dropped of in a bit of a sketchy area. immediately took a taxi and spent the night the the backpackers hotel. There we met the owner, a cross between a classic Madame who offers the pleasure of woman, and a decrepit mean woman. Cost or the night $7 pp.

- The next morning headed to Honduras. We left the hotel at 8:00am. After 5 buses, experiencing a very 3rd world immigration post hitching the ride with some locals to Omosa, Honduras... we arrived at Rolis... Time of arrival 4:00pm.

It's difficult to describe the beauty of Honduras. There is this virgin innocence that the people and place possess. A combined appreciation for their environment and a friendliness to travelers. The development on this part of the country seems cognizant of the environment and they have done a good job of keeping the land clean and safe.

Son and I are currently staying at the Blue Berry Hill in Utila. The place is $3.75 pp, with kitchen. We met some Austrians along the way and will be cooking dinner for the two girls tonight.

Having a wonderful time. I'll try to write more detailed information about some of the bus experiences later.

Heading to Flores

We will leave Antigua today. We will be taking the 9:00pm bus to Flores. I am unsure how the Inernet access will be. So, it might be a while before I input my next comments.

Appreciation

Though I have yet to be here a total of one week, I have already developed a better appreciation for the States. Last night, as Son, Tu, and I walked the desolate streets of Guatemala, we were greeted by massive amounts of commotion from the distance. There, before use, was several fire trucks and police cars. Avoiding any sort of issue, we opted to sway from the excitement and head home.

Today, as we walked the streets in search of shirts for Tu, we came across the area of destruction. 10 - 15 shops had been transformed from a bustling place of business, and turned into a place of sorrow and lost dreams. Rubble and ash were all that remained of a place that once housed the livelyhood of so many.

I, being interested in the outcome and extent of damage, started speaking with a vendor who´s shop had survived. I learned that these shop´s where unable, nor could they afford, insurance; that the possibility of collecting any sort of compensation was hopeless; and that the lives and profession of these people were now in question. How and what caused the fire is uncertain. They speculate that it was either faulty electrical wiring, a candle that had tipped over from the near by restaurant, or possibly arson- this last Monday,burglars had broken into several of these same shops.

Safety

Last night, around 12:00am, 3 Spanish woman were mugged while heading to our Hotel. The three were about 20 feet from the Hotel, when 2 men on a moped drove by and grabbed the bag of one of the girls. Her passport, money, and credit cards were all in the purse. Within seconds, the girls started screaming and the street was filled with travelers attempting to catch the thieves. Incredibly, one of the men, without shoes or socks, retrieved her stuff! We were not at the hotel during the robbery, but arrived 10 - 20 minutes after all the commotion settled. Antigua shuts down after 11:00pm and, except for vagrants, some locals, and shady people, the streets become deserted.

We learned today, that a week ago our hotel was held up by 6 armed men. One of the guests left the main door open to the hotel, unintentionally and headed to bed. 20 or so minutes passed and the armed men entered the hotel, forcing the hostess, at gun point, to open everyone's rooms. The men made off with money and passports.

Don't worry, we are staying on our guard. We are also having a wonderful time!

Arin Versus the Volcano

volcanoes possess many interesting qualities, many that I have learned to admire, and one, that I've now learned to respect... Don't CLIMB volcano's in sandal's.

hoarding into a mid-size American school bus, 28 travelers from around the world were taken to Playa Volcan. The 1 hour drive proved an adventure all in it's own; those with any possible inclination for motion sickness would have found this trip daunting. Up and down winding roads, the only thing on my mind, besides the intriguing landscape, was how good are the brakes on this thing? Any false turn or slip of the brake and this blog could have ended in a perilous idlement.

Fortunately, the life of a Antiguan relies heavily on tourism. And, the bus had recently undergone inspections.

The final accent on the bus was greeted with rolling dust storms that was exacerbated by our yellow beast, the bus. The clear and pleasant air inside quickly transformed into a storm reminiscent of the Mojave desert. Throughout the final climb, we bounced from side to side while clouds of dust continued filling the internal chambers of our yellow friend. Creating an enviornment inside where all aboard started to wish for the rides completion.

The Hike:

Learning of the 2 hour hike ahead of us, Son convinced me to rent a horse. Though a great expression of ones laziness, the $7 dollar price proved well worth the investment.

Approaching the top of what had been a spectacular climb -especially since we were not out of breath... we learned that the horses would not be able to climb the last portion of the volcano.

unloading from my horse, and approaching the final leg of the trip, I quickly realized that wearing sandal's was not a wise choice for this adventure. With each daunting step, I longed for the chance to take back my ignorant decision. Oh why did I allow my sanity to desert me! WHY! As each second passed another sharp rock found it's way into the lower soles of my feet-.....Hot coals could not have been any worse then this experience.

Approaching the top dissolved all suffering for the moment. As I peered over the last Molten hill, flowing lava was the sight. Spetacular; Gorgeous; Amazing... Man am I tired! From the crest of what would undoubtly be off limits if we were in the states, the poeticisim of hot molten flowed whimsically out the volcanos cone.

After a period of time, our light from the overhead sky started to dictate that it was time to leave. I pulled myself together, mentally took a big breath, and prepared for the agonizing decent. Incredibly, the decent was not as bad as I expected. Since the pebbles where so loose, I took advantage of the rocks and slide all the way down... Ah, how I love skiing...

Arrival

We arrived in Guatemala safe and sound. The flight was a little delayed departing from Miami (2 hours) but we all managed to get on the plane, and are currently in Antigua.

Immediately upon arrival, we passed through customs, grabbed our bags, and then headed out to attempt negations with the taxi drivers. To my dismay, haggling has been dissolved, and fixed rates have taken over. After agreeing to the $27 rate to Antigua, we packed our bags into the Taxi and were on our way to Antigua.

I must admit, something that truly surprised me was the cleanliness of Guatemala. Except for the massive plums of smoke emitting from tail pipes, the city looks pretty safe and clean.

After a 30+ minute drive up and down winding roads, we arrive in Antigua. This place is gorgious. The town is a mix of Canyon Road (in Santa Fe New Mexico) Charm, combined with the look and feel similar to Topanga canyon (in California).

While walking the street of Antigua, searching for lodging, a woman stopped us asking if we needed a room. Intrigued with what she had to offer, we followed her and her boyfriend down several side streets, into a locked court yard. There, before us, was what has become our place of residence for the next 3 days. The cost, $5 per night, per person... with, cold shower.

Cost break-down:

Room= $5
Dinner= $2
Cuba Libre (Rum and Coke)= $1.20
Breakfast= $3.50
Liter of mineral water= $.65
Internet Cafe (1 hour)= $2.40

Chloroquine...

Well, it's been three days since taking my first Chloroquine (Malaria) tablet, and I'm still not crazy... I consider this to be a good sign.

Preparations

...It's an intoxicating feeling, knowing that you're able to go wherever you'd like at a moments notice. The overall freedom to just hop on a plan and go, is amazing...

Reading through visa requirements for Latin America I was pleased to learn that, for the most part, I did not require any form of visa for short term (30-90 day) stays. Though, as I merrily read through the requirements for entry into the countries, something in particular did catch my eye:

"Passport or proof of U.S. citizenship and photo ID, tourist card or visa, proof of sufficient funds, and onward/return ticket required."

Let's list each requirement:

Passport= Check
Proof Of citizenship= Check
Sufficient funds= Check
Proof of onward ticket=............. OH, NO! How am I going to tour Latin America when they require proof of a return ticket?!!!!-...

For those who aren't aware, my sister is a pilot. And I, I've been the lucky person who receives her flight benefits. As you might imagine, there really aren't many cons to being the recipient of such benefits. But, one in particular is that I have to fly standby and, always fly ticketless- my ticket is not actually given to me until 10 - 40 minutes prior to me boarding a flight.

Learning of this onward ticket requirement added a small kink into my travel itinerary. That is, until I came up with an idea... Buy a fully refundable ticket; choose a particular location and departure date that's wayyyyyyy into the future; use this as proof of onward passage; and then cancel the flight after my Central American trip!

$965 later and, a little ingenuity, and my calamity was solved.