Costa Rica December 2004

This is probably the best trip I had in my whole life, and from its beginning started just the way it was meant to be. Three months roaming in Central America, without patterns and open to anything was gonna happen along the way. Even when I was sitting on the plane to San Jose, I still didn't know where I was gonna go once landed. For sure the first night was gonna be in the capital, to rest just a bit and gather informations from the locals. No guides, no internet researches done before...all I wanted was to be led by the indigenous and by the map (that's where I spotted my first destination on the plane....Montezuma). And so I did! After arriving late at night at a hostel (I asked the taxi driver to take me to a hostel downtown S.J.) and resting for the night, the day after I went talking to this beautiful girl at the desk and asked her if she knew anything about Montezuma. And there it was!!! The first great tip of the journey. Once off the bus, she said, head to the beach and walk for about a kilometer on it...on your left you'll see a camp site in a house garden. That's Pato! For $ 1.5 you'll be able to pinch your tent! Paquera was the port where I docked and where I took the classic "Otto bus", from the Simpsons school bus driver, that did drop me off in THE PLACE!!!...And those were the best 10 days I could start my vacation with. The camp was full of local artists that during the day used to hang out with and create their handcrafts they'd sell at night on the streets of Montezuma. Sweet guys mixed with other tourists, living in harmony and trying to communicate even with great language barriers. At once I became friend with everyone and during the day we use to have soo much fun playing soccer on the beach, or taking little trips and swim in the "Cataratas", the waterfalls next to the area, or visiting other secluded beaches (like Playa Grande). There was especially this place I remember, a little river with fresh waters where we use to go refresh ourselves when the weather was too hot. Our favorite game was searching for shrimps to cook at our camp kitchen, probably the most colorful area of the site. When lunch time was coming up, everyone would start looking for woods to start the fire and get on line to wait for their moment to cook. Everyday was a party, sitting around the table right on the beach, with tropical trees above us giving us the proper shade for the time. And when you were done with your meal, there was a bunch of hammocks shattered around the campsite waiting for you, lulled by the wind and hypnotized by the sound of the waves.
At night it was just a matter of waiting for the right thing to come up. Hangin' out on the main street (the only one) playing some drums, sipping on a cold Pilsen and smocking a rough Derby was the plan to start up. The many bars over there would do the rest. You could enjoy a refreshing drink next to the shore, or head to "Luz de mOnO" where the night would go of. I don't know how it is now, if like everywhere else the greed has overcome anything else, but I can assure you the little town has it's own magic!
Ad after that...Santa Teresa
Other ten days, chillin' out, and surfing, and enjoying the quietness before the storm, at night, of feelings goin' on around you!
Pura Vida Locos!