Bits and bites from Costa Rica

To sum up our 19 day experience travelling, eating, sleeping and speaking through Costa Rica would of course be worth mentioning the wonderful people we encountered along the way. The Ticos have been amazingly friendly and hospitable despite their country being swallowed up by tourists this last decade in search of eco adventure + a more affordable way of travel. Apparently though, from what we have seen first hand with the empty hotels and quiet restaurants at peak dinner time, it seems that tourists are landing elsewhere for their fix of cheap eats and surfing, sun + sand. Business owners and service staff have been honest in mentioning that times have been a little tougher the last couple of seasons. We suspect this is for a couple of reasons: the US economy combined with the fact that Costa Rica was expensive!!! At least, we thought so. One cost which remained totally inconsistent and proved to be the difference in our budget was accomodation. Of course being rookies initially, we were such easy targets to be taken advantage of. Or simply the time of day/season could make the difference of $20-$40 for the same room!
Although we could be searching a little harder for dorm style rooms and taking the risk of sleeping with other backpackers for a mere average of $10/night, the thought of sharing a communal bathroom or being stuck next to a major snorer just don't seem appealing enough at this point. So we look for a private room with preferably our own bathroom and use of a kitchen. Extra super bonus is a decent mattress + pillow AND use of our own kitchen!
Nonetheless our great memories and wonderful time spent in the country just meant that we might have to tweak our budget a bit as we moved on to cheaper countries such as Nicaragua and Honduras.
My grasp of the Spanish language is improving. I am definately glad that I had invested in some private tutoring beforehand though, since more often than not we were needing to communicate some essentials especially in the smaller towns. Verbs like Tener, Poder, Quiero and Hacer were definately lifesavers and then of course the usual: Donde, Cuanto, Como se Dice, Buenos (they only say the buenos part of buenos dias) Gracias, Mucho Gusto, Cervesa and the inevitable Bano!!! Stringing the sentences together becomes interesting as my Portuguese and French start to get in on the mix, but it seems to do the trick as the similarities prove enough. Danny is doing super awesome with his sign-language techniques, LOL. Although we joke that I would have to be the translator for the duration of the trip, he really is understanding more and I do believe by the end of it all he will be able to say 'nosotros' without help:-)
So far there has not been much culture shock, mostly just adjusting to the Costa Rican way of life: buses that don't run on time, a bit of a language barrier and of course, food! As part of my regular eating schedule, I like to balance my carbs and types of carb vs. proteins and healthy fats using proper timing intervals between meals all the while paying attention to my fibre intake so that my absorption of vitamins and minerals are optimal so that in turn, digestion is smooth and elimination is clockwork. WELL, none of that is possible here!!! HA!!
A staple here possible with EVERY meal is rice + beans (gallo pinto) and plantain done any way possible but preferably fried of course. Fruit is plentiful which has been my saviour but veggies, especially the green leafy ones that typically comfort and accompany me in my tupperware back home, are hard to find here!! However, we are just embracing the white rice and almost everything else being made with corn and the textures and taste have been wonderful whether it is meat on a stick with a side something fried off the side of the road or dining in a restaurant to get comida tipico. The chicken actually tastes like chicken and the eggs are so fresh that they sell them anywhere and everywhere and at room temperature!
Monday Tim comes back from Monteverde and Tues we are off to NIcaragua. We already know it is going to be a long day of travel but definately was not expecting what was going to be the adventure ahead....