Uvita

Repeat of early morning noises.  Repeat of rising before six and feeling like I’ve slept on rocks.  Repeat of going for a run to shake it all out, having a cold shower which really rejuvenates oneself, and repeat of a bite to eat and some reading.

The bus to Uvita would pick us up right outside the abode.  There was also a farmer’s market going on.  From what I could tell it brought people in from surrounding areas who may not otherwise have a reason to come to town.  That’s what they do I suppose.  Anyway there were a lot of artisans, lots of produce sellers and bakers, and a collection of gypsies and nomads who would be recognized as such anywhere in the world.  The only problem was even though it was a rather small collection, we didn’t leave enough time to go through it and give it the credit it was due.  It was really a shame because we were just hanging out in the hut anyway not up to much waiting for the bus.

Sure enough with Latin American efficiency the bus arrived.  Uvita is 20km or so away.  The coastline drive is scenically nice, though the ministry of transportation could hire crews to pick up garbage along the way and decapitate the top half of every tree to get better views of the Pacific Ocean.  In fact they could cut further down...  with a climate like this they’d grow back in no time.  It would be magnificent thereafter.  

We hastily got off the bus a few stops too soon.  Although it was a bit serendipitous as Shelly got a great gelato and I had a delicious Americana coffee.  There was also a tourist information booth at the stop and a pleasant lady directed us in the right direction.  It would be a 2 or 2.5k walk.  It was hot and dusty again, but no vertical to contend with.  Shelly was happy.

Uvita is known for a National Park with neat vegetation and animals, but iconic for its tidal activity.  When it is low tide, and sand landform appears resembling a whale’s tail.  It would stretch everything of 800 m long, ranges from 50 to 100 metres wide in places, and it has a nasty rocky 300 m section where the tail would be.  Again, imagine a whale’s tail.  That is what it looks like from above.  While walking it you get a sense of the resemblance.  But maybe that is because you know before hand what you are getting into. At it is high tide it is nothing.  Just water.

Sure enough the tide was out/low and we walked another 3k or so around the park.  Out to the end of the whales tale and around.  We walked back in and sought refuge in some shade for an hour or so.  It wasn’t too busy.  In fact there hasn’t been too many crowded areas at all anywhere we have been.

The schedule indicated there was a four o’clock bus back to the home base.  900 colones would be the cost per person.  So for about 4 bucks US, we were back on the road.  Roughly 1000 Costa Rican colones is 2$ US.

I am a bit surprised how much groceries and food costs.  I have preconceived ideas that rustic or curb-side foods cost little in typical undeveloped nations.  Busing is cheap, but meals of hamburgers, club house sandwiches, and the like are about 12 bucks US, if not more.  Never less.  Maybe Costa Rica isn’t as undeveloped as I thought.  More then likely my sense of fair market cost of things is out of whack.

At the grocery store we’ve been buying 6L of water for 4$ US, a can of Coke is about 2$ US.  A good cup of coffee was 3$ US.  I just mention these things as informational.  Shelly had a delicious meal of rice, black beans, chicken, and a nice garden salad for 8$ US in Uvita, and it was fantastic.  But I would have figured it would have been less expensive.  Imperial Beer is usually about 2.50$ US a bottle.  When you drink it all and eat it all, you at least haven’t wasted anything.  The price to get into Nauyaka Falls was 8$ and the National Park was 6$ US.  Haven’t priced out the t-shorts and necklaces yet.... things like that.  Maybe all of this means I’m cheap and don’t understand the ways of 2019 economics.  Surfboards are 5$ US to rent for half a day.  Just the foam topped 9.6 ft ones.

At the end of today’s expedition, I wasn’t really as tired as the other days.  I had a cold shower when we got back to the dwelling and that seemed to recharge me for the rest of the night.  Shelly and I ate at a Thai Noodle place with portions that were way too big!  33$ US for two dishes, 2 beers, a lemonade, then we added a 5$ tip.  I should get this money thing off my mind.