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The movie at The Bagel Barn last night was Sherlock Holmes. I actually just saw that back at home a week or two ago, and not a big fan either. ;) I didn't stay for the whole thing, but it was packed with American and European tourists! As I was walking back to the hostel, I took a stroll through the central park. That place is make-out city at night! Seriousyly, every park bench had a couple on it just eating each others faces! Haha... I heard some ruckus from the big fountain in the middle of the park, and when I walked over there, there was some american guy (his shirt said something about virginia) who jumped in to the fountain and crawled to the top and was waiting for his friend to take his picture. What a tool. They were obviously drunk, and the locals were NOT pleased and all yelling at him (in spanish, which he didn't understand or care to) to get down and get out of their sacred fountain. And THAT is a perfect example of why so many people in other countries hate Americans...
I went to bed pretty early, well, like 9, which is actualy pretty normal for me. :) Slept pretty good, and got up around 7 (yes, I love getting 10 hours of sleep!). I went out for one last walk around this cool little town, and yes, went to McDonalds to check my email one more time. :) The but to the airport was, as expected, about 30 minutes late. It was me, one guy from Germany, one from the Netherlands, and one not so bad looking guy with a think accent from Melbourne, Australia! Haha...brought back some memories of all the Aussies living in Tahoe! :) He is heading back to the island of St Martin after vacation in Guatemala for 6 weeks. He teaches sailing there...oh the life. ;) The trip to the airport took a lot longer than expected, as the traffic in Guatemala City was terrible for some reason! Good thing I left early!! It didn´t take too long to get checked in and through the airport. While I was getting through immigration, I saw a whole group of guys all dressed the same, and people taking pics and asking for autographs. Turns out the Guatemalan soccer (or futbol) team flies commercial! Not surprising. ;) ALSO turns out they went to the same gate I did and were on my flight to Costa Rica. Ahem...yes I DO have an official Guatemala soccer jersey autographed by the team! Hahaha...I know, I know. I´m ridiculous. It was just too easy and they were so nice! :)
So when I went to get on the plane, I hadn´t really looked at my actual ticket much, and it runs out I was UPGRADED TO FIRST FREAKING CLASS! Haha... I mean HOW does this happen to me!? I´ve never been in first class on a commerical plane! (I´ve flown on plenty of private jets, but never first class on a commercial flight.) Let me tell you, first class is definitely the way to go!! Big comfy seats that recline, a tv in the back of the seat in front of you, REAL food with real dishes and silverware!! Just nuts! It was a pretty little airplane, and I was in row three. I hadn´t hardly sat down yet when the guy came up to me and asked if he could get me something to drink! High rollin´ here in Guatemala...haha. :) So usually on my flights I read my travel book for the next country I´m going to. But unfortunately, since I was so wrapped up in my ´Michael Buble live from Madison Square Garden´concert on tv, I forgot to look at my book! :( Anyways, we took off about 10 minutes late, and I was really kind of stressing about getting to the place to meet the bus on time. We landed at 2pm sharp, but San Jose is a really little city, and the airport as well.
They had to push a little set of stairs up to the side of the airplane to get us off, and we all boarded a bus to the terminal. That took some time, but since I was in FIRST CLASS I was literally the 3rd one off the plane, and the first one through the immigration line in Costa Rica. I was through the airport and on a taxi by 2:15, seriously. Pretty impressive. My taxi driver spoke decent english, and he took me to some little restaurant (Restaurant Calilu) where I was supposed to meet the bus. A little weird (a bus stop at a restaurant), but I guess that´s how it works here, because I was already on the bus on pulling off at 2:45. You know how pissed I would´ve been if I got there at like 2:50 and that bus had already left!? Thankfully that didn´t happen. :) It all worked out so well...
SO, Costa Rica = AMAZING (and that is a complete understatement). It has been kind of drizzling on and off since I got here but I guess that is to be expected for the rainy season. The bus is MUCH nicer than in Guatemala, and the roads are as well. Still little two-lane windy roads, but not as straight up and down. And I am not exaggerating, we literally drove through straight RAIN FOREST for like an hour and a half straight. I bet I looked like a little kid in a candy store with my nose pressed up against the glass and a big smile across my face, trying to snap pictures through the rain coated glass. I don´t know what it is about rain forets, but I am 100% enthralled by them. I mean I love lakes and mountains and oceans, but RAIN FORESTS...oh man. I just want to swing through those vines like Tarzan. :) So yes, this is already like one of my favorite countries. (Maybe number 2, nothing will ever come close to Africa...) If this litle bus ride in was just a taste of Costa Rica, I absolutely CAN NOT WAIT to get out and explore it! Oh yeah, and did I mention that I am at the base of one of the world´s top 10 most active volcanoes?? I mean I know the volcano in Guatemala was huge, but this thing just looks MASSIVE. It completely towers over this town. I can´t belive I´m actually going to attempt to hike that tomorrow. My legs already hurt just thinking about it!
Oh and my hostel. Ha...hostel my a$$. It´s called Arenal Backpackers Hostel. This place is a straight up NICE HOTEL! I splurged, paying $14 per night here, but this place is SWEEEEET! A big grassy area with lots of hammocks, an awesome pool, NICE clean rooms with hot shower bathrooms (with like real tile...) I mean seriously, this is NICE.
The view of the volcano from my hostel
Lots and lots to do here in Costa Rica: hiking to waterfalls, hot springs, volcanoes, white water rafting, zip lining, etc. Seriously, this place is like my dream come true. Did I mention there are RAIN FORESTS EVERYWHERE HERE!? Yea, I´m smiling right now. :) Adventures are on my mind.
Okay, I´m off to try and find some food and maybe try and sleep tonight. But I´m not gonne lie, I´m so excited to get in to those jungles and explore that sleep might not happen tonight. Plus it is ridiculously HUMID here! I´m all sticky just standing here...yuck.
Bye for now! :)
TK
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