We crossed the border from Nicaragua to Costa Rica in Penas Blancas. We had to demonstrate at immigration our ticket out therefore we had to buy 40$ ticket each to Panama which we would have never used. It's so strange that in third world country they ask you for a ticket out. Who would ever remain there? Maybe for a working purpose... We got on the bus and went to Playa Barsilitos recommended by one of Nicaraguans who was living in Costa Rica. As usual on a local buses it takes ages to travel from one to another destination. We changed the bus few times and eventually arrived not so far from the final destination and due to the luck of bus as it was getting late (9pm) we had to take a shared cab (10$each for a 2min ride). We met an interesting middle age Canadian who was living in C.R for the last 20 years. He arrived there with a multimillionaire business project which went bankrupt. So did he but instead of giving up he established himself in C.R on the Pacific side in the middle of a rain forest. He has got total privacy there and doesn't need to be worried that someone will see you naked. There is no access from anyone. He is living with his local woman and looks pretty happy. He said that he has never seen such a corrupted country as C.R but he loves the nature, climate and the people therefore couldn't find any ether place for him. Fair enough, when you look for a right place for you, it never comes, when you take what's given for you it seems to be right. He followed his destiny...I've been a bit confused during this trip as I constantly was looking for a right place for me and haven't found it. Why not? Because I was trying so far. In the past when I was living for a while in some place the opportunities would arise therefore this was the way forward.
Playa Brasilitos was exactly what was needed after such a usual long journey. It was a quite large and long beach immersed in palm trees. We would walk 10 min to get to the nearest shop/restaurant, another 10min to the other beach which must have been very famous as it was packed by foreigners. We would stick to our almost lonely beach with our huge fires in the night. Since we've been rubbed in Nicaragua we keep the fire on at night time just for safety and against mosquitos. We camped in a bay therefore waves weren't huge. I enjoyed my swim. After a couple of days it was a time to move on and visit in Cahuita -south east by the Caribbean Sea our French friend Karine from London . She decided to move to C.R and run her holistic live style over there. She collaborates with a local who owns huge property in a rain forest with a nice yoga studio which she uses for a feldenkrais practice with her new clients. Apparently it works much better and quicker over there than in London and the life style is higher. It's a perfect location for life and work. The only concern are mosquitos and sand flies which are plenty, the rain is on a regular bases therefore the humidity and hit are pretty high. In a tent it is quite challenging to manage to sleep well without bites and getting water inside. Once you are in a bungalow everything is much easier and comfi. The community out there is nice and polite, it's a nice place to stay. The first night we spent in a lovely luxury kenaki lodge. We arrived in the middle of the night and instead of sleeping in the jungle sharing a wild life we've been offered by the owner the privileged place to camp in his flower house. The next day we were treated like kings with a nice cup of coffee served at the well dressed table. Then we met with Karine and stayed the next 4 days in her Kington. It would have been a paradise if we weren't bitten by sand flies. We went to the national park by playa blanca where was the only descent place to swim otherwise everywhere else is a surfing paradise with huge waves and strong currents. There were plenty of monkeys throwing on you seeds of mangoes they've been eating. I remember 20 years ago seeing the monkeys for the first time in C.R and for the second time now in the same place. The experience of C.R then was totally different, everything was so underdeveloped and unique. By now with all the roads and services is a different place. I guess this is the case of moving ahead. The climate on the Caribbean side is too hot, humid and wet. The Pacific side is drier and cooler because of the breeze of the wind coming from the ocean. We visited also Puerto Viejo from where I remembered only a rasta bar, and indeed there was s one but not the only one, it was followed by hundreds of other bars, restaurants and shops. It wasn't the same isolated place which was at the beginning of its development 20 years back. It was a developed town. Eventually we took a bus and moved in to the next destination still on the Caribbean side but in different country - Panama.
