I recently came back from a trip to Costa Rica with myself and four of my female friends. I feel I would be remiss in my duties as a blogger, if that is what I am attempting to be here, were I not to include some entry about the trip. I am not entirely sure what I am to say about the trip. I would find it boring were I to give a travel log, so instead I think I'll copy down a few excerpts from my journal. I do not let anyone read those things I write in my journal, so this is new for me.
11/27/08
... Last night we did a night hike up through the mountains just across from the volcano... It was complete darkness and raining, so we walked through the mud of the jungle able to only see a few feet in front of us and walked across a suspension bridge, we balancing in the dark of the jungle, swaying slowly and silently abov
e a rapid river below us. Afterward we went to a spot in the river fed by natural spring hot pots. The water was fantastically warm and fast moving, creating a wonderful and long water slide carrying you down the river and off a small waterfall to still warmer water and you could swim under the waterfall to a cave, dark and empty but for the water and our bodies ...
e a rapid river below us. Afterward we went to a spot in the river fed by natural spring hot pots. The water was fantastically warm and fast moving, creating a wonderful and long water slide carrying you down the river and off a small waterfall to still warmer water and you could swim under the waterfall to a cave, dark and empty but for the water and our bodies ... We came to a waterfall and were able to walk right to the base. It was wonderful to see the water clear and white rushing through the forest juxtaposed against the swarm of green and trees. I found a long vine hanging down from the canopy of trees above, and like Tarzan I climbed up the vine and swung through the jungle and fashioned a loin skirt out of giant leaves from the plants growing and made my Tarzan noise and beat my chest in ape fashion with my Tarzan hair and leaves covering my near nakedness. It was a great time.
...Several of the bridges were suspension bridges that rocked and swayed with each movement we made forcing a drunk walk across. Some of the bridges were through the jungle and through the trees, both dark and green, and mud soil, and other bridges were above the jungle, atop the canopy, the jungle floor far far below us and we ended with the perfect vista of Arenal Volcano and the gray lava of day visible flowing down the side slowly smoke rising.
...Today, we walked across the street to the beach, the ocean dark and lonely and we all stripped down and ran in. Skinny dipping is always a must, and the sand sparkled as we walked on it, and the water glowed and glittered from movement like fire flies in the ocean. We were alone there in the water and could not see each other even, but only the sparkling of the water, my own naked self against the air around me and the millions of stars in constellations. The sky is so clear tonight, and these stars stand out in a way you could never hope to see in California. It was amazing, and I could have stayed long there alone with but my thoughts and God, and were I with my wife, we would have made love there on that beach among the sparkling sand and stars and naked together we would have loved everything around us and each other and shared that moment, beach, ocean, sand, sky stars.
11/30/08
... Saturday we came down to Manuel Antonio. This is the prettiest place we have been to. It is the beach I hoped to see by coming to Costa Rica, and we hiked through Manuel Antonio National Park where jungle meets sand and ocean and the beaches are white and soft, surrounded by rain forest and the green of the hills. We saw sloths, iguanas, many birds, raccoons, weird rodent creatures, lots of monkeys, and an electric blue butterfly. The park was great. i would have liked more time there, and you exit at a small lagoon and some locals boat you across to the beach near where we began.
...A huge rainstorm moved in with lightning about in the jungle. It rained hard for hours, and the rain water piled high and flooded, and Suzette and I ran out in our swim suits dashing and splashing in the puddles all through town and a local said we looked like kids how we played. The rain fell warm down on us, soaking the skin of our bodies and we ran down the beach and jumped in the ocean with only dark and water around us. We played in the waves that crept up on us, the rain still coming down and it was glorious and warm, and I could go back. Take me back some time to that night with a woman I love and who loves me and we will kiss there in the ocean, the music of the waves and the touch of rain falling hard on us in a dark ocean and a black sky. Take me back sometime, and I will kiss her, there in the water. I will kiss her. We continued to play in the rain and walked down the street and found an art gallery dimly lit on the patio, closed, but still playing soft music and we waltzed there in the rain on that patio, dancing not just in the rain, but with it also . Why do I love the rain so much? I always have. I was alive last night, and shouted and sang and the elements knew my joy. We shared it all and drenched and soaked, I was in love with the moment.
Much else I could include, and much more I could write new, but it is late, and I have done my duty. It was a great trip, with great friends. Costa Rica is a beautiful country, the type of land I dream of someday owning, and life there, it really is simple, and laid back, and beautiful. It is the Pura Vida.
