This Naked World

Thursday, August 30, 2007

Pura Vida

The day after Charlie and Jimmy arrived, we walked into Mal Pais (techniqually we stayed in an area between Santa Teresa and Mal Pais).

There was beauty in things both big and small. This little guy caught my eye while we were walking into Mal Pais looking for monkeys.

Everywhere we looked we saw iguanas. Some were really bright green and others, like this large fellow, blended into to their environment a bit better.

I really wanted to get some photos of Charlie and Jimmy surfing. Unfortuantely, the first day I went to do so I wandered into a part of the beach where a small river emptied into the ocean. The river brought a lot of large pieces wood with it. So, as I was looking intently out at the waves, a huge log bowled me over and I went completely under water. I jerked my arm up just quickly enough to keep my camera and lens from getting submerged with me. After that, I shot very little.

Pura Vida

The tidal pools were very serene. We really wanted to camp on the beach; that is the one thing I wish I'd done. Maybe next time.

We spent a lot of time sitting in things - trees, hammocks, roadsides, etc. It seemed like the right thing to do; to slow down and soak it all up.

A man and a monkey = Adam and Charlie.

Hermit crabs were absolutely everywhere on the beaches. They loved the magically already-opened coconuts. They were quite a sight.

Pura Vida

We headed up to a bar called Mar Azul to get drink after our long walk. While there we found a tucan who loved mango juice. Apprently they had cought him near by and kept him as pet. We all took turns holding him and watching him drink at the bar. It was a nice suprise.

After our trek down the beach, we hitched a ride back to our hostel in the back of a truck.

One of our last days in Mal Pais, I took a few shot of the beach where we spent a lot of time. I'll miss paradise being a 5 minute walk from my bed.

Almost as soon as we got to Montezuma, we decided to go find the fabled waterfalls. It was fun and muddy hike and I was pretty sure that was going to lose all my equipment while crossing the streams. Thank God my gear stayed dry.

Pura Vida

On the way to the waterfall, Jimmy stopped to soak his feet.

Mist from waterfall made it feel like it was sprinkling rain, and the water below was muddy brown. Jimmy and I decided to jump in, despite a unfounded fear of pirannas and bacteria in the water.

That night we walked around Montezuma, drank some Guaro and watched people dance to Latino music. Once back at our cozy hotel, Charlie and I stayed up talking on the porch outside our rooms. This is the view.