One week living in the lap of luxury, devouring books!

Cindy (Principal of Cloud Forest school and Amber's employer) and her family have gone to Panama by bus. She has generously offered us her house to stay in while they are away. They'll be gone for 8-9 days, back just in time for the new school term. If I hadn't mentioned it before, we had decided to stay in Monteverde so Amber can work at the school for another week. Cindy is delighted because this will give her time to suss out another sub teacher as there has yet been no word from Beverly.

We're living in the lap of luxury now! We got out of bed about 730am and lumbered hastily next door where Cindy lives (they left at 6am for Panama). SKY TV!! It must've taken me about 30 minutes just to run through all the channels. Then, we hooked up the Nintendo Wii and Amber had about 30 minutes on some sort of exercise game doing lunges and stuff. Then we went head to head in tennis which I won 3 times in a row. Woohoo, in your Face, Amber! :s

Cindy and Jason have an enticing collection books on a bookshelf. Amber already has a stack of books eagerly pulled out of the shelf to be more carefully studied later. I've already finished 'Raising Cain' which I started reading 3 days ago. I'm shocked that i'm able to go through a book so quickly! In truth, Raising Cain is mostly filled with case examples and finding it a tad repetitive I find myself skipping a few pages now and then. Also, I had noticed that bookshelf in Cindy's house when we first got here and timed finishing my book perfectly! I started on 'The Book of Job' (translated by William Blake) this morning, but the one I have right next to me here in the coffee shop is 'Sophie's World', a novel about the History of Philosophy. I am looking forward to getting fully lost in it tonight.

The LUMIX digital camera is in DHL office Costa Rica. It's been held hostage buy the local postal agency and the ransom is 35 972 colones (NZ$94). As I just explained to Reg earlier on facebook, my feeling is that the local ticos have taken advantage of discovering the english word "customs" and used it to charge us for importing the camera. Mum had already paid DHL close to NZ$100 for it to be shipped here, and now we're having to cough up another 100 bucks. Grr.

So we're holding off doing all the 'fun' stuff in Monteverde until we're able to capture it on camera just for YOU. So be grateful. I have researched the local attractions (Lonely Planet and a Tourist Info. Centre visit) and have come up with 3 must-dos/sees:

1. Selvatura Canopies. http://www.monteverdeinfo.com/canopy/costa-rica-canopy.htm
2. Sabine's Horses (Day horseback trek to Sta. Luis Waterfalls).
3. Monteverde Parque Reserve.

Cindy, in her seemingly infinate generosity has given us free passes to National Parks/Reserves all around Costa Rica (being affiliated with a school has its perks!). Amber says we should "milk this for all its worth", and I'm inclined to agree. Our first big hike will be in here in Monteverde (no.3 on our list).

Also, we've let Hari know that we want his place in Mal Pais and he's delighted to have found us (he doesn't like to be there during tourist season. He likes his quiet). I figure this probably means the rent we pay him will sustain him for that much longer up here in Monteverde and he'll probably head back in low-season (May). So we're pretty much got our accommodation sussed until our visa expires (3 month tourist visa) in late April. We will re-assess what we'll do closer to the date. Right now I'm just baffled over how these recent turn in events have worked out in our favor! 

Exercise, diet, shitting cows and the yogi.

I have been starting to feel muscular atrophy these past few days, and have decided to add a strength component with my daily runs. 80-85 push ups, 24-32 pull-ups and a bunch of crunches split evenly into 4 sets. It hasn't been very inspiring doing these in the casa so I'm constantly mixing it up. I've got a bunch of variations and I reckon I could go a couple of weeks before I'll have to recycle. The runs are difficult but awesome! Today took me about 40 minutes running up hill to the entrance of Monteverde Nature Reserve, which was great because I got to practice my spanish reading the signboard advertising the list of attractions. Coming back was much quicker as most of it is downhill. I aim to make this run in 30 minutes on our last day in Monteverde.

Our casa is located right next to Hotel Colina (toward the southern end of the map). Amber is substituting at the Creative Learning Center aka. Cloud Forest School. Right now I am 10 minutes from the casa at Stella's Bakery. Today's mocha tastes much better that the one I had last week!

We are eating SO healthy! I made myself bacon and eggs this morning (not so healthy), and had a peanut butter, ham, cucumber and tomato sandwich for lunch. Watermelon after. Fruit (especially the watermelon) tastes SO good! Amber was delighted yesterday after buying a watermelon off the back of truck for 1000 colones (NZ$2-3) when walking back from school - She's never bought a watermelon off the back of a truck. Haha! Biggest grin on her face. I'm a little concerned that I might lose weight here in Costa Rica, but this is the opportune time to lose that little bit of fat around the love handles that would be practically impossible to lose living in opulent Wellington. 

Cows: I got the biggest kick out of briefly walking with a herd of cows on my way to the cafe yesterday. What huge beasts they are and I was struck by their presence and awareness of me walking with them. They'd stop and turn their heads to watch me walk past then resume walking when I was in front of them. One even stopped, turned its head to look at me and took at big wet shit while I walked past. How liberating that must feel for him at the expense of my awkwardness at that sight!

I met an Sikh at the cafe. He was stalky, wore a turban and although he was very dark from the sun, he was noticeably American (caucasian). He felt like chatting. The moment he told me he had a place in Mal Pais we could rent I felt like I just experienced another one of those moments the universe had attracted to me. Amber and I are contemplating spending the next month or so living on arguably the best surf beach in Costa Rica, and because it's the dry season, it's high season. That means many tourists and accommodation prices are up. I was looking at Surf Casitas for US$1050 per month. It is a cabin right on the beach, WiFi, close to grocery store, fully equipt kitchen and even security and a cleaning service. Everything! Hari (a practicing yoga teacher and avid surfer) was offering his place for US$450. Rustic wood 2BR fully furnished cabin in the same area. Score! I'm in communication with the Canadian girl who's living there right now but is leaving on the 8th of March. Hari's given me her email to negotiate our handing over of tenancy. I've recently started to strongly feel that there are no coincidences and there is abundance when you look for it. Since experiencing pivotal life transforming events such as the Landmark Forum and Vipassana, I've been exceedingly eager to explore the experience of life in even deeper and more profound ways. Hari seemed fully into his practice of Kundalini Yoga, a form of physical and mental meditation that I have read a little bit about, and has invited me to join him on his daily morning practice from 4am - 6am at Rio Shanti (He teaches a yoga class there on Thursday afternoons for US$10). Watch this space.

Amber's joined me now and it's her go on the Mac. I did want to share a little about the book(s) I've been reading. We've been reading a lot, and I finished 'Strength in What Remains' by Tracy Kidder in 5 days. It's one mans story escaping from the Hutu-Tutsi genocide in Burundi, Africa. I rate it 8/10, and I might say more about what I got from it in a next blog. The book I've started reading just last night is 'Raising Cain - Protecting the Emotional life of Boys' by D. Kindlon and M. Thompson. 

Thanks mum for mailing us the new LUMIX TOUGH. I hope it'll get to us with no issues. I can't wait to start taking photos again and posting it on this blog. There's so much to show!

Pura vida.

Monteverde es muy bonita! (Monteverde is very beautiful!)

I'm in the "grooviest cafe in Monteverde-Bromelia's." There's a stage for live music, and several shelves laid out with books about local wild-life and flora. The spanish lounge music in the background is soothing, and I'm the only one in here. I like it.

Amber and I went to Salsa last night. Nick, the salsa teacher, has a son in Amber's class. There was another American couple in the class - Dustin, and an a young-ish Professor of Literature here at the Institute I forget her name. Nick spent half of the hour showing us some Merengue moves, and we did Salsa with the remainder of the class. Inspired score: 4/10.

I finished my book '2012: The Year of the Mayan Prophesy' this morning. I found it a really hard read and didn't enjoy it all that much. My next book is 'Strength in What Remains,' by Tracy Kidder. It's about a young medical student who escapes the genocidal civil war in Burundi (Africa) to live in New York City, speaking no english and $200 in his pocket. Having spent 3 odd weeks in Costa Rica myself (with a little more that $200), I can certainly relate. Its an easier book to read and certainly a welcome relief after the toil of 2012.

Almost 1pm, and I am fighting the urge to pay for lunch here at the cafe. I will make lunch back at the casa. Signing off.. 

Early blog entry today. Am at Stella's Bakery and Cafe, a 10 minute walk down the road. I've ordered a mocha and a chocolate soaked cinamon roll for 2200 colonnes NZ$5.70. Not bad.

I've done well in sticking to my program today: Meditated for almost an hour at 7am, had breakfast while revising the spanish I learnt yesterday until 10am, then ran into town (San Elena) 3km away which took me about 20 minutes and had a look-see:

1. Went into a 'Farmacia', noticed they sold cameras and asked if they did repairs. Nope. An instant camera costs between 5000 and 7500 colonnes. Will consider this.
2. Jason had recommended Arenal Volcano tours so I stopped to enquire. He could hardly speak any english and attempted to explain to me with a piece of paper which I think I understood most of. 5 hour tour, jeep-boat-jeep, US$40 + 20 (transport to) + 20 (transport back). I seriously got to get some conversational spanish going quick! He was really great, not like the repulsive sales people I've grown accustomed to back in Singapore who get all huffy when you don't purchase something after an enquiry. Pura vida!
3. I stopped at a visitor information centre and asked for 'el mapa' of the local area. She greeted me with a lackluster "hello" and a general description of the area at my request. I was so not inspired. I thanked her and dawdled around the office looking at the various posters and pamphlets lying around for tourists. An older American couple came in and asked her a question in which she suddenly perked up and answered with gusto and with a strong American accent that I had not noticed just 2 minutes before. Fascinating, although I have observed similar invertebrate behaviour in other cultures (including mine) .
4. On the run back I got a little lost. I tried not to look too conspicuous searching for landmarks and signposts and constantly reminded myself to keep my mouth closed and run 'cool' as much as I can. (yeah right, Asian guy running through the streets of Monteverde trying to blend in. Who am I kidding?!)
5. On the arduous run back I stopped at a spanish language school I had spotted earlier and picked up a brochure. US$300 for spanish emersion classes. Forget it, I'll stick to Nicole's 'LatinAmerican Spanish in 3 months'. Muchas gracias, Nicole!

Got home 1130am and jumped in a cold shower. Made/cooked myself an sandwich with cucumber, tomato, egg (scrambled) and ham. Yum.

Now here I am in the cafe. I've had my not very spectacular cinnamon bun and mocha with about 45 minutes before Amber gets home. We're going for a hike late afternoon, and I'll cook dinner again (she earns the $ and I'm the practicing house-husband). We spend our evenings reading from about 7pm to 10pm which we absolutely LOVE.

Monteverde

What a different place Monteverde is compared to all the other beach towns we've been in Costa Rica! From Jaco we caught a bus to Puntarenas (which we had previously caught a ferry to Mal Pais), and then another one to Monteverde (3hrs). While waiting for our bus in Jaco, Amber asked a cab driver how much it would cost to drive us. US$180. Ridiculous, until I experienced our drive up the perilously narrow unpaved roads up to the Mountains.

It was uncomfortable lugging our heavy packs and surfboards around with us, but the journey was hassle free. We also got charged 1000 colonnes extra for each surfboard, for each bus trip. Altogther, for both buses, we paid coughed up about NZ$25. It would have been half that if we didn't have surfboards. The buses were old and the seat lining was made out of suede. It was a sweaty trip and I don't think the chairs have never been cleaned. I slept most of the journey to escape this horror of a bus ride.

We got to Monteverde just before sunset last saturday evening. It was much cooler than in the lower regions. One of the locals advertising lodging greeted us as we got off the bu

s and was very kind when he lent us his phone to call our hosts (The principle of the school Amber got hired to work in is letting us stay in her out-house for the next 2 weeks). Apparently his daughter is in the class Amber is substituting for. They have a jovial conversation in spanish with each other and I wish I knew what they were talking about.

15 minutes later, Jason picks us up in his safari type jeep. It reminds me of the one I saw in a very old movie 'The Gods are Laughing." He drives us back to their place (His wife, Cindy, is the principle). At the house we are greeted by Cindy with a large pineapple in her hands, and a very comfortable out-house (with a loft) with fridge, stove, bathroom. I sigh a breathe of relief at the sight of this oasis. Later that evening Cindy comes over and invite us over for drinks. They're a very friendly and hospitable American couple and we stay for about 2 hours (what seemed like forever to me, but Amber thoroughly enjoyed it). Their kids, Jack and Hayley, come back from a square dancing event with a very lively friend, and she sings 3-4 songs for us at Jason's request and Amber's delight. Her voice blew me away!

Anyway, it's monday now and Amber's first day at school. I drew up a schedule for myself for the next 2 weeks and it looks something like this:

0700-0800 Vipassana

0800-0900 Run/Hike/Explore

0900-1000 Breakfast

1000-1200 Spanish

1200-1pm Lunch

1pm-4pm Wifi @ cafe

4pm-7pm Amber, read, etcetera.

No tv here, although I have found some dvds that Beverly (the teacher who went back to US to recover from her illness) had left behind that I could play on the Mac. So it's back to basics, which I had intended and was seeking in anticipation of this round-the-world trip. This transition is not feeling easy though, as I found out today. My brain habitual pattern is to look for stimulation to keep it occupied. Living here for the next 2 weeks could certainly feel like vipassana in practice. Evidently, the quakers who had first founded this place back in 1951? had come here to get away from "everything". Perhaps it's no coincidence that I've ended here seeking the same thing.

Monteverde is surrounded by thick, large, tropical rain-forests. I haven't dared venture onto any of the trails yet. There is a 10km annual run held by the school this weekend that Amber is keen on doing. Me, not so much. There is nothing I'd like better than having a thorough session in a well equiped gym right now, but looks like it's going to be all cardio for the next 2 weeks. Maybe I will join Amber in that 10km.

Sapphire.

Feeling unsure about whether to write tonight or not. Perhaps not having any photos to display is a reason. Still don't know what we're going to do with the camera so I guess this is good time to be non-attached to the circumstances.

We met an unusual 22 year old girl named Sapphire last night after I wrote my blog. She was the girl at reception of Cascada Verde, the lodge we stayed in last night. We noticed her ad on the noticed board saying that she was offering her 'card reader' and 'crystal reading..something..' Amber had always been keen on the idea of meeting a physic/clairvoyant, so we decided to ask her for a meeting (at US$7). I wonder what you're thinking now mum! read on..

So we sat down and she asked us what kind of reading we would like. She had 2 decks of cards. 'Ascended Masters' and 'Arch Angels'. But before the reading she talked a little about her background. She is a skinny english girl and wears a huge ornamental necklace and explains that she has been collecting trinklets from all the different countries she's visited - 42, if I recall correctly. There are too many to look at and it looks very heavy around her fragile frame but she doesn't seem to mind it. In fact, she looks so comfortable wearing it, I wonder if she ever takes it off! She also has many rings and bracelets on both hands and arms. Even though she seems a little strange at first, I feel she's authentic. I'm interested in observing her closer and to hear what she has to say. She explains that ever since she can remember, she's always naturally seen through people's exterior and looked directly at their "auras", whatever that means. The first thing she always notices is/are the color/colors of their auras - judgment, love..etc.. something to that effect. Her father was a medium of some sort and wanted her to go to "Steiner school". She went to private. But anyway, I digress.

Amber is asked to shuffle the deck of Arch Angel cards and to split it 3 times (past, present, future) and lay it face up on the table. She gets 'priorities, taking control (had Moses splitting the sea as the accompanying illustration) and freedom (for future). Then she went into some blurb about Amber's personality and how it related to the cards. It was all very intriguing and we did feel that she was able to 'see' some things about us that caught me by surprise. Amber and I had just had came from conflict from the day before and had made up that very morning. She seemed to know that we had just experienced conflict and explained that it was going to be fine and at times when either of us were in confusion and unsure about anything, that it was all going to end perfect. Something like that, which was re-assuring. I felt she gave us a space to breathe a sigh of relieve and feel that everything was going to be alright. Wow. I observed this: You could be cynical about 'clairvoyants' (and I am a tad) but I felt at that moment a sense of healing, even though I was still trying to figure out how the 'card system' worked. I made a conscious decision right then to let go of trying to figure it out and just 'be'. What ever was happening was happening without me doing anything. I didn't want to hinder the process.

Amber shuffled and dealt Ascended Masters next. She go Archangel Jemeliel and Archangel Metatron. These are the guides that are with Amber the most. Basically, Ambers has a natural gift with children, and when she 'sees' that connection with that child, it's when she's at her best. Something like that. She also likes to help people and the guide Jemeliel was her closest helper for that - so I think you call on that angel if you want help related to that.

I was next, and she tells me right off the bat that I should cut the deck only once. She says I would read into the cards (if I split it 3 times: Past, present, future) too much. I split it once and get 'Drink more water' (illustration of Oshuro, and African Shaman of some sort) and the other card of a chinese goddess sitting on a cloud with 'purification' as accompanying word. She sees that I have many healing guides around me and that I should work with water. Drink lots of water, play with water, work with water. She says water is a spiritual resources and mentions a japanese scientist, Dr ..moto. He studied monks meditating love and compassion upon a target pool of water, and compared it water attained from other places, looked at the microscopic measure of water and noticed massive changes and its 'purity'. The 'ugly' water turned all yellow and looked all chaotic while the 'love and compassion' water looked pristine and beautiful. I recall this from watching a documentary - 'What the Bleep'. The human body is composed of over 90% water. So we can apparently control the kind of substance we're made of. I digress again.

So my other card was 'purification', and she thinks that this is what I should be working towards towards. Straight away I think of Vipassana, which in its essence is 'purifying the mind'. We don't speak about Vipassana though, and she doesn't say a lot about how I can go about being "purified." She says that it is important to get it sorted though as it will allow more flow of my "healing guides" to work through me. "Psychic surgery.. I can see you doing that in the future. Yes, even in the next 10 years." Holy crap, far out. I don't know what to think. I'll leave it there. She says she feels I'm very fortunate to have so many healer guides assigned to me. She says for her she can only bless people with her thoughts and intentions, but I could actually do it physically.. like put my hand in someone and take out a tumor?? .... How does one be open to that??

We end the session shortly after and its taken about an hour (there was a blackout mid way through our session as well, maybe her spirit guides had to take a break?). She said she really enjoyed that session and said just US$5 for the both of us.

I wikipedia-ed 'psychic surgery' later that night. wtf.

Uvita de Oso

What an emotional roller-coaster its been yesterday and today!

We're here in Uvita (southern part of Costa Rica on the west coast). Booked into Cascada Verde which I had researched back in Wellington. The atmosphere of this place feels more like a meditation or yoga retreat.. actually it is. Anyway, it's very rustic. Different from all the other accommodation we've stayed in so far. I can hear the crickets all around us that serve as a constant reminder that we are in the forest.

Just got back from a surf on Dominical beach. Was pretty rad. Oh and I've bought a new surfboard! It's a mini-mel 7.4 footer, blue stripe down t

he middle and looks sweeet. Definately a cool looking board - now just have to look cool on it!

I wish I had a functioning camera to take it with to show you, but our brand new Panansonic Lumix, which was meant to be "shockproof" and "waterproof." Jumped into the pool at our last lodge back at Jaco to take underwater pictures of the both of us and the screen started to flutter. #^%#. Our travel insurance covers it, BUT there are no camera shops where we are! No photos for awhile. Sorry. However, here are the last of what the Lumix has churned up.

It's 7:19pm now, Amber's just out of shower and we're spending tonight planning our next 3 days down here before we head into yet another new territory that is Monteverde! Amber's got that job as a substitute Kindy teacher at Cloud Forest school. Oooo. Teachers here are paid next to nothing, but this certainly gives us a foot in the door and close to free accommodation! (US$60 for 2 weeks). Bargain! We're taking it and staying in Monteverde until the teacher gets back from the US.

Jaco monday.

Woke up this morning in Jaco to the sound of construction work at 730am. Thought it was not very nice! Managed to go back to sleep again and we finally got up at 845am. Amber was a tad grumps because she didn't like sleeping in. Me, not so much.

Amber has 2 schools that sound interested in hiring her. One is here in Jaco with an American school who had initially advertised for North Americans onl

y(Costa Ricans prefer to learn 'north American' english), but probably is considering Amber as she has extensive teaching experience. The other school is in Monteverde, about 3 hours away in between 2 'cloud forests'. This is less than ideal as we want to be by the surf.

We went for a walk along the beach late morning. There isn't any surf today, but the place is still beautiful and the sand and water are warm. We walked to the south end of the beach and jumped in the water for a bit of a play. Not many people today. My guess is the hordes of tourists have left now that the weekend is over. I notice most people on the beach are fat and out of shape, a very different scene from Mal Pais, which is still pleasantly lingering in my head. It was something like out of a movie over there, with beautiful exotic looking people and a paradise of a beach to go with it. We want to go back soon.

We're settling in quite comfortably now. Spent some time looking at our budget last night and being very conscious about how we spend our money. We're fine right now and I'm giving us this week to let things settle more and to see if Amber gets work at either of these schools. I've sent out 8 applications mostly to language schools in the city(San Jose), none have replied.

We responded to an ad in the Tico Times (local newspaper) and arranged to meet a guy who runs a teaching business on the beach. He and his wife have been running this business for 7 years now. They are from Texas and have a one year old. She wants to go back to the States for a while to be with family, but Jason seemed happy to stay. They are returning in May this year though and are looking for someone suitable to take care of their b

usiness while they're away. This made it pretty interesting as Amber and I (if they decided) would run the school for an entire year.. right on a surf beach.. in Costa Rica.. teaching kids! While it didn't solve our initial intention of finding paying work right away, it was certainly exciting to think about the possibilities! We've decided to come back to this option a little later, if the option was still available. *Below is picture of entrance of school/house right on the beach taken right after our meeting with Jason. Came home for Amber's other Skype interview with Monteverde Cloud Forest School. They offer her a substitute position as a kindy teacher for at least 2 weeks while the teacher has gone back to the States indefinately with glandular fever. I don't like this option as the pay is minimal and I will not be next to surf.

Went on a date to end the day. Had yogurt which tasted better than it looked. Then we just sat there and watched the interesting and strange people go about their business. You can tell the visitors from the locals very easily. Tico men have a certain machismo about them which might seem rather standoff-ish and first, but when you approach them (the ones I've observed anyway) they're really very friendly. Perhaps the lack of technology and domineering beach and village lifestyle allow them to be more attuned to their primal nature? The women are tanned and bronzed and more often than not, very attractive. I wish I could speak fluent spanish, I would love to get to know a Tico.