Enjoy the beach: the drive back is gonna make you dizzy

Welcome to day eight!

Raphael and I started our day roughly at 7:00 in the hotel -- probably getting the best sleep we've had thanks to the A/C working overtime. I'd remembered to brew the fancy hotel coffee the night before and pop it in the fridge and was shocked at how not-hotel-coffee like it was. We went off to breakfast at the hotel's in-house (in-forest?) buffet, where I loaded up on watermelon and fancy breads. As everyone ate quickly, there was one thing floating in the air: there's gotta be a way to get us to the beach again! As everyone finished up, we frantically worked out a timeline to catch the shuttle, enjoy the other beach, and get back in time to avoid a late-checkout fee.

Everyone scurried off to change into their swimming attire and reconvened in front of our hotel block to catch the shuttle. As the bus passed right passed us, we realized that we still had a chance to catch it at the "official" stop.

Though the tides were exciting, they left one casualty: Karryn's mermaid tail

We set our stuff down in the shade and were off to enjoy the high tide -- we started by burying Karryn and sculpting a beautiful mermaid tail. We learned a lesson in the temporary nature of life as the tide slammed against our hard work -- and I was off to enjoy the water. While in the waves, Daniela, Sami, and I talked about how unreal the whole thing felt -- I said that I couldn't think of a way I could have gotten to this place without Horizons.

As our window closed, we were off on the next shuttle to rinse off, pack up, herd onto the bus with Cho, and check out. As we approached the insane traffic, Ange let us know that we'd be taking the old highway instead -- de Aguacate. I am grateful that we took this road instead -- we saw roaring views of the mountains, farmers selling braids of garlic (which I really wanted to buy, but I'm terrified of customs), cattle pastures, high-altitude coffee plantations, and slices of people's lives who are further removed from the tourist hot-spots.

The natural and cultivated beauty was so gorgeous -- but the winding roads made me feel like I was a water-filled stress toy falling down an escalator.

On a rest stop, Ange let us know she heard our cries for a future stop at Mercado Heredia de Central to indulge in more fruit as well as our sustained interest in giving back to the Costa Rica in local ways. So, we stopped at Shalom Frutas (down the street from Israel Frutas -- I felt more Jewish representation from Costa Rica fruit farmers than I ever had in Indiana), and Ange guided us through our blind fruit grouping. I purchased Mamón (little green rambutans), Mamón Chinos (hairy green rambutans), a dragonfruit, and some Agua de Manzana (water apples -- per Ange's recommendation). Overall, the fruit cost me 2700 colones, ~$6 USD, which was a much better price than the central market since the farmers run these stands locally.

After another dizzy trip up and down the mountains, we came back to Jardin to eat -- I had caldo (my favorite beef-rib based soup), arroz y camerones (shrimp and rice), y ongo de frio (cold mushroom salad -- tastes better than it sounds!). We perused the gift shop, exercised some extreme self-control in the wooden section, and were homeward-bound.

Personally, when we hit our homestays I finished my homework, dinner, and conked out to dream about birds and moths. I also set a reminder for our next excursion: put the Dramamine back in my backpack.

Salud,

Riley Ramsey

May 14th, 2023