Day 17: Los Pozos de Caldera

We slept late, which was good because I'm still not feeling so hot. My throat is so sore I can hardly eat or drink. Definitely the worst strep throat I have ever had. Sleeping late, however, was not so good because we missed the late morning bus to Caldera and had to take a taxi. Los Pozos are so isolated that you actually can't drive there. You can get the taxi to take you closer than the bus, but the road is so terrible it costs you a bit more money, so we decided to walk. It was humid and sweltering hot, especially for being so high in the mountains but I'm not complaining, it's better than the rain that usually plagues this area this time of year. The walk was also very scenic, through pastureland and past rivers cloudy with minerals.

 When we finally arrived at Los Pozos we were greeted by a Central American Spider Monkey.

I thought she was trying to walk up and hit us or take something so I was scolding her when she grabbed my hand and started climbing my leg. So I picked her up and she just wrapped herself around me. I immediately began yelling at Leon to take a picture.

The owner of Los Pozos came out and charged us the $2 fee for using the hot springs and explained the monkey's name was Chita and that she was tame. We walked around the hot springs, Chita in my ams the whole time. I was in heaven.

She wouldn't go to Leon and when I tried to return her to the house so I could change, she refused to let go of me. You can't exactly explain to a monkey that you just want to put them down for a second so I ended up changing my clothes with a monkey on my head, quite the experience. Then we spent some time in the hot springs, which is pretty difficult to enjoy when it's already boiling hot outside. Chita spent her time jumping on our heads and trying to steal our belongings, interspersed with napping and being generally adorable.

After an hour we were exhausted by Chita and she was bored with us so she took up off a tree and we headed out for the long walk back to the bus stop. Seriously though, the best $2 I've ever spent, by far.

Day 16: Nothing gonna get me down in Boquete

So according to the Doctor at the Urgent Care at Mae Lewis Hospital in David (which cost $5 to visit, by the way) I have had an allergic reaction to Augmentin prescribed by my dentist, I have strep throat and likely also have sinusitis. Since I'm now possibly allergic to penicillins, I have to go on something else and if that doesn't work I need to come back for stronger medicine. All of this was relayed to me in Spanish since no one speaks any English. I heard everyone speaks English in Panama but I am so far unconvinced of this fact. A shot of steroids in my bum ($3.25) and some medications ($29) and I'm on my way at less than the cost of my co-pay to the emergency room in the states. Panama is awesome. And unlike Costa Rica, they actually have real sidewalks, all of the sidewalks in Costa Rica double as obstacle courses.

Similar to Costa Rica though, I cannot walk down the street without being whistled, catcalled and honked at. No matter how hard I try to look not sexy, unkempt and/or mannish. It never works and it's basically like walking past miles and miles of construction sites.

I headed out after my visit and not to be dissuaded from my travels, I caught a bus to Boquete decked out in purple vinyl and feather boas. Yep. Purple feather boas to be exact.

I met a guy from Brazil on the bus, Leon, who only speaks Portuguese and Spanish, which is great for practicing my Spanish and we decided to look for a hostel together. Boquete is so adorable. It's a mountain town surrounded by coffee fields, near the highest peak in Panama.

I am sick, so it's off to bed early for some sleepy time.

Day 15: Headed to Panama

I'm really itchy, I think I'm developing a rash, and my throat is sore. Not a good sign. So, I'm headed to Panama today hoping for greener (and cheaper) pastures. They also have a hospital in David that I may have to pay a visit to.

So I was on the bus at 5 am headed to San Isidro where I  caught a bus to the border.  Luckily, I arrived in San Isidrio, headed straight to the other bus station and barely made the bus to Canas.

Once I arrived in Canas, the border town, I was so lost. Even speaking spanish, i had problems finding the Costa Rican office to get my exit visa. Of course there is no signage to let anyone know where it is, that would be far too convenient.

Once I waited and waited for the Costa Rican officials to decide to do their jobs and stamp my passport I headed toward the welcome to Panama sign. The Panamanian border is pure chaos, no lines, no way of knowing if what you are doing is correct. An official helps you get your Visa, collects your dollar or 5, I've heard different prices. I think they charge less if you speak Spanish or are a brunette. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to the price.

Then you walk further down the road and you're in Panama. I kept waiting for someone to check my passport or something but nope. You could have just walked through.

I caught my $1.50 mini bus, one and a half hour ride to David, popped a few more benadryl for my itchy skin and made my way to Hostal Bambu, run by this former musician from New York.

I wanted to head to Boquete today, there's not much in David, but I gotta get some rest and I think I have to hit up the doctor tomorrow morning. And after 9 and 1/2 hours of bus rides I can't bear another hour on the bus.

Day 14: Manuel Antonio park, el sendroso waterfall and out on the town. I am tired.

So as usually happens in these situations, I met some very nice girls from all over the world and we decided to get up early and do some adventuring. We went first to Manuel Antonio national park. The place is literally crawling with people, even at 8 am.

We hiked up to the lookout, seeing a sloth butt high up in tree (the photo isn't that interesting) and getting eaten by some army ants on the way and stopped by an anole.

On the way back, we found a great little beach. Then a raccoon tried to steal  a whole grocery bag of someone's food, getting away with some condensed milk. Then she returned and rifled through my bag and grabbed my purse. Luckily I played tug a war with her and she didn't get away with it. As you can see she's pretty brave.

Some of the girls took off for the next beach while a couple of us explored and found some cool things; a giant shell, a hermit crab and a spiny iguana.

On the way back we ran into a coati who came down out of the tree right next to us for a drink.

When we happened upon the next beach,there was a whole troupe of white faced-capuchin monkeys that were playing like crazy.

The beaches were getting more and more beautiful, the further you went into the park. We played in the water until the monkeys came back, this time with a baby monkey in tow!

On the way out of the park, I had to of course, buy a coconut.

We went to lunch, then headed to the el sendroso waterfall. Some guys in the hostel had said something about a dog but we didn't really listen to them but, on cue, the dog arrived as we walked to the trailhead. He showed us the entire way to the waterfall and waited there for us, barking everytime someone jumped. Then he showed us the way back. He was a great little guide.

Exhausted, we made our way home. Made some awesome food and made our way out to Bambu bar for drinks and dancing.

Day 13: More buses and more San Jose

So unfortunately I have to make a quick day trip back to San Jose. I will try to make the best of the situation, unload some stuff that I don't need at the hostel in San Jose, try to avoid cab drivers and maybe do some shopping. A long bus ride later I was back in San Jose, taking yet another walk. After running my errands I had some time to kill so I watched the children play and feed the birds and old folks hold hands at the Central Plaza in front of the Teatro Nacional.

Some kids were catching the birds and I had to get a picture.


I also bought some feather earrings from this old man making them out of wire and bird feathers on the side of Central Ave. He was also painting things on them, mostly blob-shaped lizards, which I politely refused for my own pair.

Back to Quepos on the bus and hoping for better times tomorrow!

Day 12: Manuel Antonio

So I left my stupid bank card in the stupid bank in stupid San Jose which isn't open til tomorrow. And that damn taxi driver took a chunk of my cash so we're living on a budget today. Super duper budget. Luckily there is a free food shelf in the lovely widemouth frog backpacker's hostel and the bus to Manuel Antonio only costs about 40 cents. And the public beach is free. Super duper free.

That and the coconuts only cost $1. $1!

It's also free to look like a crazy gringa and lay in the dirt while taking video of leaf-cutter ants.

It's also aparently free to sneak into national parks on accident where there are delightfully deserted beaches like this.

And also free to get kicked out of them by very nice security guards. Whoops! I headed my way up the hill to the famous El Avion restaurant. I ran into a sloth and a howler monkey making his presence known along the way.

My emergency credit card, for this super duper emergency, provided a lovely lunch with a fabulous view.

Day 11: On the Road

This morning me and the girls went out to breakfast. Last night was fun so we aren't on the very top of our game.

We finally found a place to eat where I got a sandwich to go and headed to the bus station.

Unfortunately, on the way to the bus station I had a royal jerk of a cab driver who screwed me over by over charging me because we had to drive around construction. I let my guard down because he was so nice and he taught me lesson. I argued him down to 1/3 his asking price but I still overpaid. Thank you asshole taxi driver, thanks a bunch. I had to take the cab because I felt uncomfortable walking through San Jose with a backpack on. It just screams target but apparently you get screwed either way.

Anyway, so I fumed on my 4 hour bus ride all the way to quepos, near Manuel antonio park on the central pacific coast of costa rica. I fumed all the way past the miles and miles (or the kilometers and kilometers) of palm trees, all used for making Palm oil.

Fumed my way into my very nice hostel and into my bed.