Okay, we are in Puntarenas, Costa Rica and it rained like mammals, birds, moths, flora and fauna. What did we think? How did this place get so full of lovely vegetation and trash? Yes, trash. It is quite a pity that this country is so Incredibly beautiful in the natural sense, but the beaches are lined with plastic bottles and all of man’s other than natural bits and pieces of insoluble waste. There is trash everywhere and the guide for the day was very apologetic, but the land is full of squatters and people who live just about anywhere they wish. When they move on they just leave mounds of their unused objects. We went on a boat ride through the mangroves and the lush forest areas. It was pouring down rain, but the top of the boat was lightly covered. The sides were open and you got quite a dousing when the wind blew in.  Then, we went on a train ride through the countryside. I enjoyed seeing the homes made of corrugated siding and tin roofs. With the rain pounding on those roofs, I’ll bet that made quite a sound inside their homes. We spent the night under a tin roof in Alaska, “oh what a night.”

We were very wet, but made it through. We got back to the town. The rain stopped momentarily and within minutes, on the waterfront,  people set up tarp covered tables with goods for sale. Well, you know me by now and shopping, I was a piggy ready to wallow. Again, Skip was not with me. He was playing in the ping-pong tournament. He ended up being a runner up and laments that he could have beat the guy, but……

The bargaining was a trip here in Costa Rica, such a mental trip. I forgot to mention in Guatemala, when you approach to buy something, they cry in absolute pain that they have to feed their 4 babies and I tell them my story about having to feed 5 babies, boo hoo, to them, I say. Then, they say well ok, you buy me ice cream. They all do it. How can they all have 4 babies, and all want ice cream? Well now, it is quite a different story here in rainy Costa Rica. They all whine and tell you that their father made the item you are interested in and he needs the money. Some say their wife or grandmother made the items and they need to sell it for them. They tell you they will give you ten items for the price of two. Funny, they all have the same story.  By the way the Costa Rican people that we met are very nice, but I wonder about some of the ones we saw in the town that we didn’t meet. After managing to have “two bags full” and after the ping-pong tournament, Skip came to meet me at the market plaza. We went into the town and were in for a surprise. The town was what I call depressed, but lively. Our first image was when a big white truck pulled up and left off a very fancily dressed young woman, dressed for action. The man in the truck gave her instructions and pointing his finger at her as she emerged from the truck. She made her way to a storefront where loud music was emanating. I saw a number of other girls about a block apart from each other, each dressed and poised for business. I saw the truck circling around for as many blocks as we covered. I guess business is good for the guy in the big white truck. The rest of the town was busy with people coming and going but the further you went into the town the more dangerous looking it got. We are adventurous, but when Skip says lets get back, we go back. We walked in about 14 blocks. It was interesting because it was time to go home for workers and they all lined up for the buses. The lines were orderly and quiet. The town itself was chaotic and noisy. The town was real, the markets were real and the people were real. There was nothing for tourists in that town except the waterfront trinket sellers. I loved being immersed in something foreign and real. When the skies opened up on our walk back to the ship, it poured hard. It is fun to be in rain and have to be there. Usually when there is rain, we duck under and go inside. This time there was nowhere to duck and nowhere to go but go straight ahead. That is what I call a rain experience. There is something to be said about just you, yourself and the rain. There is something exhilarating about being rain soaked and knowing it will end when you get to the gangway to safety. I think having the gangway in sight made it exhilarating, but not having anything in sight would have made it quite the opposite. Costa Rica is known for woodcarvings and things made of wood. I bargained with a gentleman, who actually admitted he made the goods. Now he was probably the liar, who knows. When we had established our deal he said I was the best businesswoman. He said, “You good for business.” Offered me a job.  He should only know I do not even know all of my times tables. I do not know 7 times 9 or 8 times 7 or those things, but I know how to get the price way down. Easy formula, and now you are going to know.  If it is $15 for one item you can reduce it in half if you buy four of them or even more reduction for the more you buy. Oh well, that’s the way I can do it.