My start in Costa Rica: Puerto Viejo

30.01.17-04.02.17

The intervals between experiencing and writing are getting longer. There is always so much going on and to write a post, it actually takes a day of peace and concentration. Right now, I'm sitting on the Chicken Bus from San Juan del Sur to Granada, so I'm already close to the end of my stay in Nicaragua. But now, back five weeks...

It's Monday and unfortunately time to leave Bocas del Toro. I don't really want to leave yet, Maren feels the same way. But well, we have both decided to move on and we set off together. We want to go to Puerto Viejo, which is also on the Caribbean side like Bocas del Toro. We say goodbye to Malin and Moe, who are staying in Bocas, and wait at the dock above the turquoise, crystal clear, Caribbean water for it to start.

From Bocas, we take the boat to the mainland to Almirante and there our shuttle is waiting to take us to the border. Carrying and dragging around the big backpack is really awful with the rib contusion. It hurts with every movement, breathing is difficult, and I have to force myself to take deep breaths from time to time. Really annoying.

After about 45 minutes, we arrive at the border to Nicaragua and now it gets amusing. We get off the shuttle and have to walk 250 meters to a counter where we check out of Panama. So, take a photo again, give fingerprints, and get the exit stamp in the passport. Then we have to walk back 200 meters, up the stairs, to another small house, where we pay a few dollars for the exit. Now we pick up our luggage from the shuttle and walk across the border bridge to Costa Rica. There we go to the immigration and get only one stamp in the passport. Actually, you have to provide proof that you are leaving the country again and show your vaccination certificate. But the bored lady at the counter doesn't ask anything and we officially enter Costa Rica quite quickly. There, the next shuttle bus is waiting for us, which takes us to Puerto Viejo and straight to our hostel in just under an hour. We chose the Greenwoods on Playa Cocles because it sounded really nice on Air BnB and we only have to pay 25 dollars together for a private room, which is very cheap for Costa Rica. Unfortunately, we don't really like it. The hosts are a bit strange, the rooms are dark, but the worst for me: the mattresses are really bad and thin. Especially now with the contusion, it's a real pain for me. We actually booked for four nights, but we are already considering shortening it to two, but we will make that decision tomorrow.

In the evening, we go to Puerto Viejo, which is about a 20-minute walk from Playa Cocles. Somehow, I don't really like the place. I can't really say why. Small restaurants, sodas (snack bars in Costa Rica), tourist shops, many stalls selling homemade jewelry (which I like), and bars that don't really look inviting to me. When we withdraw money from the ATM, we start a conversation with a local who recommends a good soda to us. We have a really delicious and cheap meal there. Fish with the classic rice and beans and patacones. Finally, there is also some vegetables in a fruity sauce and a small salad WITH dressing. After eating, the local brings us a joint, we buy a piece of chocolate cake, and walk home. Just before our hostel, we finally get rid of the local who apparently thought he would spend the evening with us. Since we are really tired today and there is not much going on with me anyway, we go to bed, watch Pretty Woman on Netflix, and fall asleep.

The next morning, I can hardly move at first. Rib contusion and a bad mattress are not a good combination, as expected. We have breakfast at the hostel and tell our hosts that we will only stay until tomorrow. They are quite snippy and unfriendly because they apparently had to cancel with other people because of us. I have never experienced this in a hostel when plans change spontaneously. Well, they keep a little more money for our two nights, so to speak as a cancellation fee.

After breakfast, we grab two beach cruisers from the hostel and set off for the approximately 10 km long way to Playa Manzanillo. The road there is lined with jungle, and there are hundreds of big spiders' webs between the power lines at the edge of the road. When we arrive at Manzanillo Beach, it's not that great. It's very wide, yes, and that's about it. The travel guide promised something completely different. But well, we chill a bit on the beach and at least the ceviche in the beach hut is okay. Since the weather looks very unstable, we head back in good time.

In the evening, we eat at the hostel. It's quite small and all the other guests have gone, so we have the outdoor kitchen and dining area to ourselves. We make tomato-tuna salad with coriander and guacamole, and French bread from a bakery. Mmmmmmmh... bread... That will be the first thing I eat in Germany. And CHHEEEEEESEEEEEE!!!! Oh man, they can't do that here. Today, we bought a piece of Costa Rican cheese. It's just awful!! Tastes like nothing, texture like eraser. And if you buy Gouda or Cheddar, it's better, but still kind of strange and expensive. So, bread and cheese, I'm looking forward to it. And sparkling water, and fruit juice, and a good breakfast...

After eating, we enjoy the joint from yesterday. Man oh man, we're stoned. Wonderful!!! Just grinning and talking nonsense. So, we stroll through the town, admiring the moon and the stars. That's also funny here; usually cloudy during the day and clear at night. In Puerto Viejo, we get Dulce de Leche ice cream with lots of chocolate around it in the supermarket and we're totally blown away. In the supermarket, we meet a few guys with whom we later go to Salsa Brava, which is a reggae club on the beach. There's a bit of a bonfire there, drinking beer and dancing. It's nice, but absolutely no comparison to the clubs in Bocas. I miss Bocas and I don't really like Puerto Viejo. But hey, I want to give things a chance.

The next morning, after breakfast, we move to the new hostel Playa 506. The 1.2 km with a backpack are really exhausting with the contusion. I have to pause to breathe, like an old lady. But at least we see a sloth hanging in a tree on the way. The hostel is right on the beach, we pay 20 dollars for a bed in the 8-person dorm, but it's really nice. The mattresses are really good, the common area is great, and you can chill in hammocks under coconut trees with a view of the ocean. That's almost the only thing I do today. To top it all off, I now also feel like I'm getting sick. My whole jaw hurts, as if all my teeth are too big. But at least I have time to write the blog post again. Maren tries to surf, but the waves are really bad, the current is too strong, and she can't even make it to the lineup. So, I'm not missing anything. In the evening, we go out for a quick bite to eat, go to bed early, and Netflix a bit.

Sick!! Great!! Sinuses blocked, pressure in my head, sore throat, oh yeah, and the rib contusion. I know, I'm repeating myself, but it's just so damn omnipresent and limits me in everything I do. Even sleeping is shitty. I can only sleep on my back at the moment. Well, that means that today, I'm not doing anything at all, except, hey, writing the blog post. Around noon, we stroll to the supermarket to get something to eat. Costa Rica is so expensive. We pay 15 dollars for two cucumbers, tuna, onion, water, and nacho chips. That's annoying! In the afternoon, I take a nap, and later we go to a bar, Tasty Waves, where a quiz is being played. Boring!!! Again, I have to repeat myself: I miss Bocas!

Next day in the supposed paradise. We have now decided to leave Puerto Viejo tomorrow. Yayyy! Maren also doesn't really like it here, and we want to move on to San Jose and then to the Pacific coast. Maren tries surfing again today, but it sucks again. She can get behind the waves, but that's it. The waves are totally chaotic and wild. I lie on the beach a bit and watch the waves. That's much more fun right now. Moe, who is also in Puerto Viejo for a few days, comes by, we all sit there with our laptops and work remotely. At least I have the chance to finish my post about San Cristobal - positive thinking!!!

In the evening, we meet up with Moe again in town and go out to eat. Unfortunately, it's not tasty and too expensive. After that, Maren and I have to eat THAT ice cream again, which was even more delicious when we were stoned, but it's still really good. We do a bit of shopping, stroll around. I don't like the place, that's clear to me now. On top of that, the contusion hurts even more today than the last few days. Suddenly, that really gets to me and I start crying because everything is so frustrating. In moments like these, it's so great to have new friends around. I pull myself together, but then grab a taxi home because I want to rest and go to bed early.

So that was my first stop in Costa Rica. Unfortunately, rather disappointing. I'm sure that the fact that I felt physically awful also played a role, but Maren and Moe didn't like it either. So, I'm glad we're moving on tomorrow.

Conclusion: Pura Vida in Costa Rica? Well...