July, 2015
This is my second week in Sabalito, Tilaran area in Costa Rica and it seems the rain never stops! Well, now and then and on those moments I am running with the dogs on the hill top and trying to enjoy every break in the clouds. The birds are still singing away and the crickets are members of different orchestras; the noise is overwhelming! A few different group of toucans came to visit me and one morning I saw two toucans going in and out a hole in the tree of the front garden, assuming that they have a nest there, but the next day they were gone. According to the gardener, they are not nice birds, as they steal the eggs of other birds. Ah well, I got a chance to see them from a short distance, as most of the time they are high up in the tree!
It is too bad that I can’t enjoy the beautiful sights around the area, as Volcan Arenal and the National Parks. I can’t leave the dogs more than 4 hours alone, as they have to be “locked up” and many of the sightseeing spots are around two hours driving. That leaves no time to explore anything once you are there. I went to visit Tilaran and Nuevo Arenal via a nice, curvy road along Lake Arenal. I had to go back twice for some banking issues and here in Costa Rica that takes a lot of time, as for a new banking card they need multi copies of everything, affirmations of passports, filing it into the computer and tons of signatures. So if you have two people in front of you, you know the waiting time is long! Also, once you are in one of those small towns, you better do some shopping, as in Sabalito there is only a small grocery (a kiosk).
One day, I had some real Tico food in one of the restaurants on my way back. A little bit of everything!
The dogs are fun to be with and the neighbouring dog from “up the hill” is visiting every day and by now he more or less lives here. He even joins for walks now, although it means that he has to walk up and down the hill an extra time! He is extremely protective for me, loves me dearly and goes home after he joined for supper in the evening. He waits until it is nearly dark and then walks up the steep hill again.
One late afternoon, I got unexpected visitors. I thought I got my first guests for one or a few nights, but this was a friend of Johanna’s, who wanted to show her family the property. When they wanted to head back to their village, the car didn’t start. So the neighbour was called with starting cables. No luck either. Then the friend, who owned a tourist VAN was called. While waiting for his arrival, I got the beer and the wine out of the fridge and the cookies and chips out of the cupboard. I was glad I had done some shopping the day before! The friend arrived in the dark and they all went home with the promise to collect the car with a service company the next day. I was just going to my casita around 8.30 and the VAN arrived back. Well, when you don’t expect anybody and suddenly a car drives down the steep hill, you are “on alert” and the dogs were also! Finally, it turned out that one of the cables of the battery was disconnected!!!. Next evening, again the same VAN came down in the dark……There was the whole group again, including wine, beer and chips! They stayed for a few hours and then went to have a very late supper, while I was heading for bed, as my mornings are very early!
Another day, one of the neighbours (well, living a few km away) came down the hill to ask me, if I had seen his bull! Yes, I had seen it the day before on the main road, but not (yet) on the property. Today, I went with the dogs in the car to the “campo”, a few miles further up the road and also there they had a “cow ” problem; several escaped and their owner was running after them. I had to change my route, as I didn’t want the dogs chasing them further away. Other countries, other problems!
The howler monkeys came to visit me again; suddenly, there was this terrible noise, without any warning! I only saw two of them sitting together very quiet and after half an hour or so, there were around 10 or more, going towards the banana plantation of the neighbours. It is very hard to take a picture of them, as they go fast and always covered by the leaves of the trees. They looked at me, while I was taking pictures and I was glad there were no coconuts growing here!
The garden is full of flowers and there is always something special to see………..even insects………..
I finally get a lot of computer work done, which is good, as in Merida, Mexico (my next stop) I will not have so much time for it. There is so much to do and see, so much culture in Merida, that I will be “on the road” a little bit more than here in Sabalito. A few more days to go and the traveling starts again. I will take the bus from Tilaran to San Jose, a 4 hour drive with one stop on the way, stay for an overnight at an airport hotel and fly the next day via Mexico City to Merida, for the next adventure.
