Costa Rica

Lets start with the beach story first. It's far less extreme!

Two days ago we took a bus with an American couple and traveled south 15km to Marino Ballena National Park. In the map it is the green area adjacent to Uvita.

This is an absolutely gorgeous beach with silky sand and rolling, tranquil waves.

We spent several hours there until we were chased away by the rain. It was a nice change from the large waves and strong currents here in Dominical.

Well, onto the moment I am sure you have been waiting for, Kevin's big haircut. We couldn't find a barber so we had to improvise. Kevin had been complaining for the last week that he felt like he was wearing a sheep on his head. The pictures tell the whole story:

Video for your enjoyment here.

Kevin offered to cut my hair for me but I politely declined. I will keep my sheep on my head and if it gets too hot, I'm coming home!

The days have slowed down considerably from the travel, rain, and international intrigue of the last few weeks. The occasional afternoon shower and the odd new guest at our hostel, Antorchas, marks the time.

We did have the great good fortune to see some fellow New Hampshirites this week, both on the waterfall tour and in town the next day. They graciously offered to drive us south to visit a few other beaches: Dominicalito and Playa Hermosa.

Dominicalito, literally Little Dominical, seems to be used more by fishing boats than bathers and surfers:

While Playa Hermosa is just that: a long beautiful beach full of large crashing waves that very few are brave enough (or stupid enough) to enter.

I guess I was both. And so for a second time this week I cheated death by way of water!

Safely back in Dominical, we have taken to cooking interesting things with bananas, working out, and trying to touch strange tree roots.

The banana fritters didn't last long enough for a picture to be taken. They were too damn good!

Today we had a fantastic time visiting the Nauyaca Waterfalls which is located just 10km outside of Dominical.

We first took a quick ride in a car down a very steep incline with several hairpin turns. Once we arrived safely at the stables we were each equipped with horses. Kevin's horse was named Tequila and my horse was named Molestacaballos, which means in the local dialect, "Annoys-Every-Other-Horse." We took our trusty steeds over rivers (mudholes) and mountains (mudpiles), on a quest to have breakfast!
Check out our horsing around: Yee-haw!

Once we arrived to our outdoor restaurant we had a delicious desayuno (breakfast) ready for us! We were stared at by two parrots and five peacocks while we ate.

Help me bust loose, bro.

We heard that riding a horse was good for digestion (untrue!), so we hopped back on and trekked forward to the waterfall.
After several more mudholes, we arrived:

The large waterfall is 148 feet tall! These pictures just don't do it justice. The roar was also pretty incredible.
After a few photo shoots we went to the lower waterfall, which is only 65 feet tall.
Kevin and another traveler thought it would be fun to jump off the waterfall...

Mothers and fathers, please don't watch this next video...

Now that my stomach was churning we thought it would be a great idea to eat lunch. So we got back on the horses and returned to the glare of the parrots, peacocks, and poisonous frogs.

What a wonderful day! We both can't stop smiling, and we have both signed up for the Costa Rican Calvary!

After our surprising jaunt up north to help Daniel Ortega and the Sandinista government in the upcoming elections (just kidding, CIA), we're now back on the beach in Costa Rica in the small surf community of Dominical.

While the tide is stronger and the beach is rockier, the waves are bigger and more bodacious.

On the far left side of the beach, we found some cool rock formations.

And also more sand.

So, of course, we had to climb them in search of a nearby waterfall.

Video here.

Not pictured: our slow, precarious retreat.

Our great Canadian friends helped make our last night in Samara one to have a hard time remembering...

Warning: drink contains alcohol and may cause you to oversleep and miss your first bus.