Day 11: Santiago

A Welcome Change of Pace

 

Today was the day before the mid-trip reflection to Puerto Viejo (or Ulaba, the Bri Bri name for the town, according to my host father). Waking up an hour earlier than usual to meet by the village school by the shore of the river, we packed into canoes and made our way downstream, where we waited for a bus to take us into the beach town. Many in my bus joined in a karaoke session, much to the chagrin of those not participating. We didn’t have access to a device to reference songs or lyrics, or even a radio to try to learn some local tunes, so we had to make do with what we had in our heads. We put our brains together and cranked out some poor renditions of classics from the likes of Queen, ABBA, and Michael Jackson, gradually shifting across genres and time periods as more memories trickled into our collective consciousness. My personal favorite was our cover of Bohemian Rhapsody, complete with overlapping voices and multi-part harmonies, which included Profe Mara and our guide, Mateo.

 

We made a stop for lunch (different than our usual fare but delicious nonetheless), before dropping our bags off at the hotel and driving to the beach. Stepping onto the hot sand and wading into the clear water after a week of trudging through the mud in heavy boots was a very welcome change. The pleasant weather had everyone in a good mood, and we spent the next couple hours bodysurfing the small waves, lounging on the sand, and basking in the sun. After getting our fill of the beach life, we returned to the hotel for the first hot shower since leaving home.

 

After freshening up, we loaded back into the bus for an evening on the town, browsing beachside shops, watching the sunset, and eating more delicious Caribbean food. We wrapped up dinner and met up with 2 dance teachers at a public basketball court very involved lesson on various dance styles popular in the area, including salsa, bachata, Calypso, Afrobeat, and reggaeton. The light rain helped cool us down, but we still made our way over to a gelato shop across the street for a post-cardio treat. We are halfway through our stay in Costa Rica and shall soon return home, but until then-

 

Se ñi sawe, and iPuravida! 











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