Life is too short to be small (Benjamin Disraeli)

I heard it or read it anywhere and I share with you.
Also I would like to add some words to it

It doesn't matter how small we are

Write you later ...I hope :-)

Back to San José

After eating the almost last breakfast in América :-) I took a bus toward San José, by taking the road that connects Limón to San José, also known as La Ruta 32 de la muerte. Not due to lack of reasons

Also the road pass by Parque Nacional Braulio Carrillo but I'll let it for you because my time is over so enjoy
your travelwork :-)
So my short but not small journey is closed  but the farewell I'll let for tomorrow because I'll have my last tico dinner :-)

I don't want what the mind thinks but what the soul desires (Belchior)

By remembering a song written by a brazilian composer and accompanied by the bird performance...

...I went to rest in a white sand beach whose name is Playa Blanca of course :-)

A shower and fresh water at hotel's swimming pool :-)

Maybe these desires aren't just mine :-)

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

It's located about half hour by bus from Cahuita
The beach is close to the reef

There is also Playa Negra that is good for swimming but I prefer the Cahuita's one :-)

On a short walk it's Playa Cocles with reef too

Parque Nacional Cahuita

Beyond the sunblock, the insect repellent is a must because they love foreigners :-)
The admission fee at Kelly Creek ranger station is by donation used to support education, conservation and maintenance programs.

The trail is well signaled

and surrounded by the warm and unbeatable caribbean sea :-)

After a long and not winding road, there is hope at the end  :-)

Bycicle Diaries, the return

But this turn at Caribbean coast, more precisely at Cahuita which doesn't have a beach at city center

Some meters or kilometers to...to... north because now I'm at east coast, there is Playa Negra with black-sand beach, of course :-)

The doubt about meters or kilometers is due to to I didn't know how long I've ridden my bicycle. Don't you believe ? Look at the ubiquitous black backpack :-)

Finally, for energy replacement I recommend fresh coconut sauce shrimp at restaurant La Fé . And I assure it was fresh because if it wasn't I wouldn't be writting this post :-)

Is it all ? No, what else a man can desire beyond shadow, fresh water, hammock, wi-fi, ....hmmmm!!! without answering is safer :-)

I went to request my tico citizenship :-)

Where am I ?

I've read and also experienced by myself that signage is rare in Costa Rica but in Alajuela the first and only street sign I found was

So clear, it means Calle 7 :-)

Even the inhabitants aren't sure about the street name. For example I asked to a woman who was sweeping  the balcony:
What is this street ? Calle 7 or Calle 9 ?
Trust me she answered me after wavering and without  any confidence: Calle 7. Ok, she is over 60 years old but it doesn't matter because another girl (about 30 years old) who was walking in the same street didn't know!!!

Is it all ? No, the houses also don't have any id !!!

Fortunately, I know where I am now. Cheers !!! :-)

How many roads must I walk down ?

Before I arrive at Caribbean Coast ?
The answer is not blowing in the wind because the driver knows it :-)

If  I could I surely would cross Cordillera de Talamanca but I can't :-(

 
So a good tip is go to Alajuela which is near San Jose, stay one night and on the next morning toward Caribbean coast.
Below a statue in honor of Juan Santamaría who was born here.

Parque Nacional Marino Ballena

This marine park entrance is located about 2000 meters from the hotel in a flat and unpaved road.
At low tide you're almost able to walk on Punta Uvita

but pay attention about the high tide

Today I was not lucky because I didn't see any humpback whale from my observation point :-)

Also there is workmate nearby :-(

Zero erased

In order to make first recognitions, I started walking around the hotel and good luck after looking at an auspicious sign.

but by trusting in the sign left behind I started going up.... and up....

 And at the end I realized that some bastard had erased one zero :-( but fortunately some efforts are rewarded :-)

only after taking a bath at pool before

Dream on but don't imagine they all come true

I remembed another song ... ok....ok... old song but sooner or later all we'll be older :-)

Back to the subject, I intended to visit Tortuguero but it is not so easy to reach it.
If you want to visit Tortuguero, plan ahead, make reservations. schedule your time... in just one word: Work!!!! :-)

So I changed my mind and by using gravity law I moved down to Uvita.

I was surprised with the city.... city ? size and started wandering if it is one-way road it would be a ghost city in few minutes :-) and by letting political dissent aside I checked-in at Tucan hotel :-)

We don't want only food (Titãs)

We want food, fun and art :-)

By starting with food at breakfast an usual one is gallo pinto which could scare your cardiologist :-)

At lunch and dinner, a cheap option is casado composed by rice, bean, meat and salad.

If you enjoy drinking beer, my bet is Libertas .... Cheers!!!:-)

Quepos

It is located some kilometers northwest Manuel Antonio and is a goods and services provider but for tourists I recommend stay at Manuel Antonio for some reasons.
First, the beach is polluted and by far can't be compared with others nearby.

Second, you'll expend time and money to go to better sights. But it's my point of view because as others cities it can have attractions which I didn't find due to my lack of time. For example an live music restaurant

Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio

Located just some meters from the hotel is the park entrance.

At first I hired a guide ... for free because he is commited with a volunteer program focused on broken tourists like me :-)

After pointing me the way I couldn't accomplish him anymore and long time later I arrived at lookout with view of Puerto Escondido

Finally a good and bad new
First the good one, if you go up then you come down :-)

And last the bad new, the only available swimming pool is with salt water :-(

Manuel Antonio

It is not another joke about portugueses :-) but it's the closest village to Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio and it will be subject for another post because only God and anyone who had ever visited it knows better :-)

Meanwhile some information about the village with a narrow road

Unfortunately there is no swimming pool in the hotel and the closest one is with salt water :-(

I've started sweating just by thinking :-(

Still in pacific coast

Even after sailing gulf of Nicoya to reach Jacó in order to save time because people says that by road it could take a half day long.

The (un)boarding is on the beach so it's recommended to use (or not) right shoes:-) ...and pants

At first .... and last because it will be just one night here I felt something different here like an increasing number of street ....better beach sellers than others places I were before.


The beach is nice  

But with some high buildings on the scene and others are coming

 

Montezuma waterfall

This hike is not so challenging as the one I did in Brazil but not less worthwhile :-)

If you want it's possible to jump in it

But I prefer the fish's way

Shadow, fresh water and some rest for the feet :-)

On the way back, there is a place for fuel replacement :-)