exploring, examining, exchanging, expressing
Friday, June 01, 2007
Trip Tidbits
A few things I left out of my trip report...
  • At the first dock we went to in Panama, there was a kid hanging out, playing "Guess the Tourist's Nationality." He had trouble pegging the guy from Israel. But he looked at me and shouted: "GRINGO!" Days later, when I was passing through again, he remembered me and made the same exclaimation. At least he said it with a smile on his face.
  • There were Germans everywhere. I heard almost as much German as Spanish while I was on the Caribe coast.
  • I checked out "Rockin' J's" while I was in Puerto Viejo. It was Lonely Planet's top choice for budget lodging. It's a freaking Disneyland for surfers. Huge. Hammocks and tents everywhere. Plenty of areas for... smoking. It was cool, in an odd kind of way. But I chose not to stay there (it was overpriced and overcrowded).
  • The police were involved twice. First, a cop boarded the bus that I took from Sixaola to Puerto Viejo (returning from Panama). He just had everyone show ID. Second, we were pulled over at a station going from Cahuita to San Jose. This time we had to leave the bus, show ID, and have our bags inspected. I opened my bag, but they didn't search it. They didn't really search anyone.
  • At one point, I overheard a girl say I looked like Jim Belushi. Or was it John Belushi? Either way, I'm sure she was talking about me. I'm just not sure what to think of it.
More pictures of Cahuita.

More Pictures of Puerto Viejo.

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