Costa Rica - Memories of the Shroom

Gonna Miss It

Andre has the shroom on the market - for $300k.  If he can sell it he plans to move to the south of France - since "they take better care of the elderly there."  He said he hasn't gotten one bite in a year and even if he can sell it for the list price, he would lose money on the deal. Seems like it's over-priced by half but what do I know.  One thing is for sure - it will require a unique buyer - one who is willing to buy a hand-made house.

Costa Rica - Escalando una Catarata

A New Experience
Directly behind the crowded neon streets of Jaco, wedged between sharp mountain, lay the rice fields of Herradura, They sparkle and sway in the sunlight like a jade carpet.  We drove through them on a muddy clay road, the original road to San Jose prior to the highway, with our guide Josue.  We were headed up to the mountain peaks.

Costa Rica - Manuel Antonio

Hiking and Beaches all in One

Manuel Antonio national park is a two hour drive away and promised hiking, animals and beaches.  We hopped in our car after breakfast and headed along the coast on a two lane highway.  The sixty miles took twice as long as the hour they should've, mostly due to trucks struggling on the uphills.

Costa Rica - Local Flavors

Street Side Refreshments

A mile down the road from Andre's, where the dirt road becomes tarmac, we tried a local delicacy - un granizado.  It's a cup half-filled with milk powder, topped with shaved ice and a gooey flavor of your choice.  I picked root beer though I didn't know that until I tasted it.  You let it slowly melt and mix together.  They give you a spoon and a straw so you can attack from above and below.  Very sweet!

Costa Rica - Breakfast

At the Top of the Shroom
Our host Andre is French.  He spent 25 years in Africa as a hotelier then left 20 years ago to resettle in Costa Rica.  He built the mushroom ten years ago.  He is retired now and only started renting out the middle of the shroom  8 months ago.  He was surprised by the success of it.  He is booked 20 days out of the month during the low season and during winter he is fully booked from Dec to Feb.  He donned his chef whites to make our breakfast, as any self-respecting Frenchie would.

Costa Rica - Out of the City

First, A Brief Conference Call
On Thursday night I switched to the fancy hotel by the airport so I could pick up the Dough that night.  Her flight was three hours late due to bad weather in Newark.  By the time she got in it was close to midnight so we crashed.  Next morning, I didn't go to the office - the benefits of technology - we "worked" by the pool...

Costa Rica - The Quirks

Strikes, Daylight Savings, Traffic

I'm back in Costa Rica, my mind churning as it usually does, wondering "why don't I like this place?"  It's a mild dislike, similar to what I feel for tequila.  Costa Rica is a quirky place.  It seems better on paper - no army, democratically elected government, diverse geography, two oceans, mountains, etc.  When I got here the taxis drivers were striking against Uber, driving slowly and blocking traffic.  The violence of the response seemed to be out of proportion - police in riot gear cracking heads, making arrests.  Then again, after driving around San Jose for a few days I began to understand.