PURA VIDA COSTA RICA - DAY 2

There is good Karma and bad Karma.  We have had NOTHING but good. However, we know some who have had BAD, already.

Hermanita and I were up fairly early, after a good sleep of about seven hours. We had some problems heading out, in our taxi, to the local bus terminal, to catch a bus to Lafortuna.  THE DRIVER didn't KNOW WHERE the terminal was. Obviously, why would he? He drives a taxi for a living. We couldn't get the money we needed out of the ATM machine. The cab driver Miguel, was sweet.  Hit on me! How desperate are these Costa Rican men?  Ladies beware of that expression " Muy bonita!"

We found the bus terminal, and immediately met six Maritimers - a Newfie, four nurses from Halifax, and the Newfie's partner, from Ontario originally. Total GABFEST!!

The bus finally arrived. I went to board, but the driver said I had to check my backpack, though he let all the SWEET things on with their pack backs.  Age discrimination? LOL It didn't help that I didn't have it on my back, either. I was lugging it by the handle. Stupidity!!!

By the time I got back on the bus, there were no seats.  I sat on the floor, where a wheelchair would be, switching up with Hermanita now and then.  There is NO chivalry in Costa Rica. This older woman got on the bus. No one gave her their seat. We started to climb in the mountains, and when it got really dangerous, with winding roads, I was seated then. I gave her my seat.  They just kept letting people on at every stop, even though it was STANDING ROOM!  That poor woman would have gone tumbling down the aisle, for sure.

Anyway, I must have shamed one man at least, because the next elderly lady that gone on, he gave her his seat.

We spent over four hours on that bus, but you know what? We met these two sweetie French girls from Paris, Élodie and Virginie. They are going to come visit us in New Brunswick!! We had the greatest conversations, seated on the floor of that bus.  I also met Maria, from Bavaria and another Parisian Alex, traveling solo, after Élodie and Virginie got a seat.

Two German girls who never looked up from their seats, never smiled and never said a word, were missing a backpack at the end of the trip.  Karma?  They had put it up on the rack, and it looks like a local took off with it when no one was looking. Qué lastima!  Too bad.... so sad!

We are at a wonderful Air BnB where we have already met the local pet, a parrot called Lola! She has us eating out of her hand, as she eats out of ours!

I have just finished playing the "throw the water bottle" with Estevan and Frank, the two little boys of the owners of this establishment. Estevan won! He is seven and speaks a little bit of English. Too cute!!!

Bonne nuit tout le monde! Buenos noches a todos!

PS:  Getting the money straight is SO hard.  Hermanita tried to pay the taxi driver $30 for a $7 cab drive. Bless his heart. He was honest and told us. His name is Sterling! How apropos!!! We are going to be calling on Sterling to take us everywhere, while we are in La Fortuna.

PPS: Did I mention that our bedroom has a balcony overlooking the Areanal Volcano? More pictures tomorrow. Mañana amigos!

PPS: Living "La vita dolce" - Italian for "Living the Sweet Life!"