Howdy from tamaGRINGO!

August 02, 2016

Howdy from tamaGRINGO!

As the saying goes "all good things must come to an end", and so had our time in Jaco. Five people, two 10' stand up paddleboards, two 6' surfboards, three suit cases, two beach cruiser bicycles, and a few backpacks masterfully Tetrised into a RAV-4, we set out for Tamarindo. Awaiting us was our new 3 bedroom "luxury" condo with amenities all just a short distance from the beach. Well that short distance is a rocky, rutted, dusty hill climb that we have lovingly named "Quad-zilla!" It takes an act of God to make it up with kids, surfboards, and or groceries. The struggle is real. This town is a swirling dirt cloud filled with granola munching yuppies from Colorado and jaded ex-patriots. Each and every last one of them has at least 2 cars, one of which I am pretty sure they leave parked on the street just to cause congestion........a sweet reminder of home. To add insult to injury, the waves are "soft", the surf line-up is 60 deep, 30 different surf schools with what seems like 1,000 students each, all falling in unison off the biggest surf boards imaginable. Oh and not to mention, crocodiles that bite the legs off of surfers.....who coincidentally was from Colorado. Truth be told, the best part of Tamarindo is its location, location, location. We have procured a car for 2 weeks to check out the neighboring surf breaks and beaches. Playa Grande and Playa Avellanas offer unspoiled beaches and amazing surf breaks; a mere 30-45 minute bone rattling drive. We also spent a day up in Brasilito, where a Tico (version of myself at age 13) was trash talking me in the surf line up. Wishing my Spanish was better, I just smiled and caught a few waves. Karmic payback I suppose. Playa Conchal, comprised mainly of shattered sea shells, offers clear blue water to snorkel in. Alastair spent his first $5 here on a one hour snorkel rental. He saw an assortment of brightly colored fish, a puffer fish, and a blue starfish. He has recently become obsessed with finding a conch shell, after seeing a local fisherman blowing a conch shell horn.