After 3 nights, it was time for a bit of a change. We slept well until the maintenance guy got to sweeping outside our door and sanding up a couple lounger benches. This was the end of our original 3 night booking and we were really looking forward to moving upstairs to our king size bed with view of the wading pool below. Not so much for the bigger bed, but a bit of privacy to be certain no one was peering through the uncovered bathroom window while showering. Time for breakfast anyways.
More of the same breakfast as the last few days. The rice and beans really sticks with you and for those of you not into the plainness of just those two elements, mix in your eggs and add some hot and brown sauce. We still havent figured out what that brown runny liquid is, but it tastes good with eggs. Maybe like a steak sauce, watered down, and some Worcestershire or ketchup added.
After breakfast our mission consisted of securing a car out of here and picking up a SIM card. We also needed toothpaste, but that could be done anywhere and at anytime with all these little markets. We made our way over to National, since the guy was friendly and helpful, and confirmed the reservation. No credit card, no drivers licence, no phone number…still we could reserve a car. Of course those are things we would need to drive it off the lot…but we could save that task for tomorrow. Our agent was also helpful enough to suggest a cheap option for a SIM card…we just had to follow his roughly drawn map to a nearby spot in town.
As he drew up the map it made me think we were on a treasure hunt. We had a couple corners to find, one of them with a market on them. If we found the correct street there would be a tower, and at the base of that tower a building where we could take a number in a very cold office and someone would help us. I should have snapped a picture of the map, but I had a pretty good idea of where to go. These days people will just pull out their phone and highlight a path to a waypoint. I tried that, but without data hand drawn maps were the way to go.
We departed. Found our toothpaste and started the hunt for a SIM card. Again, sidewalks as traffic would whip by us on this main road to the nearby Carrillo. We found the market. We found the tower, which was a cell phone tower perched on top of the building for one of the national carriers down here. ICE or Kolbi, I havent figured that part out yet, but here we were swept with a metal detecting wand by the security guard and escorted into the frigid waiting area. Why does everyone have to have their AC on something so low here? We have adapted to having the AC on at 28C…24 now sounds downright cold! With a few taps on a freestanding screen a number spit out of a little window. Now we wait.
About 5 seconds later, N11 was announced. Very prompt service. I sat down at the little desk opposite a young guy not too enthusiastic about being there. I guess it is Friday, and this might actually be his lunchtime. As with every face to face discussion I ask, “Hablas un poco ingles?” Each time i usually get the same answer back of No. No matter. A good chance for me to practice a little more conversation. He needed a passport…I had none. Drivers…no. Identity card, yes…but only a health card. As long as it has a photo ID and a number…good enough. He taps in all he necessary address details and pulls out a new SIM card. He then asks for 1000 colones (just over 2 bucks) and then says we are all done. I wasn’t really sure what happened there, but suddenly my phone was lighting up with FB messages that hadn’t been getting through the last couple days. I guess I now had data. How much, and for how long…I guess we will find out.
Melanie was shivering by the window. Observing a couple iguanas duke it out on the concrete wall of the park are entrance. The victor hung around in the sun with his comb all stiffened up. We exited back into the warmth of the day and tried to get a bit closer for some pics, but with the security guy watching for anything peculiar, and a locked gate in the way…we just kept moving.
Lunch was again directly across the street. Toes in the sand. Cocktails in hand and a front row seat for watching all the beachy people and activities of the day. Waves rolling in and out. Fish tacos to snack on. We decided at that point we can change the car reservation again and stay another day here. We are in no rush. The hotel staff might wonder if we will ever leave, or just keep changing rooms. After a couple hours, we headed back to put on our suits for a dip in the ocean.
Splashing in the waves for a bit, we then headed back for a rinse in the pool. On our way back who should we run into…Tony. He was settling into that same table we were at, and probably for a few hours as well. We said our hellos and headed back for our pool break. Melanie had a short nap and I joined Tony for a repeat of yesterdays chatting over drinks. Today, tequila sunrises and cosmos.
When we are travelling, normally we seek out different experiences on a daily basis. This is the first time where we have almost fallen into a pattern of activities. This is a really nice place and the pace seems perfect right now. Adding another day or two on to actually relax probably isn’t a bad thing. Melanie has a cold to pass. I have a patchy tan to work on. There are a few beers that also need to be drank and if we don’t do it, who will?
Melanie fetched me before sundown and a short stroll along the beach led us to more ceviche. Cocktails, shrimpy rice again…and we were done for the night. Tomorrow is a new day, where we can again walk over to the rental place and change our departure date. We can go to the front desk here and add on another night. We can have more cocktails while watching the bikinis struggle to cover body parts normally hidden from daylight.
The challenge will be to find something new to write about.