They are finally up! I've compiled the best Costa Rica pictures taken by my sturdy and sand-filled camera and posted them to a Google album.
You can find the photos here.
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| Costa Rica |
Two things I really like about President Obama:
1. His tech savvy
2. His continued attempts to reach out to Iran
I'm back in San Jose after a fantastic week of sand, sun, organic food and good friends. Six good friends and I spent a week in Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean Coast. Despite overcast weather, we managed to thoroughly relax and fill each day with an early breakfast (We were all up before 7am each day!), a bike ride to the beach, a few hours of sun, sand and surf, delicious organic meals of plantains, curries and fruit juices, local Costa Rican beers, and evenings of reading, fellowship and sunsets.
I will post some of the better pictures when I return to DC in a few days.
Of all the nationalities I met on this trip, the largest percentage of travelers seem to be traveling from Canada. I guess they are all seeking to escape the winter as well, and Costa Rica is a relatively cheap vacation destination.
I'm hoping to have a few more reflections on this trip in a few days. Altogether, it has been a fairly unique trip. Despite the relative distance of Costa Rica from the United States, I hardly feel as if I am in a drastically different or distinct culture. Perhaps this is in comparision to previous vast cultural disparities between the US and Asia/the Middle East, but it has been an odd realization.
I made it to Costa Rica a few days ago, and after a few days at Playa Jaco on the Pacific Coast, I returned to San Jose to meet up with 5 great friends for the remainder of the trip.
A few quick reflections before I catch my bus to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca on the Caribbean coast.
1. I actually did learn a little bit of Spanish in high school. I have been amazed at how many random Spanish words return in interactions around town.
2. Costa Ricans do not speak Arabic... in addition to the Spanish words I remember, I generally unconsciously fill in the gaps with Arabic prepositions and verb forms and grammar. I have received some priceless blank stares in return.
3. The sun here is STRONG!!! I spent three hours on the beach my first day in Jaco - wearing 30spf sunscreen, and reapplying a second time. I was burnt to a crisp, and now have been diligently applying aloe vera hourly.
4. The general atmosphere of Costa Rica seems fairly unique for the region. The buses run smoothly and on-time. People do not harass tourists with endless scams and trinkets. The people are amazingly warm, friendly and hospitable to tourists. It has been truly refreshing.
5. The Costa Rican women are either hideous or stunningly beautiful.
6. Eating fresh mangoes on the beach while watching the sunset is a fantastic combination!
Cheers
I'm leaving work as I post this blog. Below is a fantastic link to a recent article by an American Jew who visited Iran recently. His article provides a fascinating perspective on the Iranian Jewish community, among other insights. Most interestingly, he received a lot of flak from more conservative American Jews regarding his positions.
Here is the link.
In other news, I'm leaving bright and early tomorrow for Costa Rica, for a nice temperature change. I'll try and update the blog throughout the week and a half with photos, thoughts, etc... but we'll see. Updating the blog, means I will have to leave the sun and sand for an internet cafe.
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