Santa Cruz, Costa Rica -- afternoon

I'm sitting at a corner of the plaza at Santa Cruz. I came here on Pito's recommendation, which described the town as having a Mexican-type ambience. Besides the dome at the center of the plaza and the clock-tower across the street, there is nothing here which reminds me of a Mexican town. The dome has some nice engravings in the Maya tradition: human faces with indigenous features, and animal representations in the form of lizards and birds. The clock-tower is five stories high, made of stone, with very faded peach paint, and a clock-face that has probably not functioned for years. It is about four meters wide on each side.

Besides these attractions, Santa Cruz has already left a bad taste in my mouth. I went to a "pension" to get a room. I asked the price of the cheapest room, and was told 1500 colones per night. So then, as always, I naturally asked to see the room. And just like that, the sloppy mess of a man told me that he would not show me the room, that I should find a room elsewhere. I told him that I have always asked to see a room before I pay for it, but of course he wouldn't listen to me; he kept on talking, mentioning locations of other hotels and cabinas. Right before leaving, I cut in with a raised voice to say that I felt sorry for his attitude, his bad attitude. And I left.

Within five minutes, I had gotten a room somewhere nearby for 2500 colones per night. Once there, I read a chapter of Lord Jim in the courtyard, but then immediately fell asleep. And I stayed either asleep or drowsy for a long while after that, due mostly to the heavy heat here today. To top things off, I've had a nasty little cough today, due I think to a ceiling fan directly over my head the past two nights, which must have dried my throat.

An interesting observation I have made sitting here facing the church is that some people passing the church, either on bicycle or walking, will make the sign of the cross and then kiss their thumb.

Anyway, I think I will just do more reading tonight, then take the first bus I can to Liberia in the morning.

I just witnessed a scene where an older teenage kid snuck up behind a homeless guy to pour a plastic bag full of water over his head. The homeless guy started yelling obscenities at the teenager, but the teenager just laughed. Then, as the homeless guy walked slowly away, the teenager re-filled the bag and poured more water over the homeless guy's head. Now, since I've written this, the teenager has repeated the same scene at least four times. How sad. And what a shame. As I said, I'll be looking to leave Santa Cruz in the morning.