Carrillo, Costa Rica -- afternoon

I think I am now able to write after buying this new pen at a supermercado earlier today. I have wanted to write a lot more these past couple of days, but that last pen just didn't work.

Well, I'm writing this while taking a break from trying to help this family get their pick-up truck out from being stuck in the sand. We have had no luck so far . . . A woman in an Isuzu Trooper came by to provide a hitch. Another man and I pushed from behind while the Trooper pulled. For the most part (other than getting stuck again just for a second), the operation went smoothly.

Now since I'm looking forward to getting back in the water soon, I will keep my re-cap as quick and simple as I possibly can. To pick up where I left off with my last entry in Granada, the gangster-looking Nicaraguan guy came back to sit on my bench. After beginning a conversation, I realized he was essentially homeless, but thrived and enjoyed the friendship of tourists. Perhaps its sounds a bit fishy, but after I explained my financial situation, he offerred to buy me an enchilada. He said that he could get it cheap, and his philosophy - in my rough translation - is that what goes around comes around. So he happily helped me out. It was a really nice thing for which I was very grateful. Immediately after buying the enchilada, he left to find another friend who was to give him a shirt.

Then, one after the other, I had conversations with three more people who came to sit next to me on that bench in el parque central; the first two were men and the last was a woman.

The most interesting conversation was with a man of about forty years in age. He analyzed the failure of the Sandinista revolution and its preceding and following events very well. He said that, before the revolution, each town was run by a "terrateniente", who was in turn run by Somoza from the top-down. So, in essence, Nicaragua was operating under a feudal system which had altered very little since the early colonial encomienda system. Certainly taking note of the international liberation movement in the 1960s, especially Cuba, the people of Nicaragua felt repressed by the feudal system and resentful of the Somoza regime.

The man said that the ideals of the Sandinistas were the opportunity to realize a dream of overcoming that system of Somoza. Hence, the popular support, and eventual victory, of the 1979 Sandinista revolution. However, with the Contra war of the 1980s, funded by the Nicaraguan elite, and also funded and supported by the United States government, the Sandinistas could not put the full, necessary energy to their program. Instead, much man-power was needed to fight the Contra war. In other words, the economy of Nicaragua sufferred greatly because its most-able men were fighting a war, not strengthening an economy. So the people lost faith in the Sandinistas; in the end, some even blaming them for the poor economy.

This sentiment was witnessed in the 1990 election when the Sandinistas were voted out of office. Since then, they are seen as just another political party, lacking any kind of revolutionary front. And now, in 2003, Nicaragua is poorer than it was before the revolution. It is a shame. My conversation, though, was quite informative and enlightening.

I returned to the Bearded Monkey to meet up with Toby to discuss dreams of travelling the world. Then I went to bed early to wake up early the next morning at about 6:15am. By 7am, I was walking to the Granada bus station, where my day-long journey began. I rode five buses yesterday. From Granada to Rivas, from Rivas to Penas Blancas, from Penas Blancas to Liberia, from Liberia to Nicoya, and from Nicoya to Samara.

When I left Granada I had only 41 cordobas and 2000 colones. When I arrived in Liberia, I had only 300 colones; I had not taken into account a $1.00 municipal fee and a $2.00 exit tax to leave Nicaragua. Those, in addition to bus fares. With the 300 colones, I bought a grapefruit soda and then went straight to the bank in Liberia to exchange my next traveller's check. Afterwards, I immediately went to a restaurant to devour a casado con chuleta; that was delicious after not eating a full meal since the morning before, about 28 hours earlier.

Without wasting any time then, I went back to the Liberia bus station to continue my journey, hoping to arrive in Samara to meet the North American girl. When I arrived in Nicoya, I had to walk a few blocks to get to the bus station with buses for Samara. I had to wait for about ten minutes for the bus from San Jose to Samara. When I walked onto the bus, I was surprised and happy to see Ronald, my Dutch friend. He was travelling with a Swiss guy and a German guy. We finally arrived in Samara at about 5:30pm, a long day of travelling for me.

After quickly checking back into Cabinas Magaly, I changed into my bathing suit and treated myself to a relaxing dip in the ocean, just as the sun was setting. Also, the half-moon and the first stars were out. It was a sight which was absolutely beautiful.

Later, after eating a tuna and crackers and pineapple dinner with Ronald, we got the other two guys to go to the bar where the language school students always hang out. I had a great time playing pool (and learning Tico rules). I also met some nice people, including a cool kid from Tennessee named Marcus. He's friends with Tony, the Canadian. All in all, it was a very good night.

To finish it off beautifully, I walked back alone (to the cabina) along the beach; the night-sky was totally clear so the view was beyond words; it was that which inspired me to write my last entry.

Today, after getting up late (about 10:30am), I walked alone to Carrillo to meet Ronald and the other two guys. The beach here is quieter than Samara, and the water is somehow more clear. Its really very nice. Now I will look for a bite to eat, and then get in the water again. When I return to the cabina, I will see if the North American girl has arrived or not.