Morning!!!

I know it has been a long time and you are starving for my dull accounts of Costa Rica but I have been very busy.
Thursday night I went out with Mario and two of his friends. One Tico and the other American- Juan Carlos and Nathan. We hung out at Nathan and Juan Carlos' for a bit and then we all walked downtown where they bought some rum that we could smuggle into the club. We then took a cab to NightFever- the local discoteque. (SP?) After paying 1000 col we entered into a club that looked like the clubs in the early 90's that you see sometimes in movies. Flashing lights, etc. Being the only girl in the groupl I felt obligated to dance with all the guys. Such a lady. Except, I must admit that I was dressed like a bit of a ho. I figured if not in Costa Rica where everyone dresses like this all the time, then where???
As the evening progressed, everyone became more inebriated until it got the point where while dancing, Mario dropped me after trying to dip me. Little known fact: I am much heavier than I look. Ususally I hold my own weight but after a couple cocktails I seem to have neglected to do that. Needless to say, I ended up on the floor laughing. So funny.
Before anyone worries that I was drunk I would like to assuage your fears by stating that I had a trip to take the next morning and I was determined not to have a hangover on the long bus ride.
The next morning I got up at 7 as ususal, had my breakfast and headed out the door. I tok the bus to Puntarenas and then had to wait for what was suposed to be 3.5 hours but turned out to be 5. In the meantime I found a soda and got what has to be one of the best things I have eaten on this trip. Patacones y frijoles. (Plantain fried in a round pancake shape and beans.) So amazing and only 1000 col- less than $2.
The ride to Quepos took about 4.25 hours. I was supposed to only be a 3.5 hour ride but there was construction on one of the roads and in case you don't know this about Costa Rica, the bus times depend on how many stops they need to make along the way. I had boked a hostel bed online but I didn't fuly understand where it was. I got to Quepos, which I had been told was dangerous, at 8pm. The bu to take me to MAnuel Antonio was at 9:30. I went to a local branch of the Manni Anni bakery and got some savory pasteries. I had asked a woman about how far it was to Manuel Antonio and she had told me it was 1.5 hours. I was sooooo confused as I had thought that it was 15-20 minutes away. Getting on the bus I had no idea where I would be getting off. I knew that if worst came to worse I would just have to take a cab to the hostel. This whole scenario was so reminiscent of the adventure in Venice. I knew I just needed to trust that everything would be ok. Driving from Quepos I kept my eye out the window and as luck would have it I happened to be on the right side to see my hostel as we drove by. I got off the bus and walked down to reception. As I was chcking in the guy at the front desk got a call for a Sara. Knowing there was no way it could be me I didn't give it a second thought until he asked my last name. It was Adrian. One of the guys I had spent last weekend with in Alajuela. He and his father were in Quepos and wantd to know if I wanted to meet them for breakfast at their hotel. I was shown the 26 person dorm full of bunk beds and was introduced to my first giant grasshoppers. Huge.
The next morning I woke up and drank some coffee and ate some bread with guava jam on it before walking to Adrian's hotel 15 minutes away. We ate huge platefuls of watermelon, pineapple, and papaya while drinking passionfruit juice.
They decided they wanted to accompany me on the mangrove/ monkey tour that was offered by the hostel. We were picked up on the way and joined an aloof Belgian, a crazy shirtless Canadian and 5 other Americans. Plus the tour guide. We climbed into a tour boat- the kind with a roof that you see in the movies- and were off. On the trip I got to feed a monkey!!! Don't worry, it was tour guide approved. I had tiny little monley claws pry banana out of my fingers!
That night- Saturday- I had the most expensive meal I have had on the hole trip. $20.00.
That night I had my first spider nightmare of the trip. Sleeping on the second bunk I woke up to ¨see¨ a spider climbing up the wall. Terrified I jumped out of bed. I am sure that that could have been in some candid camera show. It was really more like a tiger spring cause I landed ready to run.
Sunday morning we headed to Manuel Antonio. I have been told that it is supposed to be the number 6 most beautiful beach in the world. No clue who that is according to but it was amazing. You hike in for a .5 hour and arrive at a gorgeous- if overly touristy- beach that has racoons and white face monkeys in abundance. Th water was amazing and warm and there wasn't any waves to crash into my ear. On the walk there we encountered a white tailed deer who wasn't afraid of people and came up to me and not only let me pet it but also trated me as a salt lick. I see deer all the time of course back home but I ask you this: Have you ever felt deer tongue??? Cause I have, twice on this visit.
We stayed at th beach for awhile before it was time to head back to Quepos for my bus back to San Ramon.
I didn't have time to change out of my wet bathing suit so I had to travel the first two hours on the bus in a wet suit. Boo. I got home around 8pm.
A new volunteer had arrived at the house. As a favor Doña Yolanda had said I could stay here for Sunday and Monday night. I had a little bed made up for me in the tv room. Molly- the new volunteer - is an 18 y/o from Vermont who came to Costa Rica for 6 months before and therefore speaks much better Spanish than I do. We had lots to talk about and we decided to go into town after work on Monday so I could show her around.
My last day went well. A group of the students wanted to know if I was going to party. Of course!!! I showed Molly around and we bought some mangos. Mango count: 4

I invited her along to my farewell party. It took awhile to get going but it was fun. I am so much more comfortabe with speaking Spanish after a couple drinks!! One of my sweetest students brought me a shot glass with some candy in it and the cutest card thanking me for helping her. I wish I could smuggle her back to the states in my bag.

I am finishing up here and then I am headed to the airport to pick up Tato. Hasta.