Shared Illusions

Haven’t posted for a few days. Yesterday morning, leaving the treetop bungalow, I tweaked my back as we moved the bed back into place. Some of you are familiar with my lower back issue. I don’t need to go into details except to say that each time it inflames, is better than the time before. It’s been about 3 years running – just once a year – so that’s a gratitude. But it kept me from walking in the afternoon yesterday after a long day of driving. And it kept me from sitting up and posting. Instead, I lay on an ice pack and watched a Denzel W movie on HBO. What a superhero! Early to bed after taking a Tramadol and I”ve been doing aok today!! Which reminds me to go to a Farmacia and see if I can buy more Trammies! OTC in Mexico, so maybe here as well.

Early morning to get to Poas Volcano for an 8 am tour to see the active crater. It was rather a bust as most of the area is closed due to fairly recent activity (October 2019).

The government website for this and a few other national parks for which you must create an account and purchase tickets in advance was most strict with its admonitions regarding arrival time for your tour. For an 8 am tour (earlier the better as the clouds may roll in) you must arrive 15 minutes prior! If you are 5 minutes late, you are bumped off the tour!

It also said the park was open at 7 am. We thought we’d get there early and have coffee and see the exhibit. Upon almost arriving at the park – 2 kilometers shy – a most official looking blockade stopped us.

Before long several cars queued up behind us. Finally some moved the blockade assuming the park staff had simply forgotten to. Ha! So we all drove up 2 kilometers to a closed gate to the park entrance. Hm. Park staff arrived just after 8 to open the gate. Then it was another 10 minutes for them to get on-line for checkin. Ya gotta just laugh about it.

On the other hand, it was another beautiful drive and walk up to the crater.

From the park we headed to a few smaller towns just for the hell of it. The thing is, when I read “small, picturesque town” my mind conjures something really small – like one main road and tienditas sporadically placed along the street. I imagine Panajachel or Tulum 30 years ago. What I encounter is a small city with traffic and people and congestion. Hell, even Tulum and Pana are not the small villages they were 30 years ago. Are any such left in the world? Actually, Nuevo Arenal comes close, being a small outpost of a town far from the raging commercialism of La Fortuna. I guess I miss those places and those days of days gone by. Again, gratitude that I experienced it.

Although the clouds in the above beach photos might have you thinking “too bad” it was truly perfect. Sun would have made it too hot.

I did want to leave you with a sunny image. And beautiful clouds. Wishing you sun and clouds and weather to soothe our soul.