Operation Beach Bikes and Coffee Maker

Jaco, Costa Rica

Day 23

First day of a new house, settling in, one of my favorite things. First things first. Yesterday we saw the single cup coffee maker, cute but no. No one needs that much exercise to and from the coffee maker making new batches early in the morning. You need a vat so you can be immobile and sip until the caffeine soaks in on a cellular level. Then it’s time for round two. Bought a real machine and decent sized mugs to make this process possible. After the important work, we unpacked, figured out the shower, where the grocery store is, get water.

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I don’t know if the tourism board sponsors classes on towel-art and toilet paper origami, but we are
always impressed. These were the lovely creations on our beds.

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We did a last grocery run before giving up the car, bought five big waters. We looked like we
were preparing for a hurricane. The ticos and some of the gringos with well-seasoned stomachs
drink the water. It’s not like some other countries in which everyone buys their water. Pushing a
cart of five five-gallons of water got us a few did-I-miss-a-hurricane-weather-warning glances.

We said good-bye to our trusty tired steed, the Yaris, and went to find other modes of transportation. Operation beach bike. Used bicycles are hard to find. We ended up buying two bicycles and a rental place said they will buy them from us. Our bikes have these fluorescent green rims, impossible to miss in the bike parking row.

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They like their gates and security guys here. We’ve never had a gate guys before. At this complex we have two, Charlie and Johann. Then there is always another man who is at the beach side of the building, 24/7.

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closest grocery

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our movie theater

Did I mention I love, love settling into a new town. We found our closest grocery stores, bakery, movie theater, bike shop.We bought a few must haves for the kitchen like a strainer, a ceramic pan to cook all that fresh fish, knife that actually cuts. There is a theater (yay). Looks like we will be able to go to Jurassic World like Cali wanted to see, but wasn’t released before we left foe CR.

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At the end of the first day we walked down to the beach. It’s made up of tiny pebbles and shells. Then we swam in the pool. We sat in the smaller round pool with bubbles.

Then we had our first home cooked meal since being in CR. We sat out at the balcony table, looked at the Pacific ocean, trying to absorb the magnificence waves on the brown beach, shouldered by mountains. I don’t know if it’s a good thing or a bad thing that we may never have a view this spectacular from our outdoor dining room table. It certainly is setting the bar high, but I’m good with that.

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I realized that we were all stress free. None of the girls are in school or working, they are
relaxed. A very unusual moment in time, one to absorb and savor.