Jungle Fever with Fantastic Curves

Finishing up Granada, I felt wonderful. The colonial city, full of entertainment, cobble stone streets and wonderful Nicaraguan food, filled me with gaiety that I have not felt in a very long time. However, the warm feeling that have overtaken my joy suddenly disappeared, quite quickly, as we headed towards the Costa Rican border in terrible rains. The volcano caps were covered in wet clouds, the wind off the lake was bitter, and Costa Rica never sounded any better.
When reaching the border, our days suddenly turned for the worse. Overall it took over 4 and a half hours to get into Costa Rica. There is so much red tape and paper work that one must fill out in order to check out, check the bike out, stamp the pass port, check in, check the bike in and buy insurance. Not to mention, the work ethic down in Central America, much like I reported in Honduras, will make an uptight American Capricorn, like myself, want to get a gun and shoot at the temple. I thought the English Laboratories were bad, cutting off clinical tests for afternoon tea...Central American border authorities are a nightmare.
We finally made it though the border by 4 in the afternoon. The process started at half past 11. Riding into Costa Rica was not very impressive. The roads had flattened out, and while the sun was setting into Liberia, the rain had not stopped, preventing any sight seeing from the bike whatsoever. Finally getting to our hotel in Liberia was a blessing.
One good part of the trip two days ago, however, was that we picked up another rider from England named Reg. He had met Tim, the other Englander, back in the states when touring through. He just happened to catch up with our group while heading into the border. It was quite an experience; watching five soaked gringos go through Central American borders on gigantic mechanical mules and having every possible handler want to help you for cash tips.
The next day was better. We started off with a little breakfast and a stop at the ATM to update the currency. Riding into San Jose, singing the song in my head...do you know the way to...the rain had lightened up a little bit as we came through luscious green mountains covered with Tarzan-esque vines and greenery; I had finally made it to the tropics. And after being redirected by police because of a river taking over a bridge on the highway, the road circled around and landed directly next to the Pacific Ocean. Cool waves came crashing into the rocky shoreline; sailboats rocking out in the distance...it was a definite highlight...we had finally made it to the Pacific.
Climbing back up into the mountains from the coast was a journey. The roads were rough, because we had been redirected, and also very narrow. Traffic was a nightmare, and the rain made it even slower. Coming around corners, with very little room, we kicked it into second gear trying not to look off to the side into the 200 foot gaps. At least in London the tell you to mind the gap...on these roads it is only a welcoming cliff leap to a quiet and quick death. Luckily however, with the rain and being up in the mountains, we were once again above cloud level and the clouds filled in the valleys below. This did happen to take away the beautiful tropical scenery that makes up Costa Rica. Nonetheless, it helped calm some nerves as buses raced around corners coming right at you while you are dodging pot holes on the highway in the rain. On a dry day with those curves, it could have been an excellent bike path.
And then to make our day even more exciting...as we came to the off ramp that would lead us to our hotel in San Jose, I noticed that my bike was difficult to steer. I looked down, and happened to notice that I had a flat. My brand new Akon tire, with only 3,750 miles on it, had gotten a rip and leaked air.
Short note: because BMW went to a different wheel, where the spokes go out towards the edge of the rims and not in the middle, it allows them to us tires that are tubeless. Whereas, most bikes have the spokes go right to the middle and then use tubes to keep air in the tire. So my tire was punctured, and I was wet and upset.
So, in the middle of a rainy intersection, five wet gringos get off their bikes, pull out our tools and find out where the hole is. Another good part about it raining was, the leak was easier to find when the rain had bubbled up around it. So for the first time, I learned how to repair a flat tire on the road with one simple tool, a little bit of expandable material to plug it with, a razor blade, and a pump. 15 minutes and we were back on our bikes...not a half of a mile away from the hotel.
Our hotel is quite lovely. Yes, we come to Costa Rica to stay in a Best Western and Casino...but they have Internet, a washer and dryer (Thank God!), continental Denny's breakfast, and a free happy hour. Not to mention, the pool, jacuzzi and weight room were nice additions today.
Even though we were staying in a little piece of home, we received an excellent recommendation from the cocktail waitress on where to eat in San Jose. So me, feeling a little happy, called a taxi over and told all four men to limber up and squeeze their way into the back of this old taxi cab. The windows did not roll down, and it struggled very hard at intersections and hills to get anywhere; the windshield wipers were not doing any good, however, the taxi driver was very nice, and seemed to know where he was going. (I do have pictures of them all in the back seat...will add later). So we were dropped off at this lovely palm decored restaurant just on the outskirts of Centro de San Jose.
I had the chef special; Steak with coconut battered and fried Jumbo Shrimp, sauteed vegetables, and a nice sauce. The other gents had a surf and turf dish as well. It was definitely the best meal I have had so far, and well worth the money and effort to get out in the town.
On the way back to the hotel, our trusted driver Manuel, wanted to take us to a "wonderful" place called Atlantis. Atlantis was suppose to be a very nice club, where we could have a few drinks and meet very nice Costa Rican women. It was Manuel's top suggestion for what to do in Costa Rica. So I had him show us the place, and as we pulled up, a nicely dressed gentleman, with the Security piece in the ear, gracefully opened the door for us. A quick glimpse through the door and I noticed a long glistening pool. Manuel had taken us to a strip club....that sly bastard. We told him that we would come back tomorrow, and he finally took us back to the hotel. It was an exciting $35 dollar experience at that.
Today was relaxing. The pool, washing clothes, using the Internet, and now sitting hear listening to the afternoon rain that will carry on throughout the night. My friend Meridith from Lawrence, happened to go back to the US to renew her visa this weekend, so I really did not have the opportunity to go out in the town. However, tomorrow is a new day for exploration, and I will try to see a little more than Club Atlantis to fulfill my cultural story that has made my trip of Central America. And then it is off to Panama. One good ride and we will be down to the border, and with good luck, it will only take 3 hours this time.