Back where it all started...Liberia!

I made my way back to Liberia. I fly out of Costa Rica to Miami in 2 days and my flight is out of the Liberia airport so I wanted to be close.

I arrived on Sunday and didn´t really do much other than grab dinner and write a blog post. I found a cheap hotel, and that´s what I got...cheap. It´s only for 2 nights, I can do anything for 2 nights...well maybe, but this place is pushing it.

Monday, I decided to take the $1 bus from Liberia to Playa de Coco to take advantage of one last beach day. On the bus, I met Roberto. He is from Nicaragua originally but now works in Coco at a condo/hotel. He was very liberal with his life information. He makes $1,600 a month as a maintenance supervisor of the hotel - I think that´s pretty good money for a Tico. He pays $150 in rent and is willing to pay the $2 round trip bus ride from Coco to Liberia because everything is cheaper in Libera. He can get Chicharrones for $2 in Liberia vs $4 in Coco. He helped me with my Spanish and taught me some new words...nice guy. When I arrived at Coco, I thought "this is it?". The "book" said it wasn´t the nicest beach but c´mon. I think they should call Playa de Coco, Playa de Not So Pretty. It´s muddy and rocky with some garbage thrown in. I am not a fan. It wasn´t that nice out so I´d say my last beach day was pretty much a bust. I think Tamarindo is definitely one of the nicer beaches on the Pacific of Costa Rica.

Liberia is know for the "Sabanero" or local cowboy. This is cattle country for sure and the Sabanero is the highlight of Tropes (horse parade/rodeo/county fair). I didn´t get to go to a Trope but I did see a few Sabaneros. Very proud looking men riding horses, making the horses dance along. I am sure there´s a proper Sabanero term for it, I just know it looks like the horses are tip toe dancing.

One other thing I noticed, I was in line for the ATM and there was a huge line to enter the bank. I guess the previous Friday was payday. I watched as the people, both men and women, walk into the bank. I didn´t notice it at first, but then it caught my attention. Every man that had a hat on took it off upon entering the bank, not just one or two, but all of them. One of those "old school" customs still in force here in Liberia!

I am back in the good ole US of A on Tuesday. I am looking forward to consistent hot water showers and being able to flush TP (too much info huh?).