It’s Raining Molasses and Crabs

April 6, 2012

We have been in Playa Guiones for eight days of mostly relaxation that includes beach walks, ocean swims and plenty of pool time.  In the first few days it was brutally hot mid-day but cooled to just pleasant, mildly humid-warm at night and early morning.  Then a few days ago, the late afternoon sky turned black with dark, moist clouds that brought thunder and cleansing, heavy downpours.  The rain is a welcome change for those who live here and drive the dusty roads every day. The dust is so thick that it gets into your pores, lungs, and sinuses if you are not lucky enough to own a car.  But have a car, and it becomes encrusted with a thick, gritty film that obstructs your vision and chokes the engine with prolonged exposure.   Fortunately, with the rain, the dust settles back on the roads and the ruts turn into delicious smelling molasses puddles.   During the dry season many businesses pour a sugary, syrup-like mixture on the roads to control the dust.  When it rains, that syrup resurfaces and leaves you craving a molasses cookie.  

The charming red and black crabs return with the rain.  They make their homes in the ground and come back to life when the dry season is over.  It is fun watching them go about their business hunting for food, fighting over females and protecting their territory.  Last night I found one of the babies, no bigger than my index fingernail, hurrying across our bathroom floor.  At first I thought it was a big spider, but was relieved that it was “just a crab” and let it find its way out, hopefully the way it came in, under the space in our door.  At least I hope it found its way out!!  Perhaps I will get stopped at the border when they discover it has tried to smuggle itself out of the country inside one of our suitcases!

With the rain, Costa Rica seems to have come alive again.  Along with the crabs there are healthy looking green iguanas that strut around the pool and climb into trees to munch on tender new leaves.    These prehistoric looking creatures are such beautiful specimens, sporting armor that you would swear is just a costume designed creatively by some computer animation team in Hollywood.  They are so attractive that it is difficult to stop taking pictures of them. We have a porch outside our room with rocking chairs, where we can sit, relax and hear the sound of the waves in the distance and the tinkling bell like sound of the cicadas that play their music 24 hours a day.  The sky is alive with various birds traveling the treetops, putting on mating dances and building nests to prepare for spring.  In the morning, the howler monkeys make a noise that is similar to barking dogs as they stake out their territory and lay claim to a favorite mango tree loaded heavily with ripe fruit.  In the evening, there is an old bullfrog that chimes in and adds his bass notes to the music that permeates the warm night air. 

The sea seems to have an abundance of life too.  When I went for a morning swim yesterday, a wave of six inch fish washed over my head, and when the wave settled it seemed like the area around me was boiling with the movement of the large school as it passed by.  At that point I decided it was time to get out of the ocean because I didn’t want to encounter the larger fish that were no doubt “hunting” the group of little fish they had rounded up. We also have been enjoying the food from the sea. Many of the restaurants here are outdoors.  Some have just a thatched, palm style roof; others have beautiful, high pitched teak roofs, but generally all the sides are open to the air.  One night we had perfectly seasoned fried fish as we sat at a table with nothing but the sky and stars above us and the sea was just 200 feet away.  While we waited for our meal, surfers nearby caught the last wave as we all witnessed a purple-red sunset.  The ceviche here is fresh and delicious and so is the tuna Carpaccio that is sliced paper thin and tastes perfect on freshly toasted focaccia bread.  Just add a cold beer or crisp glass of white wine and you know you have found epicurean heaven!  We will savor these last few days of nature, good food and the companionship of my daughter and her friends.  Just one more big adventure awaits us in Guatemala.  Time to get organized again and learn what we can about the places we will see along the way.