The Next Day, by Schu

Back at it.
Met Cath and Isaac for a morning walk of the base of Mt Arenal. Enter at Your Own Risk signs made us feel doubly intrepid and the thundering sound of rocks spinning down the west slope was pretty fantastic. Most of Arenal however is shrouded in fog currently. As promised I returned to my grounded, meandering ways and enjoyed a trek into some high grasses where tigers could hide and then just to the right a rain forest. It was fun to experience such a sharp turn in climate and just the little jaunt was much more intimate and overwhelming then even the lush and protected cloudforest... Cath seemed not to want to stray too far into the jungle and when we startled a turkey vulture and caused us all to jump a little, I can understand why. But it was cool and shady and lovely. We then joined the que to the volcano rocks, where there was a view of the lake and several more views of the rocks thundering down, and epidendrum orchids and lilies sprouting up. A flying toucan! which I yelled out to Cath, which caused a multitude of tourists to whip out their binoculars and snap their zm lens in the direction of my outstretched finger. Then walking back I saw a snake that had red-black stripes causing me to hault the group with a gasp and say, guys! i think that´s a snake! ooo. Obvious. But I´m the only one who saw it. Then the mystery bird 2nd photo down, and an army of ants stretching around a building and threading through the grassy fields of the park entrance.

After such an exhilirating time of it especially on the eve of the new year it was time for drinks at the pool and a good long soak. Fan'tastic. It was a particularly epic and lovely morning.

I then met the group for dinner whereeveryone was already 2 sheets to the wind, and headed very reluctantly to a discotheque which was fine until the stripper slash duff girls showed up... but the beer is called imperial- and the M-C was annoying and wouldn´t shut up the entire night...though the guy dancers were entertaininig... but still... it made it more about them and not us, and the music, only so'so. And after such a contrast to peace and relaxment, it was jarring in the extreme. I drank beer which I hate, stuffed toilet paper in my ears, tried to dance, but to no avail as every fiber of my being was bored and completely anti-whatever it was that was going on in there. Yah, yah, yah happy new year! Julie and I and Marianna took a cab home as Martin tried to drunkenly explain to the cab driver our needs. I think we would have managed but nonetheless, being told I love you, I really do- by unsober people on New years is par for the course. And overall it was a good end to a pretty fabulous year. So long 2008!