From Golfito, Costa Rica---
"OK, maybe it´s 500 people here, rather than 300, but that´s probably about it. Stretched out thinly over a mile or so of the bayfront. Very, very poor. Houses are almost all corrugated metal or thrown together from scrap wood. Lots of dogs and lots of small children. I´m not sure hardly anyone works. This was the shipping port for United Fruit to ship bananas, but they pulled out about a decade ago and I suspect that was the demise of an already shaky economy. The main businesses seem to be seedy bars, and in a town this small I´ve seen two Alcoholicos Anonisimos.
"But despite the poverty, I don´t sense the desparation of a ghetto. People are friendly and say Hola on the street, the kids and dogs all seem to be having a good time, and life goes on.
"Had a pleasant lunch at what may be the only place in town that qualfies as a 'cafe.' It´s connected with a little marina that runs sportsfishing charters. That is THE big business here now. Apparently Golfo Dolce is a really big place for swordfish and sailfish and whatnot. Chartering a boat and a captain is something like $1000 a day, but that´s small change for the guys who are heavily into sportfishing. There are a few other eateries around, but the one´s I´ve seen are just 3 or 4 tables.
"A lot of students have gone off on arranged buses to beach-resort areas. I suspect I´ll just hang around here. One guide book gives some hints on where to find trails into the rain forest. And Lee is looking into a tour on Thursday with the guides from a nearby ecoresort.
"Quite hot and humid - about like Memphis was last summer. Clouds have come and gone, and it could cloud up and rain at any time. After all, they don´t call it a rain forest for nothing.
"I felt really crappy last night with this cold and went to bed about 9, and slept 11 hours. I felt like I probably had some fever. So I actually stopped by the infirmary this morning, and indeed my temp was 99.7, or something like that. The doc said he´s seen a couple of cases of strep throat, but there´s no evidence I have that. And something about the ship´s ventilation system seems to promote sinus problems and sinus infections. He agreed it´s probably just a cold, but since he´s got a closet full of meds sitting there he went ahead and gave me some antibiotics 'just to make sure.' Anyway, I do feel better this afternoon, even if not yet up to running a marathon. So I´m going to continue taking it easy today and hope I´ll be full strength for Wed and Thurs.
"I´m going to meander back toward the ship and see what I can find on that side of the street. More later."
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