In which Roz and Layla paddleboard in the ocean, are charmed by two men and read lots of books.

By Roz

After another delicious breakfast (the gays who run this B and B really are excellent cooks), we were off out on a paddleboarding expedition.  It was just the two of us and a very cheery American guide (who later told us, in true American style, of his plans to set up and run an import-export business from Asia). We were slightly ambivalent about the tour, because it was in the ocean and we feared we wouldn't manage two minutes without falling in. In true British style, we described our fears of falling from the boards to our guide in some detail - and our guide promptly thought that we'd probably never been out on a board before, and began managing our expectation down about how far we would go. So it was pleasing all round to step on to our boards and find (after a few waves of seasickness!) that it wasn't that much harder to paddleboard on the ocean than it is on a river. I suspect that our confidence in part came from the beautiful temperature of the water - it would have been a delight to fall in (in contrast to the Potomac River in DC, for example). And it was was very lovely: we were pretty much alone on the ocean (bar one random kayaker who we passed) and we made such good time that we ended up going a mile and a half to a small cove with a lovely sandy beach. We frolicked in the water and thought the snow that was falling on Washington at that very moment seemed very unlikely. We headed back the same way we'd come, chatting with our guide about paddleboard racing and where in the world to live - and delighting in the clear blue water and avoiding rocks. 

After this very satisfactory experience, we were dropped off in our hotel where we showered and then jumped in the pool. Eventually - fearful of burning - we dried ourselves and headed down the road for lunch. First, we went to the Falafel Bar (an unlikely food to be so enthusiastic about in Costa Rica...but it was delicious) and then to the cafe opposite for ice cream and a end of our books. Layla became antsy after a good while, fearing we would miss our bus to Alajuela (a small city near the airport) whilst I feared that getting the bus would mean our holiday was over and thus was deploying my best delaying tactics and so we headed back to pick up our suitcases and then back into Quepos to the bus station. As predicted, smugly, by me we were indeed somewhat early. So I sent Layla to buy ice cream whilst I settled down with Lorrie Moore's new book of short stories and tried to ignore the Spanish evangelist (the moment to find God is not in a bus station, in my view). After ice cream came the bus, and we hopped on. It turned out to be a fairly delightful journey - quick, but also going through villages to pick up more people which I always enjoy as I like imagining the lives of others. Whilst we travelled, I became enraptured by the new book I am listening to - The Signature of All Things, by Elizabeth Gilbert - and all in all was rather sorry when the bus journey was over.  We'd been deposited at the airport, which was a five minute bus journey away from Alajuela. 

I'd had my doubts about Alajuela, which we were mainly going to because of its proximity to the airport. But actually, I was wrong. It's by no means a place which a tourist would want to stay for days (or even a day, perhaps) but we enjoyed walking along the quiet streets to our hotel and spotting nice looking places for drinks, dinner and coffee. Having checked in to our hotel (and into a room with five beds, just for us!) we headed to a nearby restaurant and "cocteleria" though we shunned cocktails and opted for craft beers (followed by a strawberry milkshake in Layla's case...). There was a very jolly ambience, and the waiter was the loveliest and kindest we'd come across in our time in Costa Rica. (Next morning, we found ourselves similarly charmed by the hotel owner who just went out of his way to be nice...clearly there's something in the water in Alajuela!) We then went for a wander to the town square, which was very pretty if deserted (it was about 10.30) and then headed to bed, pleasantly surprised by the place we were in (and not just because of the multiple beds). 

Next morning - our final morning - we had breakfast in the hotel and then went out for a very quick look in Goodlight Books - a big English language secondhand bookshop (named after the Hemmingway short story) before hopping on another bus to take us to the airport. And now we are in the air and en route home. Costa Rica has been an interesting experience: I've had a brilliant time, but it was a bit like visiting a jungle version of Florida...

BOOKS READ WHILST AWAY

by Roz: The Magician's Assistant (Ann Patchett), The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd), The Golden Compass (Philip Pullman), The Subtle Knife (Philip Pullman), The Amber Spyglass (Philip Pullman), Flora (Gail Godwin), Sweet Tooth (Ian McEwan), I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (Maya Angelou), Bark: Stories (Lorrie Moore), the Human Factor (Graham Greene). Progress made with The Signature of All Things (Elizabeth Gilbert).

by Layla: We Are Water by Wally Lamb, The Golden Compass (Philip Pullman), The Subtle Knife (Philip Pullman), The Amber Spyglass (Philip Pullman), TransAtlantic by Colum McCann, The Dispossessed by Ursula P Le Guin, and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. Progress made with Flora (Gail Godwin), whilst The Many-Colored Land (Julian May) was abandoned.