Costa Rica: Liberia

Still stuck in Houston. Woke up at 6:30am but forced myself back to sleep, only to roll out of bed around 7am and slowly make my way to my free complimentary breakfast I had negotiated for the night before because it was advertised on YTB Travel's booking site but is not supposedly included.  Thanks to me, the pilot checking in while I was talking to reception got a free meal too. 

Sat in the hotel restaurant at a table for 1. But how nice was it to just sit there by myself, the freedom felt liberating. I sat for a few mins and then went to grab my buffet breakfast.  I'll need to fuel up because who knows when I'll find food next?

During breakfast,  I pulled out my tablet to work on a resume and cover letter for a friend as I had promised. Half way through, the waiter came to talk to me.  We chit-chatted in between him working and I learned he was from El Salvador and also loves to surf and salsa/bachata. The dining room got busy and I left for the computer room to finish the resume editing.  He found me in the computer room and we exchanged contact and facebook to stay in touch.  Promised the next time im back in IAH I'll find him and we'll go salsa/bachata. 

Love travelling alone.  Meet different people along the way.  Learn so many stories.  Love it.

Finally arrived in Liberia (LIR) around 9pm. As usual,  a crowd of Ticos flock over to ask if I need a taxi and where I'm going.  I ask for a phone.  Fernando pulls out his cell phone and I gave him Jose's cell.  Jose picks up and tells Fernando where to tell the taxi to drive me. Driver laughs at me cause I had no idea where I was going and neither did he! 15 minutes later,  I arrive on a dark street not far from Central Park where Jose greeted me and we exchanged hugs. Thank gawd I didn't get dropped off at some back alleyway in the middle of nowhere!

As soon as I got in,  Jose introduces me to his housemates,  his girlfriend Eva and shows me around his place.  Lucky guy living with 4 girls :). It was Arianna's birthday at midnight and they were going to salsa and invited me along.  Dumped the items out of my bag to grab my...  Salsa shoes!  Oh yes I brought them.  Wasn't sure when I would use them but I brought them!  And within less than half an hour of arriving I was out to a salsa club. Yes!  

Salsa is very different here.  They dance Colombian salsa and a lot of merengue. I can't believe how much merengue I actually danced but it's no boring Toronto merengue that's for sure! A very brave Tico came up to me and asked me to dance. I was sitting in the middle of the group of Jose and Arianna's friends, so that definitely took some balls. Many guys eyed me down like they wanted to ask me to dance but only a few came up to me and the rest just locked eyes on me and my partner when we danced.  We danced merengue Latin style until I was sweating buckets. The whole time I felt eyes on me.  Noone dances the way we do in Toronto. I felt watched and they even turned on the spotlight whenever I was on the dance floor dancing with whoever I was dancing with.  Another guy asked a waitress to ask Eva to tell me he wants to dance with me.  I laughed. Why not just come and ask me? He did shortly after and it took me about a minute to figure out their salsa and we danced till I was almost soaking in my sweat in the sweltering heat.

Met Steven tonight, one of Jose's friends and I made him dance bachata and he danced it pretty well with just the basics and I taught him a few spins. He was headed for Tamarindo but the music was so loud I couldn't figure out if he thought "tomorrow" was Saturday. We made tentative plans to meet up on the bus ride up.

Liberia, Costa Rica

What an amazing start to the adventure already!  Went home around 1am and took a cold shower. Jose and Eva were so nice they were going to sleep on the floor mattress and gave me their room and bed. I easily convinced Eva to keep their room. I was already more than appreciative that I had a floor to sleep on.  I was ready to sleep on the couch! I had to wrestle Jose for a little bit before he was convinced to go back to his room with Eva. Meanwhile, Steven just laughed at us the entire time.  I eventually passed out on the floor mattress sound asleep. 

Tomorrow's another day! 

Live. Love. Travel. Dance. Surf. Pura Vida!