There comes a moment in life when you wake up and
say to yourself, "I think it's time I learned how to surf."
I told my family that on my 50th birthday I wanted to
stand on a surfboard and feel what it's like to ride a wave.
If there was eye rolling, I pretended not to see it. Instead,
I booked us into a week-long surf school in Costa Rica.
And lo and behold, last week when the milestone day arrived,
I DID ride a wave! (Albeit a little one).
Kalon Escuela de Surf, here we come.
Flew into San Jose, Costa Rica....
...and were picked up by the school's taxi driver Guiligan (yes,
pronounced like the Stranded Isle one).
Loudly posted on the passenger side dash,
six hours later we weren't feeling so tranquilo.
But, since we couldn't do anything about the holiday
traffic (read: deadlock), we readily agreed to go the
long way over the volcanic mountain pass to Dominical.
San Jose.
Entering the foothills.
Few rest stops along the way.
90F in San Jose, to 48F at the top of the pass.
In the clouds most of the way, but when it cleared it was spectacular.
After 5 hours, we needed a little break,
so Guiligan stopped at a buddy's shack,
where we had the most delicious tamales ever.
The view that awaited us at our home for a week was breathtaking.
Kalon has a very large house that sleeps ten people. The other
seven who would be joining us for a week arrived in trickles, just
in time for the first of our communal meals on the veranda.
Day 1, Playa Hermosa for pre-surf exercises.
Everyone, on your boards!
We learned the white waves first.
However, our fellow surfer from Spain, Dimas, was
slightly more advanced than the rest of us.
Playa Hermosa....where the jungle meets the ocean.
Surf guru Roberto, setting up training boards in the sand.
There was much of this.
We look on in awe, a little intimidated by the chaos of the waves.
Just reward for a physical day.
The breakfast room at the mansion.
Hang and wait for the afternoon surf.
Joyous afternoon rain shower.
We progress,
and turn to simpler activities.
Ceviche and Pipas Frias (chilled coconut milk) offered on the beach
Mind your trash.
They grow some big spiders in Costa Rica.
Evenings on the veranda...pure bliss.
The food fresh, healthy, creative.
Owners Kjeld and Silene.
Kjeld
We progress and join Fatima on the green waves.
My first green wave.
Turns out, you can teach an old dog new tricks.
Until you are humbled by the young 'uns.
Roberto.
Esteban & Roberto pack us up for the day.
Much-needed massages.
Boards put away, the instructors go play.
Finally caught a pic of the elusive Toucan.
And the gecko that camped out in our bedroom all week.
The essentials.
Guiligan packs us in for the 3-hour drive to the airport.
Parting shots along the Pan-American Highway.
Luna. Kalon Surf dog.
Kalon Surf School is located in the remote, beautiful and
non-touristy Dominical, Costa Rica.
www.kalonsurf.com
Pura Vida!
