2004-07-13 American spring break town, Tamarindo, Costa Rica



After leaving Nicaragua I took a bus to Tamarindo, Costa Rica, where I have spent the last week or so. I meet a Swiss girl here, Eve, and she is training to be a professional surfer. With her as an adviser, we went around town shoping for a surfboard. We visited a bunch of people, including some very famous shapers. For instance, you know the film made in the sixties, that revolutionized the world of surfing, called 'Endless Summer'? There is a guy there, Marco, who shows them the surfing locations. Well, Marco is living in Tamarindo, shaping boards. Actually, I also got to meet Cort - one of the producers of that movie. He's got a whole barn full of surfboards! At the end of the day I bough one for $80! It's a 6'6", with FCS removable fins (which is going to be quite handy when traveling) and I am almost as good with it as I was on the 9 ft board. All in all, Tamarindo has been pretty cool. Eventhough it's somewhat expensive (due to an overwhelming number of American tourists/surfurs), the surf is good and I am pleasing my taste buds with excellent sea food.

The night life is also quite vibrant, though I have been typically going to sleep pretty early to catch the morning high tide. I should also mention that the bars are full of prostitues and drug dealers - fun crowd depending on who you ask, but not to my taste. So really, Tamarindo is the American spring break town. Tomorrow however, I am makin my way to Playa Negra - difficult to reach beach with nothing around except the waves. I am feeling like going someplace secluded after the Tamarindo experience, and Playa Negra should be just that.