Fifth Time In Costa Rica, 16

Sometimes, Gentle Reader, I can get really angry. I am generally ready to lose it when I am being serenaded by throbbing disco party music in the middle of the jungle at night, when all I want to do is bed down for a good night´s sleep, and the earplugs just can´t do the job because the music is so damn loud. Well, the hotel next door was at it again. Just after eight, as I was getting ready to settle down for a good read before dropping off to sleep, I thought at first that it was thunder, or a huge truck rolling by, or maybe the beginnings of an earthquake. And I already was wearing the bloody earplugs! When I became aware of the cause of the noise, I went up to reception to complain, but there was nothing they could do, because apparently, here you can make any kind of godawful loud racket, no matter how many people you´re keeping awake who have to work early the next morning, as long as you shut it down by 10 pm. The establishment is named Villa Verde, by the way. If you ever come to Monteverde, please do not stay there. Especially if you like to go to sleep early, but also because they are awful people. The management of the bed and breakfast where I´m staying will recommend people who come looking for a room when they are already full, to other hotels, but never to the Villa Verde. I looked them up on the internet, found their contact information and sent them first a polite email in Spanish. A half hour later, the music was still loud. I sent another polite email. Fifteen minutes later, still no change. I sent another email, then out of sheer frustration I sent them a fourth, which I will copy and translate here. ´´Puesto que no hagan caso a mi queja del ruido, les advierto que si ocurra de nuevo tal ruido mientras estoy aqui, voy a escribir algo de la situación en el Tripadvisor, y en los Google reviews. Su falta de consideración a otras personas es muy preocupante.´´ English translation: ´´Since you have been ignoring my complaint about the noise, I am warning you that if this occurs again while I am here, then I will write something about the situation on Tripadvisor, and on Google reviews, You´re lack of consideration for others is very troubling.´´ I also threatened to come over there and confront them in person if they didn´t smarten up. Well, just after that last email, everything went quiet and it was still only 9:30. I also got a reply from them today saying they would cooperate. So, let´s keep our fingers crossed, eh? No matter how much I hate conflict I have come to accept it sometimes as a necessary evil. Also, acknowledging that we are all basically cowards, it seems there are at least two ways to address our cowardliness: We can either cave and run away or at least try not to rock the boat, or we can stand up and fight for what we believe in. Even though I´m a pacifist, that has never stopped me from confronting idiots when I´ve had to. I have also tried caving or running away, and I just didn´t like having to live with someone like myself after I did that, so, it´s stand up and fight. And the family who owns the bed and breakfast seem quite happy with what I did, especially given that I never once named them or their establishment. I merely wrote that I am staying with friends, which is also true. Of course, this kind of conflict often affects my sleep somewhat, but I didn´t do too bad, and I napped for a good hour and something after breakfast. I still have to remind myself sometimes that it´s okay just to lie around and do nothing. It is one of the reasons why I´m here, eh?Nothing else really interesting today. I went back to the reserve for another hike. They let me in free now, because the management of the Mariposa (one of their sons works in the reserve) made a special arrangement for me. It wasn´t too crowded, and again the intense beauty of life and growth and biodiversity here is such that you only have to keep returning in order to appreciate it. Just one single tree supports and sustains up to seventy or more distinct species of other plants. It has also been sunny all day so the intense light and shadow in the foliage produces a dazzling visual affect. I do feel like a stranger in a strange land here, though, but not with the locals. It´s with other tourists. I seem to be quite out of the ordinary here. I am not staying just two or three days, but for a month. I am not on a special education or volunteer program. I am here, to observe, learn, appreciate, enjoy and communicate with others. I don´t carry a camera or telescopic equipment, and I don´t have a vehicle, neither do I take cabs or the bus, I walk everywhere. I don´t even have a phone or laptop. Less is more. I am also here to rest and hike and grow deeper into God. Should I run into another person like me while on this trip, you will be the first to know, Gentle Reader. In other news, the six year old granddaughter of the owners and I just did another art trade, similar to last year. Her father is the owners´son who works in the reserve. And now, Gentle Reader, while watching the late afternoon sun filter through the intensely green foliage in its own dazzling gold brilliance, let me sign off with a big hug for all of you, or if you´re squeamish about hugs, how about a fist bump? Seeya.