Fifth Time In Costa Rica, 24

This has been a day of minor annoyances, Gentle Reader, but I would prefer to emphasize the positives in this blog. Beides, during the home stretch of these trips, my nerves are usually a bit on edge. Being Holy Week, or Semana Santa, of course a lot of families are out, which means more children and more noise. Here at the bed and breakfast, the owners are having family over for the week, there are a couple of small children and the noise gets overwhelming at times, which makes writing this blog a bit difficult, because the computer is in the reception area which is right next to the family´s living area, and I am feeling inhibited about asking them to keep the noise down in their own home. Fortunately, my room is in a different building which, despite the thin walls, is pretty quiet. I am also wearing earplugs right now, but the owner´s father has a very loud voice and they´re not that effective. This too will pass. I didn´t do much today. I did get a lot of art and some walking done. I´ve been reflecting today on why I don´t drive. Almost everyone who visits Monteverde rents a vehicle and uses the many tour buses to get around, as well as cabs. I seem to be the only one who walks everywhere. I did make a concrete decision when I was a teenager that I would never drive. I was so accident prone when I was young that I was sure that I would likely end my life as another highway statistic. I have also always been too poor to maintain a vehicle, so, so much for White Privilege. But there were other reasons as well. During the early seventies, people were already aware of the devastating effects of carbon emissions on the environment. I did not want to contribute to this mess. I have actually done okay without a vehicle. I think a lot of people would. Unfortunately, a lot of us are still brainwashed by a lot of bourgeois nonsense about pride of ownership, independence and personal power, and the advertising industry really cashes in on our vulnerability. Even now that the horse is out of the barn and we are beginning to experience catastrophic climate change the car companies and big oil and governments are pulling harder than ever to sell their toxic products and we just keep falling for it, not apparently caring that through our compliance we are helping destroy the planet, and the future of our children and grandchildren. Yes, I know it is a bit difficult doing everything on foot. I don´t get to see all the things nor visit easily all the places that tourists here are expected to see and enjoy. But there is a trade off. Going everywhere on foot seems to give me an intimate knowledge and understanding of the places I visit and the people who live there. Going slowly, I can observe and take more in. I can actually see and meet real live local people, and kind of watch them as they go about their daily lives. I can see and savour more details of the rich natural beauty of this place, not just in the tree museums, or the forest reserves, but throughout the area, while also getting a deeper and more instinctive understanding of the indelible relation between the people here and their natural environment. I know that my style of travel isn´t for everyone, but to every car owner reading this blog, may I present this little challenge: How important to you is the future of our dear Mother Earth, and what are you prepared to do to help slow the destruction that is being unleashed on our environment? How prepared are you to give up your precious car and accept perhaps a slightly humbler, but spiritually richer way of life, as a tradeoff? Or, you could always go electric, but right now, I am talking to those of you who are already leaving a large carbon footprint. A hug from Monteverde.