Fifth Time In Costa Rica, 8

Well, today I encountered even more pleasant French tourists, but I`m still not ready to eat crow. I`m vegetarian, and besides, crow meat is probably gamy and tough. And then there`s the super introverted couple in the next room. I think they`re French. I wouldn`t go so far as to call them unfriendly, as that would imply hostility, but they certainly seem to live in their own bubble. I have nicknamed them Jean Paul and Simone, after Jean Paul Sartre, the famous French existentialist philosopher who denied being an existentialist, and his longterm girlfriend, Simone de Beauvoir, the equally famous French feminist writer. I don`t know, they just seem very intense, reserved and intellectual. And they really appear completely unaware of the people around them, so, in other words, typical eggheads. Like yesterday, when I was on my way to my room (it is in a cabana, the last of a row of three rooms, all with garden entrance) when I noticed a couple of large hairy legs jutting out across the walkway, and even though I gave him fair warning, I almost tripped over his feet, so absorbed was he in whatever book he was reading. His partner was seated on the other side of their door, equally absorbed in a book. But at least she kept her feet in. Now, I am not one to look in windows, though like anyone else, I will cop a glance while walking by, and only out of the most innocent curiosity. Well, the day before yesterday, while on my way to my room, there she was standing there in a black lacy bra. I averted my eyes faster than lightning, but, well, I`m sure you know what I mean Gentle Reader. Absolutely nothing salacious going on, but both Jean Paul and Simone really seem to occupy their own little universe. At least they`re quiet. There is a cafe at the entrance to the Cloud Forest, Cafe Colibri, or Cafe Hummingbird. They have a patio with a lot of hummingbird feeders. The place seems to have gone downhill, and the patio was packed with around forty members of a tour group, all staring like teenagers in love at the few hummingbirds that still seem to want to put up with such a crowd. So, I didn`t stick around, but I did have to work on my negative attitude towards other tourists during my walk back. I am trying to be as compassionate as possible, and I do think that for a lot of people, my style of travel is just too difficult and daunting. Few people, it would seem, would even think of travelling solo, and I agree that you have to have a certain mindset and constitution in order to do this well. Especially if you don`t speak the local language, and you want to feel safe. So, tourist groups are quite the booming industry. And here in Moonteverde, I almost never come across other solo travellers. In this order, it is always couples, families, groups, and two or more friends travelling together. I guess I should feel like an oddity, but I don`t. Neither have I ever really figured out just why I travel alone. I mean, I have plenty of friends, but I`m not sure if being at close quarters like that for a month would do a lot for our friendship, and besides, I would just rather get up and go when I`m able to, without having to wait for someone else to make up their mind. I don`t know, maybe it`s just not meant to be. Same reason why I never married and had kids. It just never appeared on my radar, I guess, and, no, I do not feel like I`m missing out. Am I open to travelling with someone in the future? I don`t know. No one has asked me, and really, I feel reluctant to invite anyone, maybe for fear of being turned down, or maybe for fear that they might accept. Well, time will tell, I suppose, but if it does ever happen, I am not sharing a hotel room. I snore and so do other people, and I really don`t do very well unless I feel alone and safe within four secure walls. I honestly don`t know how so many people can hack that kind of constnt togetherness that comes with travelling with others. It would surely drive me bats. I came across quite a few cyclists today, all young Costa Rican guys done up in spandex with advertising on their jerseys, little Lance Armstrong wannabes (bring your own steroids). It almost made me feel like I was back home in Vancouver! I otherwise didn`t do a lot today. Just walked around a lot and enjoyed some spectacular viewpoints, especially of the distant Nicoya Peninsula and all the lovely forest, mountains and fields that lie between. I also made friends with a friendly dog that insisted on jumping up on me (for those of you who think I`m a dog hater, I`m not. But I have been traumatized in the past by vicious dogs, and I do have a slight preference for cats. But really, it depends on the individual dog, cat, human being, boa constrictor, take your pick) After a couple of hours with my sketchbook in an open air cafe in a hidden away spot and a lovely viewpoint, I walked around a bit, then had half of a huge pizza at Tramonti`s, the fancy schmancy Italian reaturant. I sat on the deck in the back with a beatiful view of the trees of the tropical forest, their leaves glittering like polished green gold and green fire in the afternoon sun. I had a nice chat with the waitress (are we still allowed to use that gender specific term or is it too laden with baggage of patriarchy and entrenched structural misogyny. Are any of you, my Gentle Reader, covert politically correct thought police? Just in case you want to know, my views are generally pretty progressive, but really, to everything there is, or should be, a limit!) She was born and raised here in Monteverde and together we were lamenting how much things have changed here and the way the tourist industry is really undermining this beautiful place. But we are also able to agree that this place is so beautiful that the damage is going to be limited. Unless they open a casino here, then it`s past the point of no return. This place is still overwhelmingly beautiful, the local people are lovely, and I am also meeting some decent visitors, so it ain`t all bad. A big hug for all of you from your own personal Aaron!