Today I will be stopping by the encomiendo to pick up my rocking chairs. For those not familiar with the ways of Central America goods are frequently shipped from one encomiendo to another in the luggage areas of long haul buses. Every major city will have at least one. Goods can be shipped very inexpensively across a country for a few dollars.
The goods to be transported are delivered at an encomiendo, which is always adjacent to a bus stop. The fee is paid, an addressee specified and the goods are placed on the next available bus. Hours later they arrive at the destination at well known times and by presentation of identification the packages can be picked up.
Rudy, my host, is pushing me to get my hair cut by some woman in town that he thinks I would find highly desirable for more than hair cutting. He just offered to go to the transport office and buy me a ticket on a shuttle in a shared van to Puerto Viejo tomorrow, the fare is but $50. I can't wait to get home. Perhaps I shall have a brief layover in Puerto Viejo but I have learned that a couple of my friends and acquaintances in town have moved on, to parts unknown.
The electricity has gone out throughout town. I made a small purchase at a local supermarket and in the confusion left my small package after paying for it. A woman followed me for a kilometer to inform me that I had left my package. She had been unable to overtake my brisk walk. After informing me she turn and returned from whence she came.
When I first came to Costa Rica it seemed a wonderful and exotic place. Having travelled all over Central America it seems more an over priced destination seriously deficient in infrastructure. Give me Panama any day.
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