Pura Vida! (Pure Life)

Pura Vida is Costa Rican way to say hello and literally means "pure life".  Two days ago I left behind Granada and it´s hot and lovely athmosphere.

Hotel Patio del Malinche in Granada, lovely place to stay

Started 15 hour boat trip over the Lago de Nicaragua. Sleeping in not so soft seats were nearly impossible. Though got few hours sleep before arriving at 5 AM at San Carlos harbour in southern Nicaragua.

On the upper deck of the boat

We had bananas with us :)

I recommend to avoid San Carlos - Los Chile crossing from Nicaragua to Costa Rica. It is not the fastest way to get over... When arriving at 5 AM, the immigration office opened at 8 AM. We had to queue at least one hour to get our passports stamped and everything paid. Then still waiting 1,5 hours before our boat departed.

Waiting on a boat for departure

Finally on the way to Los Chile, Costa Rica

When arriving into Costa Rica, you need to wait until your lauggage is searched. Then wait until immigration office will open and stamp your passport. All this takes another 1,5 hours. Anyway I managed to get into Costa Rica and got the bus to take me to La Fortuna. Bus drive is another nightmare with constant stops. The bus will stop in every 100 meters to either to pick-up somebody or leave somebody. It took some 3 hours to get to La Fortuna (roughly 60 kms). Therefore I decided today to visit thermal spa with hot springs close to La Fortuna and just enjoy after 28 hours trip from Granada. Oh, it was heaven...

There is "real" Erick-Son TV :) I didn´t know Ericsson is making TVs as well...

 Erick-Son TV

These are the 8 Central American countries. From upper left to lower right corner:

Mexico (Pesos), Belize (Belize Dollars), Guatemala (Quetzals), El Salvador (US Dollars), Honduras (Lempiras), Nicaragua (Cordobas), Costa Rica (Colones) and Panama (Balboa = US Dollars)

 

Central American money

Each of the countries has own slang and the people are calling themselves differently. Guatemalans are "Chapins", Costa Ricans "Ticos", Salvadorans "Guanacos". It´s like Savolaiset, Karjalaiset and Lappilaiset in Finland, when you know where (s)he is coming from you can immediately characterize him/her :)

So, Pura Vida to everybody from C.R. and remember to celebrate the independence day of Finland.