¡ ¡ El Galloviejo Ya Llegue A Costa Rica ! !
¡ You've seen the movie, now read the unexpurgated version of the book that started it all !
25-9-97
As Selena's live rendition of the all time record breaking Latino classic, "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom", swells to it's anachronistic climax, the long awaited announcement is made to all -
¡ ¡ EL G A L L O V I E J O Y A L L E G U E A COSTA RICA ! !
¡ It's really true, folks ! ¡ I’m here for my fourth consecutive year and the all-enveloping ambiance of Costa Rica continues to totally knock me out!
Thursday, 18-9-97, was lift off. Ed took me to the Greyhound terminal in beautiful downtown Houston. There, with my left wrist and laptop computer inconspicuously joined together by pair of black Smith + Wesson handcuffs, I was off like a herd of turtles. Destination, Laredo, Texas. A good time was made by all and we arrived around four o'clock in the morning. Laredo is quiet at that time of day, real quiet! After a meal, motel shower and a rest, I was dynamically empowered once more. Friday and Saturday were spent (but not much) in Laredo, one of my old sales territories, as well as in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. It felt great to be walking the streets of Nuevo Laredo once more. This town was the site of the initial international visit of my life in 1955. Nothing relatively eventful happened here in Nuevo Laredo this time or on any of my many previous visits to this bewitching city that can be admitted to in writing.
Saturday night, I was off to León, Guanajuato, Mexico, on a scheduled eleven-hour bus ride, in a gorgeous, velvet curtained bus with reclining plush seats. The trip took sixteen hours because of the rainstorms, traffic and wrecks on the highway. León is where over 90% + of Mexico's boots and shoes are manufactured. Lots of boot shopping, sight seeing, etc. I discovered boots made from rhinoceros, iguana, crocodile, snake and armadillo skins for sale for from $25.00 to $30.00. Good ones. Full quill ostrich boots were $70.00. ¡ W O W !
On day six, Tuesday, when I was scheduled to visit three more Mexican cities in as many days, I was pooped, mostly from luggage carrying, so I reconsidered my plan of action and restructured my agenda. My next trip was to the Leon International Airport with San José, Costa Rica, as my destination. Continental Airlines threw in an initial flight leg to Houston at no additional charge. ¡ How ironic ! Then, ever onward, with a direct flight from Houston to San Jose.
My luggage and I gradually and gingerly climbed on board a city bus at San José's Juan Santamaria International Airport. Juan Santamaria is a big hero in Costa Rica. His heroic actions on May 15, 1856, led to their winning their last war against a mercenary invasion led by an infamous gringo, William Walker, a U. S. citizen. Upon boarding the bus, I was immediately and most actively invited by a lovely onyx haired total stranger, Sandra, (5' 9", 120 lb., circa 1970) to sit in the empty seat next to her. She was a big help with my luggage and stuff. After becoming better acquainted on the bus, Sandra and I hopped in a taxi as soon as the bus arrived at the central bus terminal in downtown San Jose and headed for my favorite resting place, Hotel Boston. Upon arriving in the hotel lobby, Mary, the hotel night manager I knew from my previous visit last May, jumped up from the front desk and rushed over to greet me with open arms. She said they were full but 'discovered' a room.
¡ San José has just been great ! I have met so many friendly local folks here. Today, I picked up my U. S. A. mail waiting for me at my mail forwarding service, led a meeting of The Gringo Tico Group at the Anchor Club and scouted around for a house or apartment of which there are hundreds available.
An international convention will be held in Costa Rica on October 17, 18 + 19 in the paradise city of Manuel Antonio, which is next to one of their national parks, a rain forest, right on the sandy shores of the coast of the Pacific Ocean.
¡ Come on down !
Next time, I hope to have full blown, 'click here', scenic digital photographs interspersed in the text as an accompanying added feature.
¡ If it gets any better, I can stand it !
And the beat goes on.
Allen, El Galloviejo®
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