Quiero presentarle

"A friend is a gift you give yourself." - Robert Louis Stevenson

So I moved all the way to Costa Rica to make friends with a couple from San Francisco, who are my age and lived only blocks from me back home. What are the chances?

I first met Kurt a month and a half ago, when he and 2 of his friends showed up at Las Palmas after a bike ride from Guatemala. Yes, that is right; they went on a month long bike ride from Guatemala to Costa Rica. I can’t fathom doing something that crazy, I have told you how hot it was here in April, right? Well, they rode for 30 days during the hottest time of the year here. While it is totally crazy, it is respectable… though heavier on the crazy side. Here is a picture I took for them to commensurate their ride completion.

The night the guys arrived in Manuel Antonio was the night there was the small pool party at our property, so they came to the party and we all had some beers and chatted. I found out that Kurt needed a place to store his bike in the month that he was back in the States packing up to move here, so I told him that he could store his bike in the extra bedroom at my house. While I was offering to be nice, I have to admit I was not thrilled about having SF neighbors here in Costa Rica. After all, I moved here for a break from San Francisco… and here it was following me. Turns out I have changed my mind, having them here has been amazing; aside from having to play the “Gap Game” (Everyone in San Francisco either formerly worked for Gap, or has a friend who did… so anytime someone finds out I spent 3 years at Gap, it results in the “Name Game” … “Do you know Sam from Accounting? Um, no.) they have turned out to be some of the coolest people I have met… and I don’t just mean in Costa Rica. I mean ever.

When I got back from my weekend away with my parents, Kurt and Linda had arrived at the property, and since then we have been hanging out and becoming fast friends. I hike with Linda in the mornings, and beat Kurt at cribbage in the evenings…well, that was only once… but seeing as he always cheats when he plays games with Linda, I thought I should mention it here.

They live 2 houses up from me and have a darling dog Sam, who has quickly become my pal. They will only be in this area for around another month as they plan to live in various places around Costa Rica for the next year… but I am sure you will hear plenty more about them on the blog during that time… so I thought it made sense to do a formal introduction.

So here they are… this past Friday night at Bamboo Jam… which was the most crowded, sweaty, hot place I have been since arriving. It is actually a very cool little spot, but apparently gets VERY crowded on Friday nights. Remind me to only go there on Wednesdays from now on.


P.S. if any of you from San Francisco happen to know them, it is going to freak me out a little. And no, neither of them worked for Gap, though Linda’s longtime roommate did (of course).