An Awful Lot Like Work / Costa Rica Trip '08, Part V

I started learning Tai Chi Chuan (or taijiquan, however you prefer it) on Monday.  Know how I know these guys are teaching it right?  Not only am I getting beat up in sparring sessions, but it is HARD.  If you see someone practicing their Tai Chi, chances are it's an older (and, let's face it, Chinese) person who's been doing it for a long time.  And you probably think to yourself, "Oh, that's very pretty.  Also, it looks very easy."  As someone learning it from the beginning let me assure you that it is not.  On the other hand, I have something good to wake me up and put me to bed every day.  Great Success!

In daily news, things are well here.  I'm making new friends and getting settled in nicely, I think.  Some concrete plans for the future would be nice, but hey, I'm not greedy.  I'm happy with the way things are going.

How are you, Reader?

8 April

--Day of Rest--

Started off today with a 0530 wakeup call from our tent neighbor.  Apparently he just loves talking to himself.  Ostensibly, he was speaking to his wife, but she didn't say a word.  Eventually I was able to force myself back to sleep.  Blech.

We sat on the deck for a long time in the morning and I started The Problem of Pain.  This one is much more challenging than The Great Divorce, and if nothing else, it reminds me that there is still much I need to learn.  I'm not sure that I agree with all of Lewis's postulations - especially concerning Genesis 1 - but again, I need to learn more about (for example) evolution before I can really decide for myself.  But as always, Lewis does a great job of putting words to the nebulous logic I already possessed - a talent I appreciate more every time I ready his works.

Today's wildlife: crabs, hermit crabs, a jellyfish that I (hopefully) rescued from certain death, a white faced monkey (chacupin? cachupin?  capuchin!), some scarlet maccaws (!), and magically submerging river logs (probably crocs).  Today was mostly about resting up for tomorrow, but we had some fun, too.

--Tidal Pools--

We went down to the beach after our morning relax-fest.  The tide was out - WAY out - and had left behind an alien landscape.  It was less like going to the beach than going to the moon.  Most of the pools were very shallow, but I did get to see a lot of little crabs and fish.  We walked all the way out to the surf and found a pool deeper than the others.  We floated around in that one for some time, apparently missing the landing of a plane.  We did get to see its departure, though.  I waved, but I'm not sure if they saw.  Oh well.  Jesse and I both got stung on the leg by something, whether jellyfish or anemone, I do not know.  It went away pretty quickly.

--Scouting the Trail--

We walked down to the beach again in the afternoon to check out the trail to La Leona.  That's where we finally got close to the maccaws.  Upon emerging onto the trail from the beach, we saw a veritable swarm of hermit crabs pretty far inland.  The ground was almost literally alive with them.  The river we have to cross tomorrow is very wide and, from what I'm told, a meter deep at low tide.  Also, there are crocs and sharks.  So that'll be quite the adventure.

Rain's here.  Time for sleep.  Another glorious day in paradise, Lord.  (2105, 8 April)