16 October 2010

Leaving Santa Lucia and driving through Escuintalas I took the wrong road south to San Jose but I was able to take a road to Monterrico despite no road being on the map. I had to cross a small bridge and drive several miles on a road of dubious conditions. At Monterrico several young boys ran up to my car and asked if I needed parking or a hotel. One boy directed me to a parking lot. Several of the bills I had received as change from the toll bridge were stapled together unbeknownst to me and ripped when I pulled them apart.  The parking lady would not take them.

I walked along the beach for a while before backtracking into town to find the bus for Hawaii beach. The sand here is black. There is a boy leading horses up and down the beach for you to ride. I asked a guy if he was American because he had a Descendants hat. He said he was not. I guess he just likes punk rock.

In town I was directed to the bank and the bus stop.  I changed my money for new bills but I did not take the bus to Hawaii beach, instead the boys I asked where the bus stop was had a friend of theirs give me a free ride to the Hawaii Beach Park.

Entrance to the Hawaii Beach Turtle Park

The park was staffed by a Swiss girl, a French girl, two German girls, and an English man and woman. The Swiss girl showed me all around and then invited me to sit down with them and have some lunch, fried spaghetti. Every night they go on patrol looking for turtles laying eggs. They dig up the eggs and rebury them at their center. When the eggs hatch they set the turtles on the beach so they can crawl into the ocean. If they do not dig up the eggs in time the locals will dig them up and eat them or sell them to the park. They are all volunteers. No one gets paid. There is a local guy in charge but it still seems very anarchistic. Apparently you just show up and say you want to volunteer and that’s that. The English lady asked if I wanted to volunteer and as tempting as it sounded I don’t think that is the place for me. So I took the bus back to Monterrico and rented a room real cheap. Less than ten dollars. There is no T.V. in the room and this is good. I’ve been watching to much television on this trip. I was told today is Saturday and I could hardly believe it.

Rows of turtle eggs

For dinner I had nachos. Super nachos. Life is pretty stupid. I can’t imagine it matters what you do with it.