Montezuma

How is it that a person can fall in love with a place so hard having been there only a few days? Also, is it possible that a place can be addictive? For someone who usually runs in the opposite direction from consumerism and an invariable lifestyle, Montezuma has completely consumed my daydreams. I have contemplated living there for a month at a time or forever and somehow working my career around finding a way to live there. Now, I don't think I'd act on any of these impulses, well, maybe I could live there for a month, but I would be worried I'd be sucked in like every other expat that currently lives and works there. The economy is run by tourists, but the shop and restaurant owners seem to be mostly expats, so where are the ticos? They work *for* the expats. Seems a little messed-up, but everyone seems happier than ever. I don't think I encountered one unhappy person in Montezuma. It's like someone burned 100 pounds of cocaine in the center of town and now everyone is addicted, but in euphoria.

What's not to like? There's everything you could ever want in a place in the world. Montezuma has endless beaches with nearly no one on them, preserved and protected jungle, gorgeous waterfalls, FANTASTIC FOOD, lively bar, great people, great places to live, clean water, and I'm sure I've missed 10 more positive things. However, now that I'm back in my monkey routine all I want to do is surf and buy jewelry and clothes…but why?

The Beach

The length, the beauty, the serenity, the pristine sand, the greenery, the character, the precise way of life, the happy/healthy/the truly wild wildlife -all things that describe this beach and what every beach in this country should look like and would look like had hotels, restaurants and human waste not replaced the trees and more than half of the sand as if we own such beauty, as if we know what beauty is. Corcovado knows no hotels, hostels, or bars. The biggest altered piece of land is the small airstrip that is maybe 500 or 600 meters long. Yes, there are a few of them, but I welcome the facilitation of educating people rich enough to come to paradise via small plane just for the day Jurassic Park style! Visiting untouched wilderness has a much more effective and memorable impact than reading a conservation pamphlet or seeing an advertisement on the TV. Corcovado is one of the best managed national parks I have ever been to.