Playa Conchal y Jugar
Costa Rica Day 8

I caught a taxi not taxi around ~11:30a and was dropped off in Brasilita by a couple mins past noon. it's a ~10 min or less walk from Playa Brasilita to Playa Conchal along the beach. right before you make it to Conchal, you have to go up and over this little pass (a mountain makes it sound bigger than it actually is) and then, voila - you're standing at the tallest point looking down at Playa Conchal! It's a sight to see. photos never do the real thing justice but i caught a couple and shared with Eric Kelly as he had just texted me! the water is super turquoise-y and there's tons of locals posted up in their spots in the shade with food, kids, speakers with music going, and just generally having a good time. it's got a good vibe. Sebastian had also let me know yesterday that yes, it's a good place that he thinks i'll like and, it was recently rated #1 beach in the world, so that is something Costa Rica has been excited to tout.

 

beautiful, yet hot. i don't enjoy just sitting and the water is different here vs Tamarindo - much deeper and these waves are looking intense today. i also want to keep a close eye on my things esp since this place is new to me. a young guy and a little kid are kicking a soccer ball and i'm feeling like Tiko when he sees ball (not as much but. yeah, i want to play). i shuffle the shelly beach around with my feet and maybe after a few minutes, either the ball ends up rolling my way and i send it back to them or one of them kicks it to me and i kick it back, can't recall. but yeah we start sending it round the horn the three of us. i forget how much i loved soccer (even tho i'm no good!) but just seeing kids playing on the beach before sunset yesterday makes me miss it. i don't see people play in boston, and it's generally just not popular in America compared to other major league sports. i'm excited to watch the women's world cup (this year?) though, especially as the women's team just secured equal pay as the men's (US) team last year!! 

 

after a few spins around the horn just passing, i stop and show them a trick - the rainbow! and i get it the first time. (luck i tell you). them must've caught eyes from some other kids because next thing i remember, we've got a group of eight of us juggling in a circle. so fun!!! i haven't done this in years. really need to get a ball for the beach back in Southie. the little kid dropped out but the older one, Kevin, is with us still - it is his soccer ball after all! this is really fun as i didn't have to sit down for more than a couple mins before getting involved in some play. also it was not intimidating the way i normally feel back home or historically speaking with sports when younger -- worried if i'm going to be able to keep up -- just fun and fun to see the other kids' tricks. they see me chest it and then juggle it with the knee and then leg and they have this funny reaction like "OOOOooo!" of impressiveness (not a word) when i trap the ball with my chest  so funny. sports are a universal language - we don't have to exchange names or anything to just play. i don't feel like talking right now, i just want to play and it's nice not always having to exchange niceties. i do exchange with the ball owner, Kevin, though. he seems shy but he's good. the others seem even younger and they are full of laughs and razzing each other when one doesn't get it. after a little while, they switch it up from us juggling to keep-away. i took a pause to go cool off by the water and motioned this, that i'd be back. i literally say as i see them now on playing keep away 'i hated this game growing up' and if you're in the center, it's tiresome and - from what i remember - takes forever to get back out of being the "chaser" in the middle! again - way more fun today! it's laid back and also this kids are prob high school or something who knows, but it's not competitive, just fun. i ask Kevin at one point, 'como se dice "to play"?' (in english, 'how do you say "to play"?'), 'Jugar', he says. hence the title of today's entry. 

 

a reminder to play more in our days. that was my first hour at Playa Conchal and absolutely my highlight of today. still got some tricks up my sleeve!

 

;)

 

7:48p, 8 Jan 2023

 

*digital camera is currently sitting to dry off..... after playing soccer and sitting down, had an incident with a large wave catching me off guard and water came in sooo far and, yup, the camera got wet. ironically enough, was chatting with my neighbor on the beach about photography! he assured me that it'll be okay just letting it dry at home, and take out the battery and card immediately. not a single photo of playa conchal taken on it anyhow. * btw Yoda curled up on me purring as i finish writing this :)