The morning was spent laying low, not much happening, we knew that there would be no waves, so we stayed near the house, putting our stuff together, chatting, listening to music, reading, and drinking pipa. The only high troubled episode during the morning was when Henry told us that Friday there would be a championship at Pavones, when it is supposed to be some good waves coming in this direction. So we were a bit bumped by that, still he assured us that there would be plenty o waves to be surfed and that the championship was to be short lived.

Sean had told us about something we could do when there would be no waves that was to come down the Claro River with a buoy, 2 and a half hours trekking upland and then about an hour and a half coming down the river. That was what we decided to do today, for that we had to go about the Guaymí Indigenous of Conte Burica.

Before we headed there I had a nice chat with him, about the surroundings and the indigenous around here, these make up 60% of the population on the south of the Osa Peninsula. Still living among them and relatively into the wild they still manage to keep some of their culture and ways, that space and momentum I call the “Lost Costa Rica”, because I’m afraid we are losing our ways, and they are losing theirs, our influence if not lead and oriented in a good way will engulf them and this troubled and viscous process of globalization will turn us into clones of each one of us. So if you ask me, the connection the Guaymí manage to still keep with nature is priceless. But finding and meeting new cultures is what drives most of us to travel and I do not defend they are to be left alone and we should to keep our cultures isolated, none of that, what I mean is that we need to keep being ourselves, giving and receiving from others and not changing them… I guess I would be here forever trying to get this point across. The following might help!

(While we were chatting with Sean the new car arrived, the Pandereta II)

The coastlines and rainforest of Central America have been inhabited by humans for at least 10,000 years. On the eve of European discovery some 500 years ago, an estimated 400,000 people were living in today’s Costa Rica, though sadly our knowledge about pre-Columbian culture is scant. The remains of lost civilizations were washed away by torrential rains, and Spanish conquerors were more intent on subjugating rather than describing native lifestyles.

Unlike massive pyramid complexes found throughout much of Latin America, the ancient towns and cities of Costa Rica (with the exception of Guayabo), vanished in the jungles, never to be seen again by the eyes of the modern world. However, tales of lost cities still survive in the oral histories of Costa Rica’s indigenous community and there is hope among archaeologists that a great discovery lies in waiting. Considering that much of the country consists in inaccessible mountains and rainforests, perhaps these dreams aren’t so fanciful.

The invasion of Central America by the Spanish conquistadores (conquerors) brought about incalculable human suffering and loss; entire cultures and histories were erased by sword and disease alike.

What is known about pre-Columbian Costa Rica is that early inhabitants were part of an extensive trading zone that extended as far south as Peru and as far North as Mexico. The region hosted roughly 20 small tribes, organized into chiefdoms, indicating a permanent leader, or cacique, who sat atop a hierarchical society that included shamans, warriors, toilers and slaves.

Adept at seafaring, the Carib dominated the Atlantic coastal lowlands, and served as a conduit of trade with the South America mainland. In the northwest, several tribes were connected to the great Mesoamerican cultures. Aztec religious practices and Maya jade and craftsmanship are in evidence in the Peninsula de Nicoya, while Costa Rican quetzal feathers and golden trinkets have turned up in Mexico. In the southwest, three chiefdoms showed the influence of Andean Indian Cultures, including coca leaves, yucca and sweet popatoes.

There is also evidence that the language of Central Valley Huetar was known by all of Costa Rica indigenous groups, which may be an indication of their power and influence. The Central Valley is home to the only major archaeological site uncovered in Costa Rica, namely Guayabo.

Thought to be an ancient ceremonial center, Guayabo once featured paved streets, an aqueduct and decorative gold. Here, archaeologists uncovered exquisite gold ornaments and unusual life-size stone statues of human figures, as well as distinctive types of pottery and metates, stone platforms that were used to grinding corn. Today, the site consists of little more than ancient hewed rock and stone, though Guayabo continues to stand as a testament to a once-great civilization of the New World.

Still a puzzle, however, are the hundreds of hand-sculpted, monolithic stone spheres that dot the landscape of the Diquis valley in Palmar and the Isla del Caño. Weighing up to 16 tons and ranging in size from a baseball to a Volkswagen, the spheres have inspired many theories: an ancient calendar, extraterrestrial meddling, or a game of bocce gone terribly awry.

According to some sources; in recent years, it seems that Costa Ricans of all backgrounds have taken as increased interest in the pre-Columbian history of their country.

El Mighty Pelado (PP) and I took the buoys (tractor pneumatics) that Sean kindly provided us and took the 2 and a half hour trekking to the river, since we took off from Pavones we were in fact the only two white faces to be seen during the entire journey! The 2 or 3 people we passed by laughed at the fact of 2 white guys carrying buoys upland, sweating and tired like pigs, trying to reach the river. And we did!!

I thought the river to be much deeper that what it actually was, so we had to lift our bottoms very often not to drag them around in the gravel. There were some rapids. On the way down, one of them with the infamous name of “death rock” was passed with no harm, a couple of minutes later, El Mighty Pelado suffers a fall and almost knocks himself out, opened his head and blood started to pour out. I was a little scared at the beginning but he assured me he was ok and so we continued. I also got a nasty fall and hit my head harm, trying not to let my buoy go I injured my arm, but nothing major.

Coming down the river is an excellent way of overseeing the nature surrounding the peninsula, many species of birds and reptiles can be seen, and on the calmer parts of the river you feel really hooked up by all the nature surrounding you. The tall trees and the wildlife that doesn’t seem so affected by our presence; the water carrying you effortless and suddenly you feel you become part or her.

By the end I was getting a little cold (believe it or not) and with all the bumps and falls I was ready to get out. I recognized the place near the Villas Riviera and hooped off with PP.

Back at the house I had to shave and stitch PP’s head with some straps he brought from home, and it seemed fine.

Later on, I was reading part of the book I brought with me from Thoreau, and I read something that I can relate completely. “If a plant cannot live accord its nature it will die. The same would happen to a man.”