Tamarindo had really become our home base on this Costa Rican trip. We felt right at home at the Hotel Mamiri where we had met Eric & Fanny. After an early morning surf there was no better breakfast place in town than right in front of our hotel at Jimmy's - french toast - Elvis style, bottomless coffee and conversation with Sue & Jimmy. There was no shortage of surf shops in town, and it seems as if we had made friends at several of them. We were always dropping by to get the latest scoop on surf beta, where to go, what time is best...
We enjoyed some fun surf at Playa Grande and right in town at the Tamarindo river mouth. The swell was dying down so we both got long boards, one we nicknamed the “magic carpet ride” which we fought over as it really was magic - with just a few paddle strokes you could catch just about a bump in the water and ride it all the way to shore. Eric joined us on our final trip to Grande, along with another Californian we met at the Mamiri, Dan. unfortunately a new swell had come in and really kicked up the surf. Our long boards were a bit of a detriment and it got a little scary out there. But we made up for it with one last brilliant day at the river mouth with the trusty Magic Carpet Ride - long, long rights and one final majestic sunset. The time had come to say our good-byes and make our way to Liberia where we would catch a bus for Nicaragua. We can’t say we loved Tamarindo for the town (too touristy) but just like Los Angeles with its overwhelming crowds and traffic, sometimes it is what you find within the city (friends, Santa Monica Mountains, ocean, etc) that makes all the difference. We hope to see our CR friends again - until then - pura vida y hasta luego!
