Playa del Coco to Playa Tamarindo. 49 miles. August 17th, 2010

As we were getting ready to leave the soccer field area, there was a knock on the door. Police. Not the usual but some government agents. Seems things were ok but they wanted to check our vehicle permit and passports. After they checked them, they said they would fill oout a form which both they and us would sign. We would keep the form with the permit and if we are stopped in the future to show the form and it would be understood that a check was made and should save us some time. They also said to be careful where we park as petty theft is an ongoing problem. They had no suggestions on places to stay in Tamarindo but since it is a famous surf beach, Tom wants to check it out. The drive is uneventful but the countryside is lush and vibrant. Tamarindo is indeed a beach town but as we drove through town, we realized that parking was going to be a problem. The streets are narrow and most of the entrances have low arches making it impossible to pass under with the RV. We get to the end, make the loop and decide to go through the village one more time. We stop at two hotels but neither would give us permission to park. As Tom went to ask a third hotel, he noticed a narrow driveway leading to Tsunami's Surf School and Cabinas. The hotel also turned us down, so he went to chat with the surf school people. We were pointed to a small area in the back that seemed ideal to us, particularly since our options were growing smaller by the minute. For $20.00, we could park, get electricity and water for the motorhome, also hot showers and WiFi were available and the beach is right across the road. Perfect. We settle in and discover that there is a communal kitchen for cooking and checked out the cabinas. The town is minutes away, same for a grocery store and both Tom and I agree, that this is one of the places we will put on the list for possibly bringing Nicole and Danny. This is a hip, young, surf town and would be ideal for the kids as there is some nightlife plus plenty to do during the day. After we park, Tom grabs his boogie board and with Winston we head to the beach. To get to the beach, we follow a wooden bridge across mangrove swamps. Crocodiles! With a lot of rain recently, the crocodiles have headed downstream and have been sighted on the beach. We are assured that as there is plenty for them to eat, they don't bother with people or dogs. Hmm. I am not convinced and pledge to keep an eye on Winston. Don't want to do the rest of the trip with a three-legged dog. As Tom was enjoying the wave action, Winston and I were content to play on the beach and then back to the RV to prepare dinner. We had steaks marinating. Our last two from Costco in Acapulco. The beef so far has been pretty dismal. The cattle are thin and I suspect that they are slaughtered and eaten immediately, no aging process here. Just as Tom is preparing the grill, a tour bus pulls in and off come about 20 Italians. It turns out they are on a 3 week tour of Costa Rica and Panama and it is with a lot of shouting and yelling that they get settled into rooms and cabinas for the night. They watch enviously as Tom cooks the potatoes and eye our steaks. Smells good, was the general comment, envy prevalent in their voices. We smile and agree. Yes, once again good fortune was with us. We have managed to find a great place to stay, safe and secure. The owner/manager is delightful and we look forward to a good meal with a nice Chilean red wine. We decide we will stay one more night just to relax and play. Starting to get that Tico feeling.