The trip to Heredia ... et al

So, this morning at 7:30, after putting out the garbage (around $60 per year), we hopped in the car and headed out.  First stop, BancoNational in Grecia to hit the ATM ... reason later ... then meet the Laundry guy (yet another Marco) to drop off our WAY dirty clothes to be washed, dried & ironed for $5 per load ... we don't have many, so only two loads!

Then, off to Heredia (east of Alajuela, west of San Jose), to meet Alberto Castillo Blanco ... our "nephew", as it were, to visit Aerocasillas and try to pick up the stuff that I (in my infinite wisdom) thought it was better to mail.  Turns out, NEVER MAIL YOURSELF (OR ANYONE ELSE) used clothing or shoes!  They are holding my Mephisto sandals hostage in there!  Anyway, found Plaza Rubi (which we NEVER would have been able to do without Alberto) and found Aeorcasillas, hiding behind the (mostly empty) mall.

Go into la officina, they refer to warehouse, warehouse refers you back to office, visit manager, head out the door to warehouse, finally meet up with Walter, the fumigator, and pay 25,000 colones ($50 ... still can't find the symbol for colones on the computer) and he issues a certificate for the fumigation (which, by the way, has not been done) and back to the warehouse.  We finally get to SEE and open our boxes ... yes, those are the very ones!  Then, can't seem to bribe work with any officials, so off to yet another import office, who also can't seem to help ... but they have to be paid anyway!

Entonces (well, then), Alberto says he has to return to his officina to prepare two invoices, return to the warehouse manaña, redistribute stuff among boxes, pay taxes, storage, the other import guys, etc ... to the tune of yet another $100 ..... sigh!  Fine, we need that "stuff".  We will see!  That is what might happen to you if you don't read the contract (in Spanish, if you please)!  Praises be to Alberto!

So, as we are already in "El Valle", we swing into Alajuela and head to AutoMercado (a very gringo-like market) for a couple of bottles of the only drinkable wine we've thus far found in CR.  Then, head to the gas station for a cheap fill-up and off to Friajaines ... Peggy Cole, you know this place!  Had a wonderful visit w/Camilo, whom we have known since our first trip many years ago (muchos años pasado).  Camilo offered some plant starts (even Helliconia from the jungle!), then we were on our way again.  Stopped off at another  friend's house (Marilyn, whom we met in maybe 2008, maybe 2007), visited for a while, then back home.

Driving is getting easier!  Except with a manual transmission, up a hill, following a tractor with two LARGE trailers hauling sugar cane, going 3 mph!  Even our little, low geared, Samurai doesn't want to go that slow!  And the speed bumps!!!  Still, I am getting better ... will always drive like una abuela (a grandma).  Need new shocks, though.  I don't think I've ever met a car in this country that couldn't benefit from a new set of shocks!  May have to bite the proverbial bullet and have a mechanic do it, as we still don't have "Roy's toys" ... just kidding about TOYS, I KNOW they are tools!

Tired from dodging potholes & speed bumps, semi-toasted from the Italiano vino, Sandy finally in, time for bed.

Pura Vida,
Kathleen

P.S.  OOOOOH!  Clean clothes manaña, a las 3!!!