Dominical, Costa Rica
	Dreamy days of hammocks and breezes Our cabin from the outside	I awoke to the sweet breezes of the sleepy village of Dominical. Dan and I had rented a small suite at the Villas Rio Mar, located just outside the main village, about 300 yards up the River Baru'. Frommer's describes the Villas as "the closest thing to a resort in this neck of the woods." The rooms were very nice, but lacked air conditioning (although I didn't need it all week) and other common amenities of home. As a whole, I was very pleased with the accoutrements, especially the swimming pool which came in handy all week during the more humid portions of the day and late in the evening. It was only about 9 or so in the morning and to my surprise, already quite warm. I immediately sought out breakfast and then went down the River Baru' to the main village of Dominical. Dominical is a small village that apart from the famous serf breaks probably wouldn't exist at all. There's only one road into town, which loops off the main road, before returning to the highway. The "town center" consists of a loosely held together string of a half-dozen shops that line the only dirt road that leads down to the oceanside and back. The most prominent of the batch is San Clemente's Bar & Grille, a beautiful, open-air bar and eating establishment. San Clemente's caters to American ex-patriots and it's a favorite of those locals who seek anything and everything American. Thousands of miles away from home and nowhere near any form of civilized technology, San Clemente's was like an oasis, piping in ESPN and CNN via satellite from the states.
	Main Street, Dominical A road parallell to the beach	The Pacific Ocean lay at the end of the Dominical "Main Street," as did the setting sun each evening (Click here to view a "streetmap" of Dominical and see how the village is laid out: ) As I walk down to the serf for the first time, I am instantaneously endeared to the cool breezes, sandy beaches, swaying palms, and puffy-soft clouds amid gentle, baby blue skies. A string of palm trees stand watch over the beachfront. Walking through the tropical gateway, my feet embrace Central American sand for the first time. It's a cool sand of dirty brown, more luxurious than expected, but not as sumptuous as desired. Closer to the serf, rocks and shells join the mix, coconuts and palm vines litter the shore. By far the most amazing feature of the Dominical beach is the incredibly sparse population. Less than a half-dozen people are enjoying the beauty, and fewer still can be found as I gaze down the long expanses of sand and jungle. Everything is so beautiful and it seems like it was all laid out here just for me. This is why I came to Costa Rica! Raw beauty combined with crowd relief in a setting that soothes and caresses the soul. I had to go through Hades to get here, but after a single deep breath, it all seems worthwhile.
		At the far end of Dominical, almost to Roca Verde, is a remote section of beach that is the epitome of beauty and tranquility. The waters at low-tide are among the most gorgeous scenes I have ever witnessed, and the surf nearby is not bad on a decent swell. At low tide, the waters recede toward the ocean, and blanket the flat sand in a film of salty ocean water. On a clear day, the clouds reflect off the shallow pool in a most remarkable fashion. The heavens like a film projector and the slick sands as a screen delight even the most demanding beauty seeker and I could hardly decide whether to sigh, stare, bow, or cry. In the end, I did all four and made sure to snap a shot or two to remind myself it wasn't all a dream. To quote a line from Forrest Gump, "you could hardly tell where the heavens ended and the earth began."
	Costa Rica 2000 The Village of Dominical Cabo Matapalo Playa Uvita Playa Hermosa/Dominicalito Roca Verde Playa Matapalo/Quepos/Manuel Antonio Animal Life Sunsets What I learned on this trip

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