Once we got to Costa Rica, we had to find a vet to certify Capi’s health certificate for Panama. The blog PawsOnTour, written by a German couple who are travelling with dogs, recommended Dr. Wendy in Villareal near Tamarindo, so we headed to Tamarindo. The town is an old surfer spot discovered by tourists. One hotel on the way into town has a sign that says “Free coffee, free cookies, we love Loonies”
After driving through the too small too crowded streets for a while, we searched for a home for the night. Home became a sandy area in a park on the south end of the beach.
Playa Tamarindo
Gypsies
Although the tourists from the neighboring resorts looked at us like oddities when the found us in the morning, we spent a blissful night being deafened by the surf. As it had rained when we arrived, the sand was damp and clung to everything. I am sure that sand will follow us forever.
Sand
Next day we saw Dr. Wendy, who told us we had to wait another day for the papers. We moved into the Holiday Inn. It was a little beyond shabby chic but trying and charged a $200 deposit for the mutt.
Monkeys
The next day we went back to Dr. Wendy’s and were told we had to wait until 4 PM. They agreed to give Capi a bath, and suddenly we were dog less for a few hours. So we went shopping. Together. Nobody had to wait outside with the dog. A haircut and new shorts for Bill, groceries, a whiskbroom and dark chocolate at the gringo grocery store for Nancy. Then back to the Vets, get the dog and her papers and drive south to Jesus and set up the camper in the parking lot of the Jade Cabanas.
Jesus is the highway town where truckers use their engine brakes. All night. We got up at 4 AM and left at daybreak for the Costa Rica Panama border.
