Reality and kindness at the hot springs

Amy and I had the interesting experience of visiting La Fortuna's hot springs the other day after our Cerro Chato ascent. The Arenal region is well known for its hot springs, which result from the same thermal activity that brought Costa Rica the 1968 eruption and mini explosions/lava runs ever since. Most of these hot springs can be found within the walls of fancy-ass resorts that cost anywhere from $60-85 a visit. We may have been lured into spending this large sum of money if it hadn't been for our friendly hostel staff and their cheapo, hippie tendencies. They told us of a place right outside of Tabacon Hot Springs (the really big fancy resort) where the water from Tabacon is emptied out into a canal/creek and anyone can sit in this nice, hot water for free. We were super excited and asked our shuttle driver to drop us off at said location so we could relax our sore legs after the crazy hike we did earlier that day. He did, and we walked down to the springs and stripped off our mud-clad hiking boots. I looked around at other flip flops that had been strewn across the side of the springs and asked Amy, "Do you think it's okay if we leave these here?" She wrinkled her nose and said, "Who would want our nasty hiking boots?" So we left them there, but brought our backpacks with us to the other side of the springs, where we set them on the shore and waded into the warm water.

At Tabacon, it is rumored that there are over ten different pools with different kinds of water, each at different temperatures and with different natural minerals that have various health benefits. There are supposedly floating bars in the middle of said pools, and waterfalls of delightfully warm water that cascade down upon the spa's patrons. One can have about 10 different kinds of massages at Tabacon for an additional fee, as well as facials, skin treatments, and other girly stuff that I have never had the know-how or financial resources to have done. However, despite the fact that we were relaxing in Tabacon's leftover water, Amy and I were definitely not at Tabacon. First of all, a good deal of the free hot springs lay underneath a bridge with cars driving over it. Costa Rican families dotted the springs, mostly mothers playing with their kids in the rushing warm water (sooo cute), and many stared at us at Amy and I waded into the water in our hiking clothes. It wasn't Tabacon, but it felt more culturally explorative and real. And then the old, fat men with the Speedos showed up and shit got realer. As they floated about in the water near us, then next to us, then "accidentally" grazing us with plump, pruney fingers as they swam by, I was reminded that, although Amy and I had not been hit on in Costa Rica nearly as much as Peru (maybe it's the blue hair?), men everywhere can be skeezy. And then, a 13 year old boy totally redeemed his gender by approaching Amy and me and warning us to stay away from the fat, old Speedo men because they were very drunk. We looked over and saw the boy's mother and her friend looking at us earnestly and nodding. I was truly touched; I like to think that for every asshole in the world there are at least two nice people to make up for him/her. Amy and I immediately got up and moved to another part of the springs, and the women and the boy followed us a few minutes later in what felt like solidarity. No one stole our backpacks or even attempted to, and I felt a connection to these people. It didn't matter that they actually lived here and we were tourists; they still wanted to take care of us, even though we were invading their free hot springs. And if our roles had been reversed, I would have done the same for them.

Then I went back to the shore and found that, of all things, my hiking boots had been stolen. Not Amy's, just mine, even in their post-hike, poo-brown glory. Even my nasty-ass socks were gone. But that's beside the point; for all I know, it was another tourist who took them. The point is that, while their are gross, horny men in Speedos in every corner of the world, there are also sweet people who are willing to help a complete stranger. I aspire to be one of these sweet people who sees the humanity in others above all else.

written by

kfox on July 3, 2012 from La Fortuna, Costa Rica

from the travel blog: Costa Rica!

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