Manzanillo

I planned this trip less than a week before we left. I decided I wanted to do a school project over the impact of tourism in Manzanillo, a small town on the Caribbean coast I had visited with my mom in July. Luckily, one of my Grupo de Kansas friends wanted to tag along. I booked practically the cheapest airbnb I could find, got information about the buses by word of mouth, and packed the morning of our departure. Due to an issue in the word-of-mouth communication, we almost went to the wrong bus station and almost missed our bus. We also didn’t know that the noon bus would hit an incredible amount of traffic, causing the ride to be 8 hours long instead of the anticipated 4.5. This meant that I wasn’t able to do any of the interviews and observation I was counting on getting done that night. Another thing I didn’t anticipate: that this bus wouldn’t have air conditioning, which we really started to notice when the temperature started to rise above 80. By the time we reached our hostel, sweaty and exhausted, it was dark out and way past dinnertime.

Our host kindly showed us where we could find something to eat nearby, in a tiny supermarket a short walk from the hostel. We searched for something that could make a meal and landed on the culinary delicacy of pasta with tomato sauce, hotdogs and carrots.

In short, the first day had not gone according to plan.

The next morning we got up at six and headed to Manzanillo. We missed the bus (another little hitch in my planning) and accidentally spent $15 on a 10 minute taxi ride, which ate up a lot of our budget for the day.

Once in Manzanillo, we spent the morning walking around the town, the beach, and observing as the tourists flowed in. This morning was beautiful. We explored a ship marooned on the beach, saw new birds and fruits, and hiked up to a breathtaking vista.

Through a stroke of luck, we were there during the lionfish competition. All morning we had seen people setting up tents and chairs, and when we got closer, a UCR student told us all about it. Apparently the lionfish is an invasive species and has caused issues for the native marine life, so an environmentalist group has been holding competitions in coastal towns to see who can catch the most lionfish. We got to see the first catch come in.

I had a Lawrence connection through my mom, a woman who lives in Manzanillo, who showed us around after lunch and introduced me to some people I was able to interview. That afternoon I learned so much from everyone I talked to, about what Manzanillo used to be like and how it has changed, especially by the impact of tourism. Getting to know the town a little, and not just going to sightsee, was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had here.

We took the four o’clock bus back to our hostel, and spent a little time at Punta Uva beach before turning in for the night.

It was a marvelous day. I’m so grateful for it.

The next morning we took the 7am bus back to San José. This ride was a polar opposite to Friday’s. We were the first on the bus and got the front seats and a window we could really open, so we spent the ride taking in our last views of Limón and breathing in the cool morning air. We were back in San José by lunchtime.

Even though this trip was short, it was formative for me. I planned this trip myself, last minute, and a lot of things did not go as I anticipated. There were times I felt scared, exhausted, and at the end of my rope. Just when I was saying to myself, “what was I thinking planning this trip all by myself? why did I have to choose a project topic that would send me so far away?” the trip took a turn and surprised me. Suddenly my experience was full of joy and discovery. And that’s what I’ll remember most.