Thursday, May 7, 2009

090504. Costa Rica, Parting Shots



SHUT!





Drinking Fried Chicken.



Fried Chicken. Competition. There is even another chicken spot across the street.



Cloudy skies on our last day. CR letting us go easy.



Trevor, Erich and Josh.



El Gato.



Jimmy and Matt W.



Finned on the last session. A small price for a week of surf.



Night Shot from the varanda.



Backyard Hut.



Erich, Josh and Damian.



Last sunrise in San Jose.



San Jose Airport.

090504 Costa Rica part 3, Travel Back



The final sunset of the journey, 37,000 feet above the earth. En route LGA.




The last installment of the Costa Rica Journey is the final days of the gang all departing separate ways on different flights and even different days. These are images from Playa Hermosa to San Jose to Miami to LGA. Traveling is always good for the soul. It always seem to make me go inside myself as much as expand outside myself. It is the unknowing and the break from the routine that makes the experience seem so vivid. In everyday home, it seems like the routine can put me in a rut. One thing though, when I look out just a little bit, even the routine is always changing. In travels or at home, nothing is really for certain so I guess we just all try to roll through and see what is next, but for sure, enjoy the present tense. Because really, that is all that is really happening.





Black bean soup and maduras. Miami.



La Carretta. I love latin food in Miami.



Sea creature sculpture.



The last hurrah!
Damian, Matt W., Trevor, Jimmy, Erich and Mike.



night lights in LGA.



The beginning of the end. A full circle. PURA VIDA!



The last serenade from CR.



Rough Town. No Pass.



Urban Development.



A door in San Jose.



A sculpture in one of many many squares.



San Jose Downtown.



A mural at a circular drive.



On the way to San Jose, a small town on the side of a road.



A tourist trap. The crocodile river with no crocodiles and lots of grazing cows.



Green Transportation.



Mountains in the mist.



A multi billion colones beach hut.



Cows.



'...pssst....mammi, need a ride?....'

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

090502 Meanwhile, Back in NYC



Before the whole Costa Rica trip, there were some events that happened most recently. I had an art show at Bob Bar in beautiful L.E.S. NYC. The opening event was a torrential rain storm and I apologize for the weather. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who attended, I especially would like to thank Malik of BobBar for the use of the wall space and location, Fernando Ruiz Lorenzo for the curation, DJ SMOKE for the beautiful 4:20 inspired music ( the opening WAS on April, 20, 2009 ) and to my friends from far and wide who came to support me for the event. The travelers had come from as far as Italy, Boston and Albany! Thank You!
There will be a closing reception on May 11, 2009, monday. 7-11. On the decks will be Faux Mex to create that nice closing party atmosphere. I did not have any opportunities to take any party images but these are the art works on display. Thank you and I hope to see you! Peace, Mike



The Entrance.



The view from the bar.




'untitled. scream.'(2008) acrylic, watercolor and ink. 16.75 x 20.75 x 1.5



'untitled. orange.' (2009) acrylic, watercolor and ink. 11 x 14.25 x 1.25



'untitled. in tube.' (2009) acrylic, watercolor and ink. 10.875 x 14.25 x 1.5



'untitled. wet flower.' (2009) acrylic, watercolor and ink. 28.25 x 36.75 x 1.5



'untitled. medusa.' (2009) acrylic, watercolor and ink. 10.25 x 13.25 x 1.5



'untitled. myth snake.' (2009) acrylic, watercolor and ink. 18.75 x 24.75 x 2.25



'untitled. wet place.' (2009) acrylic, watercolor and ink. 36.25 x 35.25 x 2



'untitled. distracted.' (2009) acrylic, watercolor and ink. 30.75 x 61 x 2



'untitled. sun.' (2009) acrylic, watercolor and ink. 36.25 x 42.25 x 1.5



The view of the other wall.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

090501 Costa Rica part 2, Middle of the trip



This is part 2 of the trip. The waves were not getting old, but we were checking out other spots, like a boat harbor, where ALL the locals were staring at us because we drove in with a van topped with 7 boards on the roof. The guys in the bar were very helpful, yelling out suggestions to go Jaco, instead. The people in the water was staring at us... we are silly gringos.



Our local beach is actually part of a national turtle sanctuary beach called, playa hermosa. A few kilometers down from our house complex was The Turtle conservatory. One of the days, while we were waiting for the tide to change, we drove to the conservatory to check the beach for yertle turtle. Unfortunately, he was not to be found and I m quite sure we were in the wrong season for turtles on the beach. What we did see was miles and miles of driftwood, nature's own driftwood gallery! As far as the eye could see, it was all washed up wood. That was really cool.



I left a piece in the gallery.



Art work for climbing.



Looking down from the top.



Dr Jones?



I think this is where the scientists hide out when the turtles show up.



My man keeping all the crows out of here. What crows? Exactly.



Bike with Machete. Where does this bike go?



We surfed some more and hang out at the beach. Our priority on this trip was to spend as much time in the water as possible. Even at night we ended up hanging out at the beach or pool. There were bats in the evenings and birds in the day.




Believe it or not. A lightning brightening up the night sky. Long exposure.



A half moon brightening the sea and making beautiful reflection.



'are you guys in some band?' We got that sometime.



working on the band shot.


I saw crabs, iguanas, frogs, geckos, cows, burros, horses, rays, pelicans, macaws and other assorted animals and birds I have no name for.




Crab in the sand.



Bull holding the ground, ain't gonna let some silly person take Him Spot.



A beautiful bird.



Our neighbor, Killer.



Our loiter dog.



Every morning, these guys were out patrolling the waves, riding better than any of us with a board...

The biggest downside of this trip was the crackheads and car thieves. Yes, we did get our car broken into and we lost about 4 cameras and a few backpacks. Fortunately, we did not lose any passports. We had one day where we went to the police and spent two hours filling a report on the thievery.



Policia Tourista. Taking notes.

The following day, we went to boca baranca. I didn t take any flicks, cause I am an idiot, but the sign did claim it to be the world's longest left. From what we got, it was a long left and that day, I spent the time on the spot riding a 9'5" long board! I learned to paddle on my knees! I've always wanted to learn to do that AND I stood on the thing in between lulls just standing up right!! Long Boards can be fun as heck! YEAH! No flicks of this tho'... Oh well.




Morning ritual.




A chinese board unable to withstand the heat of the tropics. The foam collapsed on itself. Surfer, be aware!




Oeste Beach.. er.. Playa Oeste.



Not really nothing to do with Playa Hermosa but really, MR T!! A TEAM!! here in san jose, seems he is the idol of mechanics!



On the drive to and from san jose to jaco or anywhere else it would seem is switch backs and mountain ranges. ahh.. the tropics and mountains. Can it be more intense?
Still, these roads are all very civil. Can you imagine if it was all dirt roads?
What the heck can you do when it rained too much? I m thinking mud slides and long plummets to the death. Makes me really appreciate nature and her Good Temper.





We had a power outing, twice. The second time, it lasted a couple hours?.. but, we knew about that and honestly, it was as if it was raining or something comparable to flowers blooming in the spring, business as usual. or not business.



Juan Jose. Hopefully the next Costa Rican PRO Surfer! I hope so, he was very cool and helpful about surfing the spot, Playa Hermosa!



Josh contemplating and soaking it all in.



Cars? Who needs cars when your vehicle is as green as it gets. So green, it is actually part of the natural cycle in life. Beautiful.




Yup, another one.



The ultimate SUV.



Hermosa. Always breaking. Always.



Close up View.



My high tide sessions. Like Autumn with warm bath water waves! Can it get better than that? Thank YOU, Mammi!!!