Wide Tamarindo Beach, and a comment about the weather

September and October is the rainy season in northwest Costa Rica.  I like the beach even when the weather is overcast.

Costa Rica needs the rain.  There has been a lack of rain this year.  Rain is critical in Costa Rica for the many family farms and agricultural enterprises.

Rain is also critical for electricity.  Costa Rica generates nearly all of its electricity from hydro power.  Reliance on this clean, renewable energy source is part of Costa Rica's plan to become the world's first carbon-neutral nation.

This week we have photos of daily life in Ethiopia posted on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.

A puppy on Tamarindo Beach

A puppy makes friends on the beach.

This week we have photos of daily life in Ethiopia posted on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.

A perfect sunset on a perfect beach

At low tide the gentle slope of Tamarindo beach is so gradual that a reflection shot is possible in the ocean at sunset.

I took this photo in the souther end of the bay, which is sheltered by an island and reef, so the waves are gentle here.  San Francisco Point is on the left.

Today is Sunday, so we have new posted on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.  This week we are showing photos from our cruise along the east coast of Baja California, with some samples of the marine life in the Sea of Cortez.

Tamarindo Beach

This is a view from the southern end of Tamarindo beach north towards the main part of town.  It shows how wide and gently sloping the beach is. The Pacific Ocean is comfortably warm all year round.  This seems close to perfection.

This week we are showing some underwater photos from the Sea of Cortez on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site, including several photos of sea lions swimming underwater with us.

Surfer, with a catamaran and Cabo Velas in the background

Because you have endured a series of photos showing suburban cows, I thought I would show a Tamarindo surfer today to interrupt my little series of the scenes that I encountered during my walk from the Marriott Hotel near the airport in San Jose.

This week we have photos of the giant tortoises of the Galapagos Islands posted on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.

A Young Couple on the Beach for Valentine's Day

Today is Valentine's Day, so I am taking a break from the series of photos in suburban San Jose to show a young couple on Tamarindo beach.

Here is a nice story for Valentine's Day.  Four years ago a young woman rented my condo as a present for her boyfriend before he returned to duty in Afghanistan.    She called me recently to rent the condo again later this year because they want to get married in Tamarindo.

She explained that she wanted to return to my condo because "That is where we really fell in love."  Referring to her earlier decision to surprise her boyfriend with the vacation in Tamarindo, she said "it worked."

I remembered her from four years ago, as she called me several times to ask questions to make sure that it was the right place to go, and I was so happy to hear from her again.  (I gave her a special discount four years ago because they were a young military couple, and of course gave her the same discount again this year.)

On this Valentine's Day, we should remember the sacrifices of military families who are separated from each other.  Thank goodness our service men and women are returning home.  (My father was a career naval officer, beginning with service in the South Pacific during World War II, and my brother and his wife are mental health professionals for the Veterans Administration.)

This week we have photos of the Sepik River tribes and villages posted on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.

Sunset, before the sun drops

Sunset is my favorite part of the day, and it is perhaps overused as a subject for photographers, particularly on my site, I confess.  But the variety of sunsets presents irresistible photo opportunities.

I will show a few photos during the next several days to try to add variety and creativity to the ways to photograph the setting sun in Tamarindo.

Today is Sunday, so we have new photos posted on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.  This week we are showing photos of one of the most remarkable buildings in the world, the Mezquita Cathedral - Mosque in Cordova, Spain.

A surfer heading in at sunset

This is a more traditional scene at the end of the day at Tamarindo than the bicyclists I showed yesterday or the bride and groom the days before.

I guess this surfer was too tired from day of surfing to carry the surfboard home, and decided to drag it along the beach instead.

Today is Sunday, so we are showing new photos on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.  This week we are featuring the cathedral and street scenes of Grenada, Nicaragua.

Bicyclists on the beach at sunset

Some people use Tamarindo Beach as the main street for the town.  And why not?  It is more pleasant to walk down the beach than down the street.

I don't think I would ride a bicycle on the beach, however.  I would think that sand would get on the chains and sprockets.

This week we are showing photos of Ronda, Spain, a charming town perched on the edge of a gorge, posted on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.

Where's the threshold?

This groom looks like he is ready to carry his bride over the threshold, but he took a detour to the beach instead.  And why not?  A Tamarindo sunset on the beach is a good spot for a wedding or to spend time on one's wedding.

As this photo reveals, the bride is on the beach without shoes.  I guess typical shoes for a wedding would not do well on the sand.

My older son got married on a beach in the Caribbean, and the minister was barefoot.

Tamarindo is a popular place for weddings and honeymoons, and I have rented our condos to quite a few people who are in town for their weddings or honeymoons.  My younger son spent his honeymoon in Tamarindo about a year ago.  My older son wanted to do so, but both of our condos were already rented during the time he chose for his wedding and honeymoon.

Today is Sunday, so we have new photos posted on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.  This week we are showing photos of Ronda, Spain, a charming town perched on the edge of a gorge.

Wedding couple on Tamarindo beach

Back to the beach in Tamarindo, I saw this couple enjoying some time on the beach just after their wedding.

If you are wondering what type of shoes a bride would wear for walking on the sand in a wedding dress, come back to check the photo posted for tomorrow.

Today is Sunday, so we have new photos posted on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.  This week we are showing photos of Ronda, Spain, a charming town perched on the edge of a gorge.

A Gesture to Gender Equity

As I usually try to do, I will balance my series of photos of the young women in bikinis with a few days of photos to strive for gender balance.

Of course it is not true gender equity, as it appears that swim suit fashions for women keep getting smaller and smaller, but swim trunks for guys have gotten bigger and baggier.  This is just an observation, not a complaint, about either trend.

This week we are showing photos of the colorful tanneries of Fez, Morocco on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.

Boy meets girl; End of story

Of course the guys hung around to strike up a conversation with the women in bikinis who they had photographed.

There seemed to be four women in the group and only two guys.  I did not notice if the two guys had another friend or two.  My guess is that they will find a couple more friends real fast.

This is the end of this little series.  At this point I concluded my little study of human behavior, and any further curiosity would be TMI (too much information), so I stopped taking photos.  One of the benefits of a camera with a 42X zoom is that I can take photos like this from a distance, looking down into my tilt-out viewfinder, and it looks like I am looking at my camera rather than being nosy.

As promised, a short series of photos for gender equity starts tomorrow.

This wee we are showing photos of the colorful tanneries and an ancient Madrasa in Fez, Morocco, on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.

Striking a pose for two guys

Surprise.   Two guys noticed theses young women and they were so considerate and selfless that they interrupted their busy schedules on the beach and generously volunteered to take a few photos of the women.

And they were so patient that they even cooperated in taking several photos of the women in poses such as this one.

Was this the end of the story?  Did they hand back the camera and then continue on whatever important business they had to attend to on the beach?

As usual, you will need to check back tomorrow.  And, female readers, beginning on the day after tomorrow, I will show a few days of photos for gender balance.

This wee we are showing photos of the colorful tanneries and an ancient Madrasa in Fez, Morocco, on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.

Kicking up the waves in unison

Hey, if you're going to have your photo taken on the beach, why not kick up a little surf.

With all of the photos these women were taking of each other, you might wonder if they attracted the attention of anyone other than me.

As usual, you will need to check back tomorrow.

And of course my attention was due exclusively to my need to take photos to show on my Daily Photo website. I was actually interested in taking photos of Cabo Velas in the distance at the southern end of Tamarindo Bay, but these women kept getting in the way.

And, as long time readers of this blog may anticipate, I will balance these photos with some posts for gender equity when this series is done in a few days.

Today is Sunday, so we have new photos posted on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.  This week we are showing photos of the colorful tanneries and an ancient Madrasa in Fez, Morocco.

A little more animated pose

Yes, the woman taking photos of her friends got a turn posing for the camera.  Still, there might be more photo opportunities for women on the beach, don't you think?

Cheek back tomorrow.  Oops.  I mean check back tomorrow.

This week we are showing photos of the Wadi Rum Desert of Jordan on  our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.  If you saw the movie Lawrence of Arabia, you have seen this territory before.

Young women taking a group photo on the beach

After a few "selfie" photos, the women enlisted one of their friends to take a photo.

Like their first photo, this one seems a little tame.  Do you think they tried other poses?  Or was this deemed to be enough to show the friends and family back home that they were enjoying themselves on Tamarindo Beach?

And what about the woman taking the photo?  Doesn't she get a turn to stand in front of the camera?

As usual, the answer will become evident tomorrow.

This week we are showing photos of the Wadi Rum Desert of Jordan on  our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.  If you saw the movie Lawrence of Arabia, you have seen this territory before.

A selfie with a little more sass

I continue my study of human behavior from yesterday.  My late mother probably would have made the suggestion that after yesterday's photo the women should go to a swim suit shop and buy new swim suits with a little more coverage.  That of course is not what they did.

They posed for another selfie photo, but this was a little more sassy.

Was this the culmination of their little photo session?  No.  They had some friends with them, and tomorrow I will continue with this series.

This week we are showing photos of the Wadi Rum Desert of Jordan on  our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.  If you saw the movie Lawrence of Arabia, you have seen this territory before.

Young women taking a selfie

It seems that young people today are always taking and sharing photos of each other and themselves.  And why not?  I can keep up with what my sons and their wives are doing through Facebook.

Today I will start a series that will take about a week.  It is a study of human behavior.  See if you can anticipate what these women will do next, and what others around them will do.

This week we are showing photos of the Wadi Rum Desert of Jordan on  our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.  If you saw the movie Lawrence of Arabia, you have seen this territory before.

A surfer, alone with her reflection

Low tide exposes the slope of Tamarindo beach that is so gradual that the water on the beach reflects this lone surfer.  Her refection has the quality of a painting.

Today is Sunday, so we have new photos posted on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.  This week we are showing photos of the Wadi Rum Desert of Jordan, famous for its connection to Lawrence of Arabia.