THE ROAD

The road
Our Caribbean coast really has only one main road. There are a few parallel side streets in Puerto Viejo , 2 in Manzanillo, and a many small feeder roads going off of the main road to clusters of houses, and then ending in jungle. They are all dirt. The only paved road is the main road. It was paved. It still is, sort of. The road from Puerto Viejo to Manzanillo may be the worse paved road on planet earth. Dirt roads are what they are, and one can expect gulley’s, washboards, a multitude of bumps, and a basically uneven surface. But when the road is paved, and then develops pot holes, it can be an entirely unexpected experience. And here the potholes are legendary. Mind you, none of our potholes will swallow a cycle or car, but they are deep enuff to soon render your suspension system in dire need of repair. Perhaps a war zone has more potholes per inch on its roads but im sure not by much. Our road has smooth pavement for stretches, just to lull you into complacency, and then look out, there is a 2- 6 inch deep pothole. Usually several placed strategically across the road. This creates an exciting game of dodge em, which is sort of fun in the day time if there is no oncoming traffic. Its rather like skiing moguls, or a very tight slalom course. However if there is ongoing traffic, and be assured they are also weaving all over the narrow road trying to avoid similar potholes, the game instantly becomes quite challenging. Are they watching for on coming traffic [which is you] as well as avoiding potholes? Are you sure? How can you be sure? So you slow way down as you watch them approach and whoops, you hit every pothole on your side of the narrow road. If this adventure in mayhem is at nite, we get to factor in how bright and well aimed your headlite[s] is, if it can still be aimed at all, or was glued into place when the plastic mounts gave up the ghost after constant pounding from hitting potholes. [have I mentioned that the road has potholes?]. Then there are the oncoming cars headlites to consider, as a few drivers have mastered the concept of dimming their hi beams, but most seem to have slept thru that lesson if they ever went to driving school.
Well, you might ask, why doesn’t the govt do something about this mess? After all, this is a tourist destination. Don’t they know tourists and potential land purchasers will be put off by our terrible road and spend their money elsewhere? The govt must know, as everyone talks about it. Well they do, and they have done some things, sort of. They put in street lites along the entire 10 miles from Puerto Viejo to the end of the road in Manzanillo. The lites are wonderful when they work. Notice the phrase “when they work”? Need I say more? Once they burn out, or simply take a vacation, no one seems to repair them. Maintenance-what a concept. Perhaps a slight miscalculation in the govts planning but a not insignificant one.
But there is an even better story here. Money was allocated to repair our road. The money went to the alcalde or mayor of bri bri, our provincial capital. He kept it. He is now in jail awaiting trial for absconding with that money, and we are left still dodging potholes. Justice is developing in Costa Rica, and so are the pot holes.