away from the boat and had no problems.

However, because Costa Rica is near the

equator, I'd seriously recommend being

generous with the waterproof sunscreen.

While snorkeling, I literally bumped

into two Tico guys who were catching fish

for a local chef. That evening, we visited

the restaurant and enjoyed a scrumptious

fish meal for under five dollars. After dinner,

we went to a gay-friendly bar located

above the bank. We felt like we were in the

middle of a Tennessee Williams play with

all the various characters in attendance. I

do declare, a good time was had by all.

Some guys are just too big
to hide under a banana leaf

Near Lake Arenal there is a volcano. En
route, we had fun stopping in the town of
Naranjo to see the Topiary Garden. We

saw bushes cut with Edward Scissorhands

expertise into a helicopter, Marge and

Homer Simpson, etc.

Arenal Volcano conveniently erupted

the night we arrived. We were amazed at

how fast the lava flowsand how much it
lights up the darkness with its red incan-
descent glow.

On the lake's north side, near the

town of Nuvea Arenal, is a guest house
called Villa De Cairie. Two gay men oper-

ate it. We were the only other (out) gay

people there, but the rest of the guests

were more than friendly towards us.

If you are into spelunking (going into

caves), near the Villa De Cairie you might

want to check out the non-touristy Nuvea

Caves. They are quite remote. Our guide

Miguel was most knowledgeable and had
a good sense of humour.

Five minutes down the road from
Villa De Cairie is a swimming hole where

nudity is not a problem. It started raining

soon after we arrived. We tried to hide

under a banana leaf, but success wasn't
with us. Oh well, when you go to a swim-

ming hole, you should expect to get wet.

Hot springs

Near the volcano are the Tabacon Hot

Springs. We went in the evening, when the

ambience is more suitable. The large
waterfall is the big attraction; however,
there are smaller pools nearby, where

bathing suits can be discreetly discarded.

When we were there, about five of us

got naked. One guy in our group noticed a

man on the other side of the pool who

appeared to be fondling himself. Although

discreet nudity is OK, this not really a
place for hanky-panky.
Worth its weight in Ticos

I would also recommend some non-naked

activities. For example, the area called

Monteverde is scenic. Take the bus--it's an

experience and it's cheap. There you'll see

a cloud forest, walk on the "Sky Walk" (a

large suspension bridges above the forest

floor), go on a Canopy Tour (rappelling
Tarzan-like through the forest) and visit

the gorgeous Butterfly Garden.

Manuel Antonio National Park is a

good place to see monkeys and iguana

amid lofty views of the ocean. In Manuel

Antonio, contact Iguana Tours (ask for

Andriez) for great white-water rafting on
the Naranjo River.Also, near the Hotel

Casa Blanca, there is the Jardin Gaia, an

animal restoration centre where animals

who have been hurt are nursed back to

health and released back into nature.

There you have it--a vacation worth

its weight in Tico guys! Check out Costa

Rica -- you'll have a remarkable time.

O