Surf Contest

So the world championship of surf (or at least one of them) is this week in Hermosa.  The parade of nations was on Friday of last week, and then the tournament started on Saturday.  For the most part, it's been freaking hot.  It hasn't been raining, which is strange for this time of year, and the heat and humidity are too much for me to want to even go watch the event.  Still, I checked it out briefly.  

The parade of nations was interesting largely in the difference among the nations.  For example, all of the South Africans were wearing green blazers with some sort of patch on their chests, green ties, and white button-downs.  Very proper.  The Irish, on the other hand, were wearing different types of Patty's Day style hats, green shirts, and generally seemed drunk, but having a blast.  By far the most lively and fun country was Jamaica, who had a guitar and were singing reggae, clearly stoned and unbelievably happy.  Especially in comparison to the Americans.  Now, don't get me wrong, the Puerto Rican team and the Hawaiian team (who clearly have no interest in identifying with our country and so have separated themselves) looked to be having a good time and happy to be there.  But the Americans, the ones under the stars and stripes, looked miserable and uncomfortable.  It was as if they had the attitude of being too good for this party and at the exact same time scared shitless to show any type of emotion, enjoyment, or character.  And there weren't very many of them.  I think some decided to not even show up for the parade of nations.  

But in a way it shows our national character well.  We still tend to believe we are better than everyone else, but on our pedestal, we are constantly too afraid to show an identity for fear others might view us as equals.  Not that each individual is this way, but I've noticed as I have met a lot of people from other countries that they don't have the conservative self-preservation that we tend to.  We're not alone, of course, but it just seems sad.  And common.  As soon as you start believing you are better than others, your ego requires you to maintain that, and you no longer have that divine spark because you are constantly worried that others might find that you are no better than they are.  Worse, you might find that you are no better than they are.  As long as we play conservatively, keeping our distance emotionally and physically, we will never find ourselves to be just another one of the masses.  And yet by doing this, we become just another one of the masses, completely without our own flavor.  

It was sad to see.  But the parade was fun to watch.  Especially those crazy Jamaicans.  

The next day, I ended up being stuck in Jaco, and so I walked at noon from Jaco to Hermosa, alongside the highway in the hot hot hot hot hot sun.  Adding to the sun was the line of cars, each spewing out exhaust, and the black highway absorbing the sun's rays.  It was only a few miles, but man it felt like a long way.  In the end, though, I beat the cars there by about 20 minutes.  Walking from Jaco to Hermosa was far quicker on Saturday afternoon than driving.  

But after making it to the beach, really I just wanted to walk around a bit, say hi to some friends, and make it back home.  The beach is black, there were thousands of people, and the sun was scorching.  It was good to see it was a success, but after a couple of hours, I decided to stay in Oeste and perhaps just do some surfing of my own.  I've definitely found I prefer to be away from the crowds, in the surf, perhaps, instead of watching it.