Today the citizens of the Republic of Costa Rica went to public schools in their communities around the country to vote either "Si" or "No" to the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA).It is an historic day for Costa Rica, a country trying to advance within the 'world economy' but still maintain its economic and political sovereignty. We set out to several towns to observe and photograph the people of Costa Rica cast their votes.

Many questions ran through our minds as Daniel Dronsfield and I first started our '92 brown Ford Explorer later named Delilah. Where were the premier surf spots in Costa Rica? How would we make it there? Was one month enough time to come up with a comprehensive surf report of one of the most wave rich countries on the planet?

Last night I headed out to photograph this amazing beast, which stands at 1657 meters (nearly 5,500 feet) tall, often poking through a dense cloud cover. Even from my vantage point 16 km (11 miles) away in Monteverde, the volcano is incredibly massive. Together with the lake at its base, the volcano fills the field of vision from this location.

This morning I set out to photograph the Costa Rican Independence Day holiday celebrations in the small mountain town of Monteverde.

What I captured is the friendly, peaceful nature of the proud citizens that organized and attended the day's procession. It may even be the essence of this small, peaceful nation, which is only the size of West Virginia.

The Central American country, which abolished its standing army in 1949, formed independence from Spain in 1821. Bordered by Panama, Nicaragua, and surrounded by the Pacific and Caribbean Oceans, Costa Rica is best known for its coffee and commitment to ecological sustainability and booming tourism.

So, after breakfast of Gallo Pinto, a typical and delicious breakfast dish, I situated myself on the sidewalk and made friendly with those nearby. The Costa Rican families around me were very warm and open, happily subjecting themselves to my novice photography attempts and forgiving my broken Spanish.