This story is mostly inspired by my uncle Jack, who left for Costa Rica at the same time as John, the main character in this book. 

I only met my uncle once when I was about ten years old. He arrived from Costa Rica with cuts and bruises on his face and hands.

He had been unlucky enough to come upon some rustlers on his ranch and received a bad beating from them as did his foreman.

He vowed to me that they would pay a heavy price for their bad behavior. I never heard about what happened when he arrived back home from my mother, and perhaps it’s just as well. He left a giant snake skin with us that was placed high over the bar in our restaurant. It made quite an impression on me.

Most everyone wore sidearms in Costa Rica back in the late 1930’s if they lived out in the country, and I don’t doubt that they were used when needed.

My grandfather went to see his son a few times over the years there. Sadly, he died on his last trip there and is now buried in the visitors cemetery in San Jose.

I know that I have many cousins in Costa Rica that I have never met, and that is a little sad. Their family name would be Hand.

My uncle owned a hotel in San Jose and a Ranch in Puntarenas. I’m sure he was well known for his drinking and carousing.

However, I have only been there for a day while on a cruise through the Panama Canal.

I have seen some of its beauty and met some of the people who call Costa Rica their home. We were going through the Panama Canal at the time and made a short stop in Costa Rica. I would love to meet some of my relations down there, but I don’t think it likely.

The passage of time has dimmed their memories of my family, I suppose. Perhaps it is for the better. My uncle was a real character as you will see in “Dreams of Costa Rica.”

Look for my other books on Amazon. They are “Sailing Away,” the follow up to “The Adventures of the Smith Family,”  “Kazu, son of Oshida Kamasaki,” “Atlanta” and “Grandpa Ernie’s Secrets.” They are all different and interesting in their own way.

I have a few more coming soon.

The first chapters of all my novels are available to read here on my website.

We have just returned from Jordan and Egypt on October 31, 2023. It was our third attempt to see these two wonderful countries. We had been stopped by political issues twice before. We though now would be a better time. Surprise. Yes, timing is everything. The stories of our adventure and photos are now on Facebook at R.C. Hand.

Longer versions and photos of these wonderful countries will be up here soon.

Please don’t miss the audio interview of me with brian@briantellsstories.com from England. The title is “Growing up with murderers.” It’s here on my website.

There are several videos of my guest appearances on many podcasts here on my website and Facebook at R.C. Hand now.

Come and see the fun videos of me telling my true six minute stories on stage at The Long Beach Searches for The Greatest Storyteller events on Facebook and Instagram at R.C. Hand.

“Sunrise, Sunset,”my book of ten short stories is now on Amazon and available as an Audible book.