Eric Haller I know well and don't know at all. I've spoken to him several times about music, addiction, music, rockstars, music, and the imminent vortex explosion. He has a past that I shall not dwell but is scattered with amazing legends. His appearance is unique. He has a sort of Lex Luther crossed with the Buddha appearance in daily life. His head is bald and shiny. He always has a kind of witty grin on his face. I see Haller ride through some of the sketchiest places, day or night with confidence and poise. I think he has a machete but I'm sure a deity of his stature really doesn't need one. I asked him one time, "Eric, you don't worry about the late night thugs?" He said, "Loveless, I am completely aware." It's true Eric Haller has poise and intellectual superiority over just a common man. There's something special about Haller.He' has a certain almost buddha like presence... until... until... he's the front man.
Then there's a whole new buddha with technicolor sound blazing from his fingertips, rockstar growl, clean falsetto, and a head swaying to the heavens as he feels what he plays. It's quite a site. At one of Rocking J's birthday parties, he was absolutely completely in a rockstar moment. I remember being drunk and on mushrooms when the whole party peaked as sober Eric's music peaked with us. I looked him in the eyes and silently spoke, "Rockstar". His eye contact was true and intense as he gave a certain nod yes. Eric Haller is a true superstar rock n roller. Once in the studio he played some keys. I remember him giving me a kind of 'hmmmm what would Loveless like look." Then he layed into some up tempo quick fingered dixie land kind of ditty. I did love it. He blew me away.
He is a key rockstar in the musical foundation of Puerto Viejo. Haller is also the most active participant in the local government and public safety roles. He'll always give you an honest answer with a kind a laugh like, "Well, Loveless, you ready for the truth." And he does indeed uphold respect, honesty, integrity, and generosity... 4 rules of a Devil. So's he completely legit. But there is this elusiveness... a kind of mystery to him. Kind of like he knows something we don't. I see him on his bicycle in all kind of random spots with the same look of vulnerable invisibility. To repeat: when he's the front man it's a completely charismatic larger than life rock n roil persona.
Today you can see Eric Haller on his bike... lol... or rocking out 3 to 7 nights a week at Mango'sand Tex Mex.
Friday, April 13, 2012
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Rocking J - A character larger than life
So the first, larger than life, character I met was Rocking J. I arrived at his hammok hostel on my first day in Puerto Viejo. I'd been there a few hours when J appeared from his lair. When he swaggered through the hammock area up to reception, I was in the nearest hammock to reception soaking in the circus. He greeted every young lady and was friendly with all the guests. He had a joint behind one ear and a grin like the "Cheshire Cat". He had a huge presence that carries even outside of his castle. He loves his hostel, his life, his party, and his ladies. At the time I met him, he was a single bachelor living in a fast lane that just showed up at his doorstep everyday. The more I got to know him the more I began to appreciate his drive, vision, uniqueness, and powers. J is what I call a manifest-or. In particular, he can manifest big material objects, beautiful women, and rock-stars with ease.
Story goes he smoked a joint on his beach one day and decided to make it his beach. He put what money he had as a down payment and returned to the states to work off the remainder he needed for his dream hostel. What stands today is spectacular structure and atmosphere unlike any other. He's a stack em deep and sell em cheap kind of business man. However, he provides a rock-star party at a backpacker's budget. He's got a crazy son, in some ways, like me. A mystic with supposedly magic powers that is a handful at times... and an even wilder younger brother ERIK, who ran the restaurant. More about him in the future. I started hanging in the hostel almost full time it was infectious. A wonderland for free thinking travelers of all ages and backgrounds. This place became my home away from reality.
I starting hanging out with J on an increasingly regular basis. I remember the awe in my eyes the first time I was invited to his house. This architectural master piece sits on the beach in the back of the hostel. There were angles everywhere and incredible artworks he had collected from all over the world. The wood work was artistic and detailed. There was an indoor grill stored inside of a jukebox shaped structure that seemed to grow out of the hard wood floors. His bathroom has a waterfall and retractable roof for showering under the stars. Hammocks were draped from various points here and there. A spiral stair case lead up to the ultimate playboy's secret weapon... a small bedroom which also had a retractable roof so the ladies could really see stars. The back porch, sitting on the second story opens to a full view of the beach and nightly bonfires. Many nights were spent with Daisy air rifles popping shots at tin cans, and once at our crazy friend Felix Lopez's ass for 20 bucks. Ahh fun times.
J is a child at heart, a Peter Pan, and the ultimate boyscout. He exemplifies the ways of the boy scouts. He told me a story about finding an old boyscout's bag full of belongs in South America from the 1930's. He went on an adventure with his son and nephew to Austria to successfully return the baq in the honor of his boy scout past.
Every night J has a bonfire at 10 pm. The reception area has guitars and bongos for the guests. This is where I started noticing the talent that was passing through his hostel daily, and eventually inspired me to build a recording studio with J. In more recent times, J has been constructing an ARK based on a vision he had of a huge wave. The ARK is constructed of 9 upside down shipping containers welded together and welded shut. The ARK houses an art museum, recording studio, convenient store, dorms, ice bar, workshop, storage, food area and temporary hospital. It's in the shape of a pyramid. A little trivia, if J ever asks you to guess a number, it's 3... ALWAYS 3! J is a great guy, powerful shaman and world class spacial artist. These days you can see him sporting around town in a lime green Land Rover blasting music and making people smile. He's really good at making people smile and showing them how to have fun.
Story goes he smoked a joint on his beach one day and decided to make it his beach. He put what money he had as a down payment and returned to the states to work off the remainder he needed for his dream hostel. What stands today is spectacular structure and atmosphere unlike any other. He's a stack em deep and sell em cheap kind of business man. However, he provides a rock-star party at a backpacker's budget. He's got a crazy son, in some ways, like me. A mystic with supposedly magic powers that is a handful at times... and an even wilder younger brother ERIK, who ran the restaurant. More about him in the future. I started hanging in the hostel almost full time it was infectious. A wonderland for free thinking travelers of all ages and backgrounds. This place became my home away from reality.
I starting hanging out with J on an increasingly regular basis. I remember the awe in my eyes the first time I was invited to his house. This architectural master piece sits on the beach in the back of the hostel. There were angles everywhere and incredible artworks he had collected from all over the world. The wood work was artistic and detailed. There was an indoor grill stored inside of a jukebox shaped structure that seemed to grow out of the hard wood floors. His bathroom has a waterfall and retractable roof for showering under the stars. Hammocks were draped from various points here and there. A spiral stair case lead up to the ultimate playboy's secret weapon... a small bedroom which also had a retractable roof so the ladies could really see stars. The back porch, sitting on the second story opens to a full view of the beach and nightly bonfires. Many nights were spent with Daisy air rifles popping shots at tin cans, and once at our crazy friend Felix Lopez's ass for 20 bucks. Ahh fun times.
J is a child at heart, a Peter Pan, and the ultimate boyscout. He exemplifies the ways of the boy scouts. He told me a story about finding an old boyscout's bag full of belongs in South America from the 1930's. He went on an adventure with his son and nephew to Austria to successfully return the baq in the honor of his boy scout past.
Every night J has a bonfire at 10 pm. The reception area has guitars and bongos for the guests. This is where I started noticing the talent that was passing through his hostel daily, and eventually inspired me to build a recording studio with J. In more recent times, J has been constructing an ARK based on a vision he had of a huge wave. The ARK is constructed of 9 upside down shipping containers welded together and welded shut. The ARK houses an art museum, recording studio, convenient store, dorms, ice bar, workshop, storage, food area and temporary hospital. It's in the shape of a pyramid. A little trivia, if J ever asks you to guess a number, it's 3... ALWAYS 3! J is a great guy, powerful shaman and world class spacial artist. These days you can see him sporting around town in a lime green Land Rover blasting music and making people smile. He's really good at making people smile and showing them how to have fun.
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