Borracho en Costa Rica (Drunk on Costa Rica)

Finally taking a chance to write a little.  Me y mi familia have been in Costa Rica for 5 days now, and are settling in. As always the flight over was uneventful and always seems to take too long, because we are always so anxious to be back.  Being here a few times now, as soon as we are off the flight, we take a big sigh of relief, and quickly make our way through customs. While some are still wandering around wondering where to go, and who to see, we are out the door to our car.  This time, we got into San Jose later, around 7pm, and decided to stay the night.  Wasn’t too thrilled about making the drive over in darkness to the coast.  Driving here is always “interesting” but at night….no way!

We headed to the coast the next morning.  We knew there was a possibility that the new highway might still be under construction.  They are replacing the temporary bridges.  So the old way it was.  I actually don’t mind diving the old way over.  It is longer, but very beautiful.  Big mountains, many coffee farms, lush rain forests and gorgeous scenery.

We made our regular stop in Jaco’ to stock up for our kitchen.  Already the heat seemed unbearable to us.  Always takes us a couple of days to acclimate to this heat after we leave Idaho.

We got into our cabina at Tranquilo, unloaded our groceries, and bags, changed, and headed down to the beach. Gorgeous!

This is where I truly feel myself unwind.  Not that I am especially ever wound-up, but there is something that happens when my feet hit the sand, then the water.  I feel the salty, ocean breeze against my skin, and I melt.  It’s what I explain to people as the “glass of wine” melt.  That feeling you get after drinking a glass of wine.  That relaxed, loosened up, slow, unwinding that takes place.  That’s how I feel when I am here.  That sooooo relaxed feeling, as if I have been tippin’ back a few.  My happy sweet spot.  We spent the rest of the day, walking the beach and soaking up as much Vitamin D as we could take, watching the crazy Macaws flying, and doing their extraordinary, acrobatics in the trees, and having a few Imperials on the beach. 

That night, The Low Tide, of course, and then off to bed with the warm breeze coming through our open windows and the sound of the cicadas, crickets, and other little singing critters, serenading us to sleep.

Every day has been gorgeous, and warm, in the 90’s.  We get up early, to get a walk/run in before the sun gets higher and we can’t. Another thing that takes time to acclimate are my little wintery Idaho feet.  They have been pampered, and pedicured, in slippers, fluffy socks and soft carpet all winter, and that first run on the sand always sends them into rebellion.  It has been amazing running in nothing but shorts and a sports bra.  It feels so liberating after the confines of our long winter.

We were able to catch breakfast this morning at a great little place called No Worries.  Great owners, delicious food, and then took off to spend the day in Jaco’, a little touristy town just 15 minutes north.  It’s a whole different scene there.  We like going in every once in a while, but much prefer the non-turista areas.

 We have all eaten enough fruta since we have been here to kill someone.  I cannot get enough pina (pineapple) it is so juicy, and taste like candy.  I even had to pull off at a stand coming back into Esterillos today to get another.  Can’t wake up without the pina!  This place is a vegetarians dream.

Juicy papaya

We tried to teach Alli a little driving today in our tiny little car.  Of course it is a stick, and that was……an adventure.  I had Greg get in back.  HA! I had to allow her to try.  All of our kids have had their first driving experience in Costa Rica, and Alli HAD to give it a go.  Yah, no…maybe next year!  She does have a couple of years before she can drive in the States.  Needless to say, Greg aged 15 years in the back seat, and came up front with sweat teeming down his face.  I of course, with my little “half drunken” outlook, thought it went ok, and laughed the rest of the way into Esterillos.

Our little hammock loving girl!

Now, I am on a quest to learn or find out how to make Gallo Pinto.  Which is one of the typico dishes of Costa Rica.  I fell in love with it the first time we were here, could eat it by the truckload, had it again this morning for breakfast, and am now determined to make it on my own.

Anyone know? Hopefully I will figure it out in the next few weeks that we are here!

Right now I am off to lie in the hammock on our patio.  We are getting an amazing tropical storm outside.  I wish you could all hear and smell it!

Pura Vida

Greg playing in the outdoor shower