Menu: Arroz and Frijoles, or Casado?

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Costa Rica is probably the most outwardly "touristy" country I have visited so far on this trip. There are people everywhere and, as I am briefly with my folks again, we're enjoying the amenities provided for proper tourists who can afford to splurge. There is something to this lifestyle. People have short breaks and they want to relax. I get it. They want to be spoiled. I am just not at the point in my life right now where this is my cup of tea, or glass of fruity cocktail, so to speak.

My attitude towards travel budgeting is to spend as little money as possible while taking in the culture and being safe. The hotel we are now at would not fit into this budgeting. It is a stunning "eco resort" in Playa Tamarindo on a beautiful stretch of white sand beach but with a pool for good measure as well as a restaurant serving amazing breakfast and lovely rooms. They pamper guests and keep something of a nature reserve so you might just find yourself face to face with a quasi-tame monkey or raccoon.

This little road trip in our rented car has been a great way to see Costa Rica. We started in San Jose, drove through the fertile green central highlands to Jaco and have been wandering along the coast up to Playa Portrero, Samara, Flamingo, Coco and now Tamarindo. Daddy is reliving his adventure here thirty years ago and enjoying the chance to draw comparisons to the Costa Rica of yore. It sounds like the roads have gotten much better!

I think I've found out how I'm going to spend my final month in Central America. Through Internet searching, I discovered a non-governmental organization based out of Granada, Nicaragua that teaches music to children in disadvantaged neighbourhoods. It's called "Ritmo en los Barrios" and today they sent me back a positive response to my spontaneous e-mail asking if I could be of any use. I can start Monday! I want to settle into something for the rest of my trip, maybe live with a host family and get to know one place well instead of so many places only superficially. It's time to properly unpack my pack and sleep in the same bed for more than three nights in a row!

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