Blogs from Vista Serena Hotel, Manuel Antonio, Puntarenas, Costa Rica, Central America Caribbean

Costa Rica 2013: Day 13: Manuel Antonio Day 3: This morning is the Spices Tour we signed up for last night. We were up and ready long before the minivan arrived at 8:50 to take us to the farm. I don't think I mentioned that we were a bit hesitant about taking this tour, due to the cost of $50 each, but it sounded very interesting, and Manoli wasn't all that excited about the other tours available, so we went for it. When they picked us up, there was already a young couple in the minivan, going on the tour with us. We traveled quite a ways out of town to their farm, Villa Vainilla. It is a well-known, recognized biodersity operation with a lot of write-ups expounding on it's virtues. They are a major producer ... read more

Costa Rica 2013: Day 11: Playas del Coco to Manuel Antonio: We were ready to leave our room at Laura's House by 6am, but unfortunately the lady who had been in the cafe the morning before wasn't there, so no coffee. We made our way to the bus stop in Playas del Coco to catch the 6:30am bus to Liberia and arrived with time to spare. The "bus stop" is just a place on the side of the road where the Pulmiton busses stop. When we arrived in Liberia, it was just past 7:30am, so we walked the block or so to the bus station for Puntarensas, and lo and behold, the 7:30 bus to Puntarenas was just leaving, so we hopped on, already an hour ahead of schedule, as I'd planned on catching the 8:30 ... read more

Well guys this is probably the last blog of this trip that I will be posting. I have 1 more day to chill and another of travel back to san Jose to prepare for my journey back to the Good Ol USA. I am by far not ready to leave this amazing paradise that I came to. Although I need to head back. Mytrip has been the best thing that could have happened to me. I have met people from Iran, Germany, Holland, Several parts of england, scottland, all over the US, austriallia, russia, costa rica, spain, panama, nicaraugua, and of course Canada or Quebec. I have made friends that hopefully will last long into my lifetime. I have done things and seen things I would have never imagined. I have seen the beauty of the ... read more

Today was simply put a much needed blissful day..I cant describe the serinity that I felt today wandering by myself. Before I get into that thoughts have been running through and through. Ive found some of the views that I have long lost. I remember who I was and what drove me, aside from my chaotic ways, and FTW mentality. I want to come back to this country again. But the next time I come back I want to be able to communicate with the locals more then buenos diaz como estas and not be able to carry on from there. I want to be more then the gringo that is bringing them the little bit of money that I have, although helpful to them, not satisfying to me. I want to be that guy when ... read more

Day 4 Well I was woken up temprano por la mañana by a tormenta. The sun was up but the clouds over looking the ocean were negro. I ventured out of my dorm room and into the commons area where we sat and drank cafe y leche watching the storm pass. Anthony and me discussed what our plans were. The mangrove tour was canceled so we got directions from martha, our host, and headed out of town toward a waterfall. Taking a left out of vista serrena we walked down a hill only matched by ludviks castles in germany, except with crazy ass drivers going up and down it. walking single file in our shorts, no shirts, and flipflops we reached the gravel road we were suppose to walk down. Houses were tucked in the trees, ... read more