Final Thoughts

Central America Caribbean » Costa Rica
February 19th 2006

Published: February 19th 2006

We've arrived in Cleveland, another destination known for its mild temperatures and dicey drinking water, and are now preparing to re-enter Chicago's atmosphere. So let us now wrap up our notes from a small country between Nicaragua and Panama.

Leaving Costa Rica

After our two day affair with the high life at Los Suenos we spent our final day, rather uneventfully, back in San Pedro at the Globetrotter's Hostel - a very cozy night's stay if you're ever in the area.

The following morning we headed to the airport and admired triumphantly the country which we had made our home for the past month remembering the sights and sounds that had become so commonplace to us.

The "buenas" and the "la cuenta, por favor's" that we'd grown used to saying to our fellow Ticos. The overly confident "tweet TWEEEEET" of the local birds that we could never identify because of our predilection towards mammals, waking us each morning. The gallo pinto (rice/bean mixture) always scooped into a small mountain on our breakfast plates... and not in the least the "PURA VIDA" = Pure Life, which is not only the motto of Costa Rica, but the feeling in the atmosphere while there.

Our flights back to the states went so smoothly and quickly that it almost made us forget the sneaky little trick that Costa Rica plays on exiting tourists. Instead of signs all over the country reminding us that sex with anyone under 18 is illegal, maybe they could have reminded us to save $26 per person for the double secret probation tax that was thrust upon us at the airport before we could even get our boarding passes. Well, it's good to know that our money will be put to good use towards constructing a new summer home for whichever qualified individual ends up winning the presidential election that so callously disrupted our drinking schedule.

So without further adieu, let us present our greatest hits from Costa Rica
(Keep in mind that this is all purely our opinion and if you disagree then politely cram it.)

Gregg and Elise's Hall of Fame

These are the people (mostly) who influenced our travels in some significant way.

Say, proprietor Globetrotter's Hostel, friend of a friend of a friend - Say was our first contact with the country and not only treated us to a great meal, but also to much helpful advice.

Mark & Rebecca - Drunk Texans who peer pressured us into a whirlwind night at Tabacon Hot Springs.

Alissa & Brian - Not only became our friends and our travel partners, but also our knights in shining metal saving us with their rental car.

Esteban - Our first, and best, guide of the trip. Showed us amazing sites in the Monteverde Cloud Forest.
Honorable Mention: Charly the Collared Peckerie who followed our tour around as if he were our guide.

Joel - The French proprietor of Hotel Marbella in Samara who provided us with much needed comedy during Gregg's convalescence.

Lexie - Samara compatriat, and co-alumnus of #7 ranked (b-ball) George Washington University

Jack & Jeff - Our "Brokeback Buddies" who shared many Manuel Antonio sunsets with us.

Geckos (Various) - Not only fun to watch their wall crawling, but kept our rooms free of bugs.

Paula & Marco - More Costa Rican friend of friends, shared our last night with us and treated us to an authentic Tico taste at T.G.I. Fridays.

Lonely Planet - Our travel bible throughout our entire trip.

Things we'll miss about Costa Rica

Not knowing what day it was
Monkeys, or the prospect of monkeys, everywhere
No cell phones
Good tasting coffee, that doesn't cost $3/cup
Having business meetings in a hammock
Foliage thousands of years old
Complete lack of knowledge of daily political happenings in the U.S.
Resplendent Sunsets nearly every night
"Dressing up" in our best shorts and t-shirts
Tanning without really trying
Restaurant prices

Things we won't miss about Costa Rica

Stomach pains
Addresses that are really directions (200 meters North, 30 Meters East of the Church)
Potholes the size of elephants
Applying dangerously large doses of DEET to our bodies
Planning our day around Sunsets (thats really a Gregg one)
Rice and beans with EVERY meal
Seeking out affordable internet cafes to log our every move so that the people back home have something to read other than People magazine

Best and Worst of Gregg and Elise's Costa Rica

Hotel:
Best = Villas El Parque, for the all around experience versus total glamour.
Worst = Alby Lodge, nice patrons, but a little too animal-infested and musty rooms.

Beach:
Best = Manuel Antonio National Park, Playa Manuel Antonio
Worst = Playa Herradura at Los Suenos Marriott - good thing it was a Pool heavy resort.

Bed:
Best = Los Suenos Marriott
Worst = Pretty much the rest were nothing to write home about.

Breakfast:
Best = Los Suenos All you can eat buffet, included with our voucher
Worst = Villas El Parque, not for the food (which was good) but for the mean little girl who scowled at us each morning.

Dinner:
Best = El Dorado, Samara... Great Italian food, amazing dessert and only cost a few bucks.
Worst = Moon Shiva, Monteverde - We wouldn't really know despite spending $20 on an appetizer and the rest of the menu being unavailable.

Animal Sighting:
Best = tie between the Walking Stick during the Night Hike in Monteverde - like a Where's Waldo... and Spider Monkeys in Santa Elena Reserve - a rare treat to see these guys in motion.
Worst = Beach raccoons in Manuel Antonio Park

Organized Activity:
Best = Zip Line Canopy Tour in Monteverde

Book Read on the Trip
Best = "World According to Garp" by John Irving
Worst = Terrible British mystery given to Elise by strange Canadian woman.

Drinks:
Best = Tie between Coconut Margaritas at Karolas, Manuel Antonio, and Cafe Monteverde Coffee.
Worst = Whatever we had to drink during the "dry election".

Parting Shot

In all sincerity it has been a pleasure writing these journals of our trip and knowing that some of our friends and family could not only keep tabs of us, but ocassionally be entertained. While it is a rare opportunity to be able to take a month and flee, we both highly recommend that anyone who does go to Costa Rica, or someplace interesting, and soak in all that that country has to offer. We hope to be able to do it again just as soon as we finish paying off this trip.

Thanks to everyone who followed our exploits, those who posted comments, our parents who ran around like crazy to ensure that our resort vouchers made it in time, and most of all Santa Claus (aka Todd Kessler the Patron Saint of Big Teeth Productions) for whom without, none of this would have been possible.

Hasta Muy Pronto,
Gregg and Elise

19th February 2006

mamacita Jaffe
non-member comment

Welcome home. Can't wait to see you. And thank you for keeping us posted on your whereabouts. Kept the worrying to a minimum.

Anna
non-member comment

Same tax in Mexico
Did i ever tell you the time we had to beg folks for $20/person in the Mexico City Airport so we could leave the country? I was 7. My dad spent our last dollars on a wooden chicken. He lost the chicken - but it remained a source for decades of ridicule. Lesson - never spend the last of your cash in a foreign country.

lisa levy
non-member comment

interesting
glad you are home,glad you enjoyed the month away from the real world...now what??