~ Costa Rica ~ # 3 " Pura Vida " for sure !

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After happily anticipating our third trip to Costa Rica, we were a bit disconcerted about the American government shut-down. However, our layover in Dallas and departure the next day, went smoothly ! The security staff carried on admirably, despite the prospect of no pay.

We arrived in Liberia to cloudless blue skies and a temp of 94 F. It felt great after the cold January rain of British Columbia.

After quickly settling into our favourite hotel in Hermosa, we set off for the beach and enjoyed a swim. In spite of being high season, it wasn't terribly crowded, even though it was the weekend. Monday was even better!

The iguanas were still patrolling among the trees nearby and fish were leaping from the water. Doves still serenading us during the early morning hours. It felt like "Pura Vida", for sure. Relaxation mode set in.

We got to know the Tico family who runs the restaurant attached to the hotel and totally enjoyed visiting with their three grown sons every day. Their English is excellent and they like the chance to practice using it.

We departed for the southern zone early Saturday morning of our second week and met a lovely couple; an American lady married to a Costa Rican. They were great fun and we passed the hours enjoyably, even when we were stranded at a roadside restaurant for a couple of hours, due to a bad traffic accident on the highway. When we finally set off again, our driver decided to take a short cut, to avoid the resulting congestion on the road. This involved miles of dusty, rough roads through sugar cane fields and fording streams. You definitely need a sense of adventure AND a sense of humour when travelling !

After 9 hours of driving and 5 mini-bus transfers, we arrived in Uvita, not terribly far from the border of Panama. The young lady at the information centre arranged for a taxi to take us to our hostel in the jungle. We quickly discovered the meaning of jungle heat and humidity. Woah ! I'm sure a person acclimatizes eventually, but our clothes felt dripping wet for a week 😊

We soon established a routine of walking down the hill to town at 6.00 am and having an afternoon siesta every day.

Walking up the hill beyond the hostel, to see the waterfall, we saw our first gigantic blue butterfly. It was iridescent and as large as a small bird. I didn't think anything so exquisite existed this side of Heaven.

The nearest beach is part of a national park, so there was a US $ 6 fee to enter the park, but it was a fantastically pristine sweep of sand and jungle.

Our last week was spent at our time-share at Playas del Coco, where there is an abundance of fish. They leapt out of the water within ten yards of where we were swimming and it seemed to be a daily event. Once again, we found the Tico people to be lovely and we're more convinced than ever, that we would like to retire in Costa Rica !

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