Saving Grace ...
... at least the fruit smoothies and juices were killer at Rafael's, including mango, passionfruit, and pineapple. In total, we had five tropical smoothies or juices up to this point - a definite highlight of eating in Costa Rica is the availability and variety of such top-notch fruit. The pineapple slices were also deliciously sweet, and were probably the best thing we ate at Rafael's! The sad thing was that we believed we had simply chosen poorly - a big tour group sat down right next to us, and their platters of grilled fish, burritos, and whole fried fish smelled and looked phenomenal.
Costa Rica is a Central American success story: since the late 19th century, only two brief periods of violence have marred its democratic development. Although still a largely agricultural country, it has expanded its economy to include strong techn... ... read more 
