Bronzing in Babylon

Central America Caribbean » Costa Rica
March 25th 2006

Published: March 4th 2008

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Yellow Head

Fruit Loops

just follow your nose

Costa Ricans live the pura vida lifestyle to the fullest. The term literally translates as “pure life” but it also connotes their overall attitude for life, to live it to the fullest. And this is something they do very well. They are constantly dancing, eating, listening to music, chatting with friends, and playing. Work seems like a second priority here.

It was the exact break that I needed after a dreary and work-ridden winter in Boston. Although Boston is where I consider myself to be from and I love it there, it is undisputable to say that we Bostonians have very little understanding, if at all, of this concept, pura vida. Our life isn’t exactly pure in this cold New England city. We are constantly trying to make the next dollar and hiding from the cold in dark pubs and drinking our way through the winter. The only time we seem to get close to the spirit of pura vida is the brief summer that shines down on us for a glorious 3-4 months every year. That is our time to shine. We escape the confines of home and spend the hours after work laying around in the Commons with

A "Tamagringo" Sunset

our friends, exercising along the banks of the Charles, drinking coffee and cold pints in the sun, and firing up our barbeques for a three month bbq orgy. It is a short amount of time but we make the most out of it and it is then that we come the closest to touching upon the idea of pura vida.

On the other hand, the vibrant Tico’s and Tica’s, that make Costa Rica the place it is, seem to live this life 365 days a year, 7 days a week and 24 hours a day. And I have to say I was jealous of them. Here I was, a pasty white boy, thrown into this land of bronzed bodies to enjoy the brief 2 weeks of vacation I am allowed from work every year. Needless to say, I made the most out of those two weeks.

Shannon and I trekked through the jungles, bounced about like school children in the warm waves, lay on the beautiful white beaches, poked at alligators and, good lord, did we eat. My favorite part of traveling is the food and I went on a 2 week gastronomic adventure throughout this country. Anything

San Jose

Teatro Nacional

new and good looking would almost instantaneously disappear into my mouth. I even began to grow found of liver, something that I have never liked and wouldn’t usually touch with a 10 foot pole. And the best part about it all was that it was cheap. I could eat 10 meals a day for the same cost of that of 3 in Boston.

The country is undeniably small but it packs a punch. Whether you are looking for jungles, beaches, wildlife, Latin cuisine, girls… boys, Costa Rica has it all. And combined with the pura vida spirit, life there is good.

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