Manuel Antonio (Eric)

We just arrived in Manuel Antonio on the southern Pacific coast of Costa Rica. We are staying at Arenas Del Mar within walking distance of the Manuel Antonio National Park. We had to drive for three hours from San Jose, and it was a little treacherous during the final leg of the journey driving on some of the mountain roads, but the journey has been worth it. This place has surpassed my expectations. In just a few short hours since we arrived, we have spotted an agouti, an iguana, a sloth, and several different types of monkeys. Staying in this place is like staying in a zoo. It is transcendental. We also had an amazing dinner overlooking the ocean and then went for a walk on the beach.  Once again, it sucks to be us. My wife finds some of the coolest places to visit on this planet. I am a lucky man to have her in my life. Here are some pictures... (which won’t do this place justice)

Embracing Pura Vida (Jenny)

Buenos Tardes from San Jose, Costa Rica! We’ve had a remarkable time exploring the capital city, with the help of our guide, Alejandro. Taking walking tours has become our favorite way to get to know a new place, and today was no exception! Alejandro is a 24 year-old artist, pastry chef, and all-around great person. It was wonderful getting to know him (he spent 3 months interning in London, and loved exploring London so much that when he returned home, he wanted to explore his own city with the same enthusiasm) and learning about Costa Rican culture, architecture, and cuisine. By the end of the tour, I felt like we had made a life-long friend, and I had a deeper appreciation for this vibrant city and its friendly people. More importantly, I experienced firsthand “Pura Vida”, which is the Costa Rican attitude of taking time to enjoy life and its experiences. For example, we spent a long time (I don’t know how long, because I never looked at a clock), learning about one cup of coffee. But there was such an artistic process to how it was made, and we thoroughly enjoyed talking with the barista about coffee in Costa Rica. And it was the best cup of coffee I’ve ever had! It was so good that I drank it black! Another example of Pura vida, is that our tour was only supposed to last 2 hours, but we were having so much fun with Alejandro (and I’d like to think that he had fun with us), that we spent 3 hours together! There was just such a pure joy in our whole experience with everyone we met. I think it’s because we were focused on the moment, not worried about time, or how much else there was to do, or what needed to be done. We were experiencing the present. I wish life could always be paced like this; I think everyone would be happier and healthier, too! Pictures below are of the art and architecture of the city, the parks, and the Central Market. As a funny bonus to the day, we were interviewed for a commercial for the Central Market. I guess we were exuding that Pura Vida!

Greetings from Costa Rica (Eric)

 I just wanted to share a quick post about my initial experiences in San Jose, Costa Rica. This is another fun city to simply wander and explore on your own. Having said that, Jenny has introduced me to a new way of exploring a new city where you can see some of the more local flavors - a walking tour. With our guide Alejandro and just the two of us, we spent almost three hours wandering the city stopping by interesting sights, coffee shops, and food places. I think the most interesting thing about the tour is that we probably would not have wandered into any of these places on our own. We tried some of the best coffee we have ever had - drinking it black; something I would not have dreamed of in the States. But it was wonderful. He walked us through a local market where we had amazing ceviche and tortillas that were incredibly fresh and tasty. The whole experience surpassed my expectations, and I highly recommend the Barrio Bird Walking Tour company.