more beach talk....
Friday was much of the same: lay out at the beach, play in the ocean, TCBY, hammock time, dinner at a beachside restaurant (we split this great plate of grilled veggie kabobs, rice, beans, a salad – Jess’ first taste of traditional Tican food).
Saturday we headed out from Tamarindo on the 9am bus headed north for our next destination: Playas del Coco. The bus was about 2 hrs of stop and go, people getting on and off, and a brief tour of some smaller, more remote towns. We got off and planned to catch another bus for the rest of the trip to the beach but decided to take up the offer from a taxi driver to take us directly to our hotel for a price that was far worth the convenience. Andreas Jésus proved to be helpful not only in getting to our destination, but also gave us some great information about buses back to San José and a canopy tour nearby and left us with his phone number if we wanted to go. Our new home was Laura’s House Bed and Breakfast. A newer place with nice rooms, a pool, and a hammock and several hammock chairs hanging from the tree out front. We were at the beach and back to our routine by noon. Beach time, playing in the ocean, working on our tans, etc. Tamarindo is not a huge place, nor are there a ton of people, but there is definitely a strong tourist presence (i.e. the existence of TCBY, Subway, Pizza Hut, and Burger King) but Playas del Coco had even fewer people at the beach and very few tourists and no American restaurants. The two spots proved to give us 2 great and different experiences. After enjoying another gorgeous beach sunset, we hit up the local Mexican restaurant, called “Tequila Bar” for some tasty chips and salsa (Be warned though – use the salsa sparingly because once you are out there are no refills! We learned this the hard way…) and cheese quesadilla. We toasted the night with ice cream, movies on tv in our room, and chatting beneath the stars by the pool.
Sunday – more of the same (are you sensing a pattern yet?) beach time, ocean, hammocks, and sunset at the beach. For dinner we decided to try out a local restaurant where I had earlier seen people eating one of my favorite Tican treats – patacones. It’s kind of hard to describe accurately but basically it is a large banana (called plantains) that are still green and some how you slice them and mash them into little round flat pancake shapes and then fry them and serve with a kind of black bean pure. The description really doesn’t do it justice, as Jessamy can attest because she immediately fell in love with them and thought about never returning to the US.
Monday we hit up the beach a little earlier than usual (thanks in part due to the fact that there was construction on a new building exactly one inch from the wall of our room and they sure like to get started with the hammering and pounding bright and early! Oh well, I guess that is pretty good if that is the only major complaint…) After beach time we picked up a whole fresh pineapple (yum) and then got ready for our big canopy tour adventure. We did in fact enlist the services of our friend Andreas Jésus, who picked us up from our hotel, drove us about 25 minutes to our canopy tour and proceeded to wait for us while we swung through the trees so that he could take us back home when we were done. The canopy tour was an amazing experience. Jessamy and I had 2 guides that took us through 11 lines from station to station high up in the trees and kept us entertained the whole time. I even took a few trips upside-down and one flying like Superman. We were really high off the ground at times (maybe 100 yds or so) and got some pretty good speed on some of the long runs. I think my favorite part of the whole experience was hearing Jessamy laughing before I could even see her coming through the trees. The canopy tour spot even had a little wildlife exhibit of sorts so we got to see some monkeys, tropical birds, and walk through a butterfly farm. Nevermind the fact that we gladly passed up our chance to visit the Snake Garden. We decided to mix it up a little, and at the same time cool off from swinging through the trees, by going for an evening swim in the ocean while watching the sunset. Priceless. That is all that can really be said. There was no question that dinner would once again be Patacones con frijolitos (the beans I mentioned) and they may have been even better this time around.
Tuesday – our last day at the beach…sad. We made the most of it, and our last chance to improve the tan. Our bus to San José was at 2pm so we picked up some of our favorite (and pretty much only food) – a really simple but really delicious cracker/cookie called Maria for the bus ride home. Plus of course, Jess was not ready to say goodbye to the Patacones so I ordered some “to-go” and we ate them at the bus stop….ah, kind of like our last supper. The bus ride to San José took 5 hours and was, well, I guess “smelly” would be the best way to describe it. But at least we made it back safe and sound. Ibo (Luisa’s husband) picked us up from the bus stop at the airport and brought us back home to the house. It was so fun to be able to have Jessamy meet my family and see my house and room and everything. Now at least one person can truly understand and picture what it is like for me to live here. And she can confirm just how wonderful my family is and what a great place I have to live.
Wednesday Jess’ flight left at 1pm and we had a couple things to do before she left. Luisa took us for a quick stop at ETC (my school) so Jess could see that and know where I have been spending a lot of my time the past 6 weeks, and where I have been sitting when I send out all those emails and post these blogs. Then we hit up the store at the Café Britt factory/plantation. Café Britt is home to the best coffee in Costa Rica and happens to be just a few minutes from my home. So Jess was able to pick up some coffee for her mom and some chocolate treats to take back home. Then we hit up the grocery store to send Jess off with a good supply of Marias (they really are that good) and a few new chips/snacks she had discovered. We wished there was more time for Jess to see and do more around here, but I am so thankful that I at least got to share a little taste of my life. Having Jess here was so wonderful. I loved the time with someone who knows me so well and when there are no language barriers whatsoever! Although, I will say that I know my Spanish is improving because I had to act as interpreter and the sole gatherer of information and source of communication while we were out on our own; and at times I had to catch myself from saying words or phrases in Spanish to Jess.
Having Jess here sparked some new emotions for me as well. I had my first face-to-face reminder of life back at home and all the things that I love and miss about home. On the brink of starting my adventures anew in Limón very soon, part of me just wanted to be heading back to the States right alongside with Jess. I have had such an amazing experience thus far, and after an unforgettable week a small part of me felt like it could be satisfied with this. I am happy to say though, that although it was sad to send Jessamy off, I was (and still am) happy to still be here. I know that if I were indeed heading home now I would feel like I needed more time here, so I am grateful that I do have more time here. So that is that – my last days as a 24 year old and first ones as a 25 year old. I don’t think I will ever forget this birthday.
Saturday we headed out from Tamarindo on the 9am bus headed north for our next destination: Playas del Coco. The bus was about 2 hrs of stop and go, people getting on and off, and a brief tour of some smaller, more remote towns. We got off and planned to catch another bus for the rest of the trip to the beach but decided to take up the offer from a taxi driver to take us directly to our hotel for a price that was far worth the convenience. Andreas Jésus proved to be helpful not only in getting to our destination, but also gave us some great information about buses back to San José and a canopy tour nearby and left us with his phone number if we wanted to go. Our new home was Laura’s House Bed and Breakfast. A newer place with nice rooms, a pool, and a hammock and several hammock chairs hanging from the tree out front. We were at the beach and back to our routine by noon. Beach time, playing in the ocean, working on our tans, etc. Tamarindo is not a huge place, nor are there a ton of people, but there is definitely a strong tourist presence (i.e. the existence of TCBY, Subway, Pizza Hut, and Burger King) but Playas del Coco had even fewer people at the beach and very few tourists and no American restaurants. The two spots proved to give us 2 great and different experiences. After enjoying another gorgeous beach sunset, we hit up the local Mexican restaurant, called “Tequila Bar” for some tasty chips and salsa (Be warned though – use the salsa sparingly because once you are out there are no refills! We learned this the hard way…) and cheese quesadilla. We toasted the night with ice cream, movies on tv in our room, and chatting beneath the stars by the pool.
Sunday – more of the same (are you sensing a pattern yet?) beach time, ocean, hammocks, and sunset at the beach. For dinner we decided to try out a local restaurant where I had earlier seen people eating one of my favorite Tican treats – patacones. It’s kind of hard to describe accurately but basically it is a large banana (called plantains) that are still green and some how you slice them and mash them into little round flat pancake shapes and then fry them and serve with a kind of black bean pure. The description really doesn’t do it justice, as Jessamy can attest because she immediately fell in love with them and thought about never returning to the US.
Monday we hit up the beach a little earlier than usual (thanks in part due to the fact that there was construction on a new building exactly one inch from the wall of our room and they sure like to get started with the hammering and pounding bright and early! Oh well, I guess that is pretty good if that is the only major complaint…) After beach time we picked up a whole fresh pineapple (yum) and then got ready for our big canopy tour adventure. We did in fact enlist the services of our friend Andreas Jésus, who picked us up from our hotel, drove us about 25 minutes to our canopy tour and proceeded to wait for us while we swung through the trees so that he could take us back home when we were done. The canopy tour was an amazing experience. Jessamy and I had 2 guides that took us through 11 lines from station to station high up in the trees and kept us entertained the whole time. I even took a few trips upside-down and one flying like Superman. We were really high off the ground at times (maybe 100 yds or so) and got some pretty good speed on some of the long runs. I think my favorite part of the whole experience was hearing Jessamy laughing before I could even see her coming through the trees. The canopy tour spot even had a little wildlife exhibit of sorts so we got to see some monkeys, tropical birds, and walk through a butterfly farm. Nevermind the fact that we gladly passed up our chance to visit the Snake Garden. We decided to mix it up a little, and at the same time cool off from swinging through the trees, by going for an evening swim in the ocean while watching the sunset. Priceless. That is all that can really be said. There was no question that dinner would once again be Patacones con frijolitos (the beans I mentioned) and they may have been even better this time around.
Tuesday – our last day at the beach…sad. We made the most of it, and our last chance to improve the tan. Our bus to San José was at 2pm so we picked up some of our favorite (and pretty much only food) – a really simple but really delicious cracker/cookie called Maria for the bus ride home. Plus of course, Jess was not ready to say goodbye to the Patacones so I ordered some “to-go” and we ate them at the bus stop….ah, kind of like our last supper. The bus ride to San José took 5 hours and was, well, I guess “smelly” would be the best way to describe it. But at least we made it back safe and sound. Ibo (Luisa’s husband) picked us up from the bus stop at the airport and brought us back home to the house. It was so fun to be able to have Jessamy meet my family and see my house and room and everything. Now at least one person can truly understand and picture what it is like for me to live here. And she can confirm just how wonderful my family is and what a great place I have to live.
Wednesday Jess’ flight left at 1pm and we had a couple things to do before she left. Luisa took us for a quick stop at ETC (my school) so Jess could see that and know where I have been spending a lot of my time the past 6 weeks, and where I have been sitting when I send out all those emails and post these blogs. Then we hit up the store at the Café Britt factory/plantation. Café Britt is home to the best coffee in Costa Rica and happens to be just a few minutes from my home. So Jess was able to pick up some coffee for her mom and some chocolate treats to take back home. Then we hit up the grocery store to send Jess off with a good supply of Marias (they really are that good) and a few new chips/snacks she had discovered. We wished there was more time for Jess to see and do more around here, but I am so thankful that I at least got to share a little taste of my life. Having Jess here was so wonderful. I loved the time with someone who knows me so well and when there are no language barriers whatsoever! Although, I will say that I know my Spanish is improving because I had to act as interpreter and the sole gatherer of information and source of communication while we were out on our own; and at times I had to catch myself from saying words or phrases in Spanish to Jess.
Having Jess here sparked some new emotions for me as well. I had my first face-to-face reminder of life back at home and all the things that I love and miss about home. On the brink of starting my adventures anew in Limón very soon, part of me just wanted to be heading back to the States right alongside with Jess. I have had such an amazing experience thus far, and after an unforgettable week a small part of me felt like it could be satisfied with this. I am happy to say though, that although it was sad to send Jessamy off, I was (and still am) happy to still be here. I know that if I were indeed heading home now I would feel like I needed more time here, so I am grateful that I do have more time here. So that is that – my last days as a 24 year old and first ones as a 25 year old. I don’t think I will ever forget this birthday.
posted by Dynasty goes to CR at
8:27 AM
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