i am certainly not one to argue with past costa rican travelers - that the country is replete with unbelievable beauty and the most amiable folk alive. g and i happily left the states with nothing more than summer ware, cameras, and a single objective: leave the wear-and-tear of everday life at home. and, boy, am i glad we did.
as soon as our feet touched "tican" soil, it was clear
we weren't in kansas anymore.
arrived
for the next week, we bid adieu to highways and comfortable cars. we left the security of variety - what you want, when you want it. we freed ourselves from social networks and media. instead, we packed ourselves in the most basic of cars, opened a map, and committed to embracing a country unknown to us. even if that meant taking a wrong turn...or two.
fortunately, our trusty little car and g's recovered memory of manual-driving led us to the two very different places we'd be lodging...first, at the base of a volcano on a family farm, and second, in a tropical oasis feet from the beach. i'd say we got a good taste of what costa rica is all about.
leading to our cabina
our view
our next stop, on the coast
the window that let the deliciously warm breeze in
every morning, we slept in until our bodies deemed it appropriate to face the overwhelming beauty of the day. and once that happened, it was all about the open itinerary. ask the locals what to do. get inspired by photos in lonely planet. yep, that's exactly what we did every day.
and so here is the product of just giving in and living...
hiking through lava rock
if g didn't have a conscience (or me), he really would have walked away with that sign. from the moment he saw it, he was already devising schemes to take it back on the plane. thank goodness for law-abiders.
feeding the howling monkeys some tangerines
speaking of food, well, let's just say that this trip was by no means a culinary excursion. again, another reminder of how grateful we are for what we have at our fingertips. whole grains. vegetables. variety. heck, anything that's not rice, beans, or white bread.
ah, sweet humility.
after only two meals of rice and beans, g and i realized we couldn't take it anymore. i, for one, felt bloated. not right. and with temperatures in the 90's, nothing sounded appetizing. so after that second bland meal, we decided to fill ourselves with the only other option...FRUIT!
if anything seemed right with food, it was fresh, tropical fruit. tooth-achingly sweet. drip down your hands juicy. borderline - if not, totally - orgasmic. yes, every bite was that good. and the greatest benefit of all: between a nightly dose of milk of magnesia and our fruit-centered meals, i was on the fast-track to regular - and might i say, cleansing - bowel movements. between you and me, i can use all the help i can get when i travel.
if only photos could capture the pure divinity of this fruit...
first taste of passion fruit
yes, we bought a knife and cutting board. that's how serious we were.
curbside fruit stand. my kind of drive-thru
it wasn't until the third or fourth day that g and i really felt unplugged. like we were finally free from the preoccupations and constraints from home. and so it was fitting that we ended our time in costa rica relishing the serene coast, bathing in the sweet sun, napping under gentle trees...taking it all in.
massage? umm, yes please!
after hours at the beach each day, we ended our final evenings (believe it or not) feasting on morning-caught sea bass, washed down with lime-squeezed margaritas. it couldn't get better than that.
after an extraordinary week, we had to pack our things and face the reality of life at home.
the smiles are masking the dread we feel of going back to the states
if i learned anything from this trip, it's this (in no particular order):
1. know your bowels. pack milk of magnesia
2. be okay with not having a plan
3. don't expect convenience. adapt.
4. always travel with someone you love. share the experience of being overcome by joy.
