Pura Vida

Costa Rican people (also known as Ticos) have a phrase that they use constantly which sums up their attitude towards everything. Pura Vida (the pure life) is used as a greeting, a farewell, and to answer questions about how things are going. But it is more than that - it is a way of life. Not surprisingly, Ticos are often called the happiest people on earth because they don't stress about things like foreigners do. They are thankful for what they have and don't get caught up on negative things. And to truly understand, you have to come to Costa Rica so you can experience it. We loved the laid back attitude and simple way of looking at life.

We took the bus-boat-bus trip down the mountain from Monteverde and across Lake Arenal to La Fortuna. When we arrived at our new home at Monte Chiari, we could see Volcan Arenal looming over us. It was great to see how that view changed all day long with clouds at times obscuring our view and then lifting suddenly to give us a clear view of the beautiful mountain.

We visited La Fortuna waterfall and enjoyed swimming near it. The Fortuna area has become famous for its hot springs and so we spent a day relaxing and getting totally wasted at the Termalitas del Arenal Hot Springs. John, Matthew, and I hiked the 1986 Volcano Trail (named after the last eruption) which took us along one side of Volcan Arenal. It was an incredible feeling to be walking along lava stone trails under the protective gaze of the volcano. Walking through nearby jungles, wandering through the shops, and relaxing by our own pool rounded out our stay. We got to know the wonderful staff quite well as they helped us plan our days (that means you Sharon). It was sad to say good-bye to this unbelievably green corner of the world but it was time to move on.