It was quite a shock as we stepped off our plane in San Jose, Costa Rica and began our month here in Central America by going from minus thirty to plus thirty in a single day (although going the other way would have been worse). Nobody is going to feel sorry for us but combined with the incredible humidity it sure tired us out quickly. After twelve days of relaxing (?) over Christmas, we headed south because we had never been to Latin America together. Costa Rica is a gem and a very green one at that. It is often called the greenest country in the world which is due both to its natural environment and its commitment to clean energy (that must be why our Premier Brian Pallister spends so much time down here). (Sarcasm alert!)
We traveled from San Jose to Quepos which is on the Pacific Ocean in a van which was more comfortable (and faster) than a bus. (I forgot to mention that my brother John and sister in law Linda have joined us for the first two weeks of our trip.) After checking out the largest crocodiles we've ever seen from the bridge overlooking the Tarcoles River, we arrived at Hotel Serenity (our home for the next six nights) in the heart of the port town of Quepos. It was a great location because we could walk everywhere in the town to buy groceries, visit restaurants and shops, and the ocean was less than a block away. That meant each day ended with a beautiful sunset. We especially enjoyed our quiet pool area which was a great retreat from the intense heat.
The whole coastline of Costa Rica is one beach and rainforest after another. We took a guided tour of the nearby Manuel Antonio Nature Park which is the most popular park in Costa Rica due to its unique combination of rainforests and beaches. It is known for its incredible biodiversity and we saw plenty of lizards, tropical birds, monkeys, and a few sloths. We visited the sandy beaches but had to endure a torrential downpour on our long walk back to the bus (I guess that's why they call it a rainforest). We also spent a day snorkelling as well as lots of time playing in the waves.
New Year's Eve was interesting with live music on Main Street and lots of fireworks. They don't just fire them off at midnight either. Nine, eleven, one o'clock, whenever. We really enjoyed our boutique hotel with its very helpful staff and quiet pool area. Travel is always easier when you can create a home wherever you go and we definitely felt at home in Quepos. From the bakery across the street to the promenade facing the sunset, we really enjoyed wandering through the town (just watch your step, the curbs have big drop offs).
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