Creed and I celebrated 14 years of marriage in Costa Rica this year, and it was, by far, the best trip we have ever taken.
We had a very early flight on the 13th (our actual anniversary) to Atlanta, and then a four hour flight down to San Jose.
From San Jose we had a four hour drive to Tamarindo, the beach town we fell in love with that week. Creed did an awesome job navigating the crazy dirt roads in San Jose as well as the intense drive though the mountains as it poured down rain.
It was dark when we arrived (the sun comes up around 5:30 am and goes down around 5:30 pm) but we loved the view from our room the next morning.
We stayed at The Coast Beachfront Hotel and had this bungalow for the week.
We spent our first full day exploring the area, relaxing at the pool, and even got in a late afternoon surf lesson. After our lesson we hung out and watched the other surfers come in.
We stopped by the little grocery after dinner and while walking the road back to our hotel we ran into a horse. Ha!
The next morning we drove 30 minutes north to Marina Flamingo to meet our captain and set off on our fishing charter.
We saw a whale, dolphins, lots of fish, and the most incredible landscape!
Captain Denis made sure Creed hooked up with a Mahi!
I had to get a picture of Marina Flamingo before we left...wasn't what we expected. Ha!
In Costa Rica, everywhere you turn you find wildlife...This little guy lived right outside our room.
That afternoon we decided to rent boards and take advantage of high tide.
We took our catch to El Chiringuito, our favorite restaurant in Tamarindo, and had the best meal ever...
Breakfast each morning...it doesn't get any better than this!
We were worn our from the fishing and two days of surfing so we laid low and relaxed all of day three. A local guy walked up with a cooler of coconuts and I offered him $1 for one. He got out his machete, cut off the top, and stuck a straw in it. :) It was good!
We saw this huge guy up in a tree that afternoon...
That afternoon we walked further south down the beach and around a point. The lava rock was such a stunning contrast from the blue sky and water.
The next morning we rented boards and surfed again. Much of surfing is actually just waiting... :)
Walking back to the surf shop we heard noise and the trees above us were full of monkeys!
On the walk back down the beach to our hotel we stumbled upon this guy...
Notice he is right by the "Danger Crocodile" sign!
Resting outside our hotel and our friend came for a visit...
That afternoon we drove to Llanos de Cortez, a beautiful waterfall in the area.
The following day we left our hotel at 7 am to begin the drive back to San Jose and pulled into our driveway that night at 10:30 pm.
Yes, it took an entire day of traveling to get to Tamarindo, Costa Rica, and an entire day to get home, but it was worth every second of traveling. Costa Rica lives up to it's nickname of The Happiest Country and the people could not have been nicer. The climate is perfect (lows in the upper 70s and highs in the middle to upper 80s year round!) and the food was the freshest and most flavorful that I have ever had. The atmosphere is so laid back that you feel relaxed immediately.
We simply fell in love and can't wait to return.
Like the locals say, PURA VIDA!
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