Sunsets and Surfing

After our day of hiking in the Rainforest, we departed (sadly) from our amazing resort that was right in the heart of the jungle of La Fortuna.  But, we knew our next destination would be as incredible, just in a different way.  Next stop, Tamarindo, Costa Rica.  Our trek would include three more hours of winding, narrow roads but would offer us a chance to stop in small towns and embrace more local culture.  About half way to Tamarindo, we needed lunch so decided to stop in Cana's.  A quick grocery store run where I spent only $1 on fresh cut pineapple and papaya and it was more than enough for one person. She even offered us napkins and forks!  Across the street we found a small chicken joint, but we opted for a hamburger, fries, and a coca-cola and spent less than $5.  Now, we are onto the oceanfront views!

Once we arrived in Tamarindo we headed straight to our resort; since we were losing daylight, we wanted to get our luggage to the room, freshen up, put on our suits, grab a beer, and head to the beach! And we made it just in time to see one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen; little did we know, this would be a nightly ritual for us and many others at this particular area.  The Occidental Tamarindo is the only all-inclusive resort in the area and is surrounded by the Parque Nacional Marino Las Baulas, Sector Playa Langosta, where the wildlife and the land is protected.  It's the perfect blend of relaxation and adventures, the jungle and the sea and some incredible surfing. It's about a mile from the City Center where you can find local restaurants, shops, and experience the more touristy side of Tamarindo.  Fortunately for us, we met some super cool locals our first night on the beach, of course they had dogs which is how we started chatting. We learned they owned a local bar right up the street from our hotel, The Surf Club Sports Bar, where we would find ourselves visiting several times for a cold brew and even an afternoon of horseshoes.

The next day we knew we wanted to tackle surf lessons and since our new local friends knew all the right people, we were sent to the Banana Surf Club.  In no time, we were walking to the beach, surfboards in hand, barefoot, and ready to take on the waves.  A quick lesson pre-water on the boards and our "rad" instructor who had moved to this area from California over a decade ago, took us out for our first ride.  The BF did great in the water and was riding most of the waves; I was definitely nervous and powering through the waves was the hardest obstacle for me.  I never actually was able to do turtle roll under the water, but had no problem getting up on the board and riding the waves into shore.  The BF and the instructor were both super supportive and encouraging; and luckily the surf pro ended up helping me get out far enough because intimidation and my slight fear of water was starting to play a toll.  Two hours of surf lessons, taking in salt water, and being banged up by the board was still the perfect start to the day!

Surfs Up Dude! ✌
Shona

Follow Me ↠ #kcgypsea

Travel IG: http://www.instagram.com/dirtroadshighheels

Personal IG: http://www.instagram.com/shonamhouston
Sign up for blog emails here: http://www.thedirtroadshighheels.blogspot.com

Hanging Around Mistico

If you didn't see my last blog about staying in the middle of the jungle at the Lost Iguana Resort, go back and read it.  Then, when you book your stay there, be sure and add this little adventure to your list!  The Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park is 600 acres and part of a protected forest sanctuary that is open to the public.  This diverse ecosystem is full of many of the native species of Costa Rica and is not one to be missed.  They offer many tours such as a Night Walk, Birding Tour, repelling down Spider Monkey Canyon, the Arenal Volcano Expedition, Horseback Riding, and of course the infamous, Hanging Bridges Tour.  Get more info here https://misticopark.com/

We only had time for one adventure and the Hanging Bridge Tour had caught my eye when we were planning our little get-a-way.  We opted to do the self-guided tour but they do offer personal guides that can often point out jungle wildlife you may have missed otherwise.  Tip: if you see the guides have stopped to show their group a point of interest, just casually walk behind them and look for yourself.  Chances are you will see what they have spotted!  I will say, the guides do offer a lot of information that we didn't get to hear, so if you are interested in learning more about the forest, book the guide!  It's about a 2 mile hike and because we like to go at our own pace and not be on schedule, we enjoyed having that freedom of walking through the jungle just us two!

We saw howler monkeys, lemurs, poisonous frogs, and even a small brightly colored yellow snake.  And birds, a lot of birds.  The waterfall known as Blue Morpho Waterfall is just off the beaten path but is definitely worth the small hike to get there.  We had the whole area to ourselves.  Now, let's talk bridges.  There are 15 total bridges in which 6 of them are suspended, hanging high above the jungle floor.  The longest suspension bridge is 97 meters long which is approximately 318 feet and let me tell you, I about didn't make it across.  They got easier for me as the hike went on, but I never looked down and I always wore my sunglasses; they made me feel safe 😎 When we made it to the last suspension bridge, something amazing was happening; a Howler monkey was in the middle of the bridge just "hanging around" and  we were able to experience him without any other tourists present.  Because of the Monkey distraction, I totally forgot about being suspended high in the air, was able to grab a video and a few snaps of him before making my way to the end.  It really was the perfect jungle experience!  

Welcome to the Jungle of Costa Rica!
Shona

Follow Me ↠ #kcgypsea

Travel IG: http://www.instagram.com/dirtroadshighheels

Personal IG: http://www.instagram.com/shonamhouston
Sign up for blog emails here: http://www.thedirtroadshighheels.blogspot.com

Pura Vida 🌴

When you hear the words Pura Vida meaning simple or pure life, you should definitely be thinking of Costa Rica.  It's not just a saying in this country though, it's their lifestyle.  And just one of the many reasons why I love this country!

We arrived Monday night in San Jose and would be spending a few days there while the BF was on business. We grabbed our rental car, got settled into our hotel and grabbed dinner nearby at Massala Bistro; they offer amazing Indian food and refreshing Sangria.  San Jose is a very busy city and their is so much traffic, so once you get to your destination, park your car and take an Uber if you are wanting to explore!  They typically run around $2-4 which is worth your sanity of not driving or trying to park!  We stayed at the Holiday Inn Escazu which is a great location in San Jose; it has a rooftop pool, free breakfast, and close to Plaza Tempo which has shopping, bars, and restaurants and a great place to just enjoy the Central American sunshine! I spent my first free day blogging and lounging at the rooftop pool.  That evening we ventured to downtown Escazu and grabbed a few beers with the locals at Bar Restaurante Cristian before indulging on a fabulous dinner at Aquila y Sol.  The food was divine and the service was even better.  Wednesday morning and our last day in San Jose, I enjoyed breakfast and reading in the plaza, more pool time, and had some delicious gelato from Il Dolce.  Once he had finished his work day, we were off to our next destination and 7 more days in this one-of-a-kind country.

Our next stop, the Lost Iguana Resort in La Fortuna; I had no idea how amazing this place was going to be.  After three hours of driving Costa Rican winding roads, we arrived at dusk.  We had went from city life to a life in the lush Rainforest.  We were greeted with a fruity cocktail and friendly hostess'.  Because it was dark, we couldn't get a full view of the property, but we knew at sunrise, the views of Arenal would be unbelievable.  The rooms here are very spacious with beautiful tile floors and exotic decor; there are two pools, private trails guests can hike, and a spa where you can enjoy a massage or sit in the sauna.  We grabbed dinner on property at The Blue Hibiscus, an open-air restaurant that offers international cuisine and spent the evening relaxing on the balcony in our private jacuzzi and listening to the sounds of the jungle.

The next morning we awoke to the usual morning Rainforest rain falling, birds chirping, and the fresh smell of the lush green foliage.  I walked out onto the patio and could not believe the view of Arenal Volcano; I was in awe and just stood there taking it all in.  How is this is my view right now? It was almost unbelievable.  We had coffee on the balcony before taking a stroll around the gorgeous 120-acre property, enjoyed a lovely breakfast, and before leaving made a stop at the pool bar to enjoy a refreshing cocktail.  I definitely could have spent more time here at Lost Iguana, but we were off our next destination.
Check them out here https://lostiguanacr.com/

Be sure to catch my next blog to see how we spent the morning in the Rainforest just "hanging" around at Mistico!

Lost Iguana 

See you tomorrow, Costa Rica ✌

Shona

Follow Me ↠ #kcgypsea

Travel IG: http://www.instagram.com/dirtroadshighheels

Personal IG: http://www.instagram.com/shonamhouston
Sign up for blog emails here: http://www.thedirtroadshighheels.blogspot.com