In a nutshell...

I know...I'm the worst blogger ever! I've been so busy I haven't had a second to sit here and type. You're probably wondering how I, the unemployed gringa, could be busy. The reason is simple...Costa Rica! So let me get started with highlights of the past couple weeks...

As I mentioned previously Holy Week aka Semana Santa is a huge week for tourism in Quepos/Manuel Antonio. The streets and sidewalks are crowded with tourists including Costa Rican natives who mostly come from San Jose. Schools (escuellas) are closed the entire week of Semana Santa. Side Note: The public school day is 4 hrs long and students only attend up to the 9th grade. 

During this week Carter and I tried to avoid traffic as much as possible. The road design and logistics in Quepos can be extremely difficult for the average gringo to understand. Some days I feel like a little mouse trying to get out of a labyrinth. There are a couple two way roads but the majority  are one way and not in a left/right pattern.  I'm learning to pay close attention to the arrows painted on the roads. 

Carter and I attended the local rodeo which was an absolute thrill! Local tico/ticas can freely volunteer to be rodeo clowns with no prior experience or liability waiver required.

Next Adventure: Carter and I drove to the town of Dominical which is about 30 minutes south of Quepos. Side Note: Still trying to learn the metric system and which direction is north. I really liked this place! It has a groovy hippy vibe and the town is right on the beach. Local vendors line the streets and the waves are incredible...great surf spot! We ate lunch at a restaurant called La Parcel. Perfect ocean views and good food...highly recommended!

The downside of our visit to Dominical...we were in a fender bender on the way home. Thank God no one was injured, just a little shaken up. The police took over an hour to arrive and it was a nightmare getting the insurance and rental car sorted out. Pura Vida!

Moving on...Playitas Beach in Manuel Antonio. A must see! This beach is about a 10 minute drive from our house. It's a great surf spot and usually not over populated with tourists (except during Semana Santa). 

I'm desperately trying to learn to surf when the waves aren't too big...I even have a new surf board! Carter is patiently trying to coach me but I have a long way to go.

Another beautiful beach in Manuel Antonio is Playa Biesanz. This is the perfect beach to swim, read a book and relax. The waves are small and it's easy to swim around. Willie Nelson went for a little swim here this morning! The water is clear and you have a brilliant view of the mountains.

Now, this is what Sunday Funday looks like Costa Rican style! A local tico took us up the Rio Savegre where we spent the afternoon swimming. There's also an amazing little waterfall that I'm still kicking myself for not taking a picture of. Not to worry, we'll be back very soon. Can't wait to bring our visitors here!

Yesterday we went fishing and had an incredible day! We released 14 sailfish (1 triple) and 2 blue marlins (double). As you can see from the last picture, the rainy season is upon us! 

Marina Pez Vela

I'll wrap this post up by saying I'm a little homesick....desperately missing our friends and family! Come to Costa Rica as fast as you can and stay as long as you can. It's incredible and every day is a new adventure. 

Until next time...Pura Vida!

Dos Semanas

It's been another busy week! Carter's boss is in town so he's been fishing almost every day. They've released a great deal of sailfish and caught a dorado and yellowfin tuna. Yummmm! One thing I love about fishing in Costa Rica is the serenity of the seas. No motion sickness!

One night we had cocktails at the marina restaurant, The Runaway Grill, and the sunset was spectacular. This is almost an every day occurrence during the dry season. Photographs don't do the sunsets justice...

I'm happy to say I found yoga and pilates classes at Hollis Wellness & Day Spa. It's located about ten minutes away from our home in Manuel Antonio. Carter's boss' wife Blaire and I attended Aerial Yoga for the first time and loved it. It really brings out my inner monkey! As you know I am an amateur blogger and unfortunately keep forgetting to take pictures. I promise to get better but in the mean time here is an interior photo of the studio. 

Next week is Holy Week which is supposed to be one of Quepos' busiest time of the year. Most of the hotels in the Manuel Antonio are fully booked and the rates are at their highest.

Until next time....Pura Vida!

Finally Here!

Hola a todos!

The volcanic eruption near San Jose delayed our arrival a couple days but I'm happy to say Willie Nelson and I made it safe and sound! I was nervous about traveling with hyper little WN but he did a great job (thank you sedatives!). After a month apart, we are incredibly happy to be reunited with Carter. We've been so busy living the Pura Vida lifestyle I haven't had time to update the blog...sorry about that!

Let me start off by saying it is absolutely beautiful here! Beautiful and HOT!!! I'm learning that constant hydration is key to living in CR. The majority of restaurants and shops are outdoor, some of which there is minimal air flow. I constantly have a water bottle in my hand. 

I'm very pleased with our townhouse in Hacienda Pacifica. It's a quiet community and all our neighbors have been lovely. Most of them are American or Canadian. I had my first Spanish conversation with our groundskeeper, Carlos. I said "hola, mi nombre es Sarah. Que es tu nombre? ....he said "Carlos". Then I said "mi perro es hombre Willie". He smiled and that was it! Carlos and the rest of the staff have been very accommodating. They keep the landscaping beautiful and even sweep our porch! 

Yesterday we went fishing on the Hook N' Bull and released seven sailfish, five of which I reeled in. We had a blast! Seven sailfish is a lot when fishing in Texas but in CR sport fishing boats release up to 100 sailfish in a single day! It's all about finding the good fishing spots, which Carter is currently on a mission to find. Unlike Port Aransas, most captains are very secretive about the best fishing areas. 

Carter went fishing again this morning and I decided to stay in Quepos and do some exploring. First I went for a jog to town. This sounds like a simple task, however in CR most streets do not have sidewalks so it took some courage on my part to run down the mountain while cars sped by. It actually wasn't as scary as I had anticipated. The average American will say, "people drive crazy here!".  I'm guilty of this as well, the reason being that traffic signs and lanes are more of a guide, not necessarily a rule. In other words, people don't stay in the lanes or actually stop at a stop sign (unless a car is coming). Not to worry Mom, the people here are much more alert than we Americans and I haven't seen any accidents yet.

After my morning workout WN and I decided to go to the Manuel Antonio beach, Playa Espadilla. This is about a 10 minute drive from our home. When going to the beach I recommend morning or late afternoon as the heat can be brutal if you aren't used to it. As you can see the beach was beautiful and not over-populated with tourists. WN and I walked in the shallow water and found a nice tree to sit under. I purchased my first coconut water which was very good and refreshing. 

I have nothing but good things to say about Costa Rica and I can't wait to see what's next! Hasta la proxima vez.....Pura Vida! xoxo

Costa Rica...here we come! The updates on the Hook N' Bull should be complete mid February. Carter will depart Florida, pass Cuba and take the boat through the Panama Canal. Eventually he will wind up at Marina Pez Vela in Quepos. The trip will take about a week depending on the weather.

I will be flying to Costa Rica with Willie Nelson. The vet has to examine hime 2 weeks prior and we have to get some paperwork certified by the FDA. Luckily there is no quarantine requirements in CR! The vet has assured me that she will give him a sedative as he will be flying in the cabin with me. He is hyperactive and has crate anxiety...not ideal situation so please pray for us!

We have a town-home reserved for us upon our arrival. It's located at a community called Hacienda Pacifica. This is a short 5 minute drive or 15 minute bike ride to the marina, beaches, restaurants, shopping, etc. The property is 2 bedroom/2 bath so it's perfect for visitors. There are other units that can also be short term rented. Fingers crossed it will look just like the pictures....

I recently started Rosetta Stone and it's coming along well. So well Carter decided to take this ridiculous picture of me! Growing up in South Texas, I know a lot of words but I'm unable to create full sentences in the proper context. It's very interesting how the Spanish language uses different words when referring to men and women. For example...."la" vs. "el" for the English word "the".

Until next time....Pura Vida!