PURA VIDA!

Pura Vida, used by Costa Ricans means "Pure Life."  It is used as a greeting, a farewell, and to express satisfaction.  Costa Ricans use the phrase to express a philosophy of strong community, perseverance, good spirits, enjoying life slowly, celebrating good fortune, whether small or large.
And that is exactly what I have been doing for the last three weeks!  Enjoying the good life slowly! 

The area in Costa Rica where we enjoy the pura vida is at Playa Bejuco is on the Pacific side just south of the surfer town of Jaco and Hermosa.  A four hour flight into San Jose and a roller coaster 2 hour ride over the mountain on a very curvy two lane road is rewarded with breathtaking views of the mountains and valleys covered with beautiful rain forests and coffee plantations.


One of the first stops we like to make is at one of the many fruit stands to stock up on fresh fruit and vegetables!  Papaya, mango, avacodo, limons, and melons are just a few of the juicy treats you can find here.  I guess you can tell that one of my favorite things to do in Costa Rica is EAT! The food is just bursting with flavor and so o o o o FRESH!  One of our favorite meals is a Casado,a typical Costa Rica meal consisting of rice, beans,fried plantains, salad, a tortilla, and an entree of choice that may include chicken, beef or pork.



My second favorite thing is the PEOPLE! (Roll your mouse over photos for descriptions)

 
      

  And don't forget the animals!  Better known as FAUNA.  Some warm and furry....
    
Some feathery and chatty......

 


And some that you prefer to observe from afar!....

And there is always the......"What in the heck is that?" species!

Mans best friend wherever you go....the Costa Rican PERRO!

And of course the product of the rainforest the beautiful flora with gorgeous bursts of color!

                                                                          

Don't forget the SUNSETS!

There is always something to do in Costa Rica!  Swimming, Surfing, Hiking through the Rain forest, Canopy Tours with Zip Lines and Bridge walks thru the trees, Waterfall, Volcano and Coffee Plantation tours, Island tours, Fishing, Beach walks, ATV & Horseback riding, Rafting, Kayaking, Soaking in the Hot Springs or just lying in a hammock.
If you are thinking of a trip to Costa Rica consider staying at Costa del Sol.  It is a great neighborhood that includes a nice mix of homeowners from all over the world!   It is just a short walk to the beach and conveniently located between Jaco and Manuel Antonio.

                                                      
 A great website provided by the Costa Rica Tourism Board is COSTA RICA - No Artificial Ingredients.  It has some great microsites to view and will help you in planning your activities (should you decide to actually have any).
To get a visual on locations and travel times visit COSTA RICA MAP PROJECT
For local up to date News visit THE TICO TIMES the online version of the local newspaper that is printed in English!
For current U.S. travel information click here to visit  US Department of State/International Travel
or  US Department of State/Costa Rica