Cahuita: Life on the Caribbean Coast

I turned 30 today right here overlooking the Caribbean Sea. It was the perfect place to welcome my third decade. Happy birthday to me! After staying in San Jose with my friend Liza, my beautiful boyfriend flew out from New York to celebrate with me.  Wanting a nice romantic beach location, I scanned my guidebook for ideas. We ended up  taking a bus to the town of Cahuita nestled right on the Caribbean coast.

Cahuita, an English-speaking enclave of people, descendants of Jamaicans brought to Costa Rica as laborers, was truly a laid back and cool place. The people were so friendly and chill, I felt like I was in the Caribbean.

We stayed in a little backpackers bungalow right on the beach. A row of hammocks was set up right outside of our door overlooking the ocean. Every night, we were lulled to sleep by the sound of the ocean waves.  I opene the door in the morning to an exquisite view of the Caribbean Sea.

In the bungalow next door, is a couple from Australia. We buddied up for a few days playing dominoes like the locals (everywhere we went, men sat out with a bottle of beer and a game of dominoes), eating (I wasn't too impressed with the food), snorkeling (watch out for the sea urchins) and grabbing drinks at local dive establishments.

Cahuita has a reputation for being dangerous. People in San Jose were constantly warning me about the dangers on the other side of the country. I found the exact opposite. People were extremely friendly and welcoming. I believe that common sense is always a persons best guide.

Cahuita Photo Gallery:

Beautiful Arenal

On our way back from Nicaragua ( a very confusing way back due to a bus mix-up and a rain storm) we decided to stop in Arenal before returning to San Jose. Arenal is the lush mountainous region in the north, famous for its volcano.

I'm so glad we made the decision to stop, Arenal was simply stunning.

After walking about forty minutes on foot in the rain, we made our way to a hostel and settled in.

I went on a hike through a rainforest canopy.

I went on a horseback trek through the mountains.

There were so many things to do, all of which were easily arranged at our hostel. Arenal is a major tourist stop in Costa Rica and there is no shortage of hostels and spur of the minute activities to partake in.

The Rich Coast

Costa Rica marked my first trip to Central America. It took me too long to visit. I can't wait to return. "Latin America," my friend Kelley recently described, "is a diverse rainbow."

Her description of the people and the land was dead-on. Like many post-colonial nations, the people are a blend of their unique stories and histories. In the capital of San Jose a lot of the people seemed very Spanish European. Up North, the people had a different way about them, perhaps they had more Amerindian blood? They were very laid back and embodied the "gaucho" style. On the Caribbean Coast, were communities of people of African descent, brought over from Jamaica, and Island Patois was spoken.

Costa Rica was a beautiful blend of cultures, tastes, energy and art. I was acutely aware of one groups sparse numbers however. You are hard pressed to find many indigenous Amerindians, they have been virtually wiped out, the amazing, disappearing people. It is a sad reality, the dirty side of the Americas.

Anyhow, Costa Rica was a beautiful adventure. Pura Vida all the way!

Grenada, Nicaragua: A Photo Journey

Beautiful Grenada

Nicaragua was a last minute, spur of the moment trip. I travelled to Costa Rica for a few weeks, and my friend Liza and I found ourselves with a little extra time on our hands. San Jose was rainy and cool, we needed out. We packed our bags, hopped a bus, set off without much of a plan and led ourselves on a tour of the charming colonial city Grenada.Grenada was only about ten hours away from San Jose. The bus ride was cheap and efficient. The ride was beautiful, I got a really great sense of Costa Rica as we travelled through the countryside. I made a mental note to stop off at Arenal on the way back.

The food in Nicaragua was fantastic. I am a big fan of the plantain and cheese in a banana leaf dish (I have no idea what it is called). The central market was a great place to grab cheap bites. Restaurants were also ubiquitous, boasting a host of local and international cuisines. Grenada stands out in my memory as a wonderful, laid-back, friendly place.

Hammocks were everywhere. The weather was wonderfully warm and humid. Peopole seemed so genuinely happy and were extremely patient about my humble attempts at speaking Spanish.