Costa Rica, Pura Vida! | Day 2
Sunday, February 2, 2020
Wow, wow, wow, what an incredible first day! Last night, Franklin and Naomi picked me up after a long time of waiting to get through customs at the San Jose airport. Franklin surprised me with his infectious joy, and Naomi surprised me by placing her pet Chihuahua-Doxen mix in my arms while we sorted out the details of our trip to Hotel Oceano. The air was cooler than I expected, but—as Franklin explained—temperatures can change drastically in just a short distance, like California. Sure enough, by the time we got to Jaco, the weather was perfect. It was dark, so I couldn’t see the landscape, but the stars were bright out the van’s window and I could vaguely make out the silhouettes of mountains. We stopped for a very late dinner at a little pub where locals sang Spanish karaoke. I tried my first bowl of Costa Rican food, which I admit I can’t remember the name of, but it consisted of rice and beans (surprise! That’s the majority of what they eat here) and was delicious. The remainder of the two hour drive from the airport to Jaco was rather swirvy, and I was feeling dreadfully tired and carsick when we got in around 1:00 AM. I went to sleep not knowing what glory awaited me outside.
As the sun peeked through my blinds in the early hours of the morning, I caught a glimpse of green peaks nestled between the frame of the hotel. The sound of strange birds I didn’t recognize echoed through the quiet. Or was it a sloth, calling for a mate? I squealed with delight, rolling over in my covers, trying desperately to convince myself to keep sleeping. I knew I would need more energy for today’s activities.
When I did rise and open the blinds, my breath caught in my throat. I had never seen anything like it, not with my own eyes, at least! I felt like I had been transported to Jurassic Park. I sat on the balcony of my room and prayed morning prayer, enjoying the perfectly warm morning air. After getting ready, I had breakfast downstairs, choosing to try everything I wouldn’t find in an American continental breakfast. I thought I disliked plantains—I was wrong! I wish I knew the names of everything I tried: a potato and sausage dish, rice and beans, a little biscuit with meat inside… it was all so good. I had papaya, and juice, and was perfectly full by the end of it.
At 10:00 AM, Naomi met me at the hotel to give me a tour of the town via rental bikes. I laughed a little inside at how dangerous it all was, cars coming inches from me on my janky, squeaky pedal bike. Motorcycles hummed and horns honked at the chaotic streets, filled with people walking without crosswalks. Beyond the mishmash of buildings and bustling, towered crests of vibrant green. The hotel is nestled against the mountains, but just a short walk away from the beach. We biked down mural-painted alleyways to get a glimpse of the water, then returned and stopped at a souvenir shop called Fruity Monkey Poop! The girl at the counter, a beautiful tattooed girl around my age with a mauve crop-top and flowing floral skirt, offered me samples of coffee and followed my art page on Instagram. She told us about the tribes and their traditional Boruca masks, among other Costa Rican artisan crafts. I ended up buying quite a few things to bring back to the U.S. with me, and still wanted more.
On the way back, we stopped for lunch at an adorable buffet-style restaurant (with an even more adorable cashier, hehe) called Soda Carabito (“Soda” refers to small, local, authentic eateries) where I got—you guessed it!—rice and beans, with plantains, pork, and horchata.
Next on the agenda was the Zip Line Tour! Our transport took us off the beaten path, down a dirt road that was even a little flooded in one area, and up through the rough and wild terrain. Cows grazed in pastures under mossy mountain sides. When we arrived and checked into the Adventure Park, they got us set up with our harnesses and we waited for the tour to begin. Naomi, a tour guide, and I kicked a soccer ball around to pass the time.
After a brief training, we began the journey up the mountain via a tractor up a steep, winding path. At times, it was hard to stay in my seat as gravity pulled me toward the back of the trailer! We got off and made our way into the dark jungle to the first platform. The trees loomed tall above us, teeming with the sounds of foreign chirps. Were they frogs? Birds? Crickets? I don’t know, but it was music to my ears.
To our surprise, they had Naomi and I go first. I don’t believe I’ve ever gone zip-lining before, and I certainly haven’t gone from the top of a jungle mountain. But there was no time to think or be afraid. Before I knew it, they had strapped me in and were telling me to lift my feet and fly! I did as I was told, and zoomed through the thick, humid air, tropical leaves whipping past my face and scenic views peeking through the forest around me. The zip line was incredibly fast! I was surprised that I wasn’t scared at all, even when I looked down at the green tree tops far below my feet.
One, two, three—we flew from platform to platform, ushered off one line and onto the next. Some lines we were told to break by pulling our gloved hand down on the wire behind us, to slow us down before we hit the platform. Others, we were told to spread our hands out, and on one in particular they allowed us to go upside down. I don’t think I ever would have tried it if I weren’t doing acroyoga now, but thanks to all the inversion I’ve grown accustomed to, I was thrilled about hanging like a bat from the line! Costa Rica is even beautiful upside down.
My GoPro battery lasted just enough time to film all the way to the bottom, where fresh fruit and our transport home awaited us. After a brief break to freshen up at the hotel, I met up again with Naomi and Franklin to go to Sunday Mass. It was in Spanish, of course, and tasted of all the Hispanic flair I’ve gradually been growing used to and fond of since I first moved to Texas.
After Mass, we got dinner at Franklin’s favorite restaurant: Bary Restaurante Isaga, where I got Camarones con Palmito y Aguacate—palm with shrimp and avocado. I didn’t know you could eat palm! It looked like a scallop and tasted a little bit like an artichoke heart. Me encanta! (I love it—a phrase Naomi taught me that I finally got right by the end of the day.) Me encanta, me encanta! I loved this whole day.
The super bowl was playing on the TVs overhead. I had completely forgotten that was happening! Kansas was playing, and Naomi is from Kansas, so despite the fact that she didn’t care much for football, she got really into the game. She’s so adorable! Towards the end, Kansas got an amazing touchdown that had even me and Franklin glued to the screen, and when they won we all cheered! I’m pretty sure everyone in the restaurant was cheering for the other team, because others went away sad while we giggled with delight.
