Costa Rica - Pura Vida
La Fortuna – it means “The Lucky Ones”. It describes all the fortunate folks who choose Costa Rica as their vacation destination. It also is Costa Rica’s most popular tourist town, which got its name because they escaped a volcano eruption that buried all the neighboring towns (more on that in a minute).
This place really is paradise, pleasing to the widest array of travelers. Toucans perched atop the palm trees, waterfalls plunging through the rainforests, volcanoes steaming ominously in the background, and some of the worlds most beautiful beaches. Eco-travelers, surfers, sports fishers, beach bums, and adventure seekers of all kind come for “Pura Vida” – the pure life.
But perhaps Costa Rica is most rich in its people—the 4 million friendly Ticos who seem genuinely happy to see you. They want you to relax, to kick back with an Imperial beer and order a “casada,” or “married man’s leftovers” (a preset plate of rice; black beans; plantains; fried yucca; and either chicken, fish, beef or pork). They’d like you to spend at least two weeks in their country to see it all: the highlands, the lowlands, the Pacific and Caribbean sides.
I have found the Costa Ricans to be special. Here is one of my favorite Tico stories.
I believe in magic – the kind that comes from special coincidences beyond all odds. Merlin is a manager at one of my favorite resorts, “Si Como No”. It is an upscale collection of suites that cling to the mountainside overlooking the Pacific coast with a lackadaisical ambiance that reflects the name which translates to “Sure, why not”. I had a meeting scheduled with Merlin but in typical Tico Time he was not available until mid-day. Taking advantage of the local options I spent the morning surfing and lounging on a gorgeous beach shared with two other people and a few howler monkeys that scurried in and out of the jungle backdrop.
Soaking up the tropical sun I chose a cliché book to entertain myself: “A Pirate Looks at Fifty”, by Jimmy Buffet. I say it was cliché because he makes his living off creating a faux tropic experience for a bunch of Yankees who use his songs and a Corona as a substitute for actually experiencing the real world outside their borders. Like the Parrotheads that follow him I always suspected the much of Jimmy’s adventures were the creation of good story telling.
The chapter I happened to read on this particular morning started something like this: “No matter where you happen to be right now, I’m going to take you to Paradise”. Jimmy described a perfect beach, in Costa Rica – the very same beach I was sitting on in Manuel Antonio precisely at that moment. Wow, what a coincidence. But wait, it gets better.
The story develops to a scene of a New Years Eve party at Si Como No – no kidding, I’m heading there later this morning. At the poolside party Jimmy is linked arm-in-arm with other revelers trying to sing in Spanish, but he gets the words wrong. The locals are laughing as he sings: “Felice Anos”. The resort manager, Merlin, politely tells him: “Jimmy, you are wishing them happy assholes. Say it ‘felice anyos’. Wait a minute – I have a meeting with the same Merlin this morning!
I asked Merlin how much of that scene was true, and how much was just good story telling. He assured me that Mr. Buffet’s account was truly accurate. Well, if that story is true, I suppose we can accept his other yarns of adventure too. I know you can count on this for sure – Jimmy, Merlin, and I agree that Costa Rica is perhaps the finest tropical adventure you will ever experience.
The Pacific Coast is awesome. It has some of the world’s best surf, and sport fishing. The mountains run to the sea like a more tropical version of California, but without the development. If you want to visit Si Como No you’ll need to target the small town of Quepos, and head a bit south on the road to the National Park Manuel Antonio. Getting there is not easy, which is probably one reason it remains so special.
Costa Rica can get your adrenalin going. Covered in rainforest, it provides some outrageous zipline—a.k.a. canopy tours—through the rainforests, or balance your way across hanging (and swinging) bridges strung high above the jungle floor, here you can come face to face with howler monkeys, sloth (called “branch potatoes”), toucans, tarantulas and, for the biggest bragging rights, rare, resplendent quetzals or even jaguars and black panthers. Or, target world class white water rafting that runs through Category 5 thrillers.
Live Volcanoes are an asset and Costa Rica likes to show them off. Scattered up and down the isthmus are cauldrons in various stages of development, including Arenal which is one of the 10 most active volcanoes on the planet. The National Park is best visited at night for the full effect. In the silence it sounds like popcorn popping—only it’s lava bubbling from the volcano. Hit the trail so you can see the red lava oozing from its cone at nightfall. As you get closer the popping sounds more like the Fourth of July. Finally, the periodic crescendo: large boulders spurting from the volcano and crashing down the mountain, cracking on impact; sparks flying; and a brilliant red glow lighting the night sky.
In 1968 the volcano erupted burying the nearby villages of Pueblo Nuevo, San Luis and Tabacón. It spared La Fortuna, so they gave it the name of “The Lucky One”. I would bestow that name on all those who visit Costa Rica, and grow to appreciate “Pura Vida” – “The Pure Life”.
This place really is paradise, pleasing to the widest array of travelers. Toucans perched atop the palm trees, waterfalls plunging through the rainforests, volcanoes steaming ominously in the background, and some of the worlds most beautiful beaches. Eco-travelers, surfers, sports fishers, beach bums, and adventure seekers of all kind come for “Pura Vida” – the pure life.
But perhaps Costa Rica is most rich in its people—the 4 million friendly Ticos who seem genuinely happy to see you. They want you to relax, to kick back with an Imperial beer and order a “casada,” or “married man’s leftovers” (a preset plate of rice; black beans; plantains; fried yucca; and either chicken, fish, beef or pork). They’d like you to spend at least two weeks in their country to see it all: the highlands, the lowlands, the Pacific and Caribbean sides.
I have found the Costa Ricans to be special. Here is one of my favorite Tico stories.
I believe in magic – the kind that comes from special coincidences beyond all odds. Merlin is a manager at one of my favorite resorts, “Si Como No”. It is an upscale collection of suites that cling to the mountainside overlooking the Pacific coast with a lackadaisical ambiance that reflects the name which translates to “Sure, why not”. I had a meeting scheduled with Merlin but in typical Tico Time he was not available until mid-day. Taking advantage of the local options I spent the morning surfing and lounging on a gorgeous beach shared with two other people and a few howler monkeys that scurried in and out of the jungle backdrop.
Soaking up the tropical sun I chose a cliché book to entertain myself: “A Pirate Looks at Fifty”, by Jimmy Buffet. I say it was cliché because he makes his living off creating a faux tropic experience for a bunch of Yankees who use his songs and a Corona as a substitute for actually experiencing the real world outside their borders. Like the Parrotheads that follow him I always suspected the much of Jimmy’s adventures were the creation of good story telling.
The chapter I happened to read on this particular morning started something like this: “No matter where you happen to be right now, I’m going to take you to Paradise”. Jimmy described a perfect beach, in Costa Rica – the very same beach I was sitting on in Manuel Antonio precisely at that moment. Wow, what a coincidence. But wait, it gets better.
The story develops to a scene of a New Years Eve party at Si Como No – no kidding, I’m heading there later this morning. At the poolside party Jimmy is linked arm-in-arm with other revelers trying to sing in Spanish, but he gets the words wrong. The locals are laughing as he sings: “Felice Anos”. The resort manager, Merlin, politely tells him: “Jimmy, you are wishing them happy assholes. Say it ‘felice anyos’. Wait a minute – I have a meeting with the same Merlin this morning!
I asked Merlin how much of that scene was true, and how much was just good story telling. He assured me that Mr. Buffet’s account was truly accurate. Well, if that story is true, I suppose we can accept his other yarns of adventure too. I know you can count on this for sure – Jimmy, Merlin, and I agree that Costa Rica is perhaps the finest tropical adventure you will ever experience.
The Pacific Coast is awesome. It has some of the world’s best surf, and sport fishing. The mountains run to the sea like a more tropical version of California, but without the development. If you want to visit Si Como No you’ll need to target the small town of Quepos, and head a bit south on the road to the National Park Manuel Antonio. Getting there is not easy, which is probably one reason it remains so special.
Costa Rica can get your adrenalin going. Covered in rainforest, it provides some outrageous zipline—a.k.a. canopy tours—through the rainforests, or balance your way across hanging (and swinging) bridges strung high above the jungle floor, here you can come face to face with howler monkeys, sloth (called “branch potatoes”), toucans, tarantulas and, for the biggest bragging rights, rare, resplendent quetzals or even jaguars and black panthers. Or, target world class white water rafting that runs through Category 5 thrillers.
Live Volcanoes are an asset and Costa Rica likes to show them off. Scattered up and down the isthmus are cauldrons in various stages of development, including Arenal which is one of the 10 most active volcanoes on the planet. The National Park is best visited at night for the full effect. In the silence it sounds like popcorn popping—only it’s lava bubbling from the volcano. Hit the trail so you can see the red lava oozing from its cone at nightfall. As you get closer the popping sounds more like the Fourth of July. Finally, the periodic crescendo: large boulders spurting from the volcano and crashing down the mountain, cracking on impact; sparks flying; and a brilliant red glow lighting the night sky.
In 1968 the volcano erupted burying the nearby villages of Pueblo Nuevo, San Luis and Tabacón. It spared La Fortuna, so they gave it the name of “The Lucky One”. I would bestow that name on all those who visit Costa Rica, and grow to appreciate “Pura Vida” – “The Pure Life”.
posted by The Captain at
8:58 AM
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