Manuel Antonio

Manuel Antonio is a national park on the Pacific side of the country.  It has the best of both worlds, combining amazing beaches with rainforest.  Every time I go there, I want to stay longer and I always see a different type of animal than I did on the previous visits.  I went the third week of March to meet up with my friend, Paola, and her family.  I had seen her the weekend before in San José, but it was a brief visit, as they were heading to Arenal the next day.  Luckily, I found the time to head to Manuel Antonio for a night to see her, and I'm so glad I did...we had a great time!

I met her, her husband Yuri, and their boys, Diego and Marco at the park.  I left San José later than originally planned, and she didn't have a phone, so they were left with nothing to do but wait for me at the park entrance.  Once I showed up, we paid for a guide (which I had never had before) and started into the park.  I'm so glad we had the guide, because he knew exactly where all the animals were hiding out. 

After the guide, we hung out on the beach for a couple hours just enjoying the beautiful weather that weekend.  The water was the perfect temperature, and it was great getting to catch up on the last three months since I was home in Flagstaff for Christmas with Paola.

After the park, we ate at a restaurant close to the park entrance, then hopped in their rental car for the short but windy drive back down the road to Quepos, which is the closest town to Manuel Antonio, and where I would stay for the night. On our way, we stopped at a really cool restaurant that utilized an airplane...it was appropriately named "El Avion".

The next morning, I met Paola and her family at their hotel for some breakfast and more beach hang out time at Playa Espadilla...this beach is the main public beach at Manuel Antonio, but their hotel was all the way on the north end, so it was nice and quiet.  There is also another smaller, more private beach called Playa Playitas (funny, I know). I had a great, relaxing weekend!

Liberia

The first week of March I headed north to my favorite province in Costa Rica, Guanacaste.  Whether it's because it's the first place I visited in Costa Rica or because I was with my parents at the time, I don't know.  Liberia has a very special place in my heart.  I've blogged about a language school there called Instituto Estelar Bilingue, which was the first school I interviewed with after I got my IDELT certificate...I actually was in contact with her while I was still in Chile. 

The primary purpose of my trip to Liberia was to see the school and meet the director, Bethany.  I arrived there on a Friday night after a very comfortable ride on an air conditioned bus (almost unheard of!).  I got settled at the hotel and wandered the two blocks down the street to the school.  

Bethany actually told me there was a job opening at the end of April, as that's when one of her teachers would be leaving because it was the end of their contract.  I would love to head up there that soon, but as I've already committed to going home in August, I told her September would be better.  

Conveniently, the Fiestas de las Civicas were also going on in Liberia that weekend, and I took the opportunity to explore the town a little more. I love the culture, it's very different from San José and the Central Valley.  There is a more relaxed vibe here.  No one is in much of a hurry to do anything.  The people are happier and live longer, and I can understand why.  They have orgullo, or pride for not just their country but also their province, town, and all the people that live there. 

I think I understand why Guanacaste is my favorite.  It reminds me of home.  For the 72 short hours I was in Liberia, I felt more at home than I had since returning to Costa Rica on New Years Day.  The people greeted me like they'd known me for years.  I got to observe a kid's class that Bethany teaches on Saturdays, and it was great to be able to see the teaching style a bit before I actually teach there.  I really hope this job works out in September, because right now, I need more relaxation, less stress, and a little more of the "Guanacasteco" culture in mi vida. :)

Here are some pictures of the "tope" or parade in the streets of Liberia:

My parents visit Costa Rica! Part 2: La Fortuna/Arenal Volcano

My third trip to Costa Rica and I finally got to see Arenal! I now know what all the fuss is about.  The volcano is only a mile high (5,500 feet), but it towers over everything else around it, including the small, tourist town of La Fortuna.  

We stayed at a really nice little eco-lodge on the edge of La Fortuna...it was a dirt road off a dirt road kind of place.  There was a pool and a river on the hotel grounds, and the day we arrived it was pretty hot, so we opted for these options instead of the infamous hot springs nearby.

The next day, we went horseback riding to La Fortuna Waterfall. It was an amazing tour with amazing views! 

We even got to check out one of the native tribes living near the active volcano, and swim in the cool water near the falls.

We didn't even make it into the national park or Lake Arenal, but it was an amazing weekend in La Fortuna. The scenery and volcano views are to die for! I would love to go back and explore more when I have another long weekend!!!