Vamos a la Playa!!!

Costa Rica has to be one of the most laid back countries in the world. The people are so kind and comfortable w/ life, tranquillo. I don’t want to sound naïve as it is a poor developing country where people struggle for the basics every day. The thing you do see is acceptance and smiles. It is beautiful!

We met a guy who we hired for the whole day to take us to the beach and a late afternoon meal.($70) The beach / national park was Cahuita about 48 km south of Limon. We passed hectare after hectare of banana groves. Bananas are the #1 export of CR . Chiquita is all over the place.

The National park ran just along side this beautiful beach w/ nice crashing waves and clean, clear ,warm water. The entrance fee was just a suggested donation so it cost us $5 for all of us.

We were immediately greeted by capuchin monkeys, the ones w/ white faces. As we made our way down the path on our own we saw a sloth , Iguana, lizards, baby salt water crocodile, Howler monkeys, armys of ants and not many people.

 Man vs Wild fans are in heaven here. There are all kinds of driftwood and jungle stuff all over to built shelter or fire, heck you could build a nice raft w/ jungle vines and deadfall. I found as many coconuts as I wanted to open for the tasty water and the delicious crunchy white meat. We had a perfect little shady camp for everyone all set up even though no one really got out of the water. Little Declan was getting washed all over the place, but he was loving it. Each of the kids got thrown in the washing machine of a powerful wave which is a great time to remind them that Neptune is relentless and you have to respect the ocean. Learn how to go under , through or over the waves, be prepared. Its scary for Layne , Anna or anyone to be lost to the will of the wave. I was body surfing and got pounded, flipped, bounced off the sand so to someone of Laynes size she must feel like she is being pulled apart and her bikini stolen in the process all on one breath. It happens and everyone learns from the experiences as long as you get right back out there. 

“ Sometimes you bleed just to know you are alive”

After a full beach day of playing in the waves, watching 6 monkeys do battle about 10 feet above our camp we walked back out the park/jungle to a couple makeshift freshwater showers, “heaven” .

We then went to have a typical Costa Rica meal at a small café’ called a “soda”

It consisted of white rice, beans, yuka, plantains smashed and salted, sweet and browned bananas along w/ some chicken. It was delicious! I even got a cold Coke Zero to wash mine down.

Today we are planning our last day on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast. Should be fun we hope to Zip Line in tree canopy of the jungle, Declan is the wild card.. more on that later.

Best Capt j

 Docked , Puerto Limon Costa Rica