Story: Pura Vida in Costa Rica

We were pleasantly surprised that morning upon discovering that the “breakfast included” meal was actually that - a meal. Our choices included eggs cooked at a station anyway you like ‘em, fresh fruit, cereal, bread with an assortment of jams, gallo pinto (rice, beans and fried plantains) and an endless amount of coffee. We were extremely satisfied and I finally had a serving of actual tico-type food, the gallo pinto. After breakfast a small bus picked us up at 0800 and we were on our way to Arenal and where the adventure began, if it had not already.

On the way out of San Jose we passed an enormous Intel campus. I never knew that the company had such a large operation in Central America but apparently they do. After leaving the bustling city and Intel behind, I really enjoyed the three-hour drive from San Jose to Arenal. There was never a shortage of spectacular views out the window as we passed through farmland and coffee plantations, and into lush rain forest while more often than not driving along a road that seemed to barely cling to the side of the mountain. I noticed that the weather and climate changed drastically during that short time as we ventured from a sunny valley and dry, arid land to cloud covered mountains and lush rain forest. Unfortunately, the clouds were also covering the main attraction of the area that we had come so far to see – Arenal Volcano.

Our lodge (Tel: 506-290-4232; www.arenallodge.com) for the next two nights was located on a hilltop, a very tall hill with amazing, one-of-a-kind views of the volcano, had there not been thick cloud cover. The lodge was pleasantly secluded from the town of Fortuna and any other hotel or restaurant or tourist trap, and with its magnificent grounds and groomed trails it was very easy to relax and finally feel “away from it all.”

That afternoon, guided by Sunset Tours (Tel: 506-479-9585; www.sunsettourscr.com), we hiked to the base of the volcano. The clouds were now darker and thicker, threatening rainfall, so we couldn’t actually see the activity of the volcano but we sure could hear it. The grumbling and the tumbling of massive rocks were enough to make us aware of its presence. It rained during a majority of the hike, and even though we were soaking wet and couldn’t even see the damn volcano, it still was better than walking on 6th Avenue in the rain.

After the cold, wet hike we were dropped off at Tabacón Hot Springs (Tel: 506-519-1900; www.tabacon.com). I am unable to find enough words to adequately describe what I found to be pure paradise. We soaked in natural hot springs in awe under the moonlight and light rain. Our inner child encouraged us to slide down a huge slide and into a pool and after the fun, the adult in us enjoyed the best Piña Coladas that I have ever had the joy of drinking at a swim up bar. That night we experienced our version of what all the locals say – "Pura Vida" (pure life).

The next day we were up at dawn to have breakfast before joining Sunset Tours again for a safari float. Breakfast at Arenal Lodge was even better than the breakfast at our hotel back in San Jose. The day was still dark and drizzly and clouded any expectations we had for seeing any wildlife or even the volcano that we still had not seen. Nonetheless, I was much happier floating down a river in the rain than walking down 6th Avenue in the rain.

We stopped at Don Pedro’s farm for a coffee and a tour of his old-fashioned plantation and way of life. He bought the place about 70 years ago for one dollar (USD), he uses the river as his only means of transportation, and lives pretty much the same way he did when he bought the place, although now he is almost 90 and confined to bed. The place is now run by his brother, daughters and granddaughter who greet the tourists with warm smiles, conversation and the best coffee that I have ever had in my life. Visiting the infamous Don Pedro and his farm, family and way of life was very humbling. I think that thay invented the phrase, Pura Vida, as it was evident that they live its true meaning.

Back at the lodge the rain continued, relentlessly. We enjoyed our first plate of typical tico-style Casado (chicken, rice, beans, fried plantains, avocado, tomatoes and a few different types of sauces) for lunch. Due to the rain there wasn’t much more we could do but relax. And that night we returned to take pleasure in the paradise at Tabacón Springs one last time.

Arenal Lodge was a fantastic place to spend a couple of days in the mountains. The staff was extremely kind, the grounds were beautifully groomed, and I’m sure the views of the volcano were amazing had there not been any clouds. But what I admired most about this small lodge was that they were also conservationists. They minimized their impact on the environment and promoted wildlife viewing with natural gardens, walking trails, bird feeder installations and daily feeding that attracted different types of birds and animals. We were a little sad to leave this paradise but also really excited to get to the beach… and the sun.

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