COSTA RICA

We just got back from a fabulous trip to Nosara, Costa Rica!  The Fong Family (Lizzie, Eric, Reid 13 years, Sarah 11 years, and Sloane 7 years), friends of ours from California, are living in Costa Rica for a year and invited us to stay with them for a few days.  We jumped on the opportunity!  They were gracious hosts, opened up their Costa Rican home to us, and showed us their "tico" way of life -  living in the jungle, just a short walk from Playa Guiones.  Greg and I both need to leave Panama every 3 months in order for our California driver's license to be valid in Panama, and we've just hit the 3-month mark in our Panama adventure, so the timing was perfect.  This was Monica and Matt's first time in Costa Rica, and while Greg and I have both been to the Guanacaste area of Costa Rica, we had never been to Nosara or Playa Guiones.  We were particularly excited about this opportunity and knew that it would be a special visit with the Fong's.  We took a short 45 minute flight from David, Panama to San Jose, Costa Rica and from there had a 4 hour taxi ride to Nosara.  The drive was beautiful, and it was nice to be able to see this particular part of Costa Rica.

Playa Guiones is known for its long stretch of sand and good surf.  The Nosara area boasts a gorgeous yoga institute and a thriving bilingual school, and the area in general has a laid back vibe, many young families, and a number of expats who are all there to enjoy Costa Rica's nature, beauty, tranquility, and all that this area has to offer.  The Fong's have rented a thatched roof open air rancho in a lush and tropical setting, less than a two minute walk to Playa Guiones.  We had the pleasure of sleeping in the upstairs level, and since there were no windows, it truly felt like we were right in the middle of the jungle.  Ceiling fans cooled us off at night, and mosquito nets kept the bugs out. Waking up each morning with the jungle beside us and howler monkeys roaring in the distance was a special treat. The Fong residence is abundant with wildlife,  and during just 5 short days we saw monkeys, a pizote, cane toads, a salamander, iguanas, and several exotic birds all right on the property.  


Day 1
We arrived at Playa Guiones in the late afternoon after a long day of travel and all quickly headed to the beach for some swimming, digging for clams, and a spectacular sunset.  Later that evening we had dinner at the Fong's house - arroz con pollo, a simple dish of rice, chicken, and vegetables.  It is one of Costa Rica's specialties.


Day 2 
Lizzie was the "activity planner extraordinaire" and had several adventures in line for us.  The kids started the day with surf lessons and loved their "tico" surf instructors.  Surf lessons were followed by swimming in the pool, and in the afternoon, we were treated to a fabulous horseback ride along Playa Garza.  The ride ended with a short trip to the southern end of Playa Guiones as well.  The late afternoon was a perfect time for a horseback ride on the beach, and having the experience of galloping along the long stretches of sand was particularly thrilling.  Late that evening, the Fongs took us to Il Basilico, a nearby restaurant that served fabulous Italian and Costa Rican food.


Day 3  
Initially we did not have plans for day 3, and it turned out to be our most memorable.  Guiones is a very small town with dirt roads, and many people ride bikes, motorcycles or quads to get from one place to another.  Eric and I rode bikes through town and ended up renting 4 quads for the day for our group of nine.  The kids could not have been more excited for this adventure!  We threw on our bathing suits, put on helmets, eagerly jumped on the quads, and enjoyed an entire day exploring the area.  It was a hoot!  We rode up into the residential hills of Playa Guiones, made a stop at a small village called Santa Marta for some snacks (and a cerveza too!), and toured the small town of Nosara. During one of our many stops along the road, we were fortunate enough to notice a white faced capuchin monkey hanging out in one of the trees directly in front of us - so fun!  We ended up at Playa Pelada, a pretty cove were Costa Ricans gather on the weekends.  We spent the afternoon swimming and later enjoyed dinner at Olga's, one of Playa Pelada's beachfront restaurants.  The local food, sopa de pollo (chicken soup) and casado de pescado (fished served with rice, black beans, platanos, and salad) was delicious!  We witnessed a spectacular sunset after dinner, and when darkness came upon us, we headed home on our quads.  We all agreed that it was a fun filled day with lots of laughter, and one that we will always remember!

Day 4
The Fong kids go to school at Del Mar Academy in Nosara, and since today was Monday, off to school they went!  I enjoyed visiting their school and can see that they are having a great experience learning Spanish, meeting new friends, and getting involved in their new school community.  Later in the morning, Lizzie and I went to a yoga class at the Nosara Yoga Institute.  Yoga "in the jungle" is definitely a special treat and a great way to start the day!  Greg had the opportunity to fish the Nosara rivermouth along with several local fisherman and caught jurel and snook.  Later in the afternoon, all of the kids swam in the pool during a nice downpour of rain - very fun!  One of the Fong's Costa Rican friends, Jackie, showed us how to make picadillo (a popular Costa Rican dish made of ground beef and local vegetables - onion, carrot, chayote, potatoes, a little garlic).  Adding a little bit of Costa Rica's infamous Salsa Lizano creates a unique flavor.  It is a simple dish, but quite delicioso!  This evening the kids had a babysitter, and the four adults went out for a fabulous meal at La Luna, a beachfront restaurant with great decor and situated along Playa Pelada.  I had one of the best mojitos de maricuya (passion fruit mojito) I've had in Central America - my new favorite cocktail! 


Day 5
I started out our last day at Playa Guiones with another long early morning walk on the beach collecting shells and was able to bring back quite a nice assortment with me to Panama.  Greg, Matt and Eric woke up extra early and went on a fun and successful fishing trip with a local panguero and caught 2 sailfish (both over 100 pounds), yellowfin tuna, skipjack and some baby amberjack.  Monica, Reid, and Sarah were fortunate to fit in another late morning surf lesson, and the the day ended with more pool time for everyone and a final walk to the beach (in the rain!) for a quick swim. Just as it started to get dark, thunder and lightening rolled in - time to head home!  Greg and Eric prepared 3 different platters of their freshly caught tuna for our final dinner at the Fong's, and the delicious food was demolished within minutes!  It was a perfect ending to a wonderful visit.



Thank you Fong Family for sharing your Costa Rican adventure and "Pura Vida" with us.  We loved every minute of it and truly cherish our time spent with you.

Flying over Costa Rica and getting ready to land in San Jose

Just arrived in Costa Rica and immediately headed out to Playa Guiones for some beach time in the late afternoon

Heading out for a swim just before the sun goes down

A beautiful rainbow at Playa Guiones - spectacular!

Lizzie and Eric (Nola too!)

Sarah and Monica enjoying their first afternoon at Playa Guiones

Matt and Sloane loved digging for small clams, which were brought home and cooked that evening.

We stayed at Playa Guiones until the sun went down - such a beautiful sunset!

The girls head to the beach for their surf lesson.

Starting the day with a surf lesson at Playa Guiones

Matt's got a wave!

Monica at the end of a nice little ride

At the end of the surf lesson, the surf instructors grabbled some coconuts, and the girls enjoyed a little treat - so fun!

Matt and Sloane hanging out at the Fong rancho

Beautiful Playa Guiones is a long expanse of beach that is popular with surfers.  

Greg heading out to do some surf fishing at Playa Guiones

I love the bright colors and markings on the "ghost crabs" that quickly scurry into their holes to hide.

I looked forward to early morning walks along Playa Guiones and collected quite an assortment of shells.

All nine of us enjoyed a fabulous late afternoon horseback ride along Playa Garza.  The scenery was spectacular, especially with the clouds rolling in.

Riding along Playa Garza's palm studded beach

The Stoney Family

Lizzie at the entrance of Casa Radl 

We loved watching these beautiful bluejays seen at Casa Radl.

So fun to live outdoors!  The living room, kitchen, and upstairs sleeping area (where we slept) all open up to lush tropical greenery. 

This is the upstairs view from the rancho.  The photo was taken from the bed where we slept each night.  Since there are no windows, it felt like we were sleeping in the jungle.  We woke up at 5am each morning to the sound of howler monkeys roaring in the distance, and on one morning, several monkeys came within just a few feet of the rancho.

The kids could not have been more excited to rent quads for the day!

Spotting this white faced capuchin monkey was another unexpected pleasure of the day. 

Greg had the pleasure of riding with Monica and Sarah.

This local mercado in Santa Marta was one of our stops along the way.  

Kids always love to grab a Costa Rican snack, and Lizzie and I both laugh at the similarities between Costa Rican and Panamanian snack options - lots of junk food and the choices are endless...!  The kids were proud to show us some crazy faces and flaunt their sodas and crunchy snacks.

Lizzie and I were treated to a beverage as well.

Matt and Sloane are thrilled to spend the day on the quads.

After exploring the Nosara area on quads, we ended up at Playa Pelada, a beautiful sandy cove.  The kids immediately headed down the beach for some time in the waves.

Olga's is a beachfront restaurant on Playa Pelada that is often enjoyed by locals on the weekends. It is known for serving a particularly good michilada (beer added to local citrus juice, served in a glass with a salted rim).  

Another spectacular sunset added to our day of adventure

Monica, Sarah, and Reid walk down the beach with their surf instructor for another surf lesson.

Everyone had a great time!

Lizzie and I spotted this bright green iguana on the road as we were driving to Playa Garza to pick up the guys from their fishing trip.

Matt with a nice little tuna 

Eric caught a sailfish!

Greg often says that fishing trips aren't only about the fishing, but often are so rewarding and enjoyable because of the scenery and ocean life that is seen.  On this particular trip, several dolphins swam along the boat for quite some time.  

A beautiful sailfish!

Greg and Eric prepared a tasty sushi dinner with the freshly caught tuna - delicioso!

The Fong and Stoney families enjoying our last meal together - a great ending to a very special visit.  Thank you Lizzie, Eric, Reid, Sarah, and Sloane for your generosity and for sharing your Costa Rican experience with us!