First week in Costa Rica we basecamped in an amazing house on the Pacific coast, with Deb&Mac, Bob&Bette, and Richard&Ann.  I am really glad I don’t know how much this house cost, but I do know we are not eating out til Q2.  The place was huge, had balconies everywhere, amazing views, Sunday Night Football, and a ridonkulous pool.  We spent every moment not hemorrhaging money on eco-tourism at that house. I read 2, count them 2, books back-to-back for 3 days. We didn’t want to leave, which fortunately meant we didn’t eat out much either.

costa rican shopping tip: 6-pack of shitty beer=$8, liter of good rum=$10.

lots of balconies

resident iguana

lots of cousinzeheunding here, kinda shocked i have no pics of it

so big he needed a name

The first day the kids went horseback riding with Deb. I’m still fuzzy on what they did, but they allegedly had fun. If G and Alana never see pics, will they forget it happened? Beckie and I walked a few miles to the beach and national park. 3 hours driving in the dark had acclimated us to narrow roads and insane pitches, but we were unprepared for the optional nature of sidewalks when you need to leap out of the way 16 degrees uphill.

the first of many ceviches

We took the kids to Manuel Antonio NP, but left the SLR at home. *fail*

obscenely beautiful mirador, defiled by my worthless point-and-shoot

the injustice continues

i was inspired to finally figure out the SLR
they get better soon, i promise…

A couple trips down the hill to Playa Beizans

The last day i went for a run on the side streets off our house, and found a steep 200 yard climb up a double track, discarded trash attesting to it being public. Everything in Costa Rica is on private land or a National Park; i’ve never seen more barbed wire. Going to a quiet corner was refreshing, so much that I drug everyone back up the ridge that evening for sunset and drinks.

happy hour continues in town