REFLECTIONS: Costa Rica

Respectfully speaking, San Jose does not truly embody the beauty and purity of Costa Rica, so I opted to travel via a private shuttle, 2 hours outside of the city to Puntarenas, Esterillos Este.

Esterillos Este is most known for its beautiful beaches. The sand, a deep chocolate brown, is so dense that it retains water reflecting whatever is in view. This of course amplified the already dramatic sunsets…nothing short of amazing. Tucked away off a rocky back road is the Alma del Pacifico Resort and Spa; a gated property of only 20 villas with the beach less than 30 steps away from the room’s terrace. This place was picturesque with pathways lined with vibrant flowers, palm trees, bold colored structures and wildlife. Being a city girl, seeing iguanas and monkeys roam freely was…different.

I was greeted with fresh squeezed papaya juice and the warmest welcome from the staff. I dropped off my luggage, stared in awe at the beach for about 20 minutes, sent “wish you were here” pics and videos to loved ones then headed to the restaurant.

Often times when on vacation, people will eat whatever is quick, familiar and convenient. I am not one of those people. I eat…deliberately. The food in Costa Rica was lovely; flavorful, perfectly cooked and handsomely plated. I am reminded every time I travel internationally just how processed the food in America is. This time was no different. The restaurant had the freshest of proteins, veggies, spices and fruits. Literally, everything I consumed was delicious; steak & shrimp kabob, a traditional Costa Rican meal, shrimp pesto pasta, beef tenderloin, banana foster and all the rum my heart desired.

The resort only had the one restaurant. Normally, I would venture off to try various places but the food was that amazing. Then there was Carlos, a vibrant personality with the patience of a saint. He anticipated my every need, brought out different dishes for me to sample and graciously accommodated my special request: to only speak in Spanish while dining. No, I am not fluent in Spanish…yet. I can hold a basic conversation (enough for survival purposes) but I wanted the full experience. Needless to say, this made for an interesting but beyond enjoyable time. I requested his service every time I dined at the restaurant.

I spent the majority of the time at Alma at the beach, pool and spa. The first part of the trip was about relaxation. Mornings were spent catching up on my reading for the month. I carved out time to capture the essence of Costa Rica on film and purposely spoke to as few people back home as possible. I have a habit of not taking a vacation when on vacation. This time, I only wanted to just...be.

For the last day of the trip, I traveled back to the San Jose area to San Isidro, Alajuela to get closer to the airport for the early flight in the morning. During the shuttle commute, I was able to experience the hustle and bustle of the community, which was quite different from the privacy of Esterillos Este. I saw where the locals lived, shopped at their marketplace, surrounded myself in the culture and reconfirmed that I will not drive in Costa Rica.

Still following the secluded theme, I opted for a villa in the mountains at the Xandari Resort & Spa. This resort was a completely different vibe from Alma. However, it was equally as beautiful. The winding paths lined with vividly painted buildings were outfitted with hand sculpted walls. The property housed a hiking trail over 2 miles long which descended through the mountains revealing 5 waterfalls, several reserves and a botanical garden. The scenery was absolutely breathtaking (figuratively and literally) after walking up over 50 flights of rocky stairs to get back to the villa. The most amazing view was from the heated infinity pool which overlooked the rainforest seamlessly transitioning into San Jose.

The villa had floor to ceiling windows leading to the balcony, overlooking the rainforest and also right in front of the shower. Privacy must have a different meaning in Costa Rica. An added bonus; my villa was within a few steps of the restaurant accompanied by a small garden used to grow fresh vegetables, fruits and herbs for the chefs. Much like the other resort, the food was incredible. And yes, I frequented the restaurant as often as you can imagine I would in a 15-hour period, with time well spent in the botanical garden and hiking through the nature trail. I closed out the final hours of the trip relaxing in the infinity pool while humoring the concierge with his acquired tasting concoctions, a mix of tomato juice and rum.

I decided to stay in multiple areas because I wanted to experience Costa Rica from different vantage points. I chose resorts that had attractions, activities, restaurants and spas on the property because I purposely did not want to be mobile on this trip outside of from traveling from the airport and to the resorts. This trip was about appreciating the space that I am in…no overthinking, no over the top activities, and no cramming everything into a few days. Costa Rica has some of everything to offer depending on whatever your kinks are; beaches, hot springs, zip lining, off-roading. However, for me, in that moment, it gave me peace, a much-needed shift in my perspective and the strong urge of gratitude.

This will not be my last time in Costa Rica.

Pura Vida

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