Finding love in Costa Rica.
There were several “Bests” of Costa Rica.
Best joke flying down: “I don’t think we’re in Kansas any more.”
Best befuddled moment: Meeting Juan Jose for the first time and getting our orientation.
Best bus driver ever: Juan Carlos
Best place to stay: Tortuguera
Best ocean: Both of them. Honestly.
Best boat pilot: Primo.
Best guy to make sure I get a good photo: Primo.
Best kindred spirit: Primo.
Best surprise of the trip: This tweet.
Best volcano: Arenal. Poas was fabulous, but Arenal was so impressive.
Best rainy day: Arenal Hanging Bridges. Rain in the rain forest? YES!
Best day of the trip: Surfing at Tamarindo Beach.
Best shared moment: Surfing at Tamarindo Beach.
Best person to travel with: My daughter.
There is one thing I’ve spoken about a little to close friends and confidants, but I feel the need to express myself in explicit terms here.
I fell in love in Costa Rica. Honest to ghod, live long, true blue love forever more and never ending. It was not the sort of thing I was expecting to have happen, but love, like so many of the best things in life, sneak up on you from behind and bash you over the head when you least expect it.
Perhaps it was the weather. Perhaps it was the sunsets. Perhaps it was the endless numbers of beautiful women. Perhaps it was the moment of being away from my troubles and cares for just long enough that I could release my inhibitions. Romance blooms in unexpected places and unimaginable ways.
Sure, I heard some of the snickers, a few of the jokes, but all that matters to me is I have found happiness.
Gallo pinto, where have you been all my life?
The first meal we had gallo pinto and I was hooked. Upon breakfast we had gallo pinto and I thought to myself, “This is so different from what we had last night.“ For lunch, we had gallo pinto and I thought it was extraordinary. I think we had gallo pinto in some form for every meal. If we didn’t, I would have been most upset.
Soothing. Filling. Complimentary. Delicious ever time. I’ve been longing for gallo pinto ever since we came back. The real thing. Oh, sure, I’ve had rice and beans and sometimes I’ve made beans and rice, but it’s just not the same.
This weekend, when the kids are here, I’m going to try some of the recipes I downloaded and try to make it properly. I’m drooling already. That’s true love, the way it ought to be.