Costa Rica was amazing! Thank you Mom for letting us use a week.
The week was full of adventures and most importantly I got two stamps on my passport. We arrived in the afternoon on Saturday and headed straight to the pool. We decided on doing three adventure tours but in the end we got a lot more.
Sunday - Buena Vista
Little did we know when we went on the Buena Vista tour the people we would meet here would become good friends to us while in Costa Rica. We loaded the van and our tour guide Gustavo got on board. I thought this guy is cute but thought nothing more. The day was jammed packed with things that sort of freaked me out but were so fun. We went from one adventure to the next. Our first activity was zip lining. We went from 13 different canopies some fast some slow. The scariest part was standing on the canopies with 20 people waiting to go again hoping that the stand did not break.
After the zip line, we went down a water slide that went through the rain forest. My thighs had scabs on it for the rest of the week from it. From the water slide they had us get on horses. This was my first time on a horse since I was like 8 years old at wheeler farm. The horses have done the trail so many times that we really didn't have to do anything to have them go where we wanted them to.
After the horse ride we went and had volcanic body mud masks. The mud was warm and made your skin feel so soft. Once we were all washed from the mud we got in the hot springs. When Rachael and I got in the hot springs with our tour group we realized we were the only ones who were not on a honeymoon. There was alot of loving going on around us.
Monday - Pool Day
We decided to take advantage of our hotel since it was an all inclusive resort. They had activities going on all day. Our hotel activities coordinators were so funny. They were like tweetle dumb and tweetle dee. They were yoga teachers, aquarobics instructors, kayakers, soccer players and towel folders. They wore matching outfits. We soon realized that they did a lot of things impromptu.
Tuesday - Nicaragua
Wanting another stamp on my passport we decided to take a cultural tour to mix things up. So we signed up for a tour to "Colonial Granada Nicaragua" When we arrived for this tour our tour guide Gustova jumped out of the bus. He was leading our tour again. We began the tour eating breakfast most got the typical "rice and beans" I went with fruit since I didn't want to have a bad stomach on the bus. Are first stop on the tour was the border. Here people went to the duty free shops. Some bought alcohol, jam and dubbed fighting movies. I went with a Coca Cola Light. Which was my water on the trip.
After crossing the border we went to a town called Mayasa where we shopped in an open air market. We both bought pictures. We all loaded the bus and then went to see the Masaya Volcano. We got to look down into the crater. The smell of the sulfur was really bad so we could not stay long looking at it.
After the volcano we headed to the city of Granada where we took horse carriage rides around the city.
Wednesday - Arenal Volcano
On our way home from Nicaragua we asked Gustova if he would be out tour guide again and to our surprise he was. How could he resist two Blondes from "Utah." Our goal for the day was to see monkeys. So the tour mostly consisted of us looking for them. But all we saw was a bunch of ants. It was too hot for them to come out. We were so lucky with weather, it never rained in the mornings but this meant that all the animals would be hiding. We did get to hike through the rain forest and go to the most amazing hot springs.
At the end of the day when we were saying bye to Gustova and thanking him he asked us what we were doing on Thursday. He all of a sudden did not have to work the next day. So I made plans with him to go running in the morning. Since it was not safe for me to go alone. He also was determined to find monkeys for me. By the time we got back I was starving. I did not want to eat any more beans. So I ate my favorite thing I discovered in Costa Rica. The ice cream. It is made from full fledged cream. It is the most delicious thing. I ate it for every meal. I could not get enough of it. The milk here was so good. They have milk cake which was just as delicious. I am going to try to make it but we will see.
Thursday - Pool Day/ Coco Beach
The day started out with a run with Gustova. We went to the beach. I was not sure if Gustova was a runner. My intuitions were correct. I may not look like I run alot but I can run. We went for about 12 minutes when he got tired. I decided to keep on going and he walked. On our way home from the run we went on a mission to find monkeys. He was determined that I would see monkeys before I left Costa Rica. We drove up and down the coast looking for them. We found 15 howler monkeys but no white faced.
During the afternoon Rachael and I did all the activities the hotel had to offer. We played pool volleyball. I was reminded why I never played sports. For our evening events Gustova came and picked us up. Once we got in his car he had gifts for both of us. He gave Rachael a coffee mug and he got me a white-faced stuffed monkey. Since he could find a real one for me to see.
We headed to Coco Beach the local hot spot. I was so out of my element. This is where all of the employees of our hotel came to hangout.
Friday - Pool Day/Flamingo Beach
To our surprise Gustova did not have to work again. (He said he had to take care of things but those things just happened to be taking care of us)
I woke up and went running with Gustova again. This time he ran for 15 minutes. After the run when we got back to the car he had a Coca Cola Light waiting for me. Anything I said to him he listened to. I need a man like him in America.
Rachael and I decided to do the Kayaking with our hotel. This time I actually paddled. I am known for going in Canoes/Kayakes and just sitting there. We Kayaked to Panama beach where we ate fruit Kabobs. I have experienced alot of new fruit, papaya and granadilla (Passion Fruit).
Gustova picked us up later in the day to take us wave running at Flamingo beach. His friends let us use theirs. We then ended up in one of his friends restaurants on the beach. The thing I loved most about Costa Rica was the hospitality. Everyone was so nice and so giving. They don't have a lot to give but are more than willing to make sure that you are comfortable. After we ate dinner I was talking about the ice cream and next thing you know I have the most delicious dessert with ice cream in front of me. If I was alone I would have licked the plate. We then were complaining about bug bites and before you know it we had bug spray being rubbed on our legs. It was a full service restaurant.
Saturday - Home
I decided to do one last run with Gustova. We went running, at his car he had a Coca Cola light waiting for me again when we were done. As we are driving back to my hotel I realize that we are listening to a cd. I comment that I know all the love songs on it. Before you know it, he pulls the cd out and gives it me. He had made me a mix of all the songs that reminded him of me. Then he gives me a letter. Why the heck do boys like this not exist in DC? He is golden. I say my goodbyes and I am off and think nothing of it.
Then the day only got better. Rachael and I make our taxi reservation at 9. We get in the taxi at 10 and on our way the driver says I need to make a quick stop. Rachael and I think it is strange go along with it thinking it must be a culture thing having to make quick errands. Little did we know he was picking up a package for us. Gustova had called Carlos and had him stop to get us ice cream.
Then when we pull up to the airport our taxi door opens and Michael opens the door and says "Katelyn and Rachael" Gustova had arranged to have someone help us at the airport to make sure we got all of our taxes and baggage checked. I don't know how he pulled it all of but he did. The whole experience was surreal.
Costa Rica was a blast. The people in Costa Rica are the nicest I have ever met. They make you want to re-think about what matters in life. I need to be more giving of myself and my time.
Thank you Rachael for making this so fun!!!
