Pura Vida
Wanderlust(n) a strong desire or urge to travel & explore the world
As long as I can remember I have been filled with wanderlust. In the midst of living for my job, in the midst of raising two children, in the midst of the most joyous moments and in the midst of the deepest sadness in my life….when I quieted my mind it would always gravitate towards dreams of traveling the world. Well, after my longest trip yet, one month in Costa Rica, the wanderlust in me is stronger than ever . It has stirred up so many dreams big and small.
I had been to Costa Rica one time prior in December of 2012. It was the first Christmas without Scott and I could not bear to do the traditional Christmas that we enjoyed as a family for so many years. Scott was like Clark in Christmas Vacation. He would be out there first thing Friday morning after Thanksgiving transforming our yard(and roof)into a Christmas wonderland, I’m pretty sure you could see our house from space. One year when Maggie was about 12 she said to her Dad “Dad, do you have to have so many lights and decorations on our house? It’s embarrassing!” So, what was Scott’s reply? He promptly went to the store to add to our wonderland in the desert :). Needless to say our Christmases were full of the comfort of tradition, but for this year, I needed to pivot. Was it a bit selfish, probably, but this was something I needed and I knew my persevering strength and a healthy mom was something my kids needed. I wanted to go someplace my kids and I had never been, with beauty, tranquility and different from our normal traditions, so Costa Rica it was! Maggie wasn’t ecstatic that I was messing with traditions and Scotty questioned the safety of just his mom taking him to a different country….'“You sure it’s safe without Dad?” I was determined! Off we went with a little 8 inch led Christmas tree, decorations, candy and gifts(mostly gift cards for obvious reasons). With those few simple things and each other, we had, in my opinion, one of the best Christmases ever. I saw my kids genuinely smile and laugh for the first time since their Dad passed. One of my favorite pictures is below, as the smiles on their faces were real and it nourished the hope I continued to embrace that my family would be OK. I knew I would be back in Costa Rica at some point in my life.
This trip back was much different as I was celebrating life and continuing my quest for travel solo and attempting to learn Spanish. I truly feel in my soul that this chapter in my life is to be the wanderlust adventurer I always dreamed of my entire life. In addition to my soul’s calling, I also feel I am honoring a lot of people I love and have lost that would of loved to of been adventuring as well.
My first home in Costa Rica was Nosara, it is located in the Guanacaste province on the Pacific Ocean. Some influencers on Instagram that I follow and respect for their insightful mindfulness live there so when I discovered there was a well reviewed Spanish school there, I knew I had the place I wanted to start my visit.
My month long visit started out a bit rocky…. I arrived in Liberia late in the afternoon and a driver picked me up for a very long 4 hour journey to the hotel in Nosara. He spoke very little English so I spent the 4 hours chatting and trying to turn on my Spanish speaking brain. It has always been my experience that people appreciate when you are trying to learn their language and always seem happy to teach. (A note about traveling alone….there was one point he veered off the main dirt road towards a wooded area. It was all fine, he was just trying to avoid canyon size potholes. Why I bring this up….I immediately had my radar activated pertaining to my safety, to travel solo is fabulous but it is essential you be awake and aware when something doesn't feel right.) I arrived to the hotel about 9pm and as you can imagine a bit exhausted. Now the rocky part….I was taken to my room and it was nice and large with a kitchenette and a very rustic vibe that I love with an added bonus of a huge deck overlooking the gardens and pool. When I turned on the lights I discovered I had about 100 roommates in the form of big, black ants….everywhere! I took a deep breath and did what any Irish girl would do….head to the bar for a very strong margarita! I enjoyed a double margarita and chatted with the people next to me that said they didn’t have issues in their room so with that knowledge and a belly full of a yummy salad and margarita, I felt comfortable I could conquer this issue. I killed as many ants as I could and then went to bed, not the most restful night as I kept thinking I felt ants crawling on me. I awoke the next morning very early and went to the bathroom. As I was brushing my teeth I saw a HUGE roach crawling on the floor, when I say HUGE I mean like 6 inches huge! I immediately jumped up on to the vanity with toothbrush in mouth and my butt hit right on the sink so I had a huge bruise on my ass for the first week which is the last place I want a bruise while prancing around in a bathing suit! The managers reply was “Its the jungle, we have bugs”. I stayed very calm and simply stated” I am aware the jungle has bugs I just don’t want them in the room.” She offered me the exact same room on the other side and I jumped on it as I believe I needed a change of scenery. I decided that morning though as I was enjoying the sounds of nature on my patio (after checking for any available rooms or Airbnbs within walking to my school and there was absolutely nothing) that I was not going to let the bugs put a damper on my time in Nosara. I believe that shift to a positive mindset brought me exactly what I wanted…..my next room which had a few ants at the beginning and actually one in bed with me the first night but after I stopped putting my energy to the negativity…..the bugs were gone and pretty much saw none for the next 2 weeks :)
The Gardens Hotel is a boutique hotel with 20 rooms approximately and one of the oldest in Nosara, in the perfect location. Close to my Spanish school, the beach, and many restaurants. There is a relaxing pool surrounded by lush landscape that I enjoyed everyday after walking all day in the heat and humidity, which by the way, I love! I studied my Spanish many days poolside and enjoyed the entertainment of the large iguanas seemingly sliding off the top of the roof of the cabana on purpose with a thud to the ground and then happily walking away. Oh, and lets not forget the refrigerator under the cabana with very cold, poolside cervazas.
In Nosara the roads are all dirt and they are interconnected with serene paths through the jungle. My first day I went and had lunch and took the 5 minute walk down to the beautiful beach. I spread out a blanket with a book and my journal and had one of those days when everything just felt right. My soul was happy and peaceful! I knew this was a place I would feel at home for the next couple weeks. The beaches are spectacular, so vast and uncrowded surrounded by jungle. My Spanish classes were from 8-12 M-F and I would grab a smoothie and walk to class every morning. Strangely enough there was a French bakery closeby so often on our breaks I would go and get a coffee and a yummy treat. Also in walking distance along a beautiful trail from my school was the Bodhi Tree Resort. It is geared around holistic health and it was so my vibe! Walking around the resort was beautiful and I joined their gym for 2 weeks. I went most days after class to workout and then grab an açaí bowl and study my Spanish. In addition to the gym at Bodhi Tree, I attended a sound bath. I had never heard of a sound bath and I was intrigued to say the least. I was mesmerized immediately as I entered the beautiful yoga shala overlooking the jungle. A sound bath is exactly what it sounds like….a bath of sounds. Mats were set all around the shala with blankets and you literally lay there for an hour as the sun is setting and listen to an enchanting mix of sounds. The class is taught by Ceibo and he creates all the sounds from mystical instruments from around the world and chanting. It is a meditation like no other and possibly the most relaxed I have been in my life! Between the gym and the fact you walk everywhere, it keeps your mind and body pretty fit no matter how many tacos and margaritas you enjoy! Most days leaving the Bodhi Tree I would walk back to my resort to drop my backpack and jump in the very refreshing pool before going and exploring a bit more. Pretty much everyday for the next two weeks ended with stopping at one of the restaurants for dinner and sitting at the bar chatting with people. As I always mention, one of my absolute favorite things I love about traveling, especially alone, are all the interesting, inspiring people I meet. I love and learn from their stories and they are all so different but all equally inspiring. These are some of my favorite meetings…..
Jan is 70 years old and I met her at a restaurant named Guiones Azul and she had amazing stories from her solo travels all over the world, so much I told her she should write a book. Although she just turned 70 she wasn’t stopping but she expressed the difference traveling as an “older” woman. She said she felt invisible and marginalized the last decade or so. I have heard this before and it always makes me sad as woman that have lived a lifetime and have enjoyed many fun adventures are the last people that should be marginalized(really no one should be)……they have scars, they have wrinkles, they have grey hair, they have a few extra pounds but boy, all those things come with amazing memories, amazing stories and I for one want to hear them! She inspired me…
Steve I met at El Locale, the restaurant in my hotel. He was 37 and seemed a bit lost, but aware, with the direction of his life. He was from NYC and was in Nosara for a month or more. We quickly started chatting and I was giving him insight to my life as well as my perspective on many things and we seemed to be very aligned. He talked a lot about his internal struggles and desire to live a more grounded life. I’d like to think with being an older person and my life experiences, he opened his mind to maybe some different perspectives as they pertain to his journey. He was a very friendly guy and I have no doubt he will find his way. We exchanged names and he reached out a few times on What’s App for my thoughts/advice. I enjoyed our conversations and his determination to become his authentic self. He inspired me…
Lola and her friends I met at a little roadside taco place called Howler Tacos. I was sitting alone at a communal type table and 5 young, organically beautiful, young people walked in and asked if they could join me…well of course I answered with an astounding yes! They were all transplants from L.A. doing there darnedest to not have to go back. One of them was a Tico(native Costa Rican) but since he was dating a girl from L.A. he was privy to all that L.A. had to offer and wanted none of it!!!! Susan, I guess was about 27 and had a very lucrative job and due to Covid was was able to work remotely but she only had another month before her office was going to open and they would want her to be there. She was struggling with money vs. peace of mind which is something so many people, no matter their age struggle with…curious where her journey is taking her. Lola spoke a lot of her mom that is my age, divorced from her dad and took a leap of faith to move from L.A. to NYC all by herself. Lola expressed how concern about her mom always questioning her own decisions even though she was happy. She said she always gives her mom pep talks to be adventurous. I immediately related to her quandary….again I will reference peace of mind…..there is no price tag on your peace of mind. It was sweet to hear Lola talking about her mom, the love was undeniable. They were an absolute joy to spend the evening with….different generation than me but still we had many things in common and they were interested in what I had to say and my perspective and I with theirs. They inspired me…
Brian I met while enjoying the sunset and a margarita with my toes in the sand at Playa Pelada. Margaritas compliments of La Luna Restaurant which is absolutely beautiful right on the beach. You can grab a cocktail (served in glass, not plastic nonetheless)from the bar and just freely walk out to the beach …..what a wonderful concept!!!! The sunsets in Costa Rica are a spectacle of beauty that draw a lot of people to the beach. Brian was hanging out doing the same thing, so we of course started chatting….or more like I started chatting :) He is a retired private pilot from Canada but actually had not seen much of the world. He was dipping his toes into solo travel with a 5 week solo journey to Costa Rica. He was divorced many years ago and was starting some home flipping with his sons but felt he needed to dive deeper into himself. Something he said really struck me…….he said he was in C.R. to soul search and be the best version of himself, he wanted to be the best version of himself for many obvious reasons but one really struck me……he was looking for his soulmate,the person you have a deep connection with not just someone you love and are attracted to physically(his words).Hmmm…. I have thought about that concept often in my life, and tried to define, but is there actually a soulmate for all of us…any of us? I, just like Brian, have had deep loves in my life but soulmates? It sounds so ‘fairy tale’ and open to so many interpretations…I believe we all need to be our own soulmates? He looked at me with such intensity and just said “You know what I mean Tami….dont we all want to find our soulmates?” He inspired me…
Lisa & Suzanne I met poolside at my hotel. Suzanne was a yoga instructor and had lived in Costa Rica for 10 years after a divorce but moved back to California a few years ago. They were neighbors and friends…similar age to me. Suzanne was trying to get off the hamster wheel that she created once she moved back to California and live her passion. She started her own business doing yoga retreats. She plans all the travel for her guests, plans dinners at different restaurants, teaches some classes and they also attend some classes at the Bodhi Tree Resort . She is the perfect example of a quote I love from Oprah Winfrey(YES! I am a huge fan!) “Follow your passion. It will lead you to your purpose.” Suzanne was living her passion and not only created a way to make money at it, she said she found her purpose. She inspired me…
Then there was Alyssa from my Spanish class. I spent two weeks with her and it was an eye opening, inspiring , and fun two weeks. She was in her early 30s and a travel nurse. She worked a few contracts and then put her stuff at mom’s house and decided she was going to travel for 6 months to learn Spanish and get her yoga certification. She planned as she went and seemed like such a free spirit to me. After Costa Rica she was going to Panama, Mexico, and Guatemala. I am old enough to be her mom but we still have some similar thoughts, struggles, joys. She truly inspired me and was possibly the catalyst to me pursuing a dream and taking the biggest leap of faith of my life thus far….more about that in a future blog. Obviously we are of different generations and I travel a bit different than her…but the core of our travel dreams are very aligned. She was so refreshing and I wish her so much peace and happiness. I now follow her on Instagram and her posts light the fire in my belly for exploring the world. She inspires me…
Now someone I have known a bit longer:)…..
Joe arrived in Nosara for the last 3 days of my visit. Luckily he had an earlier arrival time so was able to take a much more civilized, quicker mode of transportation from Liberia airport into Nosara….a small plane. It was so nice to see him and show him around my stomping ground. He walked to school with me the first day to see where I had been hanging out and meet my classmates. He spent his mornings discovering Nosara and then we met for lunch after my class and explored together. We went to the beaches at sunset, we rode bikes to restaurants, we drank margaritas, we simply had fun! I also introduced Joe to the sound bath. He is constantly moving at 100 miles per hour, probably has never meditated in his life. He was/is quite skeptical of my holistic interests and positive mindset…. he likes to call it my kumbaya. I know Joe though and one of the things I love about him is he is always willing to try new things for me. Over a margarita I presented the sound bath to him…telling him what a relaxing experience it was and I asked him to attend with an open mind and heart, oh and no comments…and he did just that. Not sure he would admit it but its possible he enjoyed the experience. We celebrated a late Valentine’s Day having dinner at Tierra Magnifica which began with a short tuk tuk ride up into the hills above Nosara. The English translation is Magnificent Land and it sure was!!!! Tierra Magnifica is a small boutique hotel, the owner and his wife from Minnesota bought the property 15 years ago and transformed this magnificent land into a serene paradise. The views from our table overlooking the jungle and Pacific Ocean were absolutely spectacular! Joe and I enjoyed a very leisurely dinner while the sun was setting, enjoying delicious food, craft cocktails, live music AND frequent visits table side from the two resident boxers. We have been dating for 7 1/2 years and this was one of the most romantic dinners we have shared, filled with great conversation about our dreams, our adventures…. just simply enjoying each other and being present in the moment. There truly was nothing that could of made this ideal night any better….Pura Vida! You ABSOLUTELY must enjoy an evening at Restauranté Magnifica if you visit Nosara!
Nosara is a place I can definitely see myself going back to for extended stays. It is one of the very few places I have visited and felt this way about. Not because I don’t enjoy all the other places I have visited but I have to say it is just a feeling…a vibe…an energy…a connection that I don’t feel often. There are so many places to explore in the world and this is one I just might visit again. I can think of no negatives other than it is becoming quite popular with Americans and Canadians. With this brings much progress…it is my hope that it continues to embrace its Costa Rican culture and not succumb to all the American & Canadian niceties.
Until next time Nosara….thank you for your kindness and beauty.
Now off to La Fortuna and Las Mareas….will write about in my next blog.
Enjoy my pictures and if they inspire you to visit Nosara here are some details…
*Liberia airport is the closest and I recommend booking an early enough flight so you can hop on one of the small planes to Nosara.
*The Gardens Hotel-Great location although you do hear some traffic noise which basically consists of motorcycles and golf carts. Walkable to the beach and all other conveniences. They also have bikes that you can use at no charge. Refreshing saltwater pool and El Local restaurant and bar. Nosaragardens.com 506.2682.4000 hello@nosaragardens.com
*Spanish classes- Nosara Spanish Institute My teacher was Julio. 506.2682.1460 nosaraspanishinstitute.com info@nosaraspanishinstitute.com
*Bodhi Tree Resort-Yoga/gym/soundbath/spa/beautiful zen grounds/ still walkable but a bit further to beach and restaurants. I can’t speak on the rooms but I will definitely be staying at least a couple nights here next time I visit. bodhitreeyogaresort.com 855.263.8733 info@bodhitreeyogaresort.com
*Favorite restaurants-
Howler’s Beach Lounge-great tacos,ceviche,margaritas and reasonably priced.
Guiones Pacifico Azul-Amazing seafood! My favorite was the salad with blackened fish on top
Al Chile-My favorite place for lunch Great tacos and margaritas and nice outdoor seating (Pretty much all restaurants are outdoor seating) reasonably priced.
Rosi’s Soda Tica-there are a lot of soda restaurants in Costa Rica. Soda basically means a family owned small restaurants. They serve traditional Casado meals which consists of beans, rice, salad, plantains and a protein. The meals are huge (I believe I got 3 meals out of mine) and very inexpensive.
Destiny Cafe-My favorite breakfast place. Delicious coffees, smoothies and you must get the Nutella French toast! Great place to grab a smoothie to go.
Tierra Magnifica-Romantic setting with spectacular views of jungle and Pacific Ocean. Reservation required
La Luna at Playa Pelada-I did not eat here but the vibe of the restaurant right on the beach is perfect! At minimum, grab a cocktail and head out to the beach. People spoke very positively about the food. Reservation required to get table.
Must do’s-
Sunsets on the beach. My favorite place was Playa Pelada with a margarita in hand from La Luna Restaurant. You can not go wrong on any of the beaches for amazing sunset viewing.
Sound Bath at Bodhi Tree Resort.
Tuk Tuk ride
Guacamole & plantain chips from Orgánico Grocer
Nutella French toast and a cloud coffee from Destiny cafe
Next blog….La Fortuna & Las Mareas
Coming soon…..La Fortuna & Las Mareas
Would love to hear your thoughts….click the cute envelope below to go right to my email. Salud!
