Manuel San Antonio

 
I promised everyone some short posts with lots of pictures and a few tips about where to go. Let’s start with our first trip to Central America – Costa Rica!
This is a great country, even if you’re on a budget (which we were). We’re talking about genuinely nice people, beautiful scenery and lots of fun stuff to do. Winter is a perfect time to visit, which is when we were there. It’s warm, but sometimes the night would get chilly. Bring a medium jacket for those occasions, along with a sturdy rain poncho. We never got eaten by bugs, which was really nice.
Even if you don’t speak Spanish, at least master the phrase “pura vida!” It means “pure life,” and is the Costa Rican equivalent of “g’day.” I thought it might be something that those in the tourist industry say to tourists, kind of like tour guides in Arizona saying “howdy, parnder” to Germans. But no … I heard them use it on each other, and even on us when we were far from the touristy bits.
A quick breakdown:
San Jose area – We stayed at a place called Hotel Aranjuez the first night. They have community bathrooms, but it’s still a nice place. And the breakfast … awesome! We also spent a few nights at a bed and breakfast called Villa Escazu. It’s one of the most beautiful houses I’ve ever seen, and the food is fantastic. Very personal service, too. If you want to get out of the city [...]