Blurry Lines & Trips to Nowhere

By | 2019-05-09T19:57:20-04:00 May 9th, 2019|Categories: Tourism|Tags: , |

San Juanillo

Costa Rica Cost of Living Update: Kiwis— $3 per pound

There are places here that remind me of when we first moved to Costa Rica. A feeling of weightlessness is the best way to describe it. You hover above them while breezes drift under your feet.

One of these spots is Playa San Juanillo, a beach 1 1/2 hours from Tamarindo. To get there, you drive through a town oddly called April 27 (Abril de 27). Over a hundred years ago this town, then known as El Gallo (The Rooster) decided it was time for a name change.

I’m sure residents must have tossed their suggestions to the council, one kid yelling, “Cielo Soleado (Sunny Skies).” Or a farmer hollering, “Tierra Rica (Rich Earth).”

But apparently, they couldn’t reach a consensus, so they settled on the date in which they held their meeting. Henceforth, the honorable town of The Rooster became the city of April 27. You might think this is a lateral move, but I applaud these townsfolk. City boards spend an inordinate amount of time and money on changing the name of a street, no less an entire town. It’s easy to make something simple complicated.

There isn’t much to see in Abril de 27. In fact, I wasn’t sure if we were actually driving through it. Like most Costa Rican towns, there is a lot of countryside before seeing a square with a church and soccer field. There is always a church and soccer field. And always laughing children playing outside. Neighborhoods bleed into each other around here — blurry boundary lines in a beautiful countryside.

I never mind a bumpy ride down an equally bumpy road when I’m with my husband. I love our little trips together — no pressure to be anywhere. We could pull off where we see men fishing and ask what they’re catching. Or stop at a roadside melon stand. One place is as pretty as any other. But today we are determined to find San Juanillo, a spot the Ticos keep telling us to visit. And now I understand why.

San Juanillo

Playa San Juanillo is a small stretch of white sand with a peninsula jutting out of its center. It reminds me of the peninsula in Uvita, the one known as the whale’s tail because of its remarkable resemblance to… you got it… a whale’s tail. But San Juanillo’s peninsula looks more like a poodle’s tail. One groomed with a perfect pom pom on top.

We lay our towels under an almond tree and settle in. We never have much more than that. Maybe some cold drinks but we aren’t as prepared as other families here: no hammocks or umbrellas, barbecue grills or rafts.

“We have to remember to bring those things,” I tell Rob. But we never do. These trips are always spur of the moment. Not much planning is involved, and I suppose we subconsciously keep it that way. The whole purpose is to enjoy the day; to not make something simple complicated.

San Juanillo

We do bring a snorkel and mask. Rob loves to snorkel. He would snorkel in someone’s fish tank if they’d let him. He needs to see what’s under the water’s surface. Whether it’s fish or coral, he finds this world infinitely fascinating.

As I relax under the tree’s shadow, I realize why Ticos keep telling me to come here. Sunrays lovingly tap the waves like a parent patting the top of their child’s head. You feel welcome here. You feel happy.

And maybe that’s why I feel weightless in so many of these beautiful places. Nature hardens my armor against sadder times. When a depressing thought hits or an old grudge bubbles up like a shaken can of seltzer, I stare at the ocean and it gives me mental space. And isn’t that what most of us are missing? Space from our worries? A little room to stretch out, as if our body was crammed inside an economy airline seat for the better part of twenty years.

Rob and I are both quiet as we drive home.  I watch grains of sand fall off my arms, onto the car seat, then to the floor. By the time we make it home, there will be a mini beach at my feet.

The date we moved to Costa Rica was Sept 2nd. That was over ten years ago. It wasn’t a day specifically planned, but one where we could get our pets on the same plane with us. I knew from that day on things would never be the same. I was anxious because that didn’t scare me.

So just like the town of The Rooster, Rob and I convened and changed what defined us. We finally stretched out and found shade under an almond tree, taking road trips to nowhere that blurred our boundary lines. Feeling welcome and happy.  Finding joy with two towels and a sandy car.

You can find all of my favorite places using the 2019 edition of The Costa Rica Escape Manual. Follow along on our adventures through all of my books! Or come see us at The Happier House and we can share these stories with you in person.

 

A New Yorker Gardening in Costa Rica

By | 2018-04-15T18:19:12-04:00 July 14th, 2017|Categories: Mountain House, The Happier House|Tags: , , , |

Happier House Garden

Costa Rica Cost of Living Update: A Thousand Bougainvillea Plants—Free when your husband is a lunatic

The weather has been beautiful in Costa Rica with the perfect mix of rain and sunshine. We have amazing lightning shows at night, with claps of thunder so loud it rattles the windows. Mornings begin with misty clouds drifting across the hilltops; temperatures so cool it feels like I’m still living in the mountains.

I think often about my time in Grecia, where this whole journey started. Rob and I didn’t know what to expect when we moved to Costa Rica. The idea was risky, ridiculous, and romantic. Little did I know, it was the beginning of something great

Below is a chapter from Happier Than A Billionaire: The Sequel. It chronicles the move to the beach and the beginning of our next adventure, one which included a truck full of plants.

Rob knew we would have a garden one day. He has a way of seeing into our future. (more…)

Top 5 Unexpected Benefits of Costa Rica Weather

By | 2018-04-15T18:19:14-04:00 June 28th, 2016|Categories: Nature, Uncategorized|Tags: , , , , , , |

Costa Rica Cost of Living Update: New iPhone package with 140 minutes of phone calls, unlimited data, & 700 texts—$20

Top 5 Benefits of Costa Rica Weather

1. Creativity

75 Degree weather. Just writing that makes me feel good. When I lived on a mountaintop in Grecia, I was treated to wonderfully cool temperatures practically every day. Aside from saving money on air conditioning, the biggest benefit was a sense of outdoor/indoor living.  The temperatures were the same and  you had no sense of a barrier. And without that temperature barrier, the world feels bigger, better, and creates a swell of endorphins in your brain. You wake up smiling and go to bed happy. It’s the biggest gift Grecia gave me.

These temperatures had an effect on me while I was writing my first book Happier Than A Billionaire: Quitting My Job, Moving to Costa Rica, & Living the Zero Hour Work Week. I would even say they were conducive to the entire writing process. I felt great on that mountaintop, and in a way freer than I have ever been.

We lived so high up on the mountain that clouds actually rolled into our house. Initially, I wasn’t quite sure what was happening. I’ve lived around so much pollution in my life, at first, I thought it was smog. Then this gigantic, puffy cotton ball smacked me square in the face and it was the most heavenly thing I ever experienced. Have you ever been hit by a cloud? I would suggest putting that on your bucket list. However, hanging your clothes out to dry in such high altitudes can be a challenge: This crazy thing happens.

These cooler temperatures come with a substantially longer and more intense rainy season, and the rainy season can bring a substantial amount of mold. It grows on everything and needs to be cleaned… a lot. And then there are weeks in October, the height of the rainy season when there is not one sliver of sunshine for days on end. These were the times I wished I lived at the beach.

Now that I’m living near Playa Flamingo, I’m are fully aware of the difference in temperatures once I step outside. There are times at the end of the dry season I feel like I’m living on the sun. This is reflected in our budget as well. Our allowance for dining out is non-existent, replaced with the additional cost of air conditioning. These are the days I wish I lived in the mountains. (more…)

Costa Rican Meal by the Sea

By | 2018-04-15T18:19:17-04:00 May 1st, 2015|Categories: Cost of Living, Tourism|Tags: , , , , , |

Costa Rica RecipesCosta Rica Cost of Living Update: Fried Chicken casado by the sea— $5

We are getting near the end of the dry season, but at the moment things are nearly as dry as they can get. For locals this means two things: It will be very hot— and things will be very dirty—until the true rainy season is upon us. It’s this time of the year when unpaved roads become elongated dust trails. If you ride a scooter or take your bike to work, you’ll be inhaling a healthy dose of grit by the end of your ride. Driving in a car or SUV will not protect your nasal passages from the formation of clumpy dust bunnies either.

“Is dirt coming out of the air-conditioning vent?” I ask Rob while we’re heading out for lunch.

“No, I think it’s coming from the dashboard. Or maybe from the doors. Is there a hole in the floor?”

It’s not the strangest question. There could be a hole in the floor since there are tons of problems with our car. I think something is leaking and our transmission keeps slipping. I actually don’t mind the latter since it makes our engine sound like a Tyco Aurora slot car every time Rob steps on the accelerator. (more…)

COSTA RICA VACATIONS : THE 5 BEST GUANACASTE BEACHES

By | 2018-04-15T18:19:18-04:00 December 12th, 2014|Categories: Tourism|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

 

5 Best Guanacaste Beaches

Costa Rica Costa Of Living Update: Boogie Board—$80

Choosing your favorite beach in Costa Rica is like trying to pick which of your children you love the most. I’ve overheard heated debates on which sand is the softest, where the best snorkeling spot is located, or what surf is the easiest to boogie board without smacking your head into a rock.

Since many of you are visiting this area for the Christmas holiday—and are looking to get out of your resort and travel to different beaches—this list should help in planning your excursions. It’s best to fly into Liberia, Costa Rica since this international airport is the closest to these Guanacaste beaches. The San Jose airport is five to six hours away from this area.

I’ve compiled this “happier beach list” (my top 5 Guanacaste beaches) by using a thorough investigative team: my husband and I. We are authorities in how to waste a day away. I can sit on a beach (in the shade) for and entire day and feel like it was well spent. Give me a book and I might never come home. Rob will stare into every tide pool looking for new and interesting sea life… and he always finds something. These beach days clear my mind and help make me more appreciative of the little things. Gratitude comes easy when your toes are dipped into the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean. (more…)

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