Costa Rica Day 4

 5/29/26

We woke up this morning after a fabulous night sleep; best one I've had here so far.  I love the jungle sounds, but they do keep me more alert than at home, but I digress... Amazing sleep.   We got dressed and meandered down for breakfast.  As always service as amazing - I told the host we only had 45 minutes to an hour before we needed to leave... our waiter was informed w/o me needing to tell him and our order expedited, amazing!

I had the fruity pancake which was so good... and coffee and oj, and bacon - oh and fruit.   So much goodness - it just goes on and on.   After breakfast we went back to the room and waited for a cart to take us to reception where we would meet our tour guide today.   He was 22 and full of life - I don't remember his name, but he brought smiles and energy with him.   Today was all about Jack - well mostly about Jack.  If it was 100% him, we would have done ATVs. but we compromised and did the side-by-side instead.  This way I can ride and not freak out.   It was a fun day though.   

We did a private tour, so we got to slow down and take pictures where we wanted, the guide showed us Toucans, a little rodent creature that was cool, and 2 Sloths that were in a tree; I think he was more excited about the sloths than I was.   But in addition to the nature and vistas' we drove through mud, over rivers and down rocky roads - Jack had a blast and I had fun, though I'm sure my ring shows "stressed" at a few instances of intense movement lol.  I want to note here that God once again looked out for us - it sprinkled on us a bit but we turned around to see the Sloths a second time and by time we got back on the road the rain had moved on.   He is so good.    By the end of the adventure we were both muddy, wet and smiling at the end so mission accomplished.

Jack grabbed a shower at the facility, and I just changed choosing to do a shower at the resort.  I'm grateful I did as Jack said the water was COLD.    After our adventure we came back to the resort, I took a shower and we rested a bit before heading out for some Gelato.   We had a cart take us over there at yummy goodness and then meandered back taking pictures and just enjoying the day. 

Once back in the room we have spent the afternoon resting.   It's been great - we are about to go grab some dinner in an hour or so.  It's a tapas tasking menu... so I'll let you know how it goes.  Tomorrow, we go home :( I'm a bit sad to go.  Grateful for our time here and grateful for an amazing home to go to but... work.   I am not looking forward to going back, but the Good Lord provides and I trust him and where he has me.  He will move me in his timing and in his plan - hopefully that plan involves financial freedom and retirement very soon...  

Jack's favorite thing: Suprise finding of sloths while riding side-by-side.   Slipping and sliding in the mud while driving in the side-by-side.

Excursion: Arenal Volcano Private Side by Side SBS La Fortuna Tour 2026 - BOOK NOW

Note always book through sites like Viator and not with the hotel; so much cheaper for the same experience if not better.   Just watch reviews.

Part 2 - well we went to the tasting event.   The atmosphere was old world lounge with a phenomenal musician who would play a part, record it and then layer it.  He made songs like Stair Way to Heaven, Hotel California, She will be loved, etc... and turned them into relaxing Jazz type environment.  He was so good. 

The food was... well I'll just say unique.  It was 7 courses -they had 14 but we opted for the 7 - thank goodness   I can't say I loved any of it, the strawberry mocktail was good and some of it was ok, but it was unique and fun, which is all I could ask for.   It was also extremely expensive - like Emeril's level.  Nothing about this resort is budget... this I know and accept.  And while the experience deserved the price point the taste did not.  I'm just not cultured - give me some Waffle House.  Honestly, if I was home, we would have stopped by on the way to the house for a burger.  ... But we did it and can now talk about it for eons to come.

Now to pack up and get ready to leave tomorrow.   The real-world beckons.

Photos as they won't upload: https://photos.app.goo.gl/zMAAdGTkP4UFSK3K9

Costa Rica Day 3

 5/28/26

God is so good - let me say it again, God is so good. 

Last night the storms were so heavy.   Hard rain, thunder and lightening - I woke up several times and every time I prayed Lord please don't let it rain tomorrow.   I wake up to get ready - the rain stopped.   It was such a blessing as this morning's adventure is likely the best I've ever had, anywhere.    I mean literally the best.

We left the hotel at 7 with our tour guide Zender - very nice guy and headed to Hanging Bridges Nature Preserve. Were we proceeded to spend 4 hours seeing the most amazing plants, animals, birds and reptiles anywhere in the world.  We did a private tour which normally takes folks ~ 2 hours by the brochure; it took us 4, so worth it though.  The forest itself was magnificent, but because of the storms last night the creatures were also super active.  Every tour guide we saw was commenting on how rare it was - did I tell you God is good?

We saw

• poisonous dart frogs
• a snake
• 3 different types of monkeys
• a ant eater or relative thereof
• A squirrel type thing that wasn't a squirrel
• a tarantula
• 2 types of Toucans
• Beautiful flora
• Trees galore with entire ecosystems growing on them

Word and images can't describe.  Seriously the best excursion experience or may any trip experience I have ever had.   I highly recommend but if you do it get a guide - you won't see the stuff otherwise.  Zender was amazing,  You could tell he was actually enjoying being there; he loves nature and sharing it with others.   

After the hike we came back to the hotel, showered, and went to eat some foods.  We at at the Costa Rican inspired restaurant on the property and it was tasty but I think both of us were ready for a nap so we headed back to the room and rested for a couple of hours before getting up to go on our next adventure.

We met our tour guide at 4:40 and drove 45 minutes.  The is a family home that has been slightly converted to support tours; but still 100% owned and operated by the family who live there.   We got there and it started to rain... hard which put a damper on our plans so we pivoted a bit.   Instead of doing dinner at the end they served it first.   Costa Rican dishes are what we call "meat on the bones" back home - this dish was chicken cooked into a rice mixture with black beans and salad.  It was so good - we also had a lentil soup that was amazing!  

By this time the rain had at slowed down to a drizzle and the lightening had stopped so we decided to go ahead with at least some of the tour - frogs at night.  We saw so many cute little guys - we only did I think 1/2 of the regular tour but it was wet and raining... that being said it was also fun.  How many folks can say they hiked in the rain, at night, to see frogs?    Hike... well that may be an exaggeration; walked around a person's well established yard trail...   It was cool and I'm grateful we pushed on and did it.

We came back; enjoyed the hot springs for a bit and are now both tired and about to go to bed.   Fun day for sure!    Tomorrow more adventures are on the horizon.

Jack's Favorite Thing: Seeing the monkeys in the wild.   

Costa Rica Day 1 & 2

May 26

Yesterday was largely a travel day.  We got up at 4:30 in the morning to be at the airport by 5:30.   Our flight out of Augusta was delayed (after we got on the plane) for roughly 40 minutes, which means we needed to rush in Atlanta, but we still made it with time to grab a muffin and board the plane.   

Once we got to Costa Rica, we waited for maybe 30 minutes to get through customs where they made sure we had a return ticket and then met our driver.   The drive from the airport to here was roughly 3 hours and we stopped a couple hours in for lunch.  It was a restaurant that obviously had a relationship with the transport company, but the food was really good.   We both had the typical Costa Rican lunch - Casado, which is basically rice, black beans, protein, plantains and a vegetable - in this case a salad.  I had the smoked porkchop and Jack had the steak - his steak was good, my porkchop was amazing.

We then asked the driver to stop by a grocery on the way here to the hotel and we picked up some snacks and bottled water.  I know low rent of us, but I had no desire to pay per water and Jack needs filtered for his CPAP.    Once we got here, I was pleasantly surprised that they do have some complimentary drinks and snacks in the room but still grateful we stopped.

The resort here is 3 Michelan Keys Rated and it shows.  The staff is amazing, the room everything we hoped for and the grounds are phenomenal.   I mean we are literally nestled in a rainforest- you can barely see the buildings as you meander around.  

We were super tired after arriving - 12 hours of travel time so we ordered a small dinner in the room, ate, relaxed in the mineral spring pool and went to bed early.   Overall, a great day.

May 27th

I woke up at 2:30 am to plates shattering.... Note to self, don't leave leftovers on an outdoor patio in a rainforest, critters will come.  In this case a racoon who was not at all worried about me.   I got up and brought the dishes in cleaning up what I could and then laid outside for a bit to watch him come back and try to find additional leftovers.  They specifically asked us not to feed the animals so I'm trying to abide by that ... he was obviously used to French fries though and had no shortage of tonnage around his middle.  I failed to get a picture but as rude as it was to get woken up by shattering glass; it was a fun experience - Jack slept right through it...

It's 2 hours earlier here than at home so waking up early was easy; we were both up before the 8 am alarm.   We had room service on the patio - where we had another wildlife experience.   A Pavon and her two babies came on the hunt for goodies.  She ate what was left from the racoon adventure on the ground, but we didn't feed her so she eventually wondered on - she was so pretty though.   Her head moved like a chicken, but she was large like a turkey.   Her babies hid under her tail; it was precious.

After breakfast we got dressed.  I want to note here Jack tried the outdoor shower... now it's 1000% private but I didn't think he would do it.   Proud of him for stepping out... literally lol.

We then went for a walk around the property.  The flora here is so unique; almost like walking through a science fiction movie.   The property here is very hilly, steep hilly, so we got our workout in for sure!     The grounds are amazing though and the hot spring area is just... so nice; little individual pools you can just escape to.   I loved it.  We walked a couple of hours and then meandered in a building and asked for them to arrange a golf cart to take us back to our room as were both hot and tired.   

During our walk in addition to the flora, we saw an iguana (they hop on 2 legs) and another bird in same family as the one this morning - the Crested Guan.   They have a vegetable garden that was also enjoyable.

We tried to come back to the room, but the cleaners were here so we wandered down and sat at the pool and had some virgin daiquiris.  After 30 minutes or so we came back but they were still cleaning - they don't take shortcuts I guess... so we wondered back down and sat at the Italian restaurant.  We sat overlooking the volcano while eating woodfired pizza - nice way to spend some time.  They also brought us some amazing bread and a brownie bite for dessert.   Service, food, all of it is amazing...

We finally got back into our room and had about an hour and half before our excursion, so we grabbed showers and rested a bit.  

After a brief rest we got a golf cart down to the reception where our tour guide picked us up.  We drove about 10 minutes to learn all about coffee and chocolate.   The tour was fun and tasty - well most of it; chocolate paste not so yummy lol.    I thought I'd be a fan of the medium roast coffee but honestly the dark roast was my favorite of the day - I bought a bag to take home.  It was a fun experience and something unique to do.     I'm super grateful we did it.

We then came back and as we got into our room it started storming - God is looking out for us so big in that the entire day was beautiful and only when we plan to stay inside anyway did it rain.   This evening we plan to relax, read and go to bed early - tomorrow is a day filled with adventure :)   

Love you all.