Pura Vida!

Well, here I am, back in Costa Rica! When I left in December after a 1 week vacation, I had no idea that I would be back here so soon. Pura Vida is something they say in Costa Rica which literally translates to "Pure Life." However, the phrase is more representative of a leisurely approach to living and enjoying life. Wikipedia has a pretty good explanation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Costa_Rica#Pura_Vida

Ok, here is a quick recap of what I have been up to since arriving last week:

I left a snowy scene at Newark airport early on Monday, January 19 and arrived in San Jose around lunchtime. After that, I had to take a regional flight to get to the part of the Nicoya Peninsula that Malpais/Santa Teresa is in.

I spent the first four nights at the Tranquilo Backpackers Hostel until I found an apartment. I hung out, played cards, cooked in the shared kitchen, and explored the town with other travelers from Denmark, Sweden, Canada, Austria, Germany, and of course the U.S. Everyone seems to have an interesting story as to why they are here and how they got here.

On Friday, I had lunch at this cute little Soda with a BEAUTIFUL view of the ocean called Soda Piedra Mar. A Soda is an informal restaurant/cafe that serves typical Costa Rican fare. A typical Costa Rican plate is a Casado which consists of some sort of protein (eggs or some kind of meat or fish) paired with Gallo Pinto (black beans and rice). This is especially delicious with Salsa Lizano, a vinegary condiment that goes well with just about everything. People here are also big on shakes made with fresh fruit and water or milk.

Also Friday, I moved moved into my own apartment. I share a bathroom and kitchen, BUT I have my own hammock. :) It was a nice change going from sharing a room with 5 random travelers at Tranquilo to having my own room again.

On Saturdays, there is an Organic Market here by the beach. People come out to sell organic fruits and vegetables, as well as little trinkets, jewelry, and art. Bongo players added to the festivities.

Sunday, I started my apprenticeship in the kitchen of a local seafood restaurant. The owners are a kind Canadian couple who were willing to give someone with absolutely no professional cooking or restaurant experience (and who has not cooked a thing in over two years since moving to New York) a chance to work in the kitchen and learn a few things. I started with scaling red snapper and prepping fish and vegetables. I reeked of fish by the end of the night but I had a BLAST. :)

Not much on the agenda for today - time for lunch! I might go to the beach later or work on studying some Spanish later this afternoon. Here are some pics of the sunset that I took last week. Come back later for more updates! Pura Vida!