Tag Archives: Costa Rica

Making Etyl’s Famous Pancakes at Kaya Sol, Nosara, Costa Rica

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I’ve mentioned already that while staying at Kaya Sol, we met these three fabulous ladies from Victoria. They even helped us preform our Beer Taste Test.

What I haven’t mentioned yet is that one of them, Benny, has an amazing food Blog called Being Bethany Jane. We of course immediately bonded over all things blog related as well as a mutual love for delicious healthy food.

When I heard that Benny was going to be getting a pancake lesson at Kaya Sol, I simply Etyl's Famous Pancakes Kaya Solcouldn’t resist joining in.

You see, the pancakes at Kaya Sol, are slightly amazing. Okay well actually they are bombdiggity delicious. I’m not usually one to order pancakes but after hearing the girls rave about them I got a couple for Shaun and I on his birthday. Seriously…life changing!

These pancakes aren’t the normal white, dry pucks with gooey centres that I am used to seeing at restaurants. These pancakes are full of oats, fresh ginger and coconut! I know I’ve perked your interest now!

Learning to make them was a real treat. As an added bonus, we not only got a lesson, but we got the lesson from Etyl herself! Now since this is not a food blog, I didn’t write down copious amount of notes during the process. I just wanted to get a the jist of the situation, so I could try and recreate them when I get home. Here’s what went down.

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Etyl whipping up some magic

The dry ingredients included whole oats, a bit of baking soda and baking powder all blended up in a blender. The wet ingredients included an egg, grated ginger, fresh nutmeg, honey, vanilla and three kinds of milk; whole milk, soy milk and fresh coconut milk. Add it all together and bobs your uncle. Etyl did say that you can bulk up the pancakes and add some pancake mix, but if you want to keep it whole grain, then leave it as is.

It was so awesome being able to learn how to make these creations from the inventor herself. You better believe I’ll be trying my hand at these when I get home. I might even be wild and add in a banana!

If you are sitting there reading this and thinking, Kate I really still have no idea how to make these pancakes, I would highly suggest checking out Being Bethany Jane. Not only am I confident that Benny will be trying her hand at her own version of Etyl’s pancakes, but she has tons of amazing recipes to tide you over in the meantime!

What is your favourite breakfast food?

Pura Vida!

Kate

Follow me on Twitter:@caketress

 

Final Days of Travel: Learning to Live in the Moment

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I didn’t think that the last leg of our travels would be this hard.

With 6 days left before we touchdown back home, I’m finding it more and more difficult to fight homesickness. My mind constantly wanders to my family and friends, and I find myself planning all sorts of things that I want to do when I get back. These feelings have resulted in days seeming long, and some moments where, well, I’ve been kinda miserable

There…I said it. I’ve been a grumpy bear this week. Poor Shaun has had to deal with a very homesick wife.

Of course, I recognize I need to change my tune. I’m actively choosing fear over love. If I’m not careful I’m going to waste the last few previous moments I have on this adventure looking forward instead of standing still.

I often find myself taking moments to appreciate my surroundings, but it is always in obvious ways, like when I’m watching a sunset of when I’m laying in a hammock. In those moments, its easy to be present, and appreciate the beauty and tranquillity that surrounds me

It’s the mundane times that I find challenging. Evenings where it is dark early, and no amount of Netflix or crazy eights are going to keep me entertained. Or days where I’m faced with a very hot walk to the store to get groceries. There are so many instances during my day where my mind wanders, I start thinking about home, I get lonely and I’m no longer present.

I started reading about ways to “be in the moment” and although I agree with most things I’ve read, I still didn’t really know how I was going to go about doing it. It’s easy for me to be present when I’m reading something about it, but as soon as I put my book down, I forget. The mind is a powerful thing and it will wander where it wants to wander.

I needed a concrete exercise to help me stay present, so I chose a day last week and decided to make myself a reminder.

I set an alarm on my phone for every hour. Whenever it went off, I took note about what I was thinking about. Most of the time it was about home, or something in the future. I took a second to appreciate that thought and let it come to an end.

Then, I took a deep breath and really looked at my surroundings. I would to myself, what am I grateful for in this moment? What do I want to remember? It didn’t have to be big things. Some of the things I noticed were all of the hibiscus in bloom, the amazing feeling of walking into a room with a/c, or a wicked huge Iguana. All things that I know I won’t have when I get home.

Taking time to appreciate and feel grateful for those little things helped keep me in the present moment.

This exercise totally falls into the “practice makes perfect” category. I found that after doing it for a while, it started to happen naturally. Now I have an alarm set for twice a day, but find I’m finding I am much more naturally present throughout the entire day.

So, if you are every finding yourself in a situation where you are spending to much time looking back or looking forward, try this exercise to help train yourself to stand still.

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For more on the evolution of my philosophies and “kateness” visiting my Philosophy page.

Pura Vida!

Kate

Follow me on Twitter: @caketress

Burgers of Costa Rica: A Taste Test

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Shaun is a man who appreciates a good burger. Although he doesn’t claim to be an expert, with the amount of burgers he has consumed throughout this trip, he certainly has some experience in this area.

During our time in Nosara, Shaun had some particularly fabulous burgers. So, we figured we would rock a little taste test, as well as mention a few other notable burgers he has devoured during our time in Costa Rica.

Take it away Manfriend!

During our three week stay in Nosara, I had the burgers from The Gilded Iguana, Kaya Sol, and Burgers and Beers. Kate asked me to compare the three for her blog. I am by no means a food critic, but I’ve eaten a few burgers in my time.

On this trip we do a lot of meals in to save money. When we do go out for meals I often go for something we typically can’t make ourselves; more times than not its a burger and fries. I think I’ve had around twenty burgers over the course of our five month trip. Most of them quite good and way better than the ones back in Canada. As for the burgers in Playa Guiones, they were among the best I had all trip. However, Kate wants me rank them so here it goes.

To be fair each of the three burgers were a classic beef burger with cheese. I also ranked the french fries because I love fries, usually more than burgers. This time though the burgers took center stage.

The Burger at Guilded Iguana

The Burger at Guilded Iguana

 

Third Place: Gilded Iguana

Good burger, it was home made patty with good thickness and not overcooked. Could have used a bit more pickles, but that seems to be a common issue down here. The fries were okay, not terrible but nothing to write home about. I rank this number three.

 

 

The Burger at Kaya Sol

The Burger at Kaya Sol

 

Second Place: Kaya Sol Surf Hotel

Great burger, it was also a home made patty that was well seasoned and cooked perfectly. Easily one of the best burgers I’ve had all trip. I had this meal on my birthday and it was a fantastic choice (thanks Jorge).  The burger came with tons of fries and they were easily the best fries I had had in all of Costa Rica. If this was a contest about fries, Kaya Sol would have won hands down.

 

The Burger at Burger and Beer

The Burger at Burger and Beer

 

First Place: Burgers and Beers

Best burger in Costa Rica, there is nothing bad to say about this burger. It was perfect. As I ate it I was getting disappointed as there was less and less left to eat. To top things off I had to share a few bites with Kate. It came with fries, but there weren’t that many and they weren’t as good as Kaya Sol’s, but the burger was perfect. So Burger and Beers gets my first place vote.

 

I feel I should branch out and mention three other notable burgers I’ve had during this trip: Willie’s ABC (Avocado, Bacon, and Cheese) Burger from the restaurant at Mal Pais Surf Camp, the Wipe Out Burger at Kaya Sol and the Bacon Cheeseburger from Nogui’s in Tamarindo

Willie’s Avocado, Bacon and Cheese (ABC) Burger: Mal Pais Surf Camp, Mal Pais: I had Willie’s burger back in January and it was amazing. I don’t usually eat avocado, but something about the soft avocado combined with crunchy bacon made it work perfectly. I have compared every burger I’ve had since to it.

Bacon Cheeseburger- Nogui’s Tamarindo: Even though Nogui’s is mostly Costa Rican food, they do know there way around a burger. I had their Bacon Cheeseburger way back at the start of the trip, and it was really good. The bacon was perfect. I might just really like bacon.

Wipe Out Burger, Kaya Sol, Nosara: I had the Wipe Out burger on our last night in Kaya Sol and didn’t rank it with the others because it was a chicken burger, but it was ridiculously good. Its a chicken breast cooked in buffalo sauce with cheese and bacon. It was like a delicious chicken wing with cheese and bacon wrapped in a soft bun.

I’m so hungry right now.

Thanks Shaun!

Where do you get your favourite burgers?

Pura Vida!

Kate

Follow me on Twitter:@caketress

 

 

Nosara Artisans Market in Playa Guiones, Costa Rica

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One of the best parts of being a travel blogger is stumbling upon a topic for a post that truly deserves to be recognized and rejoiced.

The Nosara Artisans Market falls into that category.

I learned about the Artisans Market early in our trip to Nosara, via an advertisement on a local community board. Being a traveller who loves exploring local markets, I was instantlyP1030251 intrigued.

Wanting to learn more, I connected with Kristen Brousseau, a local artisan and one of the coordinators of the event. She and fellow artist Emma Kinsey, have been organizing the Nosara Artisans Market since 2012. Kristen was kind enough to provide me with a little insight and history into how Nosara Artisans came to be:

“Nosara Artisans, started in October 2012, and was created to give Nosara artists a place to sell their wares during the holiday and summer season. It is a non-profit artist collective open to all artists living in the community. The first fair was held December 2012 at The Gilded Iguana Hotel and Restaurant located in Playa Guiones.
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Since then, the group has grown with many artists participating from other countries and Costa Rica. They hand make accessories, clothing, ceramics, furniture, glass art, lamps, jewellery, mosaics, paintings, photos, up-cycled creations and carved wood art. A lot of the artwork is made using natural materials found in Nosara and its beaches.

In an effort to give back to Nosara, this season The Gilded Iguana and Nosara Artisans have teamed up collect a portion of the artist fees for fundraising. So far, they donated money to Nosara Animal Care, the Del Mar Academy’s scholarship fund and the education fund at the Nosara Recycle Center. Also new this year, is the addition of baked goods, organic garden products, artisans breads, coffee produced in Costa Rica, and local food products.”

 
Upon hearing that description, I felt I simply had to attend the event. In fact, I even altered my travel plans so I could stay for it. The day of the event arrived and let me tell you, I was not disappointed.

P1030254Immediately upon entering the market, you could sense the excitement in the air. Booths filled with jewellery, pottery, crafts and baked goods wound their way through the shaded grassy lawn of the Gilded Iguana. Groups mingled together laughing and marvelling at each others creations. I was struck with the diversity and uniqueness of the artwork. I found myself appreciating the fact that everything that was for sale truly was “one of a kind”
My husband and I explored the booths, sampled a few goodies and of course made some purchases.We chatted with several locals who welcomed us to the market with open arms. We left the market that day not feeling like a tourists, but more like honourary members of the Nosara community.

10245464_307950199357161_9069604458241027652_nThe Nosara Artisans Market is not just about selling wares, it’s about a community coming together. Not only do they celebrate the beauty of their handmade creations but also the feeling of togetherness that we found Nosara is known for.

If you are in the Nosara area, I would highly suggest you check out this market. Not only will you see some amazing one of kind creations, you’ll really get a feel for what Nosara is all about.

The next Nosara Artisan Art Market is on Saturday, April 19th at The Gilded Iguana from 12-3pm. Check out their Facebook page or website for more information.

Pura Vida!
Kate
Follow me on Twitter:@caketress

Meeting Warner in Nosara, Costa Rica

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We have a special post here today for two reasons. The first is that it was written by Shaun, and the second is that we have written it in Spanish and English. So make sure you scroll to the bottom if the first section makes your brain feel fuzzy.

A HUGE thank you to my wonderful Cuñada Natalia for translating for us. Regardless of how many Spanish podcasts we have listened to, we could have never done this without you!

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Si alguna vez has tomado el camino de acceso a la playa que queda al norte de Playa Guiones, cerca del “Guilded Iguana” y de “Kaya Sol”, es probable que hayas visto o intercambiado un par de palabras con Warner. Desde su puestecito cerca del estacionamiento, vende pulseras, collares y joyería que el mismo hace. Sin duda alguna, él es una de las personas más amables y genuinas que he conocido.

P1030260Durante las 3 semanas que estuvimos en Nosara, pasé por Warner varias veces al día  cuando iba o regresaba de surfear. Warner habla algo de inglés y yo un poco de español, por lo que nuestras conversaciones siempre fueron sencillas , pero interesantes al mismo tiempo. Por lo general solo hablábamos sobre el surf, o nos quejábamos de los malditos vientos de la tarde, o la falta de oleaje.  Él no podía surfear  por las mañana, pues es cuando vendía su joyería, sin embrago lo vi en acción un par de tardes. ¡Era muy bueno!

Entre más hablábamos, me fui dando cuenta que era una gran persona. Él vende joyería para mantener a su familia y tiene varias hijas de pequeña edad. Un par de veces, cuando hacía mucho calor, yo le traería una cerveza o una Coca. También le regalé un par de shorts de playa que  yo no pensaba traer de vuelta a Canadá conmigo. Él estaba encantado.

Cuando nuestra fecha de partida se acercaba, le avisé que pronto nos iríamos y que P1030261había sido un placer haberlo conocido. En ese momento me hizo una pulsera. Trate de pagársela, pero no aceptó que le diera dinero.  Yo no suelo usar pulseras o joyería, sin embargo esta acción me hizo sentir muy humilde. De hecho, es una pulsera muy padre. Cuando Kate la vio, quiso comprarse una parecida. Warner le dejó escoger los colores, y le hizo una pulsera similar a la mía.

Nos dio su email, pero nos dijo que lo checaba muy seguido.  Nos dijo que no necesitaba email o Facebook, lo único que el necesitaba era su puestecito, las olas, y la gente que paraba a platicar con él todos los días.

Si alguna vez vas al Norte de Guiones, tienes que pasar a ver a Warner. Platica con él y échale un vistazo a su mercancía. Es realmente una persona excepcional.  

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If you have ever taken the beach access road to the north end of Playa Guiones near the Gilded Iguana and Kaya Sol, then you’ve likely seen or talked to Warner. Warner has a table set up along the road near the beach parking lot. He sells bracelets, necklaces, and jewellery that he makes himself. I can safely say that Warner is one of the nicest and most genuine people I’ve ever met.

P1030260During our three weeks in Nosara, I passed by Warner several times a day on my way to and from the surf. Warner speaks a bit of English and I speak a small amount of Spanish so our conversations were always somewhat simple, but always interesting. We would usually just chat about the surf; the damn on-shore winds in the afternoon and the lack of swell. He sold his jewellery in the morning so he couldn’t surf then, but I saw him make it out a couple of evenings. As expected, he could rip. 

The more Warner and I talked, the more I realized what a great guy he was. He runs his stand to support his family (he has a whole bunch of little girls). On a few hot days I’d bring him a cold beer or coca colas. I even gave him an old pair of board shorts I wasn’t planning on bringing home. He was pretty stoked.

As we neared the end of our time in Nosara, I let him know we were leaving, and told him P1030261how great it was to have met him. Next thing you know he made me a bracelet. I tried to pay, but again he would not accept. I’m not one for bracelets or jewellery, but I felt pretty humbled by his gesture. Its actually, for a bracelet, really nice. Its a good reminder of the good times surfing at Guiones. After Kate saw my bracelet she decided she wanted to buy a similar one. Warner let her pick her colours and made her one to match mine.

We got him to give us his email address, but he said he doesn’t check it often. He told us that he doesn’t need email or Facebook, all he needs is the waves, his stand and the people who stop by to talk to him every day. 

If you’re heading to north Guiones you have to go see Warner. Go have a chat with him or check out all his stuff. He’s a wicked dude.

Gracias Shaun, Warner and Natalia for making this post possible!

Pura Vida!

Kate

Follow me on Twitter:@caketress

 

Beers of Costa Rica: A Taste Test

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The time has come my friends, can you believe it.

This post marks the end of our cerveza based trilogy. It started back in February with the Beers of Panama, then the sequel last month with the Beers of Nicaragua.

Now the time has come for the final chapter, the Beers of Costa Rica. But this wasn’t just any taste test. Costa Rica has a thing for beer. In fact, we ended up with nine different beers on our roster. We knew we couldn’t do it alone, so we had to call in some reinforcements.

While staying at Kaya Sol, we met three fabulous ladies, Benny, Eryn and Magda, who just so happened to live in our hometown of Victoria. Such a small world. They graciously agreed to step in as guest samplers for this post. We are ever so grateful to them as heaven knows we would have ended up on the floor had we tried to get through these on our own! So without further ado: The Beers of Costa Rica

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P1030177Imperial- Alcohol Content 4.6%

Kate: Normal- I’ve drank so many of these it tastes like home
Benny: Generic, refreshing a go-to beer
Eryn: Light flavour-flav, great for a summers day, very nice for the ladies
Shaun: Good, reminds me of Lucky, drank a ton of these on this trip
Magda: Quality “America” beer, low booze, easy to slam, like a Mexican Corona.

 

 

P1030180Bohemia- Alcohol Content 4.3%

Kate: A little lighter, a little chemically, I would drink it if there was no Imperial
Benny: Watered down, light, bland, could drink all afternoon by the pool
Eryn: Like a watered down Imperial. Too light, not enough kick
Shaun: Tastes like crappy light beer. Not great, but I could pound a few
Magda: Crappy Imperial, no body Would be disappointing if you wanted a good beer, but OK if you were desperate.

 

P1030179Kaiser- Alcohol Content- Mysteriously Missing

Kate: Wow, water with a backsplash of…well actually nothing. It’s bubble water. Lack of alcohol content on can means it might in fact be club soda
Benny: Nasty, leaves a strange taste in my mouth, flat
Eryn: A “German Beer?” Not exciting at all, I’m burned with this beer. Gagable
Shaun: This beer is pretty bad. Reminds me of beer garden draft beer, smells funny too.
Magda: Beer of the King? These are getting worse. End of the night beer.

P1030173Bavaria- Alcohol Content: 5.0%

Kate: After the last one, this is great, but wouldn’t order it all the time. Needs to be cold.
Benny: Flavour punch, actually tastes like beer
Eryn: Punchier, I would drink a case of this. Still light, but good
Shaun: It’s not a bad, a little sweet but much better beer. I would drink it again.
Magda: Better, satisfying. I’m more committed to Imperial.

 

 

P1030174Bavaria Light- Alcohol Content: 3.4%

Kate: Yup, yup, I could drink this. Kate beer alert. Funny smell, but could be cause my glass it getting skanky.
Benny: A lighter version of the one before. A poolside beverage
Eryn: Not much to this one. Similar to Budweiser
Shaun: Pretty light, not much to it. Don’t waste your money on this beer.
Magda: eww, who drinks light beer. *note: an arrow has been written on page pointing at Kate*

 

P1030176Pilsen- Alcohol Content: 5.1%

Kate: Delicious. Hoppy but really drinkable. Would be best ice cold. At the moment I like it better then Imperial, but I go back and forth
Benny: Light and Crisp
Eryn: A medium beer, I like this one
Shaun: Good beer. Not the greatest, but good.
Magda: Bitter. 2nd choice after Imperial. Made us all start talking about Lucky Lager.

 

 

P1030175Bavaria Dark- Alcohol Content 5.0%

Kate: Dark, heavy, malt but actually much better then expected. Normally don’t like thick beers but this one is good. Might just be Imperial with food colouring.
Benny: Dark, caramel colour. Not a lot of flavour for a “dark” beer
Eryn: Nice colour, but I’m pretty sure there is a vampire behind us.
Shaun: Pretty Good, more of a pint beer not a hot day beer *note: this looked like “hot dog” beer, and no, no vampires attacked us”*
Magda: Amber colour, my fave. Like a Racerocks beer

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Imperial Silver- Alcohol Content: 4.6%

Kate: After so many beers, this just tastes like my glass is dirty. I know I like it though
Benny: Less intense than regular Imperial, light
Eryn: Less good then Imperial
Shaun:Good reminds me of a Corona. One of my favourite beers
Magda: What’s the point? They are all the same. The regular is better.

 

 

P1030172Imperial Light

Well, unfortunately after 8 light beers and a huge bowl of pico de gallo our palates just couldn’t handle anymore. Everything was starting to taste like dirty yeast water. So we called it and left one lone beer out of the taste test.

I can attest that Imperial Lights are my go-to beer here in Costa Rica, but I’m into the whole “light beer” thang. If you aren’t into light beer, you might share Magda’s sentiment of “What’s the point?!”

 

So there you have it, the very long conclusion of our Cervaza taste test. Costa Rica, the land of light beers. Where if you drink them all in a row, you begin to be suspect that they are all just the same thing  but in different cans.

What’s your favourite Costa Rican beer?

Pura Vida!

Kate

Follow me on Twitter:@caketress

Travel Workouts Week 15- TRX and Kettlebells in Nosara

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Ever since the Around the World Running Blog Relay began, I have been running like crazy. It’s been great motivation, but, as a result, my strength training routine has fallen by the wayside.

When I read about the TRX and Kettlebell class at the Wellness Centre in Guiones, I knew I would have to try it out.

P1030131As some of you may have read, I rocked a TRX class back in Tamarindo and loved it. The thought of adding kettlebells to the mix sounded amazing. It’s funny how having the opportunity to add actual weight to your routine is such a treat when you are travelling!

I arrived at my first class and was instantly delighted by the temperature of the room. It had been a HOT one in Nosara that week, and although the room didn’t have a/c, it was in the basement of the wellness centre and was nice and cool. I find sometimes classes with a/c can get too cold and aren’t ideal for working out, this room was great.

Our class was taught by Tinis, a gorgeous Tica surf instructor who really knows her stuff. The more classes I attended with Tinis, the more I came to really appreciate her teaching style. Technique is super important when working with TRX and Kettlebells, and she spent ample time making sure everyone in the class was rocking it. No matter whether it was your first time, or your fiftieth time, she had her eyes out to make sure no one hurt themselves. I was also amazed at how she could tailor the class to suit everyone’s goals and levels. She could balance teaching a new student the technique for kettlebell, while guiding others through a TRX routine, all the while, motivating all of us to push ourselves to get the most bang for our buck.

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Tinis teaches Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 2pm. There is another class at 12:30 on Tuesdays and Thursdays taught by someone else. Drop in is $10 for visitors and $5 for locals. Ten bucks is an awesome deal for this type of class, as you are guaranteed to get your money’s worth. 

I try and get most of my workouts done early in the morning or later in the afternoon when it isn’t as hot out. For those who are looking for a mid-day workout, this class is truly ideal. Doing a cardio class mid-day is not only exhausting, but  the intense heat here in Costa Rica could make it potentially dangerous. Tinis’ class is the perfect way to get in a great workout that is focused on getting stronger, feeling the burn, but without over exerting yourself.

So, if you are in the Nosara area, check out the TRX and Kettlebell class at the Wellness Centre. Tell them I sent you!

Want to learn more about TRX? Check out this article that Tinis is featured in!

Check out more recaps of my travel workouts here!

Pura Vida!

Kate

Follow me on Twitter:@caketress

Kaya Sol, Playa Guiones, Nosara, Costa Rica

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We are constantly asked by travellers “Where is your favourite place that you’ve stayed?”

We’ve had all sorts of answers prior to this, and they tended to vary from day to day. But, after our experience in Nosara, we can safely say, “Kaya Sol!”

P1030317Kaya Sol has been on our radar since the start of the trip. It seemed that any time we mentioned Nosara to people they would recommend Kaya Sol. The further along in our trip we got, the more excited we got about our stay. So much so that we kept extending our booking and deciding to stay longer. By the time we arrived, we had decided we would be staying for 3 weeks.

This turned out to be a fabulous decision.

No matter what kind of traveller you are, Kaya Sol has an accommodation option that will work for you. They offer everything from hostels, and private rooms to apartments and houses. Oh did I mention a “real good time” is also included in your stay?

The hotel is located in the northern part of Playa Guiones. It’s about 200m from the beach and 40m from the local grocery store. There are several restaurants and coffee shops that are super close, and then its about a 10-15min to the heart of Guiones. That being said, once you are at Kaya Sol, you’ll find that there isn’t much need to leave.

I would describe Kaya Sol as an oasis. The property is deceivingly large, but built around P1030280the existing trees and greenery. You’re more likely to feel like you are in the a tranquil jungle then on the property of a hotel. The hub of Kaya Sol is their restaurant and pool area. Their pool is shaded, and includes a waterfall. The shade makes it nice and cool all day. It’s the perfect way to get away from the heat, which was regularly creeping over 40 degrees during our stay.

Although their amenities are great, it’s the people that truly make Kaya Sol amazing. We have, of course, already heard about Neal, the bartender, but the rest of the staff is just as wonderful and helpful. From Judy in reception to J.C and Emerson at the restaurant, everyone is there to make sure you are taken care of.

The bar

The bar

I can’t mention the restaurant without talking about their food. Seriously now, we had some epic meals while we were there. They are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and if I were you, I would partake in all three. Jorge knows his way around the kitchen and whips up some amazing food. My favourite was the chipotle platter. A veggie and rice dish in a miso cashew sauce with your choice of meat. Get it with brown rice and the fish of the day and you won’t be disappointed. Then there were the pancakes. Not just pancakes, but Eytl’s famous coconut, oatmeal, ginger pancakes! Don’t worry, there is a whole post on those coming later!

The restaurant offers live music two nights a week, as well as Trivia Night on Mondays. But regardless of what day of the week it is, there are always great people at the bar. We met so many wonderful people during our stay, including three girls from our hometown of Victoria, and one guy who helped us become Trivia Night champions on our last night (thanks Chris!). Despite the activity at the bar, everything winds down by 10, so you don’t need to worry about the noise. Nosara is all about getting up early for surf. Perfect for early birds like us.

Rocking the self-timer in one of our apartments

Rocking the self-timer in one of our apartments

The one tip I would give about Kaya Sol would be to book early! We stayed there for three weeks, but ended up switching rooms four times. It was actually really nice because we got to get a feel for the entire property. We stayed in a couple private rooms that had a bathroom and fridge, as well as full on apartments. Let me tell you, having our own kitchen AND kitchen table was a huge novelty!

So if you are looking a place to stay, or a place to eat, check out Kaya Sol in Nosara. Make sure you say hi to them from the “Zealanders!”

Pura Vida!

Kate

Follow me on Twitter:@caketress

 

Seekretspot, Playa Pelada, Nosara

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Like any good traveller, I’m a peruser of Tripadvisor. Since we are travelling on a budget, I always want to do some research to make sure the places we go to eat will be worth our while.

When you look up Nosara on Tripadvisor,  the top recommendation is Seekretspot. This little hole in the wall boasts authentic italian gelato, a full coffee bar, an internet cafe, and reasonably priced room rentals. The only trick is, it is notoriously hard to find.

Needless to say, it sounded like an adventure to me.

P1030070Although I had intended to do some research regarding its location, I actually stumbled upon Seekretspot during our adventure over to Playa Pelada. We were wandering aimlessly when we noticed a vague sign in the bushes that said “gelato” with an arrow. We certainly aren’t the kind of people to turn down a delicious cold treat on a hot day, so we followed the sign.

I was pretty stoked when we discovered that the sign was actually directing us right to Seekretspot.

 

P1030072 The place looks more like someone’s home then a Gelateria, but we walked up to the porch anyways. We opened the door, and the first thing we noticed was their amazing a/c. I know, it seems silly, but it is actually hard to find in Nosara! The next thing we noticed, was of course, the gelato. They had all sorts of unique flavours, and they change every day. During our several visits we tried chocolate chip mint, baileys, chocolate, passion fruit, and caramel. Each one more delightful then the last.

P1030071There is one other very notable things about Seekretspot. In my humble opinion, they have the best quality book exchange in all of Costa Rica. As an avid reader, I’m always looking for good books. Unfortunately, beggars can’t be choosers, and I am often at the mercy of whatever lame spy novel has been abandoned by earlier travellers. There are certainly places where you can go for bigger book exchanges, but they often require you to give them two books to take one of theirs. Not a fair deal if you read books at my rate.

The book exchange at Seekretspot is magnificent. Not only do they let you exchange your books one for one, but their selection was amazing. By amazing, I don’t mean huge, I mean really quality books. I must have sat their for 20 minutes before decided which books to finally take. I’m not sure if its just the type of people that Seekretspot attracts, or a magical twist of fate, but either way, I ended up with an awesome book score that will last me the rest of the trip.

So, if you are in the Nosara area, and like to read, drink coffee, eat gelato and go on adventures, check out Seekretspot. I wish I was there now!

What is your favourite flavour of Gelato?

Pura Vida!

Kate

Follow me on Twitter:@caketress

Exploring Playa Pelada, Nosara

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After spending a week being beach bums in Playa Guiones, Shaun and I figured it was high time to adventure over to Playa Pelada, the next beach over.

There is getting by these rocks!

There is getting by these rocks!

So often in Costa Rica you can walk the shoreline for miles, ending up on different beaches without even realizing it. Here it is a little different. Unlike many beaches, a rocky outcrop prevents you from being able to walk along the beach in Guiones over to Pelada. Although there are ways to get there on the roads, our lack of vehicle meant we had to get creative with our adventure.

So creepily amazing

So creepily amazing

We ambled down the beach one morning, hoping to find a way to cut through the forest to get over to Pelada. We had seen a lot of activity at this end of the beach, so figured one would make itself apparent.Sure enough, we were in luck! We found a trail that took us right through.

Now, here is a little tip about this trail. On the right, you will see a crazy awesome looking abandoned resort. In fact, no matter where you are on Playa Guiones, you can see the top most peak of this resort towering in the distance. Interested individuals often get tempted to hike over to it and check it out. Word to the wise though, as tempting as it may seem to go and explore this eerie structure, there is a pack of wild dogs that live in it. Likely put there on purpose to deflect nomadic surfers from squatting. So, as you walk along the trail just be aware that these dogs are in the area. Maybe don’t carry sausages in your pocket.

photo 1Anyways, we made it to Playa Peleda without any canine conundrums and it was beautiful (although I’ve yet to see a beach here that isn’t.) It’s a small beach with white sand and huge splays of lava rocks all over the shore. One of the rocky area has a huge hole in the middle. When the tide is right, waves rush underneath it, and spurt up like a geyser. I snapped some epic photos of Shaun as he found out about the geyser the hard way.

 

photo 2I then made him take a zillion photos of me so I could try and look like I was conducting the water like Mickey in the Sorcerer’s Apprentice. I think we have 20 photos of me holding my hands in the air with nothing happening. (edit: after writing this post, I made us go back to Pelada to re-do my photo shoot. Shaun snapped this beauty first try! I pretty much embody Fantasmic! in this shot)

 

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Sunset at La Luna

There are a couple of bars right on the beach, La Luna and Olga’s. Although we never went to Olga’s, it sounds like a hoot. Lots of people we spoke with in Guiones recomended checking it out. We did pop into La Luna one evening for a beer. A gorgeous place to lounge and enjoy the sunset.

If you are in Playa Guiones for a couple days, tear yourself away from beach bumdum (that may be the best word ever), and hike over to Playa Pelada. It’s a short little adventure, and well worth it.

Pura Vida!

Kate

Follow me on Twitter:@caketress