Tag Archives: Tamarindo

Christmas in Costa Rica

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Finding ways to feel festive while travelling can be challenging. Especially if you are a Christmas fiend like myself.

Enjoying a Christmas Tree in Tamarindo

Enjoying a Christmas Tree in Tamarindo

I did manage to track down a little string of plastic Christmas balls in Tamarindo, and you better believe I was excited about it. The other ways I’ve been focusing on being festive is taking a moment to stop and appreciate any, and all Christmas decorations that I see throughout our travels.

Our trip to Santa Teresa was especially exciting, as we passed through so many towns, and every single house, no matter how small, had something festive outside. One of the coolest things, is that the majority of the houses display their Christmas trees outside on their porch. It certainly made it easy to be a Christmas Creeper!

I LOVE this crafty pop bottle poinsettia that I found in a little town we stopped in en route to Santa Teresa.

I LOVE this crafty pop bottle poinsettia that I found in a little town we stopped in en route to Santa Teresa.

As for actual Christmas, I am fortunate that we have a bunch of family and friends joining us in Tamarindo over the holidays. We are staying in a condo with an OVEN! A rarity here in Costa Rica. I have a huge Western/Costa Rican meal planned. Turkey, Stuffing, Gravy, Plantains, Rice and Beans, Pico de Gallo, and maybe Ceviche if I can get my hands on some delicious fish.

I guess what I’ve learnt is to not only create ways to feel festive, but also open your eyes to appreciate the ways the country around you is celebrating.

Christmas I have found throughout our travels!

Christmas I have found throughout our travels!

How do you stay festive while travelling over the holidays?

Pura Vida!

Kate

Follow me on Twitter: @caketress

Travelling to Santa Teresa, Costa Rica

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Before I start off today, I want to welcome the influx of new followers I’ve had over the past few days! Hi there!! I’m so excited to share my adventures with you all! I also post lots more content on my Facebook page. If you are looking for more Hostels and Hot Rollers excitement, come check it out!

Although our stay at Villas Macondo was lovely, Shaun and I were ready to leave the hustle and bustle of Tamarindo, and head to the more relaxed beach side community of Santa Teresa.

Our bags are packed, and we're ready to go!

Our bags are packed, and we’re ready to go!

So, we said out goodbyes to Bearly Bear,packed the last of our belonging and headed off to meet our shuttle for the 5 hours trek down the coast.

Now, for those of you who haven’t had the joy of experiencing the roads in Costa Rica, let me try, and paint a picture for you. Have you ever been to Disneyland? Obviously I have a zillion times, and I love it all, everything except the Matterhorn. The Matterhorn is a rickety old roller coaster, disguised as a majestic mountain. As you ride it, your knees bang together, and against the side, you’re violently thrown left, right, up, and down. You never know what’s coming, and so bracing yourself is nearly impossible. Riding in a big van along the coast of Costa Rica, is essentially Disneyland’s Matterhorn.

It was immediately apparent that neither Shaun or I would be enjoying the good ole vehicle power nap we were hoping for.

After making a couple stops along the way (including one to help pull a gigantic semi full of water pipes off the side of a cliff), we made it to Santa Teresa. Battered, Bruised, but in one piece

When it came to unpacking, I had my priorities.

When it came to unpacking, I had my priorities.

We checked into our hostel, and let me tell you, we’re real “hostellers” now! The days of a/c, and laying poolside with Bearly Bear are over! That being said, we aren’t in the traditional dorm set up We are in a one room cabina in the middle of the jungle. As we swung the huge iron barred door shut the first night, and looked out the bars on our window Shaun said “this must be what prison feels like”. I tended to agree.

Down the path to the beach

Down the path to the beach

After throwing our stuff into our room, we went off to explore the area. First things first, the beach!

It of course, did not disappoint. I cruised around while Shaun checked out the surf. It was just gorgeous!  After lounging beach side for a while we decided it was time for a happy hour. Unlike Tamarindo, most businesses in Santa Teresa are not beach front. We did manage to stumble across one of the few little beach front bars and enjoyed a cervasa while waiting for the sunset.

Our first sunset in Santa Teresa

Our first sunset in Santa Teresa

If there is one thing that Costa Rica knows how to do, it’s make a gorgeous sunset!

We could have stayed there all night but ultimately decided it was best to head back. Limited beach front views mean big beach front prices in those establishments lucky enough to have them

We continued to learn this lesson later in the evening when we popped into the other prominent beach front restaurant near our hostel for dinner. We ended up sharing a main because the prices were to rich for our blood! It was well worth it though. Nothing beats being able to watch the waves and have the hermit crabs tickle your toes as you eat. Plus the food was delish! A quick stop at another little bar down the road, and we were back to the “prison” for the night.

Despite our new found lack of a/c, we both slept very soundly. A long day of travel and a couple cervasas will do that to ya!

That’s it for now, but I have lots more to write about this new phase of our adventure!

What is your best “roughing” it experience?

Pura Vida!

Kate

Follow me on Twitter: @caketress

Have you found “The Tao of Pooh”

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There may be multiple reasons you are reading this post.

You have stumbled across my blog, and are checking it out.

You are a reader, friend, or family member who are keeping tabs on my adventures.

Or…you’ve found “The Tao of Pooh”

Let me explain.

During my first week in Tamarindo, Costa Rica, I met Karen, a lovely lady from just outside of Kelowna, B.C. We got to talking about books, as many travellers do, and proceeded to swap what we had already read.

She said that she would give me “The Tao of Pooh” as long as I promised to pass it along to someone else when I was done. We decided it would be fun to write a blog post about the book, and see how many peoples hands it would end up in through its travels. A chain letter book so to speak.

Seemed like an easy enough promise, and since the book was quite small, I told her I would have it read, and posted in a few days…that was over two weeks ago.

What I hadn’t expected was how much I would learn from this small, powerful little book.

“The Tao of Pooh”, by Benjamin Hoff, compares the philosophy of Taoism to the tales of Winnie The Pooh. An intriguing concept to say the least. I dabbled in philosophy in my first years of college, but haven’t thought much about it since.

Once I cracked the book open, I found myself taking notes during every page, and stopped to reflect after every chapter.

Although my travels themselves are an adventure, they are also an adventure in self-discovery, and growth. This book was a perfect addition to my personal learning.

Everyone who reads this book will take something unique and valuable away from it. Mine are as follows:

  • The wise ones are who they are. Recognize what you have and what you are, and work with it, not against it.
  • Don’t force it, don’t interfere, let things happen and they will work out on their own. It’s the simple mind that sees what is in front of them and follows the nature of things
  • Enjoy the process of things, instead of waiting for the moment at the end to occur.

Lastly, I’ll leave you with my favourite excerpt:

In order to take control of our lives and accomplish something of lasting value, sooner or later we need to learn to Believe. We don’t need to shift our responsibilities onto the shoulders of some deified Spiritual Superman or sit around and wait for Fate to come knocking at the door. We simply need to believe in the power that’s within us and use it. When we do that, and stop imitating others, and competing against them, things begin to work for us (p. 121)

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My final moments with “The Tao of Pooh”, and my notes before I passed it on.

I can only hope these words ring as true to you as they do for me.

So, if you are here, and you have found our Tao of Pooh, or perhaps your own copy. Tell me what you think? What did you learn from it?

Pura Vida

Kate

Twitter: @caketress

Beach Massage 101

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What are your thoughts on having a stranger in a foreign country rub your nearly naked body in public for over an hour?

Well I am ALL over it!

After two weeks in Tamarindo, I finally felt like I hit my vacation “groove”. I figured I would heighten my new found sense of relaxation by indulging in a beach front massage.

As I’ve mentioned, we’re on a budget, but we each have our own “fun” money set aside. Since Shaun has been enjoying his moola with a surfboard, I figured I should jump on the band wagon.

You don’t have to go far on Tamarindo beach to find someone willing to give you a massage, in fact, it’s hard to avoid the lovely ladies, nestled in the trees yelling out to you “massage, massage, good price good price”

I had spent some time scoping out the services, and the standard price seemed to be $40 per hour. Pretty impressive since back home, you are looking at about $100. All of the set ups offered a variety of techniques including Swedish, reflexology etc…

Now, I’m not massage picky at all. In fact, if I can get Shaun just to push on my back while he watches football, I’m in heaven. So, when I stumbled across two women offering 1.5 hours for $40, I was sold.

I would assume that most people know what a massage is like, so I won’t go into great detail, but I have developed a list of tips for travellers who want to get the most out of this vacation luxury

  1. You are on a public beach, so people will be watching you. Take this into account when you choose the bathing suit you will wear.
  2. To follow up on this point, there will be likely be times where your legs will be splayed like a trip to the gyno. Embrace it!
  3. Your bottoms will stay on, but your top will come off. After my first surfing trek, I am pretty open to public nip slips, but the women are surprisingly adept at maintaining your modesty.
  4. You are outdoors, bugs, branches, leaves and other identified things will fall on you. Don’t worry, If it’s gross, they’ll flick it off.
  5. People will walk by and watch you during your euphoric moment. It doesn’t matter, your eyes are closed. Make some moaning sounds to help your lady get more business when she’s done.
  6. If there is a knot, they will find it. Oh, I wasn’t aware my inner thighs were tight. Thank you for rubbing them.

I highly suggest getting your massage once you’ve hit the vacation groove. There is nothing like having a relaxed mind while in a relaxing state.

This is what I saw when I opened my eyes after 1.5 hours.

This is what I saw when I opened my eyes after 1.5 hours.

Now, I would not be a good travel blogger if I didn’t mention the safety aspects of getting a beach massage.

  • Watch your personal items. All things considered, Tamarindo is a fairly safe place, but there is petty theft.  My bag was under the table, and I made sure that there wasn’t anything valuable in it.
  • Be especially careful with jewelry. It can be very easy to slip a ring off when you are greased up, half asleep and getting your hands rubbed. If you have a big ole rock you’re worried about, leave it at home.
  • If you have injuries, go elsewhere. Not all of these beach front places have registered massage therapists. If you have a specific injury that you need dealt with, check out the local spa.
  • When you are done, get the heck outta dodge. You are greased up like a slab of bacon, and if you linger in the sun, you my friend, will fry. Get back to the hotel and shower and scrub off the oil before heading back out. (or have a big greasy siesta like I did!)
  • Drink water! Just like any massage, you need to drink lots of water afterwards, but especially so since you’ve baking in the sun throughout!
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The view from my table

What are you vacation massage experiences??

Pura Vida!

Kate
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Cafe Tico, Tamarindo Costa Rica

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I’m a gal who loves a good coffee shop, and luckily, Tamarindo has quite a few!

Cafe Tico, consistently shows up on Trip Advisor as one of the highest rated food establishments in Tamarindo, and after visiting it on several occasions, I can see why!

Cafe Tico

Cafe Tico

Located just past the Super 2001 grocery store on your way to Langosta, Cafe Tico seems pretty unassuming. The small store front is tucked back, away from the road. If you aren’t paying attention, you’ll miss it.

Although I tried out a couple other shops in town, Cafe Tico, in my humbled opinon, has the best Coffee in town. Which is tough, because I find all Costa Rican coffee to be truly delicious!

The menu, and bar

The menu, and bar

The shop is small, and offers a limited number of outdoor seats to its patrons. Inside, you will find bar that sells your typical coffee shop drinks, small sandwiches and various pastries.

Another awesome thing about Cafe Tico is all the products they sell. They carry a whole line of chutney’s, salsas, jams and jelly’s with a whole line up of items for you to sample while you wait for your drink. I’ll be picking some up for our Christmas dinner for sure!

nut butters!!!!

nut butters!!!!

They also sell other food related items such as coffee, dried fruit, and most importantly NUT BUTTER! I almost died when I saw them!

I have never successfully found natural nut butter of any kind in Costa Rica. It’s Jif or Nil! Here at Cafe Tico, they have a wide variety including peanut, almond, walnut and cashew! My excitement was momentary squashed when  I realized that many of them included additional sugar and oil, but the almond butter just has honey in it. That works for me, it’s nice to be able to have a product available that has a short ingredient list that you can pronounce!

All in all, I’ve loved every experience I have had at Cafe Tico. Their staff are all extremely pleasant, their coffee is delicious and their products are unique and local. If you are in the Tamarindo area, and looking for a nice quiet place for a delicious brew, this is your spot!

Have you ever found a coffee shop while travelling that you just loved?

Pura Vida

Kate
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TRX in Costa Rica- Travel Workouts Week 2

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As a fitness fanatic, I always make it a point to research local gyms in the areas that I’m visiting.

Many months ago, I stumbled on the website for a personal trainer in Tamarindo named Nick Holt. I emailed him, asking about nearby gyms, and the services he provided. He responded instantly with all sorts of valuable information regarding the various gyms, drop in rates, and classes he taught. I was so excited, and had full intentions of connecting with him, then, in the whirlwind of travel prep, promptly forgot.

On the second day of my morning beach run routine, I noticed a beach bootcamp going on. I was instantly homesick for my Wholly Fit family back in Victoria, and began craving a little group fitness action. I looked up Nick’s email, and it turned out it was him teaching the class!

He has space available in his TRX class at a drop in rate of $15 bucks. After a week of beach runs and hostel workouts, It was an offer I couldn’t refuse.

So, on Tuesday night, I made the trek to the Tamarindo Gym. It’s a little ways out of town, so plan accordingly. It was about a 10 min walk from our hostel. That being said, Nick laughed at my punctual attendance. I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to “Tico Time”.

The Tamarindo Gym

The Tamarindo Gym

I walked in the gym and felt right at home. As a former gym rat, the thought of having all this equipment available to me made my heart skip a beat. You can get a day pass for 5 dollars or a week for 20. Such an awesome deal considering back home you’re looking at about 20 bucks for one day!

The class was held in a small mirrored room attached to the gym. I stretched out as I waited for the other members to arrive.

TRX, all set up!

TRX, all set up!

Although I had used TRX before, I had never taken an entire class in it. From my experience, I was expecting a great strength workout, what I wasn’t expecting was the cardio blast I got as well.

Nick was a fabulous instructor, and created a circuit that included upper and lower body with short intense cardio bursts in between. I couldn’t believe when he said we would do abs, and then we were done. The class just flew by! I knew instantly that I would be coming back for his second class later that week.

There is something to be said for seeking out workout alternatives while travelling. Although I feel I am capable of creating my own workouts everyday, it is SO nice to just show up, and have someone tell you what to do.

If you are visiting the Tamarindo area, and are looking for ways to balance the beer consumption with awesome fitness instruction, I highly suggest Nick’s services. He offers a variety of classes, and training options, and also has a great newsletter and YouTube channel.

What are your experiences with local gyms while travelling? Have you ever taken fitness classes in other countries?

Pura Vida!

Kate
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Buying a Surfboard 101

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Have you ever bought a surfboard?

Yea, me neither, but Shaun has! In fact, we spent the first week in Tamarindo on the hunt for the his Surfboard.photo 4 (9)

With amazing waves and a multitude of beaches, surfing is obviously big business here in Costa Rica. One of the main reasons we decided to start out our trip on the Pacific Coast was so that Shaun could surf his little heart out.

I could go on, about a subject I really know nothing about, but instead, I’ll pass it over to Shaun to give you the run down of his surfboard purchasing experience.

photo 2 (9)I had a couple surfboards at home, but figured it was going to be a couple hundred bucks to bring them on the plane. So instead I decided to buy one when I got down here. This backfired the day I got here and all I wanted to do was go surfing but I didn’t have a board. We arrived on a Tuesday and I wasn’t in the water until Thursday. I searched all the board shops, and checked the rentals to find something to use in the interim. However, on Wednesday afternoon I found a board that was for sale, but they would let me rent it by the day to try. I went back Thursday morning and picked it up to try it out.

photo 3 (2)It was a JS Industries Occy Bullseye 6’0 Model. It has some extra width to it and a round pin tail. I really liked it because it helped get my slow ass into these smaller waves. I surfed it for three days. The last day the conditions were quite good and I was pretty much sold on it. It was bigger than what I expected to get but it is almost new and I figure I could easily sell or trade it in later on if need be. 

I bought the board and grabbed a cheap travel bag a few days later. So far I still love it. I’ve had it over a week now and I’m pretty stoked with my decision. Plus it has a bulldozer on the front. I know that would at least make my dad happy.

The board! It needs a name don't you think?

The board! It needs a name don’t you think?

I probably could have gotten a cheaper board as there was decent mix of shortboards here in Tamarindo. Last time we were in Costa Rica, I bought a board in Jaco that I really liked and took back to Canada with me. Talking to the guys in the Tamarindo surf shops it seems like Jaco is the place to go to buy surfboards. It did seem like they had more to choose from. Tamarindo has a decent selection you just may end up paying a bit more than if in Jaco. If I had known this before, I probably would have just brought my board from home. That being said I’m fairly pleased with my board.

My surfing skills on the other hand need some work. Fortunately we have some time. And after Kate got her first wave a few days back I’m hoping to get her hooked on surfing. Then we can focus the trip on what really matters… surfing.

Thanks Manfriend, it turns out if you give him a subject he loves, he’s more then happy to guest post, and who knows…maybe I will turn into the glittery surfer girl!

Leave us some comments if you think Shaun should do more posts! What do you want to hear him talk about??

Pura Vida!

Kate

Our stay at Villas Macondo, Tamarindo, Costa Rica

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With our two weeks drawing to a close, I thought I would take the time to write about our amazing experience at Villas Macondo.

Our home for the past two weeks.

Our home for the past two weeks.

As many of you may know (or may have figured out by now), I love to plan, so being able to hand pick the first few places we stay in is a dream come true. I spent countless hours on trip advisor, reading reviews, looking at pictures, and scrutinizing locations. With all of the positive information out there about Villas Macondo, it just seemed like a no brainer.

The view as soon as you enter.

The view as soon as you enter.

Villas Macdondo truly is a little hidden oasis, right in the middle of the bustling town of Tamarindo. It is about a 2 min walk to the beach, and has a supermarket right next store.

our little home

our little home

When it comes to accommodation, Villas Macondo offers several different options. They have everything from fully equipped two story apartments, to rooms with a ceiling fan, safe, bed and private bathroom. We opted for a fancier poolside room with a/c,a double and single bed, tv and a fridge. Each unit comes with a private porch, hammock and outdoor dining area.

To the right is the kitchen, to the left is the internet room

To the right is the kitchen, to the left is the internet room

Included in your stay is Wi-Fi, use of an internet room with two computers, a book exchange, and access to a basic kitchen with a fridge, stovetop, toaster, blender and microwave.

The thing that sets Villas Macondo apart is their service. Tom, and his team have not only created a hotel, but an experience.Everyone from the

photo 5grounds keeper to the security guard greets you with a smile. The care and attention they put into the facility is amazing. I watched Miguel, their handyman, spend three full days lovingly putting up Christmas lights, and decorations around the hotel.

These special touches do not go unnoticed.

The set up of Villas Macondo is perfect for both couples or a family who want a private experience on a hostel budget. If you are a solo traveller, or are looking for a place where you can mix and mingle with people, then this might not be for you. The lack of communal eating space, and the privacy of each room, does not encourage the forced interactions often found in traditional hostel set ups. That being said, we’ve met some great people while we are here (I’m talking about you, Karen and Terry!), and we could not be happier with our experience.

If you are visiting Tamarindo, I would highly recommend checking this place out!

What do you prefer when you travel? Privacy or communal living?

Pura Vida!

Kate

Our first Mandarina (of many!)

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For those of you who read our Must Sees, you know that Mandarina was an important one!)

I didn’t get one on our first day, because wobbly pops appeared to be a priority. I actually had intentions of waiting until later of the week. I figured it would give me a little adventure to look forward to! Well, that thought process, lasted less then 24 hours. Shaun, and I were poking around on day 2, and I simply couldn’t resist.

The first Mandarina (of many!!)

The first Mandarina (of many!!)

Shaun and I split this one. Pineapple, Passionfruit, and Banana, with water and no sugar..My mouth is watering just typing this.

Waiting patiently for our first sip (some of us are waiting more patiently then others)

Waiting patiently for our first sip (some of us are waiting more patiently then others)

I was obviously in my happy place.

Smoothie Love!

Smoothie Lover!

I figured this would be a once a week treat, as we have a pretty strict budget, but to my delight, a small smoothie is only 1000 colones or 2 bucks! Such a good deal in fact…

Round 2!

Round 2!

We went again the next day!! (Pineapple, Passionfruit, and strawberry in case you were wondering ;))!

What other smoothie combinations should we try! They have so much variety!

Pura Vida!

Kate

Exploring Playa Grande, Costa Rica

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Have you ever noticed that the length of a beach can be deceiving?

It looks like you are so close to the end of it, but it somehow magically keep going.

Well we certainly noticed that during our adventure to the other side of Playa Grande! (had we clued in to the name, we might have known what we were getting in  to!)

Playa Grande is right next to Playa Tamarindo, just on the other side of an estuary. Shaun heads there most mornings, because it’s often where the good surf is. During our last trip, we even stayed there for a week. Our goal was to not only get to Playa Grande, but hike all the way to the other side of the beach.

That is where we were heading!

That is where we were heading!

So, we packed up Titty Tonka with water and some energy bars, and headed off. First things first, get to the estuary, and find a boat to take us across.

There they are!

There they are!

For 500 Colones, or 1 dollar each they’ll take you across. When Shaun surfs in Grande, he usually just paddles over on his board. Sometimes when the tide is right you can wade across as well. But with a high tide, a backpack and no board, the boats were our only option.

Boat rides are fun!

Boat rides are fun, so are photobombs!

We got to the other side and started our trek.

The view from the Grande side of the estuary

The view from the Grande side of the estuary

The first thing I wanted to see was the house we stayed in last time we were here. Shaun had just proposed to me, the week prior, so I spent the majority of my time there reading Costa Rican bridal magazines!

There it is nestled in the trees, didn't want to go to paparazzi on the people staying there!

There it is nestled in the trees, didn’t want to go to paparazzi on the people staying there!

So then we walked…and walked…and walked. I’m not gonna lie, I may have been afflicted with a little bit of hot hanger mid way through. Despite my grumps, 6.5 km later, we got to the other end.

That's where we came from!

That’s where we came from!

We found a log to sit down on to take a much deserved rest. Shaun drank his warm beer while I ate my energy bar and played around with the panorama settings on my phone.

Looks shorter in panoramavision!

Looks shorter in panoramavision!

took this one while standing in the ocean!

took this one while standing in the ocean!

So, after quenching our thirst, resolving the hangry’s and reapplying suncreen, we started on the long trek back. Lucky for us we had a bit of cloud cover and a breeze on the way back so it wasn’t quite so hot. We made it back to the hostel safe and sound. Needless to say, we both slept very well that night!

Have you ever embarked on a journey that ended up as way more of an adventure then you thought?

Pura Vida!

Kate