To Mi Madre, on her Birthday

Posted on December 17, 2013 by katez

You know how they say distance makes the heart grow fonder, well it’s certainly true when it comes to my Mom.

One of our first pictures together

To say I am a “mama’s girl” is an understatement. I knew that one of the biggest challenges I would have would not having my Mom there to talk to whenever I needed her. Sure there is iMessage, and email, but it’s just not the same. Going from talking pretty much everyday to a random text here and there is tough!

Christmas Past

I’ve been thinking a lot lately (lots of time for that kind of thing), and I’ve reflected on my Mom’s outlook on life. Life has thrown us some curveballs over the years, and yet my Mom continues to radiate a level of positivity, and spirit that astounds me.

Last December

Throughout my life, she has coached me, and encouraged me to adopt a positive approach to things. But time after time, I come to here beat down by the smallest things, and rely on her to pull me out of my “funk”.

So here I am, in this beautiful place, with nothing but time to reflect on what I want in life, and who I want to be. I am realizing that I am finally working towards adopting the values she has surrounded me with my entire life.

Mamacita!

So, to my Mother, on her Birthday, thank you. Thank you for staying strong for yourself, and for us. Although I’ve always appreciated your approach to life, but It has always seemed impossible for me to adopt for myself. I’ve come to a point where I want it to. So I’m making it happen. You’ve given me a gift, that’s taken me almost 30 years to unwrap!

Have I mentioned lately how CRAZY excited I am to have you come visit this magical place for Christmas! (probably once or twice).

As for your birthday present, check in the top shelf of the white cupboard in the spare room. There is a little bag in there with a surprise for you!

Love you to infinity and back, bigger then Disneyland’s Tower.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM! (this was way harder to pull off then I thought! darn waves lol)

Leave a comment wishing my Mom a Happy Birthday, and then go give someone you love a hug!

Pura Vida!

Kate

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Travelling to Santa Teresa, Costa Rica

Posted on December 16, 2013 by katez

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!

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.

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

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

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

Healthy Hostel Meals Part 3

Posted on December 15, 2013 by katez

Food photo round up time!

Two and a half weeks in, and we are rocking the hostel meals.

I thought I would take you on a photo tour of some of our recent meals. We are working on getting some variety…if you have any suggestions, leave a comment below!

Sauteed Chickpeas and onions with all sorts of local veggies (most of which I don’t know the names of!)

Fajita night! Chicken, beans, avocado and veg!

Lizano chicken, sauteed peppers and rice and beans!

One of my fave lunches! Tuna, Avocado, Cabbage, Chickpeas, and lettuce…with lots of Lizano of course!

Gotta have colour in our veg!

This is one of our faves! Shaun aims to slide the egg on just right for a good photo op! Veggies and chickpeas underneath!

Similar the the previous night, but I got impatient and squished my egg in. Added avocado which made it extra delicious!

Okay, I’m hungry now. Lucky for me it’s almost lunch time!

What do you think we should make for our next hostel meal?

Pura Vida!

Kate
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Have you found “The Tao of Pooh”

Posted on December 14, 2013 by katez

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)

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

Posted on December 13, 2013 by katez

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

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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.

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!

The view from my table

What are you vacation massage experiences??

Pura Vida!

Kate
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Cafe Tico, Tamarindo Costa Rica

Posted on December 12, 2013 by katez

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

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 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!!!!

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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Buying a Surfboard 101

Posted on December 10, 2013 by katez

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.

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.

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.

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?

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

Posted on December 9, 2013 by katez

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.

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.

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

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

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

grounds 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

Exploring Playa Grande, Costa Rica

Posted on December 6, 2013 by katez

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!

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!

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, so are photobombs!

We got to the other side and started our trek.

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!

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!

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!

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

Date Night at Kahiki, Tamarindo Costa Rica

Posted on December 4, 2013 by katez

After two nights of rice and beans, Shaun and I were ready for an evening out. So we dubbed it a date night, and hit the town!

Date Night!

Please note that I actually blew dry my hair and bangs! It was a big big step, and likely one of the only times it will be mild enough for me to pull it off without being a grease ball by the end of the night!

We started date night with a cervasa on the beach. The sunsets are just to good to miss. Afterwards, we headed to Kahiki, Sports Bar and Restaurant. Shaun and I had been to Kahiki on our previous trip, and really enjoyed it. Kahiki is on the road to Playa Langosta, so it’s sort of out of the way a bit, but it really is worth the jaunt.

We arrived shortly after 6, and we had the place to ourselves (aside from the cows that were roaming the streets out front). We scanned the menu looking for delicious items that we wouldn’t be able to make ourselves. It didn’t take us long to decide what we wanted.

He’s smiling cause he knows he has a burger coming!

Shaun knew before he even left the hostel that there was a burger and fries in his future, and he was pretty darn excited about (well as excited as Shaun gets!). I opted for the seared tuna and avocado salad. I love all the fresh seafood here, and since Shaun’s not a fan, I want to indulge anytime I have the chance!

So excited not to be eating rice and beans tonight!

We soon realized that the benefit of fending for ourselves with hostel food, is that when you do get the opportunity to go out, everything tastes AMAZING! I feel like I’ve never had seared tuna like that before. I don’t think we spoke one word during the meal, except for the occasional moan of deliciousness.

If you are travelling in Tamarindo, I would highly suggest Kahiki. The chef is amazing, and they often have games playing for those who are into the whole sports things. If you can’t make it for dinner, they have amazing breakfasts too!

After dinner we realized that we still had time to hit up another happy hour before 7. We headed back to the place we went to on night one, Wild Panda. I don’t think there is a night that we’ve been out that we haven’t stopped in there. Their focus is on healthy food and drinks, so of course I’m all over it. Their rum and pineapple is literally just that. Rum, Pineapple and ice…maybe with a dash of amazingness!

we opted to try the vodka watermelon

As tempting as it was to polish off another one of Junior’s delicious cocktails, the budget beckoned us back to the hostel. Bearly Bear met us a the door. The three of us shared a beverage on the balcony before turning in.

Water for her, Imperial for us

She was pretty thankful not to be drinking pool water!

I cropped out her nether regions for your viewing pleasure!

After a quick snuggle, we called it a night. It was so nice to get out and about! Back to, hostel food, beach walks and netflix for the next few days though. Gotta stick to the budget!

How do you budget when you travelling?

Pura Vida!

Kate

Hostels and Hot Rollers

Living Healthy, and Loving Life as we Backpack through Costa Rica

Tag Archives: Travel

To Mi Madre, on her Birthday

Travelling to Santa Teresa, Costa Rica

Healthy Hostel Meals Part 3

Have you found “The Tao of Pooh”

Beach Massage 101

Cafe Tico, Tamarindo Costa Rica

Buying a Surfboard 101

Our stay at Villas Macondo, Tamarindo, Costa Rica

Exploring Playa Grande, Costa Rica

Date Night at Kahiki, Tamarindo Costa Rica

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