MQ Sabbaticaling Fall 2021

 Our last stop on our Costa Rica adventure was in La Fortuna. After a 3 hour drive we went to get our covid tests before we checked into the hotel. We got our results in the hotel and they were negative (yay!). We went to the hotel pool, had drinks, swam, and looked at the massive volcano with clouds circling around the top. Then we went to the hot spring pool at the hotel, which is naturally heated by the volcano. It was very hot but very cool too. We went back to the room to shower and change for dinner. We went to a restaurant called Restaurante Tiquicia. The food was amazing we had garlic shrimp and shrimp pasta. Our favorite was the shrimp pasta. We finished off dinner with amazing coconut flan.  The next day we had an early morning to go tubing; so we got breakfast then changed and got on the bus. On the way, we stopped to grab water shoes and pay for the tubing trip. We got to the little farm where we rescued a rabbit from a big cement pit. We also saw a sloth, a huge i...

  We had a couple of days in Tamarindo, CR.  Bam took another surf lesson (these waves were perfect!) Bam, with his instructor, used this opportunity to work on paddling and balance.  We had some time to do some shopping and try a few spots for great eats. This beach town is definitely bigger with lots more to do. There are lots surfing, boats, and tourists. Fun fact, howler monkeys were right outside our bungalow one morning, and there was a mama with her baby. Shaved Ice Break (Patacones bowl for beach lunch) (Bam at sunset bar and restaurant)

(This Blog post is 99% written by Bam) After a very early morning we headed over to Miss Sky’s zip line tours at the Nosara Beach Hotel. Everyone got their harness on and we went on a 30 minute drive to the zip line starting point in a military truck. I was really feeling the nerves when we kept going higher and higher. We got there and we went over the rules and safety precautions. I was ready to go but nervous, so I went towards the end of the group, so I could watch how to do it. Not long after it was time for me to go, the guide pushes me onto the line and I yelled “aaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!”! At the end of the line, I was pumped to do the half a mile long zip line. Mom went, then dad went. We did 13 lines and some we did together as a family and some alone. After we were done with the 13 lines, we did a 30 minute drive back to the hotel where we started. We went home, changed quickly and then went back to our favorite lunch spot Howlers for more carpaccio. Halfway through lunch, mom want...

Today, Friday 8/6, we had an open day so decided Bam could take another surf lesson depending on the tides. We had a lazyish morning, enjoying our hotel breakfast, watching the local cat catch a lizard, and exploring more of this amazing beach town. At noon, Bam has his second lesson with Juan. He did great! Tonight, we had dinner at an amazing mirador restaurant, La Luna. All the locals recommended this spot for sunset and good eats. We decided to get a little dressed up, go by tuk tuk, and hoped for good weather. Food was great sunset was great definitely recommend it if you are in Nosara.

Bam got his first taste of being an intermediate surfer today! We signed him up for a mid-day surf class, and with high tide, Bam and and surf teacher Juan tackled the waves today. I think Bam will sleep well tonight as he learned to paddle out further than he has been before, and catch waves outside of the white wash. While Bam was surfing, Kev and I enjoyed relaxing on the beach for a couple hours with incredible views and a perfect day of sunshine. After the lesson we went to a place called Howlers ate amazing ahi carpaccio and mahi-mahi tacos.  (Bam) After lunch, we went home and mom got ready for a nail appointment, and dad and I got groceries and then walked home. After mom was done with her nails, she decided to go to sunset yoga at the Bodhi tree yoga resort. Dad and I watched the sunset and played ping pong. We all had seafood tacos at 10 Pies for dinner. 

Sometimes when we get to a new area, we like to explore it before we book tours and jump into activities. Today was a day to get to know our area. We started the morning with a walk around our hotel, Moana Surf Hotel . We are near many cute restaurants and shops. There is a small path that takes us straight to Playa Guiones. After a delicious breakfast at our hotel, I wanted to see where I could try some yoga since this is the spot for yoga and surf. We tried to walk there but since the roads are unpaved, it was very muddy so we decided after about 30 minutes to head to the yoga studio by car.  After a delicious lunch and several juices/smoothies today, since Bam's surf lesson was a no go because of high tide, we took advantage of our amazing hotel and laid by the pool, swam, rested, and played some ping pong. We really like Nosara. It reminds us of the surfing version of Roatan. 

Today we started the morning packing up the house in Uvita and visiting  Alturas animal sanctuary before heading on the road to Nosara. At the sanctuary we saw injured jungle animals such as a parrot talking and crying (see video), Toucans, Macaws, Spider monkeys, White-faced monkeys, squirrel monkeys, Anteaters, sloths and Cayman. It was very cool and Bam got a t-shirt and sloth necklace. On the way, just outside of Jaco, we learned about crocodiles that live in a river under the bridge.  After a long day (5+ hour drive), we got to Nasara just in time for dinner. 

Today, August 2nd, 2021 is our 18th wedding anniversary. What a special place to celebrate our marriage. Bam really wanted to go fishing today, so we found a place near Cascada El Pavon that allowed you to fish from their ponds and they cook up what you catch. After some trial and error, Bam and Kevin both caught some fish and we chose a big tilapia as the one we would have for lunch! After fishing, since the weather was holding up, we went to the National Park Marino Ballena. We entered at the other entrance from where Bam surfed, because we wanted to walk the “whale’s tale” (Ballena is whale in Spanish). At low tide you can walk about a mile out to this formation-see stock photo.   It was a perfect day ending with sunset drinks and eating dinner at our favorite Uvita restaurant Laureles.

It was a very rainy day today so we had a very lazy morning. Despite the rain, late morning we went on a drive through Dominicalito. We went to a waterfall called Pozo Azul and briefly checked out our local beach. Around lunchtime, we went home to heat up some leftovers.  Then Bam and Kevin left for  Bam’s afternoon surf lesson with Dennis. Even though it was dumping rain, Bam and Kevin decided to go to a mirador bar called Jolly Roger. It was a wing place. Bam and Kevin shared chicken nuggets and fries. While there they saw some wild toucans.