So one thing we didn’t realize is that the sun sets at 5:30 here, and it gets really dark almost immediately after that.  So every night we’ve looked at each other and asked “how late is it?” only to discover it’s 6:45.  We’ve also subsequently been going to sleep naturally way earlier than normal, and getting up way earlier than normal.  But it’s not so bad, because the mornings here are exceptional.

Lovely place to have a morning cup of coffee.

 

 

Here’s from the top of the driveway, which totally rivals Alan’s driveway in Honolulu.

Our friend and trip planner Sam (also known as our Costa Rican friend, so we hounded him for information on what to do while we were here, and that’s how we ended up doing what we’ve done so far) told us that while we’re in Manuel Antonio we should go surfing (something neither Corinne nor I have done).  While we were at Margarita’s, we met a guy named Lorenzo who’s dad owns a surf school in Manuel Antonio.  So we took that as a sign, called up the Manuel Antonio Surf School, talked them down a little bit in price (as Sam instructed me to do), they picked us up and we went surfing!

We took a waterproof camera with us, but haven’t developed the film yet, so pictures of us surfing are yet to come.  However, I will say it was a blast.  Both of us got the hang of it faster than I thought we would, which might have something to do with the wakeboarding we did recently.

Afterward we headed into Quepos to a sandwich shop that Margarita had told us about that had some amazing homemade bread and pasta (and for dirt cheap).  After that we went to a little ice cream shop nearby (as I’ve been known to do).

This was the view from the ice cream place, and it just felt very Costa Rican.

This was me before ice cream.

and then after ice cream.

and then after spilling coffee on myself.

Our goal for the rest of the night was to watch the sunset from the jacuzzi on our balcony.  So we relaxed and read on the balcony until the sunset.  The caretaker Larissa (who I can sum up her personality perfectly with the phrase “New York Jewish Princess”) told us that monkeys will often come by, and that a sloth lives in the neighboring tree.  Much to our dismay, we did not spot either (though we’ve seen plenty of geckos!), but nevertheless the view was stunning.  Much like when visiting Hawaii, I found myself taking the same picture over and over, because it seemed to get more beautiful each time I looked.

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Some sort of bird.  This was the best shot we could get of it.

These are our Costa Rican rum drinks that we invented with some fruit juice and rum.  Not the most complicated drink in the world, but amazingly delicious.

The jacuzzi was a little chilly, so this is me diving in.

And then I was a little more used to it, and trying to strike some sort of suave expression.

I like how you can see Corinne’s arm across both of our faces.

Pura Vida!