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Welcome to Yondering

The quieter side of Tamarindo……

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Follow the road through Tamarindo, and you’ll find the small beachside community at Playa Langosta.

Playa Langosta, in the Winter…..

It’s another exotic location with excellent surfing conditions, and even better amenities. The sprawling sandy beach at Playa Langosta is much quieter than its neighbor, and is one of the best places in this area to just kick back and relax. There are many great short and long term rentals in this area, and if you bring your family and are looking for an all-inclusive resort and spa, the Barcelo Langosta Beach is a fantastic place to stay. Playa Langosta is usually less crowded than Tamarindo and its right next to Marino Las Baulas National Park

Marino Las Baulas National Park

Leatherback Turtle coming out of ocean
One of the areas Endangered Leatherback turtles coming ashore to nest.

In an effort to save the leatherback turtles that nest along the shores of Playa Grande, Marino Las Baulas National Park was created in 1990. With mangrove wetlands along the coast, beautiful forests and incredible white-sand beaches, Marino Las Baulas is home to a wide collection of flora and fauna.

Strangely, the original purpose of the Marino Las Baulas is to protect a species that doesn’t even live here. Every year, leatherback turtles, the largest turtle in the world, find their way home to the beaches in this area to lay their eggs from October to May. Some of these turtles can weigh as much as 2,000 pounds, but due to their long life span, and late maturity, they are an endangered species. During the laying season  the beaches are closed from dusk till dawn, but you can book a tour guide that can take you to the beaches to see them.  Bird watching is also very popular there, as there are over 150 species of birds here.

Next time? Zip lines in Nicoya….

Adventure, Food

Eating Costa Rican….Food for the soul…

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After wandering around, unpacking, checking my wifi, and settling in, it was time to test the local fare.

Having never been to Costa Rica before, I wanted to try the most authentic meal I could find. I went to the restaurant, Las Planchas Restaurant & Grill, which is part of the hotel, and was met by a cheerful, friendly girl who spoke English better than I speak Spanish…..The restaurant was exactly like the rest of the Hotel, spacious, airy, open windows, with beautiful flowers and plants outside. At 5:15 I was the only person there, so I took a seat by the window and browsed the menu.

There are many different dishes, from barbecue and grilled pork, shrimp, beef, and fish, to the more traditional fare that I was itching to taste. On the menu the section was listed as Comida Tipica.  Typical fare.  I could smell the spices and the smell of slow grilled meats coming from the kitchen , like delicious rivers oozing out across the breeze. I asked the waitress, Maria, what the most typical Costa Rican food on the menu is. The thing most likely to be eaten in any given home. She pointed to the Arroz con Pollo. Chicken with rice. But this isn’t like anything I’ve had back in the US. The rice was cooked perfectly, then panfried with the chicken. Spices, tomatoes, peppers, onions, corn, peas, and a couple of things I couldn’t identify were all stirred up together, with a LOT of chicken. The french fries were freshly hand cut, and fried perfectly, crunchy on the outside, firm on the inside. This was a full meal, I assure you. No touristy dainty “try our food” small plates at this restaurant. Two could share this plate. It was on an oversized plate, and I couldn’t finish it. For those of you who don’t know me, I’m 6 feet 2 inches and 230 pounds. I don’t find a lot of meals I can’t finish, but after eating for 30 minutes, here I did. Everything was wonderful and I took my time. The setting, the smells, the food, the staff, everything combined to make this a memorable experience, and I will tell you one thing for sure. When I come back to Costa Rica, I’ll be staying here again!

Adventure, Fishing, Food, Relaxation, Travel, Vacation, Welcome to Yondering

There’s No Place Like….Home?

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So, after changing some money, (yes I made that mistake too…) and getting my rental car, a full size SUV, I headed out to find my hotel. I stayed the first night at the Hotel Aeropuerto. The place is amazing! If you are looking to find some REAL Costa Rica, not just a Holiday inn with a banana tree in the yard, I highly recommend the Airport Hotel. It’s not the easiest place to find, I’ll admit it. I drove past it twice before I realized where it was. It is in Alajuelo, and while I don’t know the crime statistics here, I would say that this is not the best neighborhood. Having said that though, when I pulled in, there was a gate blocking the driveway. The guard at the gate checked my reservation, and handed me a small plastic parking pass. It’s not to park, its for getting out. Apparently at one time there was a car stolen from here. That won’t happen again. I was told not to leave the pass in the car, to take it with me. My car would not be allowed to leave without it. A novel approach!!!

Once I got into the hotel, I was pleasantly amazed. Being the tropics, it rains. A lot. instead of trying to keep all the water out, the hotel lives with it, as its friendly neighbor. The floors are tile. The walls in the lobby are open, with a lofted ceiling. The people are VERY friendly. Everything was a wonderful surprise after my initial shock at the gate. The rooms are large, airy, air-conditioned, and comfortable. Right outside my window are a huge mango tree, and several banana or plantain tree.  To tell you the truth, I don’t know the  difference, but it was nice to have such a beautiful reminder that I’m in the tropics!

Next time, the restaurant at the Hotel Aeropuerto….