Samara, Costa Rica - Days 12 & 13

Friday, February 22

Today was a special day! I arranged for Tory and Aden to join Nosara Day Camp for a morning adventure to Playa Pelada in the nearby town of Nosara. What does this mean exactly? Well, it meant that Tory and Aden got to go to a fun day camp with other kids their age while Mom and Dad enjoyed a kid-free morning together. Win/Win for everyone? I think so!

We left our airbnb bright and early Friday morning to make the 40-minute drive to Nosara. As soon as we arrived, Tory and Aden made friends with the other kids attending camp. There was a girl name Phoenix from New York that was Tory’s age and a boy named Dallas from North Carolina that was Aden’s age. Perfect! Both Tory and Aden were so engulfed in playing that they barely noticed Andi and I leaving.

The plan for the kids was to visit the tide pools at Playa Pelada on the west side of Nosara, with the chance to tour bat caves. The day camp instructor said this was one of the few times during the year that a negative low tide, the moon phase, and the low surf all combine to expose the tide pools and make it possible for campers to reach the bat caves on foot. Tory and Aden were so excited!

While the kids were off on their adventure, Andi and I went to breakfast up the street at Soda La Negra. We were the only people at the outdoor cafe except for two street peddlers having coffee and smoking cigarettes before their day of selling trinkets began. I sensed from the empty streets that Nosara doesn’t turn “on” until Noon. At the breakfast spot, Andi ordered a plate of fried eggs, rice, plantains, cheese and bread. I had rosemary-infused granola with yogurt. I would have never dreamed the combination of rosemary and yogurt would be delicious, but it was really flavorful!

After breakfast, Andi and I wondered around downtown Guiones for a bit. We really haven’t done much walking around up to this point: a) because we have a car, b) because the kids complain about walking so we try to cash out our chips for actual hikes. The town of Nosara is broken into sections and has a totally different vibe than Samara. It has a newer, more Americanized feel with lots of hip bars and cafes. There’s even an escape room! Samara is sleepier and more welcoming for families, in my opinion.

We had a nice time wandering around, looking at all the shops and restaurants in downtown Guiones. At 10:00am, we checked into a small spa for massages. I finished the last challenging workout of my fitness program early that morning and my muscles are sore this week! A massage felt wonderful.

After our massages, Andi and I still had two whole hours to fill before we had to pick up the kids at 1:00pm. We almost didn’t know what to do with ourselves! It was too early to drink. My muscles were too sore for a yoga class. We could have went to the beach, but decided to run some errands without the kids in tow. We filled up the car with gas, went to the grocery store, and walked around the organics market. Andi has been craving sushi, so our last stop was to an outdoor marketplace with several different restaurants. He ordered a few sushi rolls and we sat & people watched before it was time to pick up the kids.

Aden and Tory were so excited to see us when their bus arrived after camp. They talked the whole way to the gelato shop (we went back to Seekretspot and it was open!) about the creatures they learned about in the tide pools, the bats, their new friends, and they even got to make their own pizzas for lunch. Sounds like they had a great day.

We made the drive back to our airbnb in Samara, stopping at the fish market in Playa Garza on the way. Andi ran in quickly while the kids and I waited in the car, and he said this place was legit! Big coolers full of fresh fish portioned in fresh-saver bags. The fish market in Samara wasn’t nearly as clean or organized. Andi picked fresh bluefin tuna for dinner to go along with salad greens.

We made it back to the airbnb just in time to catch the sunset at the top of the hill, then Andi grilled the tuna for dinner.

Saturday, February 23

Today we had plans to meet Chris, the owner of our airbnb, at 10:30am so he could show us a sewing school he helped build in the nearby town of Chinampas. Chris came to Costa Rica three years ago to do missionary work, and discovered that locals most appreciated learning a new skill so they can earn their own money vs. receiving gifts. So, Chris helped to open small sewing schools in area villages to teach local women a trade. We were excited to learn more about the work Chris is doing here to help contribute to the community.

Chris beamed with pride as he explained to us how the sewing school works, and the impact it’s making in these communities. During our tour, we also met the local pastor who donated the land which the school is built on, and the pastor invited us into his home for fellowship. It was such a neat experience to visit this village and Pastor Pedro’s home — an opportunity we wouldn’t have experienced in Samara had it not been for Chris and his relationships with the local people. Inside Pastor Pedro’s outdoor living room, the pastor’s wife served us Fresca and sweet bread which we ate while we visited with them.

We said good-bye to Chris and thanked him for his hospitality this past week. Then, we hit the road for a new town called Montezuma and the next leg of our adventure. In Nicoya, the first town we encountered on our drive, we looked for a place to stop for a quick lunch as we were all hungry. I spotted a big sign with the word Gallo and a chicken on it, assuming it was a chicken restaurant, but nope — electronics store. Ha! I wouldn’t have guessed that. We were running out of options as we drove through town, so we pulled into a truck stop with an outdoor cafe called Soda JSM. Sodas sell typical Costa Rican food like meat, beans, rice, salad and dessert which would have worked for Andi and I, but we knew the kids wouldn’t eat anything there.

Back in the car and you know where we ended up? KFC. It wouldn’t be vacation unless we ended up at an American fast food restaurant at some point. Andi ran in to KFC to order food while the kids and I waited in the car. He returned with popcorn chicken and French fries, and said there were zero healthy things on the menu. I’d hoped for a salad or grilled chicken, but settled for a BEACHBAR. The kids were in heaven with their “pure” mashed potatoes (aka: plain), breaded chicken and normal ketchup packets.

The drive to Montezuma was about 100 miles which took us 4 hours in total. Seventy-five percent of the drive was nicely paved two-lane highway. The last 25% was a bumpy, dirt road with road work - not fun! Had we known we’d be sitting in so much construction, I think we would have opted for the scenic dirt road.

We arrived in Montezuma around 4:30pm, and did a quick drive through town to check it out. It’s so neat traveling to different areas of Costa Rica — Montezuma has a completely different vibe than Samara or Nosara. For every person that thinks “I want to go to Costa Rica to surf everyday and party all night” Montezuma is your town. There were tons of young people walking through the streets with sun-tanned skin and sandy feet having a great time.

We rented another airbnb in Montezuma because those work so well for our family. It’s nice having more living space, a kitchen so we don’t have to eat out for every meal, and a separate bedroom from the kids. This property was two miles outside town, and just enough removed from the busy action downtown. We drove to the house next and the property manager showed us around.

Our evening ended with the kids taking a dip in the new pool while Andi and I enjoyed a glass of wine and watched the sun go down. Welcome to Montezuma! We’re excited to check out a new-to-us town tomorrow.