I'm back from my first trip to Costa Rica. Our dates were Thursday May 1 - Saturday May 10. We had great weather almost the entire time (a rainy last day made for some hairy travel) and, best of all, we LOVED Costa Rica. A full trip report with pictures and a few short video clips will come later, but it will take me a week or so to pull it all together.

Highlights:
1. Ziplining at SkyTrek - despite my reservations, LOVED it
2. Seeing the cone at Arenal three days in a row
3. The Hanging Bridges Cafe - great lunch
4. Bosque Del Cabo
5. The Osa Animal Sanctuary
6. Low season - everything was less crowded and service was fast

Here's a teaser from my trip report. Full trip report soon come.

Our Itinerary:
May 1: Overnight in San Jose at Orquideas Inn
May 2 - 5: Hotel Silencio Del Campo in La Fortuna
May 5: Overnight in San Jose at Orquideas Inn
May 6 - 10: Bosque Del Cabo in the Osa Peninsula

I'm sitting in my office, a white-walled room starkly illuminated by fluorescent lights. If it weren't for the large picture window that faces lushly-leaved trees, I might go crazy. It all seems so harsh: the fluorescent lights, the suit jackets, the sounds of the office phones, ringing and ringing. Costa Rica was so soft. The sounds, the air, the light, the voices of its people, all somehow less intrusive than the soundtrack that accompanies life in Atlanta. So subtle and dream-like was Costa Rica that I wonder if I imagined it. The pictures and video prove that it wasn't all in my head, but still it feels like a dream. An oasis, really.

Can't wait for the full report. Sounds like you found "Pura Vida" and understand why so many of us go back over and over. I will actually be moving there in just a little over a month.

Welcome back, alw; I'm so glad you loved it.

Welcome back! Looking forward to your report. Your comments about the contrasts of CR to everyday life back home are so well said and so true!

Folks, my trip report is already nine pages and we just arrived at Bosque in my narrative. What am I to do? Too much adventure, I tell you!

I'm going to break this thing down into like eight parts. It's not a trip report, it's a mini-series.

alw

I'm glad you had a good time..and can't wait to hear about your trip.

I'm from Atlanta and worked downtown for many years and would love to hear the city sounds again.