Costa Rica
Quepos

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    • Day 65

      Parc Manuel Antonio

      November 29, 2022 in Costa Rica ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

      Nous voilà arrivé à notre dernière étape au Costa Rica 🇨🇷

      Nous visitons le parc manuel Antonio, le plus connu du pays, sa réserve naturelle et ses dizaines d’animaux 🦧 ! Nous avons même la chance d’y découvrir la star du pays : le paresseux 🦥.

      Puis deuxième et dernier jour pour les parents de Guillaume, nous profitons de la plage, des vagues. Je continue d’être très mauvaise au surf 🏄‍♀️ et Guillaume redouble de patience pour m’apprendre à tenir debout.

      Pour terminer, j’ai fini aux urgences car j’ai essayé de prendre en photo des singes tout en marchant et je suis tombée dans un trou. Mon pieds va mieux, le médecin a tout nettoyé. Mon porte monnaie moins, 220€ la consultation pour une désinfection, une crème antibio et un pansement. Faites des bisous à votre carte vitale de ma part.
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    • Day 31

      Quepos

      December 22, 2022 in Costa Rica ⋅ 🌧 27 °C

      Üse nächsti stopp esch quepos gsi, es chliises städtli am fuess vom manuel antonio nationalpark.
      Mit üsem auto, em umberto, simmer det abe gfätzt ⚡🚀🚘
      Mer händ es härzigs airbnb gha, chli oberhalb vo de stadt mit genialem usblick! Well mer beidi nonig ganz fit gsi sind, so verchältigstechnisch, simmer am erste tag eifach go poste, hend spaghetti gchoched ond chli spiili gspielt ufem balkon, ond send denn früeh is bett. Am nächste tag hemmer lust gha uf en strandtag. Also simmer a gross strand vore nationalpark gfahre ond händ det de tag mit schättele (zum sünnele eschs definitiv z heiss gsi), bädele, läse, chli schlofe ond natürlich au chli surfe verbracht. Znacht hemmer weder dehei gchoched ond dezue nomol de schön sunneuntergang gnosse.
      Am tag druf hemmer eigentlich ändlich i nationalpark welle. Mer händs au versuecht, leider sind alli tickets usverchauft gsi bzw üsi theorie esch, dass die guides alli tickets chaufed ond sie der denn sehr tüür mitere tour wennd atreie... Uf das simmer aber ned dri gfloge. Mer händ denn tickets före nächst tag chauft ond send stattdesse uf dominical gfahre, es chliises surferörtli chli wiiter de küste entlang. Det simmer öpis go zmittag ässe, chli dur en märt gschländeret, nachär ben ich go schättele (dito) ond de erich hed sich nach me monet hostelbett mal e massage gönnt.
      Am abig simmer weder bi ziite is bett, well mer am nächste morge früeh uf hend welle zum uschecke ond denn i nationalpark. Es momäntli hemmer friedlich gschlafe bes denn um mitternacht bi de nachbere e party mit luuter musig ond bass wo üses bett duregschüttled hed losgange esch 🤦🏼‍♀️
      Bes am morge am halbi 5i simmer wachgläge, händ de nachbere zueglost wies abem balkon chotzed händ ond händ üs gnärvt ond zwüsched dure au weder glacht ab dere unmögliche situation...
      Rächt übermüedet simmer de am nächste morge i nationalpark. Mer händ det gli de schönsti strand entdeckt wo mer üs zerst mal e siesta gönnt händ 😅
      Am spötere namittag esches de wiiter gange uf jaco.
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    • Day 8

      Two faces of Quepos and Manuel Antonio

      July 10, 2022 in Costa Rica ⋅ 🌧 26 °C

      We woke up early and ate breakfast at the almost 100% glutenfree mono congo café in dominical. We went to see the Nauyaca waterfalls in the morning and then drove to Quepos, our next stop. In Quepos we checked- in at the Villas Jacquelina Hotel, nice but a bit far from the city center, and walked around the area. First, as we walked along the main road, we got to a very luxurious tourist place which looked a bit like a gated community. The buildings were all perfectly white and built around a plaza with view over the sea. There were many fancy seafood restaurants and super expensive souvenir shops. The place was called marina pez-vela, and is a harbour for sporthfishing. We soon figured out that this was the place rich old men went on hilodays. I didnt like it at all, i felt more and more uncomfortable every second we spent there. When we left I realized even more what hige contrast there is between this marina and the rest of poor quepos. We wanted to walk on the beach but it was separeted by a river we had to cross. It was way deeped than we expected, so unfortunately I got wet almost up to my tummy. The beach was beautiful but I couldnt really enjoy it because I was still discussing with Noah about this gated community we‘ve seen. His point of view was that it was good on one hand because it provided jobs for the people living in quepos. I agreed to a certain point but still thought that the money could‘ve been used for the local economy and to renovate parts of the city. We didnt walk back on the beach because we wanted to see another part of the city. What we didnt know was that, this oart wasn‘t a real city.. it was a slum. A dirty road covered with holes and with dogs walking on it, dying of starvation , many huts, most of them very small with people sitting in front of them, all looking sad and lifeless, and a very bad smell. Noah and I went completely quiet. I was speechless, I didnt even know what to think. As we passed the people and the houses, I felt so so bad. When we got to the end of the road we had to take a ferry taxi that brought us to the other side. We walked back to the hotel but almost didnt talk. Eventually we started talking about what we‘ve seen and how injust everything is. It couldnt get out of my head during thw whole evening. We cooked veggie pasta together and Noah ate a lot, as usual. I dont know how a person can eat this quantity of food. The next morning we woke up at 6 and went to Manuel Antonio National Park. When we were at about 1 kilometre before the park entrance my google maps suggested, people who looked like park rangers told us to leave the highway and park in some parking lot at the side of a street. We told them we wanted to go to Manuel Antonio and they said rhis was the parking. I almost couldnt believe them because there were no other cars there, but they looked really professional. We got out of the car but my intuition told me that something was wrong. I told Noah to get back into the car and we ignored those people shouting and telling us to turn around and followed my google maps, which in the end brought us to the real park parking lot. We parked and were thankful that we hadnt been tricked.

      My biggest goal for the day was to find a sloth, because I had never seen one plus I thought and still consider them super cute. We walked around the park anf did every possible trail. We saw iguanas, monkeys, of which one had a very special relationship with Noah, some type of pigs and in the end even two sloths. There were many tourists at some beaches but on the trails we were basically alone. After seeing everything we decided to leave and drove our car to Jacó.
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    • Day 10

      Costa Rican Homestay Begins!

      January 8, 2023 in Costa Rica ⋅ 🌧 77 °F

      After a week of being spoiled and truly vacationing, this evening we begin our “world school” experience! After a five hour drive where we saw the largest crocodile in a river I never plan to set foot ANYWHERE near, we arrived in Quepos, Costa Rica (town near Manuel Antonio National Park) for a week long homestay with Señora Francisca and Señor Joaquin, a family who has had experience with students and tourists staying with them for almost 15 years. They have a schnauzer pincher mix dog (think pincher face with a teeny little body) named Pekis and orange tabby named Bardo. Girls are happy since they already miss our dogs and gerbils.

      Tomorrow morning, the girls and I will venture on the local bus and start a week of Spanish school. Monday-Friday, the girls will take a 2 hour class together and then I will take a 2 hr medical Spanish class during that time as well. Brian, I’m sure, will be off either creating or editing a video and photos. Speaking of which, today he posted a great video about NYC and our trip there a few weeks ago on YouTube. You can look up Brian Sellers and check out his latest!

      I’m not going to lie - it’s crazy hot and for us spoiled Americans, it’s going to be difficult to adjust to no AC here. Fans are blowing at max speed! However the family is so nice. We just ate an amazing pasta dinner thanks to Francisca and Katie finally ate after 3 days of barely eating anything due to a tummy bug. She even said “this is amazing” when we couldn’t get her to eat anything at the resort.

      After dinner, of course we had to play a good old-fashioned-traditional game of Taco, Cat, Goat, cheese, pizza with the German woman who is volunteering here in Costs Rica for a year and staying at the same house. Meanwhile, without any hesitation, the skies unleashed a ferocious downpour only seen in Hollywood movies or Costa Rica.

      Maddie just walked by me and said “I love it here” so I’ll take that as one point for the parents! Here comes that crazy rain again…hope we don’t have that on our way to school tomorrow…but you know what? If we do then we’ll figure it out together. Pura Vida!

      We’ll let you know how Spanish school goes!

      Good night all!
      Heather, Brian, Maddie and Katie
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    • Day 17

      Goodbye Costa Rica!

      January 15, 2023 in Costa Rica ⋅ 🌧 82 °F

      This week has been one of the most beautiful albeit challenging experiences we’ve had as a family. Last night as Maddie and I went out to the local market, she said “I love it here. I don’t want to leave.” Ah what that does to a mama’s heart who questioned whether a homestay would be too challenging and different. ❤️ I’m actually almost teary eyed thinking about leaving Quepos, Costa Rica and our new Costa Rican family to head to Ecuador.

      In one week:
      — the girls have learned to easily navigate themselves on the public bus and can get themselves to and from our homestay to the bus station and all the way to Manuel Antonio Spanish school.

      — we have truly embraced the meaning behind “Pura Vida” (it’s good/pure life) 💕

      — the girls have opened their minds and have given their all with an intensive kid’s Spanish class while I had to laugh my way through mistakes I made trying to have conversations in Spanish with my Spanish teacher who became a fake hospice patient and family for my learning enjoyment.

      — Brian got to thoroughly enjoy being out taking video and photos in this stunning landscape.

      — we have experienced the BEST home cooked Costa Rican food gracias a Francisca(!!) - lucky us. As the kids have said, “Sorry mom - but when you try, it just isn’t the same” - uh yes I agree!

      — we got to learn first hand about the beautifully diverse wildlife here - from two toed blond nocturnal, omnivorous sloths versus three toes grey vegetarian diurnal sloth, to VERY loud red macaws, monkeys everywhere overhead, to iguanas eating flowers in trees at the beach overhead(never expected to see that!)

      - we have learned that we LOVE seeing this through the eyes of our children: the mind expanding experiences, the beauty, and even the hardship - because from hardship there is growth. We have seen so much and I’m so grateful.

      — !! I have learned that packing and doing laundry for 4 is way stinkin harder than when I travelled independently or when it was just Brian and I. Home/worldschooling books, sheer volume of technology/chargers, masks and JUST SO MUCH stuff. It’s ridiculous. I’ve done laundry 3 times this week. Francisca saw me and said “la Vida de una mama” - we both smiled and sighed. It’s beautiful and exhausting.

      Thank you Costa Rica. Sad to leave but on to Ecuador!!! Time to pull out our pants and jackets!

      Pura Vida!!
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    • Day 54

      Tico Tico Villas, Quepos

      December 10, 2019 in Costa Rica ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

      Am 10.12 haben wir uns mit Kevin und Ramonma auf den Weg zum Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio gemacht. Da die Strecke alleine übers festland sehr lange gewesen wäre und zusätzlich diese doofe Baustelle die man nur an zwei Zeiten pro Tag passieren konnte auf dem Weg lag, entschieden wir uns für das Risiko, die Fähre zu nhemen. Wir hatten davon im Reiseführer gelesen und uns auch übers Internet schlau gemacht. Jedoch war uns trotzdem mulmig zu mute. Ein Ticket irgendwo im Nirgendwo zu kaufen, ohne die Sprache zu können (in dem gebiet sprach kaum jemand Englisch). Außerdem hatten wir gelesen, dass die Fähre schnell voll sein kann und man dann ewig warten muss, bis man überhaupt auf eine Fähre kommt um über zusetzten. Doch alles lief wie am Schnürchen. Wir fanden gleich die Anlegestelle, konnten ein Ticket kaufen und da wir Deutsche sind, waren wir viel zu früh und eine der ersten die letztendlich auf die Fähre fahren durften :D
      Die Fahrt war lange, da wir nur sehr unbequeme Sitze hatten. Als wir auf der anderen Seite ankamen, fuhren wir noch eine Weile und brachten Kevin und Ramona (Nach einer kleinen Stärkung in einem seltsamen kleinen Fast Food Lokal am Straßenrand und sehr sehr sehr kleinen und fettigen Portionen) in ihr Hotel. Wir fuhren in unsers; die Tico Tico Villas. Eine wirklich super schöne Anlage ganz nah am Nationalpark. Wir konnten hier schon mit Glück Papageien sehen. Wir hatten einen sehr schönes Häuschen, in dem wir das Gepäck abluden und gleich in den Pool sprangen. Abends kochten wir sogar etwas in der kleinen Küche und tranken ein Cocktail aus der Dose, im Pool.
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    • Day 249

      Costa Rica

      May 14, 2023 in Costa Rica ⋅ 🌧 31 °C

      3 days in pura vida paradise 💚

      *many tourists and immigrants that opened a business here (more english speaking than spanish almost)
      *a lot of wildlife and jungle
      *gorgeous beaches
      *very expensive (US prices)
      *first night in a hotel on this trip. What a luxury, especially the AC😍
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    • Day 4

      Sodas

      September 28, 2023 in Costa Rica ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

      Soda is the name given to small restaurants in Costa Rica that receive tax support from the state and do not have an alcohol 🍻 license.

      This allows prices 💰 to be kept at a low level. You can find sodas everywhere in Costa Rica, just not in purely tourist towns. They are mainly visited by the local population, but also by tourists.

      A soda usually serves typical Costa Rican dishes such as Gallo Pinto. There is an obligation to serve certain main dishes (Casados), most often these are dishes of rice and beans (Arroz con frijoles) with fried beef, chicken or fish and with fried plantains and salad. Sometimes the food in sodas is also offered as a buffet.

      And now I'm full 🤣🤣🤣.
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    • Day 4

      Quepos

      September 28, 2023 in Costa Rica ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

      Today I took the bus 🚌 to Quepos. I had a few things on the shopping list 📃 and had to get into the authentic life of Costa Rica.

      Quepos is really a typical Central American small town. Lots of colorful low-rise buildings 🏩🏩🏩 and one crowded store after another. The people are in a good mood 😊 and friendly, everyone says hello 👋 and no one is annoying. You can buy everything and the hustle and bustle is concentrated around the central bus 🚍 station. In short: Feels like home for me ❤️.

      For sure it has a history: It is named for the native Quepo Indians who inhabited the place in the colonial era.

      In 1563, Spanish Catholic conquistadores, settled the area and founded the settlement of San Bernardino de Quepo. The local native Quepo people were then subsequently subjugated.

      In 1746, the Quepo people that remained were transferred to a reservation which already contained another native ethnic group.

      Nowadays Quepos offers fishing for numerous varieties of fish, especially Pacific Sailfish. Peak fishing season is from November to April for billfish.

      It has a tropical monsoon climate with moderate to little rainfall from January to March and heavy to very heavy rainfall in the remaining months, most in September and October 🤪.

      So I strolled around, bought some stuff and went to a soda... what a soda is? Check out the next entry for that 😜.
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    • Day 106

      Last day in Costa Rica

      March 26, 2023 in Costa Rica ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

      Heute ist der letzte Tag in Costa Rica. Wir haben den Tag nochmal zu dritt ganz enspannt am Strand verbracht. Gelesen, gequatscht, im Wasser rum gedümpelt und Karten gespielt. Abends haben wir uns dann ein Kajak gemietet und sind da mit aufs Meer raus. Nach laaangem diskutieren haben wirs dann für 5 doller pro Person für den Sonnenuntergang geliehen bekommen. Weil eigentlich wollten sie uns für die Sonnenuntergangsfahrt 10$ pro Person abzwacken was wir nicht so ganz cool fanden...
      Auf dem Wasser haben wir dann einen super schönen Sonnenuntergang gesehen und einzelne Quallen.
      Als wir dann das Kajak zurück gegeben haben sind wir schnell hoch, damit wir nicht im Dunkeln hochstapfen müssen. Da der Rückweg bis zur Straße knapp 40 min und sehr steil Berg auf ging waren wir froh als wir dann von sehr netten Portugiesen mitgenommen wurden. Da das Auto leide voll war durfte ich mit dem Kofferraum vorlieb nehmen. Den Abend hab ich dann noch ganz entspannt mit Jasmin ausklingen lassen. (und falls sie dann doch mal den Blog liest, I'm sorry das ich die Bilder vorher nicht mit dir abgesprochen habe 😋💛)

      Manuel Antonio und Quepos, liegen mit dem Bus knapp 10/15 Minuten voneinander entfernt. Ich finde das man in Quepos an sich gelaube ich nochmal ein bisschen mehr machen kann, dafür hat Manuel Antonio sehr schöne Strände. Hier wird einen an jeder Ecke surfen, paragliding, Kajak fahren oder sonst was angeboten. Leider sind die Strände sehr touristisch. Was ich damit meine, überall stehen Schirme mit Liegen drunter die einem abgedreht werden. Aber trotzdem fände ich den vibe hier angenehm. Mir ist die tage auch einfach nochmal aufgefallen wir grün es hier ist.
      Morgen mache ich mich wieder auf den weg nach Panamá, entweder mit einem shuttle die 58$ oder mit dem local Bus für 21$... Glaube da erübrigt sich die Frage. Ich werde auf der Fahrt mal meine Gedanken zu Costa Rica zusammen zu fassen.
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    You might also know this place by the following names:

    Quepos, XQP

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