We had not been away from Atenas for quite awhile and decided to take a few days and go to the beach - Central Pacific Beach that is. There were 3 other couples (friends of ours) who had never been to Manual Antonio, and decided to go with us. Beside Stef & myself, the crew consisted of:
Ed and Johanna Lane
Jean and Al Alexander
Graham and Mary Park
Back Row (left to right): Me, Stef, Ed and Graham
Front Row (left to right); Johanna, Mary, Jean and Al
We rented a new Toyota van, and the same house Amanda and her friends stayed at. On the morning of September 21st, we headed west over the mountain to the shore. Having more than a million miles under my belt, I was the designated driver - besides, I really liked this truck.
The deal was that we would cook most of the meals at the house (I shouldn't say we because as most of you know - I don't know how to cook) and split all expenses equally. This worked out great because it gave us much more time to relax and enjoy.
We arrived mid-afternoon and wanted to get checked into the house. However, finding the property manager took a little more time than we cared for. Finally, into the house and unpacked. Check it out:
This is the rear of the house with a large patio, grill and the works.
Here, you see the infinity pool, more patio and the covered swim up bar area. There is also a slide going into the pool, which I will show you later.
The next day we took the four hour cruise on a Catamaran that holds 50 people. There were about 30 on board this day. The price includes all the mixed drinks you want (for some reason, beer is a buck a bottle). In addition, it includes a very nice lunch, and snorkeling. We even got a chance to see some Humpback Whales out there. Below are some pictures of the rough life we have to live down here:
Rather disgusting isn't it?
That afternoon, we explored the area a while and went back to the house to relax and eat dinner. It was also time to check out the pool area. This is where Ed decided to check out the pool slide. This guy is a 73 year old retired fireman from the NYFD, and he is still in great shape.The next morning, we headed out for the Manuel Antonio National Rainforest and Beach. One thing to note is that the cost of admission is $10 each - because Stef and I are residents, our cost was $3 each.
To get to the beach, you had to park your car outside the entrance to the park, then walk about a mile to the beach. The walk was interesting because of the jungle like setting of the rain forest. In addition, there were several unusual animals, such as the Sloth that you see in the picture below.
We got to what is supposed to be one of the nicest beaches in Costa Rica and it was outstanding. Also, it wasn't crowded because of what you go through to get there. Everyone had a great time here and enjoyed the beach mucho. You can tell that I am in a very relaxed mood right now, and happy to be with my sweetheart!
After we left the park, we stopped at Costa Verde and had an outstanding lunch. This brings back memories because it is where Stef first told me how much she loved Costa Rica. That was January 2007.
Got back to the house late afternoon. Everybody decided to enjoy the pool one more time before we headed out the next morning. As you can see, we took the full benefit of the opportunity. The girls made a great dinner while the guys sat and told stories.Ah, to relax on the upper deck and see the beautiful views of the mountains and ocean. Then to get in the pool with a refreshing drink. - You know, I think that I am starting to get real spoiled.
Well, the party was over and we headed back the next morning to our little piece of Atenas. The drive was great and we stopped about half way back for a bite to eat and to enjoy the ocean one more time, before we hit the mountain roads. I think that everyone had a great time. I know we did, and it was perfect spending this time with some really great people - Someday Soon - Again
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