Costa Rica. Pura Vida!
Mike gave me this book for Valentine's Day in 2008 & we've been anxious to go ever since. With Dave's return from Argentina, & Bryan's call to Honduras (unless political coups get in the way) we decided to make it a Whiting Family affair. It was wonderful to have everyone together, something that hasn't happened in a few years.
I'm overwhelmed with the idea of doing a complete play-by-play of our trip, or even just organizing my photos, but I did keep a log in my BlackBerry every day of little highlights. Just because. Light on details, but you'll get the general idea.
And then - a few (just a few.) of my favorite photos.
Day 1: Brightly colored houses. Dogs. Doors & windows all open. They weren't kidding about the rain. Drive to our hotel Arenal. Hot springs.
Day 2: Happy Birthdy, Cara (we sang). A night of total downpour (I thought our little casita was going to wash away). Walking down a lot of steps to the La Fortuna waterfall, only to have to walk all the way back up. Discover Dulce de Leche ice cream donuts at the top. Immediately become addicted & eat them every day. Monkeys. Wiggly hanging bridges. Muchos platos tipicos. Family council!! Blue sky. Snails. Vipers. Bumpy roads. Cloudy volcano. Toucans. The sexy tree on our hanging bridges hike.
Day 3: Swimming pool. Tabacon. Hot pool. Best lunch ever. Sea bass ceviche. No rain. Reggaeton music. Thunder. Lizzards. Lava!
Day 4: Happy Birthday, Steve. Last breakfast with Yanni music at Arenal. Banana bread. Papaya tastes like feet. Zip line tour (amazing!). Long drive to Jaco to our hotel. Bugs! Humid! Dream of Kate Spade sample sale shopping all night long. Try on dozens of things. See multiple handbags I want to buy. Call friends Jill and Erin for consults. Friends come to park (where said sample sale is taking place), only to discover that I don't have cash. Go searching, for rest of dream, for at ATM to buy Kate Spade goods. Wake up dissatisfied & tired.
Day 5: A dozen or so nibbles on my Norteamericano legs. Sun. Hammock. Pool volleyball in a strapless swimsuit (no fun). Reading. Ocean. Beautiful contrasts. Naps. Dinner by the beach. Arroz con pollo. USA vs. Spain futbol in the sports bar with Dave, Bryan & Mike. Sunburned forehead (pinning back the bangs is a bad idea). Date with mi espoa for some croissant bread pudding. Dreams of being forced to join the MoTab with a bunch of random high school friends that I haven't spoken to in years. Choir is led by Hitler. Wake up in the morning to discover that Bryan had a Nazi-themed dream as well (what??).
Day 6: Chocolate pancakes y jugo de mango. Tennis. So humid. Manuel Antontio. Most beautiful beach I've ever seen. Sloths. Gross. Monkeys. Cute. Warm water. Playa Hermosa at night. Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett die. International coverage is a bit much, considering everything else going on in the world.
Day 7: Pool time. Jaco for lunch. Update - most beautiful beach is Playa Hermosa. First sunburn of the week. Sunset.
Day 8: Dreams of going going back to BYU with roommates Julie & Stacey (hi!). Forced to go to FHE to meet boys, but I just want to find Mike. Can't. Wake up sad. Last breakfast. Last jugo de mango. Drive to San Jose. Take a plane back to New York with the lesser-known Baldwin brother (Stephen - flying coach). Explain to father in law that Stephen recently baptized Spencer Pratt in the Costa Rican jungle. Am further impressed by sister (in-law) Cara when she says she doesn't know who Spencer Pratt is.
20 comments:
love the pictures. um. rockin bod women!
I love the pictures! Favorites: That ice cream donut (it looks absolutely divine) and that sunset one (that really orangey-bluish one). Gorgeous! They all are. Costa Rica looks so, so beautiful. I think your pictures have convinced me to go. It has definitely been added to my list of places that I must visit. I'm so glad to see that you had such a wonderful time with the family.
thank you! I love all the pictures and your recap via blackberry (and your crazy dreams?! the baldwin brother had me laughing). i would say which ones are my favourite, but this comment would be a marathon x 10. you look beautiful. oh, and glad to see you are reading the book club book. :)
I think i'm sold. Greg has wanted to take me there forever and I have been skeptical but now I think I am game.
Very pretty pics. I had lots of comments, but by the end I forgot them all. It happens a lot to me I guess! :) Oh! The snake. Please tell me you weren't close.. Yuck.
Beautiful photos - you look smokin' hot! :) Love the strapless suit.
Beautiful pictures Kathryn! You look gorgeous!
I LOVED this. Perfect recap. How else are you supposed to put into words what your pictures already do? Looks incredible.
Now it's on my list of places to visit.
PS: that waterfall photo with the feet in focus - I think that is my favorite.
Are you the only in-law or is there a brother in law in there? Lots of boys!
It really is the most diverse, beautiful country! And now you know why their industry is tourism. (With GOOD central american food to boot.. right!) You captured it perfectly, I think.
I'm so ready for a beach trip now. And a new swimsuit! You have quite the lovely collection. :)
p.s. did that coconut water make you gag? I can't handle it.
I loved reading this/seeing your photos. You look fabulous and very beach chic. I really hope I get to go there someday!
Absolutely amazing photos!!
Missy, I'm the one & only in-law. Mike's the oldest. Three brothers, one sister. We were definitely outnumbered.
Kelli, we LOVE coconut water. I think it's so yummy. We even buy it in New York (have you seen Vita Coco?). Mike climbed up at tree at our hotel, brought down a coconut & hacked it open on our balcony to drink the juice. :)
The food was good, but my heart still belongs to Mexican food. Hands down my favorite. Central American food is really good, but pretty simple/maybe even a teensy bit bland. We ate a lot of rice, beans, chicken, plantains, etc.
costa rica. love, love! i need to go back. your pics have confirmed my hunch. and the sunset pic? stunning. super bien!
Wow. Love the photos. We might possibly be doing Costa Rica at the end of the year. I need your details. Ryan wants to know where you stayed etc...
i loved all the pictures. what a fun trip.
you have such an amazing eye for photography! now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go book a flight to costa rica, immediately.
I love these pictures, but mostly because you look so sincerely happy in each one. there is nothing like adventuring to a new place and discovering.
I'm glad you finally made it to Costa Rica!
Found 'um - loved 'um. We had so much fun with your parents when we went. I saw some familiar experiences. Our one reoccuring picture was either your Dad or Steve visiting with a native and asking for directions - we KNOW that we were purposely misdirected a time or two! It was all fun. Great pictures!
i'm going to show matt all of your righteous pics... maybe then he'll redirect this obsession with visiting iran to taking me to costa rica. LOVE these.
Steve said
Thanks loads for the great pictures and for making the trip all the more memorable.
What great fun and great memories
We love you
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