PURA VIDA is Spanish for "pure life", the philosophy that encourages the appreciation of life's simple treasures. Slow things down, celebrate good fortune and refuse to take things for granted. This week has been a good reminder to do just that. We slowed down the first part of the week because of Nate's ear infection so it was good for all of us to rest up a bit. We have been on the go non stop, it is so hard to slow things down when there is so much to see and to do here. We are far from the type of people to sit around too long but we did just that! As I write this week Nateman is almost done his prescription and back to his sparky self! YAH!! Sick kids are so hard on us parents!
Had one of the craziest experiences of our lives happen to us on Wednesday morning and the kids are still talking about it. They were in the pool swimming when they saw a larger iguana run up into the trees towards the road. They got out and followed it up to these pipes that are laying up by the road. They saw the iguana and it turned to look at them when all of a sudden a huge Boa Constrictor struck out at attacked the iguana from in between the pipes, right in front of the kids!!! Adison ran in to the house screaming that there was an iguana up in the air flailing around and was being squished by a snake. We ran out not expecting to see what we did, I couldn't believe it!!! There on the ground was a huge snake wrapped around a iguana, squeezing the life out of it. Never in real life have we ever seen something like this, TV yes, but not right in front of us!! CRAZY!! Some local guys stopped and took a look at it and said it was "no problem", haha, maybe in his books!! Once we realized it was all ok and the snake was not harmful to us I have to say it was a pretty cool thing to see. Kids study the food chain in school all the time, here they saw it first hand!
He won't need food for a week now!!
During all of the snake commotion we actually met the neighbors down the street who are from Australia. They have been living here in CR for the past 2 years with their 3 boys who go to the Spanish school. Went for a visit that evening once their boys were home, it was really nice to spend time with them and our kids were happy because they finally played with other kids! They have lived a very adventurous life, so interesting!! They invited us to go surfing with them the next day so we joined them for some beach fun later in the day. Had a great time swimming, boogie boarding, and playing soccer on the beach. Beautiful to be on the beach at sunset too! Finished up the night with dinner in a local soda shop right on the beach. Great fun with great people!!
With our days being numbered here we felt we were running out of time to explore other areas so we packed up and headed for the early morning bus to Uvita. We missed the connection last week so this time we were prepared! Made it there just before lunch and we only had until 4:00 to explore because we had to make sure we caught the last bus back to Quepos. Uvita is a beach town that is famous for it's landmark Whale's Tail that is in the Ballena Marine National Park. At low tide, a land bridge appears to Punta Uvita and you can walk out to the tip with water on both sides and it resembles a whale tail. We were there too late in the day and it was high tide so we didn't get to see the tail but we did get to enjoy the beautiful beach and the kids played in the rolling waves for hours. This was a beach where we had to be extra cautious. Not only was it high tide, there was also 2 river mouths on either side of the beach area where there was an additional current to be aware of. Crocodiles were also a concern, but apparently we were ok, we talked to a park guide about it. They are only a problem at night, not during the day and during low tide. Yikes!
Never a dull moment!!
Friday was another day around the house where the kids powered through a ton of school work and then we headed into to Quepos to take in the farmer's market. Before we went to fill up on fresh fruits and veggies we walked over a bridge in town that we always see but have never crossed. We discovered street after street of the homes. We have always been around the business district so it was an eye opener to all of us to see where the locals live and the conditions they live in. Some of the houses were fairly decent in the fact that they had all four walls, a roof and a door. Other homes were made of metal and sheets hung up across frames made of wood. Some of the homes had dirt floors but some had tile down for them to walk on. Looking at the homes and comparing them to our standards back home you would think these people are extremely poor and struggling. They may be, I don't know their personal stories but one thing I do know is that they care about their home regardless of how it is constructed. Their homes may look run down but they all seem to have beautiful colored furniture and are decorated with bright colored curtains, rugs and blankets. They have flowers growing outside and some have painted the trees around their yards. Even though they have very little, they take care of what they have and appear to be thankful for what they do have.
As we walked around we discovered many little stores mixed in with the houses and we discovered one of the most amazing places. A place called Camacho, a local furniture store, they have their wood making shop right beside them and they live out back. They create one of a kind pieces of furniture, so incredible! The owner's son was there and took us back into the "factory" as he called it, to show us where all the magic happens. They use many types of wood, Tica, Cedar and Oak. So much hard work and personal pride is put into every piece, the final product is the proof. Beautiful!! Doug and I were wishing there was a easy way to transport this furniture home!! Not happening. lol
Enjoyed our last trip to the farmer's market Friday night, such a treat for us!! Filled our bags with fresh mangos, pineapples, plantains, guavas, leechis, carrots, cucumbers and tomatos. We said good bye to our farmer friends we have been visiting every week and I have to say I will miss their friendly faces. Such kind people!!
Pura Vida is a lifestyle here in Costa Rica, not just a saying. The laid back lifestyle is apparent and the saying is heard everywhere you go. Taxi drivers, local grocery clerks, park staff, surfers, bankers, construction workers, you name it!! People are genuinely happy and very willing to share their happiness with others. They may not have much in life in tangible terms but they have so much to give. They work extremely hard and are proud people. To be around such a lifestyle is very heartwarming and wonderful to see! It has made our first month herein CR amazing, it is comforting to be around such kind people and attitudes. As we are starting to prepare to move on to our next destination the Pura Vida slogan rings in my ears. It allows me to realize that moving on is a good thing and a persons attitude means everything. I have always been a very positive person but seeing how other people live makes me realize how EASY it is for me to be positive. It amazes me how positive they are yet they don't live the easy life I do. We all need to learn from these wonderful Costa Ricans. Life is what you make of it and your attitude WILL determine the quality of the life you live!! I believe we all need to add a bit of Pura Vida to our life!!
Our eyes have been opened and our hearts are full!!
PURA VIDA!!
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