Another week under our belt!! Our days are busy, but not busy in the same sense, if that makes sense!! lol It's hard to believe we have been here just over a week now, feels like we have been here forever!! I think because getting around and finding life necessities is so easy here in Coco it makes time go by so quickly because we are not wasting time searching. We have got the hang of this living abroad concept now and things are way easier on us. Of coarse, there is always the adjustment period when we first arrive but we have figured out the Costa Rican way now. Things do get done but at a much slower pace, and that is us now!! Long gone are the days of rush, rush, rush!! We definitely have allowed ourselves to come down a few notches and breathe. Our life back home prior to us leaving on this trip was crazy for awhile! Living out of the city, 2 boys in hockey and Adison training 4 days a week, 16 1/2 hrs total at her gymnastics club had us running. All wonderful things, but we knew we couldn't continue. We needed to change our life patterns but not our goals. Harder to do that back home, but here it is a different story. We were still on high gear last month I think, because we were going non stop!! Coco so far has been more relaxing and we have been spending more down time with the kids doing simple things. It has always been important to us to spend time with the kids and not just exist around them. This trip has definitely made that happen and we wouldn't have it any other way! Very thankful for this opportunity and each other!
We spent the day at the Pacifico Beach Club as a treat for our 13th wedding anniversary, such a beautiful place!! It is a private club, but Doug being Doug, found us a way to get inside by buying a day pass which needed to be approved by the manager. It was $50 to get in but we were able to use that as credit towards food and drinks within the facility, good deal if you ask me!! Found out later when talking with some members, that the club doesn't usually do that. The Polish Leprechaun (as Doug is referred to) struck again as we lucked our way into a day of luxury!! Finished the pool/beach day with an amazing meal in the Clubhouse dining room, so nice! Happy Anniversary Doug!! xoxox
Very weird for us to spend Thanksgiving away from home this year without spending time with our families. Plus, no pumpkin pie!!!! Apparently my sister ate extra for me!! lol Thanks Jamee! Very thankful that we have so many wonderful people in our lives and for technology this year! Even though we are so far away, we were still able to see and visit with our loved ones back home through FaceTime. Not a traditional holiday, but it was a great family day regardless!
After spending a few low key days at home and the kids powering through their school work we walked ourselves into town to grab a few groceries on Wednesday. While at the store we ran into Jani, she is the aunt of the guy we are renting from. She offered to drive us and all of our groceries home in her golf cart so on we hopped and away we went!! Not only did she take us home she decided to take us on a tour of the town and also up into the Pacifico development where she lives. Pacifico is a private gated community that is huge and consists of townhouses, condos and even some homes. Pretty fancy and the views are spectacular when up in the mountains amongst all of the million dollar homes. WOW!! So kind of her to take us, thanks Jani!! :)
On Thursday Dave, the owner of our house, was going into Liberia to the farmer's market and asked if we would like to go with him. Of course we would!!! lol So awesome of Dave to take us!! The market there runs every week, Thursday, Friday and Saturday morning from 8-12. Spread along about a block and a half was about 50-60 stands of local families selling their produce. Prices were cheap and there was no shortage to choose from!! I was told that by Saturday when it's over they all will be sold out. Unbelievable to me how that is even possible, but it's true! Small trucks come in and buy enough to fill up their truck boxes and then they go off to the small little beach towns and road side stands around here to sell to the locals and tourists who can't make it into the market.
After the market Dave suggested we should go to this waterfall that was close by, it would give us a chance to see it without us having to bus or taxi there. Catarata Llanos de Cortez or known around here as Cortez Waterfall , is about 30 min south of Liberia just off the Pan American Highway. It is a hidden little gem!! There is no admission but you do have to pay for parking and then hike down a fairly steep trail to get to the falls. AMAZING!!! I never realized how much I love waterfalls until this trip, they are sooo powerful and mesmerizing to me! I find that when I am standing by them and feel the mist on my face and hear the roar of the water it gives me an energy I have never felt before. I wish I could capture that feeling and keep it with me always, but I'll settle with the memory! :)
This waterfall was amazing to us because it was one where you could swim around the bottom with no current to worry about and you could also make your way to the side bank where you could climb in behind the waterfall. This is something that was on our dream list of things to do, but not all waterfalls allow you to do that, especially because we are here in rainy season when the water levels are higher than normal. Such an amazing experience!! So thankful that Dave took us, so awesome of him!! Thanks Dave! :)
We should have ended our day with this amazing adventure but we didn't. There was a guide there who offered to take us up a bit further to a smaller waterfall with a swimming hole where you could jump in, so we decided to go but not jump. The guides all jumped to show it was safe and even though we didn't really want to jump, we convinced ourselves it was ok because we saw them do it and the kids really wanted to go. After a few small jumps and watching two guides jump in Doug and Adison decided to go up to the higher jump to try it out. Adison made it there before Doug and took the leap, but came up saying "Ow, ow, ow" and then the water turned brown all around her. We instantly knew she hit the bottom and fear/panic/shock and every other terrible emotion went through us!! Absolutely one of the most terrifying moments of our lives and to be honest it has taken us a few days to digest everything and for me to decide whether I even wanted to share this on my blog or not. I have realized, after analyzing the day over and over and beating ourselves up about it, that no one out there could say anything to us to make us feel any worse than we already do. It was a day we wish we could take back and I feel like I failed my family in guiding them in the right direction. I'm far from perfect and I know that day will stick with me for life. It opened my eyes to see things differently and to listen to my gut a little more faithfully. I usually do but that day I didn't and I'm not happy with about that. In the end, Adison did hit the sandy bottom of the water but more on the side bank where it slopped down. She was about a foot in from where the guide showed her to jump, that's all it took!! She walked away with scratches down her shin, bruised heel and a sore ankle. She was quite shaken up and in shock at first but as the day went on she was back to herself in no time. Doug and I couldn't get the "what ifs" out of our head and we had a few sleepless nights. A day like that was a HUGE reminder to us to listen to that inner feeling we all have and to really think about if things are truly worth it in the end. My goal in sharing this experience was just that, listen to that feeling and stick to it! If something feels off or not right, it probably isn't. We had a lengthy discussion with the kids about risks and rewards. Cliff jumping is not worth it, the reward is not worth the risk!! So, new motto for us is, to enjoy this adventure but NOT be too adventurous. Very thankful in the end that Adison was ok and nothing worse happened!! Someone was watching over us that day!! Hiked our way out and made our way to the top of the waterfall which was pretty amazing to look down as to where we had just been.
Finished the day trip off with lunch at McDonalds in Liberia, yes I said McDonalds!! Not so Costa Rican but the kids and Doug were pretty excited to go and try it out. Same old, same old!
Looked the same, smelled the same and tasted the same! Only difference was it cost way more, $8 for two cheeseburgers, and they had a lady directing people for the line ups. lol
Finally made our way to a popular small beach called Playa Octotal about 4km from Coco on Saturday. We have heard from so many people that this is the best beach around here and were they right!! We taxied there around 9:30 that morning and arranged for the driver to pick us up at 2:00, we were hoping he would come back like he said he would! lol When we arrived at the beach is was low tide so the sandy area was wide and so smooth. Tucked in a bay off the Pacific Ocean is this amazing beach which is perfect for swimming and snorkeling, so we all were pretty excited to be there! We spent the day snorkeling together and seeing a wide variety of beautiful coloured fish!! Doug and I both agreed it was one of our favourite things we have done together as a family. We were all able to be in the water at the same time because the beach wasn't busy and it was super safe. One of us usually has to stay out to stand guard over our personal items so they don't get stolen. We got to experience the exciting fish discoveries all at the same time, you could hear the kids squealing from a mile away! Haha, love it!! As the day went on the tide got higher and higher so that meant we lost our sandy beach and we had everything hanging in the trees. One thing we have learnt here, always sit yourself by the trees if possible!! The shade is a must and they will also save your stuff! We loved this beach and we loved that we finally got to snorkel. We can't wait to go back!!
After an amazing, emotional week we all can sit back and truly be thankful for each other. We started and finished the week feeling great, our scary day in between made me feel grateful. I have never hugged or squeezed the kids so tight as I did after realizing how quickly my life could have changed by a matter of inches. Sometimes I think we are presented these little reminders to open our eyes to the bigger picture out there. I do believe things happen for a reason and I love that we are all ok and ready to continue this adventure. I am reminded to listen to myself more and to realize that I'm not just being a nagging mom, that there is a reason why, things are the way they are.
We have each other and our hearts are full!!
PURA VIDA!!!!!
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