We were told Tamarindo isn't the "real" Costa Rica - that's it's more like Miami. That isn't automatically a criticism, but this morning - after the unbelievable experiences and wonderful people here at Casitas Tenorio - it feels like we are losing something.
We skipped the farm tour this morning in order to pack up the casita. Partway though, eagle-eyed Lauren called out from the front veranda "monkeys!" Now, keep in mind that Lauren is 4, so she has been telling us all trip about the monkeys she has "seen" from the car, or the whales, or when she climbed up in the trees and was swallowed by a snake (which...to be clear...didn't happen!). This time, though - true!
On to breakfast (the pancakes veritably got more attention from Everest than the monkeys beforehand!) and yet another new visitor to the rancho - a Crested Guan.
(Merely "near threatened" so rather boring compared to last night's kinkajou!😂)
Before leaving - and in response to our inquiring - our hosts Nana and Jeff showed us a house on the property that includes a full kitchen - more suitable for longer stays. Perhaps that's next year's adventure?? (Last night Jeff saw tapirs just in front of this house. We missed them. So....decision made, right?)
Followed by more brief-but-intense rain.
Before leaving the little village, we stocked up on essentials for the trip, including some of the granadilla and mamoncillos were first tried yesterday, as well as hydration from Cafe Semilla.
We did NOT take the "logging pass" highway out of Bijagua de Upala - stuck to the primary highways - but we were still treated to awe-inspiring views as we began our journey west to the coast.
There is a pronounced change in climate and ecosystem as one descends from the mountains and heads west. Lush and wet tropical rainforest is replaced by arid semi-desert - what reminds me of New Mexico in the U.S.A. As we were in an air-conditioned car, the dry heat really only hit as we stepped out for a bio-break! We also noticed that the valley was on fire. Truly. What first appeared to be controlled fires - small smouldering areas with people generally nearby seeming to monitor - was replaced by smokiness across the highway and multiple widespread areas where the ground was smouldering or actively alight. "Should we be turning back? Are we driving into a forest fire?" But nobody else on the highway seemed to give it a thought. There was a steady parade of cars heading in the same direction as us, and the cars coming in the opposite direction appeared in no hurry. Eventually we made it through the smoke-filled valley, and marveled in the evening as we looked out from the beach that we could still see fires burning in the faraway countryside.
Tamarindo!
A beach town that in some ways feels like beach towns all over the world, Tamarindo is a beautiful homage to sun, sand, and surfing. Plenty of action along the main strip - restaurants, shops, and loads of people meandering around in bathing suits and flip flops.
We checked in to Tamarindo Village Hotel, a small, friendly hotel well off the beaten path. (It felt a little like we were leaving Tamarindo to get to our place here, though it's only a ~3 minute walk to the central part of town. Just...once you leave paved roads - and you don't know where you are going - it always feels a bit like leaving civilization.) The clean and well-appointed room did NOT feel away from civilization, and the hosts/owners were great!
Monkeys in their not-so-natural habitat...
...super impressive!
When you're new in town, the beach is actually a little hard to find, strangely! I mean, we knew exactly where it was - just behind that row of shops and restaurants - but it takes a moment to realize that these dirt/sand alleyways off the main (paved and finished) road between the shops are the intended route.
The beach!
Tomorrow is a full day of sun and sand!
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