We got back from the Pacific side of Costa Rica yesterday. Because Signature Vacations bumped us from hotel to hotel a couple of times before we got there, we ended up staying at one (Allegro Papagayo) that wasn’t our first choice, but we didn’t let that stop us from having a good time.

Costa Rica doesn’t have the kind of beaches that you’ll find in places like Punta Cana. People really don’t go there for the beach. The sand tends to be black because of all of the volcanic activity within the country.

We did a couple of day trips to Guachipelin and Arenal that included horseback riding, zip lining, rock climbing, mud baths, and hot springs.

This is why people go to Costa Rica:

Our guide said this was a monkey cum. I looked at the Girl and she looked at me.

“What did he say that was?”
“He said it was monkey cum.”
“Huh.”

Then the woman behind me said to her husband, “What did he say that was?”
“I dunno, I think he said it was monkey cum.”

Silence.

Turns out he was saying monkey comb. It’s a fruit that has this nickname.

The second day into our trip saw the girl already trying to destroy the ecosystem there by stepping on one of these puffer fish. Luckily for the fish, he gave her a good sting so that she didn’t completely flatten him. That’s a picture of one after he’s puffed up and floating on the surface. Once you realize how important ecologic conservation is in this country, you think twice before even swatting a mosquito. Costa Rica’s motto is Pura Vida, or Pure Life.

Just took the following quiz and Costa Rica was recommended. Funny enough, that’s where we have tickets for later this year.

You Should Visit Costa Rica

Costa Rica is the perfect place for you to get in touch with your inner beach bum. Relax on the beach, go for a bit of surfing, or try to communicate with the monkeys in the jungle!

What Latin American Country Should You Visit?

So we got back from Switzerland a couple of weeks ago. We’ve recovered from the jet lag, but The Girl caught a cold over there and then passed it on to me here, so we are both sick. It was cold in Gstaad, where the wedding took place.

In addition to Gstaad, we ended up visiting Geneva, Bern, and Lausanne. The next picture is of Lana and Reto at the lunch reception.

It’s -15 degrees Celsius where we live (-20 with the wind chill). That’s just a little colder than where we were last month (Punta Cana)! Although, overall for a January in this part of the world, temperatures have been fairly moderate. We’ll see if it keeps up.

While we were in Punta Cana, we went on a safari for a day with the Bavaro Runners group. One of the stops was a cigar museum where the Girl made a hairy friend.