COSTA RICA
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COSTA RICA |
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June 2006 and April 2007 |
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As the wheels of the plane lifted off the San Jose runway in 1998, I was already thinking of the day that I might return to this verdant land. Little did I know that it would be EIGHT freakin’ years later! But alas – return I did in 2006, and then again in 2007 - a couple of times
I headed down to Jaco with a rag-tag band of ill-tempered work-a-day escapists, with little in mind other than sunshine, warm water and reasonably priced cocktails. By all accounts, it was mission accomplished. Compared to my 1998 visit, this trip was rather adventure-free (save for the four-day rollercoaster ride endured by our livers).
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Jaco Beach |
Casa Milagro |
Local |
Another Local |
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Quick! To the bar! |
John Looks Qualified |
Bryan surfed by day and drank by night. John would occasionally brave the waves on a boogie board, as did I in knee deep water with water wings and a little sea monster floatie, but that minimal effort was really just an excuse to get to the drinking part of the day feeling as if we accomplished something. Keith dispensed with the pretense and went straight for the booze. God bless him. So other than eating and drinking and playing musical roulette with a veritable cornucopia of Ipods, we spent the majority of our waking hours sleeping. And there was no better place to do it than pool-side at soporific Casa Milagro.
As this was Bryan’s third jaunt down, he turned us on to this ocean side gem. Casa Milagro is a three bedroom airy villa complex nestled on the black sand beach that boasts reliable ocean breezes and an eternally balmy pool – the ideal spot to convert brain cells into melanin. And that we did, frequently with the help of the local Costa Rican catalyst - Imperial beer.
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View from Casa Milagro |
Costa Rican Adventure |
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Bryan Rethinking his Afternoon |
Steady... |
Steady... |
That Much Closer to the Bar |
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Jaco sits on the central west coast of Costa Rica, and is just under two hours from San Jose by car. Jaco is a surfers town, period. The dark sand beach isn’t the prettiest, nor is the town or surrounding area, and the water isn’t particularly clear, but the place buzzes with well-tanned locals and expats as they vacillate between surfing and languishing in small bars and restaurants just off the beach. Food is good and well priced. The locals are friendly. T-shirts are plentiful. |
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The Crew |
Surfing - Kind Of |
Jaco Sidewalk |
Townward |
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Those looking for true Costa Rican escapades, jungle expeditions, white water rafting, volcano climbing and any of the other myriad eco-action-adventure activities would do well to skip Jaco in favor of the more specialized Costa Rican destinations. But if you surf and eat and drink, and need little else to keep you happy, this ain’t a bad spot at all. |
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Too Many Croc Pics? |
Probably |
But just in case...
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Again and Again. |
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Hurry the Hell UP! |
John Schooling some Local Surf Wanna Be |
Keith Supports the Economy |
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| April 2007 | ||||||
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And then there was April 2007. Same general idea, different crew. This time the HQ was David's sweet pad right on the beach - Casa Sunset - supervised by the ever watchful eye of Max. This trip offered the standard fare: beer, BBQ, sunshine, beer, surf, beer, etc.; although Mark and Jason added dune buggies to the mix, and Greer and I managed a trek through Carara National Park . Another successful voyage. |
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Jaco at Sunset |
Hermosa Beach Front |
Crew minus Greer Photo courtesy of Keith G. Greer |
Jaco Beach Scene Photo courtesy of Keith G. Greer |
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David's Pool |
Fresh Fish Barbeque |
Bryan About to Get Barreled |
Hermosa Beach Bar |
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Typical Scene |
Carara National Park |
Scarlet Macaw in the Park |
Croc in the Park |
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Adrian the Expert Guide Photo courtesy of Keith G. Greer |
Scarlet Macaw in the Park |
Hermosa beach |
White Faced Monkey Photo courtesy of Keith G. Greer |
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White Faced Monkey |
Mark takes to the Sea | Jackson Tells it Like it Is | Q'ing | |||
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Carara Hike |
Jaco Boat Photo courtesy of Keith G. Greer |
Carara Monkey Show Photo courtesy of Keith G. Greer |
Dinner |
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Jamming Photo courtesy of Mark Bonaca |
High Above Jaco Photo courtesy of Mark Bonaca |
Pre-Run Fuel Photo courtesy of Mark Bonaca |
David's Pad |
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David and Trusty Max |
Photog |
Again |
Usual Scene |
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