Pura Vida

Updated: Aug 9, 2021

When you hear the words Pura Vida meaning simple or pure life, you should definitely be thinking of Costa Rica. It's not just a saying in this country though, it's their lifestyle. And just one of the many reasons why I love this country!

We arrived Monday night in San Jose and would be spending a few days there while the BF was on business. We grabbed our rental car, got settled into our hotel and grabbed dinner nearby at Massala Bistro; they offer amazing Indian food and refreshing Sangria. San Jose is a very busy city and their is so much traffic, so once you get to your destination, park your car and take an Uber if you are wanting to explore! They typically run around $2-4 which is worth your sanity of not driving or trying to park! We stayed at the Holiday Inn Escazu which is a great location in San Jose; it has a rooftop pool, free breakfast, and close to Plaza Tempo which has shopping, bars, and restaurants and a great place to just enjoy the Central American sunshine! I spent my first free day blogging and lounging at the rooftop pool. That evening we ventured to downtown Escazu and grabbed a few beers with the locals at Bar Restaurante Cristian before indulging on a fabulous dinner at Aquila y Sol. The food was divine and the service was even better. Wednesday morning and our last day in San Jose, I enjoyed breakfast and reading in the plaza, more pool time, and had some delicious gelato from Il Dolce. Once he had finished his work day, we were off to our next destination and 7 more days in this one-of-a-kind country.

Our next stop, the Lost Iguana Resort in La Fortuna; I had no idea how amazing this place was going to be. After three hours of driving Costa Rican winding roads, we arrived at dusk. We had went from city life to a life in the lush Rainforest. We were greeted with a fruity cocktail and friendly hostess'. Because it was dark, we couldn't get a full view of the property, but we knew at sunrise, the views of Arenal would be unbelievable. The rooms here are very spacious with beautiful tile floors and exotic decor; there are two pools, private trails guests can hike, and a spa where you can enjoy a massage or sit in the sauna. We grabbed dinner on property at The Blue Hibiscus, an open-air restaurant that offers international cuisine and spent the evening relaxing on the balcony in our private jacuzzi and listening to the sounds of the jungle.

The next morning we awoke to the usual morning Rainforest rain falling, birds chirping, and the fresh smell of the lush green foliage. I walked out onto the patio and could not believe the view of Arenal Volcano; I was in awe and just stood there taking it all in. How is this is my view right now? It was almost unbelievable. We had coffee on the balcony before taking a stroll around the gorgeous 120-acre property, enjoyed a lovely breakfast, and before leaving made a stop at the pool bar to enjoy a refreshing cocktail. I definitely could have spent more time here at Lost Iguana, but we were off our next destination.

Check them out here https://lostiguanacr.com/

Be sure to catch my next blog to see how we spent the morning in the Rainforest just "hanging" around at Mistico!