up that long. Certainly, three weeks before we arrived there was a sizeable earthquake, the epicenter of which was not that far from San Jose. But just blaming the bad architecture on earthquakes seems a bit unfair on seismic activity. Still, the accommodation we enjoyed in San Jose was pretty good, even having a colonial feel to the architecture.So it wasn't long before Beth and I, with our trusted Spanish phrase 
book (alright for Spain but not ideal for Latin America), managed to organise a bus down to Samara, our home for just about two weeks. The change in scenery within ten miles was fantastic. Suddenly we could see hills, volcanoes and rivers and the views just got better as we headed across the Gulf of Nicoya. Here, large crocodiles bask in the hot sunshine on the sand banks that emerge during low tide. On sped our bus, along narrow country lanes, the heat outside becoming more intense in our non air-conditioned bus. But the journey was worth it.
book (alright for Spain but not ideal for Latin America), managed to organise a bus down to Samara, our home for just about two weeks. The change in scenery within ten miles was fantastic. Suddenly we could see hills, volcanoes and rivers and the views just got better as we headed across the Gulf of Nicoya. Here, large crocodiles bask in the hot sunshine on the sand banks that emerge during low tide. On sped our bus, along narrow country lanes, the heat outside becoming more intense in our non air-conditioned bus. But the journey was worth it.
Samara is a village / small town that lazily spreads along the length of the golden beach that is blessed with gentle seas and palm trees along it's length. A large reef, about half a mile out to sea, provides the crash barrier for the formidable Pacific swell that can cause waves in excess of 8' 
to come crashing down onto beaches just around the corner. This reef also affords protection at low tide for those interested in snorkeling with the local marine life. The great thing is the water is so warm that you don't need wetsuits. Coming from Cornwall, where the sea at best feels like you've just stepped into a large carton of Mr Whippy's Cornish Ice Cream, I was surprised it felt too hot to swim at times. Unbelievable I know! Samara has a very laid back vibe which is infectious. It wasn't long before we found ourselves getting into a punishing routine of trotting down to the 
beach after breakfast (a very nice breakfast I 
must add), reading books, going swimming in the sea or maybe surfing (yours truly), followed by a walk round to the local bakers for freshly baked cinnamon rolls and gorgeous bread for lunch, back to the beach for a spot more reading and relaxing and perhaps another swim, and finally ending the day with a fabulous meal before crashing out after another hectic day on the Pacific Coast.
beach after breakfast (a very nice breakfast I 
must add), reading books, going swimming in the sea or maybe surfing (yours truly), followed by a walk round to the local bakers for freshly baked cinnamon rolls and gorgeous bread for lunch, back to the beach for a spot more reading and relaxing and perhaps another swim, and finally ending the day with a fabulous meal before crashing out after another hectic day on the Pacific Coast.
We endured this hardship for nearly two whole weeks before we hired some bikes and cycled all seven kilometers to Playa Carrillo, an idyllic half moon bay of almost white sand, a contender for the most beautiful beach in Costa Rica.
On our route to the beach we passed lazy iguanas enjoying the morning sunshine, their spikey dinosaur backs and heads standing out in sharp contrast
against the tarmac road. Playa Carrillo stands in isolation, even further away from tourists than Samara. Big palm trees grow closely together along the length of the beach, standing to attention, guarding the golden sands and the oh so blue water gently makes its daily run onto the shore. It's the kind of place where you lose track of time, the only things that seem to matter are simply just being. That and, before getting too philosophical, the need to sprint as fast as you could when you forgot to take your sandals with you to the edge of the water to avoid getting burned feet from the superheated golden sand. Needless to say the day went by far too quickly. We reluctantly left the beach in the pleasantly warm dusk, our footprints the only sign we had ever been there....more passing visitors the beach soon forgets as the tide soothes the scorching sand - a beach we won't forget.
A day or so later, who can remember when time is suspended?, and we made our way from the coast into the hills. Monteverde and Santa Elena are famous for their cloud forests, that's a rain forest but so high up that it's always in cloud. We only had a few days here, taking in the sights and sounds of the forests, watching the precision flying of the Hummingbird, the scuttle of a huge millipede, the swinging of a branch 
as a monkey disappeared from view, a glimpse of a toucan as its startling colours blurred in flight. We almost saw the famed Volcan Arenal, but every time we tried to catch a glimpse the volcano seemed to cloak itself in cloud and hide from view. Still, the base of Arenal looked a bit like a Welsh mountain......!A final dash to San Jose and we were off once again, taken from the cocoon of the Rich Coast and back to the world beyond....
