Monkeys and whales and boars, oh my!

Hola!

Yesterday (Wednesday) was another incredible day. After all of the go go go and the hiking and rafting, it was nice to finally have a relaxing day. In the morning I woke up early and went for a run along the beach. The town was quiet and there was absolutely no need to use my iPod. Listening to the waves crashing on the sand, the monkeys jumping around in the trees, and the sound of my shoes hitting the dirt road was the best running mix I could have asked for. I ran along the beach for awhile and back towards the path that led to the waterfall. I think it's safe to say that this was one of the most beautiful runs I've ever been on. It was so relaxing and I felt like I didn't have a care in the world. All I needed to do was put one foot in front of the other and breathe while taking in as much of my surroundings as possible. If you're a runner, I'm sure you understand.

After a quick shower we all met for breakfast before leaving for Isla Tortuga. We walked into the restaurant and sat down and the next thing we knew we were surrounded by white faced monkeys. There were about 4 monkeys just swinging from the trees literally an arms length away from us. We then jumped in a small motor boat and took a VERY fast and bumpy but very fun ride over to Isla Tortuga. A few minutes before we were meant to head to shore all of the boats stop. Next thing we know we see a baby humpback whale breaching out of the ocean.I couldn't believe it. First, I have breakfast with monkeys and next I am only feet away from a humpback whale. It was an unforgettable sight. The baby whale was so playful but I mostly snapped pictures of the momma whale.

One we got to shore we had about an hour to mess around before getting on the boat again to be taken snorkeling. Some of the ladies took our towels and sat by the ocean while the others engaged in a game of beach volleyball (which I eventually joined in on later). Next thing I know Steve is running down the beach yelling for me to grab my camera. I run over to where he came from and saw that there was a baby wild boar just lying in the shade. At first I was afraid to touch him but then I saw someone walk over and start giving him a belly rub. He was very prickly like a porcupine and not soft like I was expecting. A little while later we got back in the boat and drove out into the ocean to go snorkeling. There wasn't much visibility but the fish were so colorful and the water was nice and warm. After swimming around for a bit, Jason and I threw off our masks and fins and jumped off of the boat into the water.

Once we got back to the beach, some of us went down to the shore and just soaked in the sun. With the crystal green water, the sound of the ocean, and the warm sun on my body, it was very easy to fall asleep. It was by far the most relaxed I have been in a very long time. To add to my contentment, when we got back to the hotel, Reena led the group in a yoga session on the roof of our hotel. After we were all stretched out and in tune with our inner chi, we went out to dinner at a restaurant run by Israelis. On the way back to the hotel we watched some locals fire swinging in the street with another local playing the bongos. At that point we were all pretty spent and decided we should have a quiet night in. A couple of us cracked open a bottle of Costa Rican rum and hung out in the reception area, chatting and remembering the last few days.

Before I forget, I wanted to document a few Costa Rican cultural differences. Costa Ricans are EXTREMELY environmentally friendly. There are about three or four recycle bins on just about every corner. And for those who aren't eating while reading this next part, Costa Ricans do not put toilet paper in the toilet. They use only biodegradable materials and do not have a very strong septic system. Because of this, anything additional that you would normally put in the toilet has to go in the garbage can. It's not a pretty sight or a pretty smell, but it is environmentally friendly.

Pura vida!

E