Costa Rica Weeks 8 and 9: Sun and Sand on the Nicoya Peninsula

For the past two weeks we have been (mostly) enjoying life on the Pacific coast of the Nicoya Peninsula, one of the world’s “Blue Zones.” We’ve spent plenty of time at the beach and in pools, braved rough surf on a “Seafari,” and even got some firsthand experience with the Costa Rican medical system. On the plus side, like La Fortuna I think it’s another stretch where we finished “above .500” and overall it’s been a great two weeks.

Read on to find out about the highlights of the weeks, hear our perspectives on the good, the bad, and the ugly, and find out what we’ve learned. And as always, thanks for coming along on the journey with us!

Highlights of the Week

Puerto Carrillo and Carrillo Beach

Puerto Carrillo was definitely a highlight for the whole family, and the serene, expansive, and stunningly beautiful Playa Carrillo (Carrillo Beach) was among our favorite Costa Rican destinations so far. Our apartment was just a five minute walk to the beach, perfect for morning walks, “science explorations” at low tide, afternoon boogie boarding after school, and the odd sunset or two. To top it all off, our Airbnb also had a pool that was used extensively as well. We would definitely have stayed longer in Puerto Carrillo if we could have, which is not something we’ve said about many places during our almost two months in Costa Rica (Guapiles being the exception).

Younger Brother Visits the Doctor!

Unfortunately, our time in Puerto Carrillo did not start particularly well. Younger Brother’s on-and-off belly issues came with us from Bijagua, and by day two it was clear that we needed to do something. The poor boy was in and out of the bathroom nonstop, couldn’t keep anything down, and had lost all vim and vigor. So we packed the family into the Rav and drove to the medical clinic in Samara. Three IVs cured him of his severe dehydration, and after several hours (and blood, urine, and stool tests, plus an ultrasound) he was diagnosed with a bacterial infection. While he received his first dose of antibiotics through the IV, unfortunately the follow-up doses on the following two days were delivered via shots in the bum, much to Younger Brother’s chagrin. But the medical interventions appear to have worked and all is right in the world now (see the “before” and “after” below)!

A Unique Halloween

Though Dad is a bit of a Halloween grinch, the kids are fanatics, and in the lead-up to Halloween they were feeling pretty bummed about missing one of their favorite holidays. And while it wasn’t quite the same thing as Halloween back in the States, the expat-heavy Samara has, for years, put on a fun masquerade parade with trick-or-treating at local businesses.

Here’s what Sister thought of it: On Halloween we went to a parade. It was fun but a little overwhelming for me. We got a decent amount of Costa Rican candy. I tried to be Taylor Swift, Older Brother was Messi and Younger Brother was another soccer player. The parade was cool because in the front of it there were spinning people in costumes. My favorite candy were the lollipops because they had gum inside them.

Samara

One thing that made leaving Puerto Carrillo a bit easier was knowing that we were only traveling 10-15 minutes down the coast to Samara, the cute, expat-favored town that we’d already visited several times due to our back-and-forths to the medical clinic and our Halloween excursion. Sure, the walk to the beach was now ten minutes instead of five, and sure, the beach wasn’t quite as stunning as Playa Carrillo, but we are really splitting hairs here…. Like in Puerto Carrillo, we took full advantage of our proximity to the beach, with “science walks,” morning meditations, and hours upon hours of boogie boarding (with a sunburn or two for good measure).

Boogie Boarding and Pool Time!

In both Puerto Carrillo and Samara, we were lucky enough to have pools and boogie boards provided at both Airbnbs. The pools provided a proximate respite from the heat and a chance to cool off after walking back from the beach. And though sometimes we had to fight to get the kids to the beach (why must every #$%&@ thing be a battle!?), once we got there it was near impossible to drag them out of the water. This last week has been the apex of our boogie boarding in Costa Rica, perhaps because while we only had one boogie board in Puerto Viejo, and two in Puerto Carrillo, there are five available in Samara – no sharing needed!

Our “Seafari”

With only a few days left in Samara we journeyed out for a “seafari” (I wish I could take credit for the name, but alas, that belongs to Samara Adventures). While there were some nerves in the buildup focused mostly on sharks, it was the rough surf we really should have been worried about (caused by an offshore tropical storm). While it was “fun” riding the roller coaster waves at first, by the end of our journey three of us were doing our best to keep our insides inside (Younger Brother and Dad with success, but sadly not so much for Sister…). While it may have been hard for all to enjoy the trip for large portions, we did get to see sea turtles, bottlenose dolphins, spotted dolphins, a yellow-bellied sea snake, and flying fish. And free from the rocking boat, we all enjoyed a swim at the end of our journey (though unfortunately the water was too rough and murky for scuba diving).

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

The Good

Dad – I think the Samara/Puerto Carrillo area has been my favorite in Costa Rica so far. Beach walks in the morning (with slightly less heat and humidity than the Caribbean), watching the kids spend hours bonding over boogie boarding, and catching the occasional sunset over the Pacific have all been really nice experiences, more like “thriving” than “surviving.” In retrospect, even the Seafari feels like a good experience now that I’m back on solid ground.

Side note – I’ve spent plenty of time riding ocean waves in boats big and small in my life and never experienced the level of queasiness I did today, although I’ve had similar experiences on rides with the kids at Funtown recently too. I must be getting old…

Mom – I really enjoyed going to the Halloween parade in downtown Samara. The kids had been very bummed about missing the traditional Halloween that they’re used to so it was nice to experience another culture’s take on Halloween.

Beach days filled with warm water and sunshine always make me happy!

The ocean Seafari was fun until it turned into a sick-fari for some. It’s always nice having a “field trip” to break up the week!

Our current Airbnb is the first place we’ve stayed that doesn’t have an army of tiny ants, small ants or fire ants constantly swarming the kitchen. YAY!

Older Brother – There is a beach like five minutes from our Airbnb and when we were there my sister did a front flip off her boogie board. LOL it was SSSOOOOOOOO funny (also she is ok… I think). Also went to a halloween parade that was pretty much it for the Airbnb we left. Also today we took an ocean safari and my sister wweeeelllllll she sort of  🤢🤮on the boat and three other times but other then that it was good 🙂 .

Sister – There was a cat at our Airbnb and a really nice dog named Kira.🐈🐕There are pools where we are staying and I like swimming in them. We can go to the beach and I really like boogie boarding at the beach.

Younger Brother – The Awesome- Halloween was awesome, the parade in Samara was fun. I liked the Masquerades and the music. Also the doctors gave me a stuffy and said I could have all kinds of ice cream, so my siblings got me a soda and all kinds of sweet treats that were chocolate, my favorite!

And the Good- We watched a Halloween Baking show all together. I hope to watch another season.

The Bad

Dad – Even when things are generally going well, there is a lot of pressure on Mom and Dad to provide structure and keep spirits high, and sometimes the days can become monotonous, hard, and lonely. If you’re a parent, think about how you feel at the end of summer vacation. But unlike a normal summer vacation, there aren’t any other friends or family members to help deflect attention or provide entertainment or distraction. Luckily (thankfully!) the cavalry is coming, and we will soon have two separate family visits! Huzzah!

Mom – There were a couple rough school days this week.

Older Brother – I got bleach on one of my shirts 😓.

Sister – I did a front flip off a boogie board when a wave was crashing down on me.🌊It was scary when it happened but it’s funny in the video.

Younger Brother – We had to the clinic so many times for check ins.

The Ugly

Dad – Younger Brother’s medical situation really was a scary start to our stay in the Nicoya Peninsula. It’s hard as a parent when your child is sick at the best of times. It’s even harder when you’re in a foreign country, don’t speak the language well, and have no experience with the medical system there. Luckily the folks at the clinic were very amazing and friendly, and hopefully our travel insurance will pick up the tab. But even so, our out-of-pocket costs were about half as much as they would have been for similar treatment in the good old US of A (Maybe our future elected leaders can figure out a way for our country to join the rest of the first world and ensure affordable healthcare as a basic human right).

Mom – Ditto. I felt awful seeing Younger Brother being so ill however I’m incredibly grateful for the staff and doctors at the clinic we took him to. They were so kind, thorough and quick to help Younger Brother get onto the road to recovery quickly. We went back to the clinic several more times for additional doses of antibiotics and check-ups to make sure he continued to get well.

Also, this Airbnb seems to have more mosquitoes around, so sitting outside isn’t as peaceful.

Older Brother – The pool in our backyard is… THE FREAKING ANTARCTIC OCEAN 😡🥶. I also had to do chores 😡 I anger.

Sister – We went on a ”seafari” and when we were just sitting there I threw up!🤮 I really didn’t feel well and then like five minutes later I threw up again!🤮😭I threw up because there was a tropical storm so the ride was more rocky.

Younger Brother – I got so sick my mom and dad took me to a clinic to get checked out. I also had to get IV’s, the first arm was unsuccessful so they had to do the other arm. I also got 2 shots in my butt.

Lesson Learned

The ocean continues to be a balm for what ails us and one of our preferred medicines. As part of our family’s “re-set” this year Mom and Dad have spent a lot of time contemplating where we might settle down after our worldschool adventure (and the odds are looking better that the USA may actually be that place!). But we consistently conclude that it would be hard for us to live too far from the ocean. Mom and Dad have always been drawn to the ocean as a place to recreate, meditate, and celebrate (engagement and marriage both occurred at Maine’s Popham Beach).

New York has always been a tempting relocation spot due to its extensive network of family and friends, and the hiking available in its beautiful mountains. And we found some pretty amazing inland places (New Mexico and Zion, to name two) during our summer “speed dating of the US.” But neither of them can offer easy access to the ocean in the same way that, say, Maine or California can. So wherever we resettle (California’s still in the running!), chances are pretty good we’ll need an ocean nearby. Especially since it’s affordable mental healthcare!