2021 September - Day 06 - Costa Rica - Playas Hermosa, Del Coco and Covid Testing

 Our last vacation day is about to conclude here in Costa Rica.  Tomorrow we travel home.  We waited to see if Denise’s test from yesterday would be accepted…but no communication came.  So we asked the hotel to schedule what they call a ‘Doctor’ to stop by and do an antigen test.  It turned out to be quite easy and only cost around $55….we think as we paid in Colones.  The Doctor arrived around 10:30 AM.  But before that, Denise and I went down to Playa Hermosa and walked south, a different direction from yesterday.  It was a shorter walk and took us to some rocks that we went around and into our own little cove.  The water was much calmer and we really enjoyed the hour or so that we were there swimming in the ocean.  Denise really enjoyed it.  We returned to the hotel around 10 AM and swam in the pool thinking the Doctor was coming at 11 AM…which was what was scheduled.  But he arrived a bit early which was great.  We had a lot of Colones to spend so we paid him with that.  And the test was negative…again.  I think this is Denise’s third negative test in about 9 days.  Emed finally emailed me telling me that they could not do anything about the process mistake yesterday with Denise’s mistake.  They apologized.  I responded with an email telling them of my disgust with the way it was handled.  They are now wanting to talk with me on Monday and saying they will send me some test kits for my next trip to Peru in October (if we go…Denise can explain this.).

After hanging out at the hotel to around noon, we headed to Playa Del Coco which is about 5 miles south from where we are.  This is a more touristy area and we found a pretty nice park on the water where we could park our car and just go hang out with the locals.  For about ah hour we sat in the shade and just people watched.  To our right was a family of 3 with the youngest probably 6 months or so.  They had one of the grand fathers with them and he was fishing in the ocean without a fishing pole.  And much to our surprise…he caught a nice sized fish.  It was fun to watch him get it in and to the shore.  The family was excited to see him do that.  The young mother then grabbed some line and a hook and went out to try her hand at it also.  While we were there…she did not have luck like her father.

Clouds began to roll in and sprinkle a bit…just enough to get us moving back to our car.  We thought we’d get some food in Del Coco but decided to go back to our hotel and get showered and then go get some food in Playa Hermosa.  So that is what we did.  I watched some TV (in Spanish of course) while Denise got ready.  I then showered.  But while we were inside getting ready, more clouds came in and dropped some serious rain.  It lasted for maybe 30 minutes and then we were fine even though the skies were still cloudy.  Finally at around 4 PM, we decided to venture out and find food.  We went to another ‘Soda’.  This one was nice and clean, more like a small inside restaurant.  We ordered Nachos and a Hamburger to share.   We also got Pineapple Smoothies.  It was all extremely yummy!  However, it took nearly an hour to get our food.  In the end, the owners apologized immensely for their slowness.  I think the order got dropped.  But I have no idea how since this place was so small.  Anyway…we had a nice visit with the owners and wished them the best.  They had only been in business about 6 months.

We are now getting ready to head out tomorrow at 6 AM to turn the car in and then get checked in.  Adobe Rental Car opens at 8 AM…but they promised to have a guy there at 7 AM to check our car in and take us to the airport.  We fly at 10:15 AM and they are fairly close to the airport and the airport is quite small.  So  I suspect that checking in should be fairly easy.  But you just never know in foreign lands how they handle things.  And I’ve heard that Costa Rica officials can be tough on paper work and such.  But we shall see.

I will post tomorrow only if there are some crazy travel things that go on..  So if there is no post, assume it was a normal travel day.  Costa Rica has treated us well.  The Covid stuff kind of set me back a bit and dampened the last day or two.  That’s on me though.  We’ve really enjoyed the hotels that we chose.  At first glance, they were not the fancy all-inclusives or big hotels.  They were more local ones.  But they were ALL great!  Only positive things to say about all of them.   The food has been a bit pricey but we have stayed in very touristy locations.  So you can kind of expect that.  But it was a bit surprising.  But the quality and taste of the food was very good.  We have been pleased with it all.  The driving…much better than I envisioned.  Yes, the roads are single lanes and pretty narrow.  Some were not kept well having pot holes that could swallow your car.  You just have to be on your toes, keep your distance and take your time.  All good.  The beaches have been beautiful.  The water, not very clear, mostly due to the season of rain we are in.  The ocean is churning more than normal per the locals.  Nonetheless, always fun to get into the ocean and swim.

Some pictures:

Denise’s crepe breakfast this morning.  She even liked the maple syrup they provided for them!

Our cove where we swam in the morning with not one around.  Well…one girl came down by herself and swam around.  But that was it.  Nice morning at Playa Hermosa.

The essentials….bug spray and sun screen!

Fat guy in the water photo bombing the selfie!

Their gutters are deep…rightfully so.  When it rains, it can drop it fast.  These carry it away pretty quickly.

My hamburger for dinner.   Denise said it was one of her top 5.  It was really good.

Another negative Covid test for Denise.  We know she does not have it today!

I just love bug spray and sunscreen stuff (Not!).  Gotta do it though….

Cute little statue at Playa Del Coco.  This was in the park that we strolled along in.  Lots of fun there.

Looking out into the bay at Playa Del Coco.  The water was quite close.  We actually were sitting on some cement bench that was by the park.  Sprinklers actually came on…which was amazing since this place is so green and so humid.

Returning from Denise’s Cove at Playa Hermosa.

This is the park we sat at in Playa Del Coco.  You can see the lawn behind us that had sprinklers come on. The ocean water is maybe 40 yards away…at most.

The successful fisherman.  He eventually gutted it and prepared it to take home for dinner before we went back to the waters edge.  You can see he has no pole.

To say ‘Welcome’ or ‘Thank You’….they say ‘Pura Vida’ here.  Denise got this picture to remind us of that fact and for here to remember the words Pura Vida.  She’s practicing her Spanish much here.

Beautiful foliage everywhere here.  It is very beautiful.

My standard Costa Rican breakfast.  Platano, two eggs, rice and beans and tortillas with crema.  And always a plate of fruit.  I also had a glass of orange juice too.

Yummy pineapple smoothies at the Soda where we at at for dinner tonight.  

More flowers and foliage….

Returning home from our morning walk and time at the Playa Hermosa beach, we were accompanied by this smaller iguana.  They probably are lurking in the woods everywhere around here.

2021 September - Day 05 - Costa Rica - Liberia and Playa Hermosa Arrival.

 Day 5 is here and almost complete.  It is about 5 PM and we just came in from the beach.  Our day started around 7 AM because I was anxious to do our Covid testing the BinaxNow test kits that we had purchased and United accepts.  We did my test first and everything sailed right through.  Negative and docs sent in about 30 minutes.  We start to do Denise and the guy says I’m doing it under my account.  I assumed it was because I bought the kits.  Anyway, he clearly understands that this test was for Denise and we do the test.  She is negative.  But then the @nd proctor who validates the test says this will go under my name and won’t be for Denise as she needs her own emed account….which she did not have and obviously we did not use.  We got upset and the proctor gave us Customer Support after getting a bunch of info and ‘opening’ a report.  After about an hour waiting to speak to a Customer Support agent, I got someone who said he could probably get this fixed.  I gave him lots of info and he knew that a 2nd test was taken 13 minutes after my first one.  He also knew if was for my wife.  But he had to open a ‘Case’, get me a ticket. Number and elevate the case to some review board that he says will respond in 24 hours.  Well, it is 5 PM and I’ve heard nothing.  Maybe something will come over night.  I’m really glad we did all the testing in Playa Conchal as the WiFi at this hotel is not so good.  Anyway we wait.  Tomorrow, if I have not heard by 9 AM, we will either use a Doctor that services this hotel to do testing or make an appointment to do it at the airport which is about 30 minutes away.  But because it is a Saturday, the airport one closes at 12:30 PM.  So we have to be quick with our decisions.  We did take a route that took us by the airport to check it all out.  It should be easy.  Heck, nobody was being tested when we drove by.  Probably a slow time.  My luck, tomorrow there will be no appointments available.  But we shall see which way we go…with their Doctor or at the airport.  They said the doctor only charges $55.  The airport charges $65.  Frankly, for vaccinated people, this is all a big JOKE.  Just a money grab.  Costa Rica just asked for vaccination proof. Why can’t the USA use that instead of having to do all this testing for American citizens?  It is so political in the USA.

Anyway, our new hotel at Playa Hermosa is really nice.  We arrived around 12:30 and had to swim in the pool a bit until our room became ready.  After we got our room and put our bags there, we headed to the beach.  It was a 5 minute walk to the beach.  We walked most of the beach to a recommended restaurant for some lunch\dinner.  It was about 2:30 PM.  Denise had a seafood pasta that have more of the sea than she likes.  So I ate the funny stuff that she did not like.  I had a nice fish filet with French fries and a salad.  Mine was pretty good.  Denise liked hers too…but not things like Calamari rings, muscles, etc..  After eating we found a place on the beach.  It is a dark sand beach.  But much cleaner and the water much clearer.  The water is amazing lay warm and the waves were not nearly intense as the drop off of the beach was very gradual.  We enjoyed the swim.  i must say that the bugs are starting to get to us a bit.  They are just small things that just slowly irritate you.    The locals are just used to them.  We are hoping to see a monkey before we leave.  Fingers crossed.  Anyway, we’re about to head to a supermarket to get some snacks. 

Well, dinner has been served.  A run to the SuperMercado and now they have no sweets left!  Kind of fun to wander atround these stores to see what is ‘theirs’ and what was made in the USA.  One of the cookies Denise wanted to buy was from Pepperidge Farms…probably made in Logan Utah.  I did buy myself some chocolate milk, some lemon cookies and a few things between us.  We got some ice creams…I had a drumstick that had the soggiest cone I’ve ever eaten.  But the ice cream was good.  

Well…we are all checked in for the night.  Fingers crossed we get some confirmation from Abbott\Emed on our ‘case’.  Since the work day is over in the US…I kind of doubt I’ll hear anything.  So bummed I am!

Some pictures:

Playa Hermosa….looking towards the north of it.

This was our room at the Hotel Conchal where we stayed the last two nights.  It was a really nice place to be.  However, beach access was a bit of a walk especially to Playa Conchal.  But, when not at the beach, lounging here was awesome.

Denise’s negative Covid test.  So sad we probably cannot use it.  $35 down the drain as a result.  Totally my fault.  I should have realized she needed her own emed account!  But fingers are still crossed that they can adjust it.

The hotel front desk recommended this seafood place on the beach named Las Casitas de Mariscos.  I thought the food was good.  I think Denise did too…just a bit too much of the sea life for her liking in her seafood pasta. 

Camping out on the beach under a shade tree.  We are starting to feel the effects of daily intense sun.  We’re trying to be careful not to get burned…to bad.

Denise had read a bit about things to get when in Costa Rica.  One of those things is a Churchill or its smaller cousin, a Copo.  Turns out this guy was selling Copo’s on the beach.  His name was Mario.  He made Denise a cherry Copo.  It is basically a layer of shaved ice, powdered milk, more shaved ice, and sweet and condensed milk on top.  It was a unique taste.  It was pretty good.

You see interesting road signs about different types of animal crossings.  Here are a few of them…you have to guess what the animals are…..

Looking at our place under the trees from the ocean edge….at Playa Hermosa.

Mario finishing the Copo for Denise….after he was done, he hit us up to buy Sea Fishing tickets from his son to go fishing for tuna.  I said…next time!

This was the entrance to our hotel the past two nights at Hotel Conchal.  We were in the very corner room.  The pool is right behind Denise who took this picture.

Our run to the SuperMercado for dinner turned into a treat fest to get us home on Sunday!

The happy Copo buyer.  One of her ‘things to do’ checked off.  If only we can find empanadas now … or even Churros..  We hear they are pretty good here.

2021 September - Day 04 - Costa Rica - Playa Flamingo and lazy day.

Day 4 is now in the books.  It has been a nice day…much slower paced.  We did not have to get up and go anywhere.  Nonetheless, we were awake around 7 AM and just kind of laid around planning the day.   But in an instant, we made the decision that we did not want to drive 4+ hours to the Jaco area and then 1.5 hours to San Jose on Saturday.  So I cancelled all our hotels there and our flights from San Jose.  I then booked a new hotel for two nights near Playa Hermosa which is only 20 minute drive from where I turn the rental car in and 25 minutes from the Liberia.  airport.  And to drive to Playa Hermosa….probably about 30 minutes.  We will be staying in a place that I had booked the first time we attempted to come down to Costa Rica and could not get on flights or the flight was cancelled.  So that will be kind of fun to now see that.  Anyway, all this travel agency stuff I did took 30 minutes as all.  I called the rental car company to see what a ‘drop’ charge would be for the car in Liberia.  It is only $45…which is probably less than what gasoline would be to drive the car back to San Jose.  We are now booked on a 10:15 AM flight to Houston and then to SLC on Sunday.

All of our stays also provide breakfasts which have been quite good.  This morning we both had ommelets with a nice plate of fruit.  No fruit juice though which was kind of a bummer.  After breakfast, we got into our beach gear and headed to Playa Flamingo which is a bit more upscale area than where we are now.  The drive was about 10 minutes at the most.  The beach was quite scenic.   But the surf was quite rough.  No where really to snorkel either.  And, I think the tide had come way in and pulled a lot of the debris up near the road and pulled it into the sea as the sea and the beach had tons of twigs, branches, coconuts, stumps that the sea had deposited on the beach.  Nonetheless, I still ventured out to get a swim in.  But I’ve never been rolled in the sand as this surf did to me.  It was rough.  The water was warm.  I don’t know…it might be the time of year….but the sea has not treated me well as in other places.

We stayed at the beach until about noon.  We then returned to our room for a swim in the pool (to get cleaned up) and to plan out the rest of the day.  Well, we ended up staying at our tropical hotel the rest of the day and evening.  We had left over Indian food to warm up.  So I walked down the road to the Indian restaurant to get a couple orders of Garlic Naan to go with our left overs.  Again, we hummed as we ate lunch.  As I waited for the Naan, I spoke with the young man running the restaurant.  He is Indian and has only been in Costa Rica 5 months.  He left his wife and two children to come over here to see if he could make this work.  This is the 2nd Masala’s to open in the area.  The original is in Liberia.  This one here at Playa Brasilito has only been open 3 months.  I hope they do well so he can get his family over here with him.  He was married at 20 and hast a boy and a girl.  The oldest is 14 and tied to her school for now he said.  Nice guy.

After lunch, we decided to hang out be the pool.  We decided to watch a movie that I had downloaded on Netflix.  It was called ‘Worth’…a true story of a man charged by the US government to establish a fund to pay family survivors of 9/11.  It was very interesting to see all the issues involved with such and how this man had to change is perspective on how to value the worth of someone who had died.  It is PG-13 but it did have some rough language in a couple of quick spots.  So beware.  We both really enjoyed it.  While watching the show, I noticed something large kind of fall out of the tree on to the ground.  It was a big Iguana…I think.  It was a large lizard.  I think Denise sent me pictures that I’ll post here.  But it had its eye on something and crawled slowly to the other end of the pool, thank goodness.  It eventually sprinted to the opposite fence and then climbed the fenee and on to the house next door. Pretty amazing.

Just after our movie ended, an American couple came walking by.  She had been in the pool and he was just sitting visiting with her.  But when she got out, they came our way heading to the restaurant.  But, I asked them where they were from. 2 hours later, we went our ways…they to the Indian restaurant and us to get showered.  Their names were Ed and Becky Gordon.  They decided to retire down here in 2017.  He was a Sheriff’s Deputy in Orlando Florida.  They live in Nuevo Arenal and have come over and stayed at the Conchal Hotel a number of times when dropping people off at the airport.  They love it here in Costa Rica.  We covered lots of topics.  But they were very nice and was apparent that they were very active in their non-denominational church.  They bought and remodeled a ‘Tico’ house…a ‘local’ house.  Apparently it needed to be gutted and re-designed which they did.  They said it was about 1100 square feet with 3 bedrooms and 2 baths.  The really love the climate where they live.  Anyway, it was great meeting them and talking for so long.  The invited us to go to dinner with them.  But since we had Masala’s food for dinner last night and lunch today, we declined.

For the evening, we got showered and headed upstairs to the restaurant here.  We had a yummy meal that started with Sesame Guacamole with homemade chips followed by Sesame Seared Tuna with fresh vegetables and rice.  We shared the main course and it was plenty for both of us.  We’ve been impressed with the food here.  But it is a bit pricey eating in these hotel restaurants.  We need to find the Costa Rica Burger King at some point!  Anyway…great day. 

Tomorrow we move to a new hotel.  But the big thing is…we are going to use our Home Test Kits and get our Covid Testing done.  Big hurdle for us to get back home on Sunday.  If it works and we test negative, we’ll be home Sunday.  If not… who knows what we will do.  But we will be scrambling a bit.  More to come on that!

Today’s pictures:

Flamingo Beach….you can see the debris that had been washed out and then back in on the beach.  Sad that they don’t come clean it up.  Maybe they do in the tourist season.

Pan seared Sesame Tuna with all the fixings.  Very yummy!

This is the vegetation across from the restaurant on the other side of the pool.  If you look closely, the tree has some fruit that is the size of a coconut.  I forget the name of the fruit.

I guy came around offering to make and sale us pina colada in a pineapple shell.  I noticed that the price included alcohol.  So in my probing way, I asked if the price was reduced if we had no alcohol.  He started by knocking $1 off.  I said come on.  He then went down $3.  I said sold…and Denise was a happy camper!

Our afternoon watching a movie while sitting poolside.  Pretty relaxing!

As we sat there watching the movie, we also watched ants carry objects across the pool deck many times larger and heavier than they were.  I watch many struggle to get the right hold on the leaves until it clicked and then off they went taking this to their home.  I think we could learn a lot from these little guys and their work determination.

Blackbirds hoping Denise would throw them something…I guess.

Kicking back enjoying Playa Flamingo….

Our Pina Colada’s…they were yummy.

A man wondering why the sea was not treating him very well!

A stressed Zip Liner.  If you can’t tell…this is me (Tim).  I don’t think the cable has ever been stretched that much.  But it held….!

Are we in Mexico or Costa Rica?  Guacamole and chips are a worldwide favorite.  These were delicious.

Our Iguana (lizard) friend that fell out of tree somehow on to the pool deck.

Denise in paradise.  She loves this stuff!  This was on Tuesday of course.  But I thought I’d throw these in.

Having fun in Costa Rica.  Ignore her South Padre Island hat…that was a few trips ago.   What a wonderful wife and friend I have!

See that smile….I’m always amazed.  If you zoomed in on me…you would see tears from fear!

Our lizard friend scaling the fence and eyeing something to attack.  We assumed it was a bird or something.  But who knows.

Look for the tears….

See how much debris….so sad for such a beautiful beach.  I assume it is the time of the year that has this happen.