We got up early this morning to drive on out to a river boat cruise. Before getting into the van, we fed some adorable birds that came to our balcony.
Ritz are their snack of choice
I felt like Snow White
Along the way, we saw some pretty hilarious sights--the kind you can only really experience outside the United States.
First, we saw numerous cars passing another car on the main highway--a police car to be exact. Can you imagine ever passing a police car back in the States!? Those cops could be going only 20 miles an hour, and we'd be like, "take your time, we are in no hurry, wow look at that view out the window!" When our van passed the police car, we were all like--
ohgodohgodohgod
Don't even worry, though--the cops actually pulled over to the side of the road for us so that we could get around. What the heck is this place?
Then, we saw a fire smolderingon the side of the road. "What is that???" we asked our guide. He looked at it nonchalantly. "Oh, somebody probably just threw their cigarette out the window."
It was absurd!!! I guess people just kind of start fires??? Craziness.
A few minutes later, we stopped for some breakfast at a bakery.
The bakery
With our incessant questions and obnoxious American accents, we were already annoying af. Then, in trying to describe to us one of the muffins, our server pulled out a pen and a pad of paper.
OH OH OH OH!!!
We were so excited--we thought we were going to play Pictionary! We all gathered around, cheering her on as she drew on the pad. She just looked at us like we were crazy and wrote the word "vanilla" on the paper.
Whoops. We are such aggravating Americans.
We then stopped at a small community center for some souvenirs and coffee. I enjoyed a small cup of Costa Rican espresso with Golden Cream--or what they call "Costa Rican Bailey's."
Delish morning pick-me-up
Right before we got to the river, our guide asked for our names and ages. "19, 17, 14," we rattled off. As we enumerated the last age, the guide looked to me. Nope. I'm the 19 year old.
Aubs was unamused.
Anyway, we finally got to the river and clambered aboard our boat. Though the rules about interacting with the wildlife were very clear--
Our guides chose to ignore them. They threw raw beef and chicken to all of the crocodiles that we encountered, as well as lured monkeys onto our boat with assorted snacks!! So fun.
I've also decided that crocodiles are about the scariest freaking animals on this planet. Watching a six-foot reptile eat raw meet then stare at me with scary, lethal eyes basically made me realize that I was going to die by crocodile. I just know it. IT WAS MADNESS.
We saw monkeys, crocs, a multitude of birds, itty bitty bats, iguanas, butterflies, and dragonflies. It was an absolute adventure.
We then drove to a very authentic Costa Rican place for lunch.
Yum!!!
Our view from the restaurant that was actually a family's backyard
Then, we headed back to a town right outside the resort to look around and walk on the beach. Honestly, we were all so exhausted after this past week in the sun that we just passed out back in our house. We've been hanging out together, enjoying our last few hours of family time before we head back to California tomorrow.
It's been an absolutely incredible trip and a wonderful way to start 2016. Couldn't be luckier to have such a loving family and the opportunity to travel to a country as stunning as Costa Rica. I can't believe this is only the beginning (:
Puda Vida (or, Pure Life/a Costa Rican saying),
Aubrey
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