the weekend in CAHUITA

And another week has gone by, it's crazy how time flies here.

I lose track of time and have to check my phone at least three times to know what date it is today.

But that's also a liberating feeling, as I am so unbound here.

The kids were particularly challenging this week, maybe it was the weather since it was hotter than usual. But it was noticeable that there was more crying and shouting than usual.

On Tuesday, we had another cooking class in the afternoon, we made “Arroz con leche”- rice pudding, which is often eaten as dessert.

On Wednesday, we will head to a very nice, colorful market in San José, mainly with souvenirs, but also coffee and fruit. I love the vibrancy of colors here.

On Thursday, I talked to friends on the phone and packed my backpack for the weekend because this time we were going back to the Caribbean coast, but not to Puerto Viejo like in week 1, but to the smaller neighboring town of Cahuita, which is famous for its large national park.

The bus ride was really exhausting, we got up at 4:30 to catch the 6:00 bus, but it was already full. After 6 hours of traveling through tiny villages and the jungle, we finally arrived. White sandy beaches and palm trees as far as the eye can see.

We ended our travel day at the beach and then returned to our lovely accommodation with a pool.

On Saturday, we spent the entire morning exploring the national park, where we saw a giant raccoon, lots of howler monkeys, and snakes.

A monkey almost stole our stuff at the beach, but a vigilant guide scared it away.

For lunch, we ate at a beach bar and then spontaneously drove to a nearby waterfall. It was pretty cool, but the water was very brown and didn't smell very fresh, so we didn't stay long.

My highlight of the weekend was definitely the karaoke bar we went to in the evening. There was lots of salsa dancing and many Caribbean cocktails were consumed. All the locals were super nice and were happy to welcome a few tourists. By the end of the evening, we were dancing barefoot on the tables!!

On Sunday, we took it easy, with fresh pancakes and coffee.

We were at the beach and then, unfortunately, it was already time to head back to San José.

This weekend, I only traveled with young women. We were a group of 5, aged 18-25. What I unfortunately noticed negatively is that I felt less secure than when I have male companions.

Unfortunately, you do get looked at funny too often or are whistled at. The locals mean no harm, they wouldn't get physical or come too close, but it seems to be a cultural problem that conveys a bit of a lack of propriety in showing that they find a woman interesting.

We always stayed together, and there was no situation that was strange or dangerous in any way. But maybe it's okay to be a bit more cautious.

I hope you take a bit of sunshine from my photos back home with you!

There's nothing more to add,

Pura Vida to everyone who loves to listen to me,

I'm happy that I can share my experiences with you :)

Hasta luego!

Paulita