La Pura Vida en Costa Rica!

Official name tags with Ox Cart from Sarchi

For 10 days this January, Kar and I were part of an Associated Food Stores excursion to Costa Rica as guests of Steve and Paula Day and Days Market. (Provo and Heber City, UT) We fully enjoyed the Pura Vida (Good Life) of Costa Rica! As you know, Steve and I met in 1975 in Tonga while serving as missionaries. Among other things, we both fell in love with photography there. Costa Rica proved to be a photographers' paradise. I took about 800 pictures on this trip. I'm sure Steve deleted more than 800 of the thousands he shot. Enjoy a few pictures of our adventures throughout many parts of this beautiful Central American country. I can't wait to see Steve's!

Marriott Los Suenos Resort

Marriott Los Suenos Ocean and Golf Resort, Herradura, Costa Rica

Colorful Costa Rican Squirrel

Lounging at the Marriott

Hedge and Marina

Ansel Day with mammoth lens

Meandering stream and foliage

Sunset from Steve and Paula's room

Beautiful!

End of another awesome day!

Marriott "Big Screen?"

From the hedge

The Hedge

Jaco

Wall-Mart Costa Rican Style

1 year supply?

Mike and Kar at Lemon Zest

Seaside dining at El Hicaco, very romantic!

Ready for some delicious seafood (Mike ran out of hair gel)

Surf and Turf at El Hicaco

Paula and Steve on the Zip-line

Contemplating the 1,000' zip-line

Steve's smile: Priceless

Tasty!

Pura Vida Gardens

Hydrangeas!

Beautiful women in Paradise!

Mike, Kar, Paula and Steve above the blue Pacific!

Heaven on earth..

Fanning a pastel sky.

So beautiful!

Flowered slopes above the sea..

A spectacular mix of orange and yellow!

Crocodile River

A dozen crocs enjoying the sun!

No need to get too close!

Rio de Croc

Curvy carved Crocs!

 Puntarenas

Who's following me?

Ghost railroad to nowhere..

Selfie shadow..

Costa Rican limes with our beverages of choice.

Only the sand and the foam.

My kinda lunch!

Sunset Beach

Wild hair aglow!

Drifting clouds above the sea.

Incandescent!

Lonely sunset.

Another day in paradise.

Central Highlands

Tall tree and sun at coffee plantation.

Bright and fresh.

Coffee house perspective.

Coffee fields and flowers.

Coffee thrives here at 3,500 foot elevation.

Peaceful.

Purple mountains above the fields.

Steve and Paula shopping.

Full-sized Costa Rican SUV!

 La Paz Gardens

Gleaming hummingbird, one of many different types.

The Blue Morph butterfly.

Coming of age.

The Blue Morph, blue on top, brown underneath.

A hovering blur of motion.

The green dude never misses dinner!

The Macaw takes flight.

Holy cow!

My new friend.

Serpent Steve.

Toucan takes a close up.

 Poas Volcano 

Looking inside the caldera, elevation 8,885 feet.

Steamy sulfur clouds indicate life in the sleeping giant.

Poas lava flows.

Hugging for love and warmth above the volcano.

Paula and Kar thinking deep thoughts.

Mike and Steve, 40 years removed from Tonga to the top of Costa Rica!

One final look, amazing!

 San Jose

Above San Jose.

Yes, the Big Mac tastes exactly the same in Costa Rica! We can always depend on McDonald's.

On our way to the airport with souvenirs.

Corner store.

Manuel Antonio National Park

Green bird blending in the rain forest.

White Throated Capuchin monkey.

Manuel Antonio Beach.

Just hangin' out.

Chopping open green coconuts.

This guy was a little upset!

Stay on trail!

Only orange leaf in the forest.

"I'm looking at you!"

Mike and Kar at Rancho Leon restaurant. (Bad hair day)

Better hair!

Authentic Costa Rican food: potatoes, rice, chicken, salad and fried plantain.

 Monteverde/City in the Clouds

On the road to Monteverde.

Rainstorm at sunset.

Patches of blue fight through.

Twin Suns

Floating clouds at dawn from our room at the El Establo Hotel

Hanging bridges atop the cloud forest canopy.

Where's the sun?

Steve and Paula on one of the hanging bridges.

2-Toed moss covered Sloth with her baby in tow

Fake flower.

Mike and Steve on the continental divide elevation 5,807 feet.

Blue Morph Kar reflected in the window.

Forsling's and Day's: the perfect trip!!!

Another hug.

Phenomenal!

Orange sky at night, sailor's delight!

 Sarchi

Sarchi Church

Angel in the sky.

The old and the new.

Things are looking up.

 Yes, it was a fantastic trip and are so happy we were able to see another beautiful part of this spectacular world with best friends. I leave you with this final image, which sums it all up.

Tranquil azure skies above the flaming horizon..La Pura Vida en Costa Rica!!!