Hola chicos,
I am currently writing this blog entry having just arrived back in the States. I have a lot to catch you all up on, so I’ll go back a few weeks and update you all on what’s been happening in my life.
Weekend of April 13-`14th
This weekend, I went back to La Fortuna and visited Arenal Volcano and the hot springs! I had such a fun time when I went a few months ago that I wanted to visit the hot springs again.
I have to give a shoutout to my Resident Director, Karla. She went out of her way to help my friend Alena and I save some money and organized all of the logistics. I’ll have a separate post where I’ll talk more about her, but I wanted to mention here how thankful I was for her and for helping us with everything.
We left early Saturday morning and headed to La Fortuna! Before we stopped at the hot springs, we stopped along this lookout spot and got to take in the stunning views of the volcano and surrounding areas.
We then trekked to the Baldi Hot Springs again, where I got to enjoy the hot springs and all they had to offer. I loved this resort the first time I visited, and it definitely did not disappoint the second time I visited as well.
After spending the rest of the day there, we traveled to another hot springs resort and spent the night before our relaxing day ahead.
Sunday, April 14th
I spent the day just enjoying the beauty of La Fortuna and the hot springs. It was so nice to have some quiet time and just soak up the warmth of my remaining weeks in Costa Rica.
We left the hot springs later that day, and I was honestly so glad that I was able to do this weekend trip. It was definitely much needed and I also got to appreciate some more of Costa Rica’s natural beauty.
Puerto Viejo
This trip was probably one of my favorite trips that I took during my time in Costa Rica. It was absolutely stunning and I fell in love with the Caribbean influence in Puerto Viejo.
I went to Puerto Viejo with my friend Valerie and her boyfriend, Chris. Chris is a tico (and Valerie is bilingual), so I got the chance to really practice my Spanish with both of them.
Our Airbnb was a house that was right along the beach and about a 20 minute walk from downtown. It was just far enough town where it felt quiet and peaceful, but it wasn’t too far away in that reaching Puerto Viejo was inaccessible. We stayed along Playa Negra, which translates directly to black beach as the beach is a black-sand beach. The location of our Airbnb was perfect, and I honestly spent the entire weekend on the beach, taking in my final weekend in Costa Rica.
This whole trip felt like a dream and I’m genuinely so happy that I got to experience Puerto Viejo at least once while I was in Costa Rica.
Next Blog
This is the last blog where I mention my travel plans. Since I am back in the U.S. now, I want to write a final blog entry that details some final reflections I’ve made about my entire study abroad experience. That blog should be coming out soon, but until then, ¡pura vida!