Category: Family & Friends

Family & Friends, Food & Drink, Travel Adventures

Costa Rica Day 2: Exploring Dominicalito

Everyone woke up at their usual 7am despite the time difference. #1BigBrother and #1LittleSister didn’t seem to understand there wasn’t an unlimited breakfast menu no matter how many times I told them.

Coffee poolside

This morning we took a quick peek at Playa Dominicalito at the base of our mountain. There was no one else there aside from a 70 year old man with tobacco aged skin and a few abandoned fishing boats.

Playa Dominicalito

As soon as we arrived, #1BigBrother spotted a ship with my namesake. I had to take a picture with her, despite her not looking so sea-worthy.

The great ship Stephanie

At the beach we found all sorts of interesting discoveries. A beach with no one on it is rare – offering a chance to be the first to look through treasures washed upon the shore.

We discovered unique shells, hermit crabs ranging from microscopic to bite-you size. Someone got covered in black sand despite the parental warnings to avoid sandiness and soaking as we planned for lunch just a bit later at a spot less than a quarter mile away.

Piña Colada
Sour Guava
Fish Tacos
Coconut Flan
Watermelon Juice
Seashell Table

We ate lunch at La Parcela, an open-air seafood restaurant with a fresh menu combining local fruits and a touch of Asian influence. We ordered ceviche, bruschetta and edamame to start. I opted for the fish tacos knowing it would be local catch instead of imported.

Parking lot of La Parcela

After lunch we stopped at the grocery store to get some essentials. As usual, we tend to eat half our meals out and half wherever we are staying. AirBnBs always offer great kitchens, giving us the flexibility to save money by cooking for ourselves.

We enjoyed some great pool time just before a two-hour thunderstorm took hold. We cooked some chicken, rice & beans, avocado and fresh bread for tonight. Simple yet got the job done.

Tomorrow we’ve rented ATVs to drive in a tour around Uvita. We’ll pair up one adult to one kid. We always enjoy an extreme rental on vacation. Hoping this will fit the bill.

The power goes out during thunderstorms

~Steph

Family & Friends, Travel Adventures

Costa Rica Day 1: Getting there keeps getting easier

No matter the destination , at the start of our trips, one of the kids always asks, “Are we there yet?” when just 20 minutes into our journey. “No sweetie pie, not quite. Just close your eyes.”

With the recent TSA delays at airports across the US thanks to yet another government shutdown, we left an hour earlier than usual, weary of long lines at Dulles. That meant a 3AM wakeup for Amir, Lidia and me, and 3:30 for the kids.

IAD to SJO

#1BigBrother asked Dad for yet another rundown of the size and shape of the airplanes, and #1LittleSister inquired about snacks. “Is there a chef on the airplane?” – referring to the flight attendants bringing meals and drinks by request.

We had an easy flight from Dulles to San Jose. The TSA delays never materialized, and our flight arrived in Costa Rica 20 minutes ahead of schedule. The next leg of our journey was a domestic flight from San Jose to Quepos on the southwest coast. Amir researched driving rather than flying, but drive times can vary anywhere from 2-5 hours depending what reference you are using.

The tarmac at San Jose Domestic Terminal

If you decide to do the same, know that you have to leave the international airport entirely and go outside to access the domestic terminal. As soon as we saw the tiny prop planes, I remembered what domestic air travels is like in Central America. Somewhere around 1999, during a trip to Guatemala with my mom and sister, I flew on one of these planes. They are straight out of an Indian Jones movie, propellers, open cockpit and all.

At this point I was hoping we were well above those mountain tops

Our flight to Quepos was delayed more than an hour, but then only 20 minutes in the air, we were at our destination, Dominicalito. Amir rented a 4WD SUV expecting one of us would need to taxi to Alamo to pick it up, but when we arrived in Quepos, Felix, from Alamo, was there with our vehicle ready.

Minimalism in aviation AKA Quepos Airport

We arrived at our AirBnB just an hour later than anticipated. Our host unlocked the gate, introducing us to our new home for the week. We (and by we I really mean Amir) spent a few weeks comparing options in this region of Costa Rica before settling on this home with stunning views, an infinity pool, and rainforest gardens complete with monkeys playing in the morning.

My bathtub routine got an upgrade this week

The kids immediately wanted to swim. Lidia was a champ and got in with them immediately. I can never resist the need to unpack before I can relax and have fun.

I should probably explain who Lidia is as she’s making her debut in our travel blog. Lidia, from Spain, is our fourth au pair, joining our family last August after we finished two amazing years with Ale (Mexico). Lidia has done her share of traveling the US since joining us, but this is our first trip abroad together all six of us.

#1BigSister enjoying the swing outside our room

Our plans tomorrow only include finding yummy breakfast in town and perhaps a trip to the grocery store. Otherwise we plan to just swim and explore this 5 acre property. The 15 chickens at the bottom of the hill are sure to be a hit with our crowd.

~Steph

Family & Friends, Travel Adventures

St Thomas Day 8: Phantasea Tropical Botanical Garden and a view from on high

We’d originally committed to hanging out at our house and eating all day, since everything that’s left in the pantry is double the price back home.

Making the most out of these last moments here

After breakfast, brunch, lunch and then snacks, we decided to escape the house for at least a bit. None of us were motivated to pack up all the towels and gear for a beach outing, so a quick visit to the shaded Phantasea Tropical Botanical Garden seemed just what was needed.

There’s nothing flashy about this place – and that’s exactly the point. The women’s at the ticket booth told us she only works on Sundays, a tranquil escape from her otherwise stressful regular job.

Water garden with tadpoles

The experience starts right at the ticket booth. There are lizards who make their home at the gate, just waiting for specific sweets from guests. The kids quickly found a water garden sheltering new tadpoles and minnows, plus a bird friend who greets all the guests. In the first minute there we saw hummingbirds, geckos, chickadees, chickens and parakeets. The crowd was pleased.

The pathways are narrow, palm trees wrapped with orchids, vines and air plants – symbiosis is everywhere. You have to look up as well as down to ensure you don’t miss a little plant or critter.

It’s very kid friendly – no steep hills or rocky terrain, but it wouldn’t work well for guests with decreased mobility. There’s no hope of getting a stroller in here, so bring a baby carrier or toddler backpack if you think your little one won’t walk.

We all lost each other at some point, but no one was worried as the place is relatively small, and you can always hear someone even if you can’t see them.

There are numerous places to sit down and rest, write or relax. These guys liked the terraces as they seemed to attract a lot of geckos.

If you’re a photog like me, and/or an old plant lady (or maybe both), add this place to your itinerary. It was a great break from the heat and sand of a typical beach day.

Air plants for sale

There’s a small area near the ticket booth where you can buy plants to take home. Apparently as long as there’s no soil, you can take one on the plane and back into the US. I was tempted.

Soaking in the last of pool time

Just up the hill from Phantasea is Mountain Top, a fairly touristy but fun stop offering souvenirs, world famous banana daiquiris and breathtaking scenic views of the islands below. We partook in all three, then headed back to our house to slow down a bit before dinner.

Tonight I’ll begin the packing and cleanup process. We have to be out by 10:30am with our flight departing at 4:45pm back to Dulles.

~Steph

Occupants of my bed last night
Family & Friends, Travel Adventures

St Thomas Day 7: St John & Cinnamon Beach

Last night we enjoyed an amazing dinner with Dee and Patrick at Caribbean Fish Market. We started with a seafood tower because, well, work hard play hard.

Seafood Tower

There were at least 7 types of fish, including Everything Seasoning encrusted salmon, grilled whole red snapper with spicy hoisin, and seasame rolled wahoo over sticky rice and seaweed salad. Everyone loved what they ordered.

Whole Red Snapper

Dee and Patrick were also able to give us the scoop on the ferry over to St. John. We planned to leave the house by 9:30am to catch the 10:30 ferry, the Big Red Barge. Somehow we were early in leaving the house (I know right??), and it turns out we’d need that time. The ferry filled fast and left port by 10:20am. If we’d been on our intended schedule, we’d have missed it for sure.

St Thomas on the left, St John on the right

It took more time for the cars to load onto the ferry than the actual transit across from St Thomas to St John. We set an alarm for 1:30pm, aiming for a 3:30pm ferry, to ensure we wouldn’t get stuck for the night.

Rooster at the Ferry dock

St. John is small with multiple beaches to choose from. We’d decided to drive a bit further out in hopes of avoiding crowds. Trunk Bay is popular for snorkeling, but it seemed everyone else had the same idea. There were not only no parking spaces, but every space that could be created by a JEEP balanced on 3 wheels and a boulder was also occupied. We carried on further into the Virgin Islands National Park.

Cinnamon Beach, St John, Virgin Islands

The next beach after Trunk Bay was Cinnamon Beach, just 4 minutes up the road. In an epic Dad move, Amir snagged the last parking spot in the lot.

#1BigSister and Amir in Floaty McFloatface Jr

The beach today was extremely windy, so we snagged a spot shaded from the wind and sand by mangrove trees. This was a good strategic move on our part, as I’d later watch other families relocate 2 and 3 times for better shelter.

Disapproving of our location

I spent a good portion of the time snorkeling while Amir, Ale and the kids played in the sand and floated on Floaty McFloatface, II. The water proved a great escape from the whipping wind and sand.

We packed a picnic in the cooler which I highly recommend. There’s a nice concession stand and bar at Cinnamon Beach, but having a cooler right there with us made satiating hungry swimmers much easier.

We were obedient when our 1:30pm alarm went off, packing up our things and hiking back to our exceptionally parked car.

On the Big Red Barge ferry

We arrived at the ferry with plenty of time to spare, and a crew that probably needed to call it quits an hour earlier. There hasn’t been much napping happening on this trip, despite me desperately wanting to take one.

Mini Me & Me on the ferry

We stopped for fruit smoothies on the way home, a deliberate attempt to shush the chatter of three exhausted kids acting up due to lack of sleep and way too much CapriSun. It worked. I’m filing it away for use again in a desperate situation.

Tomorrow is our last full day here as we fly home Monday morning. We still have a fair amount of food to get through, so we’re debating spending the day at the house just eating, swimming, drinking and eating. Cost-U-Less wasn’t cheap after all. I think I’m game for another lazy day at home.

~Steph

Family & Friends, Travel Adventures

St Thomas Day 6: “Naked” vs “Nature Island” & other musings on childhood imagination

You know you’ve let go of most of the cares of the world when the biggest debate in the household is whether the island we see just across from our house is “Naked Island” (#1LittleSister’s vote) or “Nature Island” (#1BigBrother’s vote).

We’re living in their big worlds this week. Day 1 when someone found a deceased baby gecko in the bathroom and flung it onto the island countertop right where I was assembling PB&Js… I had to take a breath, pause, and remember what a unique find this must be for him – “the coolest thing in the world!” in fact.

#1LittleSister eating leftover noodles straight out of the bowl

In the daily grind back home, it’s easy to miss out on these moments – I’m often just hoping for compliance to get everyone dressed, get out the door, be on time, survive and not let the wheels come off. It’s nice to do an unplanned vacation – low expectations, few activities booked ahead of time means no deadlines to miss.

Today we’re just hanging around the house, swimming, eating, playing UNO and practicing our Duolingo. I’m brushing up on my Spanish, Amir on his Arabic, #1BigSister on her Spanish and Ale on her Bosnian (her SOs heritage). I have to remind myself that independent time is time well spent too, and not every activity has to be a family bonding moment.

At lunch I asked #1BigBrother why he calls it “Nature Island.” He said that since no people live there, only plants and animals, it was all nature. Makes sense.

When posed with the same question on why she calls it “Naked Island,” #1LittleSister said that since no one lives there, it’d probably be ok if you wanted to be naked there. Fair enough.

The real name of the island is Hans Lollik Island, a nod to the island’s longtime ownership by Denmark prior to purchase by the US. In 2014, Larry Page of Google founding fame, bought both Great and Little Hans Lollik Islands (there’s a smaller island just behind the one we can see) for $23 million. It’s a bit unclear why Page may have wanted to buy the islands since there’s no electricity, running water or infrastructure, but the internet speculates that Page may have proposed to his wife there years back, making it a sentimental purchase.

Tonight we have 7pm dinner reservations with Dee and Patrick. I’ll put makeup on for the first time in five days. Or maybe I won’t. TBD.

~Steph