Life in Costa Rica is “Pura Vida. How fortunate to have landed in a place that is beautiful, reasonably calm and quiet and located next to amazing beaches. Our goal has been to experience as many beaches as possible in the time we’ve been given. Yesterday we spent the day at Playa Avellanas, specifically at Lola’s. Oh my, Lola’s is a restaurant on the beach with big heavy wooden tables stained dark brown, surrounded by reclining heavy chairs, underneath large Palm trees and other shade trees, my favorite with low lying branches and big thick green leaves. Time spent directly under the sun with no protection proved too much! We were happy to eat nachos, best I’ve ever had, sip diet cokes while watching the surf lap, time and time again, against the sand. The owners actually expect you to plant yourselves in their chairs and hang-out for the day. We practically had to beg them to bring a bill so that we could pay and get on our way.
I come from great sea shell gatherers. My mom and sisters love to comb the beaches looking intently for abandoned shells. We found some very cool shells today but unfortunately for us many shells were currently inhabited. I too have become a fan of sea shell collecting. I like that you bring home something that is literally a part of the place you visited. Then you can look at them at home, feel their bumpy surfaces recalling where you have been, revisiting the sounds of the ocean and remembering the way the sand felt under your feet. I picture myself handing over these shells to Maggie, telling her all about the places I have seen and experienced. I also can’t wait to tell Maggie what the word “Tortuga” means in Spanish: turtle.
Today we spent the day at Playa Grande. This is a protected area called Las Baulas Marine National Park where the leatherback turtles lay their eggs burying them deep into the sand- sometimes as many as 100 eggs at a time for each turtle, each egg the size of a golfball. Tonight is the last night of their egg laying season. Tours happen at night to see this event but it’s pricey with no guarantee of seeing the leatherback. I love that a surfer was the impetus to get these turtles protected. He saw the turtles’ habitat being compromised by humans and he took action. One person really can make a difference!
Lola’s at Playa Avellanas
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