Costa Rica Cost of Living Update: 15 eggs — $2.66

After visiting the animal sanctuary, Rob and I decide to drive farther south… all the way down to the Osa Peninsula. We’ve been there before and are excited to return to the place where we first saw Scarlet Macaws flying overhead: Agua Dulce Beach Resort. It’s just a five-minute drive from Puerto Jiménez, which borders the Gulfo Dulce: the bay that separates the peninsula from the mainland. It is the only resort on the beach in this area that offers air-conditioning. We book an oceanfront bungalow that includes a wooden porch. Out front are two rocking chairs, perfect for relaxing, watching the sunrise.

I slop on a ton of sunscreen and immediately head out to the beach. The sand is soft, it feels like New Year’s Eve confetti underneath my feet. Mother Nature must have known I was coming and arranged for two macaws to fly overhead. This is exactly how I remember it, and precisely why the Osa Peninsula is so magical.

The two birds vocalize back and forth with each other, using sounds that are not unlike a tarot card reader after her fifth Camel cigarette. I sit on a piece of driftwood and notice a pile of shells. Some are brown, shiny and look like tiny Godiva chocolates. Others are cracked open resembling angel wings. This country is always reminding me to revere the small as much as the big.

“I’ve scheduled a mangrove tour,” Rob says while taking a seat next to me.

“I don’t have to swim there, right?” Whenever my husband plans excursions, it’s important to inquire whether I’ll need my floaty wings to survive it.

“No, it’s just kayaking. We’ll have to leave soon so let’s get our stuff together and head out.” (more…)