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Pura Vida Costa Rica - Finding Wildlife and Losing Dave
Tanya's Daily Scoop
CURRENTLY IN: ORANGE COUNTY, CA Hellooooo there!
Woke up to a little Earthshake (Earthquake). A 5.1 in Malibu. UGHHHHH - How I hate Quakes! The good news in that after the better part of a week the weather here has finally decided to drop below triple digits and the high today is suppose to be 78F. Earlier this week I had a couple of work appointments out in the inferno city of Phoenix, AZ where the last time the highs were less than triple digits was way back in May, 2024! So not only have we had to deal with stupid high temps, but the "shake & bake" action going on out this way (fires and quakes) - Again...I am a fan of neither. Lucky not close enough to be effected by either, but the air quality has been quite terrible and the skies look otherworldly. 
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Now let's get into the fun stuff - travel of course - and the RECAP OF MY PURA VIDA COSTA RICA TRIP - DAY 8 Which is about the very beautiful, untamed wilderness of Manual Antonio National Park; how I lost Dave (or he lost me), we ran into our "friends from Toronto" and I nearly got heatstroke. All while exploring this hot and humid environment of where this rugged rainforest meets the Pacific! 
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When planning our day at this busy National Park I was made aware that tickets and reservations were required to be made in advance. Not a problem whatsoever - since I plan everything in advance!
Next thing in question was whether or not to book a private tour with a Naturalist or to go at it on our own. Initially I decided that we would go at our own pace and wander the park without a guide. However all of that quickly changed upon our driving up to the front of the park and having to find "safe" parking. *This area is frequented by tourists and as with any touristy area around the world, they are somewhat known to also have high rates of pretty theft...usually the person or vehicle being targeted is one who is oblivious and not taking precautions. Sadly I'm speaking from experience on this matter. PACKING DOS AND DON'TS Once we parked the rental, we soon realized that we were parked 2 cars away from a Canadian twosome (mother and daughter) from the family of 4, who went horseback riding with us to Naucaya Waterfall, 2 days prior! What a small world! We had also realized that the BEST way to see wildlife is to go into the park with a Naturalist and so we opted on the spot to go ahead and do a private tour! 
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AT MANUAL ANTONIO
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Manual Antonio National Park (c)travelincousins.com
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Manual Antonio National Park (c)travelincousins.com
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Manual Antonio National Park (c)travelincousins.com
Manual Antonio National Park (c)travelincousins.com
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Manual Antonio National Park (c)travelincousins.com
Manual Antonio National Park (c)travelincousins.com
Manual Antonio National Park (c)travelincousins.com
Manual Antonio National Park (c)travelincousins.com
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Until next time folks.
Ciao 4 Now, -Traavelin' Tanya |
Manuel Antonio National Park Fun Facts
Elisa's Daily Scoop
CURRENTLY IN: LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK Hey there!
I certainly hope your week is off to a great start!! I know mine is. Little emotional rant first before I get into it - With both kids in college now - I'm alone so much!!! Both Gianna and Kelsey have such crazy schedules with classes, clubs and social life that dear ole mom is finding herself alone so much more than I ever expected. Many nights they don't get home for dinner and have either eaten out or just nosh when they get home. That's the tough part. However, on a positive note, I have so much time freed up to do more creative projects with my business! This includes some super exciting stuff that Tanya and I are working on for Travelin' Cousins - here on the blog and beyond!!! I also haven't had to cook as much or as regularly, so that's good! And I'm also making more time to spend with friends!! 
So before I get into some great Costa Rica destination sharing - today featuring Manual Antonio National Park - I want to catch you up on my weekend.
Oh, how i had such high hopes for this weekend lol. Initially, I was planning on really hunkering down and doing some much-needed administrative stuff for my coaching practice and my podcast, The High VIBE Show. But then last Thursday I received an email about the "Ferrogosto" in The Bronx from one of the local restaurants whose mailing list I am on that the annual event was happening this past Sunday (September 8th). I thought, "hmm, that would be fun" since the last time we went to the Ferrogosto was back in September of 2018. 
Ferrogosto 2018 on Arthur Avenue in The Bronx - (c)travelincousins.com
Check out this throwback memory:
September 10, 2018 - Bronx Little Italy Ferragosto Fun in the Rain and Cycling in the Tour de Tahoe 
Kelsey and Gianna getting soaked (c)travelincousins.com
So, I forwarded the email to Gianna and Kelsey asking them if they wanted to go. Gianna said she had to work, so it wasn't going to work for her. But, Kelsey was into it!! Yay!! Spontaneous trip to The Bronx - for what would be a total eating fest, fun atmosphere and great Italian music playing throughout the area!!
The plan was for us to leave at 10:30 Sunday morning since it started at 12 and the parking can be a bear up there. The last thing I wanted was to go nuts finding a spot. The other issue was that the weather report predicted a gorgeous day (which it was!!!), so I knew this would prompt even more people to attend, making the parking situation that much worse. Well - the best laid plans of mice and men -- Saturday night Kelsey and her friend had a concert in Huntington, Long Island. They decided to take the Long Island Railroad, for which they had a ride to the station to the concert. But, of course, they didn't have a ride from the train station when returning. I'm sure you can guess who was asked to be their taxi driver -- yup - me! I am not going to bore you with the drama that ensued following the concert - her friend lost his phone, battling it out with the lost and found, missing their return train, etc. etc. Long story short - what was supposed to be a 12midnight pick up, turned into a nearly 3am pick up at the train station. By the time I drove Kelsey's friend home, got home and settled into bed, it was 4am. This was not looking good for getting up and out by 10 am the next morning. Ironically, although I was very tired, I was also awake and feeling fine to go. My daughter, on the other hand was out cold. There was no way this kid was waking up. Normally, I would have been super pissed off but considering that this was a very impromptu plan AND we are going to be spending a full day in The Bronx for Kelsey's 18th Birthday - visiting the New York Botanical Gardens and having a DEE-LISH dinner on Arthur Avenue, I didn't get too upset. Well, I guess, we'll have to visit Ferrogosto 2025 next year - only 362 days left!! Moving right along.... Manuel Antonio National Park Tanya certainly nabbed some amazing photos from her visit to Manuel Antonio National Park ! I cannot get over how up close and personal she was to those adorable monkeys!! And what I love is that because they are in their natural environment, you can actually see the happiness and contentment in their cute little faces!! Do make sure you read about and watch all of Tanya's videos from Day 8 of her Pura Vita Costa Rica Trip!! 
Manual Antonio National Park (c)travelincousins.com
Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio is the smallest national park in Costa Rica, however, it just might be the most famous and well recognized with the ideal blend of beach and rainforest
The park which spans Just over 4,000 acres is located on the country's Pacific coast is home to a diverse range of flora and fauna, including white-faced monkeys, sloths, coatis, raccoons, iguanas and many species of birds, as well as the squirrel monkey and toucans, Boasting some of the most varied and beautiful landscapes, it also has lovely, pristine beaches - Espadilla Sur, Manuel Antonio and Puerto Escondido - as well as a 14 acre lagoon and mangroves. Interestingly enough, Manuel Antonio National Park is quite close in proximity to the some of Costa Rica's breathtaking waterfalls, including Nauyaca Falls. El Salto Waterfall and Savegre River Waterfall. The beaches and trails inside the park are open from 7:00am to 4:00pm and the public beach outside the park (Espadilla Norte) is open from 5:00am to 6:00pm. According to many experts, the best time to travel is in the green season (May through November). Although there will be encounters with afternoon showers and the occasional heavy rain, but the rainforest will be at their most lush with active wildlife and fewer tourists. The main trail within the park is a 1.3-mile flat, sandy trail that links the park’s beaches and manageable for individuals of all ages. 
Manual Antonio National Park (c)travelincousins.com
Manual Antonio National Park (c)travelincousins.com
Isn't it amazing how many natural wonders are found in this Costa Rican destination??
On that note, I'm going to get my day going. Here's to a joyous day to you!! - Travelin' Elisa |
