Musings, Memories, and La Pura Vida: 4 Ladies and A Dutchman Take On the Caribbean

Holy Week, known as Semana Santa in Spanish speaking countries, also doubles as Spring Break in Costa Rica. Almost everyone gets the week off or, at least, Good Friday through Easter Sunday. It's a time when everyone travels to visit family and, on Good Friday, almost everyone in Costa Rica heads to the beach. Pretty much everything is closed for the second half of Semana Santa and it is illegal to see alcohol then too.

To kick off our Semana Santa, Jo, Dom, Kate, Leonard and I headed to Panama, specifically Bocas Del Toro--a set of islands located in the Atlantic just off of Panama's shoreline. We stayed on the main island, Isla Colon, in an apartment right next to the beach. It was an awesome little apartment complete with a kitchen, beds for all, and a back porch filled with hammocks and couches. Aside from lunches, we got to cook all of our own meals, which was a lot of fun since we haven't really been allowed to touch the kitchen since we came to Costa Rica.

The day after we arrived, we went on a day long tour that took us dolphin watching, snorkeling and to a gorgeous beach called "Red Frog Beach". After that eventful day, I can officially say that I have seen a sloth in the wild! This is quite exciting for me because sloths are one of my favorite animals. I was quite tempted to climb up the mangrove tree it was in and cuddle with it for a while. Sadly, though, it was a rather steep climb and we didn't have much time otherwise I may have done so.

Our time was not complete, though, until our last night when a serious rainstorm hit the island. I had been a little restless that evening and had wanted to get out and go to the beach. So, when the rain started, something clicked and I knew it was time to go. I leaped up, got ready in about 30 seconds and, then, Dom and I ran through town in our swimsuits to get to the beach where we frolicked in the waves as it poured. It was glorious.

Altogether, going to Bocas Del Toro was well worth it. The five of us had many fun moments and good conversations revolving around topics of politics, religion, educational systems, race, the environment, and culture. I'm glad I got to share so many new experiences with them.

And now, Jo, Dom and I are at home for the rest of the week, working on final projects and tests, exploring San Jose, catching up on sleep, and starting the packing process. It's strange to think how quickly the end is approaching. I have 11 more days until I will be back home in Oregon. How crazy is that!

For your viewing pleasure, I have attached some photos of the trip to Panama. Espero que distrútelas!

In order to cross the border between Costa Rica and Panama, one has to walk across this bridge. It's about a quarter mile long.

At first sight, it looks quaint. But, that illusion is quickly dissolved, as you realize that the bridge is actually made out of old train tracks and loose boards. There are holes literally a foot wide waiting for unsuspecting walkers. Needless to say, this would not pass U.S. safety regulations.