Fitness in a Hammock

A bright, clean and intimate fitness studio offering all sorts of classes like spin, TRX, rowing, kickboxing and AntiGravity just opened in Bridgeland.

Each hammock is set up specifically for your height so your head doesn’t touch the ground when you’re inverted.

Going into Fit Republic’s AntiGravity class for the first time, I had no idea what to expect. It turned out to be just the right mix of fun, laughter, adventure and fear!

To get started, pick the date and time you want, and sign up for a prerequisite class to learn the basics. You may want to register a few days in advance; the AntiGravity classes are very popular. Show up a little early in a t-shirt or long-sleeve shirt (no tanks) and full-length or cropped pants (any material except nylon will do).

So elegant but breathing upside-down can be tricky.

Jane, the owner and founder of the studio, will show you the ropes with energy and a sense of adventure. Being the only AntiGranity studio in town, teaching the first wave of Calgarians to safely maneuver the hammocks will be quite the task.

To get acquainted to the hammock, we cozied up and hung out in a pod. We then used the hammock as a swing. Oh, to be a child again. Jane then walked the class of seven through the steps to get to our first inversion, the monkey. Being upside-down and twisted up in the hammock for the first time was a rush. We quickly moved to more positions that required some trust and guts to achieve.

There was a lot of stretching in this class. Being in my last week of training for a half-marathon, the hip flexor stretches almost made me cry. It hurt so good.

Once you learn the basics and have three prerequisite classes under your belt, you’ll be ready to get your workout on and can take AntiGravity yoga and pilates classes. I for one, will be working toward joining the circus.

They call this one the vampire.

I left the class full of energy and excitement. It was fun and challenging. While we did start and end in a quiet hanging position, this wasn’t a yoga class. I’d call the prerequisite class more of a stretching, dare-devil and confidence-building class.

I can’t wait for class number-two.

So Crispy So Fluffy

I have strong opinions about restaurants and love sharing them with anyone who will listen.

Like any other art, dining brings people together to laugh, share stories and experience something new.  And let’s be practical here…you can choose what you want without preparation, someone serves it to you with a smile (ideally) and of course, there are no dishes after.

So without further ado, Where Passion Leads presents its first restaurant review on Posto Pizzeria and Bar.

This relatively young member of the Creative Restaurant Group, which also brought us Cibo, is located at 1014 8 St SW by MEC.

I visited Posto on a scorcher of a day so I sat on the quiet, tastefully adorned patio in the back. As the hostess pointed out, the patio isn’t as dazzling as its big sister, Bonterra’s, patio next door, but it did the trick.

The menu is creative yet focused. This is a pizza place; you won’t find burgers or pasta here.

My guest and I shared a salmon tartar served with crisp greens and a creative sunflower seed and corn salad to start. Perfect for summer. Both were fresh.  The latter plate was lacking on the presentation-front, but this is just coming from my long-held belief that a plate of brown and yellow simply isn’t aesthetically pleasing. I always want to see complimentary colours or drizzle.

For our main course, we shared a pretty amazing sausage, salami, smoked pancetta, calabrese pizza. This was one of the best pizzas I’ve had in Calgary. A brazen comment, I know. The crust wasn’t too thick nor too thin. It had character and therefore was just right. The dough was crispy as the bottom and the crust had the perfect amount of crunch to it. Once I bit through the crispy crust, I was greeted with the fluffiest crust ever.  How did they get those little air pockets in there? The tomato sauce was chunky with fresh tomatoes. The name of the pizza didn’t mislead anyone; it’s a meaty pizza!

I’m not sure how to approach price point because Calgary is simply an expensive dining destination.  It’s just the way it is. So, yes, Posto is expensive, but the quality was there too. The pizzas and our appetizers were about $20 each.

The wine list was a little expensive for my liking. The cheapest glass of wine was $9 and there was only one to choose from. The most expensive was $21 and most glasses of wine were closer to the higher end of that spectrum.

The service itself was casual and slow; our glasses were often empty and the time between courses was excessive. There definitely weren’t enough wait staff on hand. There were no paper towels in the washroom, which is a necessity, but as my guest commented on as she returned with wet hands, that didn’t matter because she just wanted to hurry and get back to the incredible pizza.

If you’re strictly on a mission to find the best pizza in Calgary, add Posto to your list. You’ll be happy you did. But because of the slow service and the price point, Posto won’t be my go-to pizza joint.

 

Shakespeare by the Bow

The sun is shining and slowly setting as it lingers and plays in the majestic trees in the recovering Prince’s Island Park. The wind is blowing gently and intermittently, giving some relief from the warm summer evening. The blanket is laid out over the grass. A picnic is spread out, waiting to be casually picked at.

The scene is set.

You are now ready to enjoy the show as the young actors from four Alberta post-secondary institutions begin their rendition of Shakespeare’s tale of two sets of twins, A Comedy of Errors. Don’t worry, within a scene or two, you will be fully integrated into the twisted story and antiquated Shakespearian speak.

The caste is full of energy and makes great use of the space and natural setting they were given. Shakespeare’s comical wordplays are further embellished with the 1920s gangster suits and flapper dress.

Until August 9, 2014, Theater Calgary is presenting this classic comedy in Prince’s Island Park. This evening is ran on donations, so give kindly to support the arts in Calgary. Check out the schedule and pick a date that works for you. Don’t miss this unique summer experience.

I ask you: what better way can you spend a summer’s evening?

 

Uniquely Stampede

There’s no doubt about it; the Calgary Stampede is a remarkable community event. I can think of no other locally run festival quite like it in Canada. The most striking part is that the whole city participates in. Never have I seen so many people play dress-up for over ten days and generally love it. Secondly, the Calgary Stampede has something for everyone: the chucks and rodeo for the purists, the midway for families and the epic parties and shows for those who like it a little spicier. Go Calgary!

Saddle bronc is a true art. The rider must display grace and rhythm while actually staying on the horse.

One of the finest calmly waiting for the action.

Bullriding is the most enthralling of all the rodeo events. I have yet to figure out why these guys do it.

Calf ropping at its finest.

Wild pony racing: everyone’s favourite.

Calgary Stampede midway on an impeccable July day.

Being a kid on the midway rides is a must during Stampede.

So much yummy meat!

You can find just about anything to eat on the midway grounds.

Stephen Ave line dancers

Oh, Cowboys, what can I say about you?

At $7.50 per terrible drink, Calgarians and their wallets are alive and well.

I see this as the community’s way of giving back to the Stampede drunks.

My boots have been through a lot this week. But see, they protected me.

It’s a rule: you have to wear boots during Stampede. Plus, they keep you safe.

Another reason why boots are useful. You can drink out of them. Yes, I saw a man drink a whole beer out of his boot. This happened.

Live music everywhere!

I’m now officially a Calgarian; I’ve had a shot of syllabub. I never have to have this fresh milk and hard liquor mix again.

This lovely cow was milked during the syllabub ceremony at the Hays Breakfast. A real beaut.

People put so much effort in their Stampede costumes.

It’s not a party without the Calgary Stampede Showband.

See, they are everywhere.

Traffic jams at night in Calgary are a pretty rare occasion….when it’s not Stampede.

A Little Get-Away on a Midsummer’s Night

This one’s going to be a little different than my usual lifestyle entries and; therefore, it was a slight challenge to write. For, you see, I’m not exactly what I would call a sciency person by any means. However, after visiting the University of Calgary’s Rothney Astrophysical Observatory (RAO flows better), I am proud to say that I’ve retained a couple facts that will certainly be shared at my next dinner party.

View of Calgary from the Rothney Astrophysical Observatory in Priddis

The RAO, in Priddis, Alberta, marked the summer solstice (the longest, most wonderful, day of the year) by opening its doors and showcasing its cool high-tech gear to a curious and knowledge-thirsty crowd of young and old alike.

Being in the RAO was a flashback to University. I sat down in a jam-packed auditorium and listened to an excited professor, Dr. Langill, lecture about everything we, as a people, know about the sun. Fitting for the solstice because, according to my trusty friend, Wikipedia, which never lies, the solstice occurs when the tilt of the Earth’s axis is most inclined toward the sun.  This happens twice each year.

Fun fact: if you were to drive to the sun at 100 km/hr, it would take you two hundred years.

Dr. Langill’s lecture was very interesting until my woefully inadequate Astronomy 101 knowledge became blatantly apparent. At which point, I was rescued from my stupor by the chance to see Mars and Saturn from telescopes that local enthusiasts were kindly sharing. It’s totally not a competition or anything, but if I had to pick, I’d vote for the gassy Saturn. Very cool with its rings and all.

The hour long drive out of town was beautiful and relaxing. After all the rain we’ve gotten in June, the trees were so green and the foothills were sprawling shades of lush green.

Another stunning view of our lovely Foothills.

I would recommend this little trip to anyone who is a little curious about astronomy or has little ones who would like to peer out of a full on telescope. The RAO is packed with people who would be more than happy to share their knowledge with you.

Many Cooks Make a Fun Kitchen

What a treat! I got to write about yoga last week, and now, I get to write about my second love: cooking. It doesn’t get any better than this.

My sister and I took a hands-on cooking class at the Cookbook Co. on Friday.  The class started at 6:30 p.m., with a glass of wine. Couples or teams paired up and chose a course to make; we tackled the stuffed chicken with four new friends. Cooking, laughing, learning and eating together is what the culinary arts are all about to me. What a great way to share an evening with new people. Each team had a station with a recipe and the ingredients needed to create a masterpiece. As we stired and choped away, the hilarious and charismatic Bruce Breadner, walked around and gave demos and words of wisdom.

Under the tutelage of the executive chef and owner of LAT51°N, a private chef company based out of Canmore, twelve couples cooked a wonderful meal. We learned how to make succulent lamb meatballs, a fresh, zesty salad, risotto topped with perfectly seared shrimp, stuffed chicken on a bed of beans and a chocolate pana cotta. Bruce called it a culinary trip around the world.

The Cookbook Co. classes are good for people of all cooking backgrounds. My sister and I are pretty good cooks, but we learned great tips like the importance of cutting off the hard tip of the garlic clove to prevent heart burn, how to properly hold a knife (it’s a little scary), how over-cutting parsley will bruise it and alters its taste, the wonders honey can make in balancing flavours and how amazing fennel pollen is.

Whether you’re going on a date, with a friend or a bunch of friends or on a mission to become a serious chef, this is a fun and entertaining night out.  Not only will you learn how easy it is to cook risotto, but you’ll get an appreciation of what goes into serving a meal to a big group.

At $90, it’s a bit expensive but it’s well worth it. You’ll learn lots, eat an amazing meal served with wine and you’ll get great entertainment and see people at their finest, when they’re having fun with food. And the best part is you won’t have to do dishes.

Helpful hints:

• Book well ahead of time because these classes get filled up fast.
• For the foodies in the house, show up early so you can check out the market in the Cookbook Co and the Metrovino wineshop.
• Of course there is wine served with your meal. You can however, bring your own bottle of wine, which the staff must pour for you, while you cook.

Hot Yoga Myths

Calgary’s been soggy for a few days now. Upside, the air is fresh and the trees are very green and full of life. Downside, my grandiose plans of playing golf and hiking are sadly out the window. So in the absence of a large umbrella, lamp posts and a musical, what is a girl to do in the rain?

The answer is clearly something inside and clearly yoga, hot yoga to be precise. While I’ve only been to two hot yoga studios in Calgary, my favourite – it’s close to home, clean, it smells good and is comfortable – is Hot Shop in Victoria Park. For years, my best friend tried to get to me to go to hot yoga but I just never did it because there were so many intimidating myths around it. One day I got encouragement I couldn’t turn down; I finally went, and it was heaven. How could I have waited so long?

Yes, hot yoga is–go figure–hot (between 35 – 40 degrees with 50% humidity – think Costa Rica) and therefore harder than traditional yoga, in my opinion. But all yoga is as difficult as you want it to be. It’s a very personal activity that you get what you put into it. But like anything else, it gets easier the more you practice.

Myth: I can’t do hot yoga; I will pass out. No, you likely won’t. Don’t be so dramatic. Just listen to your body and take a time-out if you feel funny.

So, how does it work? First step: have the courage to try something new and look at a local schedule. Classes are offered all the time, all over town. I’d start with an early morning one because there are fewer people in those classes or a Yin class (seriously just glorious stretching in a hot room).

Second step: Show up. Arrive early so you can have as much time as possible to lay in the studio and acclimatize before class starts. You’ll want to wear as little clothes as you’re comfortable in. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, that means you’ll get to have a lot of hot, sexy eye candy.

Myth: Yoga is for girls. There are lots of men—of all orientations—who go to yoga.

Third step: Slide the studio door and breathe in the warm, humid, sweet air. Let it rush over your face as you step into the dimmed room.

Myth: the carpet is soaked in sweat. There is only hardwood. The floor gets washed after every class.

Fourth step: Quietly put your mat down (yes, there is such a thing as yoga etiquette), lie down, sit down or do a headstand. Clear your mind and focus on your breath until the instructor comes in.

Myth: you have to be an expert yogi to do yoga. Everyone’s gotta start somewhere. It doesn’t matter if you’re not bendy…you will be. Also, no one is looking at you because they’re focusing on their own business so they don’t fall on their butts with attempting an eagle pose.

Fifth step: The class starts with gentle stretches and moves into flows where breath is linked to movement. Depending on the type of class you pick, you will likely be doing sun salutations (an eloquent series of standing and balancing movements), which I see as a very nice way to open yourself out to the world. At this point, your heart will be pumping.

Myth: Hot yoga studios smell. I assure you that students exercise proper hygiene and the studio itself smells of lemon grass.

Mid class, your skin will be glistening and you will reach for your face towel. It’s a good cleansing feeling.

By the end of class you’ll be asking for reprieve, which you will get when the practice ends with the corpse pose, where you lay on your back and still your heart. Seeing as it’s like a mini-nap, it’s a lot of people’s favourite. Enjoy it. You deserve it.

So, come on, give hot yoga a try. It’s a pretty unique activity that people of all ages can benefit from. You may love it. It may not be your cup of tea, but at least you can be cool and say you tried it and know what it’s all about.

Where Passion Leads Is Back! Calgary Styles.

Hello blog! How I’ve missed you.

I’ve been home from my great Latin American adventure for almost three months now. It feels like an eternity since I’ve seen a beautiful sunset. Being home is great though: it’s safe, my friends and family are here, and Calgary is bursting with life.

When I first started blogging in December 2013, I wanted to see if I would like it. Turns out that I had a great time writing on my trip. When I got back home, my intention was to continue to blog and I knew all along what I wanted to write about: all the cool and interesting events and the yummy culinary scene Calgary has to offer.

I want to share my experiences for a few reasons:

1. Calgary has an outdated cultural reputation. We are so much more than the one and only Stampede.
2. It’s easy to get sucked into the 9-5 routine. Calgary has so much going on. Go experience it! Your couch will be waiting for you.
3. I want to connect with people who love to do what I love.

But I was faced with the dreaded writers’ block. I did some great things to get the creative juices going: a trip to Banff, golfing, an art show, showcasing local, amateur artists, a 30-day yoga challenge, the Lilac Fest, speed dating (yeah, that’s right!), the Calgary half-marathon (not legitimately though…ask me about it, if you’re curious), but last Friday, my heart truly sang again.

So, I’m kicking off my Calgary-based Where Passion Leads blog with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra’s The Cocktail Hour Music of the “Mad Men” Era.

For two hours, a rather older—but generally classy—audience at the Jack Signer Concert Hall got treated to the work of the most animated conductor I’ve ever seen, Maestro Steven Reineke, from Ohio. To be fair, I’ve only been to the orchestra twice before, but this conductor shook his hips, shrugged his shoulders and made his baton dance with more passion than I’ve ever seen. With so much talent and spirit on stage, it was hard not to have a smile on my face.

Stephen Ave — on my way to the Orchestra.

We took a trip in time with music from the ‘40s with Bésame Mucho, the ’50s with Luck be a Lady…I’m not so sure the messaging behind that one still applies:

I know the way you’ve treated other guys you’ve been with
Luck be a lady with me
A lady never leaves her escort
It isn’t fair, it isn’t nice
A lady doesn’t wander all over the room
And blow on some other guys dice
Let’s keep this party polite
Never get out of my sight
Stick with me baby, I’m the guy that you came in with
Luck be lady tonight

The ’60s with These Boots Are Made for Walkin’ and even Moondance from the ‘70s and Amy Winehouse’s You Know I’m No Good, which was slightly odd coming from Max von Essen…think Michael Bublé.  By the end of the night, the crowd was up on its feet, twisting like they hadn’t twisted in year. It was a sweet sight to see.

So, come on; give the Calgary Philharmonic a try. In the fall, they are doing the score to the James Bond movies. How awesome will that be?!

Hiking Through Corcovado National Park

For the last big adventure of my journey, I headed south to the lush, pristine rainforest of Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula. Bye-bye lazy beach days; hello day-long jungle hikes.

Jungle Hostel outside of Puerto Jimenez.

From Dominical, I took a couple bus rides to Puerto Jimenez. Feeling queasy after a windy road through the mountains down to the small town, I plopped myself down on the bus station bench to settle my tummy. As I asked my BC travel companions if they had done their homework–finding a hostel they liked–a lovely man invited us to stay in his hostel. Described as quiet and rustic, with recently acquired electricity in the communal area, we quickly looked at each other to swap opinions, found immediate consensus, gratefully accepted and hopped into the back of his truck for a bumpy ride. You see, we left Dominical in a rather rushed fashion and didn’t have any plans in this new town, but upon arrival, we knew it would be more comfortable to be outside of this loud rough-looking town.

You get really good at gauging people after being on the road for a while.

At $14/night the hostel was indeed one of the most rustic I’ve stayed at. It was perfect. We used coolers to keep our yogurt cold and headlamps and a log sidewalk to get to the outdoor showers. I will surely miss the jungle view when I am brushing my teeth in my cooly lit bathroom in the city. Our cabin had no walls and two wood bunk beds with nets, which were a necessity. Falling asleep to the sound of insects, birds and monkeys was certainly a special treat. If only nature had a volume nob though!

Corcovado National Park, near Los Patos ranger station.

We travelled to the Osa Peninsula to hike in Corcovado National Park. Reputed to be hot, humid and bug-ridden, people kept asking us if we were seriously up for it. We simply replied that Canadian women are a special species and yes, of course, we were up for it. In addition, our mandatory and very expensive guide would undoubtedly keep us safe from pumas and poisonous snakes, frogs and spiders. All the surprised looks did have me a bit worried though.

Super old tree.

Our three-day trek started at 5am with the most extreme off-road taxi ride through streams and jungle to the beautiful and remote Los Patos ranger station. The ride definitely foreshadowed what was waiting for us. Along our 22 km inland walk through primary jungle, which as I learned means that it has never been cut down and is rare, we gawked at cool trees, searched for birds, colourful bugs and animals like anteaters and monkeys, of course. I also learned that it’s quite easy to spot monkeys because they throw food at you from the tree-tops.

I’m still not sure if I’m tick-free…

While this hike was not that intense because we weren’t climbing a mountain, the heat and humidity did present a challenge. Another element that I wasn’t used to is ticks. They are alive and well in this part of the world. Also, as those who have been following this blog know, I didn’t bringing hiking boots. If someone is travelling to Corcovado specifically to hike, bring your boots… No brainer. I made due but proper boots would have been a great help with the continual game of hopscotch on rocks and roots, climbing over and under logs and river crossings, which are a balancing act.

While making sure to take in everything and not just focusing on putting one tired foot in front of another, I took a deep breath in. It smelled amazing. I thought to myself, “wow, it smells like a spa here.” I quickly laughed; spas emulate the natural smells of the jungle and not vice versa! Oh, city girl. I think I was smelling humid eucalyptus. Fun fact: citronella also comes from the jungle.

Most unsuspectingly beautiful smelling flower.

Arriving at our destination before sunset was a welcomed achievement. The Sirena ranger station,  located close to the ocean, in a clearcut area, with a landing strip for supplies and those who perhaps don’t have time to hike in, would be our home for two days. It even had showers! Sleeping in a tent at the ranger station was also an experience. While I’ve been sleeping in the jungle for a few months now, sleeping in a tent in the middle of a protected rainforest is another story. Needless to say, I didn’t get much sleep over my two nights there, but did get to do some fantastic stargazing.

Wake me up when the sunrises; I found a good sleeping log.

The following day was comprised of a series of walks along the trail system around the Sirena ranger station, starting with a 5am walk in the dark. The howler monkeys were howling in full force. They aren’t annoying when you’re not trying to sleep and are actually seeking them out. They let out a rather scary sound for such small creatures; it’s rather reassuring when you get to see how cute they are. Although I was ready to pack up and race to a bed after the first sleepless night without a mattress and ridiculous heat and humidity, I’m grateful that I got to see a sunrise with a rainbow and all and a sunset in one day.

Morning walk about to La Leona ranger station.

Our hike back to La Leona ranger station on the third day started even earlier, but really, waking up at 3am is really not a big deal when you’re not sleeping anyway. We had to leave early to beat the heat, but most importantly, to beat the high tide that would make the rivers we needed to pass through unfordable. This 19.5 km stretch was my favourite portion because it was on and off of the beach. Lots of diversity for this busy mind. Along the beach we saw all sorts of paw tracks and of course another beautiful sunrise. Once the sun rose at 6am, it was already hot out, and I was grateful for the refuge of the forest’s canopy every once in a while. Our walk was on a flatter terrain and was graced with fresh coconut and bananas and a well-deserved break in the shade by a river. We even saw the skeleton of a humpback whale reconstructed near the beach (my closest whale-sighting this trip).

The hike was extremely rewarding. I saw nature very up close and got to learn firsthand some of the intricacies of the jungle. Searching for animals and bugs in their secret hiding spots was kind of like snooping through someone’s underwear drawer to find their little idiosyncrasies. You’re not really supposed to be there and it’s a little dangerous, but it’s very neat!

Sunset from Sirena Ranger station on our first night.

Costa Rican Pacific Beach Towns

Following fun adventures in the mountainous region of north central Costa Rica, I made a home of four beach towns on Costa Rica’s pacific coast: Samara, Santa Teresa, Montezuma and Manuel Antonio. Next up is Dominical. Each has its own flavour but all are graced with sunny skies and the tastiest $7 piña coladas.

A quiet Samara beach in the morning.

The popular Samara comes in at number two on my very scientific beach-ranking system. The town itself is a nice size and is easily walkable before and after the intense heat of the day. As testament a to the town’s popularity, I got turned away from three hostels before I found a hotel (an extremely rare occurrence in my experience) which was only affordable on a backpacker’s budget because I shared a room with a gal from Argentina. With a communal kitchen and a pool at our disposal, we were very comfortable.

Samara has gentle waves which are perfect for surf lessons. The town is also filled with organic shops and yoga studios. At night, the beach is nicely lit restaurants which make for a romantic night out. For Costa Rica, Samara was rather reasonably priced. A downfall however is that Samara doesn’t get lovely ocean sunsets.

Carrillo beach is a nice place to find some solitude for the day.

Samara is also a nice walk away from the deserted Carillo beach. There’s nothing much there other than palm trees and some local families, so bring some water.

All in all, Samara is an easy and peaceful place for people to travel to for a week to get away from the cold.

Next up is Santa Teresa.

Last splashes of colour on a rocky corner of Santa Teresa beach.

Because of its big, powerful waves, Santa Teresa is a very popular dusty surf town that stretches along the coastline for a few kilometres. Teaming up with a couple young Australian girls this time, I had the pleasure of experiencing life in a surf hostel, which can best be described as the ultimate bachelor pad for 21 year-olds. The walls were decorated with surfboard and the surfaces where lined with bottles, dirty dishes and dusty grim. I used this as an exercise in tolerance, but after three nights of not sleeping because of the suna-like sleeping arrangements, I couldn’t get out of Santa Teresa fast enough.

The amazing sunsets brought people out of their mid-day commas to surf and watch the sun go down. It was a nice scene which brought out families too.

Santa Teresa, which is home to many expats and illegal immigrants who just don’t want to go home, has a myriad of lovely restaurants. Surprisingly though, given the primary clientele base, it was rather pricey. Since I’m not a surfer and the beaches were rough, Santa Teresa comes in at the penultimate position of the beach ranking.

An amazing sunrise in Montezuma.

In the top ranking position is Montezuma. Made up of two small roads, this relaxed town is by far the smallest of the four. The locals are friendly and kind and mesh well with the tourists. The restaurants are fantastic (I definitely got my sashimi fix there), the shop are cute and the streets are lined with non-pushy artists selling the jewelry. Live music fills the streets at night. Montezuma is a great place to hangout for a couple…or few days.

Montezuma also has a beautiful set of waterfalls, which are a fun little hike away. It was quite fun watching the locals jump off higher and higher ledges.

Turtle Island.

From Montezuma, I took a day trip to Turtle Island where I snorkelled, tried paddle boarding and lounged in impossible blue, still water.

While I kept tacking on days to my stay in Montezuma, I knew it was time to check out Manuel Antonio national park, which also happens to be a beach or two.

Manuel Antonia National Park Beach.

On the backpacking trail, I had been warned that Manual Antonio is exceedingly touristic, but for good reason. I went to check it out and only stayed one night, which doesn’t happen very often. The long and winding town didn’t have much character and the beaches were, well, just beaches. This was the only beach that had pesky vendors, although very nice. When you have a lot of time to spend on the beach, it’s nice to find one that suits for needs. So, for me, Manual Antonio, was a nice walk on an ocean-side park but nothing more than that. Manual Antonio comes in last.

Made it to Dominical. Can’t wait to explore!