As I sit here in the same place where I sat over a decade ago at Ritmo Tropical in Mal Pais this morning, I can’t help but feel a little nostalgic. But I’m getting ahead of myself. This week has been a good one; it started with an amazing horseback ride in Samara, where Fletcher, my five-year-old, got to ride a horse by himself for the first time, and ended with Kylan, my three-year-old, swimming for the first time without floaties.
Horseback Ride in Samara
At 8 am, we met up with Martina, an awesome woman with Costa Rican heritage who grew up in Montreal, Canada. She operated Explore Samara Tours, and we met at her house to start the day of riding. With howler monkeys in the trees above us, she saddled up the horses. She had a saddle small enough for Fletcher to use, so we decided to let him ride his own horse—no lead rope or anything. We just gave him the rundown on what to do and handed him the reins. The ride began by taking us up a jungle trail that eventually led to a view overlooking Samara and the beautiful Pacific Ocean. We then traversed back down to a lesser-known beach called Playa Buena Vista, crossing a river on our way where we let the horses run. We took a break to eat some fresh pineapple while the boys played with the crabs on the shore. We were so proud of Fletcher; he navigated steep hills on his own and even trotted with the horse on the beach unassisted. The ride was amazing, and we will likely head back for more before this trip is over.
Drive from Samara to Malpais
I woke up yesterday morning with a wild idea and decided it was a good time to drive down the Nicoya Peninsula to Malpais. After doing some research, we realized that driving along the coast wouldn’t be feasible during the rainy season without a proper 4×4 vehicle. So, we opted for the scenic route, taking us north on Ruta National 150 to Nicoya, then down the 157 for about 9 kilometers to Ruta National 21 through Jicaral down to Paquera. Just before Paquera, we stopped for lunch at Hotel O’Pacifico near Cabo Blanco for lunch with a view, and then continued down the very windy Ruta 160 through Tambor and across the bottom of the Peninsula to Malpais. The drive was mostly paved and took us through some truly beautiful countryside. It took us about 5 hours, including our lunch stop and a brief pause to wait for a tractor to move a trailer full of hay off the road. All in all, it was a pleasant drive.
Ritmo Tropical in Malpais
This is the place originally recommended to me by my late friend Ralph Keith Hale. The place where we met Mike Fischer and his wonderful family over a decade ago, and where Johnathan Giorgetti took the time to share with us all the information a first-timer would need to get around, survive, and surf. We were pleasantly surprised to see Johnathan’s welcoming face here a decade later to greet us again. With a fantastic pool that Kylan decided to take his first strokes in, breakfast included, and sizable warm water waves out front, this place has really good vibes. Not to mention, we’re just down the street from Santa Teresa with its tasty tacos, delectable bakery, and amazing ceviche. So yeah, you could say I’m in my happy place.
In essence, this week has woven together a tapestry of new experiences and cherished reunions. From Fletcher’s fearless horseback ride to Kylan’s splashy aquatic debut, each day has been marked by moments that we will always remember. As I bask in the tranquility of Ritmo Tropical, reminiscing about the past while relishing the present, I’m reminded of the beauty of life’s cyclical nature, where beginnings and returns intertwine seamlessly.
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