Liberia, Costa Rica, Day 3

After a breakfast of huevos, bacon and cafe con leche we decided to head to the beach again – this time in the sunny morning and with our bathing suits. Today’s destination was the next beach south from yesterday’s and much more commercial. Known as Playa del Coco, it has hotels, restaurants and souvenir shops along the main road as well as locals selling homemade crafts along the beach walk.

As hoped, the weather was perfect and the Pacific was blue and warm. We weren’t sure we’d ever get the kids back on land. The beach is in a small bay so it is home to an array of sailboats and mild waves. The small islands in the mouth of the bay are common in the region and add a lot of interest to the view.

The forecast called for the afternoon rains to start about 1pm so just before then we rinsed ourselves off and headed across the street to Soda La Teresita for lunch. Sodas are everywhere here. They are restaurants that are generally open air, family-owned and serve traditional Costa Rican cuisine. We weren’t in the restaurant 15 minutes before the clouds started rolling in so we toasted to our good timing.

Everyone tried something new including Tiffany’s traditional Costa Rica lunch the casado. It’s a common dish and typically comes with rice, beans, a small salad, a fried plantain and a meat. Today Tiffany chose a pork chop but could have picked fish, beef or something just called ‘meat’ (we think it’s stewed beef but we’re not sure) . It was way too much food but very affordable and very yummy.

After lunch we started the 30 minute drive back to our house and as soon as we got in the car the downpour started. So we had another drive between the beach and our house in a rainstorm. Brian has now logged more minutes driving in the rain over two days in Costa Rica than the last five years in Southern California. Since it’s rainy season here it’ll likely happen every day for a couple of hours. Sounds like a perfect opportunity for reading, board games or napping!

Tonight was dinner in – Spaghetti, garlic bread and zucchini. It took Tiffany a few extra moments to find the zucchini at the grocery, it looked different than the dark green we typically get at home.

After dinner it was Suaram’s turn to wash dishes and CreeperPuppy’s turn to rinse/dry. Unlike home, there is no dishwasher in the AirBnB house so it seemed like a perfect opportunity for the kids to build some new skills – especially since Brian and Tiffany have had all the dish washing experience they want.

They rotate each meal and this was our 4th meal with dishes so they’ve each gotten to wash, rinse/dry and have a break. After a little confusion at the beginning about how exactly to wash a dish – they’ve settled in to doing the task with focus, teamwork and good humor. CreeperKitty even said it was kind of fun.

We expect this favorable attitude to last another day or two and when the novelty wears off, this chore (like the ones they used to do at home) will be met with the complaints and groans we know and love. But we’re enjoying it until then.

A little evening reading and it’ll be lights out. We’re looking forward to new adventures tomorrow.