Surfing + Guaro = Costa Rica

Free private guide (kind of), discounted hotel room, discounted surf lessons, cheap booze (they have booze in Costa Rica, right?). Ummmmm, YES, I will participate in this vacation. I am lucky enough to have a best friend who worked at a ski & snowboard academy, because there is little likelihood that I would have been able to snag this sort of set-up through my own connections. Reid (my friend's co-worker) had been taking yearly trips down to Jaco, Costa Rica since he'd volunteered to work for a surf camp in L.A. Traveling with this type of pseudo local at a discount is an experience any true traveler couldn't pass up.

The western resort town of Jaco, Costa Ric is definitely a tourist destination and apparently expatriate mecca, but I think we were a far enough drive outside of the the town where I never got that "I'm going to punch the next frat brother who sings 'Sweet Caroline'" sensation. To be honest, even when we were in town it didn't seem like a typical spring break destination. I was only really aware that there were a lot of souvenir shops and "The Beatle Bar" had a lot of prostitutes waiting for American tourists, but hey, they played March Madness basketball games on the big screen, so I totally forgave Reid for taking us there.

It may seem I am being harsh in my memories of Jaco, but truly I loved every experience I had while I was visiting. The hotel we stayed at, Hotel Terraza del Pacifico, was directly on the beach (beach isn't great for sunbathing, but the pool is pleasant and view is amazing), and while not a 5 star accommodation definitely had a friendly staff and some beautiful views of the sunset:

(*Picture courtesy of Meriel's superior photography skills)

While sunset and beach vacations are all well and good, I really have a hard time sitting around relaxing - horrible, I know. The freakin' beautiful thing about a Costa Rican vacation is that the country is not only a mecca for "hardcore" surfers, but it is also really accessible to those posers (like myself) who are attempting to learn:

(*Up! Ahhh - so much concentration)

(*Dern - You Jack!)

(*Further proof I did it more than once - see different bathing suit bottoms!)

In all seriousness, by early April the water off of the western coast is like bath water - making it really easy and enjoyable for just about anyone to get into the sport. Ha - unless your name is Meriel and you like Imperial beer and guaro a wee bit too much. Side note: guaro is local liquor, that although it made me go slightly insane, is delicious when mixed with Fanta or Sprite:

(*Meriel, not throwing you under the bus. We all enjoyed "Ladies Night", just not as much as you.)