Life in Playa Hermosa

Life in Playa Hermosa is slow paced and quiet. Most people get around out here on foot or on bicycles. A few have scooters. When we left Escazu we said good bye to noise pollution of the highest order to be greeted by birds of every song, howler monkeys in the trees and the roar of the ocean always in the background. Brian and I have taken up snorkeling in two locations for now. We bought gear at a dive shop in Coco, Rich Coast Diving. The first location we snorkel is directly in front of our place in Playa Hermosa. We have rocks that the fish live in and around depending on the tides. The other is at a more protected white sand beach called Playa Blanca. The water is perfectly clear, like a swimming pool, and the fish are very colorful in every shape and size. We take walks on the beach and one morning I had the pleasure of seeing a sea snake.

It turns out they have a cobra type venom. I picked this one up by its tail.

One time we were snorkeling at our home beach and a tiny bright yellow and black striped fish literal swam with us up and down the coast first with me then over to Brian and back again. He was about an inch long and he would swim right up by our masks so we could see him. One weekend we decided to splurge and rented a wave runner. We used it to explore the coastline and close islands, like monkey head. My hat flew off into the water and when I went to grab it guess who was in the water nearby, but my friend yellow snake. What are the odds of that happening? It was that day that we realized we need a boat, or our own wave runner to get to hidden beaches and snorkel spots. Now, I just need an underwater camera! The water is every color blue and green you can imagine.

On one of our adventures we drove to Santa Rosa National Park. It is a very large nature preserve that is a dry tropical forest with one of the best surf breaks in Costa Rica. The park also has a section where scientists are studying and conserving sea turtles. The park has a very impressive historical significance as well. A hacienda was transformed into a make shift fort, and battles for the independence of Costa Rica from an American slaver and general bad person, Mr. Walker, were fought on site.  Mr. Walker wasn't killed then though. It took a while, but the people of Honduras took him out.

Witch's Rock

Playa Naranja

The break at Playa Naranja.

6 foot waves

We have taken a few exploratory drives, but it is so nice right here that is difficult to bring ourselves to go anywhere else just yet. Every sunset is beautiful and we took pictures of several of them.

There is a local watering hole by our place called The Aquarium. They have a decent happy hour that tends to coincide with the sunsets.

Brian with Cooca and Chico