Notes from Costa Rica: Living Simply
We arrived at night into Palo Seco Playa, on the Pacific side of Costa Rica. I wondered aloud to my companion how our family selected this location, among so many others, approximately 3 hours' drive from the San Jose airport after half-day flights from our homes in the United States. We laughed and swerved around giant coconuts that had dropped in the night, threatening to leave us stranded before reaching our destination.
The home was beautiful, spacious, and everyone was happy to see us. On the drive out, we had passed a Burger King, a few shopping strips carved into moderate centers of commerce amidst the jungle, and many tin-roofed homes with clothing draped over their fences. On the plane a couple traveling to visit family in Argentina exclaimed, "Oh Costa RICA! La Pura VIDA! You will LOVE it." I was encouraged then, and remained curious as we encountered these scenes departing from the airport.
It wasn't until morning when I realized the gravity of our surroundings. The home was one of few along a gravel road where few cars traveled, on a small peninsula of undisturbed natural palm, and the sea is framed by mountain ridges on one side. I had a light breakfast with family then walked alone onto the beach. The dark gray sand was velveteen with few traces of debris, rolling waves stretching into an expanse of sea, evaporating beyond view into the sky. I could walk all morning in either direction without meeting another person, and was relieved of expectations, plans, worries. I noticed how walking in line with the shore could easily lead from dry sand to waters covering my knees, and deeper without changing course. I acknowledged this great force and moved along with it or beyond it, light with amusement.
The next day we visited Manuel Antonio. Weaving between large groups guided by locals, I found moments to observe the natural preserve without introduction or pretense. I walked down quiet pathways, looked over photographer's shoulders, approached trees with monkeys and sloths in residence. In these moments I considered where the things we need and love come from. And at what cost? The two are often confused.
I remembered another conversation from the plane, with a man from Chile whose kindness overflowed. Deeply religious, he thought of Covid as a "Dark Angel," and I had understood; reflected back how it leveled people across the globe - a "great equalizer." During quarantine in Chile, he said there would be government officials waiting at his house to confirm compliance with local restrictions following business trips. I couldn't recall having had such severe oversight in the United States, especially in Texas where quarantine was lifted much earlier than more densely populated East and West Coast States (with significant migrations to follow). He noted how Chile returned to normalcy much earlier due to their government having received vaccinations from China - news that perhaps hadn't crossed my flooded feed, or was avoided altogether.
In Costa Rica I was provided an unfettered escape - often without cellular, locals spotty on English, and our segment of beach delightfully deserted. Basic necessities like coffee, toilet paper, and the freshest pineapple were in abundance. For four days I walked the beach, spent time with family and locals, ate fresh fish and fruits, and read from books. During these moments I realized this is a place, even in Quepos where there is more tourism, where people's lives do not revolve around work. Their connection to nature, to community, and to God (largely rooted in Catholicism) are foundations of a peaceful and welcoming culture. Was there irony in my working long nights to escape to their reality? I am holding this question, while knowing quality of life is no direct comparison.
When leaving, I was ready for a return to my normal, accepting degrees of uncertainty. It had been many years since leaving my country, perhaps never encountering a place so lovely in its sincere expressions of beauty, simple and complete, a living thing. Pura Vida they had said, and so it was.
Content is attributed exclusively to Hype Girl Media without assistance of AI and may not be reproduced without prior authorization nor associated with unnamed individuals or entities.