Puntarenas, Costa Rica: Pura Vida!

Pura Vida... simply translated it means simple life or pure life.  Costa Ricans (Ticos) use this term to say hello, to say goodbye, to say everything’s great, to say everything’s cool.  They say it’s an emotion, it’s an attitude, it’s happiness, and it’s a way of life. We weren't in Costa Rica long enough to fully appreciate Pura Vida in its entirety but the people we met certainly gave us a glimpse of its true meaning.

We came to Puntarenas, Costa Rica two days after transiting the Panama Canal and like several other ports of call on this trip it was our first visit. Our shore excursion included a Forest Skywalk on suspended bridges and a boat ecotour of the Tarcoles river featuring beautiful birds and intimidating crocodiles.Here's a quick video snapshot of some of the highlights of our too-short visit to Costa Rica...