Costa RicaCosta Rica

Dolphins, Sailing and Dancing

Destination: Manuel Antonio

Wanting only fruit for breakfast, Rayna and I were both thrilled that the restaurant at El Byblos could provide us with just that. Not having much time to drag our feet this morning, the light breakfast hit the spot and we were ready to meet our shuttle at 8:30 to go on our catamaran tour.

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Picking us up right at the Byblos, Planet Dolphin delivered us to the pier in Quepos where we got our first glimpse of the Tom Cat, the boat that we would share with about forty others for the next few hours. Including snorkeling, lunch, an open bar, sailing, and dolphin spotting, this was an all-inclusive experience. With fun and, often, festive tunes coming from the speakers, we gawked at the beautiful scenery and wildlife while the Tom Cat motored down the coastline from Capos to Manuel Antonio National Park. We did, indeed spot dolphins, go snorkeling and swim with beautiful tropical fish, and we enjoyed a wonderful lunch before sailing back to the pier.

Lunch was a real treat. Consisting of fish kabobs, pasta salad, and tropical fruit, everything was really delicious and it was all freshly prepared and cooked on the boat. The perch I had near the back of the boat was perfect for sunning and enjoying the last few minutes of my time on the catamaran. All in all, I had a wonderful day on the Tom Cat and would highly recommend it to others.

Soon after returning to shore, we checked into The Babaloo Inn. What a cozy little inn! Recently taken over by new owners, our room is new, very clean and super comfortable. Also, it was immediately clear to both Rayna and I that the owners have a keen sense of looking after the little details that can make such a difference. For instance, there are plenty of towels for both the bathroom as well as the pool (which is beautiful and refreshing), a mini-bar, ice, cups, air conditioning, and cable TV. They also provide a detailed booklet for guests to peruse which lists much pertinent information about the inn and the area. It seems, too, that all the rooms have their own private decks with big leather rocking chairs- so relaxing.

Since I had been lying in the sun all afternoon, a dip in the pool seemed to be the next logical step. Set at the perfect temperature to cool off after a long day in the sun, I immediately fell in love with the small pool. We didn't linger too long though, because we were eager to go out for a sunset happy hour.

We found El Avion, a restaurant/bar built around a grounded airplane, which promised and delivered an amazing view. With a plate of nachos and a couple cocktails, we were well on our way to being perfectly relaxed, though the sky did not cooperate and deliver the sunset we had our hearts set on, there is no doubt that on a clear afternoon, this is a pretty great spot.

Later, Rayna and I headed to Coconuts down by the beach in Manuel Antonio. We had heard that it was a fun bar and a great place to go dancing. Further, there was the flicker of a rumor that Matthew McConaughey had been there a couple days before partying till the wee hours. Now, I have no idea if this rumor is true or not, but that did not impede my hoping that he might appear tonight. Well, as the night wore on, no MM showed up, however we did have a fascinating creature (in its own right) to ogle!

At first, I thought there was a fight in the street because it seemed that all at once everyone was looking out from the bar to the street below. Well, it was something far more captivating, even to the male patrons, than a fight. A sloth had, somehow, got itself on a power line. It is rare to see a sloth, it is more rare to see one moving, it is still more rare to see one out in the open clearly visible on a power line directly under a street light. This was truly a remarkable sight to behold.

Creeping along at the slow and steady pace which is characteristic of sloths, this unfortunate creature was undoubtedly nervous enough and not used to being out in the light, let alone the object of so much flash photography. It all seemed to catch-up to the slow-moving mammal at once, because it just curled up in a ball and took a nap under the street light, where it remained till the streets were quiet again.

During all the commotion, our friends from the night before located us and again convinced us to go dancing. After I gave up all hope of a MM spotting, we hit a couple hot spots before returning to Arco Iris to top off the night with more dancing!

Dolphins, Sailing and Dancing in Pictures

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