Pura Vida in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica

After my post last week, I got plenty of kind messages and emails. THANK YOU! 

While losing Julia means great sadness, there is also much to be grateful for: 

that I got to say goodbye, 

that I got to spend so much time with her over the last year and in her last few weeks,

and that we had one last adventure together to a little slice of heaven in Costa Rica.

Five days after we left Costa Rica in February, Julia checked herself into the hospital. I had no idea then that that week in Costa Rica would be our last beach day together, last beer together and last trip together.

Oh how lucky I feel that we got to make these memories. Staying in a bungalow sandwiched between the jungle and the Caribbean, we had no recollection of what time it was or even what day it was--for one week we were all together without the stresses of daily life.

I can't quite remember how I found this rasta-infused town on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica, but once I started reading more about Puerto Viejo (Mina's posts sealed the deal), I knew that was the chilled out place we were looking for. 

Beach, jungle, monkeys, hammocks, fresh watermelon juice every morning and just my best friends and I lounging around in bathing suits all day.

Perfection. Pura Vida.

I'll just let the pictures do the talking. 

{Lounging on hammocks at Kaya's Place, the bungalow we stayed at right across from Playa Negra}