As I sat outside, high up in the hills of Escazú, gazing down at the hectic capital city, San José, I found peace and a real haven, realizing that this view gave me a completely different perspective on life in the Central Valley of Costa Rica. With the cool air, the clear blue skies, and the quiet surroundings, I thought, "I might be able to live in a place like this."
I don't usually spend much time in the Greater Metropolitan Area of Costa Rica, also known as the GAM. Generally, I prefer ocean breezes, my toes in the sand, and cow crossings to traffic jams, speeding buses, and hunting for parking lots just to avoid parallel parking (which has never been my strong suit).
However, my son's basketball team was representing Costa Rica and playing in a Central American tournament (CODICADER), and I wanted to go cheer him on.
While driving has never been my favorite thing, driving all over Costa Rica is totally doable, I 100% recommend using Waze and driving during daylight when traveling around the country.
Spending Time in Tres Ríos
My children's father and his family live in Tres Ríos, so we often end up staying in that area. My son was playing in Escazú, so yes, that meant my timing around traffic was dialed in, as it's only a 30-minute drive; yet, with traffic, it could be closer to 90 minutes.
One perk of the city is that eating out is generally more affordable outside of heavily touristy areas, such as Tamarindo, where I live. I went to El Pizote in San Ramon de Tres Ríos for lunch and was pleasantly surprised by the meal and the prices. I love it when I can order bocas típicas (typical appetizers) as my meal. My pozol (a traditional corn "soup") cost $5.35. It was plenty for me to eat, but my eyes are usually bigger than my stomach, so I also ordered tacos de queso for $4.60, which I ended up having to share with someone else. And a beer costs $3, much less than the $5 they charge on the beach!
Staying in Escazú
My favorite part of the weekend was when my daughter and I arrived at Hotel Monte Campana Escazú. There are houses you can rent for up to 15 people, or you can rent out rooms (with a private bathroom) and a shared living/kitchen area.
I adore waking up in Tres Ríos, with the mountain in my backyard. Years ago, I lived in an area called La Carpintera, and my backyard literally backed right up to the mountain in the picture. I love how you can choose different elevations in the Central Valley, and once we moved to our Airbnb in Escazú, I was in heaven.
Sitting outside is how I ground myself. Sitting in nature allows me to connect to my higher self, taking time in silence, breathing deeply, and feeling the sunshine on my face.
On Saturday night, a group from my son's team went out for Indian food at Taj Mahal. Costa Rica offers many Indian restaurants, which are great, even though my kids say my butter chicken is better than any they've had at a restaurant. I spent $25 on my meal and a beer.
By the end of the weekend, I realized that maybe, just maybe, city life in the mountains had a peaceful side I could get used to.
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