Whirlwind Whale Weekend to the Osa Peninsula

1st Night at the Hostel

Justin & "the ladies"

La Playa
We- Brenda, Shea & myself along with new friends Justin, Taryn, Christian, Kenneth & little brother, & Octavio - took the weekend off to experience some sweet sights & smells on & around the Osa Peninsula (southern peninsula on the Pacific side of Costa Rica). The stated goal was whale watching but this was just to be the icing on the cake of a superb weekend in a sunny tropical paradise. We spent the first & third/last night at a nice hostel in San Jose & the night on the tour at "Poor Man's Paradise" (http://www.poormansparadiseresort.com/wildlife.html - fortunately included in the tour price as in looking at the website the poor man part of the title is comparatively questionable if you don't have a larger party).

The 5 hour bus ride over the mountains & down to the peninsula was beautiful, the mountains were amazingly chilly after our ascension from the jungle, but incredibly lovely. All the information was relayed in Spanish- I listened to the introduction information on the bus but only caught a small percentage of it, good practice tho. Fortunately Justin speaks fluent Spanish & Christian, Kenneth & Octavio are all guides at La Selva- the tour guide was also an old friend of Christian's.

The baby humpback whale & presumed mama were amazing, well worth some waiting on the boat, the boat ride itself was actually pretty incredible but I think that the beach that runs along south of Drake Bay & in front of the hotel has to be the highlight. We had time for hours of swimming/ body surfing- not so much for me with my incredible sense of timing- but I sense progress. Some truly heavenly beach walks complete with the warmest seawater I have ever had the pleasure to experience, sand, palm trees & coconuts, several lightning storms in the distance on night walks, a bar & restaurant- & lest I forget the most awesome presumably fresh caught white fish (of unknown species) for the "vegetarianos" Brenda & Mel (term is used loosely of course :) & lastly some of the most charming company one could ask for.