On Sunday I went to the beautiful Manuel Antonio National Park. It is just as diverse, enchanting, fun and relaxing as I remember. As we walked through the park, we saw spiders that had spun golden webs that are strong and secure even if you try to lift it, iguanas and lizards of all shapes, sizes and colors, monkeys at play, a sloth asleep in a tree and beautiful beaches that looked out onto a turquoise ocean. Despite the tourists, it was a very peaceful place that filled me with joy and wonder.
The last beach we visited filled me with wonder and nostalgia because I recognized it immediately. All of a sudden I was transported back to 2006, the summer before my senior year of high school. I was walking with Señora Chmieleski, my excellent and vibrant Spanish teacher that had planned our three week class excursion to Costa Rica. The first thing we noticed was the sloth slowly inching its way down a tree, then the monkeys playing in trees right next to the beach (and they were in the same spot on Sunday), and finally the beach and ocean-bright, clear, everything a tropical beach bordering a jungle should be.
Then, my teacher turned me around and showed me a sign in Spanish that used the command form to say, don’t feed the animals. The nostalgia really hit me when I saw that sign. To Señora Chmieleski, thank you for starting me off on the right foot with Spanish. It has given me years of joy and helped me accomplish so much academically, professional and personally. Because of your early encouragement, I know Spanish and traveling will always be a part of my life.
I hope you enjoy these pictures of the national park!
Today I explored a hidden waterfall and natural hot springs with a tour group. There were ten of us total including the guide and even though we were strangers at first, we became a little group throughout the morning and exchanged emails to share pictures once we returned to the hostel.
Next up was relaxing in the natural hot springs. My favorite one was next to the river so you could feel warm and toasty in the hot bath and then jump into the cool, refreshing river. To get to these gems, there were two short 15 minute hikes. It was the perfect way to spend my last full day in Boquete.
