- Home>
- Costa Rica
By Jane Finn, Photography by David Finn
¡Pura Vida! ¡Pura Vida! In Costa Rica, whether you’re traversing a mountain trail, hiking in the jungle, relaxing by the water or ordering shi-frijo for lunch, you’re bound to be the recipient of this distinctive Tico greeting. Two simple words that translate as “Good Life,” but how do you define it?
Is it catching the perfect wave, thundering across a deserted beach on horseback or playing a round of golf beneath a jungle canopy? Is it meeting new people, savouring the local cuisine, volunteering or a combination of all or some of these pursuits?
For me, ¡Pura Vida! means doing more of what you love to do. Walking your happy path, wherever it may lead, and on this trip, it led us to the magical, majestic Pacific Coast.
I have to admit as I touch down in Costa Rica, I am not too impressed with San Jose. It’s boisterous, crowded and sprawling. Where is the peace and serenity, the nourishment I crave to feed my soul? However, within minutes of leaving the city, I get the answer to my question. Zipping along the highway en route to Jaco, the buildings that lined the narrow city streets soon give way to green, verdant rainforests, and the rallying cries of scarlet macaws replace honking horns, welcoming me to a piece of paradise on earth.
As published in the April 2021 Issue of Planet Golf Review
I have listened to hundreds of TED Talks and paid big bucks to hear motivational speakers, but it has been a long time since I have been as inspired as I was after having lunch at the 18th & Greene with José Quesada.
José is a natural redhead, a spitfire, a bundle of energy, and a force to be reckoned with, who happens to be the PGA Director of Golf for Los Sueños Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort whose commitment and contribution to the game far exceeds his position. When José is not dreaming up innovative events or making improvements to an already exceptional course, he finds ways to make golf accessible to anyone who wants to play.
By Jane Finn as published in the Summer 2018 Issue of Travel Life Magazine
¡Pura Vida! ¡Pura Vida! In Costa Rica, whether you’re traversing a mountain range, hiking in the jungle, relaxing by the water or ordering shi-frijo for lunch, you’re bound to be the recipient of this distinctive Tico greeting. Two simple words that translate as “Good Life” but how do you define it?
Is it dangling on the precipice of a volcano, zipping above the treetops, hearing the roar of a waterfall or playing a round and spotting an animal in their native habitat? Is it meeting new people, savouring the flavours of a region, volunteering or a combination of all or some of these pursuits?
Whether you’re traveling solo, as a twosome, ‘fore-some’ or family, in Costa Rica you can immerse yourself in nature, get grounded and rediscover the essence of who you are.
For me, ¡Pura Vida! means doing more of what you love to do. Walking your happy path, wherever it may lead. For now; we’ll focus on the magical, mystical Pacific Coast.