Several months before this trip, I told my parents I wanted to take them on vacation. Dad said he always wanted to visit Costa Rica, so that's exactly where we went. Our journey began in La Fortuna, which was my overall favorite part of Costa Rica. Peaceful....that's how I would describe it. Everyone there was so kind and humble. My favorite restaurant "El Fogon de Chela" was one of the best experiences I had on this trip. The owners Isela and Jonathan, made us feel right at home. Come to find out, the restaraunt was not only their family business, but also their own home. Something unique about this place is that they teach people how to cook traditional Costa Rican dishes in that very same kitchen they use to cook meals for customers. This was a very humbling encounter and I highly recommend this place for a true authentic Costa Rican experience.

I was surprised by how clean it was in La Fortuna...literally. You will not find a piece of trash anywhere. I learned from my good friend Dyhana and her husband David, who live in La Fortuna, that Costa Rica is one of the cleanest countries in the world. People there are taught to keep their environment clean at a very young age. Fun fact: Costa Rica runs on over 95% renewable energy. Some other things we did during our time in La Fortuna was hike La Fortuna Waterfall and Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges. They are a must do in my opinion. We also went on a private tour in a forest owned by Dyahan's dad. Talk about feeling exclusive haha.

We spent the rest of our time in Costa Rica in Manuel Antonio. Here, we soaked in some sun at the beautiful beaches and hiked Manuel Antonio National Park. There is wildlife everywhere in Costa Rica but we saw a lot of monkeys during our time in Manuel Antonio. Overall, this was an epic trip and I'm looking forward to going back. Pura Vida!