Category: City

How to Spend a Week in Costa Rica

Published on by unanchoredeveLeave a comment

Since Flying into San Jose is typically less expensive than the city Liberia, some friends and I took advantage of a last minute flight special. If you have time to stay in the area, I would highly recommend a day or more rafting on the Pacuare River which I did on a separate visit to Costa Rica. From there we shared a shuttle to our first destination, Montverde, a small town tucked in a lush expanse of thick green forest. You can take a local bus which is way less expensive but can take more time. We stayed two nights in a bed and breakfast during the day drank delicious coffee, chose to do a zip line excursion in the cloud forest where we made some furry friends.

costarica20165of88

costarica201610of88

Our next stop was Tamarindo, a coastal surf town. The first day was spent relaxing on the beach, watching a beautiful sunset and eating fish tacos pared with pitchers of fresh sangria. The following day we chose to head out on the water on a catamaran tour.

costarica201626of88

costarica201640of88

The last destination was Santa Teresa, three nights, things to do:

  1. Rent a quad for $50/day, head to dream beach for quiet and relaxation or Montezuma where you can hike to a waterfall and plunge in to cool off!
  2. Hire a surf instructor, the waves a pretty strong, the guidance is well worth it.
  3. Head to the Bakery, a delicious café to refuel with local coffee and fresh pastries.
  4. End the day back in Santa Teresa at Casa MarBella. You can enjoy a few cocktails as you watch the sunset from their infinity pool.

costarica201677of88

costarica201672of88

costarica201663of88Head back to San Jose to catch your flight home refreshed and recharged.

costarica201686of88

 

What Brings you to Montreal?

Published on by unanchoredeve1 Comment

montreal201761of122

 

Friends, Food and a Lavish Cultural Wedding!

During a New Year’s trip to Nicaragua in 2014, I was fortunate to find myself in a tour group with a few great ladies who reside in Montreal, Canada.  Our friendship has since blossomed and we been able to connect through more traveling. This January I was invited to a first Jewish-Moroccan wedding; I knew it was going to an experience that couldn’t be passed up! Here are some highlights from the weekend festivities:

At some point we have all experienced changes in our social circles, friends move away to pursue exciting careers or romances and some we just grow apart from as our interests diversify. Your best friend from grade school may be a few minutes away but don’t discount the fact that an overseas buddy may be more supportive of your lifestyle since you’ve bonded over several days and nights of travel exploration. Besides being the ultimate Montreal tour guide, my far away friend Emily has since been first on my list of emergency face-time sessions and was the motivation behind booking a trip to Argentina. As a friend, she’s both refreshing and constructive, and being in her presence is invigorating. Have you ever pursued a long-distance friendship?  Do you think it’s possible to be closer to a friend who doesn’t live in the same city? I would love to hear about your long distance friendships!

 

Top 10 Things to do in Whitefish Montana on New Years Eve

Published on by unanchoredeve1 Comment

1.    Glide Through the Day on Big Mountain

Big Mountain is a fantastic place to ski because of the stunning views. At the top of the mountain, you will find densely snow covered trees, dubbed snow ghosts. They trees gather so much snow they start to bend over like a scene from Whoville in the famous Grinch who stole Christmas film. Beyond the frosty white wonders, you then come across a panoramic view of Whitefish Lake.

ski-hill-1-1

2.    Enjoy the Peaks, even the Cheese Covered Ones!

Take a break from all the exercise and head to the Hellroaring Saloon its the best place to grab a drink, and attempt to concur their plentiful nacho plate, you’ve earned it!

nachos-1

3.    Sip on a Montana Mule

Ginger beer is one of the key ingredients the signature drink, the  Montana Mule. The spiciness of fresh ginger paired with whisky and lime juice is a great thirst quencher  after a long day on the hill. Or enjoy the alcohol free version made by Glacier Ginger Brew, which can be found on tap at several bars and restaurants in town.

ginger-beer-1-of-1

4.    Play Drinking Games for Cheap

While exploring the downtown, I ran into some old friends from previous travels. Drinks were $1.25 and 4 Liter pitcher of beer $13  and some bars accept Canadian dollars, even though the exchange rate is less than favorable! They taught me a simple drinking game. Everyone places one finger on a glass full of beer, then one at a time each person yells out, 3,2, 1 and guesses the number fingers they think will remain attached to the cup. If you guess correctly you are out of the game. Sounds simple enough, however, my short attention span led me to drink a few cups of beer that night!

drinking-games-1

5. Dress like a Super Hero

Hitting the slopes means you get to break out all your flashy snow gear. If you are getting new gear or updating the old, go for bright colors and patterns! Your friends will thank you for it, as you will be easier to spot when you are flying down the mountain.

winter-wear-1-of-1

6.    Enjoy a Mountain Sunset

Since the sun goes down pretty quickly at this time of year, stick around the mountain until the last run to catch a glimmer of the sun descending behind the snow dusted mountains.

sunset-1-of-1

7.    Eat Delicious Food

Dinner was at Mama Blancas, a  trendy looking  Mexican-Cuban restaurant located downtown. We ordered the tacos and shared each a pork, steak, and shrimp taco, which were more than satisfying.  They  have a signature hot sauce, but taste buds beware, it was one of those concoctions that clears your sinuses!

food-pic-1-of-1

8.    Take in the Local Pubs

Whitefish is full of lots of cool bars, take your time to explore them all. Thew image below is from The Great Northern Bar and Grill.  Inside you can find pool tables, shuffle boards, ping pong and slots machines.  If you plan on going to any bars on New Year’s Eve, make sure you book your tickets in advance. I ended up at Casey’s for their NYE bash, but had later heard rumors of steep entry prices, double the cost of original admission for anyone wanting last minute tickets.
night-out-1-of-1

9.    Find Travelers with an Excellent Fashion Sense

Meeting trendy new friends!

red-shirts-1-of-1

10.    Make Great NYE Resolutions

Since having a blast in Whitefish Montana, it sparked two new resolutions for 2017:
1. Plan more ski getaways.
2. Visit Whitefish to see what they have in store for the summer!

team-shot-1-of-1