The magnificent wildlife of Manuel Antonio

Costa Rica has an amazing slice of paradise just south of San Jose, called Manuel Antonio National Park. It's teaming with wildlife and postcard-perfect views. 

The bus ride from San Jose to Manuel Antonio took about 4 hours. I decided to take the local bus, which was much cheaper, but more rugged than the comfortable tourist vans. Whenever possible, I choose the local mode of transport. I come to these countries to get to know the locals, not the tourists. It's not the most luxurious way to travel, but the end results are memories that will last a lifetime. 

It was easily the hottest bus ride I've ever taken. I was wearing shorts and a thin long-sleeved shirt, with the sleeves rolled up. I honestly thought about how the people would react around me if I just took my shirt off and sat there, dripping in sweat in my sports bra. I voted against that idea, but the thought definitely crossed my mind. In such extreme temperatures, your mind gets kinda bird-brained. I felt like a menopausal woman in the Mojave desert. The bus ride a few days earlier was colder than Antarctica, so you never know what you're going to get. My advice: always dress in layers for bus travel in Costa Rica. 

 I survived the ride, obviously, and was booted out in a small town near the national park. I met a couple from LA, named Shirley and Chris, who were also traveling around Costa Rica for a couple weeks. We decided to all share a room together. It's cheaper that way. 

We hiked through Manuel Antonio national park the next day. Like walking through a zoo with no fences, animals were popping up everywhere. A deer crosses our path, then someone spots a toucan, next thing you know, a family of howler monkey gymnasts swing over our heads. 

I had my eyes peeled for a sloth. I REALLY wanted to see a sloth!

The hike jutted out to a pristine beach, where we basked in the sun. Shirley and I frolicked in the clear blue ocean. The tranquil vibe was soothing. But the relaxation time didn't last long, soon we noticed a mischievous little raccoon creeping closer to our backpacks. He had smelled our snacks! 
He wasn't alone, he brought his wife and 3 kids, too. The 5 bandits came waddling out of the bushes, through the soft sand, straight toward our bags. Shirley and I make a mad dash out of the ocean. I'm running with my arms flailing above my head. The raccoon family stop and stare at the crazy gringa. I curl over in laughter. I snatch my bag before they can get their black little paws on it and make a free meal out of my banana. I get a close look at them and decide that they are genuinely adorable creatures. I want one as a pet. 
They looked like little robbers with their black mask, which was what they clearly were!!!
They had such a sweet look on their face and reminded me of a dog almost. One stopped to scratch his ear, looking very dog- like. 

The dad raccoon got to Shirley's yogurt drink before she could and dragged it back to the bushes for him and his family. 

He worked on twisting the cap off, then resorted to biting a hole in the side after he was unsuccessful. The pressure in the bottle burst out, startling the family. They all licked at the sweet liquid, then were off to see what more trouble they could get into. It was quite comical watching these naughty fur balls go from one tourists bag to the other. 

We love mischief

They had a feast that afternoon. Bananas, chips, beef jerky.... 
I was laughing so hard. I could have watched them all day. They were just so dang cute. Something tells me they've done this before :)

After the comedy show, we hiked further into the tropical rainforest. There were beautiful ocean views, mixed with lush canopy shaded areas and peaceful waterfalls. It really is a stunning country. 

We saw lots of iguanas sunning themselves proudly with their spiky mohawks. 

We minded our step, being careful not to step on one of the many poisonous snakes slithering through Costa Rica. 

Although we saw a lazy sloth hanging on a branch that day, it was covered by too many trees, so the view wasn't optimal.  But a few days later, on a van ride to Arenal volcano, our driver stopped so we could observe something. It was a 3-toed sloth! 
He was hanging upside down, traversing across a high wire with a sublime, mysterious smile painted on his face. His movements were deliberate and unhurried. Although he was getting rained on, he continued to move at a snails pace, his mangy coat dripping wet. I was ecstatic that I finally saw a sloth!!

Costa Rica is such a fun place. Light hearted and filled with spectacular beauty. Reminds me a bit of Thailand, although Costa Rica is much more expensive. 

It was such a great day. Put me in nature with lots of exotic animals and I'm a happy camper.