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This past Wednesday in cooking class, we made Tortitas de Plátano Maduro! They were so delicious; I thought they were worth including in my blog update.  They were basically mashed up plantains deep-fried in flour. We put honey, cinnamon, and sugar on top of the finished products – mm! I have the recipe, so I will definitely try to make some on my return home.

This weekend was another long weekend (no school today), so we went to Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean coast.  We stayed in a hostel called Rocking J’s.  For $7 a night, we slept in hammocks! They were surprisingly comfortable, and the hostel had a great atmosphere; it was decorated all over with detailed mosaics and funky paintings.

It was a pretty relaxed weekend.  We went to the beach and snorkeled for a bit too.  There were a bunch of coral reefs right off the shore, so there was a lot to see! Just a little ways out, we saw entire schools of fish swim by. The water was so warm, I could’ve snorkeled and swam in it all day.

We also had several DELICIOUS meals.  A few friends had told us to check out a restaurant called “Bread and Chocolate,” and it was a great suggestion.  Everything was homemade and fresh – their cream cheese, peanut butter, all their breads.  I tried something called the Mattwich – it was a garlic bagel with cream cheese, avocado, and tomato.  The picture can definitely speak for itself!

My friend met someone who was performing at a local restaurant called Stashu’s Con Fusion.  We decided to go have dinner there and hear his music, and Melissa and I shared a veggie stir fry in coconut sauce and a creme brulee.

The last meal of the weekend was at a bar and restaurant called Tasty Waves.  On Saturday, we met two Americans who own and manage Tasty Waves, and they told us to come check it out, so we went Sunday night for dinner.  They’re known for their fish tacos, but I tried the veggie taco and loved it.  The man who owns the bar is from California, and the manager is from South Carolina.  The manager, Jackson, had come to Costa Rica on vacation a few years ago.  When it was time for him to leave, he realized he didn’t want to, so he got a job at Tasty Waves, and he’s been here ever since! I’ve met several people with stories like that.  Costa Rica is an easy country to fall in love with – beautiful landscapes, a relaxed atmosphere, and friendly people can make you feel instantly right at home.