La Pura Vida- The pure life

Maternal for monkeys!

Costa Rica what a beautiful country. We recently filmed there for A Place in the Sun – Winter Sun for C4 so do keep your eye out for the show! It’s such a magical country and some fabulous rainforest properties made of bamboo and teak await your viewing eyes. It will be broadcast a part of  the second series of Winter Sun 2014.

I fell in love with the Caribbean side of Costa Rica. namely Puerto Viejo. Rainforests border rugged beaches and coconut sellers line the roads along with sloths and monkeys swinging from the telephone wires. It’s full of an amalgamation of culture; The Ticos, Caribbeans, Italians and Chinese  have all left their mark on this place resulting in a vibrant warm and accepting ambiance for all who visit.

It’s a rare commodity to see a place undeveloped enough to preserve it’s natural beauty yet still cater for the fun seeking bohemians and surfers that flock to her shores and  it’s just the right distance from the airport to discourage mass tourism. Which I think is a good thing…I always will remember returning to a beach retreat in Goa which the previous year was undeveloped, rustic and beautiful to see roast dinners and bingo on the beach. Which made me very sad!  Having said that it is one of the most eco conscious countries I have ever been to and I can’t see that happening there anytime soon.

In Costa Rica when you say goodbye you Say ‘Pura Vida’ which is literally translated as ‘The Good/Pure life’ but locals say it’s more than that and described it to me as; ‘a pure spiritual fullness that results from living in paradise’

And it does really feel like a little piece of paradise there.

So for now Pura Vida! X