Note: I've decided to push "pause" on Greece and focus on my trip to Costa Rica and Panama while it's still fresh in my mind. But don't worry: I will get back to Greece. I still have much to share!
I am not a beach person.
Don't get me wrong: I love the crashing of the waves and the feeling of sand between my toes. I love tide-pooling and searching for sea shells and snorkeling in tropical places.
But ask me to spend an afternoon laying out at the beach? Or reading a book? Or building sand castles?
I'll build sand castles if a kid is involved (of course I will—I'm not Scrooge!), and I'll read if it's an overcast day. But lay out and tan? Forget it. My fair skin doesn't tan (or if it does, it's a reddish tan that looks burned, anyway), and I don't like being hot. Sunscreen is a pain (though it's mandatory in a place like Costa Rica), and the older I get, the more I realize how bad tanning is for you, anyway.
Beaches for Even Non-Beach People
That said, Costa Rica's beaches—the ones I saw, anyway (Playas Pelada and Guiones)—are something else. You don't have to be a beach person to enjoy them. You can tan if you want to, but there's so much more that you can do, too.
Like look for crocodiles.
And explore nearby towns.
You can collect seashells.
And watch crabs scuttle by.
You can watch howler monkeys scamper through nearby trees.
And say hello to zebu cattle.
You can dream under cloudy skies.
And listen to the waves.
You can climb mountains.
And watch sunsets.
You can walk beneath the stars.
And—maybe best of all—
You can wonder at the full moon. ♡
