We had our first beach vacation. Imagine, the whitest beach you have ever seen, with calm, warm water, and the most intense sun ever. For a human with skin like mine, I did not get a Coco Chanel grade tan, more like I turned into a cherry tomato that almost burst.

The beach in Manuel Antonio National Park was covered in hermit crabs! It was very cute. The park was filled with iguanas, sloths, raccoons, and monkeys. It was the most humid place ever! And it was exhausting, but contained the beauty that I search for, something out of the way from the rush of the casual tourist and the party goer.

We stayed at a hostel with an incredible view of the sunset. The beds were fine, similar to what we have already experienced. The hostel was next to a very tourist-oriented restaurant and bar, and the whole space was within a casual walk of some more cozy shops and markets. The hostel was calm at most hours of the day. I appreciated the ability to curl up in a hammock in the afternoon.

I ordered rum straight with lime slices and the bartender said “drink it fast, it burns!” and I said, “No, I like the taste and the burn and the smell”. She said I reminded her of her grandfather, who drank just like I did that night. I belong to the drinkers of the 1930s.

Kali called me an “old soul”. Has anybody else ever heard that one before?