The best international trip I have ever been on was to Liberia, Costa Rica, a city located not too far from the Pacific coast of the country. My family and I loved it so much in fact that we have been twice to the same exact hotel resort and everything. Costa Rica is my favorite destination because of the beaches and scenery and for the people from the country who have some of the best outlooks on life.

I took this photo one evening from the beach at the hotel we were staying at the second vacation there. It is one of my favorites because it was a mild night weather wise with a light breeze, and the view of the ocean into the mountains was perfect. During the day, getting to ride through the rain forest, up the mountains, and across the beach presented even more great visuals as I got to see some of the most beautiful parts of the country. In the rain forest, I saw the famous howler monkeys that are native to that region in Costa Rica known as the Guanacaste region. In the morning, the tour guides took us to their home, and we got to learn why they are called howler monkeys as after waking them all up, they greeted us with hundreds of shouts. Up in the mountains, you get a perfect view of the whole city and the beach in a peaceful and quiet location where only a handful of people live.

In Costa Rica, the people have a saying known as “Pura Vida”. It is posted all across the country on stamps, murals, buildings, etc. as it is a national motto and way of living they all adhere to. It literally translates to “pure life” or “simple life”, and that is exactly what they mean when they say it. When talking to different people from the country, they all embody the phrase in the way they are naturally laid back and seek to enjoy the beautiful things in life without having too much worry about the things that make us unhappy. I thought that was a beautiful outlook on life.

After two visits, I love the country and have envisioned myself moving their one day to retire and live a simple life with my own home in the mountains. For me, that would be a dream come true being able to settle down from the fast paced life I live here and have a home with my wife in one of the most beautiful places in the world.