After a refreshing night of sleep, I went to find the TV remote to turn on a bit of background noise and sitting next to it was a bowl of bananas. This may seem random, but Costa Rica produces insane amounts of bananas that are consumed by people all over the world. So, for breakfast, I enjoyed a perfectly ripe banana. Delicious. I buttoned my shirt and left the room at about 9:30 to have a look at San Jose. As soon as I walked out into the beautiful city I visited a local station where I could exchange my US Dollars for those of Costa Rican currency, or the colòn. The man working the counter struck up a conversation about the culture here in Costa Rica and how it was so different from the US, as he had been there several times. While there are differences, there are some similarities. For example, at the cafe I ate at for brunch, I realized when checking my phone that we were in the same time zone as Nashville! Although in different hemispheres of the world, I was able to watch a live Costa Rican soccer match while my uncle (an avid soccer binge watcher) tuned in on his television over 3000 miles away. The match was intense and Costa Rica eventually came out on top with a nail-bitting shootout against one of their biggest rivals, Honduras. Luckily, the game ended at about 4:15 which gave me plenty of time to explore the other aspects of the city. Being the birthplace of ecotourism, I knew there was so much left for me to do, so I visited the Nicoya Peninsula. If you are unfamiliar, the Nicoya Peninsula is a long 80-mile beach strip with beautiful sand and even more beautiful water. I sat under my beach umbrella as the sun slowly sank into the deep ocean abyss and periodically took sips of my Agua de Tamarindo, a popular non alcoholic beverage in Costa Rica served in a coconut. This was the perfect bliss that took my mind off all of the stress of daily life. About three hours later I returned back to the hotel where I took a quick dip in the pool and then proceeded to head back up to my room where I fell asleep to the soft sound of raindrops.

 I awoke in my bed at about 4:30, wide awake. For some reason I couldn’t go back to sleep despite an urge telling me I needed more rest. After flipping through a travel brochure, I decided to take a scenic day and visit Tortuguero National Park. The roughly 2 and a half hour ride forced me to view other sites on the way there. I saw all kinds of views, from light blue bodies of water to swaying palm trees and biological nature reserves. And just like that, I had arrived in Tortuguero National Park. I took a guided tour and it began at the head of a long, rough trail. Being in a camouflage colored Jeep also helped, because who knows if I would’ve even gotten a tenth of the trail on foot! We saw animals ranging from jaguars to toucans to white-faced monkeys. After the tour finished, I ate at a nearby restaurant called Nonna’s, where I sat outside to take in the canopy and scenery as I enjoyed Costa Rican Tamal, a Mexican inspired dish that was so amazing that I ordered a second time for leftovers. On the ride back I took a very long detour to experience the Tabacon Hot Springs and the Arenal Volcano. I arrived at the hot springs which felt hot but soothing. From the springs I was able to get a great view of the Arenal Volcano, which is active. This was great, but I had to get back to the hotel sooner or later so I began my journey back. I arrived at about 10:30 pm where I felt compelled to make my last night worth it, so I went into town, visiting every shop that remained open and even conversing a bit with the locals at the nearby pub. I enjoyed a warm bowl of Sopa Negra which is essentially black bean soup as I spoke with the waiter about life in Costa Rica. Finally, I opened my hotel door, more than 18 hours later and fell immediately asleep on the bed, still fully dressed.

 Looking back on my experience, I am extremely grateful for my opportunity to visit Costa Rica. I felt that I culturally immersed myself in something I had never experienced or witnessed before. I highly recommend visiting Costa Rica, not only because of its popularity, but also for its views and scenery. If I had to rate my experience on a scale of 1 to 10 I think I would give it an 11. This was the best trip I have ever taken in my life and I can see myself revisiting in the foreseeable future. Well, now that reality is back and my life continues in Nashville, all I can do is wait for my next trip to Costa Rica. Until then, friend.

 Refreshed and alive to start the day, I walked onto the traditional type streets of Cusco, a former Incan capital, which are lined with 19th century architecture like large marble buildings. Today would be another sightseeing day as I would adventure first to the Reserva Nacional Tambopata, a nature reserve outside in the dense forest that is on the brink of the Amazon Rainforest. Our tour guide, Monte, pointed out all kinds of foregin plants and species of life never seen before by me. We finished the tour and soon enough, it was lunch time! Monte took the group to a well-known restaurant called La Esdorama’s, where I was pressured into ordering the guinea pig which was surprisingly disgusting and tasty all at once. Soon after, the next thing I visited was the Nacional Paracas, which was a peninsula with beautiful waters and arid, yellow-brownish cliffs that point into the dark blue waters. As I walked parallel to the ocean I avoided entry due to the presence of lurking submerged rocks and jellyfish. With a cool beverage in my hand I was able to take in all of the sights and sounds of the reserve, finding peace. Later, I gathered up my Sols and purchased a snack of Papa a la Huancaina, which is potatoes in a spicy cheese sauce. Personally, this was the tastiest food I ate all trip and if you ever decide to go, this is a must have. After a long day of exploring the natural side of Peru, I caught a train headed back to Lima, as my flight departed the next morning. I arrived at around 11:30 at night where I decided to sleep in a real bed this time instead of sleeping in the hammock, and got a great night’s worth of rest.

 To wrap things up, I would strongly recommend Peru to any travelers and go-getters. It is an extremely fun and culturally enriching experience and you are able to do things that aren’t able to be done anywhere else. Peru is an amazing place due to its amazing food (minus the guinea pig), its extraordinary culture, and its wonderful sights plus the architecture. If I hadn’t visited, I don’t think I would have ever had the opportunity to witness such a harmony of nature and civilization through the Incan ruins in the Andes Mountains. So again, I highly suggest that if you are looking for somewhere to travel to, take a look at Peru. You definitely will not regret it. Until later! 

 The engine of the plane began to rev as I sat in my leather seat on the way to Puerto Rico. I could already envision the breeze and warm, 80 degree sunlight that would be brought to me when I arrived. The attendant on the plane asked if I would like anything to eat or drink, and after surveying the menu, I landed on a Brazo Gitano. The Brazo Gitano is an appetizing sponge cake with a warm filling in the middle. I sniffed the dessert and immediately decided it was worth the calories after the first bite. If the food on the airplane was this good, I could only imagine what else there was to eat once I arrived in the capital city of San Juan. After I finished, I thought about what language I would need to understand and if English would be used. My mental question was answered by the man beside me, Collins, when he asked if I was from the US, or the “states” as he called them. He spoke English with a heavy Spanish accent, as that is the primary language in Puerto Rico. The rest of the plane ride was filled with conversations ranging from the hottest spots for dining, to the island’s large amounts of sugar and tourism. Before I knew it, we landed in Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport right outside of San Juan. It was late so I took a cab back to my hotel and fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. Puerto Rico here I come!

Day 1

 I woke up to the sounds of chirping birds outside of my hotel window. I decided to have a “fun day” for day one. After my hotel breakfast, I drove to Flamenco Beach. I arrived to find the white sand spanned around the natural blue ocean which invited me for a swim. I took a tour on the beach and observed some of the activities including snorkeling and scuba diving, where I was able to explore all kinds of aquatic wildlife including native turtles and a bright coral reef. Afterwards, I was asked to play in a game of volleyball on the beach with some locals, to which I kindly accepted. We played a few matches and after many failed attempts at getting the ball to the other side of the net, I called it a wrap. The kiosks scattered around the beach made it convenient and simple to locate my next meal of Pastelon which is a type of lasagna in Puerto Rico. While it seems like I participated in a lot, my day was far from over. I visited the Toro Verde Adventure Park. While it sounds like something that could be done in America, it has its own twist of Puerto Rico in it. The park includes many courses and ziplines, many of which go through natural canopy and forest. The greenery and nature surrounding the park allows you to enjoy the ride while taking in the sights of the island. I strapped into “The Beast,” which is the longest zipline in the world according to the Guiness Book of World Records. As I flew through the woods, I watched the sun sink into the distance as night approached, signifying my departure from the park. After a fun-packed and energy-draining day I slumped onto my bed to fall asleep and did so immediately with a yawn.

Day 2

 On my final day in Puerto Rico I rolled out of bed and got ready for the day ahead of me which included sightseeing and eating! I headed out the door and grabbed a breakfast burrito, Puerto Rican style. It included peppers, eggs, turkey, and all kinds of spices that I couldn’t pronounce if I tried.  I proceeded to my first destination which was Castillo San Felipe del Morro, or as it is called by the locals, "El Morro,” a 16th century gargantuan citadel to defend pirates and attackers. This structure was the paramount of importance when Puerto Rico was fighting for independence. The large walls of the base helped the Puerto Ricans with shelter against these attackers, and even today has cannons, turrets, bunkers, sentry towers, lighthouses, and other vantage points. All this looking was making me hungry, and so I stopped at a vendor where I purchased a snack in the US Dollars, because the dollar is used in all states and territories of the US (Puerto Rico is one of them.) I finished sightseeing the history of Puerto Rico and wanted to get back to the “touristy” side, so I went to the city of Mayaguez. The eccentric town includes shops, open-air cafes, and famous Puerto Rican dishes. I stopped for dinner at a certain restaurant that caught my eye called “Miguel’s and Mimi’s.” After a glance at the menu I was hooked on the world-renowned Arroz con Gandules (Rice and Pigeon Peas.) I was quickly brought the dish and with the first bite my mouth was thanking me. I ended up ordering two more plates of it to save for later and will never forget that first bite of robust flavor. I took my to-go back to the hotel where I lounged in the pool for a bit after heading back up to my room. The last two days had been so action packed that I was completely wiped out. So, I went to bed in the blink of an eye.

Conclusion

 My journey to Puerto Rico was the most exciting trip I have ever embarked upon. From the capital city of San Juan, to the beautiful beaches and coastal waters, I enjoyed every aspect of life in Puerto Rico. I highly recommend visiting all that it has to offer, and I can guarantee that you will meet new people, try new things, and develop new memories. The most special things about Puerto Rico aren’t necessarily the extravagant landmarks, but they are the little things, like meeting someone new like Collins or trying something never done before. Well anyways, I am on the flight back as I’m writing all of this and I want to thank you for reading. Until next time!