The spirit of Costa Rica is captured in the expression Pura Vida! - which means everything is going great.
The country is a wonderful place to connect with nature and wildlife.
On my first visit to Costa Rica a large male, howling monkey woke me up with his howl every morning at sunrise.
I guessed he was dictating orders to the females who were in shouting distance.
Most mornings, at breakfast, a three-foot long Iguana would be sunning himself on the rim of the outside dining room floor.
And one evening while driving to a restaurant for dinner we passed a family of monkeys just hanging out in a large tree.
Costa Rica also has beautiful, distinctive birds and bug varieties both flying and crawling that are too numerous to describe.
The country's lush rain forests, smoldering volcanoes, numerous beaches and friendly people help make it an unforgettable destination.
The most exciting thing I did on my trip was take one of the popular zip-line tours over the tops of the rainforest-an experience which can include a 25 foot drop into the jungle below.
The most relaxing thing I did was get into the heated waters of a healing pool in one of the nature parks.
Accommodations in Costa Rica range from camping out in the rain forests to small Bed and Breakfasts Inns to Luxurious resorts.
These resorts are usually located along the Pacific or Atlantic coast line and offer stunning views, impressive golf courses and both beach and boating activities.
There are many coffee plantations in Costa Rica and several offer tours.
Coffee is an important export commodity and one of the country's economic stalwarts.
You can learn about the history of coffee production by taking one of the tours offered at several coffee plantations.
Another great place to visit is the Lancaster Botanical Gardens.
Make sure you visit the astonishing array of Orchid varieties in the green house.
Listen to the sounds of nature as you follow one of the garden's paths through the rain forest.
During our stay we took taxis everywhere we went.
They were affordable and worked out cheaper than renting a car.
Generally, when I'm in a taxicab kind of city I make friends with one of the cab drivers.
That way I can always call him when I need him or set-up pre-arranged times for pick ups.
A friendly, knowledgeable taxi driver can often give you a great personalized tour of the city for the price of the fare.
The town square of San Jose has several lovely shops and many feature beautiful, unique art from local Costa Rican artists.
Put Costa Rica on your must see destination list.
I promise you one visit and you will find plenty to love about the country and your own reasons for shouting-Pura Vida!