1st day of the 10 Days In Costa Rica

I have dreamed about visiting Costa Rica for a very long time. Yet, I’d always pushed my plans back. I couldn’t afford it. Couldn’t take the time from work. Too many other plans interfered. You know the excuses tha tpop up.

Finally, I broke down and agreed to join a friend on a ten-day trip hosted by Caravan Tours. I guess I can sum up my experience in just one word—Wow! The first day was really more of a travel day than anything. We flew out of Miami and landed in San José that afternoon. Caravan had us staying at a charming hotel called the Barcelo Palacio. We had plenty of time to wander the hotel grounds.

One thing I liked were the range of amenities. Barcelo Palacio changed $5 for half an hour’s worth of Internet usage, expensive but great for people who need to keep in touch with work. A casino, two bars, two restaurants, and a huge swimming pool were all on site. I loved the range of activity that was available. There are saunas, hot tubs, tennis courts, racketball courts, and even a massage can be found for a reasonable price. As orientation wasn’t until 8 P.M., it was nice to have a huge choice of things to do while we waited. Oh, and I shouldn’t forget that the hotel even has an onsite hairdresser!

As we were staying in Barcelo Palacio for the nights, it was good to find that the beds were comfortable and the room was large enough that we didn’t feel crowded. The two of us were happy that our trip was starting off so well!

My friend and I were also pleasantly surprised to find that our stay at Barcelo Palacio was all-inclusive, so our drinks were free!Meals were served buffet style, another perk as it allowed me to pick and choose what I wanted to have. Rice and Beans, the traditional Costa Rican dish, was served and definitely worth sampling!