Surfing has exploded globally, with the World Tour even stopping in New York this, but there is nowhere in the world like Costa Rica.

The Pura Vida is all about the surfing, and locals and tourists paddle the waves of the Pacific and Caribbean Coast peacefully. There is no yelling and fighting in the Costa Rica waters, they are welcome to all, from professional surfers to beginners. There is a wave for anyone, and many have slipped into their first barrel in the warm CR waters.

My personal favorite is the central pacific area, which is full of big wave beach and point breaks, along with the perfect spot for a beginner, and even some secret spots for the locals, pros like Kelly Slater, and a few lucky tourists. Spots like Hermosa and Esterillos host barreling beachbreaks, with plently of room and waves for everyone. Spots like Escondido host the perfect point break, and South Jaco will invite even the most timid beginner. The secret spots? Sorry, you’ll have to figure them out on your own!

For the beginner, you will be in good hands. Pros like Josymar Fuentes from the Del Mar Surf Camp will not only help you stand during your first lesson, but show you what pura vida is all about!

Kelly Slater, Mick Fanning and Bruce Irons along with some of the best surfers in the world travel to Costa Rica yearly, and for the local pros, they will confirm, there is no place in the world like their home town wave.

After a long week of surf, head to the Backyard to watch the weekly Saturday contest, and here a live band from 4-9.

Here you will get the chance to watch local pros like Gilbert Brown, Carlos Munoz, Jasson Torres, Anthony Flores, and women surfers such as Evie Johnstone wow the crowd. You will also be continuously amazed by the younger surfers, as they win points for their speed and amazing aerials.

Costa Rica is also known for helping these up and coming surfers, and local surf shops like The Point Surf Shop (http://thepointsurfshop.com) in Hermosa and Adrift Surf Shop (http://adriftsurfshop.com) in Esterillos Oeste sponsor some of the best young surfers of today. Be sure to keep your eye on Anthony Segura, Jairo Salazar, Jonah Young, Glender Godinez and Gabriel Muños.

The Los Sueños Resort is central to all these amazing waves, and staying in a CR Luxury condo or villa, you can enjoy your surf trip in the safety and comfort with this beautiful, 5-star resort. For more information, just contact us at info@crluxury.com, and feel free to visit our own website at www.crluxury.com.

Check out some fun photos of our local surfers below:

Never before has CR Luxury offered a deal like this, inviting you to escape into the jungles and beaches of Costa Rica at an affordable price.

For more details read here!

1)   You can safely bring your family to a foreign country. You get to experience a different culture, the Spanish language (though 85% of the Costa Ricans you meet will also speak English) and a natural rainforest, but all in a safe environment.

2)   Speaking of the Rainforest, Costa Rica has one of the only remaining natural rainforests and is one of 20 countries with the world’s highest percentage of remaining biodiversity. And since it’s a small country, it’s easy to spot the 250 species of mammals, 894 bird species, 1,251 butterflies and 400 species of amphibians and reptiles.

3)   There is something here for everyone. Relaxation, fun, adventure and even education await at every turn. You can swim and surf on beautiful beaches, zip through the canopy, go on a white water rafting adventure, sip on a margarita by the pool, golf, head to the spa or charter a deep sea fishing tour. And that is only some of the diversity in activities that you will discover here beautiful Costa Rica!

4)   You can give back to the environment. While you are here in Costa Rica spend a morning helping to save the endangered Costa Rica Sea Turtles, or help with reforestation and plant a tree.

5)   Costa Rica truly is paradise. There is nowhere else on earth where beautiful mountains and beaches join to form a tropical jungle, filled with beauty, magic and wonder. You will discover a world you could only have imagined in the movies or in story books!

“I was recently asked by a young bride-to-be about the advantages of a destination wedding over a traditional wedding. This is a hard question because it is ultimately a very personal decision.

Here are a few key reasons to have a destination wedding:

1) You Actually Spend Time With Your Guests – At a destination wedding, your guests typically stay a day or two, so there is more opportunity to interact and spend time with them compared to a standard 5-hour hometown church wedding. And because of costs, you will typically have fewer guests. We understand work and family pressures to invite certain people for “political reasons.” But if your company or your family isn’t picking up the cost of the wedding, they really don’t get a say.

2) Cost – Destination weddings are not as expensive as you might think. In fact, most destination weddings are considerably less expensive than traditional weddings (assuming you are not paying for travel for your entire guest list).

3) Every Wedding Requires Travel Now – When was the last time you went to a wedding and nobody had to travel? For us, our wedding party and immediate family spanned four time zones. No matter where we held our wedding, over half the attendees would have to travel somewhere. So why not have everyone travel somewhere fun? The location for your wedding shouldn’t just be where it’s convenient, it should be just where you want to get married.

4) You Like To Travel – If you are a person that wants to see the world and travel, why not make it a part of your wedding? It’s a natural fit.

5) It Minimizes Tensions – Once you’ve made the big decision to have a destination wedding, everything else is easy. There’s less to fight about with fiancé or parents or future in-laws. Really. I promise.

So, my recommendation to everyone is to have a destination wedding. Just do it. Go anywhere – the U.S. or abroad. Just go. And be prepared to have the most amazing day of your life.”

This photo is taken from my backyard yesterday morning.

For an easy spotting just head to Jose’s Crocodile Tour (https://www.facebook.com/crocodilerivertour) , where you will be sure to see a Motmot on the banks of the beautiful Tarcoles River.

This is most likely because these origins have continued to remain a mystery.

Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred. However, other religions also claim similar saints and opposing legends.

The legend I choose to share with you today tells the story of Valentine, a priest who served during the third century in Rome. During this time Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families and he outlawed marriage for young men, all his potential soldiers.

Valentine saw the injustice of this law and defied Claudius, continuing to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine’s actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.

According to a similar legend, Valentine may even have sent the first “valentine” greeting himself. While in prison, awaiting execution, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl, possibly his jailor’s daughter, who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed “From your Valentine”.

I myself will always be a hopeless romantic!

And as I sit here at work counting the minutes to kick off I ponder my love of the game.

I think it starts with a camaraderie and spirit that fills the houses and streets of every american city, every Sunday. With only 16 games for each team a season, it always feels as if you can’t miss even one.

However, it doesn’t stop in your own city. I have been as far as California, Virginia and Florida and the E-A-G-L-E-S Eagles chant will fill even these distant concert halls, train stations and corner bars. Yep, I am a die hard Philadelphia fan.

Also, as in many sports you become a part of your team. Living vicariously through ever hit, throw and catch that is played on the field. And while some claim that American’s like football because of a violent nature, I don’t find this to be true.

Yes, to see a hit and a sack truly is exciting, but it’s not an act of violence, but of physical strength, conditioning and agility. Also, lets not kid ourselves, the fact that it is a contact sport always adds to the excitement of the game. This is not a contradiction, as I don’t believe the contact in a sport like this is violence, more of a controlled show of physical, and even mental training.

Team work is also what makes this sport so unique, and creates a unity within its fans. No team can win without learning how to work together to move the ball down the field or stop an opponents run.

Then there is the journey of each team, coach and player. Think Rudy. The any given Sunday aspect of the game. It is the american dream, a hope for victory, and even the love and loyalty for your home town. Cheering for your football team brings your roots, friends and family with you where ever you may be.

That is why I will be cheering on the Patriots this Super Bowl Sunday. Purely based on the fact that I am an Eagles fan, and just can not bring myself to ever cheer for the Giants.

E-A-G-L-E-S Eagles!

There is something here for everyone, from a walk through a National Park to champion sport fishing. CR Luxury is dedicated to helping you pick the adventure that is right for you.

There is a lot to do here in the country, and even just inside the resort, so you want to make sure you know all your options and plan ahead to create your ideal Costa Rica experience. From where you will stay, to what will do, we will be right by your side.

The team here at CR Luxury is dedicated to helping you with your total experience, so give us a call and start planning the customized trip of a lifetime!

Nowhere else can you see this abundance of wildlife and natural beauty in a safe environment, with a stable government, friendly people and lavish accommodations.

Nor in one place can you see such diversity of landscape. Mountains rise up against the rolling ocean waters and waterfalls cut through a never ending rain forest. Costa Rica truly is paradise.