Puerto Viejo

I spent last weekend in Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica.  It was absolutely beautiful!  We were stuck in traffic not moving at all for 3 hours on the way there because of an accident ahead of us.  I was getting Claustrophobic.  Why dont people drive safter here? lol.  We arrived in Puerto Viejo around 9:30.  Our hotel was quaint but sufficient :) My friend Mel was my roommate.  She is from Milwaukee and we totally hit it off.  After we arrived, we walked around a little bit, and we got slices of pineapple and canadian bacon pizza from a vendor.  It was great.  On Saturday,  it rained and was overcast all day which was really dissapointing.  Breakfast was included at a resturant close to the hotel.  I had gallo pinto caballo (rice and beans with a fried egg) and toast with tomato gel stuff on it. It's very traditional and really good.   After breakfast,  we visited an indigenous lady's home where she make chocolate and other products from Cocoa plants.  She demonstrated the whole chocolate making process to us. She was pretty handy with her machete.  Then we got to try all the flavors of chocolate. omg I think mint chocolate was the best but its really a toss up.  I bought straight up coco butter from her.  My skin is going to be smooth.  When we got back from the chocolate demonstration,  we ate at a resturant.  I had some pasta, and then we walked around for hours and looked in shops and took pictures and such.  Then we took a small siesta and a shower and got ready to go out.  We had Jamacian Jerk chicken for supper.  It is seriously my favorite food now.  Then we went to various reggae bars and had lots of fun.  On Sunday, after breakfast, we went to a beach that was a 5 minute drive away.  It was great.  The surfers were so fun to watch.  The waves were huGe.  After the beach, Mel and I got chicken sandwiches from the Pollo Rapido (the Fast Chicken).  Then we got on the bus and slept the whole way home.  It was a great weekend with amazing food and fun people.  Everyone in Puerto Viejo smokes pot and has dreads and likes everyone.  I loved it there.  ¡Pura Vida!