The first time my feet landed on her, The Rich Coast de Costa Rica was in 1998. I was 18 and it was almost my birthday. I had driven across the Nicaragua border into Costa Rica with big dreams of Jungle exploration, dancing naked on unpopulated and safe beaches and swimming until the stars came out.

I had fantasies or climbing thick jungle trees with spider monkeys and photographing Morpho butterflies. I had so many dreams for Costa Rica and all of them were realised. Well, maybe not the climbing the trees with spider monkeys… but you know what I mean. I did, however, spend the most beautiful 19th birthday in Manuel Antonio on the Pacific coast photographing butterflies with slide film. YES! Film!!

I love Costa Rica so much, in fact, that I almost married a sweet man on the Caribbean coast in a town called Puerto Viejo just so I could become Tican. Let me advise you on one very important lesson learned: Only get married if there is vasts amounts of love!

Needless to say I wish I could visit the land of Pura Vida more often than i get to today. The air alone is a delicacy to inhale… The jungle speaks to one’s heart and the water comforts one’s soul in a way that only a true, love-filled Mother can: with unconditional, un-yielding love and abundance…