Arenal Tico Moments

The day could not have gotten any better. We lay next to each other on separate massage tables without a care in the world. Two experienced masseuses gently rubbed out the aches and pains we had worked up during the day. My shoulders were sore from intense solo kayaking in the River Toro, my calves were burning from an extraordinary hike throughout the Arenal rainforest, and my eyes were sore from so many beautiful sights. However, my wife and I were in the most perfect state of bliss. I sipped the icy mango cocktail sitting beside me, to make sure it was real. The slight breeze on my back, the soothing massage on my legs, and my beautiful wife next to me: I couldn’t ask for anything else. I lifted my head from the table and looked out over the wide expanse of green mountains. In the center of this vista sat the Arenal Volcano—a thing of nature, power, and beauty. Through the dim evening light, we watched, hand in hand, as fluorescent red lava spilled out and ran down the side. There was a soft mist hovering over the forest through which lush treetops projected. The sound of birds, frogs, and other forest creatures gossiping was serene. I closed my eyes for a few moments so that I could document the sensation. There would inevitably be some rainy day at work, sitting at my cubicle, when I would want to return here, even if just for a moment. I opened my eyes and peaked around to my wife lying beside me. She had just finished her own moment. Our vacation was only 8 days, but this perfect moment—it would last forever.

Adam and Marjorie Strauss
Houston, Texas