My three favorite things this month are places!
The first leg of my journey was to Costa Rica. I took a bus from San Jose to Nosara which of course was a real adventure that took 6 hours and cost $10. No one could believe I took the bus but I didn’t mind it at all. I did decide to take the flight on the way back though. The small plane ride only took 45 minutes and cost $120 but it wasn’t really any less bumpy than the bus.
I went to study with Tiffany Cruikshank and complete my Yoga Medicine 500 hour certification. This is kinda like a Masters degree in yoga and while I have a couple of ‘papers’ to write, I look forward to being finished. This particular module was focused on Myofascial treatments and trigger point therapy. My days consisted of morning practice, afternoon lectures and a couple of hours in between for study or rest. I’m a yoga geek and so this schedule suits me well. On a retreat like this its all about eating clean, meeting like minded people, early bedtimes and lots of yoga and rest. If you have never been on a yoga retreat I highly recommend it! Its a chance to get back on track and think about you and what makes you feel good. I stayed in a very glamorous tent and swam everyday in addition to the 4 hours of yoga. I also ate tons of veggies and salads and slept like a baby. Do i need to say I left feeling amazing? I met a woman my age who I became friendly with from Florida. We talked about a lot of things and I told about my dating adventures. She offered to set me up if I came to Florida. Apparently I would be a real catch being able to still see at night and all. While I was there I got a text from my kid’s dad telling me my 16 year old daughter had decided to have a party at my house. The police had been called and my apple tv box was missing. Everyone with kids at the retreat that I told had their own stories of kids and house parties so I didn’t feel to bad.
The second part of my trip I flew from Costa Rica to Mexico City for three days. I was a little apprehensive about Mexico City – it seemed so big a little scary. I arrived and took a taxi to the Air BnB I had booked in a upscale residential neighborhood before I left. The room was small but really clean and had its own bathroom. It was part of the apartment of a couple who I only saw once but they were really nice and helpful with anything I contacted them about. The restaurants in this particular neighborhood were so good I had a tough time choosing were to eat! Needless to say I indulged and ate. A lot. I also walked a lot. I love art galleries and Mexico city did not disappoint. I fell in love with the city and would love to go back. Some places in the city were a little sketchy but I would recommend the neighborhood I stayed in called Roma Norte. The main streets are wide boulevards with lots of trees. It reminded me of Paris, the women were chic and sophisticated and the men were swarthy and handsome. Getting my laundry done after a week in the damp jungle of Costa Rica was another highlight. How do they get it so clean? So well folded? That and the place I found that served a breakfast of toast with goat cheese and fruit and the best coffee ever for $5 made me so happy I considered staying.
The third part of my trip I flew to Puerto Vallarta and met my daughter and her friend Zoe and we went to Bucerias (a small town about 25 minutes outside of PV). We were the guests of my good friends Paul and Rose and we stayed in a very comfortable condo right on the beach. It was hot, sunny and lots of fun. Days spent by the pool, nights eating guacamole and tacos = heaven. Apparently there is not really a drinking age in Mexico and the girls felt very grown up ordering the occasional margaritas. The other folks at the condo complex were mostly American retirees and the arrival of the 16 year old girls brought the median age down considerably. One of the ladies taught water aerobics each day at 11:00. Her most common cue was tummy in and smile! I think its good advice in all situations.
If you want to see some pictures – head over to my instagram or facebook page and check them out.