Everything in Costa Rica was a moment filled with awe and wonderment and sometimes beyond that. With each new day, whether adventuring up a new mountain trail, chasing a blue butterfly across black sandy beaches or watching a glorious rainbow appear in the mist shrouded rain forest, I was immersing myself in awe and wonderment. As I continued to engage in all five senses of Shinrin-yuko, my mind, body, spirit and soul responded to healing; melting into wellness. With no specific destination in mind, I was allowing myself to relax and be 100% in the NOW.

Backpacking crisscrossed across Costa Rica we were visiting a handful of the National Parks with no specific destination in mind. Costa Rica has 28 to 30 national parks making it one of the most robust park system in the world. Once we landed in San Jose we headed east on the train to Limon on the Caribbean Coast. From Limon we backpacked south along the coast until we arrived at Cahuita National Park. Cahuita was know for its coral reefs and pink sand. We explored as far south as Gandoca-Manzanillo Natural Wildlife Refuge on the Panama border. Once reaching there we headed back to San Juan where we had easy access to our next national park, Poas Volcano National Park .

Poas Volcano National Park is an active volcano and the has one of the largest craters in the world. The crater measures 1.5 miles across. Located in the Central Mountain Range, we were surrounded by the breathtaking lush tangle of rainforests, waterfalls, abundant wildlife while being cloaked in a warm constant drizzling mist. We were in Costa Rica’s “Heartlands” where coffee was grown. It was here while sitting in a coffee cafe enjoying the locally harvested, roasted and freshly brewed, we heard about Tortuguero National Park-aka the sea turtle haven. Hundreds of sea turtles, primarily Green Sea Turtles swarm the beaches nesting (mothers laying their eggs).

Costa Rica is wedged between North and South American is on the isthmus that connects the two continents. Nicaragua is on the north border with the Caribbean Ocean to the northeast. Panama lies to the southeast with the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. Tortuguero, land of sea turtles, is one of Costa Rica’s most remote national parks is nicknames the “Amazon of Costa Rica.” It is a biodiverse Caribbean coastal park known for extensive network of canals, rainforests and beaches, accessible by boat or plane. Arriving in Limon, we hired a boat and guide to take us to the park. We traveled up the Lucky River spotting white-faced capuchin monkeys along the way, surrounded by the chirping of numerous birds and wildlife. We were excited to get a glimpse of the sea turtles and nesting. It was just the start of the sea turtles arriving on the beaches to lay their eggs

At the time when we were there, the country was very much underdeveloped with only theortuguero African Caribbean Village and a Swiss built hotel in Limon on the east coast Resorts and Airbnb were just about non existent. We found accommodations in a rustic hut that consisted of just two twin wood slats beds with threadbare sheets. The plumbing outside was an outhouse and an open cold water shower. Exhausted from our trek, we were grateful to chill out and hopefully have a good night’s sleep. Instead around 9 pm we were awoken by blaring disco music. In this relaxed environment known for its sea turtle conservation, the jungle was suddenly filled with “Thriller”. Loud disco music was coming from a very alive bar, complete with a swirling disco ball, a DJ and bartender serving ice cold beer. Here in the jungle I would experience “jungle disco.”

Instantly I was swept up into a nostalgia moment. It was the summer of Micheal Jackson . His album
“Thriller” had rocked the music world especially “Thriller” and “Billie Jean”. One could hear it almost anywhere playing. “Billie Jean” became my theme song. To this day I can still hear it playing in my head. It became my song the summer I was doing nails at the beach. Leslie Ellen and I had set up shop doing nails right at the beach at The Pavilion on Swan Avenue. The Pavilion was a beach bar know for its lively atmosphere, disco music and it was beach side. It was the perfect spot and what made it even more perfect Leslie was good friends with the owner, Frankie Marratta. I did nails inside by the large south viewing window. Easy to find and al.

At first business was slow. Initially a few curious clients came in for a polish change, check out the scene, and order a Virgin Bloody Mary. After all r this was a disco bar, geared for the 20-30 scene looking for the bar. Most of my clients were married with kids. As the summer progressed so did the appointments. Soon clients were ordering a Bloody Mary , followed by lunch the outside patio usually with another drink. There would be 4-5 of my clients drying their wet nails , sitting on the patio while sipping on a cocktail and waiting for their lunch order. When “Billie Jean” came my emery board would become airborne as I dashed onto the dance floor. Solo in my Candies, skinny jeans, ruffled summer top and long hair swirling about, I would disco dance for the 4 minutes 57 non stop to “Billie Jean”. It would be one of my best summers ever. Unfortunately, it would turn out to be my last summer at the beach as well as for working for Leslie.

So here in the jungle of Tortuguero I would once again dance to “Billie Jean” but this time in hiking boots. stand in awe and wonderment the incoming sea turtles