I am writing from SJO Airport in Costa Rica, getting ready to travel to the UIO Airport in Quito, Ecuador! From there I will be taking a domestic flight to Manta, Ecuador. More on that later. I want to tell you all about the food I experienced in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica! Puerto Viejo is a small town in the Caribbean with heavy Jamaican influence. It is near some popular national parks, Cahuita being the one I visited where I saw monkeys, raccoons, and even a sloth! To get to Puerto Viejo, I traveled from Montezuma (left / east most "x") by bus to Paquera where I took the ferry to Puntarenas and got back on my bus to San Jose (the capital of Costa Rica). This took 6 hours! I spent the night in San Jose before I caught the 4.5 hour bus to Puerto Viejo.
The FOOD!!!!! My first night I ordered a fish filet with caribbean sauce. It was so delicious! They had a passionfruit sauce as well that was super sweet and added to the deliciousness. For dessert I got flan de coco - coconut pudding!
Day 2 I went for a burrito. I had low expectations as it wasn't specifically caribbean food but wow it was so delicious I actually cried a little! Part was due to the salsa de caribena (which I bought a bottle to take with me).
I also decided to try alcohol for the first time in 2.5 years. I hated it!! It tasted like poison!! I even made sure to get something that I knew I liked in the past. It sure was pretty, though!
The next night I went to a local's house and learned how to make a classic caribbean dish. This was the most delicious thing so far! It was beans and rice (specifically seasoned), chicken with caribbean sauce, plantones (I am so glad I learned how to cook these - they are my absolute favorite!). My host even surprised us with a dessert of banana bread with ice cream!
Lastly, I had a Mexican burrito. It was delicious but nowhere near as delicious as all the caribbean flavors. I have a new favorite type of food!
I hope I got your mouth watering! If you make it to Costa Rica, head straight to Puerto Viejo! You won't regret it.
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