I’m Missing Gallo Pinto

I am very lucky to have just returned from an amazing tour of the beautiful country Costa Rica. We offer this as one of our unique Bucket List itineraries combined with a Panama Canal cruise and I can definitely recommend it.

I met a colleague at The Thistle Hotel in Heathrow the night before our early morning flight to San Jose via Madrid with Iberia. Transfer from hotel to airport was really modern as was by a driver-less personal transport pod. The British Airways direct service we used on our return journey to Gatwick is unfortunately not available daily but the Iberia plane was clean and the entertainment system and food was good.

On arrival , we were met by Fran, our Intrepid driver and tour guide. This lovely young man was not only an excellent driver who made us feel safe at all times but also spoke faultless English and has a huge love for and depth of knowledge of his country and all it’s diverse flora and fauna.

As we had arrived in the late afternoon, our first stop was about 20 minutes away at the Studio Hotel in San Jose for the night. The rooms are large and fully equipped and there is a welcome roof top pool. May is the beginning of the rainy season in Costa Rica and the humidity is very high so pools and good showers are both very welcome. One thing that should be pointed out is that toilet paper is placed in bins rather than flushed down the loo which seems very strange to us but the bathrooms, even in the service station stops were always very clean.

The Studio Hotel houses a collection of over 100 pieces of Costa Rican art.

That evening we were driven about 40 minutes away up a hillside to Mirador Tiquicia in Escazu for a traditional meal and dancing. Casado (meaning marriage) is the most popular dish but actually consists of a mixture of rice, beans, salad, plantain and your choice of meat or fish. In restaurants it will also come with a fresh fruit juice. Food in Costa Rica is fresh and tasty and there is usually something available for all tastes. Costa Rican prices are similar to the UK.

After a night in my comfortable bed, I enjoyed my first taste of Gallo Pinto. Rice and beans again but the breakfast version mixed with peppers, onions and coriander. Gallo Pinto translates as Spotted Rooster due to the multicoloured dish and the use of pinto beans. It actually goes very well with a freshly made omelet and some rich Costa Rican coffee.

After breakfast, we set off for Tortuguero….