Costa Rica Yoga Spa has had its share of Ashtanga, Kundalini and Anusara-inspired yoga this month. Monica, our yoga instructor has returned from a yoga retreat she taught in Aruba. It’s so good to have her back.

We have a new guest chef, Hayley Andberg, from Santa Barbara, California. Hayley is learning Spanish and surfing in between cooking. We continue to use our remarkably talented local chefs as well, who always add that “gourmet” flare to our local cuisine. Our organic garden is being replanted with new goodies right now and our herb garden is expanding as well. Every couple of weeks different local fruits and vegetables begin to ripen and find our way to our table.

Marcelo, from Argentina, has been performing Temascal sweat lodges on Playa Pelada for Costa Rica Yoga Spa guest and the sweats have been unbelievably remarkable with everyone coming out of the lodge and going into the ocean then to the fire and then back for another round, amazing! Darin, one of the owners has been giving surf lessons and nature adventures in the mountains behind Nosara. The 50-foot waterfal next to the yoga pavillion has been flowing nonstop since the rains hit giving a pleasant sound during the yoga practices.

Looking forward to another amazing yoga teacher training from Ashley Ludman starting here July 3rd and again there will be an international mix of people. Surfing in Nosara has been really big lately wich was great for a national surf event last week. We are still waiting on the Olive Ridley turtles to come in on their arribada for all of us to view, hopefully this weekend! We are also looking forward to Sara Antes from upstate New York to be joining the staff her soon, very exciting stuff.

Well a whole lot of peace and a whole lot of love to you all and looking forward to rolling out a mat for you real soon at one of our upcoming retreats!

Namaste

Sebastien Armand, Canada is our Permaculturist (Master Gardener).  He has been hard at work developing structures to protect all of the seedlings from the heat, and last week’s unusual Guanacaste winds. Sebastein has developed an enormous area above our housing and yoga pavilion area for the main garden area.  He has had lots of volunteers helping who have been staying on the Finca to help get ready to feed all of our guests. 

He always welcomes visitors to help him water, transplant, build structures, mix soils and compost. He’s a great teacher and everyone leaves the garden full of more knowledge and inspiration to continue this gift at home. Sebastien is also an amazing chef and prepares so many different dishes for our guests with the organic veggies – and fabulous smoothies with the fruit.

This week he is transplanting 75 more papaya trees from the seeds of papayas that we have served our guests.  They grow amazingly fast and will produce within the year. I can’t count the amount of watermelon seeds – in addition to many already growing – and Passion fruit (Granadilla) seeds are also ready.  In fact, it is a daily occurrence here – we eat lots of fruit and vegetables and we save as many seeds as possible, dry them and plant them back in our gardens – a never-ending, constantly on-going process!!! Soon, I think we will be able to feed most of Nosara!

We also have a separate banana and pineapple area on the lower part of the Finca.  Sebastien and Darin have planted local root vegetables – yampi, which is similar to a potato, and tequisque, quite different than the yampi, but also similar to a potato.  The part of the tequisque that grows above the ground is a common houseplant that you will see in the U.S. and Canada!  And, here it is a wild root vegetable that is a common dish served every week here.  Every water basin for the baby banana trees has been planted with watermelons. The entrance to this area is lined in a variety of citrus trees, with a few mango and papaya trees thrown in.  We do our best to use as much of our available land to plant something that we can serve our guests.  We have well over 500 fruit and nut trees (including carob) on the Finca. Lots of incredible edibles!

We have had artists from the Czek Republic living here for over a month doing artwork for the rooms in the Jungle Lodges.  There work is absoluting outstanding.  Chris and Hannah Atcheson and their children Micky (9) (Icky, ficky, sticky Micky, yo-yo-yo – yes there is a story to that – has to do with a rapper performance during a music night!) and Eva (12-almost) are all artists from the Czek Republic – the kids artwork is – well, almost incomprehensible, even when knowing both of their parents are artists.

Eva drew a whole cartoon series of our dog, Ruby.  Ruby doing yoga; Ruby as a secretary (with a tightly button-upped vest and heels); Ruby as a nun; Ruby surfing, and many more – we stashed these away, because someday…and Micky, drew maps with every person and store, river crossings, etc, like he’s been down that road a hundred times – this was after one trip!…we are still in disbelief of all of this talent that has surrounded us this month.  Hannah’s parents, also from Czek have been visiting, too. Julius, the grandfather is an excellent musician and often played guitar and he and Blanca (his wife) would sing songs in Czek.  It’s fun listening to them sing in Czek because the music was often good ole’ American rock ‘n roll!

Chris is a world-renown bronze metal sculptor.  Check out his website http://www.chrisatcheson.com.  His family is leaving for Czek soon as Hannah, who is a teacher and the children start school next week. Chris will stay on for another two months to finish some paintings and also to work on some sculptures for our resort and a very striking sign for our entrance. We are so honored to have them contribute such outstanding artwork for all of us to enjoy.

Thank you, Atcheson family.  It’s been our pleasure to have your family stay with us – our first guests in the new Jungle Lodge – and watch the wonderment of the children as they learned and experienced new things every day! We love your artwork you have so thoughtfully done for us and our guests to enjoy.