Mal Pais - My Sanctuary

Mal Pais
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I wanted to leave New York and get away from all the chaos and noise that filled my head every day. I knew I had to escape to a tropical destination where I'd be able to detoxify from all the negativity in life. I chose Mal Pais, Costa Rica. Mal Pais literally means "bad place" in spanish. I liked the irony of going to a "bad place" as my ultimate sanctuary.

I got a brand new custom surfboard earlier that year to celebrate my new found obsession - surfing. It's been a while since I became hooked on something that was good for my soul. I was determined to do get the most out of the things I loved in life; the sun, surf, and spending quality alone time.

Montezuma
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The trip from San Jose to Mal Pais was a tricky one. I took a public bus from the airport, to the ferry, took the ferry over to puntarenas, then hired an illegal cab to take me to Mal Pais. When I finally arrived, I was exhausted and dizzy from traveling the entire day.

The Place was a cute hotel right near the border of Mal Pais and Santa Teresa. I stayed in the cutest cabana with a private shower and bathroom. I passed out early that night, feeling anxious about the next morning.

The howling monkeys woke me up the next morning at 6am. Perfect time to get up and explore the area... I needed to find a surf store to score some wax. I came across a dinky surf shop, got some wax, and headed out to the beach. The beach breaks had strong current and I kept on getting washed up north. It took me a couple of days to get used to the water in Mal Pais.

Mal Pais Dream
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A week of total relaxation and quality alone time did the trick. I came back to New York completely refreshed and detoxed from all the negativity that had accumulated over the years I spent in New York.