Shall We Sunset? The Best Way to Socialize in a Beach Town
By Jackie Minchillo
By Jackie Minchillo
Before
moving to Tamarindo, on Costa Rica's northern Pacific coast, my husband
and I lived in Chicago. We were accustomed to brunch as the key to
socializing with friends. If you set a weekly date with someone or made
plans to catch up with an old friend, oftentimes you would do it over a
weekend brunch.
We
had to re-learn some of the "rules" to socializing when we moved to our
little beach town. When we began to meet people, it struck us as odd
that the common invite for social gatherings was to go and watch the
sunset together...but we quickly learned why.
Playa
Tamarindo and some of its neighboring beaches are world-famous for
their sunsets. The big ball of fire puts on the performance of a
lifetime every single night, with an unobstructed view of the horizon,
looming over the blue, green, and aqua shades of the Pacific Ocean.
Whether you spend five days or a whole year in Tamarindo, it's likely
your phone and camera will quickly fill with photos of the sunset...like
this one.
And if you're lucky enough
to witness some sunsets during the rainy season, you'll experience a
magical combination of clouds and multi-colored sunsets that will take
your breath away.
As
relief from the heat of the day sets in and the sun begins its descent,
it's a great time to catch up with friends and get a glimpse of the
local wildlife. The animals, including howler monkeys and parrots,
become more active at this time of day and you can watch them in all
their glory. Happy dogs run and play together in the surf and many
people come out to walk, run, or bike along the shoreline as another
beautiful day comes to a close.
If
high tide is in the late afternoon, you have the pleasure of watching
the silhouettes of talented surfers catching waves against a backdrop of
the burning orange or golden yellow sunshine as it drops slowly toward
the water's edge.
Many
of the local beachfront bars and restaurants have hopped on the sunset
bandwagon as well, and you can enjoy happy hour specials pretty much
everywhere...two-for-one cocktails and discounted appetizers abound.
Some places also feature live music, or host bonfires at sunset on
certain evenings, or even hire entertainment such as a local group of
highly impressive fire dancers. Of course if you're looking for a more
casual get together, you have the option of picking a prime spot of your
choice on the beach and bringing your own refreshments.
What
we've learned about sunset get-togethers is that they're a great way to
get to know people in a casual and comfortable atmosphere...and the
picturesque scenery is an unbelievable added bonus.
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