Often, we gauge the satisfaction of a much anticipated exotic beach vacation by the number of days spent basking in the warm tropical sun's rays. 

To say that being caught in tropical storm force winds, pounding rain, and loss of both power and water would be anyone's ideal vacation would be insane, or would it? Before you send the men in the little white coats, consider this. Pura vida! 

As the rain continues to provide fuel for the raging rivers that used to be streets, a small restaurant's candles beckon to rain soaked tourists and locals alike.

Manuel Antonio is a small beach town located on the central, pacific coast of Costa Rica.

This tiny community offers great surfing, snorkeling, scuba diving, and is home to the famous Manuel Antonio National Park. But above all of this, it offers pura vida defined. Pura vida is a phrase lived by the people of Manuel Antonio. The direct translation is pure life, however it means so much more. Pura vida expresses contentment, happiness, and satisfaction with your life. This can surely be found here! After spending time with the locals, it is easy to adopt this philosophy because of their contagious enthusiasm for the joy they find in the simple things in life.

One of the first things you'll notice is how friendly everyone is. The locals take a personal interest in tourists' satisfaction and opinion of their community. They were apologetic for the weather, explaining that a storm of this magnitude is very uncommon.

A tipico (typical) breakfast is eggs, fruit, black beans, rice, bacon, sausage, toast, fresh juice, and coffee. The portions are large and very satisfying, yet the price is only about $3.00. For lunch, try Cecilia's Tipico Food, the street vendor close to the park.you can't miss it, just follow your nose! Cecilia or Rita will be happy to prepare a Casado (it means married, apparently if you are married it is what you'll eat everyday) with fish, chicken, or pork.

The food is prepared under a tarp tent on the beach and the smell of the meats cooking on the barbeque make your mouth water. These huge helpings are budget friendly at about $4.00 and well worth trying each dish. For dinner, it's back to the Marlin for a relaxing culinary experience.

The only problem you'll have is trying to choose between all the wonderful taste sensations. They offer an abundance of variety so that even the most discriminating palate will surely find something to their liking. Whether it is ceviche, surf and turf, or simply soup, the Marlin has it all. As an appetizer, or for a quick bite, the DeMariscos is a great choice. Its rich blend of seafood favorites and the robust broth balance perfectly with the white rice served along side. At about $5.00 you'll add this soup to your list of favorites, as well. Another suggestion is the ceviche. Fresh, local fish is marinated and "cooked" using lime juice and a blend of herbs. At just over $3.00, this tropical appetizer is a local favorite for good reason.

Finally, for those who want to splurge, the Extravaganza features a combination of lobster, jumbo shrimp and beef tenderloin for two.

After being spoiled by the low prices, the $41.00 price seemed high, but considering that it is the ultimate surf and turf dinner for two, you'll quickly agree that this dish is appropriately named the Extravaganza! Even more impressive than the superb food and great prices is the level of service. 

The staff goes out of their way to ensure that your whole dining experience is the best it can be.