Everyone raves about their Costa Rican vacations: The friendly people, exotic creatures, lush vegetation, simple, delicious food. Not us. Our trip to Costa Rica was the worst vacation ever. It began with numerous, costly, tedious, itinerary-altering flight delays and mix-ups (I won’t describe them; I’m sure you can imagine).
Eventually, eagerly, we arrived at our destination: a secluded jungle hideaway miles from civilization. Being the low season, it would be just us, the trees, and the animals. We looked forward to a nice mix of relaxation at the deserted resort and adventure and exploration in the nearby forest and sea. The place was accessible only by boat; the nearest town a couple hours walk away. Hopping off the boat onto the beach on arrival we were greeted by the resort’s guide. He informed us that the guests included just us, one single woman traveler…and twenty high school students.
It was the first of many unpleasant revelations. The staff was grumpy and fed up after a long season dealing with foreign travelers. It rained, hard, the whole time (when they tell you it only rains a couple hours a day in the rainy season, don’t believe them). There was no wildlife. There was nothing to do. My pillow smelled like a mushroom. Breakfast every day: Cornflakes and warm powdered milk. Dinner: Canned soup. The lunch they packed for our jungle outing: Soggy saltines with Velveeta! These delightful meals were scheduled about five hours apart. I was bored and starving. The teenagers were noisy, oblivious, and constantly occupied the only comfortable seats in the place. Time has never passed so slowly.
Eating is one of the main reasons that I travel; Velveeta and Campbells were not what I had in mind when I signed up for this trip. On our way to the airport we drove through the mountains in the early morning. We stopped at a rickety roadside restaurant perched on the edge of a cliff. “Please make us Costa Rican food!” we begged. And they did. Simple, authentic gallo pinto, the traditional Costa Rican breakfast. It was perfect. Finally.
I didn’t get a whole lot out of my trip to Costa Rica. But I did discover my favorite breakfast: rice and beans. It is superb for those of us with migraines and dietary triggers. I make up a huge batch and freeze individual portions. The night before I want some, I throw a container in the fridge to defrost, and the next morning, fry it up in organic, unrefined coconut oil (which, in case you didn’t know, is good for you), tossing in a little fresh cilantro if I have some on hand. It’s healthy, homemade convenience food. You will feel so well nourished when you start your day with a hearty breakfast of Costa Rican rice and beans.
Costa Rican Gallo Pinto
Thanks to the folks over at Toucan Guides where I found the Costa Rican rice and beans recipe.
Have you ever considered acupuncture for your migraines? I have helped a lot of patients become migraine-free without the side effects of medication. You should look for a good acupuncturist in your area, regular treatment may allow you to eat more trigger foods without experiencing migraines.
JH
Yes, I have tried acupuncture. In fact, every few years I try it again since others have had so much luck with it. Alas, I seem to be on of those hard cases, that just generally doesn’t respond to any kind of treatment. To be fair, one of my acupuncturists told me that I should expect to require one month of treatment for every year of headaches. At the time, that meant 18 months. On that occasion I lasted through about five months of at least weekly treatments. It had zero impact on my headaches and I finally decided that blind faith was not enough reason to continue the time and expense. That being said, I would certainly encourage others suffering from migraines to try acupuncture as EVERYONE has a story about their best friend, or wife, or cousin whose stubborn migraines were cured by acupuncture.