{"id":492,"date":"2013-07-31T17:48:39","date_gmt":"2013-07-31T17:48:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/saraalva.com\/?p=492"},"modified":"2013-08-01T21:37:26","modified_gmt":"2013-08-01T21:37:26","slug":"scenic-inspiration-for-pura-vida","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/saraalva.com\/?p=492","title":{"rendered":"Scenic Inspiration for Pura Vida"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Sometimes the tiniest things\u2014a passing look from a stranger, a snippet of overheard conversation,\u00a0a sunset against the mountains\u2014can inspire or inform a story. When I wrote\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/saraalva.com\/?page_id=396\"><i>Pura Vida<\/i><\/a>, I was lucky enough to have the beautiful setting of Costa Rica fresh in my mind as a backdrop for my guys.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a truly amazing country and I recommend it to all travelers. Since I\u2019ve been a few times, I\u2019ve amassed more pictures than can be stored on a single hard drive. I thought I\u2019d share just a few of them with you now, so you can get a glimpse into the world where Simon found love.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 33%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-492 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/saraalva.com\/?attachment_id=353'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/saraalva.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/toucan-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-353\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-353'>\n\t\t\t\tA friendly toucan\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/saraalva.com\/?attachment_id=354'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/saraalva.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/crab-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-354\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-354'>\n\t\t\t\tHard to spot crab\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/saraalva.com\/?attachment_id=355'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/saraalva.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/hermit-crab-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-355\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-355'>\n\t\t\t\tAnother hard to spot crab\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/saraalva.com\/?attachment_id=365'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/saraalva.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/colorful-crab-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-365\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-365'>\n\t\t\t\tEasier to spot crab\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/saraalva.com\/?attachment_id=496'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/saraalva.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/colorful-crabs-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-496\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-496'>\n\t\t\t\tSee what I mean\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/saraalva.com\/?attachment_id=356'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/saraalva.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/cloud-forest-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-356\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-356'>\n\t\t\t\tCloud Forest\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/saraalva.com\/?attachment_id=357'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/saraalva.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/white-birds-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-357\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-357'>\n\t\t\t\tBirds in the mangroves\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/saraalva.com\/?attachment_id=360'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/saraalva.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/snake-in-a-tree-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-360\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-360'>\n\t\t\t\tSnake in the mangroves\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/saraalva.com\/?attachment_id=359'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/saraalva.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/mangrove-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-359\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-359'>\n\t\t\t\tMangrove trees\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/saraalva.com\/?attachment_id=500'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/saraalva.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/waterfall-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-500\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-500'>\n\t\t\t\tHundreds of steps to get to this waterfall. Worth it.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/saraalva.com\/?attachment_id=495'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/saraalva.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/dragonfly-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-495\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-495'>\n\t\t\t\tDragon-sized dragonfly\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/saraalva.com\/?attachment_id=501'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/saraalva.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/parrot-on-power-lines-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-501\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-501'>\n\t\t\t\tWeird to see these guys flying out in the wild. Or, err, on power lines.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/saraalva.com\/?attachment_id=361'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/saraalva.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/beach-panoramic-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-361\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-361'>\n\t\t\t\tOne of many beautiful coves\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/saraalva.com\/?attachment_id=498'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/saraalva.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/anteater-e1375141819331-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-498\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-498'>\n\t\t\t\tTree-dwelling anteater curled up for a nap\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/saraalva.com\/?attachment_id=499'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/saraalva.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/howler-on-highway-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-499\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-499'>\n\t\t\t\tHowler on a monkey highway (passage over the roads). Look closely to see monkey balls.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/saraalva.com\/?attachment_id=497'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/saraalva.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/iguana-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-497\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-497'>\n\t\t\t\tPosing for a glamour shot\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/saraalva.com\/?attachment_id=368'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/saraalva.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/eyelash-viper-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-368\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-368'>\n\t\t\t\tEyelash viper. Tiny, beautiful, and poisonous\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/saraalva.com\/?attachment_id=370'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/saraalva.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/turtle-nest-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-370\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-370'>\n\t\t\t\tA mother hard at work\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/saraalva.com\/?attachment_id=364'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/saraalva.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/sloth-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-364\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-364'>\n\t\t\t\tAdorable\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/saraalva.com\/?attachment_id=366'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/saraalva.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/monkey-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-366\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-366'>\n\t\t\t\tYou wouldn&#8217;t believe how smart these guys are\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/saraalva.com\/?attachment_id=371'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/saraalva.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/Five-turtles-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-371\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-371'>\n\t\t\t\tSo cute I can&#8217;t take it\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/saraalva.com\/?attachment_id=367'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/saraalva.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/spider-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-367\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-367'>\n\t\t\t\tPretty sure if this bit you, you&#8217;d get super powers\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/saraalva.com\/?attachment_id=358'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/saraalva.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/sunset-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-358\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-358'>\n\t\t\t\tJust &#8217;cause it&#8217;s pretty\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl>\n\t\t\t<br style='clear: both' \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>Anyone else been to Costa Rica? Any good stories? I may or may not have fallen in quicksand and lost a shoe.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.mmromancegroup.com\/?p=63863\">Download\u00a0<em>Pura Vida<\/em>\u00a0in epub, mobi, or pdf (free)<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/topic\/show\/1423414-pura-vida-by-sara-alva-7-25\">Read\u00a0<em>Pura Vida<\/em>\u00a0on Goodreads<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sometimes the tiniest things\u2014a passing look from a stranger, a snippet of overheard conversation,\u00a0a sunset against the mountains\u2014can inspire or inform a story. When I wrote\u00a0Pura Vida, I was lucky enough to have the beautiful setting of Costa Rica fresh in my mind as a backdrop for my guys. It\u2019s a truly amazing country and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":497,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"gallery","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,4],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/saraalva.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/492"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/saraalva.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/saraalva.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/saraalva.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/saraalva.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=492"}],"version-history":[{"count":29,"href":"https:\/\/saraalva.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/492\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":563,"href":"https:\/\/saraalva.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/492\/revisions\/563"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/saraalva.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/497"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/saraalva.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=492"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/saraalva.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=492"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/saraalva.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=492"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}