Jaco is an interesting place, completely gringo and yet an undercurrent of Pura Vida.

A central place for sex tourism on the Costa Rican coast and the sunscreen business is booming!

So why go there? Well, my Uncle Dan Murphy used to own a bar there and I wanted to toast his memory in his old place.

But times change rapidly in the tourist world and what was once a quaintly off color hangout is now a hardcore discotheque that doesn’t even open the doors until 9pm. I really was a bit disappointed, but a shot or two of tequila in his honor and a hasty retreat to the PG rated environs and we accomplished what we came to do.

One standout thing though is the restaurant “The Green Room” while they admit that they aren’t 100% organic, the food is hard to beat anywhere. The drinks were tasty and the vibe was way chill- Pura Vida at its finest.

Admittedly we weren't in town long enough to get a feel for the local groove and if any conclusion can be drawn from just a few people- the locals we actually chatted with were awesome.

We then dropped out to check out the Los Suenos Resort and Marina. I thought we took a wormhole to Newport Beach- without the charm. Nearly completely filled with sportsfishing boats, shoreside facilities that include a shopping mall, and gated communities within gated communities. We decided that it really doesn’t fit our idea of a cool place to hang out.

So, a long drive to have a shot, but it showed us another side to the tourist industry, one that cruisers don’t really contribute to.