Harmony

After our lovely car ride and many miles of dirt road, we arrived in the tiny, sleepy beach town of Playa Guiones and pulled up to the Harmony Hotel, an eco-resort. The man at the check-in desk gave us cold, handpressed ginger-lemon juice and hot handtowels to wipe our hands and faces when we arrived. I almost kissed him on the mouth.

The property is a series of bungalows, nestled into the jungle, a short path leading out to the beach.

There was a fresh juice bar, hammocks strung everywhere, and tiny pockets of relaxation just waiting to be discovered.

And then there was the beach. Gorgeous, deserted, dotted with thatched structures to sit under to keep out of the sun. I sat and watched the surfers (and Steve!) out in the distance before hopping in and doing some boogie-boarding myself.

It was the perfect place to start our honeymoon. Steve surfed every morning. We spent time lazing by the pool and napping in the hammocks when it stormed in the afternoons. We ventured to the tiny town for dark-chocolate-banana-macademia-nut ice cream.

We had an outdoor shower and one afternoon I felt a sharp pain in my foot. I leapt up screaming. Steve looked down at the totally bare wood and said honey, there’s nothing there, nothing bit you. I peered down between the slats and saw a GIANT crab staring me down, pinchers at the ready. Evidently I was drowning his hidey-hole and he wanted me to know he wasn’t too pleased.

Steve wore sandals every other time he was showering outside.