Krisha

If you drive toward the coast, about 4.5 hours east of Charlotte, you’ll find the waterfront town of New Bern, North Carolina. Nestled where the Neuse and Trent rivers converge, this small city is the state’s former colonial capital and has a rich history. Tour Tryon Palace where guides wear colonial garb, and learn about life under British Rule (think Hamilton!). Take a ghost tour beneath Cyprus trees draped with Spanish moss, and visit the pharmacy where Pepsi-Cola was invented. Have a taste of the sugary syrup drink, and make some sweet memories with your family in this charming coastal town.

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There is a new attraction in Sin City, and in true Vegas form, it’s a big one. Owner Mark Davis fondly nicknamed the latest National Football League stadium and concert venue “The Death Star.” Its futuristic outside belies its nostalgic inside. The new home of the Las Vegas Raiders honors the history of two rebels that found each other — the city and the franchise.

After your non-stop flight from Charlotte to Las Vegas, you can be at Allegiant Stadium in 15 minutes. The shiny, bowl-shaped structure sits on 62 acres of land in Paradise, Nevada, across from the MGM casino and west of Interstate 15. At a price tag of $1.9 billion, the stadium is the second most expensive in the world. It didn’t open its doors to the public until the 2021 football season, and now, in a rare move, it is open to visitors.

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Originally published in New River Valley Magazine

Slightly smaller than West Virginia, Costa Rica ranks as one of the wildest and most wonderful destinations on the planet for tourists. I traveled there by myself a few years ago, meeting a friend who was visiting a friend, but once I was in the country, it seemed everyone was a friend. That’s the thing about places near the equator; the people are happy, and their hearts are as big as the sun.

Strolling through the streets of Liberia, any tourist can feel the warmth. Locals socialize on outdoor barstools, drinking Imperial beer and laughing at old jokes. Spanish is the official language here, but everyone speaks at least a little English. Due to the quirkiness of the accent, Costa Rican men are called Ticos, and the women are Ticas. But no matter what they are called, Costa Ricans live the “Pura Vida” or pure life. More than anything, it is a way of life – or the idea of letting things go and simply enjoying the present. They like to share their mantra and their food as well. I received a big smile from a street vendor as he handed me a plastic cup of tart, homemade ceviche – diced fresh raw fish in lime juices with cilantro and chili. The street food is safe, so I smiled back and accepted the offer.

The Pacific coast beaches of Costa Rica are the most popular. I made my way to Flamingo where the beach is private, and the resort is comfortable. Still, don’t expect Western customer service. There is always one thing that falls short: pancakes without syrup at breakfast, a beautiful swim-up bar without available towels and a lobby that doesn’t let patrons use the bathroom. But here is a twist: this developing country is clean; not a piece of trash in sight.

The latter is most refreshing. Known for its lush landscape and clean air and streets, Costa Rica prides itself as the hub of ecotourism and boasts environmental beauty. You can hike and walk almost anywhere, but the streets have pot-holes like large craters that make driving or riding a bike a minefield for anyone trying to go straight. I caught a taxi to the famous surf beach town of Tamarindo. At Witches Rock Surf Co., you get the best angle of sun-kissed, brawny, bold surfers only there for the thrill of the ride as opposed to the on-looking tourists who are there for the view. Further down the road are souvenir shops, street vendors and a few clubs. Make sure you bargain hard; everything is up for negotiation, except an offer to salsa. The Ticos are great dancers.

No trip to Costa Rica would be complete without a trip to the impressive Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. You can walk through the thick interior where the canopy is so dense, hardly any light shines through from above. But above is where you want to be, so don’t miss the famous zip-lining tour over the rain forest canopy and through the sky; this is truly a wild and once-in-a-lifetime experience. After zip-lining, we headed to the Tabacan hot springs and jumped from pool to pool in the warm, steamy water with the giant active volcano, Arenal, bubbling in the background.

In our cabin at Cabinas Los Guayabos we had a visitor – at least from what we heard: it seemed like a large frog had leaped away from the springs and come in our window for shelter. Normally that would be uncomfortable for me, but the view from my window caught my attention instead. In the night air hung the outline of the looming volcano; a river of hot, red lava flowed down one side giving us a natural light show that illuminated the wildness and deep forest around us – and then I spotted the large amphibian alive in our own quarters. It made me realize there is room for us all, even if you’re a frog.

Krisha Chachra is a native of Blacksburg, a Ph.D. candidate at VT and a member of Blacksburg’s Town Council and is a founder of Up on the Roof, Blacksburg’s Creative Professional’s mixer. She is a regular columnist and author who has traveled to 40 countries in 6 continents and reported and hosted shows for public radio and television. Her book about returning to Blacksburg, Homecoming Journals, may be found online or in local bookstores. E-mail her at kchachra@aol.com.