You wake up to the sound of the birds outside your room. You look through your large window facing the trees and notice that the sun is creeping through the clouds.

You’ve got energy this morning and it’s still early, so you decide to take a 30 minute run on the road to the beach. Afterwards you’re famished and are rewarded generously with yogurt, fruit, an omelet made to order, fresh bread and coffee. Full, you’re now attempting to read some of the local paper.

A bit later, you head off on your morning trip and within a few hours you realize you’re hungry again. Thankfully, lunch is being served. Today, it’s a traditional almuerzo which includes your choice of soup, entrée and a little something we call dessert.

After lunch, you and a few others go to see the amazing outdoor Sanctuary in Olon. After you’ve snapped your umphteenth photo you stop to take in the beauty of the ocean that can be seen in any direction.

You’ve learned a lot today, and that has done the inevitable: made you hungry. But before you eat, you’ve just got to have one of those Cuba Libres they serve at Las Acacias; they’re the best you’ve ever tasted. Sure, you’ve had Rum and Coke before, but they’re just something special about how they make them here – must be the mandarin limes they use.

During dinner you and some fellow guests are going on about how great the Santuario was, and how everyone should see it.. You love what the chef has done with the marinated chicken and grilled vegetables. Dessert is some local fruit blended in an ice cream smoothie or served with a liqueur.

After you’ve licked your plate clean you head over to the couch to read, then realize you’d like to play a little ping pong. It’s been years. You beat one of your compatriots who’s really enjoying the Cuba Libres, and now you’re ready to lay on your bed and read some of that book you’ve been working on before you fall asleep. On your walk back through the trees to your room, you congratulate yourself on having made such a wise decision to come here.