After exchanging our worries about the weather, I asked his views on the saying. "Pura vida is the essence of life. For me, it really defines our culture, our feelings, and lifestyle," he said.

You know, Costa Rica, they say pura vida about pretty much everything. What about this experience and the way you show off the natural environment here? How is that part of the pura vida idea?

Costa Rica’s slogan “pura vida” invites tourists to experience “a pure life,” but with murder rates on the rise in the nation’s capital, authorities say visitors are on the decline.