A Brief History of Las Aguas

We keep getting asked, "What is viva las aguas?" and thought we should take the time to explain. So, here is the story, or as much as we can remember.

Las Aguas, a two person, female gang was formed in late 2006 on the beaches of Costa Rica. Alpina (formerly known as Nancy King) and Cristal (formerly known as Crystal English) founded the gang around the same time they decided it was a good idea to extend a 6-day vacation into a 23-day epic travel odyssey.

So, why the new names? There are two brands of bottled water in Costa Rica, Alpina and Cristal. Like Coke vs Pepsi, you have to pick one. Crystal immediately aligned herself with Cristal (for obvious reasons) and began introducing herself as "Crystal, you know, like the water" Sensing an opportunity to shed her 1950's housewife name for a sexier moniker, Nancy began using Crystal's methodology and introduced herself as "Alpina, you know, like the water."

And why Las Aguas? Las Aguas, literally means "the waters" and seemed like a catchy title for two girls who had recently converted their given names into brands of Costa Rican water.

And last but not least, why a gang? Unfortunately, there is not a simple answer to this question. Some say it had to do with a guy named Roberto. Others have traced it back to a Reggae dance club named Babylon. The story is a little fuzzy but either way, the gang was formed.

The Tenets of Las Aguas (subject to revision):

• Extending vacations.
• Being impeccable with your word (aka being honest) For more info read The Four Agreements by Miguel Ruiz
• Moustaches
• Surfing
• The Raconteurs' "Together" is one of the best songs of all time
• Full coverage auto insurance
• Avocados are delicious
  
• Hablar en español (eventually)
  

Viva Las Aguas!

-Alpina y Cristal