Passport, sunglasses, beach towel and Bitcoin (BTC)? A BTC enthusiast on vacation proved that the world’s largest cryptocurrency could soon become a vacation must-have. Eugenio, a Costa Rican Bitcoin maximalist, paid for his vacation with only Bitcoin in his wallet during a long weekend on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica.
The cities of Uvita, Dominical, and Ojochal, a hub of Bitcoin adoption and real-life whale watching, are home to Bitcoin Jungle, a Bitcoin beach-inspired project, as well as a budding community of friendly merchants. of Bitcoin. Eugenio documented on Twitter all his vacations with Bitcoin at the destination. He told Cointelegraph: “The only fiat I had to use was to fill the tank [del coche] before leaving”.
I just had 100% #bitcoin vacation in Uvita, Dominical and Ojochal #Costa Rica thanks to the work of @BitcoinJungleCR creating a circular economy and supporting many merchants and businesses. Zero fiat was used, no banks involved, no trusted third parties, just real hard money. pic.twitter.com/YrcQfIumfx
— Eugenio Crypto Disrespecter (@E_moonwatcher) July 18, 2022
I just had a 100% Bitcoin vacation in Uvita, Dominical and Ojochal Costa Rica thanks to the work of @BitcoinJungleCR creating a circular economy and supporting many merchants and businesses. Zero fiat was used, no banks involved, no trusted third parties, just real hard money.
Eugenio explained that he wanted to support adoption and show that anyone can do the same, in a comfortable and fun way, “using the Lightning Network without problems and without payment processors or banks involved:”
“I wanted to be able to pay for my little sister’s ice cream while I was at the beach, for example.”
Eugenio paid for more than just his sister’s ice cream: he paid for pizzas, coffees, steaks, and even a trip to the market for kombucha with Bitcoin.
Merchants would have asked, “do you want to pay with Lightning or on-chain?” On-chain transactions take an average of 10 minutes to confirm, are slow and sometimes expensive. Transactions with Lightning are almost instant, almost free, and are a “benefit for me and the merchants”Eugene explained:
“It’s extremely convenient, Bitcoin is money. You can use it to spend and you can use it to save, you can do both easily without the fees and hurdles embedded in the legacy system, plus you can always buy back the sats with the fiat you were going to use first.”
The Lightning Network is quietly catching on, with examples of its adoption slowly spreading like roots reaching across the globe. From British families to Senegalese surfers, the appetite for Lightning transactions is driving more and more Bitcoin into Layer 2 platforms.
Eugenio shares some tips for those reluctant to use the LN or the event to visit Costa Rica. As a proud Tico (Costa Rican), he suggests: “Don’t think about it too much. The place is awesome, safe, full of nature and adventure. Use the Bitcoin Jungle business map to guide you and a Lightning Wallet.”
The place is “organically” embracing Bitcoin, and some of the locals have taken pride in accepting Bitcoin, Eugenio told Cointelegraph.
Based on the map above, there is a growing number of merchants throughout Costa Rica that accept Bitcoin “with a smile.” With the summer holidays in full swing, Bitcoin wallets could be on everyone’s packing lists, along with passports, sunglasses, and sunscreen.
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