Home at Last

After way too many hours on planes and in airports, I am home.  Exhausted, but home. As I type this (on a full-size computer), I am lying in bed after eating Indian food for breakfast.

And so ends another trip.  One month in Costa Rica and Panama.

The Most Amazing Experience!

I seriously just had the most amazing experience.  I had wanted to go on a horse ride while in Costa Rica and today I did it.  For $30, I got an incredible deal.  I was the only one on the tour (this off-season thing has worked well for me here).  Think how much a 2 1/2 hour private horse ride would cost in the US??

And the tour couldn't have better.  I have absolutely no complaints.  I was picked up at my hostel at 7.45 (very punctually) and driven about 30 minutes on unpaved, rocky roads to Finca Las Brisas (Breezes Farm).  My driver spoke little or no English so we conversed in my broken Spanish.  He put up with it and even complimented my Spanish (I've gained a tiny bit of confidence recently).

I arrived at the farm and was immediately welcomed.  I was given a helmet and led to my horse after I signed a waiver.  The guide (the man who owned the farm) immediately asked if I wanted a photo taken of me.  He was excellent about asking me at various stops if I wanted a photo of myself.

Yes, I know I look funny, but I don't care.  

I didn't have to know much or do much.  The horse knew exactly what to do.  Talia (not sure of spelling) followed the guide's horse.  I was told she was very tranquila (calm) and she was.  More than once she stopped altogether and decided to rest or have a snack.  She was also the gassiest horse!

At the very beginning of the journey, I saw a toucan fly overhead.  I knew then that the tour would be more than worth the $30.  And how often can a person see a toucan on a farm??  Farm may even be a misnomer in this case.  There were crops, of course, but most of the land appeared natural (although I really have no idea what they have to do to maintain the grassy fields and beautiful groves of trees.  

I saw some amazing views from the farm.  At the highest point (none of the land was flat, it was all rolling), I was able to see Puntarenas and Montezuma and the Pacific Ocean.  If if hadn't been cloudy, I could have even seen 3 volcanoes, including Arenal.

It's difficult to describe my experience in a way that explains just how incredible it was.  The horses hiked (it was more than just a walk) through mud and muck and a couple of streams, uphill and downhill, on grasses and on rocks.  At times, I was slightly nervous that I would fall off - the path was steep enough.  

Like the bus driver, the guide knew very little English.  So we spoke in Spanish as well as I possibly could.  He was really good about speaking slowly for me and using the same words to describe various things.  We managed to understand each other (although there were times that even after he repeated a sentence, I still had no idea what he was talking about, especially if he said it too fast).  (He told me my Spanish is good too!)

Grinding coffee and trying to think of a word in Spanish.
I believe the word was "heavy" because the pestle I'm holding
is very heavy.

This language barrier added to the value of the experience, believe it or not.  I am usually nervous and overwhelmed with the prospect of speaking only in Spanish for 3 hours, but I was okay with the guide.  Surely, he has had experiences with people who spoke no Spanish at all.  At least I was able to answer his questions about where I live and about my trip.  

After the ride was over, I was led back into the reception area to have a cup of organic coffee grown on the farm (it was rather tasty!).  They even had a plate of galletas (cookies) set out for the bus driver and me to share! AND they made the driver and me fried egg with tortilla (double yay).  I couldn't have been more impressed.  

When I finished, there was another surprise in store for me.  The guide showed up again (he had been taking care of the horses) and showed me some of the crops they grow on the farm.  I saw the beginning of pineapple trees, some banana trees, coffee plants, corn, and more.  

I was finally shown to the minivan that would take me back to my hostel.  

I am now relaxing at the hostel.  In a couple of hours, I head back to San Jose.  I have to be on the 2.30pm bus.  I am ready to go; I get to go home tomorrow!

El Ranario (Again) (But This Time at Night)

The Frog Pond of Monteverde

(While I took a photo of the nameplate, it's too dark and blurry to read and
I don't remember the name of this one)

Tonight was unexpectedly awesome.  I was exhausted and wet and cold after the tour of Santa Elena and didn't really want to do anything, not even book my horse ride for tomorrow.  I seriously considered going to sleep and missing out on tonight's activity as well as tomorrow's.  But I'm glad I didn't.  I'm really glad I finally forced myself after a 3 or 3 1/2 hour rest to get up and do something!

I went upstairs, booked my horse tour with the hostel owner, and set off in the wind and rain to the frog pond 120 (or so) meters away to use my ticket for the second time.  I had been told to try to come back at night so I could see the nocturnal frogs being more active.

Swamp Frog

The experience wasn't anything like I expected; it was much better. I was handed a flashlight in the visitor's center and set off to the ranario.  The large barnlike structure was completely black; I couldn't see any of the large aquariums housing the frogs.

(While I took a photo of the nameplate, it's too dark and blurry to read and
I don't remember the name of this one)

I could hear a tour being given, but I couldn't see them (every once in awhile I saw a bit of light, and I couldn't even hear them very well).  I felt like I was alone in the great black room (almost).  At the very end, a 2nd tour caught up with me, but I was at the last aquarium tank and had already taken the pictures I had wanted to take, so it was okay.

Hourglass Tree Frog

Using my trusty flashlight (I rather like calling things "trusty"), I explored the ranario.  I wish I had a picture of the inside so I wouldn't have to explain.  There is a circular route set up  with a sidewalk leading from aquarium to aquarium.  Since I went on the tour yesterday, I had a basic idea of where things were.  Surrounding the aquariums and in every little nook and cranny are native plants.  During the day, the room is really quite cool looking.

During the tour I went on yesterday, we managed to find an example of every frog even though some are diurnal and some are nocturnal.  Tonight, however, I was unable to find 5 or 6 of the frog species.  It's possible that those were the diurnal ones, or possible that they were hiding, or possible that they were resting near the back of the aquarium (where it was more difficult to locate them using a flashlight).

The Famous Red Eyed Tree Frog

Red Eyed Tree Frog

Overall, the experience was seriously awesome and I got a few great pictures.  Trust me when I say that taking photos of frogs (some of which move a lot) in pitch black is not easy.  I had to balance my camera and the flashlight at the same time.  The only light used in any of these photos comes from the flashlight.  Camera flashes hurt frogs' eyes.  Even if they didn't, I don't like the unnatural lighting that results from the use of a flash.

And now it's time for bed.  I am exhausted, but really glad I forced myself to get up and go.  Tomorrow will be a very long day as well.  I am going on a horseback ride (yay!) in the morning and in the afternoon I am taking the 2.30 bus to San Jose.  The bus will take somewhere around 5 hours.  I will find my hostel and then the next morning, very early, I go to the airport to go home!!!!

Santa Elena Cloud Reserve

Today I visited the Santa Elena Cloud Reserve.  The park is located a few kilometers past the Selvetura Park I visited yesterday.

Clouds Rolling into the Reserve.  Later on, the weather got
sprinkly/rainy and the clouds/fog came much lower.

I went a bit later in the day (leaving the hostel on the shuttle at 10.30am).  I had booked and paid for a guide in the park because I have realized that there is absolutely no way I can find all of the cool stuff they can.

I completely lucked out and was the only person signed up for the 11.30 tour spot.  (I later heard that the early tour consisted of 8 people).  So I got a private 3-hour tour for the low, low price of $15 (plus $7 park admission and $4 round trip transportation).  Not at all a bad deal!

Honestly, I don't feel like we saw a whole lot of wildlife, but I am far from disappointed with the tour.  I was shown a number of jungle plants (I figure that if the animals aren't forthcoming, the guides resort to plants).  And I did see a couple of birds and 2 or 3 nests and several insects and a couple of spiders.

Hummingbird nest complete with mama hummingbird on her eggs.

I assume we saw less because it was raining (monkeys don't really come out when it rains), and possibly because it was a little later in the morning.  I've heard that you see more wildlife early in the morning (maybe this is because you are seeing the nocturnal animals finish their day and the diurnal animals starting theirs?).

Unlike other days at other parks, I only took a few photos.  We saw mostly plants that I had previously photographed.  The insects were too quick to photograph, and even if they weren't I'm not terribly into insects or insect pictures.  And the birds were far away and hard to focus on.

And even without the appearance of the famous Quetzal bird (I did hear it though), I am satisfied with my experience at the Santa Elena Reserve and can now check "Cloud Forest" off of my list of things to do in Costa Rica.

Suspension Bridges and Frogs

It seems like all anyone talks about here in Costa Rica are the ziplines.  Especially here in Monteverde, one of the first questions out of another traveler's mouth is "Have you been on the ziplines?"

I am not particularly interested in the ziplines.  I thought about it and watched a youtube video of someone doing it, but in the end, I think I would be too scared to enjoy it.  Or even if I did enjoy the actual experience, the anxiety and stress leading up to it would negate the enjoyment.

So instead, this morning I got on the Selvetura shuttle bus at my hostel and road to the park where I walked a 2 mile course that included 8 suspension bridges, the highest at over 500 feet.

Suspension Bridge.  I believe this was the first of the eight.

Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), it sprinkled and rained off and on throughout my walk.  I saw almost no wildlife.  The park was quiet as well (ordinarily these forests and jungles seem to be teeming with bird calls and monkey howls and insect chirping).

The only wildlife I saw other than a couple of hummingbirds.

I was actually looking for frogs - I was hoping to see some since it had been raining, but no such luck.  I did enjoy some nice views and the bridges were kind of cool as well.  I managed to slowpoke enough that I was able to have the path to myself for much of the course.

I realize I look so completely dumpy, but I am wearing a 1 pound
money belt underneath my clothes and my handbag is underneath
my rain jacket, which explains all the lumps.

It was alright, but I wouldn't do it again, and I think $20 is a bit much to walk across a few bridges.  Maybe I would feel differently had I seen more wildlife.  I don't know.

Since I didn't see the frogs I wanted to see this morning, I went to the Ranario (frog pond) this afternoon. For $10, I had my own guide and I get to go back for a 2nd visit (some frogs are active during the day and others at night, so if you go twice, you can see all the frogs active).

The "famous frog" as the tour guide called it - the red eyed
tree frog on all the posters and t-shirts.

And now it's time to sleep.  Tomorrow will be a big day.  I'm going to the Santa Elena Cloud Forest in the morning.

Night Walk

Tonight I went on a night walk at the Ecological Reserve.  I have to admit I am a little disappointed - I don't feel like we saw all that many animals and most disappointing of all, I didn't see a sloth.  I did, however, see some other animals (including a couple of porcupines that were too far away and too darkly colored to photograph).

An agouti.  These rodents are active during the day, so we
caught them shortly before they went to sleep.

Orange banded tarantula.  I didn't actually realize that there was
more than one kind of tarantula, but there are dozens. 

Frog.  Not sure what kind.  I think someone asked, but I don't
remember what the guide said.

Cool-looking bird.  Unfortunately, I don't remember the name of it.
Trust me when I say this bird is more beautiful in real life.

Jeep-Boat-Jeep

Or more accurately, Shuttle Bus-Boat-Minivan.

Lake Arenal.  This lake is actually man-made.  This photograph
was taken from a viewpoint at the Observatory Lodge in La Fortuna.

 This morning, I took the 8am jeep-boat-jeep tour from La Fortuna to Monteverde.  This really is the only way to transport yourself between these 2 cities, the other options border on ridiculous.  The roads in this area (particularly near Monteverde) are inferior (to say the least).  (I am now wishing I had a picture of one of the roads to show, but I don't).  The distance between the 2 cities is not great, but there is a lake in the way and as stated, enormously bad roads to contend with.  There is a local bus, but I think the journey takes somewhere around 6 hours (maybe even more, as my journey took about 4 including a "rest" stop at a large tour operator).

Walking to the boat.

It actually rained quite a bit this morning, so I was more than a little concerned that it would start pouring on my journey.  While it wouldn't be the end of the world (I have no more flights with a 15 pound luggage limit), I still didn't want to be stuck with a bag full of wet, mildewy smelling clothes.

Fortunately, I didn't see any crocodiles.

Loading onto the boat.

I rather enjoyed the journey; it was scenic and relaxing, at least until getting off the boat on the Monteverde side.  At that point, the last couple of hours (I think it was only about 50 km) wasn't enjoyable and was actually kind of sickening (I don't do well with rocking motion and bumpiness).

Finally, I am in Santa Elena (Monteverde) and am on solid, non-bumpy ground.

I wasn't really going to do anything tonight other than explore the city, but I've already done that (there's nothing much to the town of Santa Elena) and there isn't even a park to relax and read in.  (I should probably explain that Santa Elena is the town I'm staying in which is next to Monteverde and the Monteverde Cloud Forest.)  Like in La Fortuna, every single business advertises their tours.  So tonight, I am going on a nature night walk at the Ecological Reserve (booked through my hostel).  I'm excited and hoping to see a sloth.

Later!

My Day in La Fortuna

Arenal Volcano taken from the park.

View from downtown La Fortuna.  Apparently the volcano is usually at least partially covered by clouds.

I've been here in La Fortuna a bit over 24 hours and that's enough.  Someone told me she spent 3 nights there and that was pushing it.  I suppose this is because the city doesn't offer much other than a nice view of the volcano and a million tour operators.  Pretty much the only thing to do while in La Fortuna is to go on a tour.  So that is what I did.

Spider Monkeys

I took what is referred to as the "cheap tour."  I suppose it was cheap enough at $30, but I feel like I've been on better tours for less.  Tours where I didn't have to see the older, larger guide in his bikini briefs.

The best toucan shot I got.  As you can imagine,
photographing animals isn't usually easy; they won't hold still.

I arrived in La Fortuna yesterday somewhere around 1 pm.  It was too late to do much of anything.  The problem with La Fortuna is that all the cool stuff requires either a rented car or an expensive taxi.  Since I didn't want to rent a car by myself and didn't want to spend as much on a taxi as on admission (additionally, there is the whole problem of what to do once I'm done wherever.  Will the taxi wait?  Will there be another one?)  I wanted to go to the hot springs and I was interested in a horse ride as well (neither of which is easy to do without the assistance of a guided tour).  These tours existed, but cost a little more than I wanted to pay. As I stated previously, every single business in the small town of La Fortuna offered tours.  

Montezuma Oropendola nests.  This bird makes a wild echo
kind of a noise. I actually heard the sound long  before I ever
saw the bird.  The male oropendola makes several of these
hanging nests trying to impress the female.  The female has
final say on whether or not the nest is good enough. (I am
unsure whether the male makes one nest at a time and tries to
pass inspection after each attempt, or if he makes several nests
and allows the female to choose which one she wants to live in.)

In my one La Fortuna day, I ended up going on a "try some things out" tour that took me to the Volcano Observatory Lodge (they had grounds they charge admission for).  The group of us, led by Franklin, walked through the grounds and on one of the nature trails.  We saw spider monkeys and a lone howler monkey, 2 toucans (I was able to photograph 1), a blue morpho butterfly (I'm never quick enough to photograph a morpho) and a dozen plants we were told the medicinal uses of.

When I was told about the tour, I was expecting something different.  I thought we were going to La Fortuna waterfall (we didn't) and to Baldi Hot Springs (again, we didn't).  After the hike at the Observatory Lodge, we went to the significantly cheaper version of these things.

We saw a waterfall, but it was on the Volcano Observatory Lodge property.  The waterfall was basically a photo op.  And we went to hot springs, heated by the volcano, but they were not the famous Baldi Hot Springs.  The hot springs we visited were "the free version."  Our tour bus was pulled alongside other tour buses and Tico cars and we walked a few yards down the road to a spot where we could climb down to the hot spring river.  I was more than shocked when the tour guide stripped down to his skivvies and joined us.  I was only too thankful that his skivvies were gray.  The springs were rather nice.  We were able to get in the water, which was similar in temperature to a hot tub.  I've read that at the fancier resort/spa/whatevers like Baldi and Tabacon, there are pools of varying temperatures.  If I ever make it back to La Fortuna (although in all honesty I probably won't), I will go to the "real" hot springs that you pay for.

The waterfall.

Don't get me wrong, both the waterfall and hot springs were nice, just not what I was expecting.  But I suppose, what should I really have expected for $30?  Baldi Hot Springs costs around $22 (if you get the tickets from a tour operator) and La Fortuna waterfall costs $7.

The hot springs.

On the Road Again

I'm going to miss my awesomely made bed complete with origami towel animals and designs, but today I'm off to La Fortuna, the town nearest the Arenal Volcano.  I've primarily visited beaches up until now, so this is going to be a very different experience.  My flight from Tortuguero to San Jose is early, so I should be able to arrive in San Jose early enough to catch the 8.40 am bus to La Fortuna.

Adios!

The Tortuguero Experience-Part II

The 3-hour, $15 canoe tour was totally worth it.  I wasn't real sure at first if things would work out well.  I asked the hotel owner about the tour (he had mentioned it) and he said he would call around.  What he really meant was he'd call his cousin and have him talk to me.

Roberto issued my ticket and told me to meet him at 5.45 at the public dock.  I did, and he passed me off to his cousin Ricardo (unsure if they are cousin friends or cousin brothers).  I was a little worried this tour wouldn't happen.

I worried for nothing because by 6am, Ricardo, 4 teenage boys (from England I think), and myself were rowing towards the National Park canals.

These teenage boys deserve special mention.  They were completely useless and never realized it.  They played with the paddles patting them against the water and they stuck the paddles in the water to create resistance (unwanted resistance).  The one at the front of the canoe decided he wanted to lie down on the boat (or recline as much as possible) which resulted in the boat almost capsizing multiple times.  While very annoyed that they wouldn't paddle (complaining of aching shoulders after 3 strokes and tentatively dipping the paddle in the water every once in a while and leaving the work to myself and the guide), I was amused by their conversation.  At one point, they were discussing shaving - 1 of them only had a bit of peach fuzz and 7 or 8 unruly hairs.  I wanted to laugh at this "manly" conversation about how they look with and without facial hair and how often they shave.

The tour itself (if I can possibly separate the tour from the moronic boys) was quite good and informative.  We saw several birds, caimans, the bluejean frog, and some monkeys - not too shabby for 3 hours and $15.  I wouldn't have been able to see these things on my own, and I'm not sure I could have seen them in the park either.

I returned from my tour at around 9am.  Later in the day (around 11 or so) I went back to the National Park, but this time I walked.  I was forced to rent absurd rainboots for $1.  They were absurd because it hadn't rained in awhile and at the end of my hike, they were dusty, not muddy.  Additionally, they were painful and rubbed the skin off my feet in several spots (it's hard to do anything about that when I'm a couple of kilometers away from the park entrance and my regular shoes that I had left as collateral).

I had meant to go to the beach after the park, but I wasn't feeling well (I haven't been eating well, especially not here since food is more expensive and there are fewer choices).

Today, however, I did go to the beach and hang out awhile (from something like 6-8am) and then I rested (not sure if I slept or not) and then I went back to the beach for another couple of hours.  Ahh!  This is the life.

And tomorrow, sadly, I must fly back to San Jose and take the afternoon bus to Montezuma.

The Tortuguero Experience-Part I

Yesterday morning, I was on the insanely early flight to Tortuguero (5.50am).  During landing, I could see the length of Tortuguero Island.  I was able to look out the front airplane window.  I watched waves lapping on the right side of the island and could see lagoon on the left side.

This plane, like the one I took to Panama, also carried 7 people.

The airport dock. You may be able to see boats at the end of the sidewalk.

I arrived before 6.30 and was met by a water taxi my hotel had sent.  I didn't find a conventional hostel on Tortuguero, but what I found was really great.  I stayed at the El Icaco Hotel in a private room with a private bathroom.  The hotel owner met me at the dock and showed me to the beach side of the island to where the hotel was located.  Aside from the loneliness this sort of situation results in, I needed the break from the hostel environment.

Hotel El Icaco

Honestly, my hostel experiences haven't been too bad - I've even ended up with the dorm room to myself more than once.  But even so, there is little privacy afforded in a dorm room.  I finally had some semblance of privacy at this hotel (although every sound I made was heard outside; there was no glass in the windows, only screen.

I returned to my hotel room today around 9am to find this lovely
swan.  How awesome is it that I get my very own swan made
out of my towels and bedsheet?

I settled in at the hotel and then headed to the beach (all of 20 feet away).  I spent the morning on the beach, walked around town for a few minutes (which is all it really takes), showered, took a 4-hour nap, and then went back to the beach in the evening.  Pretty much a perfect beach day.  The weather was great as well; there was no rain in sight.

The lovely and clean Tortuguero beach.  I actually found a
a large number of small whole sand dollars along this beach.
I picked some up, but they are so fragile and break so easily
that I'm afraid that few will survive, if any.

Today too I spent at the beach and napping in the warm cool of my fan in my hotel room.  The sun gets so hot here and there are no shade trees at the beach.  I can't possibly stay out as long here as I did in Panama or even in Montezuma.  It's so amazing that it's completely light outside around 5am and I can go to the beach and lie on the sand and read while it's still cool outside and while the fishermen stand around up and down the shore hoping to catch something.

Tomorrow I'm going to go on an early (5.45am) canoe tour of the Tortuguero National Park canals.  I'm excited to go on the tour; I'm expecting to see a lot of wildlife.

San Jose Blues

I don’t even want to talk about the day I had today.

So, I will say that I left Montezuma and am now in San Jose.  Again.  Unfortunately.  I have an insanely early flight to Tortuguero tomorrow.  I need to do some research, but the power is currently out.

I will leave you with a picture of Sabana Park (which I saw today and which is quite nice).

Last Day in Montezuma

I am not feeling well today - I think it was the cheese sandwich I ate from the grocery store.  They don't keep the sandwiches refrigerated.  I figured it was okay and I ate one the day before as well.  But now I'm thinking it was a bad idea to eat an unrefrigerated (and who knows how old) cheese sandwich, even if it comes from the grocery store.

So today, like my previous days, I'm more or less lazing about. I may very well spend much of the day in this hammock here.

I have not been doing too well here - there was the fall and now I have felt ill for the past 24 hours.  Additionally, I swear the %100 deet no longer works and they have begun to sting through my clothes.  I have 2 or 3 dozen bites, many new from last night.  I even have bites on the bottoms of my feet! (Of course, I didn't put deet there).

The only thing that can really be said for today is that I went to the bathroom and saw my first howler monkeys.  (Not in the bathroom of course, but through one of the massive windows.)  I actually heard them first, then saw them climbing through the trees.  I ran to get my camera and snapped a few photos.

This is my favorite photo resulting from today's photo session.

Since it was after 9am, I went downstairs to breakfast.  I was so anxious throughout breakfast - I could hear them moving and see leaves and twigs falling from the trees, but couldn't see them from where I sat.  I ate quickly and then popped over to the side of the hostel building to take some more pictures.

Another Day in Montezuma

I'm still in Montezuma and I think I'm going to go ahead and stay until Sunday (it's easier than doing anything else and I'm still trying to recover from my fall).

I'm at the beach and will stay here until it starts sprinkling.  (The weather was nice and clear when I arrived, but the dark clouds have come in and I'm expecting a lot of rain.)