Monthly Archives: February 2014

Down the Rio de Sierpe to the Pacific and Isla del Cano

SIERPE

Connie at the rail on Sierpe River Boat Tour

We arose early for our one-hour drive to Sierpe, driving past plantations of date palms, green fields, small homesteads, grazing Brahma cows, plots of land growing crops, Ticos bicycling. It was a sunny, humid morning and we arrived at an outdoor restaurant where travelers were gathering. Our guide was busy gathering signatures and organizing our tour. We were joined by various travelers in our boat heading down the Sierpe River through the mangrove swamps and out to the Pacific Ocean to Cano Island.

Chris and Dave on the boat to Cano Island

What amazes me is how a group of folks can become positively giddy at the sighting of an animal in the wild, all gathering at the rails peering for a look, hoping to catch a glimpse, straining and running from this position to that trying to see. Our boat driver was a local Tico who spoke no English but grabbed my camera twice to take photos of the elusive animals I was unable to spot but he was able to photo.

White Faced Monkey

Monkey in the forest

On our particular trip, we sighted a crocodile, a sloth (I personally never could see the slow-moving sloth), monkeys, scarlet Macaws, a boa (curled up in a ball on a tree limb about which there was much discussion on how the guide was able to sight the snake as we flew past in our boat), some dolphins, and various birds.

Crocodile on banks of Sierpe River

Boa in the tree

We learned about the mangroves and our guide was able to pull a seed pod off a mangrove tree to show us how the mangroves reproduce. A side trip down one of the mangrove canals felt mysterious as we floated along under the dense growth through the pea green opaque water, with roots hanging from the trees wondering what lay beneath the surface of the water, or deep in the mangrove forest, with only our imagination to guide us. It was eerily quiet with occasional bird calls.

A mangrove swamp like we toured

The result of the boat ride was to eventually arrive at a small island off the coast called Cano Island. The Tour Guide asked who was NOT snorkeling and I asked where were the changing rooms. Apparently I missed the announcement that if you were snorkeling to have your suit on before leaving the dock. So two of us were dropped on the beach, which means the boat gets as close to shore as it can and you make a jump for it and run before the waves soak you and your belongings.

Passengers loading on the boats are fun to watch

My companion, Marena, was a dark-skinned woman who spoke English but was distant and aloof. Marena left me sitting on her pareo as she walked the beach. There were lots of sand crabs crawling across the sand, hastening my decision to sit and enjoy being on an island in the sun and surf and observing all the boats dropping and picking up passengers. Little did I realize that sand fleas were busy finding places to bite me all over.

Connie and Bill on the beach at Cano Island

The rest of our group, including Bill, Chris and Dave, were dropped in the Pacific for snorkeling.

Snorkelers Chris and Dave in the Pacific

There is something about sun and surf that relaxes and refreshes. I lay under the palm trees watching the fronds wave patterns in the air, delicate green fans gently rising and falling. I smelled the ocean and dug my feet in the sand. I watched swimmers struggle with the surf and bob up and down in the ocean. Before long the snorkelers returned to the beach.

Boat coming to load passengers

Chris and Dave on Cano Island

Chris and I find a toilet on Cano Island [there are none]

Bill woke up that morning with a headache and stomach ache and looked peaked. Since there were no restrooms on Cano Island, Bill took to the ocean to relieve himself. Bill emerged from the surf rubbing the salt in his eyes when I saw a big wave heading his way and no way to warn him. Before I knew it, Bill was rolling head over heels in the waves, tumbling like a piece of driftwood caught in the waves. When he finally got his footing, he staggered up the beach towards me like a drunken sailor. Bills snorkeling included getting separated from his group in the wide, wide ocean, using a lot of energy to reconnect by swimming a long distance, and up chucking in snorkeling gear, the “tourista” bug attacking full force.

Bill showers after getting knocked about off Cano Island

Bill showers after getting knocked about in the surf off Cano Island

Then as we attempted to get back on our boat, a wave pushed the boat sideway with a lurch, again almost knocking Bill over. It was not the best day for Bill. Never one to give up, Bill gave it his best shot despite feeling sick.

Running to catch our boat

Trying to board in the surf

Almost on board before the next wave pushes the boat

We lunched under the palm trees and had a great time spotting some scarlet macaws and chasing them to get a better view. It was a carefree day.

Lunch on the lawn along the river

Roosters run through the grass

Spotting a scarlet macaw

The boat ride home took a good part of the afternoon skimming the Sierpe River.

Loading for final trip home

Dave enjoys the scenery on ride home

Dave enjoys conversation with fellow traveler

Chris drying off after her snorkeling

Since Dave was our only automobile driver, he had the responsibility of driving us back to our lodging in the rainforest, with Bill as his copilot. Many Ticos were out on their bicycles this afternoon, pedaling on the sides of the narrow, two-lane road, a picturesque scene, and the plantations of palms stretched for miles. We dined at Por Que No? on an outside deck, with fresh food and an engaging, friendly waiter and superior Piña Coladas overlooking the beach in Dominicalito. Chris ordered the coconut Ceviche and licked the coconut clean. I think she liked it.

Por Que No?

Coconut Ceviche at Por Que No?

Dave at Por Que No?

Custard Desert at Por Que No?

The next morning we packed and dragged the luggage up the 71 steps for our drive back to Alajuela.

Bill almost to the top of stairs at La Tierra Divina

Bill spent the night with a bad case of diarrhea and was so miserable he was ready for home. Bill was back in the co-pilot seat with Dave at the wheel. A stop in Jaco for lunch on Costa Rican Time took forever to get our food and check, at least 90 minutes or more.

Chatting with Australian girls in Jaco Cafe

Playa de Jaco is the central Pacific’s party town, with tons of bars and discos, and looked like a fun town for adventure.

How we ever found our hotel in Alajuela that afternoon is a mystery, as we took more twists and turns than one can imagine but somehow there it was, right in front of us at last, Pura Vida. Once inside the gate and behind the walls, we were delighted with gardens and our two-bedroom casita with a big, open patio and outdoor kitchen. We fixed beans and tortillas with our remaining fruit and fresh tomatoes. Bed time was early. By now everyone was feeling overwhelmed, tired, recovering from tourista and sand flea bites and revelie was at 4:30 am. Our hosts had breakfast waiting and packed, yogurt, fresh fruit, juice and granola bars. My fresh fruit and orange juice made it through security–the girls were talking so much they didn’t pay attention. Bills orange juice got confiscated. Go figure. We were settled in to our Delta flightand on our way home by 8 a.m.

Goodbye cabina in the Rain Forest

It’s going to take me awhile to sort out the best and worst moments of this vacation, but one thing is for sure, it was an adventure not to be missed. “Pura Vida”

White faced monkey

Reaching the Pacific via the Sierpe River

Scarlet Macaw takes flight

Scarlet Macaw on a treetop

Ferry of sorts on Sierpa River

Views of jungle from Sierpe River

Cows on the highway

Last look at beautiful flowers at La Tierra Divina

La Tierra Divina

Dominical and our Forest Immersion Cabinas

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Dominical

Dave took the wheel as we began our drive to Dominical, heading south from La Fortuna toward Alajuela on the outskirts of San Jose and then west towards the beaches of the Pacific Coast. It was an all-day trip of driving, with stops for food, snacks and groceries. We finally turned off the highway toward the rain-forested hills searching for our lodging, La Tierra Divina. About two miles into a very rough dirt road, through creeks, over rocks, jolting our way up a mountain road, trying to follow directions that landed us by a large field at the top of the mountain, Dave pulled the car over.

Dave parks in a field while Chris and I go search for our motel

Chris and I backtracked down the dirt road on foot to the last turnoff we suspected might be La Tierra Divina and sure enough, we had arrived. Perched at the very top of the hill with a view of the Pacific sat two circular cabinas and a deep blue plunge pool — a perfect setting.

Wooden walkway to La Tierra Divina with ocean view

Ocean View Cabina at La Tierra Divina

Plunge Pool

Happy were we to finally arrive after a day of travel. Next we discovered our cabinas were not here on the ridge with views of the Pacific, but on the rainforest floor 71 steps down. Doing the bag drag, we hauled our luggage and groceries down the 71 steps to our “jungle immersion” cabin.

Looking down steps to forest floor

Our cabina to the left, La Tierra Divina

Chris with her cabina in background

The cicada’s songs were deafening. A mosquito net over the bed had me wondering what we had gotten ourselves into. But first things first — dinner.

The shower in our cabina built from local stone

Heading back down the rocky mountain road, through several creeks, and into the town of Dominical (known as a funky, little surfer town), it was so dark we had to literally guess the location of our restaurant, Tortilla Flat.

People enjoying Tortilla Flat Restaurant

No door, only some rustic wood tables, a bar and a very large dog lying in the entry greeted us. Fish tacos and Naturales hit the spot and when I flipped my tortilla plate landing the tortillas on the dirt floor, a fresh plate arrived immediately. On our way back up the mountain, Dave stopped at a dimly lit hut that I hoped would sell tortillas. There, in the almost near darkness, sat a young girl and after many attempts at communication, she came back with a stack of tortillas for me, with help from another lady in translating.

Connie down in the rainforest in front of cabina

These “jungle immersion” cabinas were quite interesting. Groping our way down the steep stairs in the darkness, I could hear many unfamiliar sounds and as we got close to the light of the cabina, got buzzed by a huge insect as I ducked my head. The cicadas were attracted by the light.

Bugs in the forest

Inside, we found millipedes crawling about the floor and one night, a huge spider entangled in the mosquito netting along with a small lizard darting up the wall. At dawn the howling monkeys began their bawling and it sounded like the entire jungle was at war. One afternoon, we were treated to a family of white-faced monkeys cavorting in the trees overhead and toucans flying back and forth.

Toucan at La Tierra Divina

Is that a monkey in the trees?

Breakfast at La Tierra was served on the patio by the plunge pool– fresh banana pancakes with a homemade syrup and fresh fruit.

Connie enjoys the plunge pool

We liked to have wine and watch the sun set over the Pacific, but every night as it got dark, toads as big as your fist would find their way to the plunge pool or the dog’s water bowl.

Look close to see three toads in Samson’s water dish

Samson, a lab retriever mix, was the resident dog and his favorite game was to bring his bone tied to a rope and get in a tug of war with you. Bill came to love playing this game with Samson. Frenzy was their cat and she was always in a frenzy.

Bill and Samson playing tug of war

Samsons backside

Cynthia, a local girl who could run up and down the 71 stairs with ease, cleaned the cabinas and served breakfast. Cynthia was lithe and at home in the jungle.

Cynthia

With our limited Spanish, we discovered that Cynthia lived “over the mountain” and rode her horse to work, an hour and a half ride each way.

Cynthia and her horse

Cynthia had gone to school to the sixth grade but was adept at using her mobile phone for communicating, finding the English translation for her questions. Cynthia couldn’t quite believe us when we told her we had only a few inches of rain a year where we lived in the desert. Cynthia’s face was filled with wonder as she tried to imagine this.

Cynthia trying to imagine our home in the desert

Our outing to Manuel Antonio Park involved an early-morning drive winding our way through miles and miles of resorts, shops, bars and restaurants lining the road to the entrance. Once parked, we were set upon by locals that used our confusion to their advantage, insisting we must have a guide, or we must park here or pay there until I flatly ignored any more pleas and forged ahead to the park entrance. Once inside the park, there were more groups with guides than you could count and we became adept at listening to their conversations and following their telescopes to the trees overhead looking for the bird or animal they had spotted.

Entrance to Manuel Antonio Park

Tourists straining to see the sloths overhead

Sloths at Manual Antonio

Finding two male sloths in the trees overhead was a real treat as they actually moved as only sloths can [incredibly slow] in preparation for a showdown to determine dominancy for the territory and the female. Because sloths are interminably slow, we finally lost patience and moved on but were assured a showdown was inevitable.

The beaches of Manuel Antonio are legendary, long stretches of white sand and the blue Pacific connected by trails meandering through rain forest.

Beach at Manual Antonio

View from the path to one of the beaches

Monkeys playing on the sign

After watching a group of monkeys playing, we landed at Playa Espadilla Sur Beach, ate our picnic lunch watching the surf and swam in the Pacific.

Our beautiful beach Playa Espadilla Sur

Chris after her swim

Dave after his swim

The humidity saturates you quickly with moisture so whether in the water or out, you feel damp, sticky and wet. Even taking a shower and drying off leaves you damp as it is impossible to really dry.

Iguana on the beach

Iguana in foreground with beach girl in background

By mid-afternoon, we were ready to head back to our “jungle immersion” cabina. Our second night on the town was at Maracutu Restaurant with vegetarian and vegan cuisine. I especially liked the hummus and fresh vegetables appetizer but Bill thinks his shrimp dish was responsible for his bout of “tourista.”

Chris at Maracutu Restaurant in Dominical

Across the street wass the social center of Dominical, the San Clemente Bar and Grill with a ceiling full of broken surfboards, Mexican-American food, fresh fish and lots of action.

San Clemente Bar and Grill, Dominical

We returned to our cabina after dark for sleeping. Bill killed millipedes and got rid of flying bugs and spiders while I made sure the mosquito net was firmly secure around our heads. We set our alarm to get up before the howling monkeys for our tour the next day of the Sierpe River, mangrove forests and Cano Island.

Looking up the stairs to climb before breakfast

Interesting lizard displays his splendor

Closeup of lizard

View of ocean from hike in Manuel Antonio Park

Looking out to the Pacific from breakfast patio of La Tierra Divina

Wonderful Host Family at Hotel Rancho Cerro Azul in La Fortuna, Costa Rica

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LA FORTUNA, COSTA RICA

We arrived at Hotel Rancho Cerro Azul on the outskirts of La Fortuna by noon, four cabins overlooking a tropical field with flowers, shrubs and small trees, beyond which tumbled the small river from Arenal Volcano. On the small porch was a table, two chairs and a hammock for afternoon siesta.

Our cabin, Hotel Rancho Cerro Azul

Gardens at Hotel Rancho Cerro Azul

All the cabins were built on the site by a friend of the family, even the furniture, basic, unpretentious and sturdy.

Basket of flowers in our room fashioned from towels

After unpacking, we found a restaurant downtown and had shrimp and seafood salads for lunch, a welcome treat, with an icy tea drink sweetened with sugar and lime. My salad was an entire avocado with enough shrimp to satisfy anyone’s appetite, fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and a dressing that complimented perfectly. Bills seafood salad had large pieces of octopus, shrimp, tuna and clams. Both were served with homemade rolls. Um perfecto!

Traveling Man

We dropped our dirty clothes at a laundry where they were weighed, washed, dried and folded for $6 and could be picked up as late as 10 p.m. La Fortuna is built around a large town plaza a block in size that is a park for the people with benches, flowers, trees and grass.

Around the plaza are small shops with crafts, souvenirs, restaurants, pharmacies, mini markets, super markets, and cafes open to the street, sodas with stools where you can grab a bite to eat, taxis waiting for tourists, and lots of people and traffic. Streets are sometimes one way but no signs to tell you and driving was stressful for Dave as none of us could tell if we were on a one-way street. Local drivers careen around cars parked in the middle of the street and seem to know exactly how to avoid oncoming traffic and miss pedestrians.

Our back porch at Hotel Rancho Cerro Azul

When Chris and Dave showed up that afternoon with the rental car, we were shocked to learn that not only did Kathryn and Chris come down with “tourista” vomiting all night, but Chris and Dave had a flat tire right after picking up the rental car and were robbed while getting it fixed at a gas station by very friendly, helpful Ticos. Gone was Chrissy’s purse, INotepad, cash, her new binoculars and Bird Book and credit cards. At first we thought Dave was jiving us because it seemed like worse than a bad movie, but finally realized he was not putting us on. Chris was most disturbed to lose her new binoculars and Bird Book. We went on a shopping trip the next day to replace the Bird Book at twice the cost of purchasing it stateside.

Chris shopping in La Fortuna

After shopping, we found a soda where locals get inexpensive food with little ambience and local conversation. Look for these sodas filled with patrons from Costa Rica and you will find good food at reasonable prices. We ordered plates of fresh fruit, fried plantains, fish, natural fruit drinks and milkshakes and were perfectly satisfied, despite the diesel fumes from the road it fronted.

Lunch at the Soda, La Fortuna

That evening we had reservations at Eco Termales Hot Springs. Here we were enveloped by the beauty of the surrounding primary rainforests and the natural volcanic springs of thermal water, which have created pools with different temperatures ranging from 37° to 41° Celsius, and one fresh water waterfall, all forming part of an exotic natural spa.

Entrance to Ecotermales Hot Springs

We started the evening at the bar for Piña Coladas and a Strawberry Daiquiri, served in plastic drink glasses you carry with you right to the hot springs pools.

Mixing our drinks at Eco Termales

I loved jumping in the last pool which was the coolest, then under the natural waterfall which was cold, then back to the warm pool.

Dave getting ready to take a plunge

Down the path to the hot springs pools

When we were cooked and mellow, we dressed for dinner right on the grounds, a fish, chicken or beef dinner with rice and beans and salad. The trails at night are lit with spotlights and frogs croak, animals and birds I am sure are watching us from the forest.

Road into Eco Termales Hot Springs

We chose to go back to the pools after dinner, along with a bus load of Japanese students until we were thoroughly mellow and ready for bed. This was a favorite activity of our trip to La Fortuna.

The next morning Chris and Dave were heading to Cano Negro National Wildlife Preserve for a tour on the river while Bill and I caught a taxi to Ecocentro Danaus, a biological reserve where you can see plants and animals in their natural habitat. We spent a pleasant morning here observing birds and learning their names, seeing sloths and iguanas in their tree top homes, a flock of herons, caimans, butterflys and plenty of plant life and native trees.

Bird watching at Ecocentro Danaus

Agouti, small rodent with no tail

Trees on the road to Ecocentro Danaus Reserve

Horn-billed heron

When our tour of Arenal never materialized, we were sitting on the entry of our lodge catching up on email when Fabian arrived and for the next two hours had us under his spell. Fabien spoke little English and we spoke little Spanish, but somehow Fabien managed to keep us enthralled. We played card games, learned to say Spanish words, found coconuts that Fabien talked grandfather into cracking open with his machete and pouring fresh coconut liquid for us, went on a walkabout looking for the family’s horses and finally followed Fabien to the river waving sticks under the leaves to look for frogs, wading in the river and catching tadpoles in a little pool Fabien built of sand.

Bill and Fabian catching tadpoles

Intent on the hunt

Cooling off in the river

Fabien would point for us to follow him, or make noises like the sound of spraying to indicate to spray for mosquitoes, or hold up his hand saying “un momento” as he ran off to gather coconuts for us. We were enchanted with Fabien. It seemed there was nothing he could not think up to keep us busy and Fabien was only nine years old.

Fabien being Fabien

That afternoon, we had only one hour when we arrived at Rio Fortuna Waterfall before closing. After signing all the forms warning us if we had asthma or high blood pressure or heart problems we should not attempt the hike, and signing all the forms that the park was not responsible for injury or falls, we headed off.

Beginning the trail down

Down deep into the forest

Down the steep trail we went into the forest where the sun had virtually disappeared, down, down, down, twisting this way and that as the trail worked its way down the side of Arenal Volcano. I hung onto the chains that marked the trails for balance and gingerly took one step at a time down the wood stairs and cement walkways. Where the trail had been washed out by rain, makeshift ladders were improvised. Fifteen minutes after beginning our descent, the waterfall was in sight.

The waterfall in sight

Connie at the falls

Pool at the base of the falls

A few brave souls were swimming in the pools directly below the falls. We chose a lower pool where the water was calmer for a refreshing swim in tepid water.

Drying off after our swim

With twenty-five minutes remaining, we began our ascent. Even though the trail out was very steep, because of the lack of elevation, it seemed much easier than it looked. We arrived back at the entry at exactly 5 o’clock, content with our trek and swim to La Fortuna Falls.

The hike out

Up and up and up

Yeah Bo! We made it!

We spent the evening in La Fortuna for dinner. Comical was I when I tried to get in the wrong car with the owners watching me from the bar. Oops! So sorry, I explained as I went to the next car, a look alike, and even that was not the right car. We found a shop with a young girl doing a type of needlework on a loom and producing very lovely tapestries. Her name was Vivien and she was delightful, such a warm smile and welcoming, with her Bible in the corner.

Vivien at her loom on the floor of her shop

I couldn’t help myself from purchasing a set of placemats woven on her loom in bright turquoise and Orange like the beak of a Toucan. People flock to the park plaza in the evenings and we were no exception, watching Dave eat his ice cream after his disappointing seafood salad filled with octopus which he was not crazy for.

Grandfather watches Fabien, Hotel Rancho Cerra Azul

Tatiana, hostess at Hotel Rancho Cerro Azul

Mom, Hotel Rancho Cerro Azul

Too soon it was time to pack our bags for the trip to Dominical. Our host family all came out to say goodbyes the next morning and there were hugs and photos from Mama, Papa, Tatiana and Fabien.

The whole family gathers to see us off

Tatiana gave us each a gift of a painted red frog as a remembrance. Hotel Rancho Cerro Azul was a very special place to stay and a special family that hosted us.

The Rancho Cerro Azul Family say goodbye to us

Connie says goodbye to Fabien

Bird in bush

Lovely home in Costa Rica

Roadside cows

Monteverde Cloud Forest

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Santa Elena and Monteverde

We arrived in Monteverde by shuttle, a three to four-hour trip from Alajuela. Half way we stopped at a soda for banos, drinks and snacks in a very clean restaurant and store. For our traveling companions, we had three single ladies traveling alone, none of whom knew each other. We encountered this often, women traveling alone feeling very safe to do so in Costa Rica.

the drive to Monteverde

Cloud Forest of Monteverde

The second half of our drive was on dirt and rock roads ascending the mountains, rocking back and forth and bouncing up and down, so we were quite relieved to arrive at last at our lodging, Monteverde Rustic Lodge in Santa Elena. However, we had only thirty minutes before our tour to Sepulveda Park. We had just ordered some sandwiches at Bon Appetit when our van arrived for the tour. Hurriedly packing the lunch in styrofoam boxes and asking the driver to stop by our hotel to pick up my bag with snacks and water, the other passengers were held hostage until we were finally ready, not the best way to start a tour. Our first stop was at the Butterfly Gardens, encased in a huge dome, where our guide taught us about butterflies.

We then hiked to the rain forest where We traversed seven sky bridges high in the forest with views of trees and plants below us, most of the time in a drizzling rain.

Connie on Sky Bridge

Bill in the Rain Forest

Plant growing on a tree in rain forest

Our little Lodge was up a small hill from the main street of town, and our room was up a steep slope of slate stone. Since it seemed to be raining or drizzling during our entire stay, negotiating the road and slope was tricky. Our first night we descended the rocky, dirt road in the dark until we got to the main street, then traversed a ditch to a sidewalk that took us to the center of Santa Elena. The path was partially lit and sometimes difficult in the dark and drizzle. Once in Santa Elena, there was a lively, festive vibe with locals and foreigners hustling about, stores brightly lit and restaurants open. We chose Musashi, a Japanese Restaurant, and my insides were warmed by the most delicious concoction called “honey tea.”

My lovely pot of Honey Tea

Connie loves her Honey Tea

As we were the lone diners, we wondered if the food would be good but not to worry. The teriyaki arrived and we gobbled it up, relishing every delicious bite and by the time we finished, other diners had arrived. Our table looked out to the main street of Santa Elena and we loved people watching. We also were amused to thank our Japanese hosts in Spanish.

Our hosts at the Rustic Lodge were very helpful as we shakily used un poquito Espanol and they used a little English and we finally communicated. Tours and transportation were arranged. Breakfast in a communal dining room with handcrafted tables and chairs and fresh fruit, coffee, pancakes and juice was very enjoyable.

Monteverde Rustic Lodge

We were on our way to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve our first morning for a tour of bird watching and learning from a local guide about the cloud forest. There is a constant mist from the clouds giving this area its unique ecosystem and a huge diverse variety of plants, trees and birds.

The trunk of a tree growing in the rain forest

Hiking in the Monteverde Cloud Preserve

Waterfalls in the rain forest

On the trail in the rain forest

In this cloudy day, we also saw butterflies in their protected butterfly garden and learned about their habits and lifespan. The Cloud Forest reminded us a lot of the redwood forests in northern California with it’s large ferns and constant dampness.

After lunch and a nap in our room, a taxi called for us to take us to the El Trapiche Coffee Tour (www.eltrapichetour.com). Jorge greeted us with a big smile and a sense of humor. There we saw Evan and Sue, Richard and Tingle from our rainforest tour, along with four young girls from Iceland in flip flops and tights, fair skin, long blond hair, a botanist from Spain, a couple from New York and a family with two boys. Off we went trailing Jorge on a windy, misty day, huddling in our rain jackets, tromping up the gravel path in mud to the coffee plants.

Jorge leads the way

Rainbow at the Coffee Plantation

The coffee seeds are germinated, and the plants are eventually planted in pairs to encourage growth as they compete for light. We tasted the coffee berry, chewing the outer part of the red berry, a sweet, chewy pulp.

Seedlings and young plants ready for planting

We passed through sugar cane fields, so tall we were dwarfed by the stalks, the ripe stalks with tassels like corn. Jorge, using his machete, cut sugar cane for us to sample.

Jorge with machete cutting sugar cane

When we arrived at the coffee plants ready for picking, Jorge strapped the picking basket on one of the guys, explaining the arduous task of picking the coffee beans.

Jorge explaining how the coffee berries are picked

Only the ripe beans are picked, so often the coffee plants will be picked for week after week until all the beans have ripened. The pickers earn $2 for one basket which takes about one hour to pick. The basket gets very heavy, is hard on the back, and is extremely hard labor for very little pay.

Before mechanization, coffee beans were pulverized by hand

The berries go through a machine that removes the outer skin and pulp, leaving only the bean. The uniform beans go to a drying shed where they are spread in trays for drying. When ready for processing, the beans are sorted on a machine that sends the best beans of uniform size to one tray and the rest to another. The beans are put in a roaster and as they come from the roaster the hot beans are stirred with a large wooden spoon to prevent further cooking as the beans are very hot. A medium roast or dark roast is determined by how long the beans are roasted. We could touch and hold the beans along the entire process and eat a roasted bean. Of course the smell was heavenly.

Coffee Roaster and Jorge with stir spoon

We were able to observe sugar cane processed by oxen harnessed and walking in a circle to generate power to push the canes through a crusher and squeeze the juice out. The farm was set up to demonstrate the evolution of processing sugar cane.

Oxen turning a device that crushed the sugar canes

We observed a water wheel powered by rain water provide the power to crush the sugar cane. The juice is heated in massive stone bowls stirred by workers. We were able to taste the brittle sugar as it hardened from a molasses-type syrup.

Water wheel used for power before mechanization

Stirring the liquid sugar

Some of the heated sugar was poured on a very long wooden table in sections so we could all take our turn at stirring the sugar to a consistency of taffy and oh-so-delicious candy.

Bill making candy from the hot cane syrup

Some Tico workers were making their own batch of candy with more of a taste like brown sugar. We all got a sample and their candy was super and for me, addictive. We also sampled pure sugar cane alcohol and I think we were all a bit tipsy after our shot of sugar cane alcohol, especially the girls from Iceland.

Workers make a molasses-type candy

At the end of our tour, we gathered in a communal dining room with a long, wooden table and enjoyed coffee, a treat made from one of the plants grown on the plantation, and a beverage of sugar cane.

Heading home; sun is finally out

More treats in the communal dining room

Oxen heading to stable

The El Trapiche Farm turned out to be a highlight of our trip to Monteverde. Jorge was an excellent guide with a sense of humor and very knowledgeable. The hands on tour included tasting, smelling, cooking, stirring, with lots of questions in between.

Jorge with coffee plantation behind him

Paths at El Trapiche

Our last night in Santa Elena was raining so we decided to eat at Bon Appetit, the restaurant closest to our Lodge. Taking cover under rain jackets, we slid down the muddy hill, arriving to a warm interior and friendly greeting by our host.

The Bar at Bon Appetit Restaurant, Santa Elena

The restaurant could be in any big city, but here it is at the bend of a rocky dirt road with muddy potholes. Tables are set with brightly colored napkins and soft lighting. Although the restaurant had only two customers, our meal could not have been nicer. My tenderloin steak, vegetables and salad was excellent. Our host was helpful and went out of his way to get the weather report for us for the following days trip to Lake Arenal. My husband had spaghetti octopus with a tasty red sauce. Bon Appetit was satisfying in every way — food, atmosphere, friendliness, and service and I promised the owner to post a review on Trip Review so more people would come out and enjoy.

Art at Bon Appetit Restaurant

We were truly sad to leave Monteverde Rustic Lodge. Our hosts had been so friendly. The host in the pink shirt somehow made out what I was trying to communicate in my bungled Spanish. We were treated like family and invited to put our leftovers in the refrigerator and use the microwave for cooking lunch leftovers. On our last day, I ran to get our host because the shuttle was late. He laughed and assured me we were fine and the bus would be there to pick us up in a couple hours. “A couple hours?” I moaned. He grinned ear to ear knowing he pulled a joke on this gringo tourista as he said, “What’s the hurry?” The bus arrived within a short time and we were off to La Fortuna, traveling by bus, boat, and bus. We traveled through beautiful country, verdant mountains with vistas of rain forest, green pastures, small farms, grazing cattle, roadside sodas, all pristine and resplendent in the sunlight.

Views through bus window on way to Lake Arenal

Cattle on way to Lake Arenal

Buildings on drive to Lake Arenal

Forest on drive to Lake Arenal

Farmland on drive to Lake Arenal

Because of recent rains, the dirt and rocky roads were muddy and had many potholes but with the help of road crews, our driver maneuvered up and down the slopes and through the mud adroitly until we arrived at Lake Arenal, about a two-hour drive. The driver hoisted our luggage through a window at the back of the bus and we lugged it down a muddy, rocky slope to the boat.

Hoisting luggage through rear window of bus

Looking down on our boat before boarding

There were maybe twenty-five passengers on the boat, a flat ferry-type boat with two drivers. As we crossed, we observed Arenal Volcano directly in our path.

View to the back of our boat

Coming up to Arenal Volcano rising from Lake Arenal

Our driver on boat

After another luggage drag up the other side of a muddy, rocky slope and passing the luggage through the rear window of another bus, we were on the road again for the final leg of our journey to La Fortuna.

Unloading our luggage

Doing the bag drag up the slope

Happy were we to be dropped off after our long jeep-boat-jeep ride at the Hotel Rancho Cerro Azul in La Fortuna, where we would hook up with Chris and Dave for three nights in La Fortuna before heading to Dominical for the last leg of our journey.

Beautiful flowers line a path at El Trapiche

Beautiful Flower in the rain forest

Flower in the Rain Forest

Learning Costa Rica — San Jose and Alajuela

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Alajuela and San Jose

Laying by the pool and dozing in the gardens of Hotel La Rosa De America is one of my first impressions of Costa Rica.

Looking up to the gardens in Hotel

We arrived after an overnight flight and were whisked to the hotel before 9 a.m. A Tico host welcomed us and told us to make ourselves at home, even though checkin wasn’t until 2 pm. By 11 a.m., our room was ready and our luggage transferred to our room. A perfectly compact, cheerful room with an overhead fan and louvred windows for ventilation provided a sound night’s sleep, with flowers in window boxes and a reading chair right outside our cozy room overlooking the azure blue tiled pool and colorful gardens.

Reading Chair and Planter outside our room

Breakfast buffet was a treat in a cozy dining room with pressed table cloths, louvred windows, orange-fleshed papaya, ripe-on-the-vine watermelon, sweet, juicy pineapple, homemade banana bread, juices, rice and beans and eggs and cheese. Ramon took care of our every need with a huge smile, encouraging us to walk to Zooave and arranging a tour for us the following day to San Jose.

Our helpful staff at Hotel La Rosa De America

Path at Hotel La Rosa De America, Alajuela, Costa Rica

Entry to Lobby at Hotel De La Rosa

Road into Hotel La Rosa De America

The walk to Zooave was as educational as Zooave. We lunched on an outside patio at Cherrys Restaurant while local Ticos filled the restaurant with their camaraderie and laughter, making me feel something much more interesting was taking place inside.

Outside dining at Cherry’s Restaurant

Local Dog waiting for handouts at Cherry’s

We practiced our Spanish on the waiter with some success and were joined by a local dog who mournfully eyed us all the while from his seat on the tarmat just outside the restaurants border. The one-mile walk traversed a busy road on a path that sometimes disappeared and then reappeared. It was well worn in the grass, up and down sloping driveways, through garbage, in shade and sun, and around rectangular holes in the ground. The holes were three to four-feet deep with running water, either the city’s water supply or drain water; however, with no barricades around the holes or warning of their existence, I learned to watch my step very carefully.

Entrance to ZooAve

Zooave did not disappoint. Started as a bird sanctuary and rescue center, it showcased dozens of scarlet macaws, owls, raptors, toucans and a host of brilliantly colored birds, giving us a real taste up close of the birds in the wild.

Macaw

Toucan

In addition to birds, there were deer, tapir, puma, monkeys, crocodile, and many animals in a jungle setting.

Emu

Emu

Puma

Peacocks came to the grassy picnic area to regale us with their splendid feathers.

Beautiful flowers and tropical plants were everywhere. A stand of bamboos was impressive.

Bill looks very small next to the bamboo

Looking up to the top of the bamboo

One of the best meals I had was in the little dining room of our hotel at La Rosa, a grilled tilapia with rice and beans (gallo pinto), fried plantains and squash.

Great food at Hotel La Rosa

Selection of Wines at Hotel La Rosa de America

Our waiter was a commedian

Our second day we took a local bus from our hotel to the downtown of Alajuela, a busy, congested, bustling, colonial-era city on the outskirts of San Jose. Uneven sidewalks, lots of traffic, modern stores and local shops lined the narrow streets. At one point we saw a line of young adults going half way around the block, assumed they were waiting for a movie or singing event, and then realized they were all in line with resume in hand for jobs at a government building. The buildings were opposite the central plaza park fronted on the opposite side by a large cathedral.

Cathedral in Alejuela

Men lined the benches in the park relaxing and people watching, birds chattered overhead, large trees shaded the plaza, and vendors sold food. Our hotel host had told us about an American-style coffee house which we found, Coffee Dreams, and enjoyed Costa Rican-style coffee while watching the town pass by through the windowless windows and eating empanadas.

Next up was a tour of San Jose, Costa Ricas largest city that brings in a million people a day. Waiting to be picked up by our Tour, we met Ann from Illinois who would be touring with us and instantly got along. Ann kept us laughing throughout our tour and we shared tips and small talk with the visiting guide from Puerto Rico sitting behind us with his bride on their honeymoon. Thanks to Ann, the long bus ride in gridlocked traffic was made bearable as our guide pointed out historic buildings we all peered to see.

Downtown San Jose

Buildings in San Jose

Historic Residence in San Jose

We had three stops, the Gold Museum, the National Theater and a colonial-era Hotel and souvenir Shop.

Hotel Courtyard

Statues on steps of Hotel in San Jose

The National Theater has much myth and facts surrounding it. We learned that wealthy Costa Ricans wanted a theater of renown and donated money for its construction. Other sources say a tax was levied on all Ticos to pay for its construction and yet other sources say Costa Ricas coffee elite contributed a certain amount for every sack of coffee sold to be used for construction of the theater. The theater is European in style with framework from Belgium, statues, murals and ceiling frescoes from Italy, baroque design overlaid with 22 K. gold and ample use of Carrara marble, stunningly beautiful and refined and a source of National pride. To me, it quite seems like a palatial building from France and odd to be in downtown Costa Rica.

National Theater

Wall Murals at National Theater

Ceiling Murals, National Theater

Gold overlay around doors at National Theater

View leaving the National Theater, downtown San Jose

As we maneuvered in traffic and exhaust fumes, our guide shared stories of Costa Ricas history, which I will attempt to summarize in very simple terms and not guaranteeing its accuracy. Costa Rica has a long-standing history of democracy. A political leader Dr. Rafael Angel Calderon Guardia, hereto referred to as “Calderon” was overwhelmingly elected president in 1840. During his four years in office the University of Costa Rica was founded (1940), the Seguro Social — a national health care program — was created (1941), the “Social Guarantees” were amended to the Constitution (1942), and the Labor Code was enacted (1943). History will perhaps best remember Dr. Calderón for having promoted the Social Guarantees which include the right to work, minimum wage, an 8-hour work day, a 48-hour work week, paid vacations, the right to unionize and to strike, social security, and the formation of the Labor Courts to litigate disputes between workers and employers.

Patisserie in downtown San Jose

Shops in San Jose

As his second term commenced, Calderon began to slip in popularity. At issue were the institution of religion in the public school, the social reforms, the handling of the country’s economic problems, and widespread corruption, and accusations of being aligned with Communism which, in fact, did happen when Calderon made a pact with the Communist Party to win the 1944 election. Enter Jose Figueres, who had been exiled by Calderon because of Figueres’ strong rhetoric about Calderon being Communist. Figueres helped create the Social Democratic Party. By 1946, tax reform had been instituted and there was huge discord over having to pay higher taxes, especially by those with agricultural and industrial production and large amounts of capital. The election of 1948 pitted Calderon against Figueres’s candidate, Otilio Ulate, whose platform centered on free elections and anti communism. Ulate won the election, Calderon refused to admit defeat, and thus began the revolution or civil war led by Jose Figueres. After five weeks of fighting, Figueres was granted authority to run the government for an interim period of 18 months without a legislature before turning power over to the duly elected Otilio Ulate.

San Jose market and shoppers

During those intervening 18 months, the Government Council presided by Figueres instituted many profound changes. Among these were the nationalization of the banking system, the establishment of a 10% capital goods tax, the prohibition of the Communist Party, the abolishment of the country’s armed forces, and the creation of the Costa Rican Electric Institute (I.C.E.). As evidenced during the mere year and a half that José Figueres held power, the government would become a much more active player in the nation’s economic and social affairs. The period from 1950-80 can be typified by unprecedented growth of the public sector, the modernization and diversification of the country’s economy, and the accumulation of a tremendous national debt. On the positive side, Costa Rica now possesses better health and education systems and more infrastructure, particularly roads and electrification, than most other Latin American nations. As of 1980, Costa Rica also had the world’s second largest national debt.

Every day in the plaza

Ticos on the streets of San Jose

So we found all of this history fascinating. True, Costa Rica has a large middle class, and citizens are provided education, health, and pensions. The water is safe to drink. But our host at Pura Vida Hotel made a point that we need to define “literate” when we say all Ticos are “literate.” Standards of living are way below American standards; yet we believe most Ticos have the basics of food, shelter, education and health care. What we loved most about the Costa Ricans was their pure, open, welcoming nature, helpful, generous, friendly, engaging manner. So many we encountered took us under their wing and engaged us with their social, relationship-oriented manner. We also were fascinated by the lack of an Army and Costa Ricas reputation for being a very safe country for travel. We encountered numerous single women traveling alone with little fear for their safety. Petty theft is another matter and is rampant.

Entrance to the Gold Museum under the Plaza

The Gold Museum is located directly beneath the main Plaza in downtown San Jose and houses the largest collection of Pre-Columbian gold in the Americas. We wandered from gold exhibit to gold exhibit, fascinated by these ancient pieces so delicately fashioned, yet odd — animal figures, human figures and wildlife.

Gold Pieces

Gold fashioned in human figures

The process for creating these gold pieces was very sophisticated. Starting with beeswax for the design, then covered with clay, which hardens, the wax is melted and runs out a duct, and the heated metal is poured in, hardens, and the clay mold broken. Our tour ended with a stop at a gold retailer to buy gold pieces, or jade. Then it was back on the bus for more gridlock getting out of San Jose while we chatted with Ann and the honeymooning couple.

The next morning we were packed and ready for our shuttle, taking us by car to Monteverde Cloud Forest and saying goodbyes to Ramon and Troy and all the others that had been such great hosts at Hotel La rosa de America. Our first two days in Costa Rica had been pretty eventful; little did we know so much more was to come.

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Monthly Archives: February 2014

Down the Rio de Sierpe to the Pacific and Isla del Cano

Dominical and our Forest Immersion Cabinas

Wonderful Host Family at Hotel Rancho Cerro Azul in La Fortuna, Costa Rica

Learning Costa Rica — San Jose and Alajuela