Recent Travels
Day one
How nice to wake up to bird song…..The hotel Grano de Oro is a charming haven in the city…tiny corridors…that lead to upper levels and half levels….art, artifacts antiques and orchids at every junction…my room is on a tiny courtyard that is more jungle than garden….beautiful central courtyard that house the bar and dining room…a lovely spot to enjoy breakfast…off to tour Orosi valley and Lankester gardens today….fellow picks me up …as we drive out of town he informs me that he will leave me at Iglesia de San Jose Orosi …the oldest Catholic Church in Costa Rica…..where I will join another group ….2 fellows from New Zealand ( one of which was completely blind)…an attractive young IT guy from Argentina….we all touch the stone where a saint first appeared and jostle through the throng of people on a Sunday morning…..a short visit to the ruins of Ujarras then dip down into the Orosi valley….lush jungle in both sides of the tiny winding road….many bridges one lane only…no one seemed to be in a hurry thankfully….small villages come and go…. a large dam has created a huge lagoon….massive clumps of water lilies….enchanting old wooden houses that look like a jigsaw puzzles…..we turn down a dirt lane that is bordered by coffee trees…seemingly out of nowhere we pull up to a quiet little restaurant overlooking the lagoon…expansive veranda where we enjoy lunch….one unusual item is how the coffee was served….cafe chorrealo …an open sided box holds a cup and above it is a piece of linen with a metal hoop filled with coffee….pour hot water…wait then pour more water….such a fun way to have a coffee after lunch….back in the van …climb back out of the valley…..Lankester Gardens is run by the University of Costa Rica…beautiful gardens….birds darting across the paths…..the university conducts a large orchid study and propagation in house…..the orchid room is a riot of loud purples…yellows and soft browns and creams….I suddenly realized I was alone….5 minutes with orchids of astonishing beauty and the guys were ready to move on….some orchids as big as saucers…others were tiny clusters hanging from a delicate stem….stems holding one or a dozen blossoms…hanging from the ceiling…in pots on the floor…covering several walls…orchid heaven….wandering along through cactus gardens…more varieties of ginger than I even knew existed…a lovely afternoon
Tonight meet my fellow travel companions for the next week
Day two
Arriving at breakfast…the couple from Wisconsin ask me to join them for breakfast….as we are chatting I discover that unbeknownst to me there was a weight and size restriction on luggage….I have a very good size rolling duffle….I spy the tour director, William and hurry over to inform him of my luggage issue….as any good tour guide would…he put on a big smile and said “ No problem”….in addition to the couple from Wisconsin ….there are only 3 other couples….respectively from Hawaii…LA and Canada…leave San Jose ….city is surrounded by active ..dormant and extinct volcanoes….large highway winding it’s way over the continental divide ….primary forest on both sides….frequent areas of recent landslides…..cross over a juncture of 2 large rivers….jungle…and more jungle…4 lane road becomes 2 and finally dirt road….banana trees surround us….we stop at a banana processing plant…men with a type of harness around their hips and waist pull a banana train into the plant…the train consists of bananas that are attached to a cable…spaced 3 ft apart…each man pulls hundreds of pounds of fruit into the shed…where they are washed…cut into smaller bunches then washed several more times …seems that men can do the job better than any type of machinery …..bounce along for another hour and finally arrive at a dock on the river that will take us to Tortuga Lodge…we have barely left the dock when we see several Roseate spoonbills…congregations of snowy egrets…herons dot the rivers edge as we speed down the river…..it seemed like something out of the Jungle Cruise ride at Disneyland….kept waiting for a huge hippo to pop up out of the water…..sprawling lodge consists of perhaps 10 large cottages….some painted Pepto Bismol pink and cobalt …orange and lime green….purple trimmed with bright yellow….very colorful…have a lovely lunch on a veranda over looking the river…take a water taxi into village of Tortuguero….lots of people strolling along….tiny restaurants and shops hug the main walk…river on one side ocean on the other….walk the 3 miles back to lodge….getting darker by the minute….fortunately the path was mostly hazard free….the people in front of me barely visible in the quickly diminishing light….the guide says step up here and we are on a runway…..fireflies glowing in the grass on either side….make for a magical moment …quick shower then back in a water taxi to embark on a floating restaurant cruise…music playing ..wine flowing…good food…very pleasant watching the world drift by as we glide along
Day three
The are several hikes behind the cottages….jaguar trail…toucan trail….ant trail…spider monkey…..decide on the poison dart frog trail….scanning for toucans…poisonous snakes and of coarse the huge iguanas that are everywhere…see a variety of birds…a sloth as well as the poison dart frog which are tiny but deadly….drift back for a fantastic breakfast with the group….we embark on a large skiff….cruising through the side channels of the river….sweating in the heat especially since life jackets are required….spider monkeys….howler monkeys…a variety of herons…alligators and caiman ….turtles…..so peaceful drifting through these small waterways…some large trees along the banks are swaddled in a curtain of vines…they appear one dimensional…return in time for lunch…..nothing about lunch here is fast so not much time for a nap…grabbing my walking sticks we motor a short way downriver to climb Cerro Tortuguero….a 400 ft extinct volcano….a well maintained trail of sections of concrete that turn into what seemed like a thousand steps…..arrive at a large platform that gives you a fabulous view of the coastline and the river as well as several villages….Macaw parrots sail by below us…turkey and black vultures circling above…enjoying the afternoon thermals ….thankfully a couple hours of quiet and reading ….dinner tonight is a lovely setting overlooking the river
Day four
Early breakfast then into the jungle….large group of Toucans are causing a ruckus…..happy that we didn’t see any snakes…but did see several poison dart frogs as well as few Hummingbirds ….sticky hot from heat well as bug repellent….back to the room to cool down and pack for short flight the La Fortuna…water taxi transports us to the air strip across the river …several airline personnel oversee weighing us and our luggage….much shuffling and discussing distribution of people and bags….short flight over to La Fortuna…..jungle gives way to cultivated land…the closer we get to the volcano..the bumps and clouds increase….hop on a bus enjoy and nice lunch in town…..the Nayara hotel climbs up the base of the volcano…..sprawling property that encompasses several hotels…..giant bamboo…orchids embracing enormous ficus trees…..ginger …..lipstick palms……brick trails up down and around with foliage waving above like a green wave…heavenly rooms …wallowing in being in the jungle …..terrace after terrace of thermal pools…some only big enough for two others quite large….return to my room and enjoying a dip in the hot tub when I hear a very loud crack…it was a coconut hitting the metal roof above me…gave me quite a start…Asian food for dinner….such a pleasure to be able to eat outside
Day five
Pouring rain….wake to bird song…Howler monkeys and a few brave Hummingbirds darting through the rain…..lovely breakfast…squeeze in a quick walk to the tented camp at the far end of the resort….set off to the far side of La Fortuna for zip line adventure…..one other woman and I decline the invitation….so we’re free to watch all the gearing up and commotion that came with getting everyone ready….a tractor pulls a large metal open sided hay wagon to the first tower….road badly rutted and the ride was bone jarring…everyone piles out into a heavy downpour…the group (including an 83 yr old) bravely trudged up several flights of open metal grating stairs ….we go to a lookout just below the tower….barley visible through the rain and mist we see our companions fly through the pelleting rain…..full disclosure I may have been SLIGHTLY tempted to join the adventure had it been a warm and sunny day but you could barely distinguish the rain and fog from the waterfall….rattle our way back down the hill…I swear I will be several inches shorter by the time we get back to the bottom since every bounce is compressing my vertebra….enjoy a coffee ….skipping a planed hike to the butterfly gardens because of the weather…..back up the road but thankfully only a 1/3 of the way…take a short walk up a treacherous trail to a recreation of a Maleku village …..the matriarch explains her life and that of her people…only 650 Maleku left….we all get to try our hand at painting gourds……a lunch outside under cover in a torrential downpour…..afternoon free …decide to get a Chocolate Hydrating Scrub…..still pouring outside…treatment room open to the elements….trees and a small ravine just below…..an occasional bird calls out…...masseuse circles around me striking a small gong….senses on overload…sound of rain and the small tributary below…nose filled with aroma of chocolate….gongs…..skin feels great…..dinner tonight is a 8 course tasting menu….delightful and extremely enjoyable…tiny bites of perfection…impeccable service…we all had a wonderful evening
Day six
Rain on the roof sounds like popcorn popping….Howler monkeys somewhere nearby….soggy morning…..since the resort is near the base of the volcano….the paths that meander through the hotel are straight up and down or many twists and turns…an abundance of golf carts ferry people or luggage…...numerous koi ponds….hidden benches amongst the greenery….easy to get turned around after dark…..returning from breakfast walking up a shallow river….struggling to maintain my grip on the huge umbrella in my very wet hands….sad to leave this gorgeous hotel…..visit a sloth preserve….hummingbirds darting everywhere…Scarlett rumped tanagers…pugnose anole that was shedding…great Curassow..tiger heron and black cowled Oriole….and happily several sloths…one that was on a lower branch and offered a great photo op…..short drive to the airport ….a quick but bumpy flight over the mountains to Quepos…..busy marina…lots of fancy boats…..jump in a zodiac that takes us to the Kontiki…135 ft yacht ….always the confusion of transferring people ..backpacks …camera etc from one vessel to another….coming up on 2 o’clock….thankfully a beautiful lunch is ready we devour everything…sit through the obligatory safety talk…..3 decks….explore while everyone else is unpacking…..have a fun and chatty dinner…..everyone vanishes when it is over since we are under way and sea has a fairly significant roll….pitching from side to side as I make my way to my room
Day seven
Heavy rolling seas all night…I slept fine but several people were ill and looking a bit green this am….now anchored off Corcovado National Park….ocean still churning up big waves which make it necessary to leave the ship in a zodiac…motor 20 ft to a waiting panga…transfer to panga ….conjure up a vision of folks from 60 to 83 climbing from one moving vessel to another …finally heading towards the beach…we had been told it would be a wet landing…that usually means water 4-10 inches deep…take a dozen steps to the beach….instead…..panga stops about a 16th of a mile from waters edge….told to get out and walk to shore….backpacks handed to crew….couples holding hands and stumbling over rocks….the crew was great helping those of us that needed assistance….cannot see the tripping hazards that lie below the surface…..slipping and sliding on the rocks that are underfoot every step or two …get to shore….the usual chaos of drying feet changing shoes….who’s got the sunscreen….bug spray clogging the air…finally set off….plenty of mushrooms….a few birds…..heat getting intense…looking for tapirs and alligators to no avail…..start back towards ranger station….a group of 6-8 spider monkeys…fruit crashing down from above…several babies in the group….a few howler monkeys very high up…..guide gets excited ..sets up his spotting scope and we see a small group of squirrel monkeys ….size of a kitten…attractive reddish brown colored fur with black feet and tip of the tail….climb aboard the panga ….surge through the breaking waves….slam down the back side …pause …repeat…pause repeat….glad when we finally break through the surf….same drill of panga to zodiac to ship…greeted with a refreshing beverage…peel off wet shorts and get ready for lunch…quiet afternoon..waters have calmed down…..entire group happy again…fabulous meal….we all retire …full day
Day eight
Humidity obscuring the windows this am….very close to the shore……motoring to a beach where to crew set up a mid morning picnic for us…..black sand beach wasn’t very long and the heat finally wilted all of us…grateful to be back onboard ship….water slide and other aquatic toys ready to go…several brave souls gamely go down the slide….others zipped around the ship on a Sea Bob….another amazing lunch then everyone vanishes for siestas….coming into Marina Bahia in Golfito….we dock next to a sleek super yacht…twice as large as our boat…palpable boat envy emanating from our side of the dock…..happy hour is always enjoyable as the bartender Jaime concocts delicious daily cocktails….dinner tonight is on the top deck…lovely langoustine…octopus ….a wonderful end to the trip (with the group) …will miss William our guide and his encyclopedic knowledge..so nice to have any question answered almost as soon as it’s asked
Day nine
It felt like I had an entourage since 2 fellows from the ship and our tour director accompanied me on the short walk from the ship to hotel Le Playa’s dock where a panga collects me for a short trip to Golfo Dulce retreat……dense jungle hugging the water edge….curving into a large bay…..a couple boats on the shore…slowly drift in…not a structure in sight….Simon the owner appears…we stroll up the rocky shore line…..a tunnel into the interior appears…he escorts me into the greenery…following a gravel path past orchids..ginger…bromeliads….birds of paradise ……..stepping over armies of cutter ants…..sitting in the reception/dining space a Red Lored parrot hops along the table trying to make my acquaintance…..my room is open space of light wood…mosquito netting surrounds to bed….outside shower….hammock is calling to be filled…..humidity thick enough to see….trade sandals for knee high rubber boots and make my way up one of trails to the 500 yr old Giant Ceiba tree….been warned to look for snakes….plenty of lizards and a few centipedes…crabs of various sizes skitter through the underbrush…..howler monkeys in the distance…trying to not jump at every noise…..tree is massive and impressive…..lunch is lovely and made very entertaining with the parrots and a large Scarlett Macaw scolding the kitchen staff…Toucans glide by….then a tribe of squirrel monkeys invade the area…rain forest lives up to its name…..huge downpour…..lets up for a bit so chance a walk down to the beach….a couple of very private cabanas are tucked into the edge of the jungle…..laying in the hammock….all sorts of things striking the roof…huge leaves…breadfruit…coconuts….an Agouti quietly creeps by…have seen more animals in a couple of hours than we did the last 2 days…fabulous dinner…..grab an umbrella and head back to my room…..rain in the tropics comes straight down in a heavy torrent….it sounded as if I sitting next to a roaring mountain stream as I fall asleep
Day ten
All kinds of sounds on the roof….no idea if it is the large and noisy Curassow (they sound like a goose honk and a chicken squawk mixed together in an awful combination plus they look like some sort of prehistoric chicken) or monkeys…..bats ….next a few more pleasing bird calls..finally the raucous macaws parrots and parakeets….arranged a hike to a nearby waterfall… charming local man named Augustine leads the way…wearing rubber boots…squelching through the mud…dodging vines and huge banana leaves….crisscross a small stream numerous times….spend some time enjoying the cooler air at the waterfall…. The guide was busy pointing out Poison Dart frogs…..crazy corkscrew vines are draped across the trail…some vines help their host tree ….others take all the water and different variety looks like it was decoupaged onto the trunk….peel off dirty wet clothes and head to the pool to cool down….another amazing lunch….trying not to fall asleep in the hammock when a howler monkey decides to spend 20 minutes doing their semi frightening barky growl call…..pleasant afternoon….fabulous dinner…had to convince a frog to find other accommodations for the night ….another perfect day in paradise
Day eleven
4:45 AM large group of Howler monkeys right outside my room…calls go on and on….all types of debris falling in their wake…45 minutes later they are still at it….now fully awake….Planet of the Apes scenario playing in my head…with much trepidation open louvered doors to porch…grateful to find the coffee that magically appears every morning….the staff here are more like phantoms……here when you need them otherwise no where to be seen….take a morning stroll along the beach…..needing to cool down…was happily reading on my porch when a group a squirrel monkeys decided to use the roof as a bowling alley…coconuts rolling off with a crash…breadfruit raining down….then a large flock of macaws decided to have a very noisy feeding frenzy …..there are 2 other couples in the hotel at the moment…meals are at set times…we are settled at our assigned tables and lunch has been served when a Red Tored Parrot dives over one of the womens plate…hopping through the couscous…waitress grabs a laminated sheet trying to scoop him out….screeching loudly he flies around her head…briefly swoops outside only to go to the other table….a glass crashes to the floor….more landing on plates….brandishing a pillow ....waitress tries to discourage him… more chaos….Chantelle , the owner, appears with a large stick….parrot now quite angry…he sits grumpily on the surrounding low wall before realizing that there is one more table to try….gliding onto my table…I grab my hat and sweep him to the floor….he is literally hopping mad…they finally get him on the stick and take him away…. there is a small cage behind the kitchen where he has a time out as we finish our meal…quite an exciting lunch…..opting for a quite afternoon and a massage….perfect last day in Costa Rica
Day twelve
Early breakfast then short boat ride to Puerto Jimenez…out of the boat into a taxi…short hop to the airport…taxi stops at the side of the street at what appears to be a group of shops and announces Aeropuerto…what???….ticket office is about the size of a one car garage ……stifling under corrugated metal roof….sure my face is bright red…about to reach melt down temp…..when they call us to board…cross the road where the runway is hidden behind a vine covered chain link fence…..45 minute flight to San Jose….spending Thanksgiving evening at Atlanta airport hotel…home tomorrow….happy days.
Till next time….xo Diane