I have always wanted to travel to Costa Rica. Renowned for adventure-seeking, picturesque landscapes, and its hospitable people, it is a place that has left a permanent mark in my mind and in my heart. Here was our journey...
Day 1: Arenal/La Fortuna region
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| Arenal Volcano |
The hike to the volcano was a very easy one. Unfortunately, the volcano has been inactive so no show for us. From this stance, you get the view of the volcano on one side and of the lake on the other.
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| Hanging bridges |
We didn't have time to visit the hanging bridges at Monteverde so decided to visit the ones here. Walking across these seemed fun at first, but after experiencing the same-looking bridge for the nth time and some that were only two feet off the ground, our excitement quickly diminished.
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| So jealous of the people in this picture... |
Next on the list was the La Fortuna waterfall. Don't be deceived by the distance of the hike down. Maybe we were not very fit, but it was pretty exhausting. By the time we reached the bottom, my legs were shaking. My boyfriend said I looked like Bambi. Once you see this place, though, you'll think "that was totally worth the pain". And then you realize that you still have to make your way back up...
Good thing our last stop of the day was at Tabacon Hot Springs. It was quiet and relaxing. We also had a decent buffet dinner there. It definitely was a great and romantic way to end the night.
Day 2: San Jose & Orosi Valley
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| Boruca masks handmade by the indigenous people from the Oso Peninsula |
We bought two of these from a souvenir shop by the side of the road as we were making our way to San Jose. I love that these are one-of-a-kind and that they'll remind us of our time there.
Cartago
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Santiago Apostol Parish (destroyed during the 1910 earthquake)
There is an interesting story behind the site of the Basilica below. According to legend, a girl named Juana Pereira found a little black statue of a mother holding her infant on a rock by the river. She brought it home, but the next day it disappeared and reappeared on the same rock. This happened a few more times and so she brought it to the local priest who housed it in the church for safekeeping. However, the statue would disappear again only to reappear on the rock. They declared that it was a sign that the Virgin Mary wanted them to build a church at that location. The statue, "La Negrita", is encased in an altar, although it wasn't there when we visited. If you walk to the side of the church, there is a spiral walkway that leads down. Supposedly, the water that comes out of the pipes there comes from that very same river. There were people drinking from it and washing their faces. A shop a couple of steps away sold empty containers for the water if you wanted to take some home. It might have been a very touristy thing to do, but we fell for it, and now we're just waiting to find some cool containers to put this water in.
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| Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels |
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| Inside the Basilica |
Orosi Valley
Once you see this place, you'll believe that something or someone higher than yourself was responsible for creating a place so beautiful.
The Sanchiri Restaurant at the top of the hill offers you the best view. After a late lunch here, we made our way down through the valley, and stopped at Casa del Sonador, an artisanal woodworking studio.
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| Side view of the shop |
They make figurines out of the coffee root. The host, Miguel, was so gracious and showed us the coffee plants, how they are picked, and the process of making them into the coffee beans as we know them.
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A look inside
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| The man himself, Miguel |
Day 3: Manuel Antonio/ADR Adventure Park
We saved the most adventurous day for last. There are a few different tours you can book at the Adventure Park, but we chose the 10-in-1 since our time there was so short. For someone who is afraid of a lot of things (I think), I didn't feel scared once. Actually, I
was scared the one time when I thought I would drown, but that was completely my own fault. I would come back to ADR again, but next time, we'll spend a couple days camping in the park, exploring and white-water rafting instead.
A couple pieces of advice...
- We tried to make the most of our time there, sleeping late and waking up before the sun rose. Hiring a private driver really made a difference and got us to all the places we wanted to go to. Plus, they act like tour guides, suggesting places to see and eat along the way.
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| Meet Olman, one of our drivers |
- Dont't forget to pack a poncho. Even during the dry season, there are periods of on and off rain. We didn't get too wet, but the poncho did protect our belongings. Also, the mosquitoes there are a different breed....three weeks later, I still have bite marks. Don't forget the repellant!
- If you flying out of Liberia airport, it will not help to arrive before 9:30 a.m for check-in. This is the time that the airline counter opens. Our agent actually didn't arrive to the counter until 9:45 a.m.
- People there love their country and love to talk about her. Don't be afraid to ask lots of questions. You'll be surprised at where it may lead the conversation. After all, travel isn't just about taking in the scenery, but about the people and culture that make the country so unique.
COSTA RICA, we'll be back.
