Costa Rica....Pura vida

Colleen, Jenna, Kate, and I parted ways with Nicaragua...and our awesome hostel Pacha Mama...(the hostel wasn't really great at all, unless you enjoy sharing a room with crude strangers) We left via taxi to the border then hopped on a bus to Canas. After purchasing some snacks on snacks we had to trek it over 100 m to the bus station. We could already tell that Costa Rica was going to be different. There were no longer shacks alongside the road and the buses now had sections for the disabled. Yes, pura vida was going to be quite different. After arriving in Tilaran we learned that there were no more buses heading to La Fortuna, our 2 options were to stay over night, or pay for a taxi. Realizing that our time is limited we decided on the taxi. We finally arrived into La Fortuna with it's huge Volcano Arenal. After grabbing some din din and chatting it up with Gringo Pete it was time to hit the hay.

Thursday June 21: Kate and I decided to have a chill day because she had an interview and I had some studying to do. After a quick workout and a trip to the grocery story, we took full advantage of Pete's free coffee as we attempted to work on our lives back in the US.  After enough coffee and work was completed we went to check out the souvenir shops to see if La Fortuna had something good to offer. After meandering around, we worked up quite a sweat which of course can only be cured by beer, Imperial is the national cerveza of Costa Rica. After 2 rounds we decided it was time to head back to meet up with Colleen and Jenna, unfortunately Pacha Mama (mother nature) had different plans in store. A full scale rain storm began and we had to take cover in a nearby restaraunt, another perfect moment to enjoy a cerveza...Finally the rain calmed down as our bellies became angered. We were starving, and how can  you not stop at a restaraunt titled Just Good Food. Their food was fairly tasty. After a quick stop for ice cream :) it was bed time. We had a tour scheduled to leave at 8 am in the morning.

                                                      Impromptu photo shoot

                                        Enjoying beers, Imperial is the way to go

Friday June 22: The all day adventure began with a hike up to Cerro Chato, which is a lagoon created by the eruption of Arenal. Would have been great for a swim but after hiking down into the lagoon, we knew what was in store on the way up. I think we all just wanted to get it done and over with. After a few hours of hiking we were picked up and taken to a great little swimming spot with a rope swing and cold water. I know I shouldn't be surprised about cold water, I did grow up in OR but over the last few weeks I have become so accustomed to warmer water, that it was quite a shock to my body. Then came a yummy typical lunch of rice, beans, a coleslaw type salad, and casado which is grilled meat. We had yet another hike to see the river bed of old lava flow. Though it was raining and a little chilly we kept ourselves entertained by swinging on vines and taking silly pictures. After the hike it was time to relax in the natural hot springs river and enjoy another national drink, cacique and coke (essentially rum and coke). What better luck for us girls than having another tour guide give us mud masks using mud from the volcano which is supposedly full of nutrients and good stuff for your skin. Then, it was dinner time and we had essentially a repeat of lunch...seeing as rice and beans and meat are the typical dishes. We got home completely exhausted

rope bridge

Volan Arenal

a bit of a roadblock, thanks to rainy season

                                                           Cerro Chato

                                                        Lava surfing

                                                              Tarzan better watch out!

Saturday June 23: Time to pack up and leave La Fortuna for Tortuguero, an island famous for turtles laying eggs. Well after 3 buses, a taxi, and a boat ride we made it! We were fortunate enough to meet a Spanish couple on our journey and drank some beers with them while we waited for our bus. It took me back to my time in Spain and Castillian Spanish..grathias! After we got settled in and booked our tours for the next day, we needed to eat some yummy food and Miss Mirian really had it in store for us. She cooked almost everything with coconut and it was de lish!

                                                            Boat ride to Tortuguero


Sunday June 24th: Woke up at 5 am to go on a canoeing trip down the canals. We were able to see 3 kinds of monkeys: spider monkeys, howler monkeys, and white faced monkeys. We saw many species of birds and though I am not the biggest bird fan by any means I still enjoyed seeing the different types of birds. We were also able to see a caiman which is like a little crocodile. After a nap. it was time to explore the shops and of course hit the beach. At night it was time to try our luck seeing turtles lay their eggs on the beach. Apparently, Kate and I are quite lucky and we were able to see 4 turtles and it was absolutely amazing. We saw 2 start to come to shore but when they feel threatened or in danger they turn around and  head back to sea where they will have to try again.One of those turtles was the Hawksvill turtle. Then we stumbled upon the tracks of a Green turtle laying her eggs. We were able to watch her cover up her eggs and drag herself back to the water, she was so big and beautiful. Then came the grand finale, there was another Green turtle making the nest to lay her eggs. We literally were able to watch as she deposited her eggs into the sand and covered up her eggs. We had run into a conservation group that works to protect the turtles by making sure the mama is ok, marking where her nest is, and tagging her so they can keep track of her. They measured the length of her shell from head to tail at 114 centimeters and I believe width wise she was 105 centimeters. Words truly can't express how amazing it is to watch nature happen. We were traipsing on the beach with nothing but the light from the stars and the occasional red light (they have to use red lights as to not bother the turtles as much) watching some of the most amazing creatures work to continue the cycle of life. I wish we could have taken pictures but it of course was not allowed because the flash would scare the turtles, but I will carry this memory with me forever

                                                           A tiger heron

Lil Lizard Guy                                                                                           Spider monkey

Caiman

White faced monkey

Howler monkey

Are we not turtle enough for  your turtle club???

June 24th: Time to leave Tortuguero and head down the coast towards Panama. After an intense morning workout, it was time to pack and hop a boat to Cahuita. After, a 4 hour boat ride and a taxi drive we arrived in a very small town with a National Park and beatiful beach. Unfortunately, Kate and I both suffer a bit of motion sickness (this is new for me but one bad experience will scare you enough to take dramamine every time) and in the battle against motion sickness we lost the war against dramamine. We went for lunch and then we zonked out for a rather intensive nap. We barely managed to drag ourselves to an interent cafe to catch up with the world and grab some ice cream before we were calling it quits for the night.

June 25th: After an interesting breakfast of Pinto Gallo (rice and beans) and chicken it was time to see what the Cahuita beach had in store for us. The beach was perfect and the water was refreshing...life is just so tough these days. We lounged for awhile then hit the trail in the natural park to see what wild life would visit us. Just a lot of ants and a few lizards. Another delicious dinner then time to pack because next up.... Panama!!!!

Of course not before a little snafu in our night. As we were typing out blogs and chatting with loved ones we had a rather unwanted visitor in our room. A large crab who really didn't want to leave. After battling with crab a while as he worked himself into a corner we left him to find his own way out....Hopefully he doesn't make a reappearance.