Boca San Carlos/Border to Nicaragua

Today at 08:00 we are scheduled for a joint boat tour on the Rio San Carlos. We will visit a small traditional village named Boca San Carlos. It will take us about an hour to get there. Along the way, we will once again marvel at the nature surrounding the river and keep an eye out for more animals. Our captain is named Juan. He is also from the village. On the way, we see iguanas, jacanas (water hens), cow herons, and many other birds. From the boat, we admire several kapok trees (also known as Ceiba or silk cotton trees). This tree is a “majestic giant” in Costa Rica and holds significant cultural and ecological importance. They are beautiful to look at. The tree symbolizes the connection between the underworld, earth, and sky. For indigenous cultures, such as the Maya, this tree is sacred. It feels wonderfully pleasant on the boat. Although it is still early in the morning, the temperature is already rising, and it is very refreshing to feel the wind on our skin. The village is located very close to the Nicaraguan border. Of course, Jefrey provides us with a lot of information.

We dock, and beautiful music sounds from a bar in the village. There is much to discover. We observe locals, various plants and flowers, and pass by a small school where classes are also held in the morning. In fact, at some point, the national anthem of Costa Rica plays here. We learn that the village has about 200 inhabitants. A large part of them are children, as families here are very “child-rich.” Our destination is a small bar on the edge of the village, where we will take a break. It is about 10:00 AM by now. Here, we first try some fruit from the tree. This has been cut into small pieces and fried for us. It is served with mayonnaise and tastes very similar to French fries. Delicious! We have the opportunity to try Nicaraguan beer (Toña) here. It tastes wonderfully mild. Other group members order fresh fruit shakes or iced tea. We have time to let the small village sink in. It is very pleasant here. Everything feels a bit dreamy and still sleepy. Around 11:00 AM, we make our way back. We are very lucky, as we spot two crocodiles, thanks to our guide Jef and his keen eyes. The captain also spots one. Everyone is amazed and filled with awe.

At 12:00 PM, we are back at the accommodation. Today, we can use the time until dinner for ourselves, which I really enjoy. As wonderful as it is to travel within a group, one also appreciates having some time to oneself. I relax, write a bit during this time, and take a calm shower. I take some self-care time and reflect. I enjoy doing that. Later, I go down to the river and continue reading my book there. From there, I also watch the sunset. Everything here touches me so deeply. This trip is getting under my skin. And then on to dinner, which is delicious again. Afterwards, a large part of the group goes for a night hike that Jefrey leads. We start around 19:45 PM. It is pitch dark, and various sounds come from the jungle. It is totally fascinating. First, we receive some instructions on how to behave during the night hike, and then we are off. Equipped with the appropriate clothing and flashlights, we take a little round tour. Right at the beginning, we observe various spiders, including the venomous golden silk spider. We are lucky, as we spot the red-eyed tree frog, which is our goal for today, and everyone is very impressed. Just look how beautiful it is. It is amazing how active the animals are. A small part of the group finishes the evening with cocktails. And then we head to bed, tired and satisfied. Tomorrow we continue our journey. To the Arenal Volcano or La Fortuna. I feel very good here.