Costa Rica
Imechapishwa: 20.08.2019
Stop No.1: In the capital of Costa Rica, San Jose, there are many parks to visit. This square is where the youth gather to dance or play sports. The zoo is not recommended as there seem to be prison-like conditions, as we saw during a demonstration in front of the zoo.
Wings of Mexico
The best coffee break is at the cafe in the theater.
The coffee is freshly brewed at the table.
Stop No.2: Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica. A teenage sloth was curious and almost came down to the ground.
Visiting Cahuita National Park. We had a great guide who told us a lot about the animals and plants of Costa Rica. We basically had a private tour:).
Hidden caiman
Jesus Christ lizard, because it can walk on water.
The snake comes in about 18 different colors to blend in with the flowers.
The hardworking ants can be seen everywhere. They bravely carry their large piece of leaf to the anthill. They only stop working in the rain.
Howler monkeys... small monkeys, but they can make a lot of noise. It sounds like a giant dog barking.
Our guide took a photo of us.. but he apparently didn't know where the zoom is :D.
A 'small' boa constrictor, very rare to see, but we were very, very lucky.
At the end of the national park, there was a beautiful view.
Our guide cut fresh pineapples for us.
On the way back, we met a raccoon.
Hummingbirds can be found everywhere and in different colors.
The web of this spider is stronger than steel.
Stop No.3: Rafting with Rio Tropicales. When we arrived at the base, we were told: Pack your backpacks for 3 days, leave the suitcase here.
With our guide Diego, there were 4 of us in the rafting boat and we rode the wild river for about 1 hour with the day trip.
Surrounded by jungle, we reached the lodge of Rio Tropicales. No cellphone reception, no Wi-Fi. And of course, no glass windows in the dining room or rooms, as it is always warm.
An evening visitor in the room.
Hike to the 'Natural Pool' or rather a walk.
The rafting crew
In the open kitchen, all the rafting guides cooked together, prepared delicious snacks and dips like breaded zucchini with bean cream and cocktails for the guests.
Stop No.4: The Arenal Volcano with a hike through a national park and a small boat tour very close to the volcano. Once again, we were very, very lucky to have such a good view of the volcano.
Stop No.5: Monteverde. The coffee, sugar, and cocoa tour of Don Juan was very interesting and informative!
The first parts were about cocoa. Unfortunately, it is not grown there because Monteverde is too high for the mosquitoes that are necessary for pollinating the cocoa flower. The raw cocoa bean tastes like candy. It is dried and ground, and already tastes delicious with vanilla and sugar.
The next parts were about sugar production. Two men from the group turned the sugar cane through the rollers until they were completely squeezed. Sugar cane looks like bamboo, it's just not hollow. The sugar water mixed with ginger and lemon then resulted in a small cup of 'toad drink' for everyone.
The last parts were about the harvest and production of coffee. Since Costa Rica is a small country and therefore has little coffee, it must be of high quality. Each bean is individually picked when it is red, and the 4 shells are removed through drying and grinding. The last shell falls off during roasting.
On an evening walk in Monteverde, we saw many nocturnal animals, like the small scorpion that even glows under blacklight.
You can walk through the tops of the jungle on the suspension bridges in Monteverde and have a great view.
Hummingbirds drinking.
At the last stop in Samara, we explored the underwater world with a boat tour.
Humpback whales
We saw turtles, dolphins, and pelicans.
Beach with 'waves of stone'
Beach of Samara.
Surfing lesson in Samara, getting pretty good.
