I rolled down the window as we approached the little town at the base of the volcano to find some young kids running along side the van holding bundles of sticks. One of them looks right at me and asks in perfect English without an accent, “STICK!?” By the time we parked, we were bombarded by a group of twenty or so of these little salesmen between the ages of 6 and 9, roughly. I ended up buying a “walking stick” from the one that claimed to be the youngest. It was only a dollar and it’s hard to turn down [View Full Entry]

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The volcano is only half visible now as it ascends upward into the circling clouds. However, the image is too vividly painted in my mind, for I can see it in all it’s glory, towering over the small town of Antigua. And not just one, but two volcanic giants; sturdy, intimidating…yet inviting. They act as reminders of how powerful Mother Nature can be as they watch over a town filled with ruins amidst a growing tourism. Cobble stone roads and broken sidewalks guide you through town. Not a single window is missing its iron bars, however visual compensation is often represented [View Full Entry]

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I know it's kind of cliché, but everyone's got to do it at least once. It's like the "I need a short vacation where I basically just have to show up and everything is taken care of" kind of trip. Cruising has three major elements. 1. All you can eat 2. Very little trip planning required 3. Over-priced drinks. Usually I love planning out my own adventures; trekking my way through a new country, struggling with the local language, getting lost and all that jazz! A cruise is really not for the adventurer, however, it has its perks too, I suppose. [View Full Entry]

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“You want pineapple!?” Before I can even answer he jerks the car off the road into an earthy driveway and the beautiful scenery is now blocked by a cloud of dust and dirt. Juan Carlos, my overly friendly taxi-cab driver, slides open the door of the van, insisting (in a mix of English and Spanish) that I get out and follow him. Mind you, it’s my first day in this foreign country, somewhere between San Jose (the capital) and the Caribbean coastline. I turn and look at my friend, shrug my shoulders and say oh-so-encouragingly, “We‘re on vacation! C’mon!” [View Full Entry]

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La Fortuna is a must-see if you travel to Costa Rica. Arenal volcano, the hot springs, and La Fortuna waterfall represent the triple threat this town offers and all are spectacular in their own way. The volcano is quite the active one! It spews lava everyday and it's not shy about it. The lava can usually be seen even with the cloud cover that hangs around the volcano in the evenings. The Tabacon Springs resort is hard on the wallet if you plan to stay the night, but if you're on a budget at least go in for a dip in [View Full Entry]

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