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Published: August 17th 2008
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Our last day of Spanish lessons and our teacher took us to her little girl´s school to enjoy the celebrations of the day of annexure of Guanacaste province (ex Nicaragua) to Costa Rica. All the kids looked great and all the yummy mummies were there also. It was lots of fun and David drew lots of glances with his strange eyes. He stands out because a) he´s bald and b) his eyes are a different colour.
Today we take 3 buses to arrive at our accommodation at Vulcan Poas. This means we sleep on the side of a volcano for 3 nights. Kinda freaky to think of. Gerarda told us this morning that the 2 loud bangs we heard last night was Poas letting of some steam. I´m sure to sleep tonight after that.
The bus cost us a total of 1950 colones (approx US$3.25) The transport is super efficient and very cheap. We could possibly travel from north to south for $15 total. Yet to try that. At the time of writing htis, we are sitting in the Lo Que tu Quieros Bar (direct translation is Whatever you want) built by Incan warriors with no engineering skills. The
tables and chairs are rustic!!! You know how we describe rustic in Oz, well take away 1000 years and you have the picture of our table. Vikings would use this furniture. Marco, the owner, chef, barman, houemaid, has told us his life story already in the last hour. Some includes Italy, mafia, girlfriend, mother-in-law and loss of US$200000. He is here on his own to try to catch up on his wealth.
We have come from Cacao at 700metres at 25 degrees to 2000m at 10 degrees in a matter of hours. I can´t believe how quickly the temperature changes. We both felt a little heady with the altitude but thanks to Dr Joan at the Brisbane Childrens Hospital we have pills to help retain more oxygen in our systems.
The cabins are perched on the mountainside overlooking the valley, clouds slowly flowing past the windows and clearing again to how the green that is Costa Rica. I can´t remember a green so vibrant and vivid. Outside the windows are hummingbirds dipping their beaks into the sugarfeeder, their wings all ablur. We have added some more pics. One includes the shower head which is actually the water heater.
The slower the flow of water the hotter it is.
The crops and livestock here are well suited to each other. One field of coffee beans, one of sugar cane and a paddock for dairy cows. How convenient! Note the pic of me milking the cow for my morning coffee. They also grow pineapples that are so sweet and very yellow. Bananas, plantains, watermelons that are a dark red in colour, so tasty.
We have enlisted the help of Juan Carlos´ nephew to drive us to La Paz Waterfalls on Monday. Everyone has a nephew willing to help. We are really off the beaten track here. And because of this everyone is happy to help...for a price.
I have added images of our trip up the volcano and to the La Paz Waterfall Gardens. We spent a lot of time sitting and waiting for the clouds to clear at the top and got some photos of the crater. Not very clear today but worth the wait. David had to hold the camera over the heads of all the other visitors and snapped in all directions to catch a glimpse.
The gardens were very well landscaped...not a
leaf out of place. And the birds, butterflies and the falls were magnificent. It cost $30 each for us and free for our guide who had never been there before. He had a great day... and so did we.
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