La Fortuna

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LA FORTUNA:
The bus ride from Monteverde to La Fortuna was unpaved and therefore unpleasant. Sleep during the windy, bumpy ride was unsuccessful and the minute we stepped off the bus in town we were "greeted" with annoying tour salesmen. They were polite and friendly but we really weren't in the market for a tour having been in town for less than a minute and wanted to find our place and drop our bags. The "hostel" we booked was less than sufficient, but the bed was comfortable so I didn't mind. Apparently hotels have caught on to the hostel trend and started mislabeling themselves as hostels when they don't provide wifi, a communal area or a kitchen, amenities typical of hostels. Luckily we only booked one night there and found a far better place the next day. The next hostel was more like a backpacker resort; complete with a pool, swim up bar, restaurant, kitchen and lush courtyard. Alonzo was an awesome host, very attentive and helpful. It was like our own little oasis tucked away in the town. The town of Fortuna was pretty uneventful. There were a few restaurants that pretty much all served the same food for a steep price, and very minimal nightlife. We booked an ATV tour set on a farm at the base of the Arenal volcano, our first tour of the trip! It was so surreal; animals freely grazing and enjoying the company of other creatures with a backdrop of jungle and rolling hills. I wish all farm animals could live unconfined like this. There were trails carved out for us, and since it rains often in Fortuna, there was mud everywhere. Some of the puddles were even inches deep with water. We were pretty shocked that given the conditions of the trails the ATVs were not 4wheel drive! Our guide said, "they're 4wheel drive if you get off and push." It was a lot of fun and I'm really surprised I managed to hang on with Kevin's crazy driving, and peeling out around turns. We also got to pose with a six foot python that the guide found on the farm and was taking to the local zoo. I have been fantasizing about going to the Springs resort for some time now, and I was willing to make it happen by any means possible. We ended up renting a car for a couple extra days since the place was pretty remote and would've costed the same as hiring a cab. It felt so incredible to be mobile once again and on our own schedule. The freedom and peace of mind our own car gave us was completely priceless. We had to wait until 3pm to get the car so we got a late start at the springs the first day of our two day pass. I'm so happy they offer day passes, since the cost of staying there one night would shorten our trip by over a week! The resort completely fulfilled and over-exceeded my expectations. If the hostel we were staying at was an oasis then this was the Garden of Eden. There were over 20 pools, most of them with waterfalls and surrounded by beautiful foliage. The resort itself had four restaurants, and five bars with very friendly staff and good cocktails. It was the much-needed luxury I was yearning for after nearly two months of living off a measly $45 a day (including accommodation). Not to mention I could use my credit card here so bring on the cocktails! The owner of the resort is from Florida and took on the responsibility of maintaining a wildlife sanctuary on the same land, for exotic animals confiscated from people keeping them as pets. Unfortunately none of the animals could be rehabilitated back into the wild because they've been captive for most or all of their lives. There were toucans, spider monkeys, ocelots, margays and mountain lions, in decent sized enclosures cared for by a very passionate staff. After our two days were up we drove about an hour and a half to the Volcano Brewing Company for our final splurge. They had an all inclusive package for the room and all-you-can-eat-and-drink...plus microbrews! In Central America all the local beers are pilsners so it was nice to sample some darker brews. The food was also pretty good, but we mostly just over indulged on the drinks. The hotel had a pool, spa, tennis court, and skate park...not that we ever left the bar! 😉 Returning our car was a very sad moment, but it's time to head to Nicaragua with the promise of beers for under a dollar, cheap eats and reasonable shopping. Time to start getting more bang for our buck! THE BORDER: We took a two hour bus ride from Liberia to Penas Blancas where you cross the border into Nicaragua. We hastily befriended some fellow Americans that knew the ropes and followed them from post to post like lost puppy dogs. Without their guidance, the border would've been a very confusing and intimidating process. The minute you start walking up there are over 25 Nicaraguans yelling at you from behind a gate, supposedly trying to carry your bags for a tip. It was quite a bit of a dusty walk, with no signs directing you where to go, surprise surprise. The locals even try to charge for paperwork that is provided at the counters and help you fill out the very self explanatory customs sheet. We were pleasantly surprised that Costa Rica's exit tax is only charged at the airports, which saved us $56! Getting to the bus stop was a daunting procedure. You have five guys in your face (with no regard to personal space) trying to get you in a cab or on a bus. It was the most obnoxious bus terminal we had ever been to, and we literally got on the first bus we saw to get us the hell out of there! Not quite the warm welcome I had in mind.

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