Pura vida! La Fortuna, Costa Rica

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Trip date: End of November 2007

This trip was pretty much planned the way most of my other treks are...with no true direction. I knew I wanted to see Costa Rica and experience its beauty first-hand after hearing so many great accounts of it by fellow travelers. However, I also knew I wanted to walk off the beaten path, and see where the winds would take us. So, I opened a map of Costa Rica on my monitor, shut my eyes, and let my finger point the way. It landed on "Arenal". And that's how this adventure was born.

DAY 1

Nothing had prepared me for the long commute from San Jose to the Nuevo Arenal area of Costa Rica. My family and I could have flown into Liberia Airport, but it was an additional $250 cost. The only other means of getting to Arenal is by bus or car (approx. 4 hours drive). It was deemed faster to drive a private rental than catch the public bus. Prior to the trip, I read countless blogs that highly suggested renting a manual jeep/SUV instead of an automatic (also cheaper). Luckily, my boyfriend was an expert in driving stick, and was excited to drive over Costa Rica's famous hilly landscape. Bloggers also forewarned me about the car insurance fees. American car insurance is not accepted in Costa Rica. The rental rates also do not include the insurance rates, so be prepared to add in such costs if renting a vehicle in Costa Rica.

The afternoon flight from Miami on American Airlines was short and sweet. We arrived San Jose in the late afternoon, so we had just enough sunlight (or so I thought) that would guide us to our house rental in Arenal. We were on schedule, and driving with delight until we hit a bottle-neck effect on the one-lane highway around a sharp bend high above a valley somewhere on the outskirts of the capital. We were in a parade of massive trucks that were filled with everything from large logs to huge blue containers. By the time we tip-toed out of traffic, the sun had set. I realized we were near our destination area because there was no one on the road. The property manager emailed me with a very rough guide to the house. "Cross four bridges...turn left at the fork...pass the bus stop on the right...and look for an iron gate once you have passed the valley." Hmmmm...what my party and I couldn't understand was the part about the bridges. In this rainforest region, what constituted for a bridge? Was it the short wooden connection on the dusty road that were laid on top of small streams? Was it the larger connections? Challenged by the lack of light, lack of road signage, and lack of any marks of civilization, we all felt tense with worry. As we weaved up and down the mountains in the dark of night, I could not help but wonder if would have to resort to sleeping in the jeep for the night. With no phone, no proper map of this unfamiliar territory, and no other commuters to flag down, all we could do was hold our breath and wait for salvation as Laurent re-studied the road map...evidence that this WAS certainly going to turn out into a great big adventure.

By some miracle, we made our way into a small town past Rio Piedras. The locals were out and about, and sent us up and down the road, trying to help us navigate to our destination. Some were vaguely familiar with the bus stop I was supposed to turn at, while most had no idea what I was talking about. With no luck of finding the odd street that this rental home was on, I asked a local if I could borrow her mobile phone, and called the property manager to see if he could meet us in the town square and escort us. The property manager was a retired American who had moved to this area many years ago. It took him no more than 10 minutes to fetch us. Would you believe it--the mysterious street was not only ways off from the center, but it was unmarked, unpaved and not lit. There was NO WAY we would have found it if even if all the townspeople carried us on stretchers. My group and I were just overjoyed to be stationery and nourished with food. Needless to say, we had one very restful night.

DAY 2

It is simply amazing how much one place can seem so different in daylight. As I stared out from the glass doors of the vacation home, I was taken away by the view of Lake Arenal. How absolutely GORGEOUS! The colors of Costa Rica spring from every corner of the vista. I thought I was dreaming. "So this is what the Garden of Eden must have looked like," I said. My family nodded in agreement, and quickly ventured outside to see what hidden treasures they could uncover. Birds, tropical flowers, funny-looking insects, and a stray dog greeted us. On this day I figured we could just explore the nearby community, run to the local market, and buy some fruits, vegetables, bottled water, and meat. We had a fully-equipped kitchen after all, and we certainly were trying to keep to budget. With a quick change of clothes, we jumped in the jeep and ventured back to the town square. Quaint and charming, the town was right out of a novel. Everyone was so happy. Life was at a standstill. The children were in the field playing soccer (fútbol), and all was quiet, save for the sound of the gentle breeze. What a far cry this place was from the chaos of San Jose...so this is the essence of "pura vida".

After resettling at the house, we decided to look for a guide to take us on a nature walk. Such guides are easily found in any hotel or eco-lodge. I remembered there was a grand eco-lodge somewhere passed our spot en route to La Fortuna, so we drove the distance in hopes of stumbling into it again.

All I can say is, "Thank GOD I listened to fellow bloggers." Costa Rica is marked with many hills, valleys, and cloud forests. Such terrain does require a 4-WD vehicle that is high off the ground. Once we found the eco-lodge resort, we had some considerable difficulty driving up a narrow hill. The muddy road decorated with bits of loose rock did not allow good treading. It took us a while to reach the eco-lodge, but when we did, a guide was seated on a rocking chair and smiled at us. The nature walk started at the front of the lodge and wrapped around the back into the cloud forest. Our guide explained the differences between the primary and secondary forests, and pointed out many plants that could remedy various ailments. Towards the end of walk, we were directed into a native hut and were met by two Maleku Indians--the true natives of the Arenal region. The walk was very educational and relaxing. Shortly after, my family drove back and stopped at a restaurant perched above Lake Arenal. It was not the smell of food that caught my attention, but rather the aroma of coffee. Did I forget to mention that Costa Rican coffee is divine?

DAY 3

We booked our adventures with Desafio Tours. Located in La Fortuna, the company is highly credible. That was my assessment of it right after I sifted through its Web site. The drive to La Fortuna offered spectacular views of the landscape, lake, and majestic cloud forests. It felt like we had driven into a scene from Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings". I lost count of the time times had stopped to breathe in the scenery. Upon reach of La Fortuna, Volcano Arenal came into full view. There were many backpackers walking alongside the major road. The town was bustling with old and new hippy trekkers, groups of international backpackers, and adventure-seekers. La Fortuna offers many hostels and boutique hotels, as well as a nice collection of small cafeterias and restaurants. Ice cream and coffee shops are located at the town center by the park.

Once we parked our jeep into the Desafio lot, we met with the activity manager, and signed our life away. We opted for the extreme whitewater rafting activity, horseback ride to the waterfalls, and Arenal Volcano hike/thermal springs package. The rates were more than decent (esp. when compared to US standards), and the service was highly professional. I was even more impressed that the tours were really based on the philosophy "at your own risk". I was not looking for safe and secure. I wanted some extreme sport for a challenge. So for adventure activity one, we signed up for whitewater rafting. Because it had been raining in Arenal for three weeks straight, the rapids were at level 4, which meant it was going to be a great and bumpy ride! 😊

Rafting was an invigorating experience! I would definitely do it again! During the calmer moments of our route, howler monkeys called out to us from above as if to say "Congrats! You made it!" The currents here are no joke. The whirlpools were begging to take down a raft or two, and one did flip. I nearly fell out of mine 4-5 times. I was not worried about the currents as much as I was about the large boulders that seemed to stick out from every bend. I have to hand it to our rapids guides--they have the best job. After paddling for two hours, we dried off and grabbed some ready-made Tican lunch. Chicken "casados" have got to be one of the best dishes I have ever had the privilege to consume. It's comfort food...plentiful and delicious. The pineapples that were cut for us were also amazingly good. Everything was just so flavorful.

DAY 4

We decided to go horseback riding today. Mind you, I have never ridden a horse in my life. I was comfortable with hiking, swimming, and flying, but horseback...this was going to be a new thing for me. This adventure lasted all day. We rode our horses through a vast field somewhere between a ranch and another cloud forest. After our guide instructed us to mount-off, we walked down a very long arrangement of stone steps that ran alongside a high cliff. My poor aunt was panting with each step. lol Once we reached the bottom, our eyes caught sight of a beautiful waterfall and lagoon. Now this was worth the horseback ride and steep descent! The waterfall was just absolutely breathtaking! And to swim right under it was such a memorable experience for me! Under the falls, I told my boyfriend that I loved him, and that he would have to drag me by my hair once it was time to leave. Since we only had an hour to enjoy the lagoon and waterfall, I swam and swam until the fish got sick of me. Our guide signaled for us to return to the base of the stone staircase, and climb up. My poor aunt... 😊 We mounted back up on our horses for the return. The horses must have been in a hurry to settle in the stables because they raced back with full speed. My horse certainly ignored my pull on her reins to slow down; I was holding on for dear life while my brother and my boyfriend blew past me!

DAY 5

For our last activity, we figured we would top off our trip with a hike into the primary rain forest for a view of Volcano Arenal in action, and after take a dip in the thermal springs. The hike was pleasant, but it began to rain, so we did not have much time to stop and stare at the plethora of green wonder we were in. The clouds had covered Volcano Arenal as well, so we did not catch a glimpse of lava flow. Oh well...next time. Volcano Arenal had erupted many years ago, and destroyed the communities that were within its vicinity. Since then, the Costa Rican government has banned the building of any edifice or structure within a certain radius to the base of the volcano. Volcano Arenal remains active to this day, which is what makes Arenals thermal springs absolutely fantastic to relax in. The thermals pools are immense. They're quite luxurious actually. Located in a resort, the thermal springs are divided into different sections, according to temperature level. One can sit in Arenal's thermal waters, sip on a pina colada, and watch the volcano erupt on a clear day. Now that's something to live for!

OVERVIEW:

All in all, I LOVE Costa Rica. It is paradise. The food, the people, the laid back atmosphere is just addicting. Backpackers are trekking to La Fortuna religiously. Monteverde is also supposed to be another lovely hiking spot. Because the locals all take pride in their country, and value the rain forests and cloud forests they have been blessed with, they are extremely environmentally conscious. Pollution seems non-existent in Arenal.

I hope that Costa Rica does remain untouched by major developers. I am not a fan of large hotel chains or tourist towns. If you are like me, where getting lost is half the adventure, then steer clear of San Jose or the other popular destination sites. Settle in a cabana or rent a resident's home somewhere in the outskirts. If you find local lodging somewhere between a cloud forests and a lake, then breath in the fresh air, and enjoy Tico time. If you do not know the local language, then learn a few of the basic phrases and always try to converse with the locals. Support the preservation of the forests, and say NO to large developers. And if you are ever in Costa Rica, remember two things: "los casados" and "pura vida!" Eat los casados (campesino food) with great appreciation because it is really THAT good, and don't forget to greet others with "pura vida!" (live life to the fullest). Pura vida! is not just a saying; it is a mantra.

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Photos

Lake Arenal vista
View from the home rental

Los popositos
Harmless and quite sociable!

Wildwater rafting
Level 4

Splaaashh!!!
Bull river is a wild one