Monteverde Cloud Forest

What a drive to this place. You cannot travel by car up this mountain. You need a 4 x 4 or a truck. The roads are a mess as the local quakers will not allow them to be upgraded. They want to preserve their natural state. We bounced up and down all the way up. This is a very rustic town, like the old west. Tourists do get up there but its not easy.

We stayed in a nice lodge with another nice view. There is mist all around us up in these clouds. Their land is very fertile here. The temperature is comfortable.

We saddled the morning of the 30th. A private ride with a Costa Rican family. Dad, 12 yr old boy, who spoke fluent spanish, and his 4 yr old brother. We did not know what we were in for over the next 5 and a half hours. The terrain was rough as we headed down the mountain. LOTS OF ROCKS. We managed to get to the San Luis falls. We parked the horses and hiked the rest of the way in over streams and up and down steep terrain. The falls were very tall and strong. Our butts were sore at this point from the riding. We still had a couple of hours to make it back. Dani and Darlene were feeling every muscle ache and Garys horse just wanted to run. He had quite a time holding him back.

We found another great restaurant in town and turned in early. Most if our nights have been early as we are up at the crack of dawn to take in our tours. We are looking forward to a rest when we return to Playa del Coco in Liberia where we first started out.

The next day Gary and Darlene took in another private tour at a local farmers organic coffee farm. They are part of a special world wide coop. It was great. Very informative and we picked berries as well. Our guide translated as our farmer explained what they did and how else they sustained their farm by growing other things. We were taken to their roasting facility which was very old fashioned but very interesting. There is not waste from the beans. They even make their own rich composte from the shells of the beans which is given back to the farmers.

We've had a long day. Another early night to turn in.

Gary and Dani went on another canopy zip line while Darlene waited. She had no screaming left in her so sat out on this one. We all did the hanging bridges together which was a 3 kilometre walk.

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