Blogs from Monteverde, Puntarenas, Costa Rica, Central America Caribbean - page 3

After breakfast, we met Fabian, our new trip coordinator, and then headed to the Santa Elena Reserve for volunteering. Our first task of the day was to create a gravel path for tourists to walk on. The whole morning, Renata and I hauled heavy bags of gravel up winding paths and stairs. I never realized how much work it took to build and maintain the trails. Heavy rain damages the paths and the Reserve staff are always working hard to maintain it. I definitely have gained a great appreciation of all the hard work done on the reservation. It was not all work, though. We had a lot of breaks and snacks. We also stopped to take pictures of tarantulas and cute coatis. After lunch, we were given the task to wash down a hut to ... read more

This morning, during breakfast Renata and I met up with the other McMaster alumni volunteers. We also met Leo, the trip coordinator from VIDA, McMasters’ partner organization in Costa Rica. After group introductions, we headed to Monteverde. The bus ride to Monteverde was incredible. Up in the mountains, we passed through picturesque countryside’s, lush green landscapes, and experienced our first Costa Rican massage as we winded around the bumpy gravel road to Monteverde. In Monteverde, we stayed at the beautiful Los Jardines hotel, where Renata and I got our own balcony overlooking the clouds. Then it was off to lunch at Don Luis, a contemporary restaurant near our hotel. After lunch, we had a quick siesta, before we headed into Monteverde town. Monteverde town is a cute little tourist town with gift shops and restaurants. You ... read more

So what was the question again? within a week we decided , planned and implemented - Iceland? - too stark, Canadian Rockies ? my brother asked me - didn't we grow up in the Rockies? so Costa Rica it was ! 18 hours later we landed in a country that is blanketed in green. Costa Rica has many options of where to visit but i decided that we were going to make three stops, Monteverde for the cloud forest, Osa penninsula at the far south end of CR and then to finish up near a volcano near San Jose. One of the things that one learns about these forests and jungles are the terminology of primary forest -which means original forest and secondary growth which is the vegetation that springs up in the wake of some ... read more

We were deep asleep. Someone started banging our door. I woke up in the dark and thought it was a robbery. I shouted, “Who the hell is this”? Dipankar was sitting on his bed. I jumped out of the bed; Dipankar said, be careful. I went to the glass door and moved the curtain. The day break has started outside. I saw a silhouette figure with a shawl wrapped around his head standing near the door. I didn’t open the door first, but shouted from inside, “What’s the matter”. The guy shouted back, “It’s your wake up call”, and then went to the next door to do the same. I was taken aback at this new style of wake up call. Perhaps this is the Costa Rican way! But how that can be? It was fine ... read more

“That’s it! These two guys are going to fight each other to death during the trip. “ “You know, even if they do survive, that would be the end of their friendship…what do you think?” “Absolutely, they won’t see each other’s face after they return, I can bet.” “Well, let them go! We will watch the fun from the sideline”. This was the conversation, and possibly wishful thinking of our respective spouses before Dipankar and I headed out to our fun-trip to Costa Rica. The spouses had a choice of joining us, but they declined. No, Dipankar and I didn’t kill each other during the trip and we are very much alive. We had fun of a life-time and we are living happily ever after as good friends! This is a preamble. ***** I don’t know ... read more