Tortuguero

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We had two full days in Tortuguero for exploring the tropical rain forest by boat, and just hanging out by the pool. The first day we started out at 8:30 which was too late. It got very hot, very quickly, and there had not been any rain. We took a boat trip down the river into the park and around the park. We saw all manner of wildlife, lots of caimans, a river otter, monkeys, and birds. We were in the full sun and I got overheated. I was miserable by the time we were finished. I took a cool shower to try to cool off.

We had an afternoon outing at the Caribbean Conservation Corporation Museum to learn the history of how the area became a national park. We then walked down the very hot, dark sand beach to the village of Tortuguero. Our guide Don met us there and showed us around the village and gave us a lot of history and context. The population on the coast is a little different then in the central part of the country. A lot of people in the area immigrate illegally from Nicaragua where there is no work. CR has much more opportunity and though it is a 3rd world country, it is more developed than Nicaragua. Our guide Don was from Nicaragua but his ancestors originally went there from Jamaica; he showed us his home. I am sorry to say Don did not have my full attention because I was still overheated from the morning outing.

We had rain at last but it stopped in time for our boat trip the next morning. We took a different route in the park and saw different monkeys and birds, but the landscape was essentially the same. The waterways of the park are a great place for boating, canoeing and kayaking although I would not do it without a guide. I had the afternoon at leisure and spent it at the pool although the rain moved in around 3 or so and stayed through the time we left the next day.

Tortuga Lodge was the only place we had a chance to meet other people who were staying there since the meals are family style. Our first day we met a mother and daughter, then a couple from California came, then a couple from London on their 3 week honeymoon, then the day we left there was another young couple. There was a couple from spain there during our stay but they ate on their own, they did not speak english.

Because of the plane ride out of Tortuguero you can only take 25 lbs of luggage there, including everything. So, by the time we left, all my clothes were stinky and sweaty and yucky.

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Photos

Our guide Don buying our
tickets to enter the Tortuguero national park

Where the river
meets the caribbean sea

Village of Tortuguero
we entered from the beach; nearly everyone has beachfront property!

Village of Tortuguero
Catholic church

Don
tapped this flower and it burst open - we were so surprised because it was just a long green oval before then

Hummingbird nest
with two babies inside, on the grounds of the lodge

Dining room
outdoors where we often ate