http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Central America Caribbean , Costa Rica , Guanacaste en-us Sun, 26 May 2013 04:35:28 +0000 Sun, 26 May 2013 04:35:28 +0000 Costa Rica 2013 Day 9 Playas del Coco Day 2When we woke up this morning and their was no coffee no Andy the clerk and no WiFi I went out looking for coffee and found Laura39s House BB right across the street. When Manoli and I came back to get coffee we asked about a room. They showed us an available room and told us it was 50nightroom including WiFi and they have a cafe that serv http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/Playas-del-Coco/blog-787823.html Costa Rica 2013 Day 8Monteverde To Playa del CocoThe hostel had set up a taxi for 530am so we39d get to the bus stop well before 6am. We were anxious to see the next place so we had not problem getting up in time. When we arrived at the bus station there were only a few other folks waiting but by the time the bus left at 6 it was pretty full. We then proceeded to return down that nasty g http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/Playas-del-Coco/blog-787754.html Alright final week....So I did decide to head to Playa Gigante I almost convinced Lauren to come for a day or 2 but she didn39t want to have to deal with all the buses and walking in. I wound up missing my 1230 bus from SJDS to Rivas because it left early then the 1pm bus left super late so I was worried I was going to miss the last bus out towards the beaches but luckily I just made that one. http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/La-Cruz/blog-783791.html http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/Nicoya-Peninsula/blog-779108.html 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 weren39t in the market for a tour having been in town for less than a minute and wanted to find our place and drop http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/La-Fortuna/blog-777072.html Visitors to Costa Ricas northwest Guanacaste region probably dont realize the area was once a thriving community for the indigenous Chorotega tribe. Indigenous history and traditions maintain a low profile in the Central American country yet if you look closely they are all around you.Spreading across Costa Ricas entire northern Pacific zone Guanacaste for instance is called the Ch http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/Nicoya-Peninsula/blog-776787.html The last day in Monterverde we both did Ziplining which was frightening yet an experience you wont have anywhere else around the world but in Central America. IT IS A MUST DO It was beyond lauras confort zones yet she had no option but to complete it once she was on the course which consisted of 7 ziplines she did try to back out several times and two superman lines superwomen lines which are http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/Tamarindo/blog-772041.html Last Sunday we went to National park Santa Elena a cloud forest. We did a long hike didn39t see much wildlife but we did not expect that as we knew that its is not best place to see wildlife but for the beautiful cloud forest. The forest itself was beautiful enough looking like a fairytaleforest very calm dense green and very mossy. And of course very wet typical for cloud forest. On M http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/Liberia/blog-768876.html Friday December 21 2012As expected I was up at 600am working on my blog and a little staring at the water of the ocean and pool. Cindy woke up at 715am. This morning we decided order room service something we had not done in a long time. Room service arrived around 800am. We ordered the ham and cheese omelet and a croissant. The food was delivered fairly quickly. We actually received a lot http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/blog-762659.html Thursday December 20 2012Today for us was a day of just relaxing at the hotel. I know this is hard to believe that the Bretons are just sitting around but we wanted to just relax today after a very long day on Wednesday 700am 1000pm on a bus and touring.I was up at my usual 600am sitting on the patio writing my waiting for my princesses to wake up. Cindy woke up at 730am. We did a l http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/blog-762593.html Wednesday December 19 2012Today is an awesome day. Cindy and I have been married 25 years. This is totally awesome.We had a very busy day today. Our day started at 600am with a wakeup call and then eating a quick breakfast in our room from the items we bought Tuesday. We meet our tour operator at the front of the hotel Swiss Tours at 700am. There were two other couples on the bus with us. Th http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/blog-762485.html Monday December 17 2012Today is an awesome day. Cindy and I are traveling to Costa Rica to celebrate our 25th Anniversary. It is our second honeymoon. We had a 600am flight from Houston to Miami. Since I fly America for business I was able to use upgrades so we can fly in first class. Although we were 30 minutes late leaving we still made it to Miami in enough time to catch our flight from Mia http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/blog-761896.html I arrive in La Fortuna for Costa Ricas Independence Day September 18th. I went out in the morning to take a look at what festivities were taking place. The town was having a reverse sort of parade. Instead of groups parading around the town in a line a bunch of groups were lined up along the road and slowly moving to the startingpoint where they did a dance or performance for what looked l http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/La-Fortuna/blog-761722.html Well after 4.5 weeks in Tamarindo we decided to split. OK so don39t hate us we are not bored in Costa Rica....we are in need of a new adventure I think that staying in one place that long was a mistake as it has started to get a bit monotonous. It would be a great place to live if you had something to do every day Besides napping walking reading swimming reading lol. We finally met so http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/Tamarindo/blog-759978.html Karen and I decided that 4 by 439ing without a 4 X 4 is not the right way to see the less traveled sections of the Nicoya Peninsula so we rented a little Suzuki and headed up to Santa Cruz and then down to Nicoya. The town of Nicoya is smack dab in the center of the peninsula from there we headed west towards all the Playas beaches. The road is paved all the way to Samara. Quite a curving http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/Samara/blog-758770.html As Ian39s slowing getting over his cold we have been staying very close to home sitting quietly reading and reflecting. A couple of times I went for my walk by myself as he hadn39t been sleeping well at night and was tired.On my quiet walks I have been noticing so many things. The life on the sand on the beach is abundant yet so different from home. The ocean here is void of starfish y http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/Tamarindo/blog-758200.html Hola from the hottest driest place in Costa Rica at least thats what it feels likeThis place is like Cuerici in the sense that I dont feel like i am in Costa Rica at all. However that is the last similarity. It feels like a very hot summer in California everyday which I like a lot Definitely better than the constant rain in Monteverde. There is a really neat marsh with lots of wildlife incl http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/Nicoya/blog-757897.html We have had adventures even though we have been laying low We moved again within the same complex but to another suite as the critter drama continued. Now we are upstairs in a studio suite but I like it more it has huge screened windows and you get a nice breeze through it. and so far scorpian freeSo the day we moved in I looked out the window just as a nice little burglar was scaling the http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/blog-757500.html Rented a car and off we went and within 30 minutes we were lost The road signs lack of and the roads leave a lot to be desired. I know we read about the gravel roads and the pot holes they were not exaggerating We rented a little economy car and a few of the potholes could have sucked that little car right in Day 1 With friend Mike in tow we headed east to visit the volcano Arenal. Althoug http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/Nicoya-Peninsula/blog-756797.html Well to say a lot has happened since the last time I posted is an understatement. The internet here in Palo Verde National Park unfortunately isn39t that great so I am going to keep it brief.First Bocas del Toro. I suppose one good thing about flying home unexpectadly and returning late to the program was the fact that I got to ride in a little tiny plane or a puddlejumper I think some peopl http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste//blog-756137.html