Days 49-51, Puerto Viejo

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Getting to Puerto Viejo was pretty straightforward, bus to San Jose and then another bus from just around the corner. We arrived to beautiful sunshine and a much more familiar climate (hot!)

On our first morning we headed to Bread and Chocolate for breakfast - and it was super delicious! My mocha came deconstructed so I could make it exactly how I wanted, and Sam and I shared eggs on a homemade bagel and French toast. Very homey food. Afterwards we headed to the beach for an afternoon in the sun, stopping on the way to save little fish that were getting washed up (a futile mission!)

We chose a good time to visit, as it was their annual chocolate festival, so our evening was spent sampling delicious chocolate, chocolate ice cream and chocolate brownies.

The next day we hired bicycles (without brakes - ahhhhhh) and cycled to the next town to visit the Jaguar Rescue Centre. The centre takes in injured and rescued animals, with the aim of rehabilitating and releasing as many as possible.

While we were there, there were no jaguars, but lots of sloths, toucans, an anteater, snakes, a couple of spider monkeys, an ocelot.... I could go on forever! It was incredibly interesting, and amazing that it is only staffed by volunteers, with no funding - relying on visitors and personal donations.

After cycling back and enjoying lunch (at Bread and Chocolate, of course!) we got the bus to the border, for the coolest crossing of my travels - by foot across a huge river on a rickety bridge!

Then, it was three buses, five hours to our first stop in Panama: Boquete.

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