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Published: July 18th 2005
Beautiful Playa Samara
Ciao, mi playa bonita!Hi all! By now, since I'm writing from Austin, many of you have seen me and been subjected to all 300 of my photos. However, I feel compelled to document the rest of my trip so that I have it for my own sake. . .so bear with me friends!
My last day in Playa Samara (sniff, sniff) was probably the most gorgeous day of all, wouldn't you know. The color of the water was the most beautiful shade of torquoise--almost thought I was in Hawaii. I snuck in a few extra hours on the beach because I did what I rarely do. . .I put fun before work!
You see, by the third week of escuela and one too many reflexive verbs, my brain had hit its saturation point. I began my day with good intentions, waking at 5am to complete my last exam, which luckily was of the take-home variety. But Level 5 is notorious for it's brutal exam so by 7:30, when I had completed only 2 out of the 6 sections and was using my dictionario for every third word, I said to myself, "Self, it's your last day in the beautiful place and you
Amy & I Before the Canopy Tour
Amy said that my tan makes me look like an Oompa Loompa in this photo! Unfortunately, she's right! graduated last night. Go to the beach!!!" So I did! Later, I went to my 10am class with my tail between my tan legs and begged forgiveness (which was granted easily!). Then, I spent a few more hours at the beach, taking in as many PTH's (prime tanning hours for you that don't know me so well) as possible before I had to catch a bus.
The bus trip to Monteverde was a story in itself. Envision all my previous descriptions of CR roads. Got it? Now multiply by 10! They warn people who are pregant (and probably those who wish to empregnate someone else!) before going on the road up to Monteverde! No heart conditions either. We're talking dirt roads, pot holes, slippery mud, and a two "lane" road the size of one small compact car. We had to pray nobody came down in the opposite direction because the drop--off was a good mile down! I was fortunate enough to hit the beginning of the road right at sunset so I just closed my eyes and enjoyed my blissful ignorance. My friend Amy, who was meeting me Monteverde, had arrived earlier during daylight and still looked a little
On the Platform
It's a loooonng way down! green when I arrived.
Amy and I had a blast in Monteverde. The only mistake was not taking a hike into the actual cloud forest reserve (because Frommer's failed us). We ate pizza, gabbed, and hit a disco Friday night. On Saturday, we did a canopy tour which had 11 ziplines and 2 rapels down (way down!). Although this was my second such tour, it was no less inspiring. We were so lucky to get to see not one, but TWO quetzals, which are extremely rare, beautiful birds. Unfortunately, I couldn't capture that on my camera because our guide was wearing it so I could have lots of pictures of myself in Tarzan mode. We also got to see (and hear. . .boy are they loud!) a monkey family while zipping from platform to platform. That afternoon we had a 2-hour lunch, a good portion of which was liquid if you know what I mean. After a very necessary nap, we took a night tour and were able to see some amazing creatures including a 2-toed sloth. And the grand finale of that tour was getting caught in a sudden downpour with a highly dysfunctional rain pancho.
On
Sunday we traveled three hours to Arenal. We said prayers of gratitude because we left Monteverde via an alternate route and didn't have such a heart-thumping journey. Oh it was bumpy and muddy alright, and you could only go about 10 miles an hour, but absent were the deadly cliff drops inches from your right elbow. Our trip supposedly shaved off hours of travel time because we opted to go on the taxi-boat-taxi tour across Lake Arenal. On the boat, we had the most spectacular view of the Arenal Volcano, obviously active as you could vividly see the smoke plumes on top.
We opted to stay cheap our first night in Arenal because the resort we had our hearts set on only had rooms for our second night. The room stunk like cheap 5th grade lip gloss but it was only $35/night WITH AC so how could we complain? That day we enjoyed a leisurely lunch and made friends with a nice Tico muchacho who taught me to play his wooden zylophone. We made beautiful music together!
Later, we hiked down, down, down, down. . . .to La Fortuna Falls. Although the hike down was a killer, and
Amy Going Down!
They had me harnessed and ready to go first. Then they said, "Just sit back." Uh uh! There wasn't anything under me! I made them unharness me so Amy could go first! :-) we became increasingly nervous as we passed purple-faced people hiking back UP, when we finally arrived at the falls, all we could do was stare. It was perhaps the most specatular sight I've ever beheld, one of those sights that reaffirms your faith in God. After swimming in a nearby swimming hole (couldn't swim close to the falls without risking your life), we hiked back up. I guess we were jazzed enough by the falls that it didn't end up being as difficult as we'd feared.
The thing to do in Arenal/La Fortuna at night is sit around and hope to see the volcano erupt. At night you can often see a spectacular lava show. Unfortunately, the volcano was socked in by a rain cloud so our first night we simply shopped around a little in the town.
The next day we were up early because we were anxious to enjoy our last day in Costa Rica. . .our ridiculously frivilous day of pampering at Tabacon Hot Springs Resort. I was psyched about the spa, but also excited about staying in a place where you could safely flush toilet paper! I enjoyed a morning at the spa that
Vertically Challenged!
This shot gives new meaning to the term. I much prefer ziplining horizontally. included a volcano mud wrap during which my entire (yeah, I'm talkin' entire) body was slathered in hot metamorphic mud. I got to wash off in my own private hot springs river. Of course the Ticos aren't really big on modesty so I got to be paraded through the spa, with many men all around, in just a towel. I was hoping the mud covered the rest! I also treated myself to a Swedish massage and a volcano rock facial, both of which were heavenly.
Amy and I, each wonderfully relaxed after our three spa treatments, opted for soup and a pina colada for lunch at the resort. (Are you seeing a theme here of liquid lunches?) That afternoon our plan was to enjoy the resort's beautiful gardens and multiple hot spring rivers and falls (heated by the volcano 1/8 of a mile away). Unfortunately, we hadn't planned our spa appointments logically to coincide with the typical afternoon thunderstorms so by our second pina colada, we had to rethink our afternoon. We also had the dilemma of not having access to our hotel room for a few more hours. What's a girl to do? Hmmm. . . .after not
Los Montanas
We stopped to enjoy the amazing mountain vistas between Monteverde and Arenal and were happy this trip was a little less eventful. (Notice, we're not green here!) much careful consideration, we opted for a third drink, of course! After that went smoothly down, we still weren't keen on the idea of jeopardizing our lives, as the lightning continued. What's a girl to do? Hmmmm. . .we thought more carefully this time and decided a fourth drink wasn't such a smart idea. Instead, we opted for a fourth SPA treatment!!!! Painful to the pocketbook but bliss for the bod, I selected a reflexology massage this time. It's incredible how they can only touch your feet and make your entire body turn to jelly (Or was that the rum? Hmmm. . .)
Later, we were able to wander the gardens and enjoy the hot springs. You could sit under a hot waterfall and look up to see the volcano--in that respect, the massages continued! After dinner, we were treated to a show because the lava finally made an appearance. We caught happy hour and a few guys from Wisconsin while we enjoyed 2-for-1 drinks at the resort's palapa bar, which had a great view of the volcano. Let's suffice it to say that US 2-for-1 and Costa Rica 2-for-1 rules differ. Tico bartenders serve you two drinks at
once! (Worry not, mis amigos. . . this day was not typical for me in Costa Rica, or in Texas for that matter, so don't start thinking I have a problem.)
But alas, all good things must come to an end. The next morning, we caught our minibus and rode 3 hours (everything in CR is at least 3 hours away!) to Liberia for the flight home. We had a rare treat on that little journey because the entire road, windy and narrow as it was, was completely paved!
And one parting stroke of luck. . .Amy, being in the airline biz, has a guy in every airport so to speak. Her friend, the head honcho for Continental at this airport, greeted us and whisked us around the lengthy check-in lines. Then, after Amy was already on the plane, he asked me for my boarding pass. Of course I handed it to him, he did some pecking on the computer, made a call or two, and handed me back a new boarding pass. . .for First Class! Amy assures me that NEVER happens as it was the equivalent of perhaps a $400 or more upgrade! We both enjoyed
delicious food, ice cream sundaes, and wine (come on, how could we not?!?!) as we winged our way back to the states.
I had two goals in mind when I left for Costa Rica last month. One was to learn Spanish and I can assure you. . . .yo aprende' mucho pero yo nesicito dos or tres mas mesas en Costa Rica antes yo soy con soltura. The other goal was to have a little spiritual renewal leave. To that I say. .TRANQUILA!!!!
Ciao mis amigos!!!
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SaraB
non-member comment
Welcome Back!
Sounds like an amazing trip! Great pics and great stories. Now, back to work!