Costa Rica Trip Diary

Added 16 March 2007. Pictures and stories from our trip to Costa Rica, February 4–13. Page 1 | 2

Preparation

As usual, Jean did most of the research. After reading an interesting article about it in MoneySense, we had been considering Chile. but I didn't want to take a full two weeks off (though Jean already had that much booked), and Chile is far! Didn't seem to make sense to have such long flights and stay for only 10 days. So, we returned to Costa Rica, which we'd had in mind to visit for a few years now. Although we'd never take an organized tour before, it just seemed a sensible approach for this "eco-focused" country. After my dismissing a relatively rustic Canadian tour (OK, I'm a wimp) and another in which all the interesting activities seemed to be "optional add-ons", we went with Caravan tours, recommended by Fodors.

Caravan didn't include flights as part of the package, so we booked that bit on Expedia. Air Canada's direct flights were somewhat expensive, and the cheapest option—a small airline that transferred through Phoenix, making the trip twice as long as it needed to be, seemed crazy—so we went with Continental's transfer through New Jersey.

Getting there

Turned out Jean had a conference in Toronto the end of the week leading up to our week off—including Saturday. Hence the Sunday start of our vacation.

We packed ahead (all summer stuff anyway), and Jean took most of the luggage with him when he left for the conference on Wednesday. Saturday afternoon, I took the bus up to join him. The line-up at Greyhound was crazy! Is this typical now? Good thing I was early or I would have to wait for the next bus. But bus definitely loses its convenience if you have to plan ahead for it.

It was freezing cold in Toronto (and Waterloo). But, given that we were heading to tropical weather, we didn't want to have winter coats and boots with us. We managed with layers—plus keeping the gloves and toques. It worked reasonably well for our relatively short walks outside there, but there was no real hiding from the wind, and I did sorely wish I had long johns under my not-wool pants.

Dinner in Toronto was supposed to be at Jamie Kennedy's, but Jean had also been looking for a place to take important clients out to, and guess what he picked? Then he decided he didn't really want to go there two nights in a row. So we went to Red's Wine Bistro. Which really was very nice. They specialize in matching wines to food—every menu item has a glass of wine on offer—and they do that very well. They also happened to be having a Winter-licious special on, which I took, pointing out to Jean that my whole meal was cheaper than just his entree.

The cold dampened any enthusiasm we had for walking in Toronto Sunday morning, so after breakfast we headed to the airport plenty early. It worked out well; they were expecting delays out of New Jersey due to winds, so they put us on an earlier flight to increase the odds of our making our connection. Indeed, our new flight is delayed, but we still get there earlier than we would have on our original one (had it been on time).

The flight to Costa Rica is also delayed, though, this time in part because it's overbooked and they keep having to bribe people to fly the next morning instead. Though we briefly consider that a night in New York might be fun, overall we want to stick with getting the entire Costa Rican tour we paid for, so we stay pat.

When we finally take off, the winds make the flight itself slightly longer than scheduled; it feels longer than the five hours it is. We get there around 11:00 at night and are greeted by Caravan staff, who quickly drive us off to our hotel. One other couple from the tour was on our flight: a young couple from Norway who aren't too talkative this evening but who prove to be fun once we get to know them a little better later on.

The hotel itself is pretty much like a Holiday Inn anywhere. We don't have time for much but to get to bed and be ready for the next day.

Day 1: San José

We're up at 6:45 for our hotel breakfast (not bad; lots of tropical fruit and fresh omelets available) then on the bus for an 8:00 departure to Poas Volcano park. On the way, tour guide Rosita gives us some history of Costa Rica, which is pretty interesting. Some highlights:

• Costa Rica's lack of mineral riches caused it to develop much differently than other Latin American countries. It wasn't worth fighting over or plundering, so people living there would left alone to cope, surviving on the agricultural richness. So there are no ruins to visit here.
• The country has no army but does have a good, state-run healthcare systems. (What Rosita doesn't say is that these facts are connected: the military was abolished and the savings used to fund the healthcare system.)
• While there are some poor people and some rich ones, the majority are middle-class. (Indeed, we later note far fewer beggars in San Jose than in most big cities we visit.)

The Poas volcano is one you can walk right up to and look down into—except that it's often completely shrouded by clouds. This day, though there are cloud coverings, it does periodically clear for us to take a peak. It's not quite interesting enough to stay and gawk at for our entire allotted time, though, so we do a nearby hike, which gives us views of a lagoon.

Looking down into the volcano. (Can't tell from this, but it was a beautiful sunny day.)

View of the lagoon

After a nice stop for lunch, we're bused back to San José and dropped off at the National Theatre building. From there, we walk to the Gold Museum, which has some interesting archeological exhibits. Then we're back at the hotel, with free time for the rest of the day.

We decided to take a walk around San José. It's heading into rush hour at this point, and it's quite the hectic city. With all the zooming cars about, it's really not a relaxing walk, but at least we get our exercise. We then stopped off at an art gallery that had some interesting paintings, but we decided against buying anything on the first day. (We know we're back in San José at the end.) Unfortunately, on the way out of there, Jean twists his ankle on a dip in the sidewalk. Though it doesn't prevent us from doing any of the activities, it's destined to bug him for the rest of our time there, and for a while after we're home as well.

Day 2: Aerial tram en route to Tortuguero

It's our earliest departure day, with bags having to be out by 5:30 and ourselves on the bus by 6:15. At this point, because we're heading by boat to a National Park, we can't bring all our luggage. We pack into a smaller bag for the next couple days, and the big luggage is stored until the stop after that.

The drive takes us past pineapple plantations. We go into the rainforest for an aerial tram ride. It's a beautiful day, and the ride is pretty cool. You really feel immersed in the rainforest atmosphere as you slowly glide above it. The guide pointed out various birds, butterflies, spiders, orchids, trees, ferns, and other vegetation.

Rainforest scenes

Afterward, a very lively guide takes us on a short hike through the forest. The most interesting animal we see is a sloth, but we also spot birds, squirrels, and more spiders, and learn more about the vegetation of the rainforest.

Waiting for the rest of the group to finish, we visit the gift shop, and buy some very delicious chocolates as well as neat recycled paper products. Lunch follows at a restaurant that has a beautiful garden in the back, with neat plants that attract colorful birds.

The rest of the day is mostly travel, during which we entertain ourselves with an audiobook (Mark Hadon's A Spot of Bother, at this point). We later discover our book listening is entertaining others as well, as the book has some rather funny parts we can't help reacting to. Anyway. A big part of the drive is through this big Dole banana plantation, which is sort of interesting at first, but it's really big, and eventually you tire of looking at blue-bagged banana plants. (The bags coat the bananas in pesticides. Isn't that nice?) Also a bit weird is that we get this police escort on motor cycle through that whole part of the drive. Rosita a bit cagey on why that is. But she makes it clear we aren't allowed to get out anywhere in the banana plantation. Hmm.

After that is a boat ride out to our resort in Tortuguero. We're greeted with drinks and snacks by the young and attractive staff at that resort, then are assigned our rooms. As promised, they are nothing fancy—no luxuries like phones, televisions, or air conditioning. But there is a decent bed, overhead fans, showers, electricity. And the resort includes a beautiful pool and a bar area looking out at the beach. (You can't swim here due to the crocodiles.) Here we do a little talking with Amy, a single woman from California who has done a number of interesting trips.

The lodging area of Tortuguero park

And the pool area

It's otherwise a pretty quiet evening. Presentation about the park followed by dinner, then we read by the bar area. The biggest excitement comes when something large skitters by us and I scream. Turns out to be just a crab.

Day 3: Tortuguero rivers and town

Morning features a two and half hour boat tour during which we see a lot of wild life—howler monkeys, spider monkeys, white-faced monkeys, blue herons, vultures, caimans (like small crocodiles), turtles, white egrets, sloths, iguanas, geckoes..

Just a small sample of the wildlife we saw..

After a snack at the lodge, we're boated to the village of Tortuguero for a little visit there. We first visit the Turtle Interpretation Center, where we see a film on efforts to save the long-lived sea turtles that were being hunted to near extinction. Then a short walk on a beautiful Caribbean beach brought us to the village itself. It was very small, and just didn't look like a Canadian town at all...

Walk on the beach

Street in Tortuguero Village

After lunch and and a dip in the pool, we're off on a second boat tour, visiting different canals and such. Again we're able to see a lot of wildlife, particularly a lot of birds.

And yet more wildlife viewed—these are all especially nice photos, aren't they?

Back at the bar, we have talk to a couple from Massachusetts who manage to do a fair amount of travelling even on the mere 2 weeks of a vacation Americans typically get. (Many of the other Americans were teachers, which gave them much more time for travel, of course).

Then a Caribbean band is brought in to entertain us. At first everyone is fairly subdued. Jean tries to get me dancing, but I'm hesitant to be the only ones on the floor. But with time, they are able to persuade just about everyone to get up and shake their maracas, and it's a lot of fun.

Day 4: Road to Arenal

We're awoken early by the sounds of the howler monkeys—something we'd somehow slept through the night before. But there's no doing that today. Jean went out to investigate, and found that monkeys were right there, by our cabin, jumping around on roofs.

Smallish monkey; big sound!

Then after breakfast, we too another boat ride out of the park, spotting more wildlife on the way, such as spider monkeys, little bats, and crocodiles.

The reason not to swim in the ocean at Tortuguero

Then it's a bus ride to the same lunch place as before, then we're off to another wildlife refuge, which has a suspension bridge. It's also known for the red-eyed frogs that Costa Rica is famous for, but we don't see any; not the right season, perhaps.

Then it's more riding toward Arenal volcano area. It's a nice drive, actually; we see fruit plantations and gradually get volcano views.

Our Arenal lodgings are very nice. Everybody is in a lovely little cabin (with TV, phone, and air conditioning), and each cabin has a view of the active volcano. When it gets dark we are able to see the lava flowing, and Jean managed to get a couple good shots.

Continue to page 2: Hot springs, blonde monkeys, cloud forests, beaches, and coffee plantations