Earthquakes and Death Wishes

Here was another first for us… smack dab in the middle of an earthquake. It felt like a big truck had slammed into the building (not that I know what that feels like!) and we weren't sure what it was. Although it probably only lasted a few seconds, it felt like forever. As soon as it was over, a crowd of people appeared out of nowhere and exited the restaurant. No one's expression reflected what just happened. No one look afraid or worried. I tried to ask the waitress if what we had just felt was an earthquake, but I didn't know the Spanish word for earthquake. Apparently charades isn't my thing, as I tried to act it out for her. She just looked at me like I was crazy. I don't think she's too far off!

The next morning, groggy eyed but excited, we set off on our 2-day Arenal Tour. We stopped off in Sarchi, a small town known for it's intricate painting of oxen wheels. Here we shopped for souvenirs for our family, unsure if we'd have another opportunity. Next stop… Arenal Volcano! I had seen photos of the volcano spewing beautiful red lava, illuminating the night sky and I could hardly wait to see it in real life. Even just seeing a volcano up close during the day would be exciting. To our dismay, it was so overcast that the entire volcano was hidden from view for the two days we were in La Fortuna. Can you believe it?!

Our disappointment didn't last too long as we gobbled up a buffet lunch at a beautiful resort in Arenal. Afterwards, we had a few hours to ourselves at Baldi Hot Springs. There are a number of hot springs in the area, and Baldi was supposed to be the "budget" option of them all. I found it quite fancy and couldn't imagine what the others would have looked like if that was considered budget! We "spring-hopped" and spent some time in almost all of the fantastic hot springs throughout the resort. Maybe it was just our imagination, but I swear our skin felt ten times softer! The waterfalls, the jets and the hot water made for a divine experience. I highly recommend the hot springs to anyone visiting Costa Rica. There is, however, one thing I'd caution against…

On the very first night of our trip, I met a guy who had been to the hot springs. He told me, under no conditions should I go on the middle slide at the hot springs. A few of his buddies had gone on there and seriously injured their backs and necks. I tucked this information into the back of my mind, along with the fact that scorpions hung out in bathrooms and never to leave my shoes right side up. Fast forward to our evening at Baldi Hot Springs. Me being the crazy girl I am couldn't resist trying out one of the two water slides we came across. There were only two, and thus no "middle slide", so I figured the guy was talking about a different resort. When I climbed to the top of the slide, the lifeguard asked me if I would like to go fast or slow. Fast of course! "Are you sure?" he cautioned. Definitely! I asked him if I should lie back or sit up. He told me to sit up. OMG. As I flew down the slide at mach speed, my back nearly broke at each bend and I could barely catch my breath. I saw water below me, and relieved that the death ride was almost over, I relaxed slightly... and then cracked my back and head off the slide so hard I thought my life would end right there in a four foot pool of water in front of gawking onlookers. But no. I survived. But just barely. Note to all: DO NOT RIDE THE SLIDES AT BALDI HOT SPRINGS. Or if you do, DO NOT ride the "fast one". You are cheating death!

After a sumptuous dinner, we stayed at a gorgeous hotel in Arenal. Ideally, it would have had a gorgeous view of the volcano, but it remained hidden from view for the remainder of our stay in Arenal. We shopped around, drank forties of Imperial (hey! it was almost cheaper than water!) and enjoyed the tico/tica life. The next morning, we were scheduled to catch an early bus back to Liberia to catch our flight home. Bleary eyed and sad that our trip was coming to an end, we packed our bags and waited at the bus stop for the bus to arrive. It never did. We called the company who told us that the bus had stopped and waited for us but we were not there. LIES! We had arrived more than fifteen minutes early. There would be no more buses until the following day. As panic set in realizing that we might miss our flight, we set off to find a solution.

We managed to wrangle a ride from, you guessed it, an unmarked car with a driver who spoke not a word of English! Trying to banish thoughts of us being driven to our deaths or sold to human traffickers, we hopped in with a prayer and a hope for the best. When our driver pulled off the road mid way there, we were sure we were history! Luckily, our lives were spared when we realized it was just car problems! We arrived safely in Liberia and people watched in the busy bus terminal until it was time to fly home.

Costa Rica was an amazing experience. I fell in love with the culture, the customs, and the pura vida way of life. I will be back! And now, the backpacking seed has been planted. On to my next adventure!!!

Men, Monkeys and Organ Trafficking

The Costa Rican adventures continue...

After the coffee tour, it was time to say goodbye to Monteverde and embark on another 4 hour drive to our next destination: Manuel Antonio. We had come to really like Monteverde in the short time we'd been there, and wouldn't have minded spending another few days in Pension Santa Elena. But time was ticking and we had plenty more to experience.

We had a hostel picked out in Manuel Antonio, but while waiting for our ride, we checked through a number of guidebooks. Our hostel wasn't listed in any of them, so we decided to wing it and ended up choosing a similarly priced hotel moments away from the beach. It had a gorgeous pool right outside our room and was steps away from the bustling marketplace. That night, we explored the area and hung out in the pool. The next day, we FINALLY slept in. It was wonderful! But I still felt like I was missing out on the day. I'm definitely not a morning person at home, but when on an adventure vacation, I just can't sleep in. There's too much to see and do to waste time sleeping! Anyway, that day we had a leisurely brunch by the ocean. We then hopped on public transit to Quepos, a neighbouring town where we'd have to buy our bus tickets for our journey to San Jose the following day. Surprisingly, their public transit system is efficient and punctual, albeit sweaty and stinky! By this time, my Spanish was rolling off my tongue (perhaps not in the right tense, though!) and I was able to purchase our bus tickets successfully. We decided to explore the beautiful little town of Quepos, but stopped off at a grocery store for a cold can of Imperial beer first. We weren't sure whether we could drink on the streets, but it was too hot not to!

Back in Manuel Antonio, we had spotted a sign at a club advertising unlimited drinks for five thousand colones ($10). Sounded like a party we couldn't miss! After grabbing a summer dress at the local market for me, we got ready for a night out. When we arrived at the club, I thought we got an odd look from the man at the front collecting our money, but I didn't pay it much mind. The club was empty except for a few guys standing around, so we found a booth in the corner and ordered our first drinks and some nachos. Slowly, the club started filling up. As we looked around, we started to notice a pattern... men, men, and, well, more men. It then dawned on us... we had found ourselves in a gay club!! I was the ONLY girl in the club! The vibe seemed alright and we were already eating comfortably, so we decided to stay. It was a first for both of us, but I can't say it was a bad experience. There were drinks to be had and the food was good. Everyone was friendly and jovial to say the least. We chilled 'til the wee hours of the morning and then called it a night.

The next morning, I was determined to wake up at 6am to see the monkeys. The concierge told us that they feed the monkeys right beside the pool at around 6 every morning. I came all the way to Costa Rica to see monkeys and if it meant waking up early, I was going to do it! Or err... Pres was going to do it! I woke him up at the crack of dawn and asked ever so sweetly if he'd go check the window for me. No monkeys. Again a little while later. Still no monkeys. I finally dragged my butt out of bed and set up camp beside the window. No monkeys to be seen. We didn't let that bother us though, no time for sad feelings! We had to rush to get ready for our sailing and snorkeling tour. Aboard the catamaran, we spotted pelicans, dolphins and beautiful birds. We circled around the infamous Manuel Antonio National Park and snorkeled amongst brightly coloured fish. After snorkeling, we were treated to a delicious meal of fish, rice, and vegetables. Unlike much of the Caribbean and South and Central America that I've visited, I found the people of Costa Rica to be very punctual. When the tour operators realized that our ride back to our hotels was running a bit late, they kindly called and paid for a taxi for all of us.

After the tour, we headed down towards Manuel Antonio National Park and spotted MONKEYS! Tons of them! Our hotel was feeding them and the cute little critters were so well behaved. They grabbed one little piece and leaped back into the trees to enjoy their treat. I soooo badly wanted to run up to one and hug them, but I restrained myself. It took all my strength and willpower, but I left the poor things alone. We had wanted to hike through the National Park, but due to time restraints, we decided to check out the public beach instead. And boy, did we ever get our butts kicked by those waves!! We had a blast riding the waves and getting thrown around. As the afternoon wore on and the waves intensified, we found ourselves being flung and dragged through the ocean. Almost too soon, it was time to get ourselves ready for the bus to San Jose. Amusingly, as brown as our skin is, we both burned! Even as I write this blog, my shoulders continue to peel! Here was another thing to add to my list of firsts on this trip!

Originally we had planned to go into San Jose earlier in the day, but having fallen in love with Manuel Antonio, we decided to delay our departure until later in the evening. As the sun sets around 6:00-6:30pm everyday, it was dark by the time we arrived in San Jose. The city was very well developed with everything from McDonalds to retail stores we'd see in Toronto. As we drove closer to the Coca-Cola bus terminal, I saw a phrase painted on a wall and I realized we were not in Kansas anymore... Organ trafficking. OMG. Panic Moment #4. Flashes of us waking up in a bath of ice filled my mind. As I looked around, I saw coiled barbed wire with BLADES, not twisted wire, on every building. The bus dropped us off, and there were were, in the very bus terminal that the guidebooks warn you about. We hopped into the closest cab (unmarked of course) and headed off to Hostel Bekuo where we had booked in for the night. At first, we thought the hostel was closed, as the gates were shut and locked. We realized that you had to buzz in and the staff would open the gates for you. Tight security everywhere. The place was really nice with great common room facilities and a gigantic game of Scrabble that I was dying to play! Our room was an outside cabin complete with a tv and computer with internet. The front door of the hostel had several warnings posted about not bringing passports or credit card unless absolutely necessary. Whoops. The warnings, barbed wire, and graffiti advertising for organ trafficking, mixed with the cool, damp, darkness of the night added to the sketchiness of San Jose. Our tummies were grumbling so we set off in search of some food nonetheless. I didn't want to venture far, so we stopped off in a Chinese restaurant a few minutes away from the hostel. As we chowed down on our meal, all was well. That is, until the earth began to shake...

Pura Vida!

I've just returned from the trip of a lifetime! Backpacking through Costa Rica was everything I thought it would be and more. Planning the itinerary and getting ready was an adventure in itself, but proved to be great experience. I now feel prepared to pack for anything! The itinerary was jam packed with traveling, adventure and sight-seeing, but ended up being phenomenal.

On Monday, we arrived in Liberia and got settled into our first hotel. There wasn't much to do there, so we just walked around for a bit and hung out. We met up with a fellow traveler who frantically informed us that he had just killed a scorpion IN HIS ROOM!! I felt my heart skip a few beats. The thought of scorpions lurking around every corner made my skin crawl. This was Panic Moment #1! From that moment on, we no longer put our shoes on the floor. We put them upside down and on a shelf every single time we took them off!

Tuesday morning we awoke to the lovely sound of... gunshots! Or so we thought. It can't be confirmed, especially since I've never heard actual gunshots before, but it sounded like it. It was RIGHT OUTSIDE of our hotel window, and accompanied by a brief flash each time a shot rang out. Needless to say, I was terrified! This was definitely Panic Moment #2! After we finally coaxed ourselves back to sleep, it was time to get up bright and early for our transportation into Monteverde, a gorgeous town in the mountains.

Ladies and gentlemen, if you should choose to take a bus into Monteverde, may I warn you to pack lots of Gravol, plastic bags (just in case...) and DON'T eat before you go! That was THE most insane ride of our lives. The roads were unpaved and winded dramatically through the mountain. Each time we turned a corner and the edge of the cliff dangled dangerously close to the tires of our van, I felt sure that we were going to plummet to our deaths. Shaken, nauseous and eager for steady ground, we arrived at Pension Santa Elena, a quaint backpacker's hostel in Monteverde. Upon first arrival, it looked small and grungy. Our opinion changed by the end of our stay, but more about that later. We were greeted with a big smile and lead to our private room with a private bathroom (which is apparently a rare commodity in the backpacking world). Our brightly coloured room, touted as "one of their best", was barely big enough to fit a bed. The bathroom was small, but clean. The room was so hot and humid, but we were just grateful to be off of the bus. We took a quick nap to resettle our stomachs and then set off in search of some comida tipica (typical food).

That night, we decided to embark on a night hike through the rainforest. As we were gathering our flashlights and entering the forest, our guide took this fine moment to inform us that there were mountain lions, jaguars and vipers, among other things, in this rainforest. Ummm... can I get a refund?! But no, we ventured on, us brave souls. At the beginning of the hike, we LOST our guide. Can I repeat that? WE LOST OUR GUIDE WHILE TREKKING THROUGH THE RAINFOREST AT NIGHT! We couldn't see their lights or hear their voices. Without a doubt, this was Panic Moment # 3! I felt like a gourmet burger to onlooking mountain lions. We finally found the rest of the group and despite my initial fears, had a wonderful time exploring the rainforest at night. We saw a sloth hanging in the trees (sloths are my new loves, btw), a scary preying mantis type thing (completely forgot the name... any ideas? Started with a "c"), a click beetle that lights up and is named for the clicking noise it makes when it is turned on it's back, and a gross, hairy, ugly tarantula (This would have been Panic Moment # 4, but the spider only came out of it's hole for a moment before scurrying back in... maybe it sensed my hatred). It was while walking through the rainforest at night with fireflies lighting our path that I realized how blessed we are to be able to experience world travel. It was certainly a once in a lifetime opportunity.

That night, we had dinner at a neat restaurant called the "Treehouse" which, (you guessed it!) was built in a tree. We had nachos and guaro, which is a local alcoholic drink made from sugar cane molasses. When we got back to the hostel, everyone was milling around the common area and sharing pictures from their adventures. It was this night that I realized I could actually come to love the hosteling life, and this hostel in particular. It was nothing to look at, but it was such a neat experience meeting people from all over the world that had so many interesting stories to tell. Everyone was friendly, helpful and excited. It felt like a mix between summer camp and university residence. The energy and the feeling of carefree youth was contagious and I found myself not wanting to leave.

Wednesday morning we were up bright and early for what ended up being a private tour through the coffee fields. The coffee yielded from these plantations are said to be superior due to the altitude that it is grown at. It was incredibly fascinating to learn how committed Costa Ricans (or Ticos/Ticas as they are called) are to the sustainability of their ecosystems. They plant other trees, such as banana trees, around their coffee plants to prevent them from depleting the soil of nutrients and rendering the land useless. The banana trees not only provide the soil with organic matter to keep it flourishing, but they also provide shade for the coffee trees. The coffee is all fair trade, and all purchases help to not only provide farmers with sufficient income for their output, but also to educate the community on sustainability and assist the farmers with educating their children. Overall, I just loved the morally and ecologically conscientious mentality of Costa Ricans. It just serves as a reminder that us Westerners do NOT have all of the answers. It would do us good to take a step down off of our pedestals and learn from other nations that may actually have a superior way of living. If we all learn from one another and operate in harmony, this world would be a much better place.

Anyway, much more to write, but I'll break our adventures down into several entries. Hope you enjoy reading about our adventures as much as we enjoyed experiencing them! Stay tuned for the next posting...