Every
trip brings new adventures and even though it might be a second to trip to an
area I can always learn and see something new, as was the case when I took my
grandchildren to Costa Rica.
The city of San Jose, established in 1737, is the capital of Costa Rica.
Little of the colonial period survives today. Located in the fertile Central Valley, at 3-4000 feet above sea level, the
climate is mild and spring-like all year. The city developed and grew around
the coffee bean. Avenues run east to
west, and streets (calle)
run north to south. The large
crowded city has all the problems that large cities with dense populations bring. The city infrastructure is in disrepair in
many places. Holes in sidewalks can be deep and are uncovered. One really must
watch where he steps. Gutters are very deep and wide. It would be a tough city
for anyone handicapped.
Costa Rica has seven provinces. One
percent of the population is Indian. The culture on the Caribbean
coast is quite different from the rest of the country as it has a greater
African and Jamaican influence. There is no welfare system, nor nursing homes
as families take care of their own. Only six of the 150 volcanoes are
active. Guanacaste is a large shade tree
as well as an area/state in the country.
We walked
across a 300-foot long swinging bridge spanning a flowing jungle river. The
hiking trails were on the opposite side, however, we found the gate locked.
On the way to the Carara Biological Reserve we crossed a river known for its
crocodiles, and we saw several. The area is a nesting area for the scarlet
macaw. We saw two flying. During the drive we viewed the pretty Pacific coastline and the
many African palm plantations. Our destination was Manuel Antonio National Park.
There seemed to be several beaches that
ran together. We hiked over a rocky dirt road for about twenty minutes to get
to the beach. The sand was fine, light in color with specs of black. The clear
warm water was turquoise blue and calm.
After a couple of hours suddenly a group of monkeys appeared at beach
level. Several were carrying a baby on her back. They were playful and
entertained us for some time. One woman sunning on the beach was surprised when
a monkey approached her towel and stole a cracker from her package before
scampering off to eat it. I think they were squirrel monkeys that are found in
the lower tree areas and travel in groups, where the capuchins prefer the
higher parts of the trees.
The park and beach area, covering 1700 acres, is
a critical habitat for many migratory birds from the UC and Canada. The area includes
four beaches, which seemed to run all together, rainforest, islands, and bird sanctuaries
On the walk from the beach, we took a smooth
sandy path where we saw several different iguanas, a couple sloths, a pig, a
deer, a new fawn and a raccoon.
We had a wonderful few days in Tortoguero National Park which is accessible
only by boat. There are no roads to or in the area. Tortoguero means region of turtles and it home to and
the most important sponning and nesting grounds in the western hemisphere for the endangered green turtle. The area is home
to 111 species of reptiles, 60 species mammals, 309 birds and 57 amphibians.
Our quarters were rustic and comfortable. The village
has no roads, cars, sidewalks or shopping areas. For the nature lover it is well
worth a visit for at least a couple of days.
A little white water rating. At the Sarapiqui River a young gal instructed us
on safety precautions in case anyone fell out of the raft. Then she fitted us to
life jackets and helmets
After navigating several class II and III rapids,
we stopped at a small beach pull out area where we climbed a small cliff and jumped
off into the water to float back down river to the rafts. This was extremely hard
for this old water safety and swim instructor, but after considerable self talk
I held my helmet and glasses and jumped. Once was enough tho and I left repeat antics
to the younger crowd.
After another seven miles down river we pulled
off onto a sandy beach for lunch. The friendly guides flipped one of the rafts over
and then set out a nice sandwich buffet lunch for us.
After a
leisurely lunch and much animated conversation we took the van back to the hotel
to change clothes for the afternoon visit to a rain forest preserve.
No comments:
Post a Comment