Costa Rica

 

Costa Rica

March 2024

 

           Our travels have not included Central America. Well, a brief dip into Nogales, Mexico, during a trip to Arizona in 1987, but not enough to check off the region. Costa Rica has much to recommend it. One of the most “biodiverse” countries in the world, with some 5% of the world’s species. Been called the birthplace of ecotourism; 12 different life zones, 20 national parks, 26 protected areas, 9 forest reserves, 8 biological reserves, & 7 wildlife sanctuaries. All this packed into an area about the size of West Virginia. Climate seems quite agreeable: average highs about 80 don’t vary much by month and March looks the best for rainfall. Costa Rica is also described as a “safe paradise” with a very stable political climate. Last but not least: rave reviews from a surprising number of friends who’ve been there; we seem to be latecomers, guess we didn’t get the memo.

Costa Rica was inhabited by indigenous peoples before coming under Spanish rule in the 16^th C following Columbus’ arrival on his final New World voyage in 1502. In 1821 Costa Rica joined other Central American provinces in a joint declaration of independence from Spain. Following a brief  Civil War in 1948 its army was abolished, becoming one of only a few countries without a standing army, and there has been uninterrupted democratic rule since then. According to stats in Wikipedia, Costa Rica ranks well on various world indicators: higher “human development” than countries at the same income levels, 98% literacy, the 8^th freest press, 35^th most democratic, and 23^rd happiest country. We’ve done a number of trips with Gate1, which has several options for Costa Rica. The “10 Day Classic Costa Rica with Manuel Antonio” offers a quite comprehensive itinerary from mountains & volcanos to rain forests to coastal beaches.

Preparations? No vaccine requirements or COVID tests. Currency will take some calculating: $1 = 512 colón ₡ (named for Columbus) (1₡ = 100 céntimos). [Turns out we don’t have to deal with local currency, thanks to credit cards & general acceptance of US money.] We’ve had a relatively warm winter, not a lot of snow, tho recent temps into the 20s! One good omen: March 1 sightings of robins. We’re happy to anticipate lows in 60s & highs in 80s in Costa Rica. Need to dig out summer clothes.

           

Wednesday before departing I sing with the Mendelssohn Club at Beltrone Living Center for Colonie Senior Service Centers, for which I’m a long-time Board member & Past President. We preview some of the Broadway music for our full Spring Concert in May. And we’ve just been contacted about singing during the June Belmont Fest at the Saratoga track. The Belmont Stakes, last leg of the Triple Crown for 3-year-old thoroughbreds, is up here due to construction at the NYC track. An exciting opportunity to sing the national anthem & some of our Broadway music before a crowd of 40,000+! Marjorie has her own artistic endeavor Tuesday: teaching 2 classes on alcohol ink arranged by artist friend Tom Myott at the Shirt Factory, an artist community in Glens Falls.

Ch 13 shows up at Beltrone, good interviews & videos. The gig is followed by our usual Wed. night rehearsal, finishing about 9:30. Then home for final packing. We pondered getting a motel for the night before our very early flight, but decided we’d only be able to get a few hours sleep out of it. So it’s off to NYC about 11:30pm. A mostly rainy drive but not much traffic and thankfully not the flooding we had last Fall. Tappan Zee & Whitestone Bridges look different in the rain & fog. To JFK Long Term Parking at 2:45am, shuttle to the airport. Pretty quiet, thru check-in & security. 

Thursday, March 7: “Do You Know the Way to San Jose?”

Our 2½-hour flight on time to Miami for a 3½ hour layover. Some nice exhibits: student art, "Peace and Love." Colorful shops. Into a cafe for some breakfast, greeted by "The End for Russ?" on TV. It's OK, reference is to an NFL quarterback.  

On-time departure, a bit early into San Jose about 2:30pm. Mountain views coming in, a mix of clouds & sun, mid-80s. Lines to navigate thru passport control & customs, but all in order, bags waiting for us. We connect with Gabriela from Gate1. Thought there would be others for our tour, but just us for the drive into the city & the Hilton Garden Inn. Gabriela says we'll meet Tour Manager Rafael tomorrow. Past mountains, pretty flowering trees, caught in a traffic jam for a while. San José, located in the Central Valley, is the largest city in Costa Rica (335,000).

The hotel is in the Sabana Business Center next to Sabana Park, the country's largest urban park considered "the lungs of San José." A large artificial lake and the National Stadium. Up to our 16^th floor room, nice view toward the mountains, beautiful Vatican embassy below; and a view from the lobby of the impressive National Stadium (used mostly for futbol, I presume). By chance we encounter Rafael in the elevator, returning from "the jungle" with part of our group who started 3 days earlier in Tortuguero. There will be 38 altogether in our group. Too tired to explore, dinner at nearby Smashburger.

 

Friday, March 8: “La Pure Vida”

           A pretty sunrise & beautiful AM, noisy birds below in the trees. [About now I usually insert some “in the news” to place our travels into a current events context. But we have little access to English TV. Just as well, these days.] Marjorie does her daily WORDLE; she has currently played 362 consecutive games with only 4 losses. As instructed we put luggage out in the hallway and head down to breakfast. We feel like the "new kids at school," but everyone is welcoming, including 2 women from the Albany area! They had a good start, lots of wildlife. The group meets with Rafael: "La Pure Vida," common AM greeting among ticos (locals). We learn our group of 38 combines people on 7, 10, and 13 day tours. Onto the bus with driver Carlos. Let the touring begin!

Like any tour guide, Rafael provides a mix of factual & humorous info about what we see & where we’re headed. Too much, of course, to retain or report it all; I’ll make my usual attempt to capture highlights. One key local note: cars do not yield to pedestrians!  Past the house of Nobel Peace Prize recipient Oscar Arias. Pretty pink & yellow flowering trees. I resume my touring efforts to take photos from a moving bus, always a crap shoot. Rafael notes the peacefulness of Costa Rica, asserts that veggie eaters are the happiest people (a theme continued later) and extols the health benefits of cacao. The #1 moneymaker is tourism; surprisingly, medical equipment is #2, coffee only 7^th. Beautiful views of the city as we drive out, but slowed by a big traffic jam that seems common here. Onto the Panamerican Highway that runs from Alaska to Argentina. Rafael hands out coffee candy to help stay awake.

            Volcanos to the right. Costa Rica has 114 volcanos, 5 active. Rafael tells a rather convoluted story of national hero Juan Santamaria, a young drummer boy who helped defeat mercenaries to preserve the country’s independence. Rafael says quaro, the “national drink” from distilled sugar cane, is the cheapest way to get drunk. Into Grecia. A lot of expats in this area due to favorable climate & prices. International Living named Costa Rica “the best place to retire” in 2024. Cathedral & small park. Lunch at La Cosecha Soda y Restaurante (“soda” is the word for diner). A nearby church & park, then what seems an endless line of auto dealers. Then past sugar cane fields.

 

         Into Sarchí, known as the “arts and crafts capital of the country.” Decorative oxcarts here date to the early 19^th C when Costa Rica started exporting coffee. Roads connecting coffee farms of the central valley to a port on the Pacific coast were so rough massive oxen pulling carts were needed for a trip that could take 10-15 days. The carts are the Costa Rican National Symbol of Work, and a UNESCO Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. We see the largest oxcart in the world. A stop at a coop souvenir & gift shop with colorful oxcart theme. Lovely trees. A red all-metal Catholic church, built to survive earthquakes. Partly cloudy & hazy as we rise above 6000’ close to the continental divide.

 

         A stop for a Wow! view of large topiary in front of a pretty church.

 

Then up into the clouds on a very winding road very common in our drives; the driver has to do a lot of maneuvering to manage turns. Rafael talks about the 1968 eruption that “turned day into night,” and explains differences between Hawaiian & Costa Rican lava. Credit to locals at La Fortuna for turning the volcano into a profitable tourist industry. The sun is coming out for views of Arenal volcano, clouds covering the very top. A stop at a pretty park, church, and artisan market (Marjorie’s kind of people). 

Past a Sloth Park to our hotel Arenal Paraiso, surrounded by tropical gardens, walking paths, and hot springs with spectacular views of Arenal Volcano (tho clouds often obscure the top). 

We gather with Rafael for drinks, introduce ourselves, then back to La Fortuna for dinner at Restaurante Inspira. Back to the hotel, a hike up to our own little cottage. The hotel is a large campus, thankfully shuttles help get around.

 

Saturday, March 9: “The Volcano is Out!”

            We awaken to sounds of howler monkeys (such big sounds from such little critters!) & many birds. A pretty sunrise. I join other photographers with views of toucans, turkeys; and a yellow bird, very pretty (as a song goes). 

Some early clouds dissipate to give a fabulous view of the volcano looming over us! Such a beautiful spot for breakfast. Yesterday’s bus & driver were temporary, today we have our beautiful bus and driver Marvin pull in for the rest of the trip. 

Be careful walking over not to disturb a line of industrious ants. Onto the bus with rotating seating chart each day. Now we move from the back to the front, which turns out to be a mixed blessing- little leg room.

 

           Rafael tries to take credit for the views, toucans, etc., talks about the different monkey species & sloths we’ll see. We bring bananas along to hopefully attract a group of white-faced Capuchin monkeys who have learned to eat them (it’s not part of their normal diet). Thru agricultural areas. By a restaurant where up to 400 iguanas congregate to be fed; we see more than a dozen in the trees. Pineapple plantations, Dole a key figure in developing the industry. Costa Rica is the #1 exporter to the US. A pretty AM, mix of clouds & sun. 

Rich red soil, orange groves & sugar cane. To the town of Chiles, a walk to a pier only 3 km south of Nicaragua. Today’s main event: a boat tour down the Rio Frio in Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge: 25,100 acres of wetlands, 300+ species of birds (storks, roseate spoonbills, ibis, ducks), other animals include crocodiles, caimans, iguanas, howler & spider monkeys, tapirs, and many more species. Perhaps we’ll even see some Jesus Christ Lizards running across the water! The Río Frío has good fishing for snook, guapote, alligator gar, drum, and huge tarpon. Capt. Luis & Rafael will work at spotting wildlife, in communication with other boats.

            Some views of vultures as we walk to the pier. There’s a cayman, anhinga & branch birds, JC lizards (but not walking on the water), family of howlers with baby, tortoise, cormorants, a line of bats on a tree trunk, kingfishers, chubana. Rafael and some howlers yell at each other, but no interest in our bananas. Rafael spots a 3-toed sloth, but it’s hard to make out. [Thruout the trip lush vegetation can make it hard to get clear views/photos. Looking thru Rafaels’ scope often helps.] A kapok “tree of life.” Cute little swallows flitting about. There’s so much here, hard to keep track!

            We cross the Nicaraguan border. Some in our group pose with the Nicaraguan flag. Can I count this as a country visited? An anhinga tries to swallow a big fish but drops it; too much pressure from an audience? A bright red summer tanager. Plenty warm now, mix of sun & clouds. Rafael says there’s a large contingent of Venezuelans in this area hoping to make their way to North America. I take sample photos of housing, sodas on the way back to the hotel. Later Rafael shows a video of a sloth giving birth; the baby seems to shoot out! Back to our room to find that the maid has left adorable towel sculptures on the beds.

            This evening is our 1^st optional tour: EcoTermales Hot Springs, “a sanctuary of pleasure, nature, and beauty.” Four geothermal pools at different temps, one with a cascading waterfall to stand beneath. Dinner included in a traditional Costa Rican kitchen housed in colonial architecture. A fine way to relax at the end of another enjoyable day.

Sunday, March 10: “The Land of Sunsets, Rainbows, and Moonbows”

            A morning serenade of roosters & howler monkeys. No volcano at first, lost in fog, but clearing during breakfast. We note that no mosquitos yet, but there is a weird bug on our porch. Photos ops of pretty vegetation, pintos in the field. 

We bring our “whispers” to hear the guide during today’s “brisk” 2-mile hike in Arenal National Park. 

Arenal Volcano National Park covers 29,692 acres in the central part of the country. [Note: Recent volcano eruptions in Iceland, Indonesia, & Hawaii. Hope that’s not an omen.] The park has 2 volcanoes: 5,357’ Arenal & 3,740’ Chato. The latter has been inactive nearly 3500 years with a “picture perfect” lagoon in its collapsed crater. Arenal is the country’s most active volcano with consistent lava flows since July 1968 when 3 craters burst open along the western flank. “Crater A” set off a flow of hot rocks & toxic gas that spread 12 km, devastating 2 towns and killing 87 people. Eruption activity migrated to “Crater C” in 1973, staying active to the present. Lake Arenal at the base supplies 12% of the country’s hydroelectric energy. Wind farms on the opposite side of the lake catch strong gales from the Tilarán mountains. The Miravalles Volcano Geothermic Plant taps into volcanic activity.

First stop: a wall of lava from 1510 eruptions, now overgrown by forest. The next eruption may be in another 458 years, since volcanos tend toward regularity. The river here is 104º, which was a warning sign of the 1968 eruption. A nearby field has large craters from “lava bombs”. 

We continue thru very tall king grass, visited by white-throated magpie jays. Rafael notes pharmaceutical uses of plants found here. Scat & scattered leaves are evidence of monkeys eating. Several coatimundi along the road. 

African violets & other pretty flora. It’s become rather steamy, glad to have my precautionary collapsible cane. We join some others to turn back before having to climb around large lava blocks; discretion is the better part, you know. We find the parking lot quite full now. 

Onto a dam built with lava rocks to form large Lake Arendal which we follow on our drive. More coatimundi along the road.

Rafael says Monteverde is the “Land of Sunsets, Rainbows, and Moonbows.” The area was built up by Quakers from Alabama. Very hilly terrain, lush vegetation, horses & cows in fields, pretty towns. A hot, most sunny PM, quite windy.

 We stop at a pretty park by a church. Even the pigeons are colorful here! 

Among several choices, we opt for Chinese lunch at Restaurante a Lago. Marjorie completes her daily WORDLE on the last try. Rafael points out the Children’s Eternal Rainforest, a preserve funded by children from 44 countries shown in BBC’s The Misty Forest, and notes how global warming is disturbing rain forest ecology. Applause for Marvin crossing a narrow “peligro!” bridge. 

Past a large wind farm catching trade winds among beautiful hills & panoramas. Costa Rica is more mountainous that we expected. A lot of time on the bus today, a free AM tomorrow will be welcomed.

We settle into our El Establo Hotel, established by Quakers on 150 acres in the heart of the conservation area of Monteverde. Another large hotel campus with shuttles up & down the hills. It’s a “Mountain Hotel,” indeed. 

A coatimundi wanders across the lawn in front of our room, a beautiful mountain vista beyond, turkey on a balcony above. 

Another optional tour: an informative tour of craft beer production at Monteverde Brewery followed by tasty pub dinner. A glass for son Matt’s collection.

Monday, March 11: “Orchids to Coffee”

We don’t sleep so well, very windy up here on the hill, tired from yesterday’s combo of driving & hiking, plus I’m stuffed up & coughing some- allergies reminiscent of Marjorie’s reaction to olive tree pollen in Greece. Best weather so far, breezy & cooler, 66-74, nice sunshine. I sit outside as a coatimundi wanders close by, paying me no heed. Shuttle down to breakfast. Another Gate1 tour is leaving here today. We’ve chosen to “spend the morning at leisure” instead of either of the more strenuous optional Canopy and Hanging Bridges “adventures” in the Monteverde Cloud Forest. We have a smaller ecological experience in mind: an orchid garden in town.

A taxi into town, garden not open yet so we wander after arranging a return with our driver Freddie. Colorful murals & shops (some purchases are made); 

sloth images are everywhere we go, from coffee mugs to stuffed animals to Christmas ornaments to building murals. 

A pretty little Catholic church. Occasional light spritzing from passing clouds. Back to the garden for a very informative tour. So many varieties of orchids, so many photos! 

But I can’t smell a thing. Our young guide, also stuffed up, commiserates. He’s very knowledgeable after only working here a week! Into a pretty café next door, very relaxing, nice music, to wait for Freddie. Back to the hotel to commune some more with my coatimundi buddy.

We rejoin the group for lunch and a tour of a traditional Costa Rican coffee farm. Costa Rican coffee is considered some of the world’s best, reflecting growing conditions of volcanic soil and high-altitude climate in the Central Valley, and a well-established coffee culture. There are nearly 40,000 coffee growers, mostly small farms. We enter Monteverde Café past nice inscriptions by children. 

A hearty lunch, finished by creamy coconut ice cream. This is comprised of 20 small farms on 42 acres, families have been working here for 30 years, mostly from Nicaragua & Panama; 45% of what’s produced goes to the US. The coffee is planted among oranges, limes, sour guava, sweet corn, green beans, encouraging soil diversity. 

A 2-toed sloth is curled up in a tree above us. A view of the Cloud Forest, a moment of silence “to appreciate this place.” 

We learn about a very detailed, complex process; year 4 produces plants that will last 15-30 years. Tastings of various roastings; tho I still can’t taste or smell very well. An excellent enjoyable tour on a beautiful afternoon.

 

           Farewell Dinner #1 in town, as some of our group will be splitting off tomorrow. I enjoy a huge Iconic Morpho’s Hamberguer. A little misty rain as the sun lowers and becomes a beautiful evolving sunset.

Tuesday, March 12: “Rainbows and Blue Zones”

 

           Rain during the night and into the morning, then brightening up. Marjorie pronounces a “great shower,” a key feature of travel enjoyment. But what seems the heaviest furniture, especially chairs. Onto the bus, Stacy gives a humorous show-and-tell of purchased t-shirts & socks. A beautiful rainbow, curving all the way to touch down in the village! Views of the Cloud Forest & Children’s Eternal Rainforest. Rafael talks about the effects of deforestation, noting that 150K acres are now protected. A photo stop overlooking the beautiful countryside. Marjorie loses a favorite scarf blown away by high winds here.

            Back on the bus Rafael talks about the Nicoya Peninsula, home to one of the world’s 5 “blue zones” where people live very long healthy lives (perking up my gerontologist ears). Research looks at possible shared factors; Rafael extols the benefits of beans. Some of our group will be breaking away today to end their tour. Rafael has test questions for them, with prizes of coffee, cacao, etc. Then a stop to split up into 2 buses; our group is down to 21 now. 

A café with incredible furniture & animal sculptures from rain forest wood. 

Back on the Panamerican Highway, passing dry countryside. Rafael notes that we’ll be visiting Manuel Antonio National Park, the smallest & most visited NP in Costa Rica. Entrance can be very bureaucratic, so be sure to have ID. Briefly thru a smoky area, maybe a brushfire? 

A lunch stop at an open-air mall in Jaco, a popular spot for surfers. Tasty lime/blueberry pie. Short walk to a pretty beach area.

            On the road, a viewpoint stop. Iguana in a tree, a few colorful macaws. Along a rugged coastline, waves crashing on rocks. Over a river with crocodiles. Busy public beach with hang glider. 

To our hotel on the Pacific Coast, Shana by the Beach. Well, not actually “by” the beach - there’s a “jungle trail” down to the beach, with 132 steps! Much easier access to hotel pools with views of the bay. Rafael suggests various restaurant options via taxi, but too tired & too hot to go very far. The hotel restaurant seems just fine. Squirrel, white-face, & howler monkeys around. We’re advised to keep balcony doors locked to keep monkeys from opening to “party” in the room. Very friendly staff, golf cart rides to manage steep hills between buildings. Pizza & wine dinner overlooking the pretty pools, a monkey climbing around balconies. Back to the room, gekkos flitting around the walls outside. A beautiful sunset.

Wednesday, March 13: “Killers of Costa Rica”

            A bit overcast to start. Beautiful grounds, lush vegetation. Many pretty birds: gray-neck woodgrail, yellow-headed karakara, and others whose names I can’t even approximate. 

To the pretty hotel restaurant for breakfast. Monkeys were very busy at breakfast here yesterday, but none today. Tho there is a toucan. 

We have an optional Catamaran Cruise today. On the way a colorful macaw flies next to the bus. Down thru town to the marina. An iguana on the sidewalk.

            Onto the large boat we have to ourselves. A litany of rules includes “Do not vomit in the toilet” and “No love scenes.” Clouds lift, nice sun. It’s plenty hot today, but OK on the boat. A pretty coastline, rugged outcroppings. 

A pause by the National Park, past a public beach, some hang-gliders. Lunch of fish & rice. 

A pause to allow snorkeling by those who wish, others (including Marjorie) dance to good music. A highlight: a pod of dolphins swims right by the boat. 

Back to the marina, I’m able to use an ATM with English option. Past a house with large decorative critters.

            Views of the coast as we return to our hotel. I opt to do a Jungle Night Walk arranged via the hotel; friend John Wilhelm raved about this from his Costa Rica trip. Joined by Michael from our group, picked up by Juan for a short drive to Sukia Park Wildlife Refuge. It’s hot & humid, have to watch out for my camera lens fogging up. Joined by a mother with son (20) & daughter (16) from Iowa. 

Outfitted with flashlights we follow Juan. Right away a sloth & toucan in the trees. A “clumsy beetle,” with some link to Harry Potter, wolf spiders & tarantulas, fire ants. A fer-de-lance, one of the deadliest venomous snakes! We follow instructions to walk very quietly away. Another almost as deadly snake. A quieter time with beautiful butterflies in an enclosed garden. Then crocodiles, including 16’ Elliott, in captivity here after killing someone. Another croc here after taking someone’s arm & leg. Well, at least there aren’t any mosquitos. 

Back to the hotel for a light dinner with Marjorie.

Thursday, March 14: “Big Time Clutch”

            Marjorie has opted to relax around the hotel this AM rather than hike in the heat; not a bad decision- high 92 today, heat index 102! So I’m off alone again. Early breakfast before 7am bus. 

The monkeys are busy today jumping around the restaurant area. 

Beautiful sun as we drive to Manuel Antonio NP, known for its white-sand beaches amid tropical forest & mountains,; listed by Forbes among the world's 12 most beautiful national parks. Fauna include 109 species of mammals and 184 species of birds, as well as (Oh, goody!) many snake and bat species. A mob scene to enter, many vendors along the walk in (but no time for shopping!) and many tour groups embarking on Sloth Trail. 

People pointing every which way as critters are spotted, sometimes you can see, sometimes not in the lush growth. Each tour guide has a scope set up to help people find what’s out there. A hummingbird, rainbow grasshopper & giant grasshopper, crocodile eating a large rodent (that one’s easy to spot), white-lined bat, iguana peeking out from a pipe, beautiful blue Morpho butterfly, spiders & white capuchin monkeys, a sloth & another with baby, and more, even a white-tailed deer walking along the trail.

           

Hazy sun as we come to a pretty beach & cove. Pretty crowded, I find a log to sit on. Little crabs skittering around. The area is dominated by a huge saman (aka monkeypod) tree. There’s a tombolo, whereby an island is now connected to the mainland. An ancient indigenous site that used the tide to trap sea turtles. 

Also here is the Manchineel tree, the most poisonous tree in the world with “death apples.” This seems a twisted Garden of Eden, if the snakes don’t get you the apples will!

           Back to the hotel to find that Marjorie has not just been lying around. She took the 132 steps down (and back) to the beach! We rendezvous for a “dessert lunch,” monkeys busy again, one only about 2’ from me. 

A link on Marjorie’s phone from grandson William. He has an E-Sports tournament match in Atlantic City this PM (he’s on the team for Siena College, where he’s a sophomore). We try to explain this, with only modest success, to Rafael. We watch the coverage as best we can on Marjorie’s cellphone. Siena wins after “Willy Billy” scores to send the match into overtime. “Big Time Clutch!” shouts a commentator. Who’d have dreamed this scenario: watching our grandson playing a video game 1000s of miles away!

            Finally, I get back to the room to peel off soaking wet clothes and take a shower. Ahhh. Relaxing around the hotel, the to the marina, all lit up including a large sailboat, for Farewell Dinner #2.

 Friday, March 15: “Death of a Camera”

            I discover that yesterday’s heat & humidity was too much for my camera, which won’t even turn on. Have to rely on my cellphone. A beautiful sunny AM; headed to 92 again. The usual bird calls greet us as we hitch a ride on a golf cart up to breakfast. Pretty toucan in a nearby tree, colorful macaws land in anther, entertaining monkeys. Other critters look down on us from a ceiling mural. 

Then onto the bus to head north again to San Jose for a busy last day. Rafael refers to San Jose as the “forgotten province,” with no historical colonial center. He discusses an “ancient mystery”: perfect stone spheres we’ve seen a couple of places. How & why were they made? How were they transported? Nobody knows. Here’s another Costa Rican mystery: why does every place we go say “no toilet paper in the toilet”?

A gorgeous morning for the drive, past mountains, pretty trees, the wooden fence lines common here. We go by palm tree plantations and a factory to make palm oil. Rafael notes ecological negatives about the use of palm oil, instead extoling the value of composting and other ecological practices. Ocean views as we approach Jaco again, and more winding mountainous roads. A souvenir shopping stop at Maravillas de Costa Rica. Lots of local crafts, pretty murals, sample coffee & cacao beans; I find a t-shirt. Gloria is late to the bus, gets serenaded by her namesake song.

To our San Jose Hilton about noon, very comfy upper 70s, many pink flowered trees. Around the corner to Franco for lunch, a pleasant open-air café across from the Vatican embassy that I spotted when we stayed here a week ago. A shared tabla de quesos (cheese plate) plus refreshing ice tea & crema soda. Simple, but we dub it one of the best meals of the trip.

 Back at the hotel a helpful staffer directs me to a computer to check-in & print our boarding passes for tomorrow. A good luck text to William for his match today.

One more tourist activity: Rafael leads a driving/walking tour of the city. Joined by guide Sylvia, whose job apparently is to keep people from wandering off; memories of “Grandpa Bill,” who would regularly strike off on his own during travels with my Mom.  

Past Central Park, the “heart of the city.” Here and elsewhere we see a big art festival, but to artist Marjorie’s dismay no time for this. 

Past the Cathedral with sculpture of John Paul II. Catholicism is the official religion of the state, tho freedom of religion also guaranteed. Chinatown with entry arch built in China. China also donated money for the National Stadium, as gratitude for Costa Rica ending ties with Taiwan.

By the National Museum, previously a fort. A statue of Jose Figueras Ferrer, the country’s “most important person,” a 3-term President who abolished the army, granted women and Afro-Costa Ricans the right to vote, and extended nationality to people of African descent. Rafael points out the “ugliest” building: Congress, with 3 of the mysterious stone spheres. A discussion of Costa Rica’s political system & history. There’s a 4^th branch of government that oversees electoral integrity: the Supreme Tribunal of Elections. Hmmm, what other country could use this? 

Past a park with a dramatic National Monument depicting 5 women, representing countries of Central America, subduing 2 men representing mercenaries, at the Battala de Santa Rosa. More to see: The National Library. Beautiful Mexican embassy; Mexico was viewed as a “big brother” before relations strengthened with the US. The “Yellow House” where Obama met with the Costa Rican President. More parks & pretty storefronts.

A stop at the Teatro Nacional. Sadly, the beautiful lobby is closed due to some event. Rafael indicates that 19^th C oligarchs decided a national cultural venue was needed after the “Taylor Swift” of the day refused to perform because there was no good theater. More on the oligarchs, including a painting used on the 5 colon bill. The National Theater is also known as a place of high paranormal activity, partly linked to a suicide here. 

 To the Museu del Oro. Interesting exhibits focusing on pre-Columbian indigenous culture. Up to 400K indigenous people here before the Spanish arrived, only 10K 100 years later. 

On to the Gran Hotel for Farewell Dinner #3. Rafael’s father played the marimba here for JFK in 1963. Lisa gets a birthday serenade.

Back to the hotel. We can see (and hear) a “monster truck” rally in the National Stadium.

 

Saturday, March 16: “Returning Home to Spring?”

            A lovely last AM. Breakfast overlooking the Stadium. Many thanks & farewell to Rafael before a 7:15 shuttle to the airport, joined by fellow travelers Paula & Beth. Easy thru passport & security. Lots more places to shop; we resist. 

Flight a tiempo at about 11:00 for the 2½-hour flight to Miami, losing 2 hours since DST started last weekend. Thru passport control & security again. Onto the plane, we switch seats to allow a Mom to sit with Dad & son; little boy excited “Mom can sit with us!” 

Early JFK arrival just after 9pm. My ears congested & full of static, very painful the last 15 minutes of both landings. Brrr, cold (48º). Shuttle to parking, on the road, home at 2am. How are we welcomed home? Monday I have to scrape frost off the windshield. Tuesday, 1^st day of Spring, 32º & a dusting of snow, followed by temps in the 20s & more snow!

 

            We’re plenty worn out. A longer trip than usual, more settling into different hotels and more long bus trips than expected; we’re spoiled by the convenience of river cruises. Some too hot & humid days. But these are minor complaints. Overall the weather was very cooperative; some short spots of light rain, otherwise little to speak of. The flora & fauna were fabulous. Greeted in the morning by the sounds of birds & howler monkeys. Incredible animal diversity, from colorful tropical birds, monkeys, and sloths to crocodiles, snakes, and spiders.

            Wonderful travel companions. Rafael was an excellent guide, good humor & full of information (as usual, more than can be assimilated). Reports of “what science says” mixed with his own takes on diet & health. A good repertoire of animal noises. A congenial tour group. Stacy, from Louisiana via Florida, a welcome jolt of social energy that every tour group needs. Friendly Pucci, originally from India, brightened every day with her colorful outfits. We enjoyed sharing meals & conversation with Lisa & Jan from Albany, Ron & Sharon from Phoenix, Paula & Beth from California (with shared interests in youth orchestras). Gloria, a young woman from Texas traveling alone, mixed well with her elders; and she understood the concept of E-sports teams. Michael was a fellow camera guy. Other folks from Wisconsin, Indiana, and elsewhere. Cindy collects e-mails & sets up a Facebook page to share photos.

 

Un Buen Viaje!