Life in Costa Rica as an Expat – Teaching Abroad- American Teacher Overseas

Visiting Irazu Volcano- the highest volcano in Costa Rica

Every volcano that I have visited, so far, has been different.

Irazu Volcano reaches over 11,000 feet above sea level. You can book a tour to visit it or go on your own. It’s about 1.5 hour drive from San José and is located in the Cartago Province. It is about an hour away from another active volcano, Turrialba. (You can read about my visit to Turrialba here) If you want to go on your own so you can explore at your own pace, you just need to purchase your tickets here. You can reserve a spot from 8am-2pm daily. The cost for admission to the Irazu Volcano National Park is $15 for foreign adults. It is significantly cheaper for residents. There are two tickets for this park. To see the crater you want to purchase the ticket for the Parque Nacional Volcan Irazu – Sector Crater. The other ticket is for the forest hike. (A trip to Irazu is not complete without visiting the Sector-Prussia. I will post about that later)

The drive to Irazu is pleasant. The first hour is highway, then you drive around the curves of mountains. The scenery is beautiful, through farmland and countryside. On a good day, you can even smell the cauliflower.

The road trip to Irazu

Parking is less than $4; you pay that in the cafeteria before leaving the park. Inside the cafeteria, you can also purchase souvenirs and snacks. I enjoyed the most delicious sweet roll covered in caramel here. There are also bathroom facilities here. Once you park your car, there is a short paved walkway that leads right up to the crater. The crater is very easily accessible and hiking is not required.

There is more than 1 crater at Irazu. If you walk too fast, you will miss the other one, like I did. It is off to the right and a sign is posted. I took a picture of the sign but still walked right past (insert slapping face emoji). If you keep walking straight, you will see the main crater.

Yup, there’s the sign to the other crater

There is a fence that goes around the crater that you can walk along to try to get pictures from different viewpoints.

It was clear skies on the day we visited, perfect weather. However, it is the dry season and as far I could see, the crater was as dry as a desert, black and brown with sun burnt shrubs. The fence is there for your protection but it is pretty far back making it very difficult to see into the crater.

Behind the crater is Playa Hermosa, not to be confused with the Playa Hermosa located in Guanacaste. I’ve never been there but I can imagine the stark contrast. Playa Hermosa translates to beautiful beach. At Irazu, it is not a beautiful beach. It is a gray, ashy dry land with volcanic rocks. However, there are some interesting trees in the area. It always amazes me how nature still seems to thrive in the weirdest environments.

Vegetation around Playa Hermosa. What does this look like to you?

Suggestion

You will want to visit early to avoid crowds. Our reservation was for 9am and there were only a few other cars when we arrived, but by the time we left after 10am there were significantly more visitors. Irazu is very accessible, so anyone can visit. Wear warm clothes. It gets cold at that high altitude. Remember you are more than 11,000 feet above sea level. It is also windy so hold on to your hat if you wear one. Remember that the fence is there for your safety. Plan to spend about an hour in the crater area.

My Impression

I must admit, I was unimpressed by Irazu. After visiting Poás and being amazed by the turquoise lake that sat at the bottom of its crater, I was expecting too much of Irazu. Is it worth the visit? Yes. Do you need to go more than once? No. However, if going in the rainy season could guarantee I’d see something different, then sure.

Would you visit an active volcano? Let me know in the comments.

5 Days in Guatemala, is it Enough Time… Part 4: 5 days and only a backpack

*This is Part 4 of 4 posts of my trip to Guatemala. Here are the links to the other posts

Part 1: Guatemala City,

Part 2: Lake Atitlan,

Part 3: Antigua

The more I’ve traveled the smaller my bag has gotten. This time I wanted to challenge myself. Could I be comfortable and prepared, for a 5 day international trip, with literally only the clothes on my back? The quick answer is, yes, I was comfortable and prepared. So what did I fit into this little bag? Let me first share my mindset behind it all.

First of all, Guatemala wasn’t my final destination. After Guatemala, I would be traveling home to Philadelphia, where it is winter and cold. However, I have a home in Philadelphia where I have plenty of toiletries and winter clothes so I didn’t need to pack for Philly. Neither of my flights included free baggage so I would save money by not carrying any. Also, I hate checking my luggage. It’s such a waste of time. Between waiting in line to check your bags, even after checking in online, to waiting for your baggage to come off the plane, to check it in again to your connecting flights. Let’s not even talk about loss luggage. And what about carry-ons, sometimes they make you check them too. Finally, lugging around baggage from place to place is frustrating. To put it plainly, having luggage slows you down and is a huge inconvenience.

So how did I decide what to pack. I thought about versatile clothing and an easy color palette. I chose black and blue with a touch of color and 2 bikini’s that could become 4 by mixing and matching the tops and bottoms. In Central America, whether it’s the dry or rainy season, rain is unpredictable, so I packed a light rain jacket and tiny umbrella. All of my toiletries were packed in disposal bottles. My backpack came with a USB charging port which was very convenient so all I needed was a portable charger and cord. I wore my bulkier items on the plane, hiking sneakers, and denim jacket. I wore a pair of black Palazzo pants, a baseball cap and a t-shirt on the plane for comfort. I also took my coach crossbody bag along for my passport, credit cards, phone and money, things I wanted to keep close.

I packed my IPAD, a pair of sandals, sunglasses and eyeliner (that was all the makeup I took). I latched my Beats headphones to the outside of my backpack along with my plane pillow. For clothes, I packed 2 sleeveless tank top shorts romper (1 black, 1 orange). Both of these can me worn alone, with a cover-up, or as a tank top under bottoms. How convenient are these? I also packed, a colorful cover-up, a short black t-shirt dress that can be worn either alone or with a pair of bottoms, underwear, sports bras, a workout outfit and something to sleep in. All of these items fit in my little backpack and would you believe, I didn’t even wear everything.

I should also mention, the more I travel, the less souvenirs I purchase. I usually purchase a magnet and a treat. However this time, I really wanted to purchase some artwork but I didn’t have space for it. Carrying only a backpack does indeed save you money. I was able to fit in some coffee though.

Here are some pictures for reference and links to where I purchased some of my conveniences:

I purchased my backpack from Amazon and my Rompers.

T-shirt dress and sandals at Lake Atitlan

Black romper worn underneath jeans,
denim jacket, hiking sneakers, coach crossbody
in Antigua

Well if you have been with me since the journey began, thank you for sticking in there. I hope you enjoyed reading about my Guatemala trip. Here are some final thoughts.

Wishing for More Time in Guatemala

The title of this blog is, 5 days in Guatemala, is it enough time. My answer is NO. I would have spent more time in all three cities that I visited. I think 1-3 full days in Guatemala city is sufficient. Three-Five days minimum is needed for Antigua and you could easily spend a month in Lake Atitlan exploring the cities that surround it or 5 minimum to just relax an unwind. I would love to return and spend more time in these three cities but there are other cities I’d like to visit as well. Semuc Champey in the department of Alta Verapaz, Guatemala, near the Q’eqchi’ Maya town of Lanquín is one of those places. I’d also like to tour the Tikal National Park located in the municipality of Flores with the Mayan ruins. I hope to return but first, there are other Central American countries I need to visit.

Have you ever been to Guatemala? If so, what did you think of it?

I’ve already been to Panama, Costa Rica of course and now Guatemala. Which Central American country should I visit next, Nicaragua, Honduras, Belize or El Salvador?

Leave your thoughts and comments.

5 Days in Guatemala, is it Enough Time… Part 3: Antigua

*This is Part 3 of 4 posts of my trip to Guatemala. I have provided links to the other posts as well.

Part 1: Guatemala City

Part 2: Lake Atitlan

After spending 2 nights in Lake Atitlan, we took a boat back to Panajachel and a shuttle to Antigua. Antigua or Old Guatemala was the third capital of Guatemala. It is an earthquake-prone region and in 1773 it was largely destroyed by the Santa-Marta earthquake. At this point the capital was moved to Guatemala City. Antigua has the reputation of being the best preserved Spanish Colonial city in Central American.

Hotel Museo Spa Casa Santo Domingo was our home for the 2 nights in Antigua. I specifically chose this place due to it’s high rating, prime location and the excitement of staying in a museum. There is more than just a museum to see on the hotel grounds including a chocolate factory, a candle store, artwork, gardens, a fountain, and even a crypt- that we happened upon. Had I known there was a crypt there, I probably would not have stayed. There are 2 macaw birds that stay in the courtyard as well. However, I was not impressed by our room. It reminded me of a cave but at least the bed was comfortable and the wifi worked well, which was welcoming after our stay in Lake Atitlan. Despite how lovely the grounds were, I would not stay at this hotel again. I think it is over-rated and over-priced. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed the experience.

A short 8-10 minute walk from our hotel, landed us right at Antigua Guatemala Cathedral and Santa Catalina Arch. Antigua is a beautiful city with colorful buildings, cute cafés, great shopping and trendy hostels. We took a self-guided walking tour to explore the city.

Colorful buildings and a volcano in the distance

Unfortunately, I got pretty sick on day 2 and was unable to leave the hotel room. The night before, I began to feel fog headed and dizzy. I believe it was due to the diesel gas emitted from the vehicles on the street. The next day, I suddenly had a terrible allergy attack and medicine was not helping. So I lost a day in Antigua which was pretty sad because we only had 2 days there. Before we left Antigua to head back to Guatemala City for our flight, we stopped in a little bar which was also a hostel. We had a farewell drink and wrote our names on the wall.

I really wish I had more time in Antigua. One of the things I really wanted to do was hike the Pacaya Volcano and there was so much more to see and do. Two days was not and is not enough time to fully enjoy Antigua.

Part 4: 5 days and only a backpack

5 Days in Guatemala, is it Enough Time… Part 2: Lake Atitlan

*This is Part 2 of 4 posts of my trip to Guatemala city. Here is the link to Part 1. You will find the links to additional post at the end.

Lake Atitlan

There is a 3.5+ hour drive from Guatemala City to Lake Atitlan (LA). You have to drive past Antigua to get there.

We would be circling back to Antigua after our stay in Lake Atitlan. Our Shuttle dropped up off at Panajachel. This town is located at the North shore of LA and the only place where private shuttles take you. From here, you go to the Panajachel docks and take a public boat to the village you’ll be staying. The boat ride should cost between $20-$25. (Suggestion: Don’t let them charge you more than this.) Panajechel is a great place to shop for textiles and souvenirs. It’s also one of the towns you can stay on LA. As soon as you’re dropped off you’re met by the beauty that is Lake Atitlan.

If you’ve ever visited Lake Como in Italy, you may have a bit of nostalgia. Lake Atitlan is just as beautiful but with volcanoes. Lake Atitlan is approx. 18 km wide and 10 km long. Surrounding it is three volcanoes: Atitlán, Tolimán and San Pedro. At its deepest depth it is about 1,100 ft. In comparison Lake Como is about 4 km wide and 47 km long with a maximum depth of 1,358 feet.

We stayed at La Casa Del Mundo which is located in El Jaibalito. The boat ride to the hotel is not for the faint of heart. The boats are old and the water is extremely choppy. (Suggestion: sit in the back of the boat for the easiest ride) However, this is the way people travel back and forth all day, so it’s pretty safe. It takes about 50 minutes to get to La Casa Del Mundo from Panajachel and the boats make several stops to transport other travelers along the way.

Unsettling transportation

Another hotel along the Lake, loving this room

The hotel sits on a cliff on the edge of the lake and is surrounded by colorful gardens. There are a lot of steps, that you have to climb daily to get to various parts of the hotel grounds. Even if you are in shape, these stairs will leave you winded. They have one restaurant and bar. There is a jacuzzi that you have to pay for and book for private usage. We were told that there was no room service. The hotel employees were very nice, but very slow with service. The language barrier is real if you don’t speak good English. The food was ok, when it came, but I appreciated the fact that they had tofu. Despite all of this, the hotel is absolutely charming. There are breathtaking views all over the hotel and places that you just can’t help but sit and admire.

You will definitely get your exercise on. Thank God they help with the bags

Before we left we actually met the owner and builder. He is American and his wife is Guatemalan. They met in Alaska. You can read all about their story and how La Casa Del Mundo came to be here.

We had the best room at La Casa Del Mundo, with amazing views of the lake and volcanoes from our patio(2). (Suggestion: Ask for room 20) The only things I didn’t care for were the bed and the lack of working wifi. The beds were too hard and very uncomfortable and the wifi was extremely unreliable.

But I would put up with hard beds and no wifi, to wake up to this everyday.

Our arrival day, we relaxed at the hotel.

But on day 2 we booked a tour, with the hotel, to visit some of the surrounding villages. The tour was a little pricey, as to be expected when you book through a hotel. (Suggestion: If you are tight on money, use the public boats as transportation to and from the villages and explore on your own.) We visited San Pedro, San Juan and Santiago. The towns are so cute. We visited some markets. Attended a weaving demonstration. We basically did the tourist thing for a day. The lake was very choppy on this day and one of the benefits of having a tour guide is the knowledge and ability to pivot. Our guide booked us a tut tut to get from San Pedro to San Juan to avoid one of the boat rides.

A market in Santiago Town- The largest town on Lake Atitlan

Such a beautiful mural, I couldn’t resist

Tut Tut ride

Don’t forget to support the local co-ops

The next day we were headed to Antigua. I would have loved more time in Lake Atitlan to explore more villages and to learn. We didn’t even explore the village where we were stayin, El Jaibalito. Two nights is not enough to fully explore Lake Atitlan; it is only enough time to gaze upon its beauty and touch the surface. I could spend 2 days here just looking at it. Hence all the pictures…

Part 3: Antigua

Part 4: 5 days and only a backpack

5 Days in Guatemala, is it Enough Time… Part 1: Guatemala City

*This is Part 1 of 4 posts of my trip to Guatemala. You can find links to the additional posts at the end of this one.

When I moved to Costa Rica, I knew that visiting all of the Central American countries would become a travel priority. What I didn’t know was that it is not always cheap or fast flying to other Central American countries from SJO- the primary international airport of Costa Rica. Guatemala is one of the easiest Central American countries to travel to from Costa Rica. There are direct flights between SJO airport and Guatemala and you can book a flight for around $160 roundtrip. Guatemala also has a pretty good reputation of being safe and beautiful.

Side note: My first flight on Avianca airlines was very nice. It was only an 1.5 flight, the attendants were nice, the plane was clean and the seats were comfy (I paid for an exit row seat). The flight itself was calm compared to descending into Costa Rica which is often choppy.

A Little bit of Background

Guatemala is bordered by Mexico to the north and west, Belize to the northeast, El Salvador southwest and Honduras to the Southeast. Guatemala has 27 volcanoes. Typical temperatures range from 50º-80º depending on the location within the country. Mestizos make up more than three-fifths of the population; most of the rest are Maya. The colorful native attire is common all over. The official spoken language is Spanish. Many people call Guatemala a 3rd world country but according to Worddata.info, it is considered a developing country. Developing has replaced the term 3rd world which is considered offensive and outdated. Guatemala is a sovereign democratic republic. “The birth, death, infant mortality, and fertility rates are among the highest in Central America, and life expectancy is low.” (Britannica) The countries currency is called the quetzal. One Quetzal equals 0.13 USD. Guatemala City is the capital.

Guatemala City

We flew into La Aurora International Guatemala Airport or GUA on the evening of Dec 17. My friend flew in from Washington DC and we met up at SJO airport where she had a layover. We stayed our first night in Guatemala City. GC is separated into zones. The zones make it easy to know which parts to venture to and which to avoid due to safety. Zones 9 & 10 are considered the safest. While zones 4, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, and 16 are also considered safe. The historic district is in zone 1. We stayed at the Real InterContinental in zone 10. A very nice hotel with helpful staff. That evening we walked around a bit to check out the nightlife. We felt safe walking around this area at night.

Couldn’t believe they still had pay phones

We had a shuttle to De Lago Atitlan booked at 11am but we didn’t want to miss an opportunity to check out some sights in GC so in the early morning we took an uber into the historic district. Again we felt safe walking around this area. There were also guards in the main square. We even walked down a side street and found a pretty little cafe, where we enjoyed breakfast.

This picture influenced my decision to eat here.

It would have been nice to spend a full day here to see some more historical sites. I think 1 or 2 days is enough for GC.

Click the links to read more about Guatemala.

Part 2: Lake Atitlan

Part 3: Antigua

Part 4: 5 days and only a backpack

Jaco and Manuel Antonio, The Two Closest Beach Towns to San Jose, Costa Rica

Weekends in Costa Rica

The first beach I visited in Costa Rica was Jaco. It is one of the most frequented beaches due to its close proximity to San Josè. It’s about a 1.5-2 hour drive away. It’s really easy to get to too, by traveling on toll roads Route 27 to Route 34. You can also get there via shuttle, taxi or bus. The town is small but bustling, with plenty of shops, bars and an abundance of outdoor things to do. The waters are good for surfing, not so much for a timid, open water swimmer like myself. The waters aren’t the prettiest either, rather dark and rocky. In some areas, the sand is white and clean while others are unkept and grimy.

My first stay in Jaco was with a couple of coworkers. We stayed at Hotel Terraza del Pacifico. On booking.com it’s advertised as a 4 star hotel, more like 3 in my opinion. It is beach front but it is also old. The pool is nice but the rooms are run down. And when I stayed there, half the outside terrace roof was broken and definitely not in safe condition. However, you can spot some interesting wildlife around the resort. I saw large iguanas and for the first time in my life, black squirrels.

Hotel Grounds and short walk to the beach

In my opinion, Jaco is good for a quick getaway out of the city or adventure seeking activities, otherwise drive about 1 hour further to Manuel Antonio for better beaches and a more posh experience.

Manuel Antonio was the second beach I visited in Costa Rica. This time, a friend and her boyfriend took the ride with me but we stayed in separate places. I stayed at a resort called Shana by the Beach. This resort was more my speed, and closer to a 4 star than Hotel Terraza in Jaco. My room was huge and included 2 King beds, a 5 piece bathroom and a balcony with a jungle view. The resort has 2 large pools, one of which is an infinity pool and adult only. You can see monkeys, sloths and other amazing animals on this resort during your stay.

Room Tour

The resort is set up on a steep hill with amazing views and has a path to a part of Biesanz Beach which is a 5 minute walk away. The beach is small and average but somewhat calm. There were some locals there, when I visited, enjoying a leisurely day, some renting chairs and others selling snacks. In the distance you can see private boats sailing as well.

The walk to Biesanz beach from the hotel

While in Manuel Antonio, you must visit the amazing National Park by the same name. You don’t need a guide to visit but you can arrange one to point out the hidden treasures or sneak into someone else’s private tour group. There is much to see there. The park is absolutely stunning and even has a beach inside that you have access to with admission.

Manuel Antonio National Park

Whether you decide to stay in Jaco or Manuel Antonio, you will enjoy a natural scenic ride. Don’t forget to stop on Gator bridge and check out the crocs swimming below.

Dirty Fun in Costa Rica

It’s that time of the year again. D and I just celebrated our 11th anniversary on 11/11. We were definitely looking for a fun way to honor this day. We have done ATV riding in the Pocono Mountains in PA several times and we even enjoyed a few occasions of ATV riding in the desert of Qatar so we had to try it in Costa Rica too. I booked us a 3 hour ATV Jungle Waterfall Adventure through Viator and Adventure Tours Costa Rica.

Jaco is about a 2 hour highway drive from San Josè so it was relatively close and easy to get to. This is where our adventure began. The excursion was $95.00 each but let me tell you, it was well worth it. When we arrived, we found out our tour would be private. Alex was our guide. He’s Tico and speaks pretty good English. After watching a safety video and putting on our helmet we rode out.

We headed toward the mountains behind Jaco, through dirt paths and started our ascent. On the way we passed the small waterfall, Cascada del Zorro.

We continued through the rainforest and along the mountain top until we arrived at Pura Vida waterfall. It was quite steep to get to this waterfall and with about 10 minutes left ’til arrival, I gave up. The path was covered with slippery rocks and that downward drive was too much for me. I parked my 4 wheeler and hopped on the back of Alex’s for the remainder of the ride down. Darryl was a trooper, determined to drive his ATV the whole way.

We spent some time at this waterfall. The water was cold and brown but still nice to wade in. Some people were jumping off of rocks and swinging from ropes into the water.

After our visit to the waterfall, I climbed back onto my ATV for the remainder of the ride. We stopped at a Vista Point and grabbed a beer. From this Mirador, on a clear day, you can see Manuel Antonio Park, the Nicoya Pennisula and Puntarenas. Our view was completely blocked by clouds and fog which later gave way to Costa Rica rains which just added to the adventure.

Our descent down included driving through rain, mud, and streets of Jaco, over bridges, slipping and sliding. We traveled at high speeds through streets and up and down mountains. We felt the cool wind, cold rain and dirty mud on our skin. We saw tall trees and beautiful flowers as we whizzed through the jungles. On several occasions my helmet visor was so covered in mud and rain that I could barely see and we had to stop multiple times to wipe it clean. By the time we arrived back at the meeting point, we were completely dirty. It was one of the most exhilarating adventures, we have ever had and one we would not soon forget. Of all the places we have done ATV riding, this was the most fun.

Update with advice: If you decide to do this ATV tour, wear comfortable clothing and be prepared to get really dirty. I suggest long pants and sleeves. I also suggest hiking boots or shoes, a poncho, wipes, waterproof bag, towel, bottled water, wear your bathing suit under your clothes and water shoes. Be prepared to have fun and bring along some tip money for your guide

Visiting the Poás volcano

I visited an Active Volcano…to be that close to something so magical is amazing.

The Ring of Fire is a string of volcanoes and sites of seismic activity, or earthquakes, around the edges of the Pacific Ocean. Roughly 90% of all earthquakes occur along the Ring of Fire, and the ring is dotted with 75% of all active volcanoes on Earth (Nationalgeographic.org). Costa Rica is a part of the Pacific Ring of Fire and has over 200 identifiable volcanic formations. Today, however, only 100 or so show any signs of volcanic activity, while just five are classified as active volcanoes (govisitcostarica.com). So visiting volcanoes is a must while living in or visiting Costa Rica.

One of the most popular volcanoes in Costa Rica is the Poás Volcano. It is the most accessible volcano and has 3 craters, one of which is active. The active crater is house to a boiling acidic lake. The Poás volcano is located inside the Poás National Park. Entry to the park is $15 for foreigners and less for locals. Tickets must be purchased online. It is about a 1.5 hour drive from Santa Ana.

I visited the park this weekend and a lot of things I read online about what a visit there would be like was outdated. At the entrance gate a guard asked for a verification number and then we were whizzed into the parking lot. I never showed my ticket or provided my number but my friend gave hers which was admission for one person only. The parking lot fee was 2700 colones. But I noticed that you can park outside of the park for free. Once parked, we basically just walked up a few hundred meters to the crater. We were not escorted by a guide, nor provided a helmet or given a time limit. Many blogs that I read said it took multiple visits to see the crater due to cloud cover.

However, we must have picked thee perfect day. We had a clear, unobstructed view of the crater on our first visit. We arrived at approximately 9am, which was perfect timing because within minutes the clouds moved in and the crater disappeared. Just look at it.

Panoramic photo of the Poás Volcano main crater

This is a time lapse video of the clouds rolling in to cover the crater, a few minute later and we would have missed it.

The acidic lake had the appearance of the sky on the ground, with light blue hues and clouds of hot smoke rising from it. To be that close to something so magical is amazing.

There are several levels you can climb with landings you can stand on to take in the sights from different angles and heights.

Cement bunkers to stand under if a surprise eruption occurs.

A short walk east of the crater look out and you arrive at the viewpoint of Laguna Botos- a circular crater lake surrounded by forest and vegetation. The clouds began to cover the volcano while we admired it, so by the time we made it to the lake we didn’t have the clearest view.

Currently there is a 3 mile hike through the park. The trail has a fairytale countenance with a green carpet, trees that bend and meet, and colorful leaves. You can get short winded during the trail due to the elevation and steep walkways but it’s a good workout with pleasant temperature and scenery.

Take a Hike

Tips: Take a jacket with you as it’s quite cool at the volcano. Take an umbrella; it’s Costa Rica. If you can, park your vehicle outside of the parque. Go early to beat the clouds and crowds. Go during the rainy season to beat the crowds too. If the clouds roll in before you get to enjoy the view of the crater, do the hike and circle back. View the crater first before the hike. Take a bottle of water; there is a bathroom upon entry. Take a friend to get those magnificent shots of you and the volcano.

Side Note: There are many cafés along the road near Poás and after our hike we were quite hungry. On our way there, in the small town, we noticed that there were several small businesses selling strawberries. We picked up 2 packs on the cheap. Let me tell you, these were some of the best strawberries I’ve had. I also purchased some strawberry wine. I wish I had taken a picture of the shop, but it is at the top of hill. You can’t miss it. I recommend patronizing them and they will allow you to sample some drinks too.

We also stopped in a little Soda for a small bite. It’s a nice little restaurant built right outside a home. The small touches make this such a pretty place and the Gallos and Empanadas are really good.

What a lovely experience. Have you ever visited an active Volcano? Leave a comment about your experience. If you haven’t visited a volcano, would you? Why or why not? Let me know in the comments.

Adventures in Costa Rica

The Coati jumped up and ripped the bag trying to get to the food and I caught it all on camera.

I spent my 45th birthday in Costa Rica and my husband came to help me celebrate. We booked a full day tour of adventure. If ever you’re in Costa Rica and looking for some fun, this post has ideas to consider.

We were picked up by our tour company pretty early in the morning and set out on explorations. One of the things I absolutely adore about Costa Rica is how you can find these large signs posted all over the country identifying where you are. They make for great pictures.

We received some history tidbits as we drove through different provinces too.

Monumento a Juan Santamaría– Juan Santamaria is one of the most popular figures in Latin America. In Costa Rica, he is recognized as a national hero for his role in maintaining the country’s independence.

Monument of Tomás Guardia- was President of Costa Rica on two occasions: from 1870 to 1876, and from 1877 to 1882. He enacted Costa Rica’s 1871 Constitution, which remained in force until 1948

Our first official stop was to the Tres Generaciones Coffee Plantation, where we had the most amazing cup of coffee. Of course, we had to buy some. The plantation is also vast and beautiful.

Coffee beans are not ripe when they are green. They need to be bright red and glossy.

Hey did you know that Starbucks has a coffee farm in Costa Rica? And they offer tours.

After coffee and sweets, we continued our drive to the Cinchona Waterfalls. This waterfall reminded Darryl and I of the Wailua Falls on the Road to Hana in Maui. There is a bridge in the front of the Cinchona waterfall that you can take pictures from just like Wailua. I recommend walking to the middle of the bridge to get some interesting pictures of the waterfall and on the other side of the bridge to get some more. Be careful on this bridge because it’s small, vehicles take turns going in either direction and they don’t really pay pedestrians any attention. The waterfall is beautiful and cool. I could spend a day right here.

We stopped at the Soda y Mirador Cinchona. Here you can enjoy typical Costa Rican food with the Hummingbirds while admiring the waterfall in the distant. The snack provided here, by the tour company, wasn’t anything I could eat so I can’t comment on the quality of the food. But being so close to the tiny birds was nice. I was also able to get a behind the scenes view of cooking happening in the kitchen and pick up some snacks.

Up close and pesonal with hummingbirds

It’s not Costa Rica if there’s no Gallo Pinto

The next part of our adventure was seeing some animals in the wild. Along the side of the road, we met up with a Coati. It’s a medium sized rodent that favors a raccoon. My husband had the fabulous idea to exit the van to get a closer look at the coati but he forgot he had a bag of food in his hand and the coati smelled it. The Coati jumped up and ripped the bag trying to get to the food and I caught it all on camera. Hahaha. Check it out…

A hungry Coati

Along with the coati, we were able to catch a glimpse of a sloth and some large iquanas in their natural habitat.

The sloth was in this banana tree. I think the way bananas grow is so interesting.

We had a Casada lunch (typical Costa Rica meal) during our travels. And the true adventure happened in the trees at “go.adventure” at the Arenal Park. It is here where we were able to see the amazing Arenal Volcano and what a beautiful site it is.

Arenal Volcano- An active stratovolcano, built upon layers of ash, rock and lava – and at 5,437 feet (1,657 meters), it stands high above the rest of the countryside

We got our adrenaline pumping by flying through the forest. We conquered 8 zip lines in total. Some were long and fast, while others were short and sweet. We zipped past some gorillas and through trees. It was exhilarating and fun.

https://videopress.com/v/ZLGI16pd?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true

Nothing like flying through the trees

Darryl enjoyed it too

I even repelled down a wall for the first time and I think I found a new hobby.

https://videopress.com/v/CTcsCDFo?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true

This was awesome

Before heading to dinner and back home, we stopped at one of the hot spring resorts in La Fortuna for a couple of hours. I can’t recall the name of the one we visited, but they have warm and cool spring pools that you can enjoy. Some are secluded and hidden behind trees. You can order drinks from the bar and enjoy spectacular views of the Arenal Volcano. The resort is nice but I was expecting natural hot springs not pools. The resort would be a nice place for a stay but if you’re only there for the day, they offer changing rooms for your convenience. We enjoyed this resort until the rain finally caught up with us.

Afterwards we stopped at a large souvenir shop with many handmade and authentic Costa Rican items to purchase. It was dark by the time we got dinner. Dinner was at a Soda (restaurant with typical Costa Rican food). The food was okay, but we weren’t impressed by the other patrons, dogs. The restaurant workers had to keep chasing them away. (Side Note) There are a lot of stray dogs in Costa Rica. You don’t really encounter them so much in the central valley though.

It was close to midnight when we got dropped off and we were beat. But it was a wonderful way to spend my birthday.

These Shoes Were Meant for Walking…

…and that’s just what I’ve done. This is the cleanest these shoes have been in the last 3 months. I purchased these Merrill’s for $100+ before I came here at the recommendation of many, to buy hiking shoes for the move. I never imagined I’d get so much use of them. One of the things I have done in this country more than any other is- hike. I never thought I’d be into it, but it’s so beautiful here that I absolutely love it! I can’t get enough of the colorful flowers, large leaves, variety of trees and plants and bird songs. The insects and animals are, and I never thought I’d say this, but, pleasantly abundant.

So far, I’ve completed three official hikes but I’ve also walked miles in national parks and around the city. The Senderos Hike was my first on July 23. It’s located in Ciudad Colon near the University of Peace. It has nice trails for biking and hiking. Pets are allowed too. You do have to pay a small fee for this hike, but I can’t remember the price. It’s a fairly easy hike but can be a little slippery after rain. There are ropes along the slippery paths. I went on this hike with a family and their two children so we didn’t go too far. We saw birds, butterflies, a toad, plants, trees, flowers, a river and insects of course. After our hike, we stopped for lunch at this yummy Vegan restaurant called Tulsi, which is pretty close by. It was a good place to refuel. Enjoy the video and food from Tulsi…

Senderos Hike

The next hike was Las Eolicas de Santa Ana on August 2. It’s basically a walk to the wind turbines and it’s a free hike. Here is the view of the windmills from my apartment.

I thought it would be cool to see them up close and personal since I see them everyday from afar. My friend Shanny and I took this hike together. Neither of us did much research on it, but Shanny suggested we take an uber up and walk back down and that’s what we did. The ride up was pretty steep so we were happy about this decision but you can imagine what the walk down was like. From the top we were expecting to see the windmills unfortunately, we were met with clouds and fog. It looked like we were in a scary movie. Visibility was very low. At least we caught a glimpse of the windmills. The fog hindered the promising views of Santa Ana below too. So we began our descent. Visibility got progressively better as we made our way down. It was a long and very steep hike back down. I think it took us well over 2 hours. Our knees, calves and toes were aching by the time we reached the bottom but the views we caught on the way down were wonderful. The hike was on a car path unlike Senderos which was a nature path. I’ve heard there are several trails to Las Eolicas. (Note: It’s not the safest hike as there have been reports of robberies at the top. We found out about this afterwards but felt completely safe during the hike. I recommend going with a group.) After we made it back to the bottom of the mountain, we walked another 2 hours back into town while stopping and checking out some local shops. Finally I purchased a Casado- a typical Costa Rican meal consisting of rice, black beans, plantains, salad, a tortilla, and an optional protein before heading home. Check out the slideshow.

The third hike, and most commercialized so far was Hacienda La Chimba but it was also my favorite thus far. The school principal brought my husband and I here, when we first arrived, for a coffee tour and lunch. We didn’t do the hike that day but I knew I would return to do it, because of all the Instagram photo, worthy stops on this hike. Along with food and coffee tours, this place also has canopy, zipline, and hiking trails. There is a fee for the activities. The fee for the hike is $12.00 or $8.00 if you have a local ID. It’s a very safe location and monitored, for that reason, I would recommend this trail out of the all three to do alone. However, doing it alone means no company to take those amazing shots of you. The hike is a nature trail with hills and dips, soil and rocks. I don’t think the trail is very hard but it can be a little demanding. I assume that is why children under 7 years old are not allowed. The longest trail spans 9km with several stops and short cuts along the way. Shanny and I made this trek on September 3. We almost opted out because we thought we were going to get rained on, but we went anyway. Pura Vida! We completed a little more than the 5K. You can see from the video how wonderful this hike is…

While hiking, I recommend carrying a backpack with water, snacks, sunscreen, bug repellent, sunglasses, a hat and rain gear. Wear comfortable closed toe shoes or hiking sneaks/boots. I prefer long pants over shorts so I don’t itch from plants or insects touching my legs. Don’t forget your phone and smart/fitness watch to keep track of your steps because everyone knows it doesn’t count unless it’s recorded. A smart watch is also helpful in the case of an emergency. My Garmin has detected an emergency and alerted my husband on his phone on two different occasions while I was hiking. My heart rate suddenly spiked due to running or jumping and took the signs as an emergency. Thankfully they were not, but it was super to know that this feature worked if I ever needed it. Also for the public walks, exercise caution. Check the weather before any hikes. Morning hikes are often better in the rainy season, which is most of the year, because the rain tends to hold off until the afternoon. Also, if you reach the summit and its cloudy, wait a few minutes, the clouds usually pass with time.

Hiking seems to be the most exercise I’m getting in Costa Rica, due to my work schedule, and I am very much enjoying it. I guess Costa Rica has made me into a nature girl. These Merrills have been great hiking shoes for traction but don’t do much for keeping my feet dry. I guess it’s time to invest in some waterproof hiking boots because I see many more hikes in my future here.

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