La Fortuna:
Right we took many canoes buses and coaches to get to La Fortuna in CR´s mid north west. This was a nice place dominated by a large active volcano called Arenal. WE went to a local swimming hole on one day and fudged about on the rope swing then went on a night tour of tyhe volcano. this started off with us minivaning it to some hot springs/river and sitting in 40 degree water as the stars came out and glow bugs flew above us, it was very relaxing. Then we hiked up the side of the volcano through forest and old lava flows (all the time hearing but not being able to see boudlers ejected fromt he volcano tumbling down the sides – it was pretty eerie!). When we got to some clear ground we could see the volcano and its peak partly obscurred by cloud, every now and then there would be molten lava and rocks tumbling down the side, against the black night it looked just like fierworks and the stillness in the air really carried the sounds. an amazing experience.
Monteverde – Santa Elena
Next was the cloud forest cofee producing region called Monteverde, first set up by quakers many years ago it was a very green place up in the hills. consiquently it was a lot cooler than the rest of CR and was a welcome break. We went for a 6.30am walk int he Santa Elena cloud forest (basically a forest that is so high the clouds hang amongst it). We saw many birds and lovely lush vegetationa nd clouds and the rare Qestral bird (bright blue plumage and long tails feathres).
From here we went to Nicaragua
So we flew into San Jose from Lima Peru and stayed in San Jose but a night as it is crap and very american.
We bussed it to the Caribean coast to a nice little relaxed town called Cahuita. this place was great, everything is relaxed here, it is right on the beach and the national park trundles along the coast fringed with sandy beached and crystal claer water. We ate a lot of RICE N Beans as is the stapple here, I was loving it but I feel Claire found it all a liuttle bland. the fish was tasty and REd Snapper is the norm.
We wandered through the national park here seeing crabs, jesus christ lizards, lizards, frogs, birds, spiders and monkies, one stole claire`s bun and they are really cheeky and come at the slightest chance, they will ransack your bags when u leave them ont he beach!
Tortuguero – This is a national park on the North Caribbean coast, it is the breeding ground of the giant leather back turtle (although we wandered the beaches one night looking for them and only came across their tracks – huge as they were!) We took a boat for5 hours up the canal that runs from Moin to Totrtuguero the scenery was amazing forest right up to the river (they call it the Little Amazon). When we go there the village has no cars and consists of a narrow strip with the ocean on one side and the river system behind. We went on a canoe tour of the narrow canal waterways and national park saw lots of Camian (little alligators), Toucans, Otters, butterflies, lizards, herons and heard and saw Howler monkeys. It was a great place.
