I have actually gotten through the several hundred birthday wishes on Facebook, caught up on the e-mails … mostly, and have finally had the chance to download some images.
While our first evening in Costa Rica was beyond comparison, thanks to our wonderful friends here, this was the first real day of our adventure.
After a lovely breakfast of juice, fresh fruit, croissants (yummm!), Café Britt, the popular coffee of this country, and for me, my favorite herbal Ginger tea, Giuseppe, our host, and we took off for the region known as the North Pacific in Guanacaste, named for the amazing, broad trees of this region. Our hostess, Beatriz, meanwhile, had a golf date with friends and a chance to rest after a long visit with family. We stopped for coffee along the way at a typical restaurant, mostly open air with linen table cloths and a tasty-looking menu. This is where we will stop for a break on our first day of the workshop.
The hotel where we stayed was charming. Everyone couldn’t have been more welcoming and helpful, and as you’ll read later with a sense of humor.
We checked in, had a bite of lunch (shrimp and avacado salad for me, and similar fare for Arnie and Giuseppe), and then took off for Tenorio Volcano National Park.
These mountains are part of the transcontinental spine that goes from the Canadian Rockies all the way down to Patagonia, and as with any area where plate tectonics are at work, there are thermal areas such as these volcanoes.
It has rained … and rained some more, and our path was muddy. You have not seen mud such as this. Deep, oozy, and thick, it made the path treacherous, and our guide was very helpful as I managed to go down the steep slopes without falling. According to the guide, with two days without rain, the path will be much friendlier. But in scouting, one has no choice. I must admit that the pressure of going down so slowly did break one of the straps of my flip-flops, so I went barefoot. I should really have done that at the beginning of the hike, as it would have been a lot easier!
I was rewarded at the bottom by the amazing blue waters of Rio Celeste and its Cascades (cas-CAH-daysss). Gorgeous. Of course, with the rain, there was no option of carrying a tripod, and because we were scouting, we were not able to come at the optimum time for the light. Still, it was wonderful.
The guide and I slogged our way back up the steep side of the ravine and went along another path to a great vista, a Blue Lagoon, and an amazing spring. It was a good day, although my legs were tired from the abnormal challenges of the mud.
We are hoping that Mother Nature is friendly to us and holds off on any serious rain to give the paths a chance to dry out. The rewards are worth the effort, and even if one does not go down to the river, there are plenty of tress, moss, leaves, flowers, and lush vegetation to photograph. And we always have Plan B.
It was on our way out, however, as the sun was sinking, that we got the shots above, the one with the sidelit clouds (yes those are clouds) and the amazing sky.
Returning to our hotel, we all hopped into the shower and soaked the mud off ourselves and our clothes. It was worth it, and it was an adventure!
Now, to that waiter with the sense of humor. I don’t often eat beef, but once in a while, I feel the need for moo. Beef is raised in Guanacaste, and it is very good, so I ordered a nice steak.
I like mine rare. Very rare. But I do like it warm. Many places in the States interpret rare as medium rare, or even, horror of all horrors, medium. Fine for others, but not for me. My Spanish is rusty, but I have always managed to get along. I told our waiter I wanted the meat to moooo, not be frio (cold). He laughed and said that he agreed that it was the only way to have steak. When he brought it to the table, he presented it with, “Mooo!” We all laughed then! And to my taste, it was cooked perfectly!
A nice bottle of wine, good food, some enjoyable and funny conversation, and we all collapsed into bed.
We can’t wait to return to this area in a few days.
If you enjoy our blog(s) …
Please SUBSCRIBE. It’s easy to do by clicking on the appropriate link at the top of the right column.
Comments on the blog are always encouraged and welcome.
We also hope you will LIKE this and SHARE this blog with those interested in photography by clicking on the buttons below. We also hope you will check out these links:
Will miss the snow birds but the waterfall and lush vegetation make me long for warmer weather. And Margo, hiking in FLIP FLOPS!!!!
Dave,
Really no different from hiking the Grand Canyon from the South to North Rims in bare feet. Well, I actually wore flip-flops there down at Bright Angel because of the scorpions, but otherwise, it was bare feet! And yes, we went shopping for more flip=flops so I could have back-ups!
It is gorgeous here, Dave, and as you say, so lush!
Take care,
TBC