Hola!
Thursday morning (also known as Reena's birthday!!) we had another relaxing yoga session on the roof of the hotel taught by our amazing yoga teacher, Reena. We then went back to that restaurant by the beach (where we stopped on the way back from the waterfall the day before) for breakfast. When Quique told us at the beginning of the trip that they literally eat rice and beans for every meal, he wasn't kidding. My breakfast consisted of scrambled eggs and rice and beans with the Costa Rican salsa sprinkled on top. A few of us also split some banana pancakes (panqueques!!! This one is for you Heather Kantrowitz! I took a picture of it, remind me to show you later). They were basically bananas wrapped in crepes. Yum. After breakfast we change into our bathing suits and geared up to surf some sweet Costa Rican waves. It was a gorgeous day for surfing and the waves were just right. The white wash was a little rough and it took awhile to paddle out to the break (not to mention A LOT of upper body strength) but once you got out there and caught a wave, it was such a rush.
For dinner we decided to do a Costa Rican style barbecue on the beach instead of going out to another restaurant. We stopped at the local supermercado to pick up some ingredients and then walked down to the beach and started the fire. After about 4 or 5 hours of eating, drinking, laughing, talking, hammock swinging, and birthday singing, we headed over to the local bar for reggae night.
This week has been just a whirlwind from one day to the next. I feel like the week went so fast but at the same time, I feel so disconnected from the person I was when I first landed in Costa Rica. Each day I learned more about Costa Rican culture, my friends, and most importantly, myself. Fears that would have taken me years to conquer were conquered in just a matter of hours. For example, when I went to Camp Lindenmere I spent years freaking out over the dinky little zip line that they had in the woods. I refused to even walk by the zip line area for fear that someone would peer pressure me into going. It took me nine years to jump off the top of the rock wall and even then I refused to go a second time. Today, it was as if I had been zip lining for years. I was still so hyped up on the constant adrenaline from this week that as soon as they strapped on that harness I was ready to jump off the platform. Let's be honest, there was one or two "holy craps" and "wow this is high" that slipped out of my mouth but not enough to even remotely stop me from running over to the platform. For those who haven't gone proper ziplining, these are some of the fastest, highest, and longest ziplines in the world and it was SO much fun. I was able to video a few of them and I'll try to post those later. The views were absolutely incredible. One minute you're zipping through the rainforest, the next minute there is a clearing and you can see a waterfall and river rapids. There were about eight or nine different ziplines and when we got to the top you could see a clearing in the trees and the beautiful coastline with the pacific ocean stretching out past the horizon. It was absolutely picture perfect. I tried to take a picture before I jumped but I doubt that my camera was able to truly capture the view.
About halfway through we ended up at the top of a huge waterfall. There was one pool that they said was about 45ft deep and then the second one was the massive waterfall. It was really hot out and the water looked so nice so I got into my bathing suit and jumped off of one of the cliffs into the water. After a couple of us jumped in we noticed that there was a rope swing on the other side. It was the second highest rope swing I have jumped off. We then hiked back up to the platform and zipped down their fastest and longest line in Costa Rica...backwards :).
This brings me to right now. After a quick shower and packing up the rooms we walked down to the bus stop to head back to San Jose.
I can't believe that we have to leave this beautiful and exotic country tomorrow. I'm going to miss the carefree attitude and the pura vida. I'll miss the sounds of the rainforest and brightness of the ocean. The sweet scent of a home cooked Costa Rican meal and the delicious pineapples that are so juicy, the pineapple juice drips all the way down your chin when you take a bite. I may or may not miss their unique sense of humor but I for sure will miss the people that I have met and become very close with. We are such an eclectic group of personalities each with our own story. But there is one thing we all have in common- a sense of adventure.
We're now almost back to San Jose and although I'm not ready to leave this place or the people, I am ready to continue my journey of self discovery back in New York.
Pura vida y hasta la proxima,
-E
Friday, August 19, 2011
Monkeys and whales and boars, oh my!
Hola!
Yesterday (Wednesday) was another incredible day. After all of the go go go and the hiking and rafting, it was nice to finally have a relaxing day. In the morning I woke up early and went for a run along the beach. The town was quiet and there was absolutely no need to use my iPod. Listening to the waves crashing on the sand, the monkeys jumping around in the trees, and the sound of my shoes hitting the dirt road was the best running mix I could have asked for. I ran along the beach for awhile and back towards the path that led to the waterfall. I think it's safe to say that this was one of the most beautiful runs I've ever been on. It was so relaxing and I felt like I didn't have a care in the world. All I needed to do was put one foot in front of the other and breathe while taking in as much of my surroundings as possible. If you're a runner, I'm sure you understand.
After a quick shower we all met for breakfast before leaving for Isla Tortuga. We walked into the restaurant and sat down and the next thing we knew we were surrounded by white faced monkeys. There were about 4 monkeys just swinging from the trees literally an arms length away from us. We then jumped in a small motor boat and took a VERY fast and bumpy but very fun ride over to Isla Tortuga. A few minutes before we were meant to head to shore all of the boats stop. Next thing we know we see a baby humpback whale breaching out of the ocean.I couldn't believe it. First, I have breakfast with monkeys and next I am only feet away from a humpback whale. It was an unforgettable sight. The baby whale was so playful but I mostly snapped pictures of the momma whale.
One we got to shore we had about an hour to mess around before getting on the boat again to be taken snorkeling. Some of the ladies took our towels and sat by the ocean while the others engaged in a game of beach volleyball (which I eventually joined in on later). Next thing I know Steve is running down the beach yelling for me to grab my camera. I run over to where he came from and saw that there was a baby wild boar just lying in the shade. At first I was afraid to touch him but then I saw someone walk over and start giving him a belly rub. He was very prickly like a porcupine and not soft like I was expecting. A little while later we got back in the boat and drove out into the ocean to go snorkeling. There wasn't much visibility but the fish were so colorful and the water was nice and warm. After swimming around for a bit, Jason and I threw off our masks and fins and jumped off of the boat into the water.
Once we got back to the beach, some of us went down to the shore and just soaked in the sun. With the crystal green water, the sound of the ocean, and the warm sun on my body, it was very easy to fall asleep. It was by far the most relaxed I have been in a very long time. To add to my contentment, when we got back to the hotel, Reena led the group in a yoga session on the roof of our hotel. After we were all stretched out and in tune with our inner chi, we went out to dinner at a restaurant run by Israelis. On the way back to the hotel we watched some locals fire swinging in the street with another local playing the bongos. At that point we were all pretty spent and decided we should have a quiet night in. A couple of us cracked open a bottle of Costa Rican rum and hung out in the reception area, chatting and remembering the last few days.
Before I forget, I wanted to document a few Costa Rican cultural differences. Costa Ricans are EXTREMELY environmentally friendly. There are about three or four recycle bins on just about every corner. And for those who aren't eating while reading this next part, Costa Ricans do not put toilet paper in the toilet. They use only biodegradable materials and do not have a very strong septic system. Because of this, anything additional that you would normally put in the toilet has to go in the garbage can. It's not a pretty sight or a pretty smell, but it is environmentally friendly.
Pura vida!
E
Yesterday (Wednesday) was another incredible day. After all of the go go go and the hiking and rafting, it was nice to finally have a relaxing day. In the morning I woke up early and went for a run along the beach. The town was quiet and there was absolutely no need to use my iPod. Listening to the waves crashing on the sand, the monkeys jumping around in the trees, and the sound of my shoes hitting the dirt road was the best running mix I could have asked for. I ran along the beach for awhile and back towards the path that led to the waterfall. I think it's safe to say that this was one of the most beautiful runs I've ever been on. It was so relaxing and I felt like I didn't have a care in the world. All I needed to do was put one foot in front of the other and breathe while taking in as much of my surroundings as possible. If you're a runner, I'm sure you understand.
After a quick shower we all met for breakfast before leaving for Isla Tortuga. We walked into the restaurant and sat down and the next thing we knew we were surrounded by white faced monkeys. There were about 4 monkeys just swinging from the trees literally an arms length away from us. We then jumped in a small motor boat and took a VERY fast and bumpy but very fun ride over to Isla Tortuga. A few minutes before we were meant to head to shore all of the boats stop. Next thing we know we see a baby humpback whale breaching out of the ocean.I couldn't believe it. First, I have breakfast with monkeys and next I am only feet away from a humpback whale. It was an unforgettable sight. The baby whale was so playful but I mostly snapped pictures of the momma whale.
One we got to shore we had about an hour to mess around before getting on the boat again to be taken snorkeling. Some of the ladies took our towels and sat by the ocean while the others engaged in a game of beach volleyball (which I eventually joined in on later). Next thing I know Steve is running down the beach yelling for me to grab my camera. I run over to where he came from and saw that there was a baby wild boar just lying in the shade. At first I was afraid to touch him but then I saw someone walk over and start giving him a belly rub. He was very prickly like a porcupine and not soft like I was expecting. A little while later we got back in the boat and drove out into the ocean to go snorkeling. There wasn't much visibility but the fish were so colorful and the water was nice and warm. After swimming around for a bit, Jason and I threw off our masks and fins and jumped off of the boat into the water.
Once we got back to the beach, some of us went down to the shore and just soaked in the sun. With the crystal green water, the sound of the ocean, and the warm sun on my body, it was very easy to fall asleep. It was by far the most relaxed I have been in a very long time. To add to my contentment, when we got back to the hotel, Reena led the group in a yoga session on the roof of our hotel. After we were all stretched out and in tune with our inner chi, we went out to dinner at a restaurant run by Israelis. On the way back to the hotel we watched some locals fire swinging in the street with another local playing the bongos. At that point we were all pretty spent and decided we should have a quiet night in. A couple of us cracked open a bottle of Costa Rican rum and hung out in the reception area, chatting and remembering the last few days.
Before I forget, I wanted to document a few Costa Rican cultural differences. Costa Ricans are EXTREMELY environmentally friendly. There are about three or four recycle bins on just about every corner. And for those who aren't eating while reading this next part, Costa Ricans do not put toilet paper in the toilet. They use only biodegradable materials and do not have a very strong septic system. Because of this, anything additional that you would normally put in the toilet has to go in the garbage can. It's not a pretty sight or a pretty smell, but it is environmentally friendly.
Pura vida!
E
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Look out for the beach monster!
Hola!
Before we left for Montezuma, some of the girls and I went to a local bakery and grabbed some snacks for the drive over. In relation to the past few days, Tuesday was a relatively uneventful day. We spent most of the day driving through the lush mountains to Montezuma. At one point we had to get off of the bus and take a ferry and then get back on the bus. We got into Montezuma around 3pm and spent a few hours before dinner exploring the town and local culture. This was the first hippie town in all of Costa Rica. I believe it was established in the 1950s. Because it was inhabited by these free-spirited people, It was given the nickname MonteFuma.
Montezuma is absolutely beautiful. Our hotel is about a 30 second walk from the Beach and surrounded by trees and wildlife. Jason, Reena, Steve, and I decide to check out a nearby waterfall in our free time. We made it to what we thought was a waterfall, only to find out later that there was an even bigger one a little farther down the stream. Either way, it was very beautiful and we took some great pictures. On our way back we found a seaside restaurant that had a back area with hammocks and lawn chairs. We spent a few minutes relaxing in the hammocks and taking in the breathtaking views of the ocean.
After signing up for our excursions for the next few days, we grabbed a few Imperials and went to the beach to soak in our surroundings. Quique had us go around the circle and say what we thought pura vida meant to us. It was really interesting what each person interpreted it as. I can't remember everything that was said but we came up with the following: no regrets, just do it, living a stressfree and carefree life, and just living each day to the fullest. It was a very meaningful conversation and helped put a lot of things in perspective. I really feel like I've learned so much from the people here and I know I will take back a little part of it all with me back to New York. After awhile we went to a nearby restaurant to have a late dinner and I don't remember what we were talking about but I remember laughing so hard that night I cried. I can honestly say that I can't remember the last time that happeneed. After dinner we walked over to a local salsa bar on the beach. We were all so sweaty from dancing that we decided to jump into the ocean. After some hilarious pictures that will go down in the history books, we walked back to the hotel and collapsed after another successful day.
Each town we have been to so far has each been completely different from the other and has its own unique personality. San Jose is slightly more city-like while La Fortuna seemed more like the countryside, surrounded by mountains and volcanoes. Montezuma is the coast with beautiful beaches, palm trees and black volcanic rocks along the edges. It is so easy to feel at ease and carefree. The people here are so nice and our group has noticed a certain Costa Rican humor that they have. The men are by far the most attractive Latinos I have ever met and the women are (no surprise here) very beautiful. I've now realized why I haven't met many Costa Ricans in my life. There is no reason to leave Costa Rica. They are all extremely happy people. They find no reason to rush and just enjoy life the way that it is meant to be enjoyed. They are the most optimistic and friendly people and we can all learn a lot from these people, especially a place like New York!
Pura vida!!
E
Before we left for Montezuma, some of the girls and I went to a local bakery and grabbed some snacks for the drive over. In relation to the past few days, Tuesday was a relatively uneventful day. We spent most of the day driving through the lush mountains to Montezuma. At one point we had to get off of the bus and take a ferry and then get back on the bus. We got into Montezuma around 3pm and spent a few hours before dinner exploring the town and local culture. This was the first hippie town in all of Costa Rica. I believe it was established in the 1950s. Because it was inhabited by these free-spirited people, It was given the nickname MonteFuma.
Montezuma is absolutely beautiful. Our hotel is about a 30 second walk from the Beach and surrounded by trees and wildlife. Jason, Reena, Steve, and I decide to check out a nearby waterfall in our free time. We made it to what we thought was a waterfall, only to find out later that there was an even bigger one a little farther down the stream. Either way, it was very beautiful and we took some great pictures. On our way back we found a seaside restaurant that had a back area with hammocks and lawn chairs. We spent a few minutes relaxing in the hammocks and taking in the breathtaking views of the ocean.
After signing up for our excursions for the next few days, we grabbed a few Imperials and went to the beach to soak in our surroundings. Quique had us go around the circle and say what we thought pura vida meant to us. It was really interesting what each person interpreted it as. I can't remember everything that was said but we came up with the following: no regrets, just do it, living a stressfree and carefree life, and just living each day to the fullest. It was a very meaningful conversation and helped put a lot of things in perspective. I really feel like I've learned so much from the people here and I know I will take back a little part of it all with me back to New York. After awhile we went to a nearby restaurant to have a late dinner and I don't remember what we were talking about but I remember laughing so hard that night I cried. I can honestly say that I can't remember the last time that happeneed. After dinner we walked over to a local salsa bar on the beach. We were all so sweaty from dancing that we decided to jump into the ocean. After some hilarious pictures that will go down in the history books, we walked back to the hotel and collapsed after another successful day.
Each town we have been to so far has each been completely different from the other and has its own unique personality. San Jose is slightly more city-like while La Fortuna seemed more like the countryside, surrounded by mountains and volcanoes. Montezuma is the coast with beautiful beaches, palm trees and black volcanic rocks along the edges. It is so easy to feel at ease and carefree. The people here are so nice and our group has noticed a certain Costa Rican humor that they have. The men are by far the most attractive Latinos I have ever met and the women are (no surprise here) very beautiful. I've now realized why I haven't met many Costa Ricans in my life. There is no reason to leave Costa Rica. They are all extremely happy people. They find no reason to rush and just enjoy life the way that it is meant to be enjoyed. They are the most optimistic and friendly people and we can all learn a lot from these people, especially a place like New York!
Pura vida!!
E
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
G-ninja power!
Hola!
We have been constantly on the go since I last updated and I finally have about an hour of free time. As I lie here in a hammock on the third floor of our hotel, listening to the rain and the crashing waves of the ocean, I will do the best I can to recount the whirlwind that was the last few days; although, I hardly believe that I will be able to do it justice.
Last I left off, we were getting ready to go on the "extreme volcano hike" and let me say, it certainly lived up to its name. We left at 7am and headed towards the trail. In total, the hike took us 5 hours to hike 6 miles (3 miles up, 3 miles back). This was probably one of the hardest hikes I've ever done. It wasn't dangerous or scary by any means, it was just incredibly difficult to do. We literally climbed up the entire 3 miles with very few breaks. The entire hike was on a very steep incline. Imagine climbing to the top floor of a building that is three and a half times taller than the empire state building...and then slowly walking back down. Our thighs and glutes were on fire.
This may have been a difficult hike, but it was definitely worth it. We started the hike climbing up a path that was lined with flower bushes and Ginger plants. After about a mile we got to the beginning of the forest and stopped to get a picturesque view of La Fortuna. Our tour guide, Jose, was great at pointing out plants, bugs, animals, etc. I don't know how he did it but he didn't even have a drop of sweat on him. Meanwhile, the rest of us looked like we had just jumped of a swimming pool. Climbing through the rainforest was one of those "you had to be there" experiences but I'll do the best I can to describe it. Imagine being completely surrounded at all angles by mossy trees, chirping birds, and a cloudy mist a few feet above your head. If you've ever been to the rainforest cafe in the mall, the soundtrack that they play is actually what it sounds like, except this is surround sound...and real. Once we made it to the top we felt exhausted and accomplished. Jose told us that if we ventured only 150 meters farther, we would see a crater lake. We climbed down to the lake, stripped down to our bathing suits, and jumped in the water. The water was pretty cold but a lot of fun. It was so beautiful. We were surrounded by green mountains with that same mist suspended over the water. After a quick swim and a snack, we climbed back up to where we were before and then started our painful desent down the mountain.
One we got back to the bottom, they set up a delicious lunch for us that included chicken sandwiches, incredibly juicy watermelon and pineapple and, of course, Imperial (costa rican beer). After lunch we went to check out a really beautiful waterfall before heading back to the hotel. By the time we got back to the hotel we were a pack of walking zombies. A couple of us went to a nearby coffee and ice cream shop to get some coffee and ice cream (duh), and then somehow made it back to our hotel rooms for a midday nap.
A few hours later we met downstairs and jumped in the van to go to dinner. We took the van to the countryside and joined a Costa Rican family for dinner. I'm sure very few tourists get this true locals experience. First, the mother of the family taught us how to make our own tortillas. After eating our delicious tortillas, we sat down at a long table in the kitchen and ate like true Costa Ricans. The casado has been delicious the whole trip, however, THIS particular casado was by far the best. We then had some starfruit juice, a cup of coffee, and a scoop of ice cream.
After listening to the beautiful story of how she met her husband, we thanked her profusely for the delicious meal and went back to the hotel. Even though we were completely burnt out from the hike, we figured that it was about time we had a good night out. We met up with Quique, Alberto, and some of their friends at a nearby bar for some very tasty drinks. Quique and Alberto had us taste real Costa Rican rum. Now, I'm not a big rum drinker, but this was delicious. After awhile we felt it was only appropriate that we went salsa dancing. We jumped in Alberto's truck and he took us to a place that he said was a good salsa club. When we first walked in we were a little confused because everyone was singing Spanish karaoke. But once the song ended, the entire bar erupted into a spontaneous salsa party. It was awesome. We did the best we could to join along in the karaoke. Eventually around 2am the karaoke part stopped and it was only a salsa club from that point on. Unfortunately the night had to end eventually and we left bright and early the next morning to drive to Montezuma.
We're about to go do some yoga on the roof of our hotel, taught by our very own Reena. I'll try and update again about Montezuma when we get back from dinner.
Pura vida!
E
We have been constantly on the go since I last updated and I finally have about an hour of free time. As I lie here in a hammock on the third floor of our hotel, listening to the rain and the crashing waves of the ocean, I will do the best I can to recount the whirlwind that was the last few days; although, I hardly believe that I will be able to do it justice.
Last I left off, we were getting ready to go on the "extreme volcano hike" and let me say, it certainly lived up to its name. We left at 7am and headed towards the trail. In total, the hike took us 5 hours to hike 6 miles (3 miles up, 3 miles back). This was probably one of the hardest hikes I've ever done. It wasn't dangerous or scary by any means, it was just incredibly difficult to do. We literally climbed up the entire 3 miles with very few breaks. The entire hike was on a very steep incline. Imagine climbing to the top floor of a building that is three and a half times taller than the empire state building...and then slowly walking back down. Our thighs and glutes were on fire.
This may have been a difficult hike, but it was definitely worth it. We started the hike climbing up a path that was lined with flower bushes and Ginger plants. After about a mile we got to the beginning of the forest and stopped to get a picturesque view of La Fortuna. Our tour guide, Jose, was great at pointing out plants, bugs, animals, etc. I don't know how he did it but he didn't even have a drop of sweat on him. Meanwhile, the rest of us looked like we had just jumped of a swimming pool. Climbing through the rainforest was one of those "you had to be there" experiences but I'll do the best I can to describe it. Imagine being completely surrounded at all angles by mossy trees, chirping birds, and a cloudy mist a few feet above your head. If you've ever been to the rainforest cafe in the mall, the soundtrack that they play is actually what it sounds like, except this is surround sound...and real. Once we made it to the top we felt exhausted and accomplished. Jose told us that if we ventured only 150 meters farther, we would see a crater lake. We climbed down to the lake, stripped down to our bathing suits, and jumped in the water. The water was pretty cold but a lot of fun. It was so beautiful. We were surrounded by green mountains with that same mist suspended over the water. After a quick swim and a snack, we climbed back up to where we were before and then started our painful desent down the mountain.
One we got back to the bottom, they set up a delicious lunch for us that included chicken sandwiches, incredibly juicy watermelon and pineapple and, of course, Imperial (costa rican beer). After lunch we went to check out a really beautiful waterfall before heading back to the hotel. By the time we got back to the hotel we were a pack of walking zombies. A couple of us went to a nearby coffee and ice cream shop to get some coffee and ice cream (duh), and then somehow made it back to our hotel rooms for a midday nap.
A few hours later we met downstairs and jumped in the van to go to dinner. We took the van to the countryside and joined a Costa Rican family for dinner. I'm sure very few tourists get this true locals experience. First, the mother of the family taught us how to make our own tortillas. After eating our delicious tortillas, we sat down at a long table in the kitchen and ate like true Costa Ricans. The casado has been delicious the whole trip, however, THIS particular casado was by far the best. We then had some starfruit juice, a cup of coffee, and a scoop of ice cream.
After listening to the beautiful story of how she met her husband, we thanked her profusely for the delicious meal and went back to the hotel. Even though we were completely burnt out from the hike, we figured that it was about time we had a good night out. We met up with Quique, Alberto, and some of their friends at a nearby bar for some very tasty drinks. Quique and Alberto had us taste real Costa Rican rum. Now, I'm not a big rum drinker, but this was delicious. After awhile we felt it was only appropriate that we went salsa dancing. We jumped in Alberto's truck and he took us to a place that he said was a good salsa club. When we first walked in we were a little confused because everyone was singing Spanish karaoke. But once the song ended, the entire bar erupted into a spontaneous salsa party. It was awesome. We did the best we could to join along in the karaoke. Eventually around 2am the karaoke part stopped and it was only a salsa club from that point on. Unfortunately the night had to end eventually and we left bright and early the next morning to drive to Montezuma.
We're about to go do some yoga on the roof of our hotel, taught by our very own Reena. I'll try and update again about Montezuma when we get back from dinner.
Pura vida!
E
Sunday, August 14, 2011
What happens in Los Lagos, stays in Los Lagos.
Hola!
What an INCREDIBLE day. I am completely exhausted and I am surprised that I even have the energy left to type this post. We left the hotel around 7:30am to head to the river to go white water rafting. On the way, we stopped and this cute little market where we all bought all kinds of fruits and also water shoes (water chooose) to wear on the raft. Quique also walked around the market and pointed out the exotic fruits and roots native to Costa Rica. Most memorably, he gave us a sniff of nonie, which I then renamed as ass-fruit. Can you guess what it smelled like?
Once we got back on the bus to head to the Balsa river, Quique gave us some fun facts about Costa Rica. I´m sure it comes as no surprise, but I found the most interesting facts to be about their education system. For those who don´t know, Costa Rica is similar to Switzerland in that it has no army and is completely neutral. In 1948, the president of Costa Rica abolished the army and transferred all of the funds originally allocated to the military and put it into the education system. What a crazy concept!!!!!! Costa Rica now has an incredible education system that is completely affordable for everyone, due to the amount of scholarship money provided by the government each year. They have four universities, and they are the four best schools in all of Central America. Imagine... if the United States took all of the money that they have been spending on our armed forces and recent wars and put it towards education, just think about how much more affordable our education system would be. An interesting observation by one of our group members said that this is most likely possible for Costa Rica because they don´t have oil. It´s sad, but unfortunately true. Speaking of oil, I also learned that the number one industry in Costa Rica above bananas, pineapples, coffee, etc, is actually technology. They are the homebase for Intel and make the smallest computer chips in the world.
After Quinque´s history lesson, Alberto (our white water rafting tour guide) then gave us a test on pineapples, which I aced because I already learned about pineapples on the Dole plantation in Hawaii (thanks, Nyssa!). We finally reached the Balsa river and suited up for the craziest ride of my life. Alberto and Quique thought it would be funny to use me as the example during the safety demonstration. We got into the rafts and once we got settled, Alberto told me to get out of the raft. Once out of the raft he told me to jump off of the rock into the rapids. Um... what? At first I thought it was a huge joke but it turns out he wanted to demonstrate how to save someone from the fierce, unforgiving rush of the water. Great. I was scared out of my mind while we were suiting up but at this point I just looked down, took a deep breath, and jumped. As soon as I landed in the water I went into the the rescue position and started swimming when I was instructed to. After being pulled back up on the raft I realized that all of my nerves were completely gone and the smile did not leave my face until five hours and nine miles of river later when Alberto told us that we were going to shore for lunch.
When we signed up for the excursion, they told us that the river is a grade 3 and 4 for the rapids. When we got on the river, Alberto told us that it was actually more of a 4 and 5 grade. To give you an idea of how intense that is, a grade 6 is the highest it goes, and those are strictly reserved for professionals. Either way, I can not remember the last time that I had this much fun. What an adrenaline rush! After about two hours of rafting, we pulled over to the side and geared up to rapell down a 150 meter rushing waterfall. I was still so hyped up from the adrenaline of the rafting that I just strapped on that harness, forgot about my fear of heights and dropping, and let go of the rope. It was a gorgeous waterfall. There was just something so exhilarating about taking control of the rope while fighting the rush of the waterfall pounding down on your entire body. Once we got to the bottom, Alberto had laid out a delicious spread of cut up watermelon and pineapples. SO. DELICIOUS. After basking in our awesomeness, we got back into the raft and fought the rapids the rest of the way down the river. At one point on the way back, the waters were relatively calm for a few meters. During that time, Alberto thought it would be funny to throw me off the raft. After Raina´s unsuccessful attempt to rescue me, he and Quique then proceeded to throw everyone else off of the raft. Once we realized that there really was no reason at that time to get back in the boat, we all just swam around for awhile messing around and laughing our heads off. We eventually got back in the boat, went down one more rapid and then said goodbye to the Balsa river. Alberto then took us over to an ex-president´s house and we were fed an incredible meal. I didn´t think I would love the food here this much. It reminds me so much of the Cuban food I ate growing up and it was just a plateful of all of my favorites. There was chicken, picadillo, rice and beans, yuca, and plantain chips. We then went to a hut behind the house to learn about how sugarcane is turned into sugar and also sugarcane juice. He also showed us a tree that´s roots are used to make the Chanel perfume.
We got back on the bus and checked into the next hotel, only to leave ten minutes later for the hot lava springs. This resort is made up of ten spring pools, each pool at a different temperature. We all started in the main pool that had a water slide and a bar INSIDE the pool. You basically just swim up to the counter and order your drink. A couple of us went around to try a few of the different pools. We went up to the top and just sat there in one of the pools, relaxing our muscles from the rafting and listening to the sounds of the surrounding jungle. We then changed out of our bathing suits and walked over to the connecting restaurant for yet another delicious meal. This time I had the tilapia followed by a small slice of tres leche and, of course, it was incredible.
This has been such an incredible tríp so far. I never thought that I would have the guts to do any of these things and after surviving a day like today, I just feel so confident and fearless. We just got back to the hotel in La Fortuna and I am so ready to curl up in my bed. On the agenda for tomorrow we have what they call the Extreme Volcano Hike. This is basically a six hour hike up the side of the Arenal volcano. This is one of the 10 most active volcanoes in the world. Anyways, I´m exhausted and we have to get up super early tomorrow.
Pura vida!!!
E
P.S. Another fun trivia fact: In England, the term "knackered" comes from where they used to send horses before they were shot. So if you say I´m knackered, what you´re saying is that you´re on your last legs and ready to be shot. Interesting, yes?
What an INCREDIBLE day. I am completely exhausted and I am surprised that I even have the energy left to type this post. We left the hotel around 7:30am to head to the river to go white water rafting. On the way, we stopped and this cute little market where we all bought all kinds of fruits and also water shoes (water chooose) to wear on the raft. Quique also walked around the market and pointed out the exotic fruits and roots native to Costa Rica. Most memorably, he gave us a sniff of nonie, which I then renamed as ass-fruit. Can you guess what it smelled like?
Once we got back on the bus to head to the Balsa river, Quique gave us some fun facts about Costa Rica. I´m sure it comes as no surprise, but I found the most interesting facts to be about their education system. For those who don´t know, Costa Rica is similar to Switzerland in that it has no army and is completely neutral. In 1948, the president of Costa Rica abolished the army and transferred all of the funds originally allocated to the military and put it into the education system. What a crazy concept!!!!!! Costa Rica now has an incredible education system that is completely affordable for everyone, due to the amount of scholarship money provided by the government each year. They have four universities, and they are the four best schools in all of Central America. Imagine... if the United States took all of the money that they have been spending on our armed forces and recent wars and put it towards education, just think about how much more affordable our education system would be. An interesting observation by one of our group members said that this is most likely possible for Costa Rica because they don´t have oil. It´s sad, but unfortunately true. Speaking of oil, I also learned that the number one industry in Costa Rica above bananas, pineapples, coffee, etc, is actually technology. They are the homebase for Intel and make the smallest computer chips in the world.
After Quinque´s history lesson, Alberto (our white water rafting tour guide) then gave us a test on pineapples, which I aced because I already learned about pineapples on the Dole plantation in Hawaii (thanks, Nyssa!). We finally reached the Balsa river and suited up for the craziest ride of my life. Alberto and Quique thought it would be funny to use me as the example during the safety demonstration. We got into the rafts and once we got settled, Alberto told me to get out of the raft. Once out of the raft he told me to jump off of the rock into the rapids. Um... what? At first I thought it was a huge joke but it turns out he wanted to demonstrate how to save someone from the fierce, unforgiving rush of the water. Great. I was scared out of my mind while we were suiting up but at this point I just looked down, took a deep breath, and jumped. As soon as I landed in the water I went into the the rescue position and started swimming when I was instructed to. After being pulled back up on the raft I realized that all of my nerves were completely gone and the smile did not leave my face until five hours and nine miles of river later when Alberto told us that we were going to shore for lunch.
When we signed up for the excursion, they told us that the river is a grade 3 and 4 for the rapids. When we got on the river, Alberto told us that it was actually more of a 4 and 5 grade. To give you an idea of how intense that is, a grade 6 is the highest it goes, and those are strictly reserved for professionals. Either way, I can not remember the last time that I had this much fun. What an adrenaline rush! After about two hours of rafting, we pulled over to the side and geared up to rapell down a 150 meter rushing waterfall. I was still so hyped up from the adrenaline of the rafting that I just strapped on that harness, forgot about my fear of heights and dropping, and let go of the rope. It was a gorgeous waterfall. There was just something so exhilarating about taking control of the rope while fighting the rush of the waterfall pounding down on your entire body. Once we got to the bottom, Alberto had laid out a delicious spread of cut up watermelon and pineapples. SO. DELICIOUS. After basking in our awesomeness, we got back into the raft and fought the rapids the rest of the way down the river. At one point on the way back, the waters were relatively calm for a few meters. During that time, Alberto thought it would be funny to throw me off the raft. After Raina´s unsuccessful attempt to rescue me, he and Quique then proceeded to throw everyone else off of the raft. Once we realized that there really was no reason at that time to get back in the boat, we all just swam around for awhile messing around and laughing our heads off. We eventually got back in the boat, went down one more rapid and then said goodbye to the Balsa river. Alberto then took us over to an ex-president´s house and we were fed an incredible meal. I didn´t think I would love the food here this much. It reminds me so much of the Cuban food I ate growing up and it was just a plateful of all of my favorites. There was chicken, picadillo, rice and beans, yuca, and plantain chips. We then went to a hut behind the house to learn about how sugarcane is turned into sugar and also sugarcane juice. He also showed us a tree that´s roots are used to make the Chanel perfume.
We got back on the bus and checked into the next hotel, only to leave ten minutes later for the hot lava springs. This resort is made up of ten spring pools, each pool at a different temperature. We all started in the main pool that had a water slide and a bar INSIDE the pool. You basically just swim up to the counter and order your drink. A couple of us went around to try a few of the different pools. We went up to the top and just sat there in one of the pools, relaxing our muscles from the rafting and listening to the sounds of the surrounding jungle. We then changed out of our bathing suits and walked over to the connecting restaurant for yet another delicious meal. This time I had the tilapia followed by a small slice of tres leche and, of course, it was incredible.
This has been such an incredible tríp so far. I never thought that I would have the guts to do any of these things and after surviving a day like today, I just feel so confident and fearless. We just got back to the hotel in La Fortuna and I am so ready to curl up in my bed. On the agenda for tomorrow we have what they call the Extreme Volcano Hike. This is basically a six hour hike up the side of the Arenal volcano. This is one of the 10 most active volcanoes in the world. Anyways, I´m exhausted and we have to get up super early tomorrow.
Pura vida!!!
E
P.S. Another fun trivia fact: In England, the term "knackered" comes from where they used to send horses before they were shot. So if you say I´m knackered, what you´re saying is that you´re on your last legs and ready to be shot. Interesting, yes?
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Pura Vida
Hello again!
I learned today that it is custom in Costa Rica to respond with "pura vida" when someone says como estas? After I last updated the blog I met up with some other group members to explore the streets of San Jose'. This town is so full of flavor and culture. We walked down the streets looking at the buildings and artwork with the soundtrack of exotic birds and raindrops in the background. Eventually we sat down at a very authentic Costa Rican restaurant and had a glass of sangria and an incredible meal. The authentic Costa Rican dish is called casado and it is a concoction of chicken, steak, tortillas, beans and rice, and plantains. After spending a few more colones than we should have we headed back to the hotel to meet the rest of the group.
Two cups of incredibly delicious coffee and a group meeting later, we left the hotel again to roam the streets, this time with our tourguide Enrique (but we call him Quique). In total there are four of us from New York, one from Idaho, three from england and six from Toronto. All in all, a great group of very friendly people. Quique then took is to this great place downtown for dinner that was apparently known for their casado. But since I had already tasted this delicious meal only a few hours prior, I just ordered what I thought was a scoop of ice cream. Turns out, when you order the ice cream with fruit, you end up getting a bowl full of guava and slices of banana with a scoop of ice cream on top. I am in no way complaining though, that fruit was incredible.
Now we're back at the hotel and trying to get a few hours of sleep in before starting what is sure to be a day full of excitement and adventure. So far on the agenda for tomorrow I have signed up for waterfall repelling, white water rafting, and soaking in the hot lava springs. I am looking forward to just being completely out of my element and pushing myself to try things that I never thought I would have the guts to do. My roommate, Sam, described it perfectly. She said that the things you fear doing are the ones most worth doing. Which brings me to my official motto for this trip: just do it. (thanks Nike!)
Noches!
E
I learned today that it is custom in Costa Rica to respond with "pura vida" when someone says como estas? After I last updated the blog I met up with some other group members to explore the streets of San Jose'. This town is so full of flavor and culture. We walked down the streets looking at the buildings and artwork with the soundtrack of exotic birds and raindrops in the background. Eventually we sat down at a very authentic Costa Rican restaurant and had a glass of sangria and an incredible meal. The authentic Costa Rican dish is called casado and it is a concoction of chicken, steak, tortillas, beans and rice, and plantains. After spending a few more colones than we should have we headed back to the hotel to meet the rest of the group.
Two cups of incredibly delicious coffee and a group meeting later, we left the hotel again to roam the streets, this time with our tourguide Enrique (but we call him Quique). In total there are four of us from New York, one from Idaho, three from england and six from Toronto. All in all, a great group of very friendly people. Quique then took is to this great place downtown for dinner that was apparently known for their casado. But since I had already tasted this delicious meal only a few hours prior, I just ordered what I thought was a scoop of ice cream. Turns out, when you order the ice cream with fruit, you end up getting a bowl full of guava and slices of banana with a scoop of ice cream on top. I am in no way complaining though, that fruit was incredible.
Now we're back at the hotel and trying to get a few hours of sleep in before starting what is sure to be a day full of excitement and adventure. So far on the agenda for tomorrow I have signed up for waterfall repelling, white water rafting, and soaking in the hot lava springs. I am looking forward to just being completely out of my element and pushing myself to try things that I never thought I would have the guts to do. My roommate, Sam, described it perfectly. She said that the things you fear doing are the ones most worth doing. Which brings me to my official motto for this trip: just do it. (thanks Nike!)
Noches!
E
Bienvenido a Costa Rica!
Hola familia y amigos,
I have safely landed in the beautiful land of Costa Rica. The flight was relatively short and, for the first time since I can rememeber, screaming baby-free. So far all we´ve done is take a taxi (and you think you fear for your life in taxis in New York?) to the hotel but I just wanted to check in and let everyone know that I am alive and loving my current surroundings. If I can survive the taxi ride to the hotel, I´m pretty sure I can survive anything. Turns out I know/remember more Spanish than I thought I did! Everyone is extremely nice and there is free coffee downstairs... all day, everyday..The surrounding mountains are absolutely breathtaking and I am so excited to explore them more closely tomorrow.
Anyways, I just wanted to write a quick post to say that I´m here because we´re about to go look for a delicious place to eat lunch.
Besos!
E
I have safely landed in the beautiful land of Costa Rica. The flight was relatively short and, for the first time since I can rememeber, screaming baby-free. So far all we´ve done is take a taxi (and you think you fear for your life in taxis in New York?) to the hotel but I just wanted to check in and let everyone know that I am alive and loving my current surroundings. If I can survive the taxi ride to the hotel, I´m pretty sure I can survive anything. Turns out I know/remember more Spanish than I thought I did! Everyone is extremely nice and there is free coffee downstairs... all day, everyday..The surrounding mountains are absolutely breathtaking and I am so excited to explore them more closely tomorrow.
Anyways, I just wanted to write a quick post to say that I´m here because we´re about to go look for a delicious place to eat lunch.
Besos!
E
Friday, August 12, 2011
Ready for lift off
Hola amigos y familia!
Unfortunately that is the extent of my knowledge of the Spanish language. Do you think many Costa Ricans speak Italian? That's the same...right? I probably should have paid more attention to my grandma when I was a kid. Anyways, tomorrow morning I embark on a journey to the land of Costa Rica. This will be my first time in Central America and I am SO excited.
The trip starts off in San Jose where we will meet up with the rest of the group and get settled only to leave the next morning for La Fortuna/Arenal. After La Fortuna we will head to Montezuma and then back to San Jose. In total the trip will be about 8 days... Unless I decide to jump ship and stay there for the rest of my life. Just kidding! Or am I?
This trip could not come at a better time and I am really looking forward to exploring this exotic country while simultaneously learning more about myself. I see this trip as the perfect transition to the next stage in my life and I hope to embrace this adventure fearlessly.
I'll try to update this as much as I can, but I'll hopefully be busy white water rafting or ziplining through the rainforest.
Besos!
E
Unfortunately that is the extent of my knowledge of the Spanish language. Do you think many Costa Ricans speak Italian? That's the same...right? I probably should have paid more attention to my grandma when I was a kid. Anyways, tomorrow morning I embark on a journey to the land of Costa Rica. This will be my first time in Central America and I am SO excited.
The trip starts off in San Jose where we will meet up with the rest of the group and get settled only to leave the next morning for La Fortuna/Arenal. After La Fortuna we will head to Montezuma and then back to San Jose. In total the trip will be about 8 days... Unless I decide to jump ship and stay there for the rest of my life. Just kidding! Or am I?
This trip could not come at a better time and I am really looking forward to exploring this exotic country while simultaneously learning more about myself. I see this trip as the perfect transition to the next stage in my life and I hope to embrace this adventure fearlessly.
I'll try to update this as much as I can, but I'll hopefully be busy white water rafting or ziplining through the rainforest.
Besos!
E
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