| If you are thinking of travelling to Costa Rica, reading | | | | every penny. The hot spring has about a dozen huge |
| about my experiences may help you decide what to | | | | pools each about 30 feet across, two with bars in |
| see and do while you are there. My husband and I | | | | the center. Each pool is a different temperature, |
| went there at Christmas on a 10 day group tour with | | | | from lukewarm to scalding. All the pools are |
| the Caravan company, a travel tour provider which | | | | surrounded by tropical foliage and winding paths. It's |
| also has guided tours of Mexico, Guatemala, Copper | | | | entirely possible to spend an entire day at these |
| Canyon and the Canadian Rockies. | | | | heavenly springs without getting bored. |
| The tour started in San Jose, the capital of Costa | | | | Our group took a ride on the Aerial Tram, which runs |
| Rica. The hotel was modern and quiet, with a great | | | | amongst the canopy of the rain forest. Every now |
| buffet of (fairly) authentic food. Due to the tropical | | | | and then, a giant blue Morphos butterfly would flutter |
| climate, local produce of excellent quality is available | | | | around the tram, so bright and iridescent it appeared |
| year-round, obviously grown on small farms, not the | | | | to be lit by a spotlight. We saw many birds and |
| giant factory farms common in North America. The | | | | butterflies, but no colorful snakes, unfortunately, |
| local watermelons were the most delicious I'd ever | | | | though there are supposed to be many varieties of |
| eaten, small (less than a foot in diameter), with bright | | | | them in the rainforest. Also no jaguars, as they are |
| red, extremely sweet flesh; completely different | | | | rare and very shy. |
| from the pale, tasteless, huge commercially grown | | | | If you plan to hike into the rain forest, even on |
| Californian and Mexico melons sold back in the States. | | | | groomed trails, be sure to wear hiking boots, not |
| Rice and beans were served at almost every meal, | | | | sandals, and also long pants that can be tucked into |
| however there was always a variety of spiced meat | | | | those boots. I'm not kidding when I make this |
| stews and also spicy vegetarian dishes. I'm not | | | | recommendation : the rain forest floor is full of biting |
| vegetarian, but I love vegetables, so I was really | | | | ants, both leaf cutter ants and army ants, which |
| pleased by the menu, and it was one of the highlights | | | | have huge nests several yards across. These |
| of the trip. Bad food and noisy accommodations can | | | | poisonous ants really bite, and I found this out the |
| really detract from a tour even if the scenery is | | | | hard way as I and several other people on the tour |
| great. | | | | were wearing sandals, and we found ourselves doing |
| On my last tour with Caravan, we went to Mexico, | | | | a skittish dance to stop the insects from crawling |
| and chicken was on the menu so often that to this | | | | over our feet and biting us. Still, I came away with a |
| day my husband won't eat any more of it. "All | | | | swollen ankle due to one ant which had managed to |
| pollo'ed out," is how he puts it. But that wasn't the | | | | latch on. I wonder how the local Indians who once |
| case this time; so obviously, even with the same tour | | | | lived in the rainforest dealt with this, as they went |
| company, each tour is different, since the details are | | | | barefoot all the time. |
| largely arranged by local agents. | | | | We also spent two days in the Tortuguero wildlife |
| We didn't spend much time in San Jose itself, just | | | | preserve, heaven for birdwatchers. There were all |
| drove through it on the way to local attractions. But I | | | | kinds of exotic birds including Toucans. We also saw |
| noticed barred windows and spirals of razor wire | | | | some small caimans, iguanas, and several species of |
| surrounding just about every house and building, and | | | | monkeys. Surprisingly, given the humid rain forest, |
| two armed guards at the exits of an appliance store, | | | | there were very few mosquitoes. |
| of all places. In front of a bank, I could understand it, | | | | The most impressive crocodiles, about 15 feet long, |
| but at a store selling washing machines? The tour | | | | were not in the park but in a river outside the game |
| guide said that the local crime rate is extremely high. | | | | preserve. About a dozen of them could be seen |
| In Mexico, I saw some barred windows, but little | | | | from the top of bridge, basking in the water below |
| barbed wire. I am told that theft is a problem all | | | | and sunning themselves on sandbars. The guide told |
| through Latin America, and an acquaintance who has | | | | us that locals had previously been entertaining |
| travelled widely around the continent told me not to | | | | themselves by buying whole chicken carcasses and |
| take anything valuable along on my trip. However, | | | | dangling them from ropes over the bridge just above |
| even with this warning, the sight was really jarring. | | | | the reptiles' noses to tease them. However, there |
| I'm not used to that at all in Canada and the States, | | | | was now a policeman stationed at one end of the |
| and even the Caribbean doesn't have such obvious | | | | bridge to prevent this practice, as it as lot like |
| problems. Despite the fact that Costa Rica is a | | | | feeding bears, very unadvisable as it causes the |
| trendy retirement location for a lot of Gringos, this | | | | animals to become pests. |
| would really make me think twice about moving | | | | We also went on a tour led by a naturalist who fed |
| there. | | | | fish to an 8-foot wild crocodile by hand, even going |
| Costa Rica is a volcanic area, and the tour group | | | | so far as to handle the animal and hold its tail. The |
| went to see two volcanoes, the Poas Volcano and | | | | crocodile did not seem at all upset by this treatment |
| the Arenal Volcano. The Poas Volcano was at a high | | | | and made no attempt to bite; I suppose it knows |
| altitude, covered with a cloud forest full of streaming, | | | | when the tour is coming by and expects to be fed. |
| eerie mist unlike anything I've seen elsewhere. The | | | | We also spent a day at Jaco Beach in the Manuel |
| crater, which contains a bright green, highly acidic | | | | Antonio National Park. If you go there, come in the |
| lake, was poorly visible due to the misty conditions, | | | | early morning, because the park only allows a limited |
| but the just the walk through the forest was | | | | number of visitors at one time, and once the park is |
| worthwhile by itself.itself. | | | | full, those who arrive later have to wait in a line |
| The second volcano we visited was the Arenal, and I | | | | outside the gate. The beach was beautiful, clean with |
| highly recommend that any travellers to Costa Rica | | | | warm, tropical water. |
| set aside a day to visit the hot springs on the side of | | | | All in all, it was a very interesting trip, entirely |
| the mountain. I've never seen a water park like this | | | | different from Mexico, the only other Latin American |
| one! Admission is a hefty $25.00 US, probably priced | | | | country I have visited. It was a unique experience, |
| out of range for most of the locals, but it's worth | | | | well worth the money. |