Costa Rica Adventure (CRA)
San Jose, Puerto Viejo de Talamanca & Manzanillo, Tortuguero, Rara Avis,
La Fortuna (Arenal Volcano), Monteverde, Quepos & Manuel Antonio (Costa Rica)
See map

The Costa Rica adventure began in San Jose, the capital. The next day we were on our way to the caribbean town of Puerto Viejo de Limon and Manzanillo. These are cute little towns in the south east part of the country where the culture is of caribbean descent. Beautiful beaches filled with wild life of all sorts in a rainforest setting topped with reggae music and beach bars.
	A couple of days there and we were heading to the town of Tortuguero on the north east side of the country. We had to take a boat ride of some 5 hours on the rivers and canals to get there. Now here is a place that can only be accessed by boat or plane. There are no access roads and no cars on the island. The amount of wildlife we encountered through out trip was amazing.
We are talking about bats, white faced, spider and howler monkeys, along with sloths and crocodiles and king vulchers not to forget the soft water turtles of course (since we are in Tortuguero).
	Tortuguero is an island where sea turtles come every year between April and August to nest. The river on one side of the island is filled with crocodiles and on the sea side by sharks. It is said that the rich volcanic sand in this area filled with iron attracts and directs the turtles to this location every year.
Then we headed inland towards a camp in the rain forest called Rara Avis. It took us a 2 hours boat ride crossing into Nicaragua and back into Costa Rica followed by a bus ride to get to the base. From there we had to take a huge off road truck for 2 hours to get to the tractor and an other 2 hours tractor ride to get to Rara Avis.
	But once there, we were in the middle of the rain forest with no tourists to be found at miles and miles around (except those staying in Rara Avis and us of course). We spent a few days hiking in the rain forest there and visiting amazing waterfalls and swimming under or on top of them. Definitely an unforgettable part of our trip. I don't think many people can realize the feeling of coming out of the heat and humidity of the rain forest sweating and diving in the chilled waters of a tropical river. But they should!
After a few days there we were back on the tractor and the truck then to the bus and on our way towards the active volcano of Arenal, in the town of La Fortuna. Now here is a little town by the side of the volcano filled with different activities be it rafting to kayaking or waterfall rappelling or bunjee jumping... and my favorite: swimming in the volcano's hot springs. ohhhhh yehhhhh!
	Of course I was in the hot springs the first afternoon we got there and I stayed there until they had to throw me out at 10PM. But it was ok because I was back there the next day! But that's not all we did. I had this urge to bunjee jump since a few years and there was my chance... Off a crane at 120 feet (40m) off the ground plunging and hitting the pool below...
And just as I was getting over that we were heading to the 8 local waterfalls to rappel down 60 meters (180 feet) with Leah and some of the people of our group. Then right back to the Baldi hot springs... hehehe
	I have to admit I was sad to leave Fortuna but so much more were still coming ahead. So after a few days there we take a boat ride across Arenal lake and meet our horses on the other side. Here we are horseback riding to Monteverde.
Took about 3 hours and when we got there it was soooo windy and cold that we all jumped in our hot showers. Unfortunately not all of us had hot water... :-S
	Monteverde was very different. We were high in the mountains, right in the middle of the cloud forest where the pacific winds pick up speed.
Here we saw some very interesting dense vegetation and beautiful flowers like the smallest orchid in the world amongst many. This is also one of the places used to film Jurassic Park.
	By the time we were settling down and having our cheese and wine party at our hotel with the group, we decided to go and experience the zip lines of this region.
Now zip lining is an activity where you are attached to your harness and hang from a metal cable and go from platform to platform at amazing speeds some 30m (100f) off the ground, between the trees. The last platform is about 1/2 to 3/4 of a kilometer long and about 100m (300f) off the ground.
	After two nights in Monteverde, we left for Quepos on the pacific coast. It was a 5 hours bus ride and the roads were pretty comfortable except the part of coming down the mountain.
On our way we passed over the famous crocodile bridge where some 50 huge beasts are sitting right below you taking a sun bath. It was very impressive.
	But we were in a hurry to get back to the beach so we did not spend too much time there and kept going towards Quepos and Manuel Antonio. Once there, I did not want to hear about any more activities. All I wanted to do was just swim in the pool or in the pacific ocean and go have a beer at a local bar.
But then someone proposed a catamaran tour and what do you know, we were heading for a whole afternoon on a huge cata for a BBQ followed by watching some whales and dolphins (which we kind of saw from afar - they are pretty evasive) and a good BBQ meal before snorkeling off the coast line and watching the amazing pacific sunset.