Costa Rica - From the Road

1/9/98: Hola from Costa Rica,

This is my first full day without Barbara, who flew home to Portland yesterday morning. I had gotten used to her doing all the thinking and making all of our travel plans, while I just kicked back and absorbed all the new sights, sounds and smells. Consequently, I ended up in a real dump of a place last night in a not so great neighborhood, having to get back to my buggy room before dark. Boy, do I miss that girl! However, today is already better. I managed to find myself a decent room right in the center of town that's in a very secure building and has friendly managers as well as fellow travelers who seem friendly and mannered.

Our trip to the cloud forrest in Monteverde wasn't as pleasant as we had anticipated due to heavy rains. We also found out from a knowledgable local that the canopy tours were more like a fun ride in the trees with cables and pulleys, but not much of a opportunity to see any wild life. What sane animal would come around all that commotion? So we decided to save our money for something more worthwhile. We did, however, take a tour of the forest with a guide by the name of Alex, who is considered something of a reknowned expert on birds of Central America. We were lucky enough to see not one but two quetzales, the elusive and beautiful bird that is the official national bird of Guatemala and the unofficial one of Costa Rica. The official bird of C.R. is a plain brown sparrow, which Alex was loathe to admit. We cut short our time in Monteverde and headed back to the coast at Montezuma, where we spent 4 wonderful days just lazing around-swimming, walking and playing in the sun. I finally got to take those siestas I'd been dreaming about, and in a hammock of all things.

Again, thankyou to all of you who have been sending e-mails to me. I wish I could afford to write to all of you, but this stuff cost me $6/hr and I'm on a budget now. Denise and Pam, I especially have appreciated your messages, with just the ordinary everyday stuff that's going on in your lives. That goes as well for Nancy and Jo with your news and words of encouragement. Toni and Eric, I love you guys and I love hearing from you. Michelle, I keep you in my heart. Ellen, I have a letter on its way to you, but I'm told it takes about two weeks. Michele and Allison, I'm thinking of you in Guatemala now. Be safe and have your usual great time.

I'm heading off to the Peninsula de Nicoya again tomorrow, to stay for about a month in Mal Pais on the beach.

Love to all, Jan


12/29/98: We're back in San Jose for a brief stint before leaving for the Monteverde cloud forest tomorrow. After spending a few days in San Jose at the beginning of the trip, we decided to modify our itinerary so that we'd be spending less time in the city. Unfortunately, it's a typical big city - loud, crowded, smoggy, etc.

We've spent the last week at the beach in Montezuma - boy was that a blast! The weather was beautiful, with sunny skies and warm ocean waters. Went swimming every day, and threw in horseback riding, forest exploration, snorkeling, boating, hiking, climbing waterfalls and other misc. activities throughout the week. I even have a mild tan now!

We've seen all kinds of incredible wildlife, including monkeys, parrots, parakeets, coatis, woodpeckers, iguanas, butterflies, lizards, crabs, herons, hawks, and more, all in the wild. We also went to the zoo, where we got to see close up jaguars, a lion, rare breeds of monkeys, crocodiles, turtles, a peacock, tucans, and pumas.

Today we took an organized tour (remind me not to do that again - like the sites, hate the structure & cow-herd mentality) to the Irazu volcano and around the Orasi valley. The volcano was incredible - there was a lake of bright green sulphuric acid in the crater... very intense. The valley was beautiful, with coffee plantations, a visit to the Lankester orchid garden, and a tour of a small village.

Since today is my last day in San Jose, that means this is my last (and only) update to the site during the trip. Thanks to everyone who cared enough to check it out while I'm gone - I look forward to sharing my stories and photos with you all when I return.

Barbara


12/10/98: As time permits, I'll be making notes here about how the trip is going while we're in Costa Rica. I'll also post updates that I receive from my Mom after I've come home.

While we're in Costa Rica, you can e-mail us at the following addresses:

While we're in San Jose, we'll be staying at the Pension de la Cuesta Bed & Breakfast. Check out their Web site!