Sonntag, 27. Dezember 2015

Pura Vida Part II

Note: This is the second part of the Blog I am writing about my time in Costa Rica. If you are interested you can find the first part here: http://tommo76travel.blogspot.de/2015/12/pura-vida-part-i.html

I ended my last Blog writing about the amazing Caribbean style dinner we had at our place in Tortuguero. Which was the perfect ending for our amazing two days in this small paradise. The food tasted so exotic as  the whole place seemed to be. I got so many new impressions in these first days in Costa Rica that it felt like that we must have been there for at least three weeks already.

So it was a strange feeling I had on the next morning when we met up at the shore of the Canal to get into the boat to get back to the civilisation. I was kind of sad that I had to leave this beautiful place with all this amazing wildlife and its beautiful landscapes. But on the other had I was really eager to explore the rest of this beautiful country. And I had the feeling that i was not the only person in the group who felt this way.

One by one, everyone of our group arrived, still a bit sleepy as it was early in the morning, but then we finally were ready to go.  And like on the way to Tortuguero, also the way back was really amazing. Again we were able to spot a lot of wildlife in the Canal and on its shore. Sometimes you had the feeling that there must be someone who is placing the animals in some place you can spot them, as you had the feeling that they were really waiting for you to spot them. But I guess we just have been lucky to be at the right place at the right time.
Again we spotted some lizards, a cayman, an abundance of  birds and also spotted some monkeys very far away.
It was such an amazing feeling to drive down that huge canal system that was leading us straight through some sort of Jungle. It really made you feel as if you were at a place like the Amazon or maybe African Jungle. It gave you the feeling as if you were exploring a whole new area. And you never knew what was waiting around the next bend of the river. Still one of my favourite experience of the whole time I had in Costa Rica.







But as all good things must come to an end, eventually we arrived the end of the canal and had to get out of the boat and get onto the bus to our next destination. This time we had a Minibus for ourselves and didn't had to get on a Chicken Bus again. Which was of course much more convenient and relaxing. But still we got our Costa Rican massage while driving on the bumpy roads.

And again it was really fascinating to watch the landscapes passing by. We passed all the huge Banana Plantations again and again they looked really impressing and huge. It just makes you wonder who should eat all those bananas. Even when you sell them to all corners of the world it seems a lot.
Besides the Banana Plants we could also see a lot of other green scenery on our way. The whole country is incredible green. A lot of forests, a lot of Farms, a lot of woods. Something I am missing even in Germany in this intensity. I really hope that Costa Rica will keep going on and saving all the protected wood areas and National Parks.
Even now the area we were driving through now it is not as forested as the rest of the country, as it was mostly farmland. But still it felt really lush and green. Just really enjoyable to relax in the van and to watch the landscapes passing by while listening to some music.

Before we arrived at our next destination we made a stop at a very huge Supermarket, which was unlike most of the supermarkets you usually find across Costa rica. This one could have been in the USA when it comes to the size and the products they were selling. It was modernly styled and more expensive then the usual shop you can find. But as our Tour Guide told us we would have a fridge at the next stop we decided to buy some cans of beer for the evenings there.
And so we left after around 30 Minutes with a good stock on beer and booze. So there was no risk that we would die because of thirst in the next days.
After about 40 Minutes more of driving we finally arrived at our next destination. Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui, a town at the shores of the Sarapiqui River, in former times a booming Harbour town, but now with the big road network in the Country, the importance of the town went down dramatically. Nowadays it is more a stop over for Tourists who stop in this area, to visit one of the close National Parks or getting their Adrenaline kick at the Whitewater Rafting which is very popular in this area.

The place we were staying at, a very nice and beautiful Bed & Breakfast a bit outside of the town was maybe the nicest place we stayed the whole tour. The B&B is located on a really nice wooded lot which looks more like a rain forest than a B&B Garden. But this is one of the reasons this place was so special. You really have the feeling you could be inside of the woods as there were trees, flowers and bushes everywhere around you. It looked amazing and beautiful. And we had a great variety of Wildlife on  the property as well. In a tree right in front of the hut I was sleeping in was a sloth, in what other Hotel could that happen to you. We had some huge Lizards as well, a lot of different frogs and a lot of different birds. It was fantastic.
Everywhere on the lot were some huts where we were sleeping in. We even had two Tree Houses. It really got a special vibe. The thing I liked most in that place was the huge hammock right in front of my Hut. It was so nice to lie there reading, listening to music or just watch and listen to the nature around you. Just wonderful.





Another reason this place is so special was  the owner Alex, a really nice and wonderful person. Whose big passion and purpose in life is to help animals in misery.
He used to run a Sanctuary for Animals but had to close it down for some reasons. But he still takes care of injured animals .When we were there he took care of a Parrot. And our Tour Guide told us that at one time he was there, Alex got an Phone call and both left with Alex Truck to get an injured sloth.
So Alex really got a big heart and when you talk to him you can hear the passion about animals in his words. And his plans are to open up a new Animal Sanctuary, but as with so many things, he needs the money to open it up again. He already owns a big lot of land outside of town which would be perfect for this but I am afraid it will take some time until he is able to open it up.

We arrived in Puerto Viejo in the early afternoon and still had some time to spend. The most important thing was to get the fridge running so that we would be able to get some cold beers in the evening.
We spent the next hours exploring the near by town which was a short walk away and I had the stupid idea that I would be able to get some cash from a ATM Machine with my German Bank Card, but the ATM I picked wasn't accepting my card, I read that some ATM Machines in Costa Rica are not able to read the chip which is on it. I also had a credit card with which I could withdraw money, but as I found out I had the wrong PIN code for it. So I wasnt able to withdraw any money here. I tried some other ATM but with the same result.
I already saw myself stealing some of the chickens which were running around some of the houses nearby in a few days. But the people in my group reassured me that they would help me if I would really run out of money in one of the next days. A really nice reaction. It is good to know that you are not alone when you need help.
Some other members of our group wanted to exchange some money in a bank nearby, an idea which was nearly as naive as mine as we found out.
First of all, when you want to enter an bank you have to go through an Metal Detector and you get checked if you got any weapons on you. Once you made it into these Fort Knox, you just dont get the money, you have to show your passport several times, you have to fill out some forms, which are getting checked and checked again. It took my friends about 30 Minutes to get the money they need.

The rest of the afternoon was spent with exploring the amazing ground of the place we were staying and trying to discover as many animals as possible. I really loved looking at the sloth which was so close to my Hut. It is amazing that they can sleep almost all day long. Our Tour Guide told us that they only leave the trees every six or seven days to poop and then they are getting back up again and I guess almost immediately back to sleep. But still they are very fascinating. Especially with that satisfying look on their face.
And after we had some of the beers out of the fridge, we went out to Dinner in a small Soda Restaurant at the other end of the town. A Soda Restaurant is a cheaper sort of Restaurant and you will find these in every town. They are cheaper then the usual fancy looking restaurant as they are usually used by the local people, but to be honest, very often the food in the Soda Restaurants was much better than the food in the tourist places. So this is something I can really recommend to you when you are travelling in Costa Rica.
I had a wonderful steak in a really good chilli sauce that night. It was really, really spicy but it tasted really, really good. We had a really nice and relaxing evening at that place until we decided to leave and found out that it had started to rain. And we got our first impression of how the rainy season can be in Costa Rica. It was not raining it was pouring down, as if someone was emptying buckets up there.
And we would have to walk about 25 Minutes back to our Hotel. Of course we got soaked and looked as if we decided to go for a swim with our clothes still on. But this was kind of part of the whole adventure and I think in a way everyone was enjoying it a bit as well. But my clothes were still wet some days afterwards, they were so wet.

On the next morning it had stopped raining again in the morning and we were able to do the activities we had decided on the day before. The Majority of the group would do the Whitewater Rafting on the near by river. As I am not really keen on activities on the water so I decided to pick an alternative activity and went out to visit a nearby Biological Station. And I was lucky that three other persons decided to go there as well. So we had a small group together and took a cab to the nearby Station.

The Biological station which is just outside of town was founded by a cooperation of 63 different Universities and Research Institutions and was founded back in 1953 by a single person with a small forest property, over the time more and more Universities joined this cooperation and more land was bought. Today the Biological station owns a property which got the size of about 1.600 Hectares. On the grounds you can find several Research facilities and laboratories but also a Hotel where not only the scientists are staying but also Tourists who wants to explore the area.
But you can also visit the station for a guided tour as we were doing now. After we checked in at the Tourist Office we were greeted by our guide and he took us on an amazing three hours hike around the area. Of course you can only explore some of the outskirts of the area as it is way too big, and also the interior part is closed for tourists to protect the animals and to give them a chance to withdraw from the humans if necessary. At his south border, the Biological station is connected with the National Park Braulio Carrilo, so in this way a big protected area for plants and animals was founded. Something which should be copied in other countries as well.

The hike itself was amazing. We had a great guide who was able to tell us a lot about the history of the Station, about the plants we were looking at and he also helped us to spot some of the many animals around us. He had a really good telescope with him with which we were able to spot animals even from far away, and he was really good in taking pictures with our cell phones through it. Over the next hours we were able to observe a sloth, several monkeys, saw some really beautiful Toucans from really close up, watched the mating ritual of the poison dart frog and saw some Pekaris, a litte type of boar from very close up. It was so beautiful. Even  the rain which started again didnt disturbed us. It was wonderful.







Around noon we were back in the Hotel and still had some time left for us. I decided to walk back into town again to try the ATM of another bank I discovered on the way to the Restaurant last night. And this time I was lucky and it was working. After I had to wait around 15 Minutes to get to the ATM I was finally able to withdraw some money. So relieved I made my way back to the Hotel but decided to celebrate this small success with a really good smoothie from a shop I found on the way.
The next hours till the rest of our group came back from their adventure I spent in the hammock outside of my hut. Really relaxing. I had the feeling that I could get used to the life in Costa Rica. Pura Vida.

But in the afternoon everyone was back safely again. Our group had one small accident on the water right at the start of the tour when almost everyone fell into the water. But luckily nothing really bad happened. One member of our group hurt her ankle, but it was already better again on the next day.

Now with everyone back again Alex took us in his van and drove us to the lot of land he bought outside of town, which was nested a bit uphill in the nearby Hills. It was beautifully located between some wooded hills and once we were there we were greeted by some of his dogs who were living there. He told us that all of the dogs had a hard life so far and were abused in some ways. And now they finally seemed to have found a place where they could live. And they were more than happy to greet us as visitors there. They definitely made an happy impression.
And Alex small estate there was really impressing. He got some small farming going on there. He got a lot of cocoa plants and some other vegetables and fruits, but he told us that the birds and monkeys are way to fast and greedy for getting a real harvest there. But most of all he wants to make a sanctuary for the animals out of this lot. He is trying to plant as many trees as possible and let them grow in a natural way, so that one day it will look like a forest. And it seems to be on good way for that.  We didnt spotted many animals that afternoon but it was still a really nice afternoon out there and everyone happily gave Alex a small donation so that he is able to fulfil his dream there.



In the evening we decided against going out to town again. I think everyone was still wet from the night before, so we ordered some Pizza from a place nearby and emptied the remainder of our beer cans. It really was a nice evening with a lot of chatting, laughing and even some singing performances.
On  the next morning we had our last breakfast in this beautiful place which was always a highlight.  The first thing Alex did every morning was to put some fruits in a tree nearby the place we were sitting. As we were eating outside we were able to watch the birds pecking at the fruits nearby while we were eating our breakfast. Just wonderful.






After we said our goodbyes to Alex, who said he was really sad to see us leave, but would be over it once the bus was around the corner, we were on the way to our next stop. We were heading towards the border of Nicaragua to spend the day and night at a small agricultural community in the middle of nowhere. It was not a long drive to get there, only about 90 Minutes and it was the first time we were driving through a not so green landscape. The further north we came, the less trees there seemed to be. There was still a lot of farming, but the landscapes also looked a bit barren. Luckily the place we drove to was a bit different. It was nested in between some hillsides with a lot of forests on all sides. I couldnt even tell you the name of the place to be honest, I am sure it would be very hard to find it on a map.
But it was really beautiful and nice. Our first stop in the small villages was at the places we were supposed to spend  the night at. We had three host families we were staying with, so we had to build groups and decided who would stay with whom. As we had mostly couples on the trip that wasnt to difficult. But I was lucky to end up with a really nice family who was living at the far end of  the town. And had the advantage to have our Group Member from Madrid in the house as well. I am able to speak a little bit of Spanish but I do have my problems. But as my friend knew that I was able to speak and understand he couldnt resist telling the whole family that I was speaking Spanish fluently... Thanks again. :)
After we dropped our bags we were brought back to the centre of the village where on a roofed plaza we were greeted by the rest of the village with a wonderful lunch. Of course everythingfreshly made with the products of the farm. It tasted amazing. Some of the best Empanadas I ever had.



After that we were shown around the farm and were shown how everything worked there. Really interesting. In the end we followed one ongoing tradition there and everyone planted a small tree. A really nice tradition.
In the afternoon we had the option for different activities. Some people decided to do some of the handicraft courses they were offering, where you could either learn how to  make soap, create your own post cards or painting some cans in a beautiful way.
As I was still feeling active I decided to join the group who wanted to visit a nearby Waterfall. Accompanied by one of the villagers and a really nice Student who was spending some time in the village we made our way through the thick jungle downwards towards the waterfall. And again I had the feeling how amazing the Nature here in Costa Rica is. The colours of the leaves and all the plants are so intense and powerful and everywhere you looked you could discover some animals. Insects, birds, snakes or spiders. Even on this small hike we got a lot of interesting impressions. And also the Waterfall was a nice view and was worth the long way down over some really slippery steps.
Back at the village the others were still creative with their cans and soaps so we just sat down beside them and started the evening with some of the beers we brought with us as an gift to the people of the village. And they didnt lasted really long that night.
After everyone got their cans and soaps ready Dinner was prepared and we were able to help a bit and chopped some onions and vegetables and were shown how to make a tortilla out of a lump of dough. Something you have to be good in if you want to marry as as were told.
As i totally sucked in it, I guess it is no wonder that I am still single. :)

The dinner we had afterwards was wonderful. We had a really nice tasting soup and  then the evening entertainment started.There was a lot of dancing which I first refused to do, as my dancing skills are even worse then my tortilla making skills, but at some point I couldnt resist anymore and joined in. And to my surprise I really enjoyed it.
For the kids we build up an Can Pyramid with all the empty beer cans we had and told them to throw at it with a small lime to tear down as many cans as possible. Something they really enjoyed doing. After a while the kids didnt had a chance to have a go at it, as the adults were taking over. And it was made more difficult as everyone got spun around in circles before they were allowed to throw. It was a lot of fun.
A really enjoyable evening. As our hosts had to get up early again on the next day it of course didnt lasted too long, but it was still really nice.
When I was back at the house I was really tired and exhausted, but it was a really nice experience we had that day.
Unfortunately my day wasnt really over as I had a cock walking around the yard right in front of my window and he was crowing half the night. So I didnt slept too well that night. But I woke up with a really big appetite for chicken that morning. Strange, isnt it?

After an amazing breakfast at our Home for that night we were off on the road again. Travelling south again. The good thing about travelling in Costa Rica is that the distances are never that big, so you can easily get from one point in Costa Rica to that next. On the morning to took us about two hours including an Stop at an Cafe on the way to get to our next stop which was La Fortuna.

The villages claim to fame is its closeness to one of Costa Rica's biggest tourist attractions which is also one of it's greatest threat. The Volcano El Arenal. One of the many volcanoes you can find in Costa Rica and on the ground of the ocean in front of it's coast line. But unlike the other, El Arenal has still been very active in the last Fifty Years, following a big eruption in 1968 two near by villages got totally destroyed and 87 people were killed and masses of lava and debris came down the sides of the volcano and changed the whole surrounding area. The place where the two destroyed villages lay near by is now a huge artificial lake.
Until 2010 the volcano was still active from time to time and spit out some lava from time to time. But since the last eruption that year the Volcano had been quiet. But the danger is still there that it could erupt again without big warning signs as it did back in 1968.

Luckily it was quiet when we arrived there. And it would have been a shame if we had missed out this part of  Costa Rica as it one of the most beautiful areas of the whole country. Lush green forests which gives you the impression that you were in the middle of the rainforests because of their denseness are framed by a backdrop of huge Mountains, with the huge El Arenal standing out. It was an amazing sight. And we all were really eager to have a chance to discover this amazing place in the next few days.
The village itself is really small and the tourist part of it  is made up out of two mains streets which are running parallel to each other and you find everything you need there. Shops, Restaurants, a Post office, a Pharmacy, everything you need.
As we were too early to get in our rooms, we just dropped our bags at the hotel and went out to visit a nearby Waterfall which was recommended to us by our Tour Guide. It was supposed to be a nice place for hanging out and having a swim. And as it was really hot and sunny that day the idea to dive into some cold water sounded tempting. So we took a cab to the entrance of the small park that surrounds the Waterfall and made our way down the over 700 Steps towards the foot of the Waterfall, Getting down wasnt the problem. but the idea of going back up again didnt sounded too tempting. But on the way down we were always able to catch some glimpses of the Waterfall from different perspectives. And it looked really nice and inviting from every angle. The waterfall was dropping down from a really steep cliff down onto the base where the pool of the Waterfall was surrounded by a lot of green. Really beautiful and inviting.
As we finally arrived at the base we found out that almost half the population and visitors of El Arenal had the same idea as we did and the pool was really crowded. But we still were able to find a nice spot and took turns of going into the water and taking care of our stuff.
And how wonderful the water was, first it was really cold, but when you moved around a bit it was really lovely. I could have stayed there for hours. We later moved away a bit from the main pool as there was another, smaller one a bit down the stream. And here it was less crowded, and at least as nice as the other pool. We spent some really nice hours there just relaxing and swimming around before we made our way up the steps again. And 700 steps can be really a lot. But we managed to get up in a good time. And as it still was really early and still were in the mood to be active we decided to walk back the six Kilometres to the village.





And so we made our way back down a really green looking valley but we were surprised by a huge rain shower which turned into a big thunderstorm. So we took shelter at a nearby place which was selling fresh coconut water before we made our way down towards the village again. But by then we lost one person who decided to hail a passing cab and passed the surprised remainder of the group waving out of the cab. As it cleared up again we were on our way again just to be caught up in the next storm front again. And the sky over  the village, the direction we were walking towards, really looked dark and threatening, and you could see lightnings there almost every second. Not a really comforting sight.


As we all had different walking paces we got split up on the way and me and another friend out of the group arrived first at the hotel and I was more than happy to dry up again.
And what do you do on a day that you first spend swimming in a pool at a waterfall and then got totally soaked in a rain shower? Of course you are going for a swim again that evening.




As the whole area around La Fortuna got a lot of volcanic activity you also get one of the nice positive side effects there. Hot Pools. And some Business men had the wonderful idea to build some really luxurious and beautiful Spas around those natural sources of hot water. And we went to one of these Spas that night. And what can I see. It was lovely. The Spa was made up as a huge garden in which several different pools were build. All pools had different shapes and the water had a different temperature in every pool. Some were a bit cooler, others were really hot, others just had the perfect temperature. And to be honest there is nothing more relaxing then to lay in a hot pool under the night sky and just enjoy life. It was a lovely evening. I am not sure how much time we spent inside the water, but no one really wanted to get out again, it was so lovely. One of the nicest evenings on the whole tour.
We then ended this beautiful day in a Soda Restaurant close to our Hotel where we maybe had the best Dinner of the whole tour before we also called it a night.

On the next morning we had to get up early again as we had a packed day ahead of us. Our Tour Guide booked a double tour package for us that morning which gave us the possibility to do two really nice activities and didnt had to decide on what we wanted to do and actually were able to save some money as we got a better deal through this.
So our Tour Guide picked us up at our Hotel and after a short introduction we were on our way to the first stop of the day. The Hanging Bridges.

Situated on some hillsides a bit outside and above the city was a wooded area where some clever business men talked the family who owns this place over to lease this area to them to build up the Hanging Bridges. Which in Hindsight was a perfect idea. Now about 15 years later, the area belongs to the family again and they are making a fortune with visitors who are coming to walk across the Bridges and have a look at the wonderful scenery.
And the area really is perfect for hanging bridges as here and there are some deep valleys opening up between the hills and which are now perfectly connected with a web of Hanging Bridges. And on every one of the bridges you get a perfect view at the nature around, above and below you. It really was amazing. The views we had were spectacular, But not only the views from the bridges. Alone walking around in the forest was again a wonderful experience. The wildlife of Costa Rica keeps on amazing you every day you are there. Again we saw so many different animals.
It already started on the Parking Lot of this place.
Our Tour Guide brought to us to an near by tree and asked us to have a look around and see if we could find the animal. It took several minutes of looking up and down and around the tree to find the animal he was referring to. There was a snake on the tree which was perfectly camouflaged by its colour. We all stood a few inches away from it and were told that it was actually a poisonous snake. But actually nobody stepped back then. Everyone was so fascinated by it.
And so it went on. Again we saw so many different animals on the trail. Birds, Spiders, Lizards, Monkeys, it was wonderful. And that was even before we reached the first real bridge.
At first it takes a deep breath to walk over it, when you are not that comfortable with heights as I am. Especially as the bridges are tending to swing around a bit when you are walking on it. But after a few steps I was too fascinated by the views as to worry about the heights. It was wonderful. We were about 50 Meters above the Ground and had a lovely view across the Valley and an even greater view on the ground. It is amazing how high 50 Meters can feel. But I was really enjoying it. And so we went from Bridge to Bridge until we finished the whole tour. And from every bridge you had a slightly different view and angle on the nature around you. I really recommend it.






Once we got back out we stopped at the Picknick area which had a lovely view towards the Volcano, and which we were lucky enough to see as the clouds were disappearing from the Mountains. So we chose this spot to have a small snack and our Tour Guide even bought some beers and fruits for us. So it was perfect. Especially as we were able to see some Coatis from very close by. So far it was a wonderful day.



And it got even better  as we made our way on the other side of the Mountain Ridge towards the Volcano, where we entered the National Park that is enclosing the Volcano and went up an Hiking Trail that went up some really close Hills and from where you had a wonderful view towards the Volcano. Actually it wasnt a real hiking trail, it was a Trail the Lava let when it streamed down the Volcano one of the last time the volcano it erupted. This way you got a really good impression on how much force such an eruption got as we some some of the craters on the ground where some of the stones that got catapulted from the Volcanoes top. They were really huge and also really far away from the Volcano. And you could also imagine how hot the Lava must have been when it was streaming down the path we were walking now when it left such deep scars on the earth.

The hike itself was really enjoyable. It was not to hard and not too steep, so you were able to enjoy the wonderful scenery around you. Not many animals here but the landscapes were beautiful. We had the Volcano to one side and the artificial lake on the other side. So it didnt matter in which direction you were looking, you always had a wonderful view and I had several good photo opportunities.

When we reached the end of the hiking trail, at least the part we would be going our Tour Guide gave us an really good and interesting history of the Volcano and the big eruption back in 1968. After we all listened fascinated for half an hour we started to make our descend towards the bus again. Everyone I think was really amazed by the scenery and the history of the Place. This tour was really worth both the money and the time.




When we came back to the Hotel we still had some time to get ready before we went out for Dinner. As it was both Saturday Night and also the Home Town of our Tour Guide we were told to get ready for a great night out. And it really was. We first had dinner at a really nice restaurant, which served both good food and really good beer and afterwards went on to a really nice bar where we had some really good cocktails and some more chilled beers. And I think everyone had a wonderful time. It was the perfect ending of a perfect day.

To be continued....  

Sonntag, 13. Dezember 2015

Pura Vida Part I

For years I had one Travel destination on my "To see list" that I desperately wanted to visit but due to different reasons I never managed to get there, but this autumn I finally managed to fulfil this dream of mine and I managed to visit Costa Rica.
This beautiful Country, which often is mistaken for an Island as I have found out, is maybe one of the most amazing countries you can visit. It's Mixture of amazing Nature and Wildlife on one side and on the other side its relaxing way of living called Pura Vida makes it to an incredible travel destination. Something I really wanted to check out, after I have seen so many pictures of it in Magazines over the years.
And now that I am back I have to say I am not disappointed. Costa Rica is what you expect it to be, a tropical paradise, and still it is so much more. The landscapes are breathtaking, the wildlife is more than impressive and diverse beyond believe.  The people are very friendly and welcoming, the weather over there was a nice change to  the wet autumn in Germany of course there are the amazing beaches, the nice food, the great cocktails and fruit punches, you name it.

 I was lucky enough to stay in that amazing country for almost three weeks and managed to see a fair part of the country. As this would be too much for one Blog I gonna split my travel experiences in three or more parts. To make it easier to read. :)

Actually I had something totally different planned for this year. I actually wanted to go to Eastern Europe in the summer and I already had everything planned and booked. I wanted to visit cities like Prague, Bratislava, Budapest and for a nice finish Vienna. But then due to some health issues and some stressful times at work I had to skip my plans and had to delay my vacations.

So I was standing before the "Problem" to find a new destination for my vacation this year. I did a short trip to Rome, but as it was only for a few days I felt that I need to do something else as well. So I started to look up some possible travel destinations. On top of my list back then was Mexico, I have a penpal friend who invited me to visit here and so I checked out the flight prices and connections. But unfortunately it was just too expensive at that time. As my plan was to visit both the North and  the south part of Mexico, and with all the connections I would have needed it just got too much.
So I had to look for a different destination instead. But while I was looking for round trips in Mexico by chance I found a Round trip in Costa Rica which really sounded nice and was surprisingly affordable. So I checked out the flight prices and to my surprise the flights to Costa Rica were way cheaper than to Mexico. Maybe because I was planning to fly in October and it would be the rainy season in Costa Rica then. But I didn't care about that, I really loved the idea of finally going to Costa Rica. So without thinking twice I booked everything.
And a few months later I finally was on my way after some very stressful weeks at work. And it was nice to get away for a while and it is always very exciting to be able to discover a new place. So I was more than thrilled to be on my way to San Jose.

But it would be a long way for me to ge there. The flight connection i booked went first from Duesseldorf very early in the morning to Amsterdam, where I arrived after a very short flight in an even shorter Plane. As I dont enjoy flying too much, especially in small planes, I was a bit nervous before, but thankfully it was a really calm and pleasant flight.
In Amsterdam I had some hours to spend before I would be flying to my next stop, which would be Panama City.
I have only been to Schiphol once before, and to be honest my memories are not that pleasant. It was on my way back from Australia some years ago, I was booked from Sydney via Hong Kong to Frankfurt, but when I arrived at the airport, that was before you got the flight information on your mobile phone, and checked in, I was asked if I wanted to check in my bags till Amsterdam and was then informed that my flight to Frankfurt was cancelled and I was now booked to Amsterdam, from there I would be flying with a different Airline to Frankfurt. They told me that everything was set and that I just needed to pick up my boarding pass there. Of course it wasnt that easy. I arrived in Amsterdam after more than 20 Hours of Travelling on Planes and was feeling kind of exhausted. When I tried to get my boarding pass, the lady behind the counter asked me several times for my ticket, which of course I didnt had. I think she must have asked me twelve times that she needs my ticket, and every time I answered that I dont have one, and with every answer my patience was wearing thinner. Eventually I got my boarding pass, but it took a long time and I was shocked how unfriendly people in customer service can be.
So I have to confess I was a bit biased when I arrived at Schiphol. But this time everything went smooth. Everyone was friendly and helpful and I had a wonderful hearty breakfast with at least 10000000 Calories.
Around Midday I was then on my way to Central America, this time in a much bigger plane. And after a very quiet and calm flight we arrived in Panama, which made a quiet nice impression from the air. A wonderful coastline and also Panama City looked interesting. At least the part I was able to see.
Unfortunately I had too little time to leave the Airport, so I was just waiting for my next plane. In the meantime a huge rain front crossed the airport and suddenly it was pitch black and you got an impression of how a rainy season can be. The outlook of being up in that weather very shortly wasnt too comforting.
But again the flight was very calm and nice, despite that the captain warned us of turbulences on the way. Which is something you dont want to hear when you are sitting in the plane. But after about an hour we finally arrived in San Jose, almost 24 hours after I have left Duesseldorf.
Before I left home I booked a transport to the Hotel which looked like a good idea as I found out when I left the Airport. Several taxi drivers were fighting for their customers and were hard to get rid of. I was warned to be careful about the type of taxi you pick as there are several frauds out there. And in  that mess it would have been hard to pick the right one.
Thankfully I found my driver without problem and was on the way to my final destination of that night.
As it was already evening and dark, I was unfortunately not able to see much of the city. On the first view it looked like a city you could find everywhere in the USA with the same types of stores and Fast Food chains. Only the Spanish signs gave you a hint that you were actually not in the States.

 When I arrived at the Hotel, a beautiful old colonial house in the centre of the city, I just fell onto my bed and fell asleep a few seconds later. I felt so exhausted.
On the next morning I was awoken by a mixture of different and foreign sounds. I could hear the traffic outside, I heard some conversations in Spanish, but I could also hear some Parrots singing very close to the hotel. The first hint that I was actually in a tropical country.
So I didnt wasted much time and got out of bed and got ready for my first day in Central America.

And of course you start your day with a decent breakfast. And I got my first taste of the national Dish. The ever present Gallo Pinto. Which is a dish made out of beans and rice with varying spices, sauces and other ingredients. Always depending where you are.
I think it is not possible to escape this dish in Costa Rica. Wherever you decide to eat, no matter which time of the day, and no matter what you are ordering, the chances are very high that you will get it as an side dish. It wouldnt surprise me if you would get it as an dessert as well.
But depending on how it is prepared it can be really tasty, but to be honest after 17 days I was looking forward to get something different.
But what I really enjoyed eating in Costa Rica was the fruits. The Pineapples on my first morning there, were amazing. They tasted so much fresher and juicier then everything I had in Germany before. And it was the same with the bananas.

Right after breakfast I left the Hotel as I was eager to see the city. It is always a great feeling to explore a city you have just arrived in.
If I could believe the reports I have read on the internet right before I left home I could expected to get killed and mugged right at the moment I would leave my hotel, as San Jose was described as a violent and dangerous cities by many travellers. But to be honest I never really felt unsafe during my time there.
Of course it is safer not to walk around some areas during the night time and keep an eye on your belongings. But I wouldnt say that San Jose was exceptionally dangerous. Or maybe I was just lucky. But on that first day I felt safe enough to walk around the area I was in. I was mostly walking around the central Area around Avenida Central, but I was also walking around some corners here and there, but to be honest, San Jose is not the most exciting place in the world. You got some nice spots here and there, some nice Parks and a nice central shopping area with some nice Plazas. But I didnt felt that there was that much to do. So I just walked around without a real plan and just had a good look around.
By chance I ended up at the National Museum and decided to go in, as it was recommended in my Guide Book. And it was a really nice and interesting place.
I especially liked the entrance area which was a big tropical garden under a roof. It got a higher temperature with a very high air humidity. And all around where huge colourful butterflies flying through the huge room. And I also saw some Hummingbirds. It was incredible. The Museum itself was really nice. It is housed in a former fortress and got a long and moving History. A lot of important events in the Costa Rican History took place here. Unfortunately the exhibition about the Costa Rican History, which was highly praised in my guidebook was nowhere to be found in the building. But the rest of the exhibition, about the Pre Colombian history and some art exhibitions were also worth the money.







As the first meeting of the Group I was travelling with was planned for the evening I still had some time to spend and so I spontaneously met up with a penpal of mine who lives close to San Jose. She got some time  that day and so we met up for a chat in the city centre. It is always nice when you arrive at a foreign place and there is someone you know. So far we only knew each other from writing mails, but as we got some things in common, especially a good taste in Music, I wasnt really worried that we wouldnt find a topic to talk about. And we really had a nice afternoon. I think we got along really well and it is nice to have someone who can tell you a bit about the place you are staying in.

I almost missed the right time to leave for the group meet up in the evening, but i managed to get  there in time.
And one by one everyone of our group arrived in the Hotel Lobby. We were only ten people in our group which is a great size for such a group I think. It is not too small and not too big. I have travelled in groups with more than twenty people and it can get stressful then.

But i have to say that I was really lucky with the group I was travelling in. With no exception everyone was really nice and friendly and I think we got along extremely well during the whole time. I really liked it that it was an international group. We had people from the UK, from Australia and from Spain in our group. I was a bit surprised to be the only German in the group, as you normally cant escape meeting other Germans when you are travelling. But at least that gave me good chance to use my rusty English and also my very limited Spanish a bit.

The first meeting was kind of short as everyone was still exhausted from the long flights. Some people just arrived that afternoon. But after we met our Tour Guide and introduced ourselves to the group and got some first information, we split up. Some people went to bed and the rest of us got out for an first dinner at a Restaurant close by.
And it was nice to have a first chance to talk to the people and to get to know each other. But we called it a night very shortly after we finished Dinner, as we had to get up early the next morning and everyone was feeling tired. But I had a good feeling about the tour.

And so early the next morning after a hearty breakfast, again with Gallo Pinto of course we left our hotel and drove to the nearby Bus Station. We were not staying longer in San Jose but were leaving right away.
Our first stop would be the National Park Tortuguero. Which is not the biggest National Park, but one of the most beautiful you will ever find. Nested betweem the Caribbean Sea and the Caribbean Flatland, lies this wildlife paradise which you can only reach by plane or by boat, as there are no Roads in the national Park. The Park is dominated by several canals which are crossing it from all sides. And all sides of these canals you can find more or less dense Forest with an amazing amount of Wildlife in it.
But the animals for which this place is most famous for are not living in the forest but in the Caribbean Sea. The beaches around Tortuguero are a nesting site for four different species of Turtles. Every year several turtles follow their inner instincts to return to their birthplace to lay down their eggs there. And to see these amazingly huge animals on land is an incredible sight to behold.

But first we had to get there. At the Bus Station we had to wait for the right bus to arrive and made our way to Cariari, a small town on the way to the National Park where we would change Buses. The first one we had was a regular travel bus which was comfortable enough to relax and to enjoy the ride. And I really enjoyed it, as once we passed the outskirts of San Jose the scenery dramatically changed. San Jose itself is not a really pretty town, you see the Hills rising up in the distance, but until then it is flat and not much to behold. But once you reach these hills it is amazingly beautiful. All of a sudden we were driving through a lush green landscapes made out of valleys and Hills and a lot of forest in between. Just how you picture this country to be.
And it was really enjoyable to sit back, listen to some music and watch the landscapes passing by. It was a brilliant start for the tour.
Once we reached Cariari we had to change buses but had some time in between, in which me and some other in the group decided to get a smoothie in a shop close by which was recommended by our Tour Guide. But before we got our smoothies we first got an impression of Pura Vida.

Pura Vida meaning Pure Life, is the attitude towards life in Costa Rica. It is used as a greeting, as an exclamation and as an way of life. And I think it is a great way to see and live your life. People just try to enjoy their life as much as possible and you really got the impression that they do so. Something we really could learn from here in Europe, where sometimes even a small problem, like when you dont get the cereals you want feels like the end of the world to some people. Here are people who compared to European Standard are leading a rougher life, but still they seem to be more content. I really hope that I can keep some of that Pura Vida Magic now that i am back in Germany.

But to be honest, when you get in touch with it the first time as an European it can be wearing down your patience as people tend to be more relaxed and rarely are in a hurry. Something you have to get used to first.
So when we entered the shop and ordered our smoothies it took ages until we got our Smoothies, and there were only three people in front of us. But the Ladies behind the counter took their time and finished one smoothie after another. In the meantime our bus arrived and Brian our Tour Guide came to us to see what was the matter, he said we should hurry up and he would take care of your luggage.
I told the lady behind the counter that our bus arrived and that we would need to leave soon, but that doesnt seem to impress her very much, she just moved on in the same speed as before. Pura Vida!!

In the end we got our Smoothies and went back to the Bus and got there in time. And the Smoothie, to be fair, was really worth the wait. It tasted splendid.

This bus we were on now was much smaller then the one before. It was a so called Chicken Bus, a regional bus where people are hopping on and off at every corner and sometimes take their chicken with them as well. We didnt had any chicken on bus, but a very, very huge old tv. The ride now was much more bumpier then the one before as we were driving mainly on dirt tracks and also the landscape was very different to the one before. No more hills and forests. But mostly open fields and Banana Plantations. And you wouldnt believe how many Banana Plantations they have  there. But of course when you are going to a Supermarket here, the chances are very high that you will find Bananas from Costa Rica there. So there must be a huge Plantations. But to see it for the first time is incredible.
After 1 1/2 hours of a bumpy ride, or a free Costa Rican Massage as our Guide called it, we arrived at the final stop of the bus where we got out and got into a small boat which would take us to the National Park. And on the way into the Park we got our first glimpse of the Wildlife. As we were driving on a small canal which went right through the dense forests there we were able to spot a lot of animals on our way. We saw some Ibis and several other to me unknown birds, we spotted several green Lizards which were an amazing sight to behold and even spotted some Monkeys really far away. It was a very promising start.








 After a very enjoyable 90  Minute ride we finally got to the Main Canal of the National Park and also to our final destination. The small village of Tortuguero.
We stayed at a beautiful Inn which one side was looking on the Canal and the other side towards the open Sea. A really beautiful place.
After a Welcome Drink, a really nice Non Alcoholic Cocktail we set out to explore the village, as it is really small, there was not much to see, but our Guide told us where we could find everything we would need. He showed us the entrance into the National Park, the Super Markets and some nice places to eat and to drink. They even had an open Air disco on the side of the Canal there. But unfortunately not with my kind of music.

As it was already late afternoon we decided to stop at a promising looking Restaurant which our Guide could recommend. There we had some amazingly good Pizza, some really chilled beer with Lime juice and a wonderful view out towards the Canal where we could watch the Sunset. It was so beautiful.


But this was not the highlight of the day. That was yet still to come, as the weather was really fine that night we went out on the Night hike to watch the turtles on the beach.
As they are trying to protect the turtles as good as they can you are only allowed to go to the beaches during the evening with some registered guides and there is a limit of ten people per group. Which I  think is a good decision. Of course it was amazing to have a chance to see the turtles, but these are endangered species which come to this place to lay their eggs and are easily scarred away, which would mean that they wont lay their eggs then. so you really have to be careful and try to be silent and the use of any lights, even watch lights and Mobile phones or cameras is prohibited. The only light allowed was a red light, which seem to not disturb the turtles.
And even when  the turtle is able to lay her eggs the chances of survival of the turtle babies are very slim,  a lot of predators, especially birds are waiting for them to come out as they are an easy prey then. Our guide said  that only 1 out of 1000 makes it out to the safety of the sea alive. a really slim number. And a good reason to stick to the rules of the guides and the National Park.

And the Night Hike was one of my Highlight of the whole vacation. It was a really clear night with no clouds above us, and as there were no disturbing lights at all once we left the village it was pitch black and we had the most amazing starry sky you can imagine. We could see a big part of  the Milky Way, it looked incredible. Just a perfect setting for such a night.
We found our way towards the beaches with the help of some torches, which we had to switch off once we were there, and then we had to wait and pray that we were lucky enough that there would be some turtles around that night. And we were lucky. Our guide got the information from a park Ranger that there was a turtle really close by. So we immediately went down the beach and could already see some other groups standing on the beach around a bigger hole.
Now we only had to wait until it was our turn. When it was, our tour guide ushered us towards the hole and lighten it up with his red light. And right in front of us we saw a really huge turtle in the middle of a hole where it had laid its eggs. He explained us the different stages of this burial ritual. The eggs were already in the hole and now the turtle was laying sand on top of it to camouflage it again. Once that was done, the turtle made it's way back to the sea, with a lot of fascinated tourists watching this from all sides. It was incredible. So far I have only seen the small turtles you can see in some Aquariums. But seeing such a huge one from so close was amazing. We were extremely lucky to see another one this night. And this one even closer as it went down  towards the water when no one expected it, and was just inches away from us.
I think there was no one in our group that was not fascinated or moved by this.
And combined with the brilliant Night Sky it was an amazing experience. And you can just hope that the turtles will be able to survive and raise their numbers again, so that hopefully that is a sight which generations to come will be able to behold.

After that we made our way back towards the Hotel and you could hear from the talks going on that everyone was really moved and fascinated by this experience. And very happily I laid down to sleep and waited for the next day which looked very promising as well as our plan was to explore the wildlife some more.

But it was a very short night, as we met up at six o'clock in the morning. We were planing to explore the canals and  the surrounding forests by canoe. And so early in the morning we set out on a very huge Canoe with the fitting name Titanic onto the canals.

Costa Rica is geologically speaking a very young country, only about 6 Million years old. Before there was a gap between the Northern Part of America and the Southern Part of America. Now due to the huge amount of Volcanic Activity, a land bridge was formed which allowed the wildlife, and also the plants from both side to spread out towards the former unreachable parts. And as Costa Rica is that connecting piece, until this day it got a huge variety in its wildlife. And we got our fair share of it that morning.
From the moment we set out in our canoe we spotted animals almost every minute. We saw several bird species that morning, from huge Turkey like birds, over Parrots to sea birds. We saw our first sloth there, well maybe not really seeing it, we could guess where it was, as it was so far away. We saw some more monkeys, a huge sea otter, a cayman, very huge lizards and so much more. It was amazing. I think there is no better way to start a day. I took so many photos that morning, I really was in heaven.











Once we got back everyone was really happy and satisfied with how  the day had started. Now it was time to have a decent breakfast, this time without Pinto Gallo, and then everyone had some different plans for the rest of  the day. Some went for the bath in the Caribbean, I walked around the beaches a bit and spotted some more wildlife before I went back to the hotel and sat down on a chair in front of my room from where I could suddenly hear a huge green Macaw screaming in the trees nearby. So you didnt even had to move much to see some incredible wild life.


In the afternoon we decided to go to the Entrance of the National Park at the other side of the Village from where there was a hiking trail leading down into the forests. And again we were rewarded by some amazing wildlife spotting. We observed some monkeys in the trees near by, spotted some parrots, some lizards and lot of birds again. When you love Wildlife. This is just the place to be.








And as I was in nice company I really enjoyed the walk we were doing. Instead of going back down the Forest again, we walked back along the beach, which was a bit harder as the sand was really soft, but it is just amazing to watch the sun going down while you are walking along the Caribbean. So beautiful.
We then ended  the day with a really, really good Caribbean styled dinner at the Restaurant of our Hotel, of course with a fitting cocktail.


These were only the first few days in Costa Rica, but already I felt like I have seen more and done more then on other vacations all together. It really looked like it gonna be an incredible vacation indeed.
But I was a bit sad that we were about to leave this paradise on the next morning. I wouldnt have mind staying a bit longer at Tortuguero. One of the most amazing places you can ever visit.

To be continued.