Costa Rica

The search for cool weather continued so we caravanned to a small beach community called Playa Hermosa. We stayed at the resort which gave us a chance to do some laundry, shower, relax in the air conditioning and indulge in a setting where we could relax and enjoy a wonderful dinner. The beach was located on a small protected bay so there were a lot of small sailboats and fishing boats moored there. It was very touristy and spring break was ramping up so there was no shortage of tourists. With that said, we enjoyed the quiet comfort and went for a beach walk in the morning following breakfast and after were greeted by a family of Howler monkeys.  The monkeys are a real treat as they sound 10x louder and meaner than they are – they really make the vibe more tropical.  We thought about staying another day but opted to find cooler weather in the cloud forest.

3/12-3/14 Charlie’s Camp Verde in Monteverde

We trekked toward the mountains and the cooler weather of Monteverde. It essentially is a drive that winds through the jungle and up steep, narrow roads. After about 4 hours of driving what seemed to be straight up, we discovered why it’s called a cloud forest. Thick, fast moving clouds engulfed the forest and the temperatures dropped into the 70s. Moisture seeped from the sky and everything was green and lush and tropical. The cool temperatures were welcomed with open arms.

We arrived in Monteverde. Tracy and Matt commented how much it has grown and changed since their first visit on their honeymoon 32 years previously. iOverlander recommended a campsite called Camp Verde so we stayed there for 2 evenings. The camp was owned by a veteran named Charlie.  He was very quirky but a great host who loved the jungle, his surroundings and appreciated taking care of his guests.  He basically grew up in the area and returned after his military service ended.  He created metal sculptures he put in around the yard and he would move them at night as if they had done it on their own…good dude for sure. He served us fresh Costa Rican coffee in the morning and one evening he made us his favorite chicharrons recipe. They were amazing! Deep fried, hot and crispy pieces of pork/fat. We ate 2 platefuls plus a side of his fried potatoes. Yum! We used Charlie’s place as a basecamp and walked into town for an authentic Costa Rican breakfast which was amazing and our first Soda restaurant experience (we ate a local dish that was like Costa Rican poutine). Excellent!

We also signed up for a guided tour of the Monteverde reserve which included a marathon walk of unknown length (we estimate it was 3.5 miles all uphill). The tour was not what we expected but we did get to see the Quetzal, Costa Rica’s national bird, which are evidently elusive and difficult to find. That day we saw three! Two of them were building a nest near the trail we were hiking. We also saw hummingbirds and a giant tarantula and a giant walking stick. While it would have been nice to see more cloud forest animals (better to do walks at night), it was good to get out and hear about the flora and fauna in the cloud forest.  Tracy and Matt stayed at a hotel near the Montverde Park on their honeymoon many years ago and it was still up and running – a little trip down memory lane!

The following day, we pushed off to Aventura Park where we experienced the 10-cable zipline course, rope bridge rappel, Superman and Mega Tarzan Swing. It was exhilarating to say the least. Each zip cable was exponentially more challenging/exciting culminating in the Tarzan swing which a a bungie jump off a rope bridge that morphs into a rope vine swing. Wow! So much fun.  Tracy and Roz were the star flyers!

3/14 Camping in Arenal Cabina Lumbres Del Arenal

We were hoping to see the elusive Arenal volcano erupting near Arenal but the cloud cover prevented us from seeing it. Cloud cover turned into rain as we drove from Monteverde around Arenal Lake and arrived in the area near La Fortuna.  We found a camping area called Arenal Cabin Lumbres. What a stunning area. We grabbed a dinner at touristy steakhouse that evening where some of us tried their steak and were sorely disappointed at the lack of quality of meat. Fortunately, the wine was bueno! We retired to our campsite to the sound of pitter patter all night. In the morning, it was still raining so we had to pack up everything while it was still wet to dry at a later time. We did manage to have a “clean the refrigerator breakfast” feast of eggs and sausage with American cheeses and coffee which warmed our soul and bodies.

It rained all day but we opted to try the thermal river from the volcano. We were heading to Tabacon (a place where Matt and Tracy visited previously) but it was completely booked even though it was raining. We were referred to a new facility called El Choyin. As it turned out it had only been open for a few weeks and we were virtually the only guests at the entire spa. We settled in the thermal river for a few hours enjoying Matt’s signature drink of gin, passionfruit juice and mineral water (must try – but need fresh passion fruit!).  This definitely warmed our bones and we were able relax even though it was raining all day. The bartender at El Choyin recommended a restaurant that overlooked the Arenal volcano, Ventanita. Sadly, he broke the news to us that the volcano had been dormant since 2012 so we will not be witnessing any fiery lava eruptions – even if the rain stopped and the weather cleared.

3/15 Glamping Pura Vista Arenal, Costa Rica

While eating a lovely late lunch at Ventanita restaurant of gourmet nachos and burritos and enjoying the beautiful views of the cloud-0covered volcano, the owner recommended a camping site just up the road. We enjoyed this quaint restaurant and menu so much we ordered 3 different quesadillas para llevar and made our way up the mountain.

We headed to the campsite up the road after lunch and were welcomed by a Dutch couple Roger and Wendy who just relocated from Aruba to build their dream tourist resort in Costa Rica. They were completing their second geodesic domed hut and had a vision and plan of adding several more. They welcomed us and allowed us to camp in their (former horse pasture and stable) with their three rescue dogs. Again, it rained all night but we enjoyed the site and company and the lil restaurant across the street where we finished the day with a beverage overlooking Lake Arenal.

Wendy and Roger gave us a scenic route to get to San Jose.  Really beautiful mountain drive and LOTS of uphill…I mean straight uphill driving.  The drive took us to a scenic overlook at the top of a ridge with a few restaurants that had amazing views of the valley and a gushing waterfall.  We had the restaurant’s specialty which was a soup/stew/something with chunks of pork and veggies.  We then finished the rest of the drive into San Jose.

3-16/18-24 Marriott Courtyard San Jose

We needed to make our way to San Jose as both Roz and Tracy were heading back to their respective homes. We stayed at the Marriott Courtyard and grabbed a dinner at a local Argentinian restaurant with the hope it would foreshadow the incredible  steaks and wine we would experience in Argentina and Chile. Well, it most certainly wasn’t at that level but we enjoyed a nice dinner together and cheered to the last couple of weeks of travel together. Ojos!

Early morning drop-offs at the airport went as expected and Matt and John zoomed by the local Walmart to buy provisions for their trip to the Caribbean-side of Costa Rica. But…the Dormobile lost its center hub and oil was spewing out of the right front hub. Oh no! No extra hubs were located in John’s stash of automotive parts so we headed to the only Land Rover mechanic that was open on a Sunday. Well, he wasn’t “open” but Oscar came out of his house in his underwear and was willing to order the part we needed. We planned on stopping by on Tuesday morning as we head out of town to Punta Cahuita.  Oscar couldn’t get the exact part, but one close and he expertly made it work.  Time to vamos to the Caribbean side of Costa Rica.

3-18/19-24: Puerto Viejo Costa Rica.

We wanted to explore the Caribbean side of Costa Rica and found an interesting location on IOverlander called the Reggae Bar. We drove throughout the day and into the town of Punta Cahuita. The Reggae Bar was built on the coast and during high tide, the ocean came up close to the road. The Reggae Bar vibe wasn’t great, so after grabbing a beer, we headed South a bit to Puerto Viejo. The town had a lot more energy and because it was spring break, it appeared to have a heavy influx of tourists – and it seemed mostly European. The “locals” are a mix of older hippies, surfers, Rastas, and drug-induced zombies.  The town gave off an unusual vibe when you are in your 60’s :0) and it may have felt different if we had been in our 20’s.   After driving all day wanted to hunker down, grab dinner and get some sleep. Again, IOverlander pointed us to a place called Rocking J’s. It was a camping area that had dozens of tents, hammocks and campsites available to rent. The place was designed –  presumably by Rocking J – who was most likely a frustrated artist. Mosaic tiles designs with scenes of mushrooms, stars and other far out graphics were showcased around the camping area. After walking into town grabbing some fried calamari and beers at the local bar, we retired for the evening. It was so hot and humid, John set up his fans outside to try to cool us down as we drank our  nightcap.  As we wound down, we observed a “camping dude” smoke 3 oversized joints as then he tried to sleep directly on the ground about 25 feet from us. About an hour later, it poured rain and in the morning, there was no sign of him. After drying off our gear, we packed up and headed out of town for an early morning border crossing for Panama.