After a long morning at Puente Casa and the Bank of Costa Rica trying to retrieve my ATM card that the machine ate, all eleven of us loaded onto the bus with Oscar at the wheel. It was a long trip over and through the mountains. Ciudad Quesada is pretty much smack in the middle of the country, and in the middle of the mountain range that makes up Costa Rica's spine. So anywhere we go on the coast takes about the same time - four and half hours or so - and winds through some mountains. We arrived at Hostel Vista Serena at around 7:30 p.m. and put our stuff down in the thirteen-person/one-bathroom room and headed to the Marlin restaurant for dinner and drinks, after meeting up with Katie's friend from CCS, Sam.
The next morning we got up early and headed to the National Park. Brittany, Katie, Lauren and I chose to take the guided tour. Flander was our guide and he carried this telescope thing. It was crazy how he could just see these animals and insects up in the trees so far away. We saw a ton of animals...an iguana almost ran over my foot before we even paid our entrance fee! We saw snakes, lizards, gorgeous birds, a bunch of white-faced monkeys, and my favorite ... baby sloths! They were so adorable! After the tour we ate lunch at a restaurant looking out at the rainforest and beaches and then shopped some at the vendors. We got a little bit of time on the sand before high tide took us by surpise. We called it a day, headed back to the hostel, and got ready for dinner. While we were waiting, we swung on the hammocks on the hostels porch that had a beautiful view of the Pacific. Dinner was at Tsunami Sushi and it was delicious. We went back to the Marlin for dessert and then Juan Tucan's to watch Costa Rica whomp on Chile 2-nil.
The next day I got up early again and headed to the beach. We got breakfast and spent the day on the shore. We had perfect weather the whole weekend which is rare! On our way back, we stopped at Jaco to eat and made it to CCS at around 8:10 or so.
Today - Monday - a bunch of people from a Church in Alabama came to Puente Casa and made lunch and brought activities for the students. They were really nice, but it was just so weird to see them and see how they interacted and what they had to say about everything. They invited me to their revival tonight at Baja de Meco, the slum. I politely declined. In a bit, I'm going to a meeting of Tico English teachers to help them with their English and then it's Spanish class. I would love to fit a nap in, but it's not on the horizon.
Here are some photos.
The next morning we got up early and headed to the National Park. Brittany, Katie, Lauren and I chose to take the guided tour. Flander was our guide and he carried this telescope thing. It was crazy how he could just see these animals and insects up in the trees so far away. We saw a ton of animals...an iguana almost ran over my foot before we even paid our entrance fee! We saw snakes, lizards, gorgeous birds, a bunch of white-faced monkeys, and my favorite ... baby sloths! They were so adorable! After the tour we ate lunch at a restaurant looking out at the rainforest and beaches and then shopped some at the vendors. We got a little bit of time on the sand before high tide took us by surpise. We called it a day, headed back to the hostel, and got ready for dinner. While we were waiting, we swung on the hammocks on the hostels porch that had a beautiful view of the Pacific. Dinner was at Tsunami Sushi and it was delicious. We went back to the Marlin for dessert and then Juan Tucan's to watch Costa Rica whomp on Chile 2-nil.
The next day I got up early again and headed to the beach. We got breakfast and spent the day on the shore. We had perfect weather the whole weekend which is rare! On our way back, we stopped at Jaco to eat and made it to CCS at around 8:10 or so.
Today - Monday - a bunch of people from a Church in Alabama came to Puente Casa and made lunch and brought activities for the students. They were really nice, but it was just so weird to see them and see how they interacted and what they had to say about everything. They invited me to their revival tonight at Baja de Meco, the slum. I politely declined. In a bit, I'm going to a meeting of Tico English teachers to help them with their English and then it's Spanish class. I would love to fit a nap in, but it's not on the horizon.
Here are some photos.
Aaaaaaaaah. 
at Juan Toucan's with Alex. Her brother is movie star Miles Thompson.
a White-Faced Monkey, or as I call him, Old Man-Faced Monkey
I call this one "Silhouetted Iguana." Shut up, I don't know how to spell it.
Right outside of the National Park
True to its name, the view from Hostel Vista Serena
The impromptu Tico football game on the beach
Cute dog that was under our chairs
The Alaskan and the Hurricane
Brittany and Lauren on the hostel hammocks
5 comments:
What a beautiful place you visited. I'm sure it was worth the long ride. I love you.
I have one word for you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LAZgcC3jgo
Luv, Taylor
The high point of my day is absolutely reading your blog and seeing the precious pictures! Thank you. XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Hello from the Orient!
Had a free moment in Beijing airport so I'd thought I'd blog! The beach looks fabulous and relaxing. Wish I was near the water to cool off. Hope you are doing well!
You are hearing from a friend who is in the Beijing Airport. What a wonderful world we live in! I love you.
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