La Tortuga Feliz

This will be our last entry before returning home to Bala on March 15th. Actually it will be early on the 16th when we get there! We have just returned to San Jose after spending two weeks volunteering at La Tortuga Feliz project. It began after we took an early bus from Limon to the the small, dusty banana town of Bataan where we met Paul LePoutre at a local soda. Paul is the founder and director of La Tortuga Feliz - a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of endangered sea turtles in Costa Rica. His business background is evident in the efficiency and scope of the project. As we learned, saving turtles is only one part of a plan to provide economic self-sufficiency for the area. By hiring past poachers as guides, there is now steady emplyment for people in the area.

After a 20 minute taxi ride past endless fields of banana trees we climbed into an open 18 foot boat and with Paul as our naturalist guide followed the river canals for 45 minutes to the Pacuare River and an island, only 7 kilometres long where the project is based. Our training began immediately on the beach where we were given an introduction to our role as volunteers including digging a 75 cm deep turtle egg nest.

We settled into our small but comfortable room. Sue got the top bunk! We were soon assigned our first patrol for that night. Patrols included a local guide who spoke only Spanish and two volunteers who began their trek along the beach at hourly intervals from 7:00 to midnight. We wore dark coloured clothes on the 4 hour hike and carried a flashlight with a red filter so as not to scare turtles away from the beach. The flashlights were only to be used when collecting eggs or recording information. At this time of year, the giant Leatherback turtle makes its way to the coastal beaches where it digs a hole in the sand for a nest and deposits between 80 and 120 eggs. Our job was to beat the poachers to the eggs, collect and transfer them to a protected hatchery area near the base camp. It was a beautiful walk in the warm breeze and the moonlight reflecting off the rolling ocean waves. There were no turtles that first night however.

Poaching of eggs, although illegal, is quite common as the contents of the average nest could be sold for $30 to $40 (a lot to someone who labours for $1 an hour at a banana plantation or on a farm). The eggs are sold to Costa Ricans who consider them to be an aphrodesiac. Since the Leatherback eats a lot of jellyfish for protein, the meat is poisonous to humans, so poachers do not kill them for meat. The giant Green turtle, however, is not so fortunate. When they start arriving to lay eggs in May, the volunteers not only have to protect eggs, but also try to make sure that the turtles are not killed.

Our time at the camp was like being at a resort without all the amenities and luxuries. Since most of the work is done at night, we had time during the days to read, lay on the beach, swim in the ocean, explore the island or simply lounge in the hammocks. There are no electrical lines going to the island hence cold showers and a lack of refrigeration. Delicious meals were prepared by a local woman hired by the project. We all took turns assisting in the kitchen. The other day/night job was to guard the hatchery to ensure it was safe from the poachers 24 hours a day. There were about 20 volunteers from all over the world. We were once again the oldest...not sure about the wisest!

We found that walking the beach was not always easy. On nights when the moon was hidden behind clouds or during a rain shower, it was hard to avoid tripping over driftwood and sand ridges along the beach. There are also many sections of beach where the sand was so soft that it was like walking with weights on your feet. This is early in the leatherback season but we were fortunate to see two of these beautiful prehistoric creatures. This is the largest of all sea turtles. The female can be over two metres in length and weigh up to 600 kilograms. Sue's patrol managed to collect and relocate about 80 eggs which had to be carried back 2 1/2 kilometres in a bag to the hatchery. The guides make sure that all the turtles we find have two identification tags to aid in research of this critically endangered species. We were also involved in measuring and recording information for each turtle that was found.

Starting in mid-March some horses will be used to patrol the beach and return the eggs thus allowing foot patrols to continue searching for more turtles. Sue was lucky enough to ride the length of the beach on horseback with another volunteer in order to test a new walkie-talkie communication system. It was great to canter along the shore with the waves lapping at the horses feet.

The two weeks went by quickly and were certainly a wonderful way to end our Costa Rican adventure. Jon hopes to return in May to photograph the release of the hatchlings. This is an ideal time to visit the project as leatherbacks are still coming onto the beach at night to lay eggs while the earliest eggs are already hatching. Anyone want to come along?

See you this Friday at the Bala Falls Pub!

Back and Forth

San Jose is not a destination. With apologies to the city, it simply lacks charm and character. There are few old colonial buildings and the rest is a conglomeration of shops set amongst aging and decaying infrastructure. On the advice of some Canadians we met in Jaco, we decided to investigate dental work in Costa Rica. The cost for cleaning or repairs here is about 25% of what it would be at home.

We then headed north to La Fortuna for one more attempt to see the Arenal volcano spewing lava. The slightly cooler temperatures are a welcome relief from the heat of the beaches and the mountain scenery is lovely. From the balcony of our hotel we had a perfect view of the volcano - although once again it was only cloudless for about an hour each morning. Every evening we were prepared to take a taxi to the north west side where the lava flow is most visible but in the four nights we were there, it never fully cleared.

Back to San Jose by bus - a trip that should have taken three and a half hours turned into nearly six as we were on the milk run. Then on to Cahuita and the National Park and beaches again. This time we managed to get a hotel next to the entrance to the park, with a large room with a kitchenette, air-conditioning, and cable T.V. Being able to cook your own meals is a pleasant change from restaurants. We spent the first couple of days hiking through the parks watching white-faced and howler monkeys feeding in the treed all around us.

On February 22nd we made our way to Limon to meet Andrea and Steve Burdick who were arriving on the cruise ship Coral Princess. They were on a ten day cruise out of Florida and we had arranged to meet for lunch at 1 pm. Unfortunately we were going by Costa Rica time and they were on Florida (ship) time! We thought we would surprise them by being early but their time is one hour ahead so once again they were there ahead of us. Oh well, some reputations are hard to change. It was great to see friends and catch up with all their news and activities.

The next day we decided to rent bicycles to ride rather than hike through the park as the first 1.5 kilometres is a long straight path that parallels the beach. That allowed us to get much further into the park than we had in the past. There were several families of monkeys fighting for territory and the howlers were very vocal sounding like packs of wild dogs. We thoroughly enjoyed riding along the beach on the southern side of the peninsula.

About ten kilometres north of town is a sloth rehabilitation centre which cares for orphaned and injured sloths. We had the unique opportunity to see baby sloths up close as they were being fed by staff. We also saw several sloths which had been burned on electrical wires. If the sloth recovers the centre releases it back into the wild. They also care for those that will never fully recover.

On Sunday we leave for Limon where we will pick up a bus on Monday morning to Bataan for the boat trip to La Tortuga Feliz turtle project. As the project has no electricity, this will be our last entry for a couple of weeks.

Happy winter!

The South-East Coast!

Departing Tortuguero is not an easy task. Because it´s only accessible by water, we had to book a spot on a river taxi in advance. We enjoyed the three and a half hour trip south to Limon - it´s more like a private wildlife tour than a taxi ride. Our captain would stop along the way to show us huge crocodiles, turtles, and iguanas. He would also stop along the way to buy local seafood.

Once in Limon, a gritty port city that ships most of Costa Rica´s bananas, we joined two other travellers in a taxi to Cahuita instead of waiting for the local bus. When we arrived, the hotel we had chosen said they had a room for us, but when they checked further all were taken except a huge room with a beautiful ocean view that would be almost double the price. After a little haggling we managed to get the luxury room for only a few dollars extra. Having the additional space and a second bed to lay things out on is really a bonus when you are travelling out of a suitcase.

Cahuita is a laid back beach town with Caribbean flair and colour. Lots of small restaurants line the streets along side surf, clothing and tour shops. The streets are gravel and dust but the beaches at each end of town are spectacular but very different. Playa Negra to the north is, as its name suggests, a stretch of black sand beach while to the south Playa Blanca provides a stark contrast with its soft white sand. Right beside the town is another national park. On our first walk into the park we spotted a two-toed sloth feeding from the low branches at eye level. We stood and watched for fifteen minutes as it slowly moved along the branches chewing select leaves and ignoring us entirely.

The next day we hiked almost four kilometres into the park where we were greeted by several white-faced monkeys looking for food. We were able to hand them small pieces of pineapple. On our way back we encountered not one, but two extremely poisonous eyelash vipers just beside the walking path! These beautiful bright yellow snakes are found in forests throughout Costa Rica but sighting them is very rare.

After a few days, we decided to move down the coast to Puerto Viejo - another lovely beach town. Everything there is much more spread out and many people rent bicycles to get around. With temperatures in the mid thirties, it was great relief to take a dip in the ocean. As this area has one of Costa Rica´s last two living coral reefs, the beach right in town isn´t the easiest place to swim. The coral can be quite sharp and difficult to walk on.

Since we happened to be there on Super Bowl Sunday, we watched the game while eating dinner at a local pub. We thought about continuing south to Panama but for the moment we decided to give La Fortuna another try in hopes that the volcano would reveal itself!

Adios amigos!

Tortuguero

A 4 1/2 hour minibus ride took us from La Fortuna through the banana plantations to the San Juan River in the north east. There we boarded a river boat for a 2 hour ride through the lush forests to the remote village of Tortuguero. We had chosen a hotel, but when we arrived at the dock, the owner said they were full until tomorrow. We walked most of the town in search of a room but everything was full. One last lead to follow and fortunately there was a room available - not a great room, but a place to sleep. And for only $14 so you can imagine what it was like ! We washed our sweat drenched clothes in the sink, hung them out to dry in the 32° sun, and headed out for a great fresh fish dinner at Miss Junnie´s restaurant. Only when we retired for the evening did we realize why the price was so low. The sheets were like sandpaper ! At least the place was clean.
Early the next morning we moved over to our original choice and what a lovely place with nice touches everywhere. We took a 3 and 1/2 hour tour of the river and National Park. The wildlife was fabulous - spider monkeys, caymen, birds of all description, and best of all we watched a 3 toed sloth feeding from low branches. It was so close we could have reached out and touched it. In the afternoon, we hiked into the Park and saw several spider monkeys playing in the branches just above us.
The next day we walked the ocean beach to the north and visited a Lodge which had a breeding place for the Gaudy Leaf Frog. Later in the afternoon Sue took a canoe out on the river - no easy task with the swift current and wake thrown up by all the river boat traffic.
Tortuguero is a small remote village teaming with children. Most people there are employed in the tourism industry in some way or another. The wages here are quite low and the standard of living reflects that when compared to other parts of the country that we have visited. We had hoped to stay more than 4 days but our hotel was booked so we decided it was an opportune time to head for Cahuita and the southern beaches.

Hasta Lluego !

La Fortuna and the Arenal Volcano

Another 2 hours spent standing in lines to cross the border back into Costa Rica ! Exit stamps, entry stamps, baggage inspection where you remove all your bags from the bus, haul them in a huge line-up, only to have a border guard give them a casual look without even opening them. Our original plan was to stay in Liberia once again but we managed to make it that far by noon so we decided to stay on the Interamericana Highway a bit further until we reached Cañas. After parking our bags at a little hotel near the bus depot, we headed off to explore the town. The Catholic Church in town is famous for the psychedelic mosaic tiles which cover the walls and tower. Later, we visited Las Pumas wild animal shelter just outside of town. It is home to recovering Pumas, jaguars, ocelots, and many exotic birds which were orphaned or injured. It was incredible to be so close to such powerful creatures.
Upon returning to the hotel room, the key broke in half in the lock - this time we couldn´t get into our room ! After several attempts with everything from pliers to tweezers, we finally managed to pry the broken piece out with a tiny nail. The next morning we jumped on a rumbling old bus headed for Tilaran, a tiny mountain village which serves local farmers. After several attempts to get information in Spanish about the next bus to Nuevo Arenal, we managed to hop on the correct bus and within a couple of hours we were there.
Nuevo Arenal is a relatively new village on the banks of Lake Arenal - at 88 square kilometres, the largest lake in Costa Rica. We had met an American ex-pat while in Tilaran who now lives in Arenal and he just happened to have a friend who owns a hotel and .... yes it turned out to be quite nice, and a clean room with a hot shower for $20 is always a good find. We really enjoyed this lovely little town -especially the cooler temperatures after the blazing, dusty heat of the Guanacaste area on the north-west coast. The next day at noon we caught the only local bus heading east to La Fortuna next to the Arenal Volcano - with fireworks every day, the second most active volcano in the world. Our plan was to jump off the bus about 20 kilometres before La Fortuna and stay in a little town called El Castillo where the volcano views were supposed to be the best. We managed to get off at the correct place only to realize that the town is 9 kilometres waway on a dusty gravel road. It sure looked a lot closer on the map we had ! As we pondered our situation, a car happened to come from the direction we needed to go and the occupants soon realized our predicament. They asked where we were headed and when we told them we were booked into a B&B some 9 km. away, they turned their car around and drove us right to the front gate. Turns out they are two young guys from Nova Scotia !
The B&B sits high up on a hillside and is surrounded by spectacular gardens which attract birds of all kinds. The huge bedroom windows face directly toward the Arenal volcano. The best part, however, was the view of spurting and flowing lava from the huge outdoor hot tub. Well, in theory anyway, as clouds covered the top of the volcano for the next three days. We did manage to visit a fantastic reptile research facility where we saw several species of poisonous snakes, poison dart frogs, butterflies and the famous gaudy leaf frog with its bulging red eyes.
We moved into the town of La Fortuna for a couple of days in hopes that the clouds would part - they didn´t, so we packed up and headed for Tortuguero.

Hasta Mañana !

Granada, Nicaragua

We made our way north from Liberia into Nicaragua - the border crossing took 2 1/2 hours, nearly as long as the bus ride! The city of Granada which sits at the top end of Lake Nicaragua is an old colonial town with beautiful architecture in pretty pastel colours. We had heard from lots of people that Nicaragua is quite safe in most areas and worth the trip so we decided to take a side trip since we were so close. We are in a lovely hotel in an air conditioned room with free internet which we are enjoying. It's actually quite a tourist spot with lots of restauants and a large central square of local crafts. We went on a 3 hour boat tour of some of the 365 islands in the lake. The area is teaming with birds and other wildlife.
There are also several small casinos so we spent a little time in them. They are quite casual as the girl who is cashier leaves the door to her booth open while she goes around offering drinks of pop or water to clients. We are using the equivalent of nickel machines so we aren't likely to go bankrupt. Maybe the capital of Nicaragua is different but the poverty is not nearly as evident as we expected. The cobblestone streets and old bulidings are carefully being restored as more and more tourists are finding their way here. There are several fine restaurants and beautiful hotels in the downtown area. After a few delightful days, we are now heading back south into Costa Rica.

Liberia to Playa Hermosa!

After changing buses several times we arrived in Liberia in the province of Guanacaste. We found a good hotel -thanks to Lonely Planet - that not only had air conditioned rooms and a swimming pool, but excellent steak in the adjoining restaurant. We wandered the town a little but soon decided to head out to the coast the next day. Friends, Hervig and Lynn Schroth, had emailed that they would be at a resort in Playa Panama for two weeks so we decided to drop in on them. We had planned on taking a bus but while we were waiting we started talking to another "gringo" and a taxi driver sized the situation well and offered us a ride for $15 to Playa Coco. Although the bus would be less than a dollar we thought it sounded great so the three of us jumped in his taxi and took the 25 minute ride to Playa Coco. From there we took another taxi to Playa Hermosa where Sue sat with the bags while Jon searched out a hotel for us. He got another good one with a little kitchenette...actually the fridge was the most valuable part for keeping drinks cold! Across the street was a resident family of howler monkeys who kept Jon busy photographing for at least half an hour. The beach was lovely to walk along or swim in the waves and fortunately there was a great breeze that made the heat tolerable.

Just for fun we went to a presentation - yes, we listened to someone who wanted to sell us on the RCI point system for vacation rentals. No, we didn't buy in but we did enjoy dinner and breakfast at the resort and the bottle of wine that Jon won!

The second day we were there we walked along the road to Playa Panama where we surprised Hervig and Lynn. We spent a delightful afternoon with them on their resort beach. (Lynn and Hervig go to Port Carling United Church and Jon plays golf with Hervig in the men's league at Kirrie Glen.)

Having enjoyed a relaxing time on the western beaches of the Gulf of Papagayo, we returned to Liberia for another steak dinner at our favourite hotel/restaurant! Liberia really is a nice city and made for a pleasant afternoon and evening of wandering. (We do a lot of that!)

Several people we have met on our travels said that Nicaragua was a beautiful country with lots to see and not as developed as Costa Rica. So we bought a bus ticket and we're on our way to Granada!

P.S. Thanks to those who have left us comments. It's fun to read them.

Hasta pronto!

Jon and Sue

South to the Osa Peninsula, North to Nicoya

We made our way south from Jaco to Quepos - unfortunately Sue´s backpack
was stolen from the bus on the way. The worst part was losing the drain plug we use to wash our clothes and our hair brush ! We had poor accommodation in Quepos even though we were close to the beach. Manuel Antonio National Park was, however, worth the visit. We saw many white-faced Capuchin Monkeys - some would walk right beside us on the trails! We also saw several 2 and 3 toed sloths up close and they were actually moving around ! The scenery around this area is wonderful and the waves on the beaches are great for boogie boarding.

From there we headed south to Uvita but we didn´t make it ! We met a young guy
from Hungary who has been here for 4 years working as a photographer and he was
going to a Green turtle release project in Matapalo, so we hopped off the bus
with him and hoped to get somewhere to stay. We managed to find a lovely clean
room with air-conditioning for $35. It was only a short walk to one of the
nicest beaches we have ever seen. It has 45 km of fine black sand beach and warm water with huge rolling waves you could surf on. Sue rode a boogie board
all the way in to the shore ! We managed to see the release of the baby turtles
on our last night there. The project manager was concerned because the turtles
hadn´t emerged by the expected day so they dug up the nest and found 79 healthy
babies which they released at sunset. It was great to see them scurrying to the
ocean and getting pushed back onto shore with the tide swells. In the end, they
all made it safely out to sea. Now the hard part starts for them. The directors hope that one will survive to adulthood from that group !

We headed south to Palmar Norte in the southwest corner of Costa Rica staying at a lovely lodge with air conditioning and a pool - both essential as the
temperatures are close to 40 degrees C in the afternoons. The next day we left for
Sierpe and a 1 and 1/2 hour boat ride to Drake Bay on the Osa Penninsula. The first part of the ride was on the winding Sierpe River then out onto the Pacific following the coast to a wilderness Lodge near the famous Corcovado Park - supposedly the most bio-diverse area on the planet ! It is also the last remaining tract of Tropical Rain Forest in Central America.
After a wet landing on the beach, which means jumping overboard as the waves roll in, we headed up a 10 minute path to our thatched roof cabina perched on the side of the hill. There was no electricity and only cold water showers, but the best part was the private balcony with fabulous views of the ocean. Within an hour of arriving we had our first sighting of a Toucan and a Scarlet Tananger in the trees right by our balcony ! Meals were served in an open air dining room again with a beautiful view. The ocean view, the breeze, and the rainforest all around made us understand why some people choose this lifestyle on a permanent basis. Sitting with a cold drink while watching the sunset was very relaxing. During the three days we were there, we got to know three other couples quite well. Several of us hiked through the rainforest behind the lodge where we encountered two toucans making mating calls, howler monkeys draped over a high branch in a tree, and spider monkeys swinging gracefully through the upper canopy. There were numerous birds including a sighting of the rare Great Curasow. One day we took a 45 minute boat ride to Corcovado National Park and spent the day hiking the many trails along the beach and through the forest. The Scarlet Macaws were in abundance and it was absolutely amazing to see them eating the fruit of the almond tree. We thoroughly enjoyed the isolation and quiet beauty of the area.

A young couple we met at the lodge were leaving on the same day for San Jose. We were very fortunate as they offered us a ride back with them saving us many hours of riding on a slow bus through the mountains. We had a great time with them. On the way back we stopped at a ranch near San Isidro where Carlos owns some property. There we met friends of theirs who invited us all for a lunch of rice and black beans, potatoes, chicken and broccoli. This is a truly traditional Costa Rican area where people work the land and live simple, quiet lifestyles. It was a great chance for us to practise our Spanish as they did not speak any English. As it turned out Carlos found us accomodation in San Jose at his uncle´s bed and breakfast. The next morning his uncle drove us to the bus station.

Over to the Nicoya Peninsula

The bus to Puntarenas took about two and a half hours where we caught the ferry to the Nicoya Peninsula. We did not have our accomodation booked and we could not get on the first available bus unless we were going to ride on the roof or the bumper so we scrambled to find a place in the nearest town to the ferry terminal. We managed to find a lovely hotel ...that is until the door lock broke and we were stuck inside. Try using your Spanish to get out of that situation! But not to worry...a passing surfer dude responded to our pleas at the window and we were rescued.

After breakfast we caught the first bus to Montezuma - a laid back hippie haven. We managed to find a lovely hotel with large rooms and air conditioning. In the two days we were there, we explored the town and beaches, and went on a snorkelling excursion to Tortuga Island. We met some great folks from B.C. and Idaho and after a fun day of snorkelling (Jon got pictures of a sea turtle and a stingray), picnicing on the beach for lunch (beer included)and an exciting ride on the ocean, we all met for a delicious dinner at a seaside restaurant. As it turns out Montezuma was the end of the public bus line and our plans to make our way north along the coast took a turn back to the ferry and a bus to Liberia.

Hasta lluego!

(Apologies for not updating our blog very often but we seem to be in locations that have no internet access.)

Vista Pacifico

Hi All!

We are in the middle of a luxurious week in a beautiful setting overlooking
Jaco Beach and the Pacific Ocean. The hotel we are staying at is situated on
top of a hill so it has a constant breeze even though the daily temperatures
oar over 30 C. We start each day with a swim in the pool followed by a lovely
breakfast of fruit, cereal, yogurt, assorted breads, and, of course, costa
Rican coffee. It is owned by a Canadian couple - a retired lawyer and a
graphic artist - who came here five years ago and built this nine room hotel.
Every room is bright with a little balcony with an ocean view, and a little
kitchenette which has been handy for lunches, some dinners and keeping beer
cool! We have spent the week - that is when we are not in the pool! -
wandering the town, walking the beach, and hiking in the surrounding hills.
In a few days we pack up and head south to Quepos and Manuel Antonio Park.

Don't forget to email us and let us know what you are doing!


Hasta
pronto!