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.)
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