Thursday, December 31, 2009
Turu Ba Ri
My latest tour was a trip to a "Adventure Park" which is the Costa Rican equivalent of an amusement park. It's a mere hour outside of San Jose and they have several activities you can engage in, Nature Walk, Canopy Tour, Horseback Riding, and Superman Cable. The Superman cable is an insane version of the Canopy tour. Imagine being strapped to the cable on your back and shot down the cable at 50 miles an hour. I didn't do that one. We are given the choice of 2 activities and I opted for the nature walk and horseback riding.
In order to get down to the nature walk you have to take the "Rainforest Aerial Tram"which is a gondola ride that gives you stunning views of the forest below. As we were going down on the tram on eagles were flying around the tram and one of them buzzed the tram. It was a beautiful view (photos are above my post).
The nature walk was fairly interesting but not nearly as fascinating as Manual Antonio. I did see two Coatis and they have a couple of Monkeys you can meet. I do need to make a quick correction to my earlier posts... The monkeys that I called "Spider Monkeys" are in fact White Faced Capuchins. Apparently when someone pointed the monkeys out to me I missed them saying "I call them Spider Monkeys because I can never remember their real names". Oh Well I think from the Cow/Ox incident in India we have already established that Taxonomy is not my strong suit.
We did see a lovely Butterfly Garden while on the walk but the Orchid gardens and bromeliads were a bit disappointing as neither were in bloom. The crocodiles and iguanas brightened up the walk though because they are going in the mating season so we saw some lizard courtship in action. After the walk they fed us a very nice buffet lunch that really is a couple of steps above the usual "tour" fare.
After the nature tour and lunch it was time to head back up for my horsebackriding. I have never ridden a horse before so I was excited to try this out. There was quite a large group for the horseback riding. Most of the group was a large Costa Rican family with several kids. I, of course am the only green horn in the group. I managed to mount my horse (Lucero) with only minimal difficulty. I got up, facing the right direction the first time. When the horses started down the trail I was a little nervous at first, until I got used to the rhythm and became comfortable with controlling the horse. After the first few minutes I noticed that my horse as a bit on the SLOOOOW side. It's kind of embarassing when you are being passed on the trail by 10 year old kids. After all the other horses passed me I realized my horse was more like a Pinto (the car) than a Pinto (the horse). Despite the embarassment of being the last horse in the posse it was a fun ride. We climbed up to the top of a ridge where we had the most glorious views of the mountains around us. I will say that being the last horse has it's advantage I had more time to look at the views.
All my life I have been reading books where the charecters ride horses all day. I have a much greater appreciation for all those Cowboys and Knights in all my books. I felt especially close the next day... I had all sorts of sympathy whenever I sat down. After the horseback riding we were loaded back into the bus for the trip home. It was a fun trip and would be a great place for a family with kids.
In order to get down to the nature walk you have to take the "Rainforest Aerial Tram"which is a gondola ride that gives you stunning views of the forest below. As we were going down on the tram on eagles were flying around the tram and one of them buzzed the tram. It was a beautiful view (photos are above my post).
The nature walk was fairly interesting but not nearly as fascinating as Manual Antonio. I did see two Coatis and they have a couple of Monkeys you can meet. I do need to make a quick correction to my earlier posts... The monkeys that I called "Spider Monkeys" are in fact White Faced Capuchins. Apparently when someone pointed the monkeys out to me I missed them saying "I call them Spider Monkeys because I can never remember their real names". Oh Well I think from the Cow/Ox incident in India we have already established that Taxonomy is not my strong suit.
We did see a lovely Butterfly Garden while on the walk but the Orchid gardens and bromeliads were a bit disappointing as neither were in bloom. The crocodiles and iguanas brightened up the walk though because they are going in the mating season so we saw some lizard courtship in action. After the walk they fed us a very nice buffet lunch that really is a couple of steps above the usual "tour" fare.
After the nature tour and lunch it was time to head back up for my horsebackriding. I have never ridden a horse before so I was excited to try this out. There was quite a large group for the horseback riding. Most of the group was a large Costa Rican family with several kids. I, of course am the only green horn in the group. I managed to mount my horse (Lucero) with only minimal difficulty. I got up, facing the right direction the first time. When the horses started down the trail I was a little nervous at first, until I got used to the rhythm and became comfortable with controlling the horse. After the first few minutes I noticed that my horse as a bit on the SLOOOOW side. It's kind of embarassing when you are being passed on the trail by 10 year old kids. After all the other horses passed me I realized my horse was more like a Pinto (the car) than a Pinto (the horse). Despite the embarassment of being the last horse in the posse it was a fun ride. We climbed up to the top of a ridge where we had the most glorious views of the mountains around us. I will say that being the last horse has it's advantage I had more time to look at the views.
All my life I have been reading books where the charecters ride horses all day. I have a much greater appreciation for all those Cowboys and Knights in all my books. I felt especially close the next day... I had all sorts of sympathy whenever I sat down. After the horseback riding we were loaded back into the bus for the trip home. It was a fun trip and would be a great place for a family with kids.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Crossing the E-Border without a Passport
I interrupt my usual travel blog for a message of self pity and annoyance. One interesting thing about traveling internationally is that you suddenly find yourself locked out of internet services based on the location you are logging in from. The internet originally was a borderless open access utopia where anyone in the world could access any information. More and more the internet is drawing lines in the electronic sand and closing out services to people based on location.
For instance, on my second trip to India I was unable to access my BofA account at all simply because my IP address showed India. There are several services I fork out my hard earned cash for that I cannot access outside the US, i.e. Netflix Online. The one service that irratates me the most when I am overseas is the inability to access Hulu.com or any video streaming service. Generally I am able to overcome these little techincal difficulties with a bit luck and knowledge. One thing that I have yet to overcome is the streaming video blocks on users outside the US!! All the solutions are either completely unworkable or too frustrating for words.
What I don't understand is why I, as a US citizen, am unable to get access to services that I pay for in the US. I can cheerfully download plans to build a bomb but god forbid we allow people outside the US to stream Fantasy Island episodes. Surely there is someway they could find that would allow US citizens traveling internationally to access the same services they receive at home? An electronic passport?
End self pitying post... will return you to the usual travel stuff later.
For instance, on my second trip to India I was unable to access my BofA account at all simply because my IP address showed India. There are several services I fork out my hard earned cash for that I cannot access outside the US, i.e. Netflix Online. The one service that irratates me the most when I am overseas is the inability to access Hulu.com or any video streaming service. Generally I am able to overcome these little techincal difficulties with a bit luck and knowledge. One thing that I have yet to overcome is the streaming video blocks on users outside the US!! All the solutions are either completely unworkable or too frustrating for words.
What I don't understand is why I, as a US citizen, am unable to get access to services that I pay for in the US. I can cheerfully download plans to build a bomb but god forbid we allow people outside the US to stream Fantasy Island episodes. Surely there is someway they could find that would allow US citizens traveling internationally to access the same services they receive at home? An electronic passport?
End self pitying post... will return you to the usual travel stuff later.
Monday, December 21, 2009
The Flying Leap
So this weekend I finally took that long walk off the short pier everyone has been requesting I take. Actually it was a sorry example of a flying leap. I went bungee jumping, that thrilling activity where you attached to a bungee cord and jump off a high point and bounce around.
I went bungee jumping at the Colorado River bridge in Costa Rica about an hour outside of San Jose. The company I went with was Tropical Bungee and they are the oldest bungee company in Costa Rica. They picked me up at 8:30 am and we arrived at the office of the company around 9:30am. You have to sign the liability waiver and they take you up to the bridge to the jump site. The jump is made from platform that is attached to the middle of this steel bridge that is no longer being used for car traffic.
I think there is some thing strange that goes on in your mind when you decide to do something so... insane. We all have a primitive part of our mind that is solely concerned about our survival. It's that "part" that sends that chill up your back when walking down a sketchy street at night or the part that makes you freeze when you catch that glimpse of the "snake" near you until you realize it's a stick.
Anyway this primitive little worry-wort part of my brain (some might call that the SANE part) took exception to my intention of jumping off a 265 high bridge over a very rocky river. I was pretty calm all the way up to the bridge but once they started putting the harness on my my inner fear demon started protesting my decision. After I was outfitted (double harness one around my waist and the main harness on my legs) and it was my turn to go they have you get up on a VERY narrow platform that extends out from the bridge. They have you walk out to the very edge of the platform with your toes dangling off the edge.
At this point they announce you can jump any time but they also count you down from 5 in Spanish. At this point my logical mind, which knows that I am strapped a cable, have 2 harnesses on and that the company has successfully had 35,000 jumps, goes to war with my primitive worry-wort that can only look down and think... well let's not go there, hmm? They start counting down and the primitive part of me seems to have control. Cinco... "I don't have to do this." Cuatro... "I can still get down." Tres... "I can turn around and get off." Dos... "That does it. I am getting down." Uno... "OHHHHHH (insert favorite expletive here).
I still don't know how it happened but when they hit ONE somehow the logical part of my mind took control and I jumped off the platform (at the time I believed I made a graceful leap but on seeing the video it was more humpback whale dive than swan dive). Let me tell you 265 feet of freefall gives you sufficient time to really ponder the intelligence of your decision. Meanwhile the primative safety expert part of me was completely convinced I was going to DIE right up until the first bounce. Once you fall all the way and rebound up you realize you really are attached you have the most amazing epiphany... you AREN'T going to die and DARN IT THIS IS FUN!
After the that there are a couple of minutes where you bounce around at the end of the cable until you stop hanging upside down looking at the river below. At this point they lower down a cable that you have to grab and hook to your harness (all while dangling upside down) once you are hooked they reel you back up to the top. Touching down on the ground again feels GREAT. After the jump you get a DVD of your jump (don't watch you aren't as graceful as you think) and a T-shirt. I was done with the jump by 1030am.
Would I do it again? Probably. There is only one way to find out... Cinco, Cuatro, Tres, Dos...
I went bungee jumping at the Colorado River bridge in Costa Rica about an hour outside of San Jose. The company I went with was Tropical Bungee and they are the oldest bungee company in Costa Rica. They picked me up at 8:30 am and we arrived at the office of the company around 9:30am. You have to sign the liability waiver and they take you up to the bridge to the jump site. The jump is made from platform that is attached to the middle of this steel bridge that is no longer being used for car traffic.
I think there is some thing strange that goes on in your mind when you decide to do something so... insane. We all have a primitive part of our mind that is solely concerned about our survival. It's that "part" that sends that chill up your back when walking down a sketchy street at night or the part that makes you freeze when you catch that glimpse of the "snake" near you until you realize it's a stick.
Anyway this primitive little worry-wort part of my brain (some might call that the SANE part) took exception to my intention of jumping off a 265 high bridge over a very rocky river. I was pretty calm all the way up to the bridge but once they started putting the harness on my my inner fear demon started protesting my decision. After I was outfitted (double harness one around my waist and the main harness on my legs) and it was my turn to go they have you get up on a VERY narrow platform that extends out from the bridge. They have you walk out to the very edge of the platform with your toes dangling off the edge.
At this point they announce you can jump any time but they also count you down from 5 in Spanish. At this point my logical mind, which knows that I am strapped a cable, have 2 harnesses on and that the company has successfully had 35,000 jumps, goes to war with my primitive worry-wort that can only look down and think... well let's not go there, hmm? They start counting down and the primitive part of me seems to have control. Cinco... "I don't have to do this." Cuatro... "I can still get down." Tres... "I can turn around and get off." Dos... "That does it. I am getting down." Uno... "OHHHHHH (insert favorite expletive here)
I still don't know how it happened but when they hit ONE somehow the logical part of my mind took control and I jumped off the platform (at the time I believed I made a graceful leap but on seeing the video it was more humpback whale dive than swan dive). Let me tell you 265 feet of freefall gives you sufficient time to really ponder the intelligence of your decision. Meanwhile the primative safety expert part of me was completely convinced I was going to DIE right up until the first bounce. Once you fall all the way and rebound up you realize you really are attached you have the most amazing epiphany... you AREN'T going to die and DARN IT THIS IS FUN!
After the that there are a couple of minutes where you bounce around at the end of the cable until you stop hanging upside down looking at the river below. At this point they lower down a cable that you have to grab and hook to your harness (all while dangling upside down) once you are hooked they reel you back up to the top. Touching down on the ground again feels GREAT. After the jump you get a DVD of your jump (don't watch you aren't as graceful as you think) and a T-shirt. I was done with the jump by 1030am.
Would I do it again? Probably. There is only one way to find out... Cinco, Cuatro, Tres, Dos...
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Sloths and Monkeys and Deer... OH MY!! Part2
So Sunday morning I woke up bright and early at 6am. I looked out my patio window at 6:15 am and what do I see but Spider Monkeys playing in the trees. They played in the trees for 15 minutes or so before scampering off to visit the other areas of the hotel. I tried to get a picture of them but they are really quite fast.
After a quick hotel breakfast we headed off to Manual Anotinio Natural Park. It's hard to explain what the park is like. Everyone has been to a park before but the number and frequency of wildlife encounters here is just off the charts. About 5 minutes after entering the park we saw a group that was staring up at a tree (hint... follow the guided tour groups and when they look up look where they are looking). What they were looking at was a Two-Toed Tree Sloth that was sleeping in the trees. Many of the creatures in the park are Arboreal animals that live in the very tops of the trees hundreds of feet above your head. Some of the creatures I just couldn't get photos of. The sloth was really cool and after we left him another 2-3 minutes down the path we saw a Howler Monkey sleeping. Another couple minutes down the path we saw a second species of Two-Toed Tree Sloth that was sleeping.
Another couple of minutes down the path we saw one of the coolest encounters we had... A Three-Toed Tree Sloth... and it was awake and moving. We watched for quite a few minutes while he slowly pulled himself through the trees. They really are a deliberate, slow moving creature. They won't be giving any cheetahs or rabbits any competition in the speed department but they do move with a torpid efficiency. Well except for the time the sloth got himself in a jam where there was no branch he could reach and he had to back track. FYI... the photos of the sloth are down below in the photo album.
After the sloth we had some active encounters with Howler Monkeys that were... howling... of course. You can hear them all over the forrest. The trail does a turn after a bit so that we start going parrellel to the ocean. Gorgeous beaches, blue water, white sands, you know, the usual. Bill wanted to climb up to Cathedral Point which is a bit of a hike up and down these staircase like blocks. Entering the Cathedral Point path is like entering a sauna. I did mention this is a jungle right? Hot, humid, sticky jungle. The Cathedral Point path is a bit more... jungley... and alot more humid. It was in this path I had my coolest critter encounter yet. Really Jenn what did you see? I saw a deer.
Please no groans... I know you are thinking you could see a deer 5 minutes outside any town in America but I doubt you would have an encounter like I did. Partway thru the path we came upon a group who were looking at this deer just off the path. Of course we slowed down and were amazed by how close this deer was to humans. Pretty soon it climbed onto the path and started using the path as it's own personal buffet line, stolling down the path occasionaly stopping to munch on leaves. We started descending the path right behind it. It stepped off the path for a bit and pretty soon we were ahead of it. Next thing we knew the deer was on the path behind me and approaching me. I froze and it came right up next to me. Slowly, very slowly I reached out and petted it. It apparently liked having it's chin rubbed because it leaned into my hand. The next thing that happened was the strangest wildlife encounter I have ever had... The deer started to lick me. Not a quick swipe of it's tongue but a full on tongue lashing up and down my arm. Deer tongues are slightly rough and thick. The deer stood there for several minutes licking me until I decided I was done being a deer lollipop and started down the trail. Apparently I taste pretty good (White Girl: It's the other, other white meat) because it started following me down the trail. It followed me for a good half mile until we reached the junction with the main trail. What I suspect happened is that since I was sweating like a crazy in the heat the deer thought I was it's own personal mobile salt lick.
After the enounter with my new dear, deer friend we headed back to the entrance and ran into a troup of Spider Monkeys. We saw about 12 monkeys including some mothers with babies. Some of the monkeys came within 2 feet of us and never acknowledged we were there. They just went about their monkey lives. Later we passed by "iguana row" were we saw progressively larger iguanas, including one missing it's tail. Overall we were in the park 3 hours and saw more creatures than you see in a zoo in the same amount of time.
After we left we headed back to the hotel where I took a shower and washed the deer saliva off me. A couple of hours of lazing by the pool and we headed back to the airport in time to fly off into the sunset. (pics below). It was an amazing weekend.
After a quick hotel breakfast we headed off to Manual Anotinio Natural Park. It's hard to explain what the park is like. Everyone has been to a park before but the number and frequency of wildlife encounters here is just off the charts. About 5 minutes after entering the park we saw a group that was staring up at a tree (hint... follow the guided tour groups and when they look up look where they are looking). What they were looking at was a Two-Toed Tree Sloth that was sleeping in the trees. Many of the creatures in the park are Arboreal animals that live in the very tops of the trees hundreds of feet above your head. Some of the creatures I just couldn't get photos of. The sloth was really cool and after we left him another 2-3 minutes down the path we saw a Howler Monkey sleeping. Another couple minutes down the path we saw a second species of Two-Toed Tree Sloth that was sleeping.
Another couple of minutes down the path we saw one of the coolest encounters we had... A Three-Toed Tree Sloth... and it was awake and moving. We watched for quite a few minutes while he slowly pulled himself through the trees. They really are a deliberate, slow moving creature. They won't be giving any cheetahs or rabbits any competition in the speed department but they do move with a torpid efficiency. Well except for the time the sloth got himself in a jam where there was no branch he could reach and he had to back track. FYI... the photos of the sloth are down below in the photo album.
After the sloth we had some active encounters with Howler Monkeys that were... howling... of course. You can hear them all over the forrest. The trail does a turn after a bit so that we start going parrellel to the ocean. Gorgeous beaches, blue water, white sands, you know, the usual. Bill wanted to climb up to Cathedral Point which is a bit of a hike up and down these staircase like blocks. Entering the Cathedral Point path is like entering a sauna. I did mention this is a jungle right? Hot, humid, sticky jungle. The Cathedral Point path is a bit more... jungley... and alot more humid. It was in this path I had my coolest critter encounter yet. Really Jenn what did you see? I saw a deer.
Please no groans... I know you are thinking you could see a deer 5 minutes outside any town in America but I doubt you would have an encounter like I did. Partway thru the path we came upon a group who were looking at this deer just off the path. Of course we slowed down and were amazed by how close this deer was to humans. Pretty soon it climbed onto the path and started using the path as it's own personal buffet line, stolling down the path occasionaly stopping to munch on leaves. We started descending the path right behind it. It stepped off the path for a bit and pretty soon we were ahead of it. Next thing we knew the deer was on the path behind me and approaching me. I froze and it came right up next to me. Slowly, very slowly I reached out and petted it. It apparently liked having it's chin rubbed because it leaned into my hand. The next thing that happened was the strangest wildlife encounter I have ever had... The deer started to lick me. Not a quick swipe of it's tongue but a full on tongue lashing up and down my arm. Deer tongues are slightly rough and thick. The deer stood there for several minutes licking me until I decided I was done being a deer lollipop and started down the trail. Apparently I taste pretty good (White Girl: It's the other, other white meat) because it started following me down the trail. It followed me for a good half mile until we reached the junction with the main trail. What I suspect happened is that since I was sweating like a crazy in the heat the deer thought I was it's own personal mobile salt lick.
After the enounter with my new dear, deer friend we headed back to the entrance and ran into a troup of Spider Monkeys. We saw about 12 monkeys including some mothers with babies. Some of the monkeys came within 2 feet of us and never acknowledged we were there. They just went about their monkey lives. Later we passed by "iguana row" were we saw progressively larger iguanas, including one missing it's tail. Overall we were in the park 3 hours and saw more creatures than you see in a zoo in the same amount of time.
After we left we headed back to the hotel where I took a shower and washed the deer saliva off me. A couple of hours of lazing by the pool and we headed back to the airport in time to fly off into the sunset. (pics below). It was an amazing weekend.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Sloths, and Monkeys, and Deer... OH MY!!! Part 1
So this weekend I headed off to Manual Antonio Natural Park, it's near the the town of Quepos on the coast. We were lucky to get a great rate on a flight down there so we got to experience the thrill of a Costa Rica regional flight. The flight departed from the small airport in San Jose. The trip would take 4 hours by bus but literally takes 25 minutes by plane and half of that is spent revving the propellers for take off. The plane is a extremely small and the safety talk consisted of telling us to buckle our seat belts. There is no lavatory, but really if you can't hold it for 15 minutes maybe air travel is not for you, huh?
After we were in the air for about 12 minutes we started to descend. The trees were getting bigger and greener and leafier in the window but I still couldn't see an airport or runway anywhere. Just as we were about to start trimming the trees with our landing gear we did a slight turn and there was the runway. The runway was a tiny black scar in large green jungle. After we landed and exited the plane I saw the "airport" which consists of a single small three-sided building. I must say I always thought the "small" airport they show in movies were purely Hollywood fiction but having been to Quepos airport I know differently.
After landing we had a ride take us to the Parador Hotel, the hotel is up a hill then down a gravelly winding road. It clings to the cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean and has some absolutely stunning views. We arrived at the hotel at 10 am and it was too early to get our room keys so we headed to the pool for some fun in the sun. The pool has a absolutely stunning view of the ocean. It is an infinity pool so while in it you can almost believe you could swim right off into the ocean. We spent a few hours relaxing by the pool before heading out to our tours. I had a canopy tour scheduled at 1pm .
The tour company picked me up at the hotel and we drove about 45 minutes into the mountains to the canopy area. The ride itself was a trip because we had to cross several bridges that consisted of nothing more than a couple of planks over the river. We arrived at the canopy area and had a quick snack of fruit and juice before it was time to suit up in our harnesses. They load you up with a harness, helmet, gloves and a leather glove called a brake. With all the equipment on it's virtually impossible to hold or use a camera so I don't have pictures. Although the company did send me pictures on CD disk so I will post those later. After a quick safety lecture it was time to head out on the cables!
First off, canopy tours are not for the purpose of seeing nature. They are pure adrenaline and thrills. They strap you to a cable that is VERY high and VERY long you sit back in the harness and hold your hand with the "brake" (a piece of leather that you use to brake your speed) above your head. Once you are set they shove you off and you go whizzing down the cable. You watch the guide at the next platform and when he tells you to you pull down on the brake. All in all it's like a roller coaster, you go flying through the trees hanging on for dear life. The tour consisted of 14 plaforms and 14 cables of differing lengths. One was extremely long, I am not a good measure of distance but I would guess it was about 1/2 a mile long. All I really know was that I could barely see the platform at the end when I took off. I just had to trust the cable ended some where I could land.
The tour was a BLAST and I recommend it to anyone who likes a little excitement. I did feel pretty sore the next day from holding my arm above my head. After the tour we headed back to the rest area for more fruit and snacks. Before heading back to the city we stopped at a lovely waterfall and walked around. I got back to the hotel at 6pm and spent about 10 minutes arguing with the front desk staff that were convinced that "Jennifer Steiner" already had her key. It took a bit of arguing and a call to Bill to get them to give me my key and realize the I was Jennifer Steiner. My room was a jungle facing room, meaning that the back of my hotel was a patio that faced the trees and critters in the jungle.
Well that is all I have time for tonight. Tomorrow... the natural park and all the critters I saw and the new friend I made.
After we were in the air for about 12 minutes we started to descend. The trees were getting bigger and greener and leafier in the window but I still couldn't see an airport or runway anywhere. Just as we were about to start trimming the trees with our landing gear we did a slight turn and there was the runway. The runway was a tiny black scar in large green jungle. After we landed and exited the plane I saw the "airport" which consists of a single small three-sided building. I must say I always thought the "small" airport they show in movies were purely Hollywood fiction but having been to Quepos airport I know differently.
After landing we had a ride take us to the Parador Hotel, the hotel is up a hill then down a gravelly winding road. It clings to the cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean and has some absolutely stunning views. We arrived at the hotel at 10 am and it was too early to get our room keys so we headed to the pool for some fun in the sun. The pool has a absolutely stunning view of the ocean. It is an infinity pool so while in it you can almost believe you could swim right off into the ocean. We spent a few hours relaxing by the pool before heading out to our tours. I had a canopy tour scheduled at 1pm .
The tour company picked me up at the hotel and we drove about 45 minutes into the mountains to the canopy area. The ride itself was a trip because we had to cross several bridges that consisted of nothing more than a couple of planks over the river. We arrived at the canopy area and had a quick snack of fruit and juice before it was time to suit up in our harnesses. They load you up with a harness, helmet, gloves and a leather glove called a brake. With all the equipment on it's virtually impossible to hold or use a camera so I don't have pictures. Although the company did send me pictures on CD disk so I will post those later. After a quick safety lecture it was time to head out on the cables!
First off, canopy tours are not for the purpose of seeing nature. They are pure adrenaline and thrills. They strap you to a cable that is VERY high and VERY long you sit back in the harness and hold your hand with the "brake" (a piece of leather that you use to brake your speed) above your head. Once you are set they shove you off and you go whizzing down the cable. You watch the guide at the next platform and when he tells you to you pull down on the brake. All in all it's like a roller coaster, you go flying through the trees hanging on for dear life. The tour consisted of 14 plaforms and 14 cables of differing lengths. One was extremely long, I am not a good measure of distance but I would guess it was about 1/2 a mile long. All I really know was that I could barely see the platform at the end when I took off. I just had to trust the cable ended some where I could land.
The tour was a BLAST and I recommend it to anyone who likes a little excitement. I did feel pretty sore the next day from holding my arm above my head. After the tour we headed back to the rest area for more fruit and snacks. Before heading back to the city we stopped at a lovely waterfall and walked around. I got back to the hotel at 6pm and spent about 10 minutes arguing with the front desk staff that were convinced that "Jennifer Steiner" already had her key. It took a bit of arguing and a call to Bill to get them to give me my key and realize the I was Jennifer Steiner. My room was a jungle facing room, meaning that the back of my hotel was a patio that faced the trees and critters in the jungle.
Well that is all I have time for tonight. Tomorrow... the natural park and all the critters I saw and the new friend I made.
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Friday, December 11, 2009
Arenal Part 2
I feel guilty I haven't been keeping up with my blog... tomorrow I am off on yet another adventure and I haven't even finished writing about my last one! Darn it... I am just having too much fun. Sorry.
So after my trip to Tabacon and nearly losing my glasses I headed back to the hotel and went to sleep in my giant room. For some bizarre reason I woke up at 3am and couldn't get back to sleep. That was OK once I got over my denial of being awake I was able fill my whirlpool tub with water, which by the way took 1/2 hour, and lay in the tub while watching the sun rise over Arenal. Now that is fun!!
After I spent enough time soaking in the tub to get a bit pruny I got dressed and went for an early am walk. The morning was humid enough that the whole area was quite misty. I walked around and then headed to the buffet breakfast that was included with the room. The spread was quite nice and they had a great mix of Costa Rican and American breakfast choices. The restuarant features a absolutely stunning view of Arenal and the surrounding area.
After breakfast I went back to my room and set my chair in the doorway and watched the clouds go by on Arenal. Arenal never really showed itself... It really was a tease. It would give me a peak of the peak but never fully uncovered itself. Watching the clouds go by is a fun activity on it's own. The clouds move very quickly (many of the Arenal pictures I took below were taken within a couple of minutes of each other). They seem to race by the volcano so you are viewing an ever moving show. I noticed people tended to look at the clouds that were coming up in line to pass the volcano and say "After that cloud we should be able to see the peak." What I learned after a couple of hours of watching it was that there is ALWAYS another cloud coming.
Later I headed over to my Spa appointment. I set up a package appointment for a Volcanic Mud Wrap and Swedish Message. First I had the mud wrap and for this adventure they give you paper underwear to wear and paper slippers. I still can't say that there was any great lasting value to the mud wrap. They cover you in mud and then wrap you up like a giant burrito until the mud gets all crusty and dry. After the mud wrap the attendant has a warm shower already running for you. After I scrubbed the crusty mud they started in on the message. I don't think that getting a message while having a cold was the wisest choice. During the whole message while I was laying on my stomach I keep worrying start dripping from my nose on the floor. My head was so stuffy and tense that as the message moved up my back I started to feel uncomfortable. Overall the spa was very nice but messages with colds don't work for me.
After the message I had a great lunch in the restaurant and resumed my cloud watching until it was time to catch the bus back to San Jose.
So after my trip to Tabacon and nearly losing my glasses I headed back to the hotel and went to sleep in my giant room. For some bizarre reason I woke up at 3am and couldn't get back to sleep. That was OK once I got over my denial of being awake I was able fill my whirlpool tub with water, which by the way took 1/2 hour, and lay in the tub while watching the sun rise over Arenal. Now that is fun!!
After I spent enough time soaking in the tub to get a bit pruny I got dressed and went for an early am walk. The morning was humid enough that the whole area was quite misty. I walked around and then headed to the buffet breakfast that was included with the room. The spread was quite nice and they had a great mix of Costa Rican and American breakfast choices. The restuarant features a absolutely stunning view of Arenal and the surrounding area.
After breakfast I went back to my room and set my chair in the doorway and watched the clouds go by on Arenal. Arenal never really showed itself... It really was a tease. It would give me a peak of the peak but never fully uncovered itself. Watching the clouds go by is a fun activity on it's own. The clouds move very quickly (many of the Arenal pictures I took below were taken within a couple of minutes of each other). They seem to race by the volcano so you are viewing an ever moving show. I noticed people tended to look at the clouds that were coming up in line to pass the volcano and say "After that cloud we should be able to see the peak." What I learned after a couple of hours of watching it was that there is ALWAYS another cloud coming.
Later I headed over to my Spa appointment. I set up a package appointment for a Volcanic Mud Wrap and Swedish Message. First I had the mud wrap and for this adventure they give you paper underwear to wear and paper slippers. I still can't say that there was any great lasting value to the mud wrap. They cover you in mud and then wrap you up like a giant burrito until the mud gets all crusty and dry. After the mud wrap the attendant has a warm shower already running for you. After I scrubbed the crusty mud they started in on the message. I don't think that getting a message while having a cold was the wisest choice. During the whole message while I was laying on my stomach I keep worrying start dripping from my nose on the floor. My head was so stuffy and tense that as the message moved up my back I started to feel uncomfortable. Overall the spa was very nice but messages with colds don't work for me.
After the message I had a great lunch in the restaurant and resumed my cloud watching until it was time to catch the bus back to San Jose.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Arenal and the Hot Springs Part 1
So last weekend I went to the volcano Arenal. The trip up to the mountain is about 3 hours on a 2 lane highway thru some country that could only be called "rugged". Some of the drive is precipitous where the road will drop away on either side with beautiful jungle hills. The hotel (Montana De Fuego)we had was quite lovely. Each room was in a separate "cabana". My room overlooked the volcano with a Jacuzzi tub that you could lay in and watch the clouds go by on the volcano. I had a very large room with it's own breakfast nook and a couple of rocking chairs.
The hotel ground are beautifully landscaped with tropical plants and flowers. The hotel has a nice pool with swim up bar and jacuzzi. It also has it's own spa so I immediately went and made an appointment for some treatments for the morning. After a couple of hours of relaxation at the hotel we headed to the Tabacon Hot Springs. It's a short drive down to the hot springs. The hot springs are awesome. Unfortunately, we got there just as the sun was setting so I don't have many pictures (besides hot water and digital cameras don't mix). All of my pictures from Tabacon and Arenal are down in the album right below the Sniffle Sniffle... Cough post.
After arriving and changing into a swimsuit it was time to take the plunge in to the springs. Hmm how to describe the springs. They are a natural series of pools and waterfall that are surrounded by overgrown tropical foliage. Starting at the top of the springs the pools are the hottest and as you work your way down they tend to get cooler. The pools all have waterfall that you can sit under and have the hot water pound on your shoulders. There are also several cold water swimming pools, including one with a swim up bar.
Nothing feels better when you are sick (I still had that cold) than sitting in hot water while the waterfall cascades over your shoulders. If you want to hang out in a sauna you can go behind the water fall where the air is filled with steam. The best way to go is start at the top where the heat is the greatest and then work your way down the pools as you get overheated. There are probably 50 different small pools, enough that even with all the people at the hot spring you can still find a secluded spot for yourself. The night we were there they has a gentle tropical rain falling so that while laying in the hot pools you could feel the gentle cool drops hitting your skin. It made for a interesting sensation... hot and cold together.
While at the hot springs I just HAD to take a ride down their water slide. I have come to the conclusion that glasses and water DO NOT mix. When I was at the Isla Tortuga my glasses were interfering with my snorkeling then they made me take them off to ride on the Banana Boat. When i took off on the water slide (which was pretty cool) as soon as I hit the water WHAM my glasses popped off and landed in the pool. You remember the Scooby Doo cartoons where, inevitably Velma would lose her glasses when the monsters were chasing them? Yeah I now know what Velma felt like. There I was in a huge pool of water, in the dark, with no glasses and I can't see my hand in front of my face let along my glasses 3 feet under wather.
I was really freaking out since they were the only glasses I have with me in Costa Rica. Visions of spending 6 weeks blind as a bat passed thru my mind fortunately I was blind enough I couldn't see the visions clearly. I went running looking for someone that worked at the Hot Springs but being blind could find anyone until I got all the way up to the restaurant. I begged for them to send some one down with a flashlight. Fortunately, just as I got back to the pool someone found my glasses and picked them up!! They were, mostly, undamaged just a bit of scratching on the frame. PHEW!!!
After 3 hours of soaking in the springs we headed up to the buffet dinner in the restaurant. The food was fabulous and the tables overlooked the hot springs below. The floor show left something to be desired. We got a breif rendition of Crazy People Gone Wild as a very, very drunk french girl had a complete meltdown in the restuarant. She apparently had lost her husband, Amex card, shirt as well as her self respect and sanity. She was standing up in the middle of the restaurant yelling for someone to call 911 because she couldn't find her husband (who probably didn't want to claim her). She expounded on the typical drunk topics of paranoia, anger and insanity. Each of her tirades ended with a "Happy Thanksgiving"... unfortunately she never got the message that we would be very thankful and happy if she would shut up and sit down. After the dinner and floor show we headed back to the hotel tired and relaxed. Well that is enough for today.... Stay tuned for Part 2.
The hotel ground are beautifully landscaped with tropical plants and flowers. The hotel has a nice pool with swim up bar and jacuzzi. It also has it's own spa so I immediately went and made an appointment for some treatments for the morning. After a couple of hours of relaxation at the hotel we headed to the Tabacon Hot Springs. It's a short drive down to the hot springs. The hot springs are awesome. Unfortunately, we got there just as the sun was setting so I don't have many pictures (besides hot water and digital cameras don't mix). All of my pictures from Tabacon and Arenal are down in the album right below the Sniffle Sniffle... Cough post.
After arriving and changing into a swimsuit it was time to take the plunge in to the springs. Hmm how to describe the springs. They are a natural series of pools and waterfall that are surrounded by overgrown tropical foliage. Starting at the top of the springs the pools are the hottest and as you work your way down they tend to get cooler. The pools all have waterfall that you can sit under and have the hot water pound on your shoulders. There are also several cold water swimming pools, including one with a swim up bar.
Nothing feels better when you are sick (I still had that cold) than sitting in hot water while the waterfall cascades over your shoulders. If you want to hang out in a sauna you can go behind the water fall where the air is filled with steam. The best way to go is start at the top where the heat is the greatest and then work your way down the pools as you get overheated. There are probably 50 different small pools, enough that even with all the people at the hot spring you can still find a secluded spot for yourself. The night we were there they has a gentle tropical rain falling so that while laying in the hot pools you could feel the gentle cool drops hitting your skin. It made for a interesting sensation... hot and cold together.
While at the hot springs I just HAD to take a ride down their water slide. I have come to the conclusion that glasses and water DO NOT mix. When I was at the Isla Tortuga my glasses were interfering with my snorkeling then they made me take them off to ride on the Banana Boat. When i took off on the water slide (which was pretty cool) as soon as I hit the water WHAM my glasses popped off and landed in the pool. You remember the Scooby Doo cartoons where, inevitably Velma would lose her glasses when the monsters were chasing them? Yeah I now know what Velma felt like. There I was in a huge pool of water, in the dark, with no glasses and I can't see my hand in front of my face let along my glasses 3 feet under wather.
I was really freaking out since they were the only glasses I have with me in Costa Rica. Visions of spending 6 weeks blind as a bat passed thru my mind fortunately I was blind enough I couldn't see the visions clearly. I went running looking for someone that worked at the Hot Springs but being blind could find anyone until I got all the way up to the restaurant. I begged for them to send some one down with a flashlight. Fortunately, just as I got back to the pool someone found my glasses and picked them up!! They were, mostly, undamaged just a bit of scratching on the frame. PHEW!!!
After 3 hours of soaking in the springs we headed up to the buffet dinner in the restaurant. The food was fabulous and the tables overlooked the hot springs below. The floor show left something to be desired. We got a breif rendition of Crazy People Gone Wild as a very, very drunk french girl had a complete meltdown in the restuarant. She apparently had lost her husband, Amex card, shirt as well as her self respect and sanity. She was standing up in the middle of the restaurant yelling for someone to call 911 because she couldn't find her husband (who probably didn't want to claim her). She expounded on the typical drunk topics of paranoia, anger and insanity. Each of her tirades ended with a "Happy Thanksgiving"... unfortunately she never got the message that we would be very thankful and happy if she would shut up and sit down. After the dinner and floor show we headed back to the hotel tired and relaxed. Well that is enough for today.... Stay tuned for Part 2.
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