shi.ny: May 2012

Julie and I were in Costa Rica for 8 days at the beginning of April. Despite some flaws, it was still a very adventurous trip, and we had a lot of fun. My next post will include some pictures from our vacation!

Our trip got off to a bit of a rough start. Our flights were on time, and I managed to meet up with Julie right away. We actually ran into each other getting in line for customs. We spent the rest of the first day exploring downtown San Jose, which was pleasant but San Jose sketches me out. The next morning, we were supposed to be picked up at a nearby hotel for a day cruise to Tortuguero national park. Unfortunately, the cruise place outsources their pickup service...and they didn’t pick us up :( they will refund us but I was really really looking forward to the cruise and the island.

Since we were stuck in San Jose today unexpectedly, we did a little bit of shopping, nothing too exciting but I bought a few souvenirs. Then we found out that no buses are running Friday and so buses tomorrow (when we are going to Monteverde) are going to be super packed, and we luckily scored two of the last tickets so we will not have to stand for the whole 5 hours. Time goes ridiculously slow here haha like seriously it is only 3??! Not really sure what else to do the rest of the night, San Jose is such a sketchy place. Our hotel will be sending someone to meet us tomorrow in Monteverde which is super nice. I am a little worried now about buses the rest of the weekend since it is Easter here. Orthodox Easter isn't until next week! It is 630 and I am ready for bed haha being bored all day is tiring. Leaving at 530 tomorrow!

Monteverde is seriously my favorite, yet again. A short recap:

1. Tried Costa Rican nachos at this amazing and cheap place next door to our gorgeous hostel. Can’t even explain. Ohmygood.

2. Got bus tickets for hitting the beach Saturday

3. Night hike tonight!!

4. Frog sanctuary and canopy zip lines tomorrow, what it do son?!

5. Ice cream and cheese are ridiculously delicious here…happy cows

6. This is my favorite place on earth I can't get enough

The Santa Maria night hike was so cool! The hike was through a biological reserve, and the guides who work there are trained ecologists; they help study the animals and at night give super knowledgeable tours. Part of their training includes spending a year with indigenous tribes in Costa Rica. We saw a wild sloth and armadillo and two white nosed coatis super close up. And giant walking sticks and a tarantula that was bigger than my fist. We also learned cool things about leaf cutter ants like they take the leaves underground and they grow a fungus which is actually what they feed off of and aboriginal Costa Ricans used their punchers as stitches by having the ant bite on and then breaking off the body. We saw the guide make an ant grab a branch and then he just held the ant...it just kept biting on and holding up a giant branch!! SO cool. We also saw a scorpion with babies in her back.

We ate at the restaurant that is in a tree! But because it is almost Easter no bars are open and the restaurant can only serve wine haha, sad little night in. The next day we did the zip lines. Nothing beats flying over the rainforest canopy and valleys of Monteverde. I also did the part where it drops straight down 30 feet and you swoop out hanging on a rope – it’s called the Tarzan swing. Whoa. Biggest rush of adrenaline, I even told the guy to push me because as much as I wanted to do it, I knew I needed a little push to get me going. After that we had a late lunch, lounged, walked, and got some dinner. You can't even buy alcohol at the grocery store since it’s Easter weekend! Julie bought a beer from the guy at the front desk haha but I don't like beer so whatever. I had garlic bread for dinner because Julie wanted pizza. We compromised by having an authentic Costa Rican lunch during the day, and surprisingly there are three pizza places here. I saw another cat on the way home! Tomorrow at 6 out bus leaves for Puntatenas and then we have a two-hour layover until the bus to Jaco, we won't be getting there until two thirty or so. Then we are at the beach until Sunday afternoon before taking the bus back to San Jose.

We had half a day of beach time yesterday, but of course it poured rain after our first two hours there today. So instead we are taking it easy, reading books and watching ridiculous 1990s movies on tv. Tomorrow we head back to San Jose before we fly back. Next time I do this trip I’m paying the extra $100 and flying into Liberia, it is definitely worth the money to bypass San Jose (and the travel time to Monteverde) by flying into Liberia instead. All in all, this has still been a super fun trip and I am so glad I got to spend it with one of my best friends in the whole world!

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