Logbook: Costa Rica 2

Tuesday morning we had some time at the Eco-Resort on the Sarapiqui River to wander around and stretch our legs. I took the opportunity to cross a very, very long foot bridge over the river which -- in my vast experience of foot bridges world-wide -- I would give pretty strong marks. Our main activity of the day was a two-hour boat ride on the river to view wildlife. With the group of 36 aboard a bus-like water craft, we cruised around and were not disappointed. We saw a number of birds, iguana, sloth and howler monkeys, and you can see some of them on the Photos page. We got back to the Eco-Resort in time for lunch and a little break before riding the bus to our next hotel, arriving early enough for a proper cocktail hour and dinner.

Yesterday was “volcano day” and we really made the most of it. From early morning until will into the evening, we made stops at various vantage points to observe the famous Arenal volcano. We were fortunate to have a relatively clear day, and were able to see the classic conical shaped volcano exuding steam and hot gases by day and spewing red hot rocks by night. It was really interesting -- awesome, in fact -- and the Photos barely do it justice. In between volcano viewings, we had a pleasant 2 hour walk on the “hanging bridges” that weave throughout a typical Costa Rican jungle, a couple of hours of “free time” in the town of La Fortuna (which I would make my “home base” if I were traveling through here on my own) and a visit to a lovely hot springs facility. It was a long and tiring day, but it was very diverse and rewarding.

This morning we were up very early for a long travel day to the northwest pacific coastline. As we crossed the continental divide, we left the cloud cover and jungle to enter the coastal savannah. Along the way we had a mild two hour raft trip which offered more excellent viewing of wildlife. Just in time for cocktails and the sunset, we arrived here on the beach at the Casa Conde Resort which will be our home for four nights. We are looking forward to some rest and relaxation, but also have some adventure excursions coming up. Stay tuned for updates from The Voyage of Macgellan!