Monteverde, finally

Ah, where to begin. The last couple of weeks were spent traveling around western Costa Rica and camping on the beach in Corcovado National Park and in a dry forest at Santa Rosa National Park.
Corcovado- Located in the Osa Penninsula, Corcovado protects one of the last of the country’s last remaining old growth rain forests. There, we were camped on a fairly secluded beach at the edge of the forest. We hiked through an old growth forest which is exactly what you would picture if you thought of a rain forest--high canopy trees that allow little escape for sun to the understory. It was gorgeous. Seeing those tall trees makes you appreciate the age of these forests and how irreplaceable they are. The destination of our hike was another gorgeous beach where we filled up our water bottles from a waterfall that dropped into the ocean. The following day we went snorkeling at a nearby island where I saw a reef shark! Some others also saw a sea turtle. In our free time in Corcovado, we spent a lot of time at a nearby waterfall and swimming hole. In total, we stayed in Corcovado for about six days. Every part of it was amazing except for the fact that it rained a couple of the nights, and, of course, there is no such thing as a completely waterproof tent…
On our way north to Santa Rosa, we made a few stops to learn about various plant and animal species. One of my favorites was when we stopped at a pineapple plantation to learn all about the pineapple plant. The lesson wasn’t completed until we stopped at a roadside stand and had some fresh pineapple. Many of our lessons include eating and drinking whatever plant product we are learning about. The other day we were learning about a palm that is used to make wine, so we were given a cup of some very sweet palm wine.
Anyways, on our way to Santa Rosa we stopped at a hotel for the night which we cherished after sleeping on the ground for the last week. The comfort didn’t last long as the next morning we did a hike and arrived in Santa Rosa that night. Santa Rosa and Corcovado are two very different places. Santa Rosa is much drier and more of a deciduous forest. Upon arriving, I was nervous what we would do without having the ocean, but I quickly grew very fond of the place. The cooks were amazing—I don’t think I have eaten as well as I did last week. It was good that we had all of that energy because we did many long and strenuous hikes. One of the best was a 16 mile hike to the ocean which included a view of the sunset from a lookout. It was one of the most colorful sunsets I have seen. At Santa Rosa, we also got a chance to learn about some Costa Rican history and visited a battle site where an American once tried to take over the country. Our last day at Santa Rosa was spent hiking near a volcano to yet another gorgeous waterfall. We then took the bus to the beach where we saw one of the last Pacific sunsets for a while.
We have seen very little of Monteverde, but I know already that I will love it. We are housed in the Biological Station complete with a classroom, kitchen, and computer lab. I have three roommates with which I share a bathroom. (I am so excited to take a shower immediately after posting this…) Tomorrow we have Spanish class in the afternoon and have the morning free to do what we choose—most likely mine will involve studying for the lab practical we have this Saturday. I can’t wait to get to know Monteverde better.
I wish I could tell you everything I have done in more detail, but each amazing memory blends in with the next. Costa Rica has already proven to be an enchanting place. I hope you are all well. Have a great week.

So little time!

I am now sitting in an internet cafe in Liberia and have little time to tell you of my adventures! Some of the highlights have been taking a ten mile hike through an old growth rainforest, seeing sloths and monkeys, snorkeling with sharks, and learning more than I ever have about tropical flora and fauna.
I can´t wait to give a full update, but I am afraid I must run to the store before returning to our bus. Tonight we are heading to the Northwestern Pacific coast where we will be camping for another week.
Talk to you in Monteverde!

Pictures

A dome in one of San Jose many parks.

The view from the bell tower of an old cathedral church in Granada, Nicaragua. The water in the background is Lake Nicaragua.

Volcano Concepcion, Isla Ometepe, Lake Nicaragua

Playa Montezuma, Montezuma, Costa Rica

Montezuma Falls

A slightly domesticated peccary going through our lunch leftovers at Isla Tortuga.

No Such Thing As a Full Bus

Our last few days at Montezuma were action-packed. Hannah and I hiked to Montezuma Falls and swam in the deep pond at the bottom of the falls. We were nervous as we watched kids scale the rocks to jump into the water far, far below—we only got as the base of the fall to feel the water pound on our backs. The next day we walked a mile down the beach to Playa Grande where there was an art festival. Local artists had taken trash found on the beach and creating some really neat sculptures to promote awareness of environmental conservation. There was also some live jazz music which we listened to while sipping on a coconut and eating the most delicious mango ice cream. We then went snorkeling on Tortuga Island off the coast of Montezuma. The island was beautiful although slightly touristy. We saw many tropical fish and played with the sea stars.

From Montezuma we traveled by bus, ferry, then more bus to reach Quepos. For a lot of the bus ride we were standing up, because the drivers pack everyone in like sardines. There really is no such thing as a full bus in Costa Rica. The more passengers there are, the more money they get. Fortunately, a couple gave us their seats when they left. After arriving in Quepos, we found our hostel where we met up with Laura, a friend from Oberlin. We then swam in the not-so-cold pool to refresh ourselves before heading for dinner which was Imperials and fish tacos. (The national beers are Imperial and Pilsen. I have yet to try Pilsen, but thoroughly enjoy Imperial.)

The next day, yesterday, I had a long, long bus ride to the capital of San Jose. On the bus, I sat next to a 12-year-old boy—I have never received so much attention for my blonde hair and blue eyes. It is amazing how much kids want to talk to you and here about your life. At times it was difficult to understand what he was saying and I’m sure he didn’t quite get what I was saying, but I knew we enjoyed each other’s company because he bought me some gum before leaving.

That afternoon I explored San Jose, bought some shampoo, and ate lunch (which I don’t think necessarily agreed with my stomach). This morning I had breakfast with a few people from my program and they seem really nice. Everyone else (about 30 people) should arrive by this afternoon which is when our orientation officially starts. Overall, I’m excited to meet everyone and start classes. I’m happy I chose to come early and travel for a few weeks. I saw some beautiful places, met some amazing people, and had many memorable experiences. The only thing I really miss is a nice, comfortable bed. It seems like those are so hard to find here, which could be because I have been hostel hopping since I arrived. Although I love the atmosphere of a hostel, my fear of bed bugs sometimes kicks in and I have trouble sleeping—the fear, of course, is all my imagination. I hope...

The next couple of weeks my program will be traveling around Costa Rica to the many national parks to witness the extensive biodiversity this country has to offer. My goals are to see a sloth and a tapir. It was recommended that we read a book about Costa Rican rain forests before we start the program, from which I learned many, many interesting facts. For example, sloths have algae growing in their fur (yes, they are that slow) which gives them a green tint. Also, they make their home in the treetops and only come down to poop once every couple of weeks. It is hypothesized that they bury their fecal matter at the root of their home tree to provide it with more nutrients. So cool.