Jeep-boat-jeep — Santa Elena, Costa Rica
Where I stayed
Historias Lodge Monteverde
Historias Lodge Monteverde
We had a relaxing morning in La Fortuna, and hit the road about 2:30. Now jeep-boat-jeep might be an exageration on the choice of vehicle, though a 4 wheel drive is pretty much mandatory. We left in a minibus to Lake Aranal where we caught a boat that took us across the lake to a beach of sorts. The views of Mt. Aranal and the surrounding smaller mountains, shrouded in mist were almost mystical.
We then boarded another minibus for a "Costa Rican massage" our tour guides way of warning us about the condition of the roads, which were more like trails.Twists and turns, STEEP inclines, random cows, horses and chickens and I mention mist and rain? Disney could learn a thing or two from these roads.In distance it was about 29 km, took us 1.5 hours.Oh, and of course the truck with both front and back wheels off the road, and still bocking the other half. How do you get around it? Why you back up and make a run for it of course. Then around the next bend a cow stuck in the ditch. You can't make this up.
In Costa Rica there is power everywhere which is mind boggling considering how totally isolatec everything is.
We arrived in Monte Verde in time for dinner and to make plans for the next day.Topic of conversation...if you had 31 days to live, had unlimited funds, were going to die instantly with no illness what would you do? Most intersting answer...try heroin.That came from Tom who lives in Holland. Hmmmm...interesting point.
While most of our group chose ziplining, Jamie and I chose to do the canopy walk, a series of bridges through the tree top canopy.Although we did notsee any creatures, it was a beautiful walk,similar to a walk following a rainstorm. The sun was shining, the trees dripping moss everywhere. It felt more like a jungle in my mind, than the lowlands did.
We followed the 8 bridge walk with a trip to the butterfly house in hopes to see a blue morpheus butterfly up close, since in my photos they look like blue UFO's! Many different species were seen and we even watched one come out of it's coccoon.Still hungry for more wildlife we went to the reptile e hibit and saw native frogs, snakes and lizards.The snakes fascinating and the frogs srunningly beautiful.
We then grabbed the shuttle back into town, where we had lunch in a tree top resteraunt, yes the resteraunt was built around a huge tree.This premise would never work at home...winter
Jamie & crew went on a night hike, I will go tomorrow, as I think the foodhas caught up with me.
