On To Monteverde

January 21, 2004-Surprises
(photos:David enjoying view of Arenal volcano,
Boat dock & "African Queen,"
Quetzal)

We met a couple from Paris and became their worst nightmare. When they asked what David was retired from he said he was a rabbi. Their faces were blank. We had to explain what that was. So they were stuck eating dinner with Jewish Americans. Actually we had a pleasant time with them.

The name of the sport that we partook in as we leaped from tree to tree yesterday was ¨zip lining.” I’d call it hang gliding on cables.

January 22, 2004- Smoothish Transitions

Stop signs here read “alto,” but David thinks they’re just a suggestion.

On our drive to Monteverde we continued our relationship with Costa Rican roads. They seem to go from bad to worse with potholes expanding to pits. On one of our tours a passenger got so sick he asked the driver to stop so he could throw up. We were easily distracted by flocks of blue jays who were smart enough to flee the cold north and by dozens of butterflies who needed no coaxing to display their colors.

In some ways Costa Rica is pretty progressive. There’s a 98% literacy rate and the’re gearing up to use geothermal power from the many volcanoes. It’s a laid back society. Even the horses we rode yesterday had no bits. They were controlled by rope halters. That’s not to say that Costa Ricans haven’t learned from the many German settlers. The interbus schedule runs on time. Drivers won’t drop off passengers and their luggage until the connecting bus (they’re really vans) has arrived. It was a relief not to be stranded at some remote rest stop. One was not so remote. There was a Subway Restaurant where we stocked up on provisions.

The mountains separate the weather systems here. They block most of the clouds and rain migrating from the Caribbean to Pacific coast. Monteverde and Arenal are popular destinations and major gathering spots for clouds as well as tourists. It makes sense. That’s where major rain forests are.

Today was quetzal quest. A quetzal is an elusive bird with brightly colored plumage. We started our walk in the rainforet reserve with high hopes. Our guide, Pedro, spotted a howler monkey right off and with his power telescope we had a great view. He found a male quetzal soon after and I had the first look. As I was enjoying the sight the bird flew away. I thought the group would murder me at the end if I was the only one to see it. Fortunately a female was found later on and she co-operated by posing long enough for all of us to gawk. We spotted some guinea fowl, a huge rodent whose name I forget, lizards, and a nesting tarantula all decked out in black and orange.

Our hotel in Monteverde, the Heliconia, is built up the side of a mountain with red metal roofed buildings resembling Swiss chalets. We were upgraded from a junior suite to what must be a senior suite. The bad part was that it was up a series of flights equal to seven stories…plus connecting ramps. The elevation is 4500 ft. above sea level. It literally took my breath away. After several shleps to the room I got acclimated. Our rooms reminded me of an eagle’s nest or aerie. They included a loft area and two balconies plus an enclosed solarium/deck with a planter overflowing with geraniums. The suite sleeps six. The thirty mph wind howled through the gaps in the jalousie windows and at times we thought the roof would lift off. With it all it was sunny and clear, unlike the days before we arrived in Monteverde. We invited our neighbors who were from Cincinnati to join us for orange wine that we bought for $1.75 at a nearby “supermercado.” The store also had wine made from ¨nance¨. We later found out that it was cashew nut wine. It was good too.

Pizzeria de la Johnny came highly recommended for dinner. It would have been a fine restaurant anywhere. David had steak Diablo for $10 and it was a feast. We ate at a different place for lunch. There was a parade of ants across the threshold and the owner assured us were harmless but we decided to eat outside. If she knew the ants were there I wonder why she didn’t spray them?

We walked our laundry over to be done across from the hotel and, as those of you who know me, this made me feel secure.

No trip should be without an AOL and bank melodrama and this was no exception. AOL blocked us for sending “spam” since I had so many on the travel email list. I ‘ve stopped sending except to a few friends and family. Our bank VISA card will only work at select ATMs. It doesn’t matter if the machine declares that it’s VISA compatible. We have to go from bank to bank until one salutes. We spent $15 on phone calls and over an hour straightening it all out.

January 23, 2004-Arenal

We woke to rain and gusting winds. We found our ponchos and trekked to the office to find out we were told the wrong time for the van to Arenal. We could have slept forty-five minutes later. As it was we woke up at 5:45 AM. It could have been worse. The van could have left forty-five minutes before we got there.

It used to take 4 ½ to 5 hours to get from Monteverde to Arenal. Then some genius started running boats across Lake Arenal. The trip was cut to 2 ½ hours. We rode 1 ½ by van, floated thirty minutes, and had a short ride by van to our hotel. David thinks it was much shorter than 2 ½ hours. Our driver said that the old way to Arenal by road was really bad. I don’t know what he considered the road we were on to be but it would have been condemned in the U.S.

The boat going across the lake was out of African Queen but at least they made us wear life vests. The ¨dock¨ was a mud bank down which we and our luggage slithered.

We’re at the Volcano Lodge, which is a lot nicer than we expected. There are two rooms to a building. They have red tile roofs and white stucco walls. The plantings and grounds are stunning with the volcano out our back door. We have a TV and between that, our books, and the view, we may stay in the room for two days. The trick here is to be able to see the volcano sans clouds especially at night.

Toby