Tag Archives: Monteverde

The Tour Continues…

Monteverde is a beautiful small town with old world charm

1 horse power or 100 horse power...
1 horse power or 100 horse power…

and a modern life style with lots of shops and tourist adventures like zip lining, rock climbing, and hiking the nine hanging bridges. We opted to take the morning off and just walk around town.

Remember these Kodak signs...
Remember these Kodak signs…

We went in and out of the many souvenir shops and looked at the unique items.

Souvenirs abound...
Souvenirs abound…
Butterflies of Costa Rica...
Butterflies of Costa Rica…

There is a lot of beautiful hand crafted wood furniture available in this area and they will make to order if you know what you want.

Wood table tops...
Wood table tops…
Mango wood vases...
Mango wood vases…

Suzi loved these hand carved mango wood vases.

In the afternoon we joined our other tour mates for a tour of the Don Juan Coffee plantation.

Don Juan Coffee, Monteverde, Costa Rica...
Don Juan Coffee, Monteverde, Costa Rica…

We saw the coffee plants

In the coffee fields...
In the coffee fields…

and Cacao trees growing and learned about harvest techniques,

Coffee & chocolate drying...
Coffee & chocolate drying…

drying, grading,

The coffee roaster...
The coffee roaster…

roasting and finally

Which roast do you like...
Which roast do you like…

drinking and eating.

Fresh ground chocolate...
Fresh ground chocolate…
Suzi meets Don Juan...
Suzi meets Don Juan…

We also got to see the process used to turn sugar cane

Hand grinding sugar cane...
Hand grinding sugar cane…
More grinding...
More grinding…

into brown and white sugar,

The syrup of their labor...
The syrup of their labor…

molasses and Costa Rican moonshine known as “Guaro”.

Our "chariot' arrives...
Our “chariot’ arrives…

One final treat was a ride in a true Ox cart.

Twin ox boost...
Twin ox boost…
The view from behind the tails...
The view from behind the tails…
Seating for as many as you can pack in...
Seating for as many as you can pack in…

Who knew ox carts have no suspension?

Our hotel in Monteverde...
Our hotel in Monteverde…

Our last day on the tour was a travel day back to San Jose, Costa Rica. We checked out of our hotel in Monteverde and boarded our bus back to the big city.

On the bus again...
On the bus again…

Along the way, we saw beautiful vistas,

Costa Rica countryside...
Costa Rica countryside…

and even some wild life just hanging out in the trees.

Howler Monkey...
Howler Monkey…
Just hangin around...
Just hangin around…

Up next, we head north again to Nicaragua…

Hiking the Volcano…

We awoke the next morning with the Arenal Volcano as our daily wallpaper.

Arenal Volcano...
Arenal Volcano…

After breakfast, we checked out of our hotel, boarded our trusty bus and took the short drive to the trailhead up the side of the volcano to the lava flow.

We were there...
We were there…

Positioned within Costa Rica’s fertile northern lowlands, the Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica’s best known volcano, is an unavoidable presence while traveling within this part of the country. It is tall and imposing and has a reputation that precedes itself. Arenal’s perfectly symmetrical shape makes it a sightseer’s dream. Until 2010, it was Costa Rica’s most active volcano. Much to the enjoyment of its visitors, Arenal spewed enormous amounts of lava, gas and ash on a regular basis. That eruptive cycle – which began with the infamous eruption of 1968 – ended recently. In October 2010, Arenal entered into an indeterminate resting phase. For the time being, visitors will be unable to watch the much-loved explosions, although that could easily change anytime.

The trail...
The trail…
Blueberries, NOT for eating...
Blueberries, NOT for eating…
Natural grasses...
Natural grasses…
Lizard...
Whip Tail Lizard…
Beautiful wildflowers...
Beautiful wildflowers…
Blue tail lizard...
Another Whip Tail lizard…
Tour friends walking the trail...
Tour friends walking the trail…
Stairway to lava...
Stairway to lava…
Lake Arenal...
Lake Arenal…
Still that far to the top...
Top of the trail, still that far to the top…

We then boarded our bus for the trip to Monteverde, Costa Rica, home to the Monteverde Cloud Forrest Reserve and one of Costa Rica’s major ecotourism destinations.

Just a short note here. On the way to Monteverde, our bus had a cooling issue.

Losing water...
Losing water…

Ricardo and our driver, Jose, tried everything they could think of to nurse the bus to the next stop. Finally, when it was to no avail, Ricardo called the Don Juan Coffee plantation

Don Juan Coffee...
Don Juan Coffee…

and they arrived shortly with vans to take us on into Monteverde. A big thumbs up to Ricardo and our driver for all their efforts and a “thanks” to Don Juan Coffee for providing rides for us, NOT in the ox cart.

Next, the tour continues…