Central Valley
10/26- So after a crazy weekend it was nice to get to Heredia and just relax, and now it's evident my blog time line and my updates are really out of order... but oh well. It was a regular Tuesday filled with a light breakfast and a walk into town. Calling loved ones*(1), blogging at the comp. lab and getting stuck in the typical afternoon rain, a perfect time to hit up the Heredias central market, sit down at a SODA (Costa Rican for a cafe of sorts) and order a Casado (Costa Rican plate consisting of Rice, Beans, cabbage salad, a meat- typically chicken, beef or pork- and this plate even had Spagetti- living like queens). Pretty much a regular uneventful day.
SIDEBAR- But it has been coming to my attention, and I don't know if now, v.s other times I've been here, if I dress different, but people don't think I am from the States. Possibly it's my hair... but most of the time they guess Germany first (France is second), but when I say I speak english they assume I'm Canadian. I can't really say if this is a good thing or a bad thing, but if the people have a positive feeling about wherever I'm from that works for me. ...
Anyway, as I was saying a pretty normal day in the San Jose Central Valley area. I really don't remember what else we did. I think I recall that on Tuesday night we went to a rando cabin bar in the Mountains filled with strange old mounts (sloths, tigerillos, boars etc) and had some beer. We also relized that day that the drivers side window was jacked up so we took the car to the 'shop/rental' office to get that taken care of... yup pretty much just business as usual. I almost for got... the dead Volcano!
SO on Wednesday we decided to go to one of the near by volcanos! I'm pumped, a little hiking in the rain forest, exercise, fresh air, a view.. I can't wait. We take Hanzel up in the mountains, the roads go from bad- the patch work type- to worse, then to not even a road. The rain really does a number on these ones. Good thing Hanzel is a 4x4. Anyway we are almost to the top of the volcano. The road is steep and rocky and honestly I thought we could have FLIPPED Hanzel backwards down the mountain at any minute but he prevailed. Then as we are almost to the top, Kenneth lets us know that Volcan Barva is DEAD. The DEADEST VOLCANO IN COSTA RICA! What the!? Thanks Kenneth, did we really just spend all this time making our way to the top of a dead volcano. yes. But was it worth it?.... YeS. The trek in was a couple of kms long but it was beautiful and nice to be in the fresh air. Also the dead volcano was now a big dark lake/lagoon in the cradle of the spout. (I don't know about my terms but they sound like volcano lake terms...) After words on our way back down the mountain we stopped at a resturant run by just a man and a women. I thought it was closed, but our tico guide checked and found that we could get some din din. Yumm was it good, Cafe con leche y algunos empanadas and gallos. I haven't had gallos before but it was kinda like a taco filled with just one thing, beef, potatoes, chorizo etc... They were good, but enough with the small talk...
10/28- After a couple of days in the Central Valley we were ready to hit the road again, this time with a little more of a plan. Rappeling, zip lining, beach and surf and then River-rafting... First Stop La Fortuna near the base of the Active Volcan Arenal! ooooOOOOoooHHHhhh.(FYI-This volcano is very much alive!) This road takes us up in the highlands of CR. Past the mountains we get to the highlanders, rolling hills and farm lands, and you know whats great about Costa Rican farm country?! SE VENDE QUESO PALMITO! Now this cheese has nothing to do with palms, and it is just fresh and delicious. It comes in a ball form with the stringy consistancy of mozzarella cheese. It actually reminds me of Queso Oaxaca, just wetter. Thats sounds gross but it is soo fresh it was still wet. And it is soo cool. We stop in the side of the road, rolling hills and a fog settling in and around the farm, siloquettes of cows in the distance, simply beautiful. After I realize were in Queso Palmito Country I pull over like a race car driver at the next stand I see (this just is that good). I approach the stand with a hop skip and a jump. Here they have all kinds of stuff, but I just want the cheese. The genteman gives me a little sample, just what I was expecting. So I get 3.000 colones worth! Yum a $6 BALL O CHEESE, you know your from Wisconsin when.....
So we arrive in La Fortuna, get a room at Luigis Place- This place has a pool and a casino for only $10pp a night! a STEAL! We wanted to get to La Fortuna this night because in the morning we have a date with PureTrek and we are going to Rappel 5 Waterfalls- ooh yeah. So tonight we tour the town, and decided to see whats happening in the area of night life.
The word on the street is El Stablo... the local watering hole just about 500mts outside of the town center on the main drag. We get there.. maybe around ~10... it's a pretty big disco, but most people are situated around the bar. We get a round, Hayley and Kenneth decide to go with the beer- basically two choices- Pilsen or Imperial (both taste the same, but I must say Imperial is a little smoother, if your into that kinda thing), I order a Guaro and Pineapple Juice (Guaro is the local firewater, aquadente de Costa Rica- basically a sugarcane rum, only about %30 booze soo it's not to harsh, but like most thinks in excess, it can be pretty nasty)... but theres a hold up, I get a shot of guaro on the rocks. They say they have to get more jugo de pina, I offer to drink something else, but that doesn't seem to be valid, and I must say I'm glad I waited because they went and made REAL pineapple juice, sweet and pulpy... yum.... And wait, theres more surprises... Unknown to us before choicing El Establo, but thursday is "Cantando por un litro!" Noche! Thats right, "Singin for a liter" of booze! Oh yeah baby! We are here for some local karaoke talent. Were talking a big screen projector above the bar, cordless mic and people warming up their vocal cords. Actually this was not a cool experience. Most songs were sappy, slow, broken heart love ballads and the people really didn't seem to understand the concept. Also the contest didn't begin until Midnight, so most people were just warming up their voices... boring... so we left. Which was good because Hayley and I had to be up early to catch the shuttle to Rappeling Town! Woot WOOOO!
10/29- to be continued, rappling, hot springs, cloud forests....
*(1) Internet / phone center draw backs- being in touch with the "world left behind" is equally good and bad, I miss many things about Wisconsin, but mostly the people. Mom, Dad, Jarrett, Ivy I love you! Huge shout out to my Ruben in Mexico! Basically being able to contact these loved ones is great, but it also makes the distance obivious and far. I am happy to be traveling and you know your in my heart always. I'm not saying that I dont' want the ablitity to contact you, but I also grow dependant on it. For instance, if I don't get to check my email for a couple of days I get a little stressed out. The life pace here is much slower, and I find myself in the tide between "go go go" lifestyle and the "pura vida, no hay prisa" way. So please understand if I'm not in contact for a coupleof days, it is not my intention. Remember: Not a day goes by when I don't think about the people that are so dear to me. oxox paz y amor!
SIDEBAR- But it has been coming to my attention, and I don't know if now, v.s other times I've been here, if I dress different, but people don't think I am from the States. Possibly it's my hair... but most of the time they guess Germany first (France is second), but when I say I speak english they assume I'm Canadian. I can't really say if this is a good thing or a bad thing, but if the people have a positive feeling about wherever I'm from that works for me. ...
Anyway, as I was saying a pretty normal day in the San Jose Central Valley area. I really don't remember what else we did. I think I recall that on Tuesday night we went to a rando cabin bar in the Mountains filled with strange old mounts (sloths, tigerillos, boars etc) and had some beer. We also relized that day that the drivers side window was jacked up so we took the car to the 'shop/rental' office to get that taken care of... yup pretty much just business as usual. I almost for got... the dead Volcano!
SO on Wednesday we decided to go to one of the near by volcanos! I'm pumped, a little hiking in the rain forest, exercise, fresh air, a view.. I can't wait. We take Hanzel up in the mountains, the roads go from bad- the patch work type- to worse, then to not even a road. The rain really does a number on these ones. Good thing Hanzel is a 4x4. Anyway we are almost to the top of the volcano. The road is steep and rocky and honestly I thought we could have FLIPPED Hanzel backwards down the mountain at any minute but he prevailed. Then as we are almost to the top, Kenneth lets us know that Volcan Barva is DEAD. The DEADEST VOLCANO IN COSTA RICA! What the!? Thanks Kenneth, did we really just spend all this time making our way to the top of a dead volcano. yes. But was it worth it?.... YeS. The trek in was a couple of kms long but it was beautiful and nice to be in the fresh air. Also the dead volcano was now a big dark lake/lagoon in the cradle of the spout. (I don't know about my terms but they sound like volcano lake terms...) After words on our way back down the mountain we stopped at a resturant run by just a man and a women. I thought it was closed, but our tico guide checked and found that we could get some din din. Yumm was it good, Cafe con leche y algunos empanadas and gallos. I haven't had gallos before but it was kinda like a taco filled with just one thing, beef, potatoes, chorizo etc... They were good, but enough with the small talk...
10/28- After a couple of days in the Central Valley we were ready to hit the road again, this time with a little more of a plan. Rappeling, zip lining, beach and surf and then River-rafting... First Stop La Fortuna near the base of the Active Volcan Arenal! ooooOOOOoooHHHhhh.(FYI-This volcano is very much alive!) This road takes us up in the highlands of CR. Past the mountains we get to the highlanders, rolling hills and farm lands, and you know whats great about Costa Rican farm country?! SE VENDE QUESO PALMITO! Now this cheese has nothing to do with palms, and it is just fresh and delicious. It comes in a ball form with the stringy consistancy of mozzarella cheese. It actually reminds me of Queso Oaxaca, just wetter. Thats sounds gross but it is soo fresh it was still wet. And it is soo cool. We stop in the side of the road, rolling hills and a fog settling in and around the farm, siloquettes of cows in the distance, simply beautiful. After I realize were in Queso Palmito Country I pull over like a race car driver at the next stand I see (this just is that good). I approach the stand with a hop skip and a jump. Here they have all kinds of stuff, but I just want the cheese. The genteman gives me a little sample, just what I was expecting. So I get 3.000 colones worth! Yum a $6 BALL O CHEESE, you know your from Wisconsin when.....
So we arrive in La Fortuna, get a room at Luigis Place- This place has a pool and a casino for only $10pp a night! a STEAL! We wanted to get to La Fortuna this night because in the morning we have a date with PureTrek and we are going to Rappel 5 Waterfalls- ooh yeah. So tonight we tour the town, and decided to see whats happening in the area of night life.
The word on the street is El Stablo... the local watering hole just about 500mts outside of the town center on the main drag. We get there.. maybe around ~10... it's a pretty big disco, but most people are situated around the bar. We get a round, Hayley and Kenneth decide to go with the beer- basically two choices- Pilsen or Imperial (both taste the same, but I must say Imperial is a little smoother, if your into that kinda thing), I order a Guaro and Pineapple Juice (Guaro is the local firewater, aquadente de Costa Rica- basically a sugarcane rum, only about %30 booze soo it's not to harsh, but like most thinks in excess, it can be pretty nasty)... but theres a hold up, I get a shot of guaro on the rocks. They say they have to get more jugo de pina, I offer to drink something else, but that doesn't seem to be valid, and I must say I'm glad I waited because they went and made REAL pineapple juice, sweet and pulpy... yum.... And wait, theres more surprises... Unknown to us before choicing El Establo, but thursday is "Cantando por un litro!" Noche! Thats right, "Singin for a liter" of booze! Oh yeah baby! We are here for some local karaoke talent. Were talking a big screen projector above the bar, cordless mic and people warming up their vocal cords. Actually this was not a cool experience. Most songs were sappy, slow, broken heart love ballads and the people really didn't seem to understand the concept. Also the contest didn't begin until Midnight, so most people were just warming up their voices... boring... so we left. Which was good because Hayley and I had to be up early to catch the shuttle to Rappeling Town! Woot WOOOO!
10/29- to be continued, rappling, hot springs, cloud forests....
*(1) Internet / phone center draw backs- being in touch with the "world left behind" is equally good and bad, I miss many things about Wisconsin, but mostly the people. Mom, Dad, Jarrett, Ivy I love you! Huge shout out to my Ruben in Mexico! Basically being able to contact these loved ones is great, but it also makes the distance obivious and far. I am happy to be traveling and you know your in my heart always. I'm not saying that I dont' want the ablitity to contact you, but I also grow dependant on it. For instance, if I don't get to check my email for a couple of days I get a little stressed out. The life pace here is much slower, and I find myself in the tide between "go go go" lifestyle and the "pura vida, no hay prisa" way. So please understand if I'm not in contact for a coupleof days, it is not my intention. Remember: Not a day goes by when I don't think about the people that are so dear to me. oxox paz y amor!
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