Writing this from La Jolla, near San Diego, CA, where my uni friend Greg Scherman and his family have welcomed us into their home for 3 days. They've been wonderful, and it's great to be able to relax after a long 2-day journey from Nosara to San Jose to Denver to LA to here. More of this later. In the meantime, back in Southern Nicolya...
Carlos and his brother inherited the ranch from their father. They own a huge area of rainforest on Cerro Escondido. Now aging and with no children they've protected the land by helping form the Karen Morgensen Reserve National Wildlife Refuge of which their land forms a part. He has great sparkling eyes and plays guitar duets with his brother, which sadly we never heard. They make some money from a restaurant at the foot of the trail to the lodge.
After another great CR lunch and fresh juice we set off up the trail to the lodge (see photo in earlier entry), disturbing an armadillo at the start. Cerro Escondido Lodge is set in the mountains surrounded by primary rainforest teaming with wildlife. The path that leads there has about 3000 steps up the hill through the forest, up which we trod in a 40C afternoon. The kids did amazingly to get there at all, and I promised them they wouldn't have to go down until we left 2 days later. At the top we found a set of rugged buildings including an open-sided kitchen and dining area, some farm buildings and two cabins. our hostess Mary showed us to 2 simple rooms in a cabin with a balcony overlooking a forest valley, where howler monkeys greeted us with feirsome howls and grunts. The guide in Fortuna had demonstrate how to call them with bigs grunts back and Laura got into quite a conversation with them, presumably on the lines of L:Hello? Howler Monkey: This is my forest, go away! L:You smell of fish (or other insult). Howler Monkey:I said bugger off. etc.
So we just stood there and wondered what turn of fate took us to this amazing place.
In the afternoon I hiked with our guide Gravy to a lookout up on the hill from where we could see Chira in the Gulf of Nicolya the East, Nicolya mountains to the West, and the roofs of the lodge amoung the canopy to the North. The objective was to get mobile signal, and Gravy let me use his phone to call Ma using my calling card. "Hello I'm on top of the world watching a flock of bright green parakeets...".
On the way back we heard a heavy crackling russling moving through the undergrowth; we froze, but just as it was about to cross the path in front of us Gravy's mobile went off. The crackling thing turned and thundered off at 90mph leaving Gravy cursing the phone - apparently it was a wild boar. What a shame!
Next day Peter got up early to go bird watching. After breakfast we hiked down to Velo de Novia (Bride’s Veil) waterfall. It turned out to be from a path at the bottom of the 3000 steps, causing me not only to break my promise to the kids about not having to go down, but also making them walk up all over again on the way back. Still, despite it being the dry season and the river being lowm the waterfall was beautiful and the swimming hole ever better. 8 foot deep and warm! We shared it with tadpoles, crayfish and freshwater shrimps, and swam for about an hour.
Back to the lodge (getting used to the steps now) for lunch cooked by Mary. In the afternoon took Nicky and kids to the lookout we'd been to the day before. Saw another armadillo close up.
Next day we had to get up to say goodbye to Mary and head back down the hill. She'd was a great hostess, very patiently conversing with us in Spanish, and cooking chico-friendly food and cakes for the children. Mary's husband usually helps out but had had to go to a funeral of his cousin who had died after a branch fell on him. Hard life.
At the bottom of the hill we had refreshments, met up with Alex the taxi man and set off to get some of our luggage (that we'd left for safe keeping), and go on to Corillo, feeling that the best part of our holiday was ending.
Now I have to go and make some margaritas...
Friday, April 3, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Isla Chira
Landing on Isla Chira was stepping into an untouristed land of ticos, subsisting mainly on fishing. There are about 2500 people on the island, and just 2 lodges. The public bus that met the boat took us to Armistad Lodge, run by an association of women who decided to set it up 6 years ago when they saw that the fish were running out. One of them, Lilianna, told us their story, roughly translated by our guide Greivin...
They couldn´t persuade the men to diversify so they set up the association themselves, obtaining a grant that enabled them to buy most of the materials for the first cabina, but no labour. They built it on their own, the men refusing to help. The place is still v male dominated, and the men wanted the women to to stay home. One left his wife; Lily´s husband left her but came back later. So they had to learn to build. She said they wasted a lot of materials by doing it wrong, and showed us the time roof where they´d had to redo it leaving nail holes. They used all income for the first 3 years to build the restaurant cabin, and then some more accommodations. 2 years ago they started to make money out of it.
When the fishing got really bad the men finally saw what they had achieved, and actually apologised for not helping! They also followed their example and set up a fishing association with the aim of learning how to manage the fishery sustainably, which they now do. How about that then?!
These women were strong and full of character. The food was good too: Locally caught Sea bass and shrimps.
At 6am Greivin led birdwatching, where we saw a nightjar asleep on the ground, and woodpeckers and wonderfull colourful things I can´t think what else. Then he showed Peter how to tease a Lion Ant out of its hole by blowing and flicking with a stick. Poor Lion Ants...
We cycled to see the local school where we met a lovely class of 8 year olds taking English lessons. We´d gave them some story books we´d bought as a present.
After we set off to their own boat (that the women built, again teaching them a good trick they adopted!) and went to an island full of birds, and saw manta rays swiming round us. Then went fishing for bass. Alas one bite but no fish. When we got back to the shore the fishing boats were coming in. One boat had had a great day and showed us about 12 huge bass - maybe 5kg+.
Next day P & G went birdwatching together again. Then all off to boat with all luggage and headed to small port through mangrove swamps, and found crocs and huge green iguana, blue herons, pink things like small flamingoes, black hawk, ospreys (!)... I can´t think what else.
Finally picked up at the shore by a taxi and taken for lunch at a place that tries to teach about solar ovens. We had a meal cooked on them, including fab cakes...
Then continued to the bottom of the reserve (name I´ll have to check) containing the Cerro Escondido lodge. Met great old man Carlos who lives there, who owns the land and helped set up the reserve to protect it.
Gotta go. More later...
They couldn´t persuade the men to diversify so they set up the association themselves, obtaining a grant that enabled them to buy most of the materials for the first cabina, but no labour. They built it on their own, the men refusing to help. The place is still v male dominated, and the men wanted the women to to stay home. One left his wife; Lily´s husband left her but came back later. So they had to learn to build. She said they wasted a lot of materials by doing it wrong, and showed us the time roof where they´d had to redo it leaving nail holes. They used all income for the first 3 years to build the restaurant cabin, and then some more accommodations. 2 years ago they started to make money out of it.
When the fishing got really bad the men finally saw what they had achieved, and actually apologised for not helping! They also followed their example and set up a fishing association with the aim of learning how to manage the fishery sustainably, which they now do. How about that then?!
These women were strong and full of character. The food was good too: Locally caught Sea bass and shrimps.
At 6am Greivin led birdwatching, where we saw a nightjar asleep on the ground, and woodpeckers and wonderfull colourful things I can´t think what else. Then he showed Peter how to tease a Lion Ant out of its hole by blowing and flicking with a stick. Poor Lion Ants...
We cycled to see the local school where we met a lovely class of 8 year olds taking English lessons. We´d gave them some story books we´d bought as a present.
After we set off to their own boat (that the women built, again teaching them a good trick they adopted!) and went to an island full of birds, and saw manta rays swiming round us. Then went fishing for bass. Alas one bite but no fish. When we got back to the shore the fishing boats were coming in. One boat had had a great day and showed us about 12 huge bass - maybe 5kg+.
Next day P & G went birdwatching together again. Then all off to boat with all luggage and headed to small port through mangrove swamps, and found crocs and huge green iguana, blue herons, pink things like small flamingoes, black hawk, ospreys (!)... I can´t think what else.
Finally picked up at the shore by a taxi and taken for lunch at a place that tries to teach about solar ovens. We had a meal cooked on them, including fab cakes...
Then continued to the bottom of the reserve (name I´ll have to check) containing the Cerro Escondido lodge. Met great old man Carlos who lives there, who owns the land and helped set up the reserve to protect it.
Gotta go. More later...
Friday, March 27, 2009
The journey to Cerro Escondido
Crocs on journey through mangrove swamp on the way from Isla Chira.
The hot walk up through the forest to Cerro Escondido.
At the lodge at last!
On the way Isla Chira and Cerro Escondida
The bus ride from Monteverde to Chomes was hot and dusty, on dirt road for 2 hrs downhill all the way onto the plains. I gallantly gave up my near-front seat for a tica lady with a baby, and went and sat at in one of the plentiful seats at the back. I soon discovered why. The bus is divided into dusty, at the front, more dusty in the middle, and desert storm at the back! I sat next to amiable tico who was off to work on an aeroplane, or he might hav been off on an aeroplane to work, and not sure. Or there may not have been an aeroplane involved at all. Anyway it was entertaining trying to converse with him.
I´m rambling like this because so much has happened since that I feel a bit overwhelmed by it now I come to sit down here. So I´ll try a chronological account:
6am on bus. 8am off bus - 5 people and 10 bags (one big and one day bag each). Learnt the work for bags: Malatas ("my bags are absoluely full of mallets") - at Parque Megafauna, conveniently near a rather posh "motorway services" place where we headed for slap up breakfast (cinco personas y diez malatas). Realising that breakfast here would blow our budget for the day we hastily downgraded and managed to make coffee and juice last half and hour, and then decamped outside and had breakfast of pineapple and bisuits. Fantastic fruit is everywhere here and v cheap.
9am the park opened. It´s a few acres of thin woods containing a number of lifesize models of animals past and present, run by a group that supports ecological education, but was rather in need of a facelift. Good to know it goes to a good cause tho.
12noon taxi and tico guide (Gravine aka Gravy) turned up as per plan. Head for Costa del Pajaros near Puntarenas. This is start of our ACTUAR itiniary. ACTUAR is an non-profit umbrella organisation for local grass-roots tourism in Costa Rica, and has put together a 5 day itiniary for us with Gravy, a ngual naturalist guide.
1pm lost somewhere near Puntarenas. When we stop and ask someone they point back the way we came. This happens 4 times until we think it´s a CR custom. Finally someone points ahead of us and we´re there.
1:30pm finally arrive at small restaurant for tico lunch of shrimps in sauce. The first of many great meals on our ACTUAR itiniary.
2:30pm board public boat to Isla Chira. N compares it to the boat that takes the 2 ladies to the island in Mama Mia, full of local people coming home from town, chatting and passing round peeled oranges to suck on. I got out a pineapple and passed round slices to amusement of local women. Felt like beggining to become part of the local community. On Chira boarded local bus to take us to lodge Armistad...
This entry started out as "Isal Chira and Cerro Escondido" because we´ve left both behind sadly, and now by the sea at Corello in Nicolya. But I´ve only got as far as getting to the island. Oh well, have to go to beach now and see whether rumours of crocs on beach are true.... more later.
I´m rambling like this because so much has happened since that I feel a bit overwhelmed by it now I come to sit down here. So I´ll try a chronological account:
6am on bus. 8am off bus - 5 people and 10 bags (one big and one day bag each). Learnt the work for bags: Malatas ("my bags are absoluely full of mallets") - at Parque Megafauna, conveniently near a rather posh "motorway services" place where we headed for slap up breakfast (cinco personas y diez malatas). Realising that breakfast here would blow our budget for the day we hastily downgraded and managed to make coffee and juice last half and hour, and then decamped outside and had breakfast of pineapple and bisuits. Fantastic fruit is everywhere here and v cheap.
9am the park opened. It´s a few acres of thin woods containing a number of lifesize models of animals past and present, run by a group that supports ecological education, but was rather in need of a facelift. Good to know it goes to a good cause tho.
12noon taxi and tico guide (Gravine aka Gravy) turned up as per plan. Head for Costa del Pajaros near Puntarenas. This is start of our ACTUAR itiniary. ACTUAR is an non-profit umbrella organisation for local grass-roots tourism in Costa Rica, and has put together a 5 day itiniary for us with Gravy, a ngual naturalist guide.
1pm lost somewhere near Puntarenas. When we stop and ask someone they point back the way we came. This happens 4 times until we think it´s a CR custom. Finally someone points ahead of us and we´re there.
1:30pm finally arrive at small restaurant for tico lunch of shrimps in sauce. The first of many great meals on our ACTUAR itiniary.
2:30pm board public boat to Isla Chira. N compares it to the boat that takes the 2 ladies to the island in Mama Mia, full of local people coming home from town, chatting and passing round peeled oranges to suck on. I got out a pineapple and passed round slices to amusement of local women. Felt like beggining to become part of the local community. On Chira boarded local bus to take us to lodge Armistad...
This entry started out as "Isal Chira and Cerro Escondido" because we´ve left both behind sadly, and now by the sea at Corello in Nicolya. But I´ve only got as far as getting to the island. Oh well, have to go to beach now and see whether rumours of crocs on beach are true.... more later.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Monteverde 2
After a night of no sleep (wind rattling the walls, dogs, partiers etc) we got up 6:00am for breakfast at 6:30 so that we could get to Montevere Cloud Forest Biological Reserve for 7:30 start. Unfortunately taxi arrived 20 min late, apparently because he´d been shopping for the hotel landlady, and then took us to the wrong place... But it was all worth it for the 3 hr guided walk of the forest, much of which is ancient primary cloud forest.
Things kicked off with much excitement about a quetsel in a tree by the car park, where they come v early in the morning. They are generally very hard to see, so we were v lucky that one decided to linger for us. Fantasic blue and red plumage that people spend days trying to glimpse, and wed only just began.
5 mins after setting off into the forest we found a troup of white faced monkeys posing above the path. We saw more taranchulas, some kind of turkey with blue lips, and tons of birds who`s names escape me... Coatis = like big rats; and (we were told) a puma foot print the size of my hand. Any dull moment filled with diverting stories of strange plants and animals of the forest.
We took a taxi back to Mn lodge where we were due to pick up our bags after checking out... two nights of broken sleep too many. When we were packing up Peter shouted "Monkeys monkeys there`s a monkey on the balcony!!!". We ran round to find a troup of 6 or so white faced monkeys had come to the trees outside our 2nd floor balcony to check out the guests to see what could be scrounged. A US woman was already there throwing them bits of banana from her balcony. We had some left over fruit and had a lot of fun offering them bites. There was a mother and weeny baby, a youngser and 2 or 3 bigger ones. Tremendously exciting for the kids as you can imagine. Great video footage on camera.
This all made us feel more warmly towards Mn. We hadn`t quite had the heart to admit we were abandoning the landlady, so tried to hint we were leaving Monteverde a day early. Guilt made the tip rather large and we set off in taxi to Santa Elana for lunch with sence of freedom. Walked 10 min to Rustica Mt Lodge, and ¡wow what a change! Beautiful enormous room with fantastic chunky wood furniture and v nice Tico chap Jose who took us into the small but gorgeous garden to show us the birds. Blue ones (I`ll try to fill that in later¡!) and bright orange one. Plus mini fern-like plant that amazed Peter by pretending to die when you touch it. Like magic it seemed to shrivel up within seconds of being touched. Peter soon had it all shrivelled. It recovered after about 15 mins so he shrivelled it again.
As if we weren`t tired by now we set off at 5pm for 15 min walk to the frogery (Ranaria) where we got guided tour of 27 of the 350 or so Costa Rican frogs. All managed to stay awake for it and to the CR restaurant near hotel afterwards. Someone had cut a tree down w´that had fallen on the power lines, so had supper by candel light in v friendly place. V CRish. Finally home for bed.
Tomorrow up at 5 to catch 6am bus to Chomes where we SHOULD get picked by to start our ACTUAR itinary... ¡bed time now¡ xx
Things kicked off with much excitement about a quetsel in a tree by the car park, where they come v early in the morning. They are generally very hard to see, so we were v lucky that one decided to linger for us. Fantasic blue and red plumage that people spend days trying to glimpse, and wed only just began.
5 mins after setting off into the forest we found a troup of white faced monkeys posing above the path. We saw more taranchulas, some kind of turkey with blue lips, and tons of birds who`s names escape me... Coatis = like big rats; and (we were told) a puma foot print the size of my hand. Any dull moment filled with diverting stories of strange plants and animals of the forest.
We took a taxi back to Mn lodge where we were due to pick up our bags after checking out... two nights of broken sleep too many. When we were packing up Peter shouted "Monkeys monkeys there`s a monkey on the balcony!!!". We ran round to find a troup of 6 or so white faced monkeys had come to the trees outside our 2nd floor balcony to check out the guests to see what could be scrounged. A US woman was already there throwing them bits of banana from her balcony. We had some left over fruit and had a lot of fun offering them bites. There was a mother and weeny baby, a youngser and 2 or 3 bigger ones. Tremendously exciting for the kids as you can imagine. Great video footage on camera.
This all made us feel more warmly towards Mn. We hadn`t quite had the heart to admit we were abandoning the landlady, so tried to hint we were leaving Monteverde a day early. Guilt made the tip rather large and we set off in taxi to Santa Elana for lunch with sence of freedom. Walked 10 min to Rustica Mt Lodge, and ¡wow what a change! Beautiful enormous room with fantastic chunky wood furniture and v nice Tico chap Jose who took us into the small but gorgeous garden to show us the birds. Blue ones (I`ll try to fill that in later¡!) and bright orange one. Plus mini fern-like plant that amazed Peter by pretending to die when you touch it. Like magic it seemed to shrivel up within seconds of being touched. Peter soon had it all shrivelled. It recovered after about 15 mins so he shrivelled it again.
As if we weren`t tired by now we set off at 5pm for 15 min walk to the frogery (Ranaria) where we got guided tour of 27 of the 350 or so Costa Rican frogs. All managed to stay awake for it and to the CR restaurant near hotel afterwards. Someone had cut a tree down w´that had fallen on the power lines, so had supper by candel light in v friendly place. V CRish. Finally home for bed.
Tomorrow up at 5 to catch 6am bus to Chomes where we SHOULD get picked by to start our ACTUAR itinary... ¡bed time now¡ xx
Friday, March 20, 2009
Monteverde or bust
Writng at the internet cafe, so clock ticking!! Having a lovely time. It is lovely and hot, but not too hot. We have seen loads of great animals including humming birds sloaths monkeys and a tarantula! All in the rain forest. The last place we stayed at was gorgeous with a pool that the kids spent loads of time playing in and a live volcano which kept having small eruptions, but we are safely away from there now in Monteverde. We have just been on fantastic zip wire, actually 13 zip wires over the top of the rainforest. The longest was 1km !! It was scary but fun. 1 more day here then off to a small island to fish, cycle walk etc. We may not have internet access until we get to Nosara.
La Fortuna (16 March 2009)
Had a very simple and pleasant journey over, with fab "we´re on holiday" moment in Miami outside the airport with huge icecreams in hot hot sunshine. Even watched Slumdog Millionaire on the plane. Peter watched about 9 hours of films - heaven! Sat next to two Indians on way to work on cruise ships from miama.
Met at San Jose according to plan and taken to wonderful Hotel Billa Sol like a compact walled oasis of huge coconut laden palms and banana plants, all saying "you´re not in England now!". Lovely breakfast of costa rica coffee, fruit, rice and beans and egg, then we swam in the pool until time to get picked by and taken to here, La Fortuna. By the time we´d added oddments and severl books each from the airports we found we had way too much stuff. Fortunately lovely people at Brilla Sol said they´d keep a carrier bag (which turned into two HEAVY carrier bags) for us until we go back to San Jose.
Good journey here with chatty driver. Saw CR version of shanty housing - quite pleasant compare to say Salvadorian shanty town - perched on edge of the road, and apparently lived in by Nicaraguan refugees who still havent gone home.
When we got here we had to go for a swim in the pool, then walked to the Fortuna Waterfall 2k up the "road". V impressive. L took lots of photos as her geog homeworks is to do a slideshow about rivers. Staggered back, dinner in hotel and all to bed.
Hotel in La Fortuna is Catarata EcoLodge, owned by a farmers cooperative, and very friendly and relaxed. It´s more cabins in a big shrunny garden than a hotel - with humming birds and a nice pool. Set 2k outside the town. Peter made friends with the Costa Rican managers son (aged 11) who was very smilly and good fun and played piggy in the middle with us in the pool. Peter terribly wanted to borrow his bike, but as yet no luck.
Kids woke up at 3am (ie 9am UK time). So did we but we went back to sleep. Unlike them. So rather tired tonight, but kept peckers up very well generally. Spent the morning mainly by the pool, then walked (apparently) 2k to La Fortuna town, which took an hour. So we just had time for dry bread and sour cheese picnic lunch (not popular with anyone) on the steps of the catholic church before being picked up for an excursion: "Safari Float" down the Rio Balsa, the 5 of us plus a guide in a rubber boat, surrounded by forest, where we hoped to see monkeys, sloths and crocodiles. Unfortunately they´ve had a lot of rain here recently despite it being dry season, and the river was running fast, so when we did monkeys up in the trees we had to paddle like billio upstream to try to stay still, before the current reasserted itself. No crocs but a couple in a canoe said they saw one - 10 inches long. Great fun anyway, with a very nice chap telling about everything we went past. The higjhlight for me was visiting Don Pegro, who presides at his farm by the river. We had good coffee and saw 4 howler monkeys close up in the riverside trees. Don Pedro is 98 and was sitting there chatting and greeting guests to his coffee cafe/house where he had been born, married and farmed, in such a warm and genuine way he looked like a tanned and bald father Christmas.
Sorry about verbal spew. Gotta go now. Tomorrow walk up the volcano in the natikonal park to see if we can see it chuck and house-size lumps of rock in the air.
Best thing so far: Ticos (Costa Ricans) being so friendly and nice.
Met at San Jose according to plan and taken to wonderful Hotel Billa Sol like a compact walled oasis of huge coconut laden palms and banana plants, all saying "you´re not in England now!". Lovely breakfast of costa rica coffee, fruit, rice and beans and egg, then we swam in the pool until time to get picked by and taken to here, La Fortuna. By the time we´d added oddments and severl books each from the airports we found we had way too much stuff. Fortunately lovely people at Brilla Sol said they´d keep a carrier bag (which turned into two HEAVY carrier bags) for us until we go back to San Jose.
Good journey here with chatty driver. Saw CR version of shanty housing - quite pleasant compare to say Salvadorian shanty town - perched on edge of the road, and apparently lived in by Nicaraguan refugees who still havent gone home.
When we got here we had to go for a swim in the pool, then walked to the Fortuna Waterfall 2k up the "road". V impressive. L took lots of photos as her geog homeworks is to do a slideshow about rivers. Staggered back, dinner in hotel and all to bed.
Hotel in La Fortuna is Catarata EcoLodge, owned by a farmers cooperative, and very friendly and relaxed. It´s more cabins in a big shrunny garden than a hotel - with humming birds and a nice pool. Set 2k outside the town. Peter made friends with the Costa Rican managers son (aged 11) who was very smilly and good fun and played piggy in the middle with us in the pool. Peter terribly wanted to borrow his bike, but as yet no luck.
Kids woke up at 3am (ie 9am UK time). So did we but we went back to sleep. Unlike them. So rather tired tonight, but kept peckers up very well generally. Spent the morning mainly by the pool, then walked (apparently) 2k to La Fortuna town, which took an hour. So we just had time for dry bread and sour cheese picnic lunch (not popular with anyone) on the steps of the catholic church before being picked up for an excursion: "Safari Float" down the Rio Balsa, the 5 of us plus a guide in a rubber boat, surrounded by forest, where we hoped to see monkeys, sloths and crocodiles. Unfortunately they´ve had a lot of rain here recently despite it being dry season, and the river was running fast, so when we did monkeys up in the trees we had to paddle like billio upstream to try to stay still, before the current reasserted itself. No crocs but a couple in a canoe said they saw one - 10 inches long. Great fun anyway, with a very nice chap telling about everything we went past. The higjhlight for me was visiting Don Pegro, who presides at his farm by the river. We had good coffee and saw 4 howler monkeys close up in the riverside trees. Don Pedro is 98 and was sitting there chatting and greeting guests to his coffee cafe/house where he had been born, married and farmed, in such a warm and genuine way he looked like a tanned and bald father Christmas.
Sorry about verbal spew. Gotta go now. Tomorrow walk up the volcano in the natikonal park to see if we can see it chuck and house-size lumps of rock in the air.
Best thing so far: Ticos (Costa Ricans) being so friendly and nice.
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