Beautiful Costa Rica

To celebrate Grace's retirement after 30 years with the School Board, we signed on for our first experience with CARAVAN Tours to discover Costa Rica. It promised to include major sightseeing highlights, three meals a day and excellent hotels and lodges, and it certainly delivered in this 10 day tour. We started from the capital city of San Jose, then to a nature reserve on the Caribbean side, back to the volcano area of North Central Costa Rica, next to the Pacific Coast and then a return to San Jose, all in a brand new and comfortable bus.  It was apparent throughout, that we were in nature's paradise with the amazing variety of birds, animals, flowers and vegetation. 
Including ourselves, there were 44 people on the tour - one other couple from Canada (Alberta) and the rest from the US. We lucked out with a very knowledgeable, passionate, local tour guide named Rolando and an excellent driver, Alvero.
It was evident that the rainy season was coming to and end, since our rain gear was never needed for any of our excursions. The hottest temperatures were on the Pacific side, ranging in the 90's ... perfect pool weather. An endless variety of fruit juice drinks accompanied the excellent meals. The Costa Rican staple of rice & beans, was served breakfast, lunch and supper. Full daily itineraries and relaxed evenings, left us feeling very satisfied. 
All in all, it was an unforgettable experience and would highly recommend CARAVAN Tours.

Enjoy the photos!     PURA VIDA!

November 28 to December 9, 2012

Tour destinations.

November 28th - 29th, 2012

We spent two days at the Barcelo San Jose Palacio prior to
our 10 day CARAVAN tour.

All decorated for Christmas

Guaria Morada, Costa Rica's national flower.

A walk around the lush hotel grounds.

                                      
November 30th - December 1st, 2012  -  Real Intercontinental Hotel

Start of tour at the Real Intercontinental Hotel.

Lush green grounds

Unique wooden bench

Colourful bark of the eucalyptus tree.

Can you tell what time of the year it is?

Chrysanthemums grown under plastic tarp for export.

Poas Volcano

Gases rise from the active crater.

We were lucky to be able to see the volcano, since it is covered in mist most of the time.

A crater lake on the Escalonia Cloud Forest Trail.

Known as poor man's umbrella.

Banana plant

A Kodak moment stop to view the valley below.

Watching the tourists

Cafe Britt

Informative and funny guides explained the history of coffee in Costa Rica.

Coffee beans ready for picking.

Bright colours of the Bougainvillea flower.

Canna Lily

Outdoor lighting of the pool and grounds at the Intercontinental Hotel.

Breakfast before leaving.

December 2nd - December 3rd, 2012  - Pachira Lodge

Passing over the Continental Divide from the Pacific to the Caribbean side. Much moisture builds
 here in the Braulio Carrillo Park, as the clouds move in from the sea,
making for lush vegetation.

Pink Ginger

A Blue Morpho butterfly. When wings are open, it is bright blue on the top sides.

Butterfly emerging from crysalis.

Fan Palm

Mother and child were waiting for ride along the Tortugero River.

Fisherman returns with catch.

Glad the hour long ride was in a covered boat, since it poured for the duration of the trip
to Pachira Lodge. All our luggage is stored in back of boat.

High water.

A Little Blue Heron

Life along the river.

Many small businesses depend on tourism.

Our lodge for the next two days as we explore the rivers, the village of
Tortuguero and relax in this unique resort.

Layout of the lodge - we're in lucky number 7.

Our "cabin in the woods", ie rainforest.

Ah, the comforts of home.

All cabins and walkways are 7-feet off the ground to keep the creepy crawlers out of your bed.

A welcome by Johnny, a local and very knowledgeable guide, in the dining area of the lodge.

Inlaid ceramic tiles were all along the walkways.

A poison dart frog in ceramic.

It was rise and shine at 4:15 a.m., if you wanted to be on the beach at sunrise
to watch baby green turtles make their way from their nest along
 the tree line, across the beach and into the sea.

This little guy is almost there.

A few more frantic strokes and this part of the journey is over, but many more dangers are ahead.
If it should happen to make it to maturity, it will return to this same beach in 30-years.

The hot tropic sun is about to break through the early morning clouds.

Over 100 baby green turtles can hatch from one underground nest.

Returning to the boat for the ride back to the lodge and breakfast at 6:30 a.m. and some more coffee.

Osprey

A green Jesus Christ Lizard

A Northern Jacana

Yellow-crowned Night Heron drying it's wings in the morning sun.

A caiman rests along the river's edge.

Several members from our group brought school supplies and made the presentation to the teacher,
since the students had just finished the school year and were off for the months of
December and January. The school is in the village of Tortuguero, right on the Caribbean Sea.

Very basic class rooms, but brightly painted exterior.

Recycling at the school.

School masters house.

A very small church in a manicured setting.

Large and very colourful murals were painted on the side of buildings in the village.

Grace, and sisters, Mary Lee and Christine, relax in the lodge's beautiful turtle-shaped pool.

A mother howler monkey and baby make their way down a tree, near our cabin.
 About four monkeys were in the trees eating leaves and sure made a mess
as the branches came down.

A male howler monkey feeds on it's favorite leaves.

A warm evening at the outdoor bar and good company, certainly caps off a perfect day.

Cheers from Grace and Yvonna

Maybe just one more

                                

                                             Music and some fun games brought our stay at this very unique
                                    place to an end.

Our tour guide, Rolando, certainly kept things lively.

Mother and baby howler monkey.

Breakfast at the lodge before boarding boat for the hour-long ride back to the bus
and then another hour on a very bumpy pot-holed road prior to a smoother ride.

December 4th - December 5th, 2012

Bananas covered in plastic to keep bugs out and create it's own micro-climate.

Glass artist working on his craft at a lunch stop.

He told me exactly when to take photo to show the eyes glowing.

The finished art work.

A fashion show put on by university students, depicting some of the Costa Rican wildlife.

A three-toed sloth.

Top of a majestic Kapok tree, Costa Rico's largest, which can tower over 150 feet and
can live for 300 hundred years. Many plants and animals grow and live in the
umbrella shaped crown.

The tree trunk can reach a diameter of 9 feet.

Orchid

Thousands of acres of pineapples are grown mainly for export.

When is a pineapple ripe for the picking? ..... NO!!! (too funny)

A sweet treat for all.

Passing this truck carrying a load of pineapples only "inches" away. 

Our bus driver, Alvero, was certainly skilled as he made his way through very narrow streets. 

Grace has found her retirement home! 

View as seen from our room. All rooms at this resort face the Arenal Volcano,
as partly seen in the distance. Unfortunately, the top of the volcano was covered
in clouds for the duration of our stay. Up until July 2010, smoke and lava could be seen on a daily basis. 

One of several levels of hot spring pools at the lodge, complete with a swim-up bar.
Sitting in very warm water on a bar stool and having a cold beer,
certainly was a unique experience. 

The second day, clouds were higher, showing more of the old lava flows on the right side.

You have to love the open aired feeling as you dine.

Another good start to a great day.

Hoffmann's Woodpecker

Iguana resting in tree top.

Start of boat tour on the Rio Frio River which flows through the world famous Cano Negro wildlife
 refuge at the town of Los Chiles.

More howler monkeys.

Amazon kingfisher

Green iguana

 Sleeping long-nosed bats in shade of dead tree.

The boat trip went as far as the Nicaragua border.

Two illegal tourists cross the boarder to pose for photo.

Amazon kingfisher

Baldi Hot Springs Resort and Spa. 

Soaking in the volcanic hot springs. One of several pools, varying in height and temperature.

But I don't want to go.

Red Torch Ginger

Stephanie, the resort parrot, enjoys a fruit treat. She lost her mate this year, very sad
since they bond for life.

December 6th - December 7th, 2012  -  J.W. Marriott Resort and Spa

Hiking one of six suspension bridges through the lush tropical rainforest canopy.

From these heights, the bottom of the rainforest is hidden. This is part of a 600 acre protected rainforest.

Hummingbird

A 90 degree turn, a dipping road and a big bus,  just don't doesn't cut it. All got off the bus.
It took small logs under the left front wheel to raise and slowly move the bus forward.
We all felt bad for the driver, since it was the first time to the Hanging Bridges with this new bus.
Won't do that again.

White-nosed coati feeding along road. Fed by the tourists.

Deanna, John and Grace at another lunch stop -  exceptional BBQ'd chicken.

Another greater than expected accommodation. On ground level near the pool.

Most relaxing surroundings.

The infinity pool is the largest in Central America.

A little on the blustery side for swimming.

Walking the pristine white beach and the very warm water of the
 Pacific Ocean.

Desserts were hard to resist. So we didn't.

Who can turn down free drinks, courtesy of CARAVAN.

Aprés drinks siesta.

Our patio with a garden view.

Sunset over infinity pool.

Our first Costa Rican Pacific Ocean sunset!

Karaoke chicks Grace and Barbara belting it out in an empty bar. 

Randy is amused with their singing and spontaneous laughter.
Barbara does have a great singing voice. We were impressed!

December 8th, 2012  -  Aurola Hotel, San Jose

Checking out the pottery by local artist.

This sign says it all.

This boat cruise on the Tarcoles River was the most worthwhile for
observing wildlife.

THIS is the reason for NOT taking a dip in this river. He is the largest and oldest
crocodile along this section.

Not much movement from this guy. 

How safe do you think these Brahma bulls are?

A pair of Great Egrets 

A fine meal for the Great Blue Heron

White Ibis

Boat-billed Heron

Mangrove Swallows

Roseate Spoonbill

A pair of Scarlet Macaws

Ouch!!!!

Toucan (no real one spotted).

EVERYONE is out shopping in San Jose on Saturday.

Saying goodbye to our driver, Alvero. Great job!

Colourful art by local artist.

Our happy group assembled for photo before a final meal together at the
restaurant on the 17th floor of the Aurola Hotel overlooking downtown San Jose. 

One last performance of traditional dances.

Rolando, our terrific tour guide, proposes a farewell toast to all.

Rolando was recognized for his exceptional qualities in guiding this group.