Pura Vida!

Costa Rica - September 2012

September 2012 - Labor Day, to be specific - marked off the 3rd anniversary of married life for the Monsieur and myself. Choosing a holiday weekend for our wedding had not been a coincidence, of course. For the past 3 years we've used the occasion to treat ourselves to an anniversary trip. And no, a tropical paradise is not a theme for these trips by any means (last year we marked off the occasion in Chernobyl, but this year decided on something a little less radioactive). Plus, Flo treated me to an ocean view suite at J.W Marriott Guanacaste, and what girl doesn't like to be spoiled occasionally by 5 star hotels??

Room with a view (AND a welcome gift!)

We stayed in the province of Guanacaste, on the North Pacific coast of the country. We heard that that particular area gets less rain during the rainy season, and sure enough, we generally lucked out with the weather during our stay. Guanacaste is also famous for its surf; the beaches are far from calm, with powerful waves making swimming its own little adventure. Tempestuous waves aside, however, the region has a chill, laid back vibe (not unlike the rest of the country I imagine), full of surf shops, overpriced flip flops and beach bars with plastic tables planted directly into the sand under towering palm trees.

So, armed with a 4-wheel drive SUV, we set out to explore. There's really no other way to drive in Costa Rica. The roads are in such a sorry state that they feature as the butt of even local jokes (ever heard of a Costa Rican massage?) In some cases it's really less like driving, and more like navigating an obstacle course, which can be fun, in a suspension-destroying, goin'-nowhere-fast kind of way.



5 miles an hour, if you're lucky.

Tommy Vee & Mr. V's track "Bang Bang" was a faithful companion to us during Costa Rican drives.

The first day, after spending a few hours getting our bearings and having a languid 2-hour lunch on the beach in the nearby town of Tamarindo, we drove to check out the closest national park, called Diriá. This swath of rain forest was only very recently designated as a national park, and lacked even the most basic infrastructure. After a half hour winding drive which left me with a few more gray hairs than I started with, we arrived at a ranger's cabin on an otherwise deserted clearing, with colossal trees towering all around us, hoots and cries of unseen creatures erupting from the thick canopy. A ranger came out of the cabin and tried to ascertain what we were doing there, but without English the conversation wasn't progressing very well. Using gestures, we asked if we could go on the trails, to which he nodded very hesitantly, glancing in turn up at the rumbling sky, and down at our sneakers, as if they were glass slippers. What we surmised later is that very few people visit Diriá unaccompanied because it's so new and unnavigable. The place is really wild, with steep, rocky trails, and no markings of any kind. So, what we  in our infinite optimistic ignorance thought was going to be a leisurely hike, turned into an endurance climb, which - sweating and gasping - we abandoned halfway.

Halfway up, just before we abandoned the mission to summit the top. In the timeless words of Han Solo: "no reward is worth this".

What it lacks in foot traffic, Diriá more than makes up for with wildlife. It was the only day of our trip that we saw whole families of Howler monkeys, fairly up close. In fact, they seemed to be surprised to see us too.

Diriá wildlife

All in all, I was glad that our trip began on such a wild note, and not a carefully orchestrated, guided experience with hard hats and buckles. There would be plenty of time for that later.

The next day, still sore from our little nature walk, we decided to take an ATV beach tour. I'd only been on an ATV in the snow before, so wearing shorts and doing figure 8's in the sand put one giant smile on my face.

We rode around for about 2 hours passing one beautiful beach after another. It was exhilarating and fun, and a huge tease at the same time, since all I really wanted to do every time we stopped was jump into that clear warm turquoise water.

On the other hand, I got to do this, which was awesome:

After the ATV tour, we went into Tamarindo and rented a couple of bikes. Now that we knew where all the best beaches were, the rest of the afternoon was a done deal!

After a day like that - full of silly fun, scenic bike rides and floating on warm surf - it wasn't hard to see and appreciate what draws people to Costa Rica. The ubiquitous interjection of "Pura Vida!" was starting to seep slowly under our skin. That evening, we surrendered to the rhythm of beach life and spent a lovely night sipping cocktails in colorful Tamarindo beach bars while a spectacular sunset lit up the sky through a curtain of palm fronds.

dinner was fresh grilled lobster served - wait for it - on the beach.

The next day we drove a few hours inland to visit National Park Rincon de la Vieja. This park is the site of an active volcano, as well as numerous hot springs and a very unusual Blue River - with water made vividly blue by a high concentration of sulfur.

Here, finally, was a real rain forest hike, where one breathes air so fresh you'd swear it was Creation Day, and stumbles upon waterfalls and lagoons, air plants and vines, and green, green everywhere, every vivid hue in the spectrum flooding your retinas with a soothing glow.

How cool is that?! We had a guide dog, Echo (spot him in the photo above). He was quite the expert in this area, and made sure we got safely back to base. Though, he made me really nervous and dizzy a few times, because he liked to ride all these roiling waterfalls, jumping out at the last minute just before the water went plunging down.

Echo, defying death.

After the hike, we visited a nearby resort, which had marvelous tropical gardens, geothermal pools, a volcanic mud spa, and a butterfly garden.

In the vast tropical gardens of Blue River Resort

Giant Blue Morpho butterflies in the butterfly garden

Blue morphos feed on rotten fruit, which of course gets them drunk and lethargic (and really emotional).

geothermal hot pools - very hot!

Volcanic mud is supposed to be really good for you. That may be so, but it smells like egg farts.

The next day was our actual wedding anniversary, and we decided to celebrate it by visiting Costa Rica's (indeed, Latin America's) most famous active volcano - Arenal. Volcan Arenal was known to the locals as Mount Arenal until 1968, when it unexpectedly erupted, killing 80 people and leveling 2 nearby towns. Since then, it has been constantly active, sputtering almost incessantly, and apparently the country is bracing for the next big eruption, which will undoubtedly occur some time in the future.

Arenal National Park

The volcano sits next to Lake Arenal, the largest lake in Costa Rica, which also happens to be artificial. Having so much seismic activity is both a blessing and a curse for the country. A curse for obvious reasons, of course, but a blessing because it provides the country with a steady, unlimited, clean power supply. I was completely floored to learn that Costa Rica obtains 96% of its power from clean, renewable energy sources. NINETY SIX PERCENT, people! The country powers itself almost exclusively through geothermal, wind, and solar, for Chrissakes. This is astounding! Of course, the needs of a small, under-developed country are not the same as those of the global behemoths like the US, China and India, but still - this is something we should be talking about and learning from! Why have I never heard about this?!

You can tell by the picture above that the lake is very low. The guide who accompanied us on this day tour mentioned that he had never seen lake Arenal at this level, because it hadn't been this low since its construction. A shorter rainy season, and a more erratic overall climactic pattern have seriously affected the lake, to the point where power disruptions are imminent and expected. Unlike in the US, however, this is actually recognized as a problem. Apparently, in Costa Rica, there is no discussion about the validity of Climate Change - it is understood and accepted by everyone. People generally seem to be a lot more aware and attuned to the situation than in certain countries that shall remain nameless.

Arenal - beautiful and formidable in full view.

Official  3 year anniversary portrait. 

The weather changes very fast around the peak. Clouds roll in in a matter of minutes. This is why plane and helicopter tours are not offered in the area.

I think we were extremely lucky to see the volcano on a day that was neither clear, nor completely overcast. The shifting clouds playing across that giant conical edifice gave the scene a kind of permutable, fleeting beauty. That made up for the fact that it wasn't erupting while we were there :)

After a tour of Arenal, we took a guided walk through the rain forest of the park, where we learned about the countless species of flora and fauna that call this area home, as well as the conservation efforts that the Costa Rican government has in place to protect these unique and fragile ecosystems.

In the afternoon we were taken to another nearby resort with volcanic hot springs. This resort had 8 tiered pools where the temperature varied from hottest on the top, to coolest on the bottom, though, to be honest, the difference wasn't that noticeable from one to the other, it was %&*$! hot in 1 through 8, if you ask me. The water actually comes out of the earth at close to boiling, and has to be diluted to a safe temperature before flooding these pools. It's still scalding, though! So we did some of our own diluting by enjoying frosty pina coladas poolside.



the tiered pools.

boiled alive!

At the end of the day we had dinner at a typical Costa Rican restaurant right by the side of Arenal. When we arrived, it was completely overcast and foggy, so much so that we couldn't even see the driveway we came up on, let alone the volcano. But, during dinner, as I glanced out the wall-to-wall window, suddenly it was there, perfectly clear, like a perfect triangle drawn in the clouds, a lot closer than I thought. All day it played hide-and-seek with us, this geological monster, but it did grant us a beautiful parting glimpse.

The next day we traveled to Heliconias Lodge - a private development in the rain forest used for education and conservation. We went to spend some time in the cloud forest, and check out some "hanging bridges" that Costa Rica is known for - swaying suspension bridges high in the canopies of the woods.

View from Heliconias lodge. You can kinda see lake Nicaragua on the horizon, the border between Costa Rica and its neighboring Nicaragua

walking in the crown of the forest

Eye level with the canopy - a new perspective on the forest.

The whole thing squeaks and squeals and sways from side to side.

an armored caterpillar. Hard as wood, it curls up into a ball when it feels threatened.

life is everywhere. Here, a bug hiding inside a curled up leaf.

Pithecoctenium Crucigerum, aka - Monkey Comb.

I can't tell you how much I enjoyed these rain forest hikes. I've always loved being "in the woods" in general; deciduous, coniferous, arctic, tropical, you name it. There's a wonderful feeling of being enveloped by nature on all sides, a highly textured, pleasantly claustrophobic feeling, like being cradled in primeval matter. The chorus of greens, so full of life and activity, the intoxicating clean air,  - it all just makes you feel good. I highly recommend a walk in the woods whenever you need a pick-me-up.

In the evening we drove along the coast of Papagayo gulf, with its many beautiful bays and quiet beach towns, and enjoyed yet another gorgeous dusk by the sea.

On our last day, we decided to take it easy and spend the day around the resort. JW Marriott is located in a new development called Hacienda Pinilla, which was still very much in construction at the time of our visit. It is a sprawling property of many, many acres, containing, besides the resort, several upscale residential developments, stables, golf courses, beach clubs, private beaches, and miles of trails. It's actually a small city in itself. We rented a couple of bikes, which is a perfect way to explore the beachfront flatlands of the Hacienda. First, we stumbled upon a gorgeous (and almost completely deserted) beach club. The cocktails looked delicious, and what vacation day can properly begin without at least one alcoholic beverage in the system?!

Hacienda Pinilla beach club: paradise on Earth

The weather was perfect for a swim, and the beach - completely deserted, so some frolicking in the waves was definitely in order. Although... frolicking is probably not the most accurate word here. These are not waves you gently bob upon. The surf is super challenging, so it was more like wrestling than frolicking - a lot of fun, and a great workout! I was glad no one was around, because I lost my top more than once during my swim.

6 foot swells. No joke.

A little farther on, we found a quieter beach. The tide was low, and tide pools were teeming with life. The latent marine biologist in me was enthralled and got burned to a crisp observing hermit crabs move about the flooded crannies.

That is pretty much the extent of our adventures. There were a few other notable moments, such as being caught in a 7.6 magnitude earthquake while en route to an active volcano (this is not as dramatic as it sounds, I'm afraid, the 4 aftershocks I felt in the following days which hit in the middle of the night were a lot more noticeable).

There was also the 5.6 magnitude "aftershock" which hit as we were waiting to board our plane, which diverted our incoming flight to Nicaragua, just in time for a volcano explosion which grounded the plane in Managua. We did, however, get this as a souvenir:

It's not every day.

Overall, I learned a lot on this trip. One important thing that I already mentioned, is the Costa Ricans' unwavering acceptance of the imminence and challenges of climate change, and the great pains they go to to secure their energy responsibly, as well as protect their ecology. Even in the face of an onslaught of tourists they get every year, they maintain their forests and beaches in pristine condition. There is just a ubiquitous, palpable mentality that our world is not just an asset or a resource, that we are stewards of nature, not consumers of it. I found this to be refreshing, and, unfortunately, surprising.

Costa Rica is #1 on the New Economic Foundation's Happy Planet Index, a rating of human well-being which is weighted to give progressively higher scores to nations with lower ecological footprint. (USA is rated 105). A Gallup Poll finds Costa Rica in the top 10 happiest countries in the world (this poll focuses on positive feelings and experiences, which illustrates once again that there is a science to human well-being and happiness, and wealth is not high up on the list of things that contribute)

Costa Rica does not have a military. At all. In fact, it is constitutionally abolished as of 1948. The money previously spent on the military is now diverted to education and culture.

Ask any Costa Rican you meet, and they will all tell you that they love their life just as it is, that they are generally, simply, happy. Would I myself go live there? No, probably not. But - this Pura Vida stuff is definitely something to think about.