We went to Costa Rica on our first visit to that country. I looked up some info beforehand and found that the nation abolished its army in 1948, that the average income is $11,000 a year, that the health care system costs less and is rated by some as better than the US system. I learned that the country has a woman president but was told that her time in office has not been good and that "everyone took advantage of her." The country has been rated as the best in the world for being green and ecologically conscientious.
We landed in San Jose and took a boat ride to Tortuguero ("full of turtles"). I felt like Humphrey Bogart in The African Queen. We saw monkeys in trees, crocodiles, and many birds. The most exciting bird for me during the whole time in Costa Rica was the scarlet macaw. We didn't see these birds until later, on the Pacific coast. As one member of our group said, looking at that bird in a tree just above your head sure lets you know you are in Costa Rica. We saw a sloth in a tree just above our heads. It was moving in its slow-motion way and was another sight I had never seen before.
From what I saw, most houses are smaller than American ones. We didn't get inside any private home but the people seemed reasonably happy with their houses. We did experience plenty of rain and our visit was during the dry season. I feel I may have a better appreciation of what the rainy season is actually like.
I had my first experience going down a zip line. It consisted of 14 lines, each descended hanging in several safety belts from a pulley and zipping down to the next station. We were told that our speed was about 20-30 miles an hour. It got less scary after a little while and I recommend the experience.
We paddled kayaks down a river, and large 6-person outrigger canoes in the Pacific Ocean, near the shore. We visited a coffee plantation and a pineapple plantation. Those who pick the coffee beans and care for the pineapples do hard work.
We had good food but a little more beans and rice and fresh fruit than we could comfortably handle.
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Bill
Main blog: Fear, Fun and Filoz
Main web site: Kirbyvariety
We landed in San Jose and took a boat ride to Tortuguero ("full of turtles"). I felt like Humphrey Bogart in The African Queen. We saw monkeys in trees, crocodiles, and many birds. The most exciting bird for me during the whole time in Costa Rica was the scarlet macaw. We didn't see these birds until later, on the Pacific coast. As one member of our group said, looking at that bird in a tree just above your head sure lets you know you are in Costa Rica. We saw a sloth in a tree just above our heads. It was moving in its slow-motion way and was another sight I had never seen before.
From what I saw, most houses are smaller than American ones. We didn't get inside any private home but the people seemed reasonably happy with their houses. We did experience plenty of rain and our visit was during the dry season. I feel I may have a better appreciation of what the rainy season is actually like.
I had my first experience going down a zip line. It consisted of 14 lines, each descended hanging in several safety belts from a pulley and zipping down to the next station. We were told that our speed was about 20-30 miles an hour. It got less scary after a little while and I recommend the experience.
We paddled kayaks down a river, and large 6-person outrigger canoes in the Pacific Ocean, near the shore. We visited a coffee plantation and a pineapple plantation. Those who pick the coffee beans and care for the pineapples do hard work.
We had good food but a little more beans and rice and fresh fruit than we could comfortably handle.
--
Bill
Main blog: Fear, Fun and Filoz
Main web site: Kirbyvariety
