PUNTARENAS, COSTA RICA

Puntarenas, Costa Rica

It was a much earlier start for us this morning as we had to be down in the Vista Lounge by 7:30am for our group gathering. We booked a tour called: TROPICAL FOREST SKY WALK AND PURA VIDA GARDENS.

The tour was a 7 ½ hour tour by bus, walking and lunch. Ronald, our tour guide, explained that this being Holy Week there would be a lot of people in the cities in this predominantly Catholic country. They have a long weekend from Thursday until Tuesday and just like at home, the people from “the valley” head to the coast and the beaches.

 I’m only saying this because the roads we needed to use to get the forest was winding and alone the same beaches that the local residents were trying to get to. So a trip that took less than an hour coming back took almost two hours going up.

As we drove along the coast of beaches we could see that many people had already set up camping sites; tents, picnic baskets, picnic tables and basically everything we take along on a camping trip, except the tent heaters of course. This continued on for many kms.

Just before we turned off of the main highway we crossed a bridge over a river infested with massive crocodiles. Ronald said that they were the largest Crocs in Central America. We didn’t stop but even from he bus window you could see this beasts sunning on the river bank.

After we turned off of the highway we headed way up into the mountains above the ocean below. The road was narrow and gravel. Our first stop was in the middle of nowhere, where there was enough room for the bus to turn around. By this time we were very near the top of the mountain at the start of a hiking trail. We were each given a walking stick and off we went through the forest. Our guide, Ronald, was well taught in the details of the plants and animals of the forest and was most interesting to listen to. He was very passionate about “his country”.

Costa Rica is a world leader in guarding and protecting their natural land. Over 75% of Costa Rica is designated as national park, biological reserve, wildlife refuge or protected area.

Our walk was almost 2 hours long through the most amazing forest, across 3 very long, narrow swinging bridges, over streams and finally back to the road way below where we started. Thankfully the bus was down there waiting. It was 30C and rather humid so none of us stayed very dry.

After returning our walking sticks we once again boarded the air conditioned bus and then drove to a resort/rest area where we could use the washrooms and were treated to some fresh fruit and something cold to drink. Of course there is always the usual “Gift Shop” area that we are told we won’t want to miss.

One of the great things about this group was that we were only 12 people. So keeping track of everyone was very easy. There were many excursions offered in Costa Rica but because this one required so much walking it wasn’t the most popular.

Our 10 - 30 minute break was over and we again boarded the bus and headed further up the mountain. We continued along a ridge between two mountains where we could see the ocean way down below on both sides of the bus. We finally arrived at the Pura Vida botanical garden.

 
What a paradise on top of the mountain. We started by taking a guided walk through the gardens with Ronald explaining each leaf, stem, flower pedal, species, type of tree and on and on. He could talk. This particular plant is one that grows in the crooks of trees. Although it looks like a fungus or parasite, the plant does not take any nutrition or fluid from the tree. In actual fact the plant, as it exists, continues to give moisure and nutrition to the tree as its old leaved decompose and the humidity moisture condenses on its leaves.

Besides the Iguanas we also saw and heard many birds such as Clay Robins, Macaws and who remembers the names of the others.?!?

At the end of the walking tour we headed back to the main house and were treated to a buffet lunch. It was excellent!! (as we left the open air dining area you exited through a gift shop which we were told we wouldn’t want to miss).

By this time heat fatigue, elevation fatigue and leg fatigue had kicked in and we all headed back to the bus for the trip down the mountain. The guide said that he had given us lots of information already and wasn’t going to say a thing for at least 30 minutes so we could all rest our minds and bodies.

He started up again shortly after we crossed the crocodile bridge and gave us more information on the country of Costa Rica, all very interesting.

Almost exactly 7 ½ hours later we were back at the cruise ship tired but very grateful that we had booked this particular tour.

Our usual evening ’routine’ is to have dinner either in the Vista Dining room or on the Lido Deck dining area. In the Vista Drm you are served after ordering from the menu. If you eat out side on the Lido deck you pick up your food from one of the 4 buffets depending on what you want to eat. Then we are off to the Vista Show Theatre to the days hour of entertainment which has been a bit of a surprise for us. The quality and calibre of entertainment is amazing. The HAL Cats band and vocalists are nothing less than professional.

Tonight we took a late night stroll on the upper observation deck to check out the full moon and the star filled sky. The fact that Mt. Baker could be sitting under us we could sail right over top of it is just something you have to accept and not think about too much. We are in shallower waters today. Current ocean depth is 70 meters.