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Continued from Chapter 1, Getting There…

Day 1 – The Drive to Arenal Volcano; hiking to the foot of said Volcano; a night at the Linda Vista del Norte.

We wake up way too early, but we want to maximize daylight in Arenal. The shower has decent pressure and hot water (both of which are apparently issues in Costa Rica). Breakfast is pretty lame, and not worth even stopping in to look at unless you’re really hungry. We check out and hit the road in our soon-to-be-very-dirty SUV.

Traffic. It’s by sheer luck that our destination is away from the city, so we don’t have to deal with stop-and-go, but I quickly learn that Ticos (the nickname for Costa Ricans) like to cross double yellow lines to pass… on a two-lane street. Our road leads to a freeway entrance ramp, but we have to go the other way. I’ve never really had to play chicken in a foreign country before. Eventually (after accidentally taking the scenic scenic route), we make it onto the national highway, Route 1. Parts of it are 2 lanes, sometimes 3 (with 2 lanes going uphill), and still the Ticos cross the double yellow at places we Americans wouldn’t think of doing… before curves, over the crest of a hill…)

It’s about a 3.5 hour drive from San Jose to our hotel by Arenal, with half of it on unpaved roads. And by unpaved, I don’t mean gravel, I mean chunks of softball sized rocks jutting out of a hardened dirt road, with hairpin turns, potholes that would swallow a transmission, and inclines/declines. Average speed over this “road” is about 30kph (that’s under 20mph for us learned Americans). We pass through La Fortuna, the town by the volcano where most of the businesses and hotels are located. However our hotel is another 30 minutes beyond, as the lava flow is only visible on the side opposite the town. Though the roads in La Fortuna are paved, we have to make a turn onto unpaved roads again to get to our hotel, and even had to ford a stream (it was so fun that I back up and did it again).

We make it to the hotel and have a spectacular view of the lake and volcano at the same time. Unfortunately, upon check in, they claim to have no record of our reservation for a Junior Suite ($95/night for 2), and said it was completely full for the night. I refuse to accept this… unfortunately, I didn’t think to bring a printed copy with me, and this hotel has no Internet available (closest was back in La Fortuna). After much rangling with the desk clerk, another guest who had just extended his stay decided to offer his room and stick with his original plan. I wanted to refuse his generosity and make the hotel accommodate me, but he wouldn’t hear of it and insisted I enjoy the stay, and I’m grateful for it. He had a standard room with a view ($65/night for 2), but lacking an A/C. Fortunately, it isn’t necessary at night.

While waiting for the room to be cleaned, we have lunch at the on-site steakhouse. Yes, it’s a little over-priced, but well worth not having to drive back into town. What’s important was that the food is delicious. I order a grilled sirloin with typical accompaniments ($20), and it also came with a spectacular view on the outside deck. After we finish, we check on our room (#9), which is now available. In this room, a double bed and a single bed, but with a huge picture window/glass door that opens and faces the volcano. I really can’t believe this was only $65… who needs TV when you have a freakin’ volcano outside?! (And if you answered, “I do!”… it’s important to note that this place has no TVs in the rooms). The shower is decently sized, the hot water is plentiful, and the sink is separately outside.

After settling in, we arrange to have a guided hike to the foot of Arenal Volcano, which is the most active and largest volcano in Central America. We then nap, and wake up…an hour!… too early because my buddy had set the wrong time on his watch, so we were an hour early the entire day!

Anyway, for $20/person, our guide, Benardo, comes at 4pm to pick us up and drive us to the entrance of nearby Arenal Observatory Lodge (though we didn’t go in… side note, this is another hotel that has views of the flow, and incidentally is featured in the August 2007 issue of American Way). The hike is of medium difficulty because the last part is over lava rocks and boulders. In fact, our hike takes us through the path of the 1992 eruption. We learn that Arenal isn’t like Hawaii, where the flow is of liquid magma. Because it’s cooler, Arenal belches out red-hot glowing boulders, which roll down the mountain in a spectacular show at night (during the day and if it’s clear, all you can see is smoke billowing from the top). From where we are on the hike, you can hear the lava rocks crashing down, and the volcano making a hissing noise. We’re lucky in that the clouds cleared that evening (we’re in a rain forest so the volcano is usually covered up). Bernardo is very fluent in English and explains the science of volcanoes well.

After getting back at 6:45pm, we head back to the restaurant for dinner. Again, we grab a seat outside to watch the volcano, and it doesn’t disappoint. It’s like upside-down fireworks, as bus-sized boulders crashed against the side of the mountain, splitting up into smaller car-sized chunks, and continuing down the hill in a shower of sparks.

Dinner is delicious. I had a grilled chicken breast with a cilantro cream sauce, side of rice, seasonal veggies, and fried plantains. Dessert is a piece of tres leche, which is basically cake drowning in sweet milky mixture. Wash it down with a very good pint of Bavaria Dark, and you have a complete dinner experience.

Day 2 – The backroads to Monteverde; coffee plantation tour; a night at the Arco Iris Lodge.

Again waking up way too early to a very bright sun, we stumble into the included breakfast, and it’s delicious and filling. I order the “plat typico” which consisted of two eggs (any way), rice and beans, queso palmito (local), guava jam and butter, corn tortillas, and toast. After breakfast, we check out… or rather, try to. It takes about 45 minutes, as there’s one person manning the desk, and all transactions are manual, i.e., pen/paper. I guess it just adds to that rustic charm? While we’re there, there are two girls who are also waiting to check out, but they’re trying to catch bus to San Jose Liberia (don’t tell Bob he was right) to catch a flight back home (SJOLIR-DFW-PHL), and not only are they stuck here, the taxi never shows.

I figure I would offer to save the day (their dropoff is on our way out… the Arenal Observatory Lodge, in fact), and they happily accept. As we’re all finally done checking out, their transportation shows up… and it’s Benardo! Fortunately, he’s happy to let them come with me, so off we go, and we drop them off in the nick of time (did I mention they were attractive? I’m sure I mentioned it…)

So, on the road again for another 3.5 hours. The first hour is along picturesque Arenal Lake, where we can still see the volcano in the distance. There’s no real transition to the backroads… it just happens… and these rocks are big. We’re topping out at 20kph (that’s about 12mph, folks) because our SUV sounds like it’s breaking apart. At one point, we end up lost in a town with no signs saying “Santa Elena, this way!” but we do run into a young man who graciously agrees to sell us a photocopied map for $4. I don’t know why we cave, but we do, and off we go again… later on it becomes apparent that that same young man probably removed the signs. Enterprising, if not insidious.

Just as suddenly as it began, the rock road ends (I believe Bob says something about Ancient Romans and their roads being better) and new asphalt begins, into the town of Santa Elena. The town is basically a one-way traffic triangle, with all shops along this path. Our lodge is on the northern side of the triangle, the Arco Iris Lodge. It’s very near the town center, but set back far enough to be isolated from most of the town bustling. We pull up, go to reception, and guess what happens?

“We have no record of your reservation.” This time, they claim not to have received my faxed credit card confirmation for a standard room ($70++). Fortunately, they have 2 economy rooms ($25++) that end up working out terrifically. Each room has a double bed, a room barely bigger than said bed, and private bathroom. All in all, a nice place to stay (much better than any hostel I’ve been to, but the Four Seasons this is not). Slight (read: Major) issue with hot water pressure if your neighbors (in this case, Bob) uses the shower at the same time. While checking in, we make arrangements for a coffee tour later that afternoon, and a cloud forest tour the next morning.

After settling into our rooms, we walk to get some lunch. We walk by a couple of restaurants recommended by many published guides, but settle on a small restaurant that had lots of Ticos in it (and I have no idea what the name is). I love going into local joints, and this one did not disappoint. A very filling plate of beef stew, rice, black beans, and plantains for me (my buddy had steak sautéed in garlic butter) with some Coke (bottle + cane sugar = yum), and it comes out to about $5 a person. After our fill, we head to the nearby market for supplies, then go back to the lodge for much needed Internet access and relaxation before our coffee tour guide picks us up at the lodge.

A minibus arrives with a load of pax, and we are the last two on board. The 15-minute ride takes us to the Don Juan coffee plantation, where we embark on an English tour of the grounds, and a lesson on coffee from seed to roasting, finishing off with a coffee “buffet.” Our guide is actually an ex-pat from Miami, thus the good English. Most interesting fact… the plantation is a “fair-trade” plantation, which means it pays the harvesters about $20/day rather than the typical $10/day. Where do I sign up!?

The coffee tour ($25pp, $20 w/ student ID) is very informative, and the all-you-can-drink coffee is to die for… very smooth, full of body, and not very acidic. I had the equivalent of 6 cups of caffeine. I buy some to take back… why have 10-month old store-bought beans when you can have 2-day old beans? And the highlight… Don Juan himself makes an appearance. Retired nowadays, he lives in the corner of the plantation, feeding his chickens and raising his flowers.

We come back after about 2.5 hours, and time for some down time. My buddy takes a nap, I go into reception for WiFi. There’s a massive downpour that lasts about 30 minutes, just enough to cool things off (not that it was that hot, just warm). In the evening, we jump into the SUV to head for a restaurant recommended by some in the lodge’s guestbook.

Sofia’s is set back from the main road between Santa Elena and the Monteverde Forest reserve. It’s operated by an ex-pat from the US, and is an elegant setting. Slightly pricier than other places, but well worth the ambiance. We start dinner with an order each ($4) of carnitas croquettes and yucca/smoked gouda croquettes. Both are delicious, and actually the gouda ones are a mistake as we ordered yucca/meat, and they bring some out for us. We like the gouda better.

(Fun note: what restaurant experience is complete without a cat jumping on your lap and taking up residence in the middle of dinner?)

For the main course, I order a grilled tenderloin topped with chipotle butter and balsamic-glazed onions, medium-rare ($16). It came with mashed sweet potatoes and seasonal veggies. It was tender, full of flavor, and succulent… the only thing keeping it from being fabulous is that there was a bit of too much char from the grate (plus I prefer steaks grilled over charcoal).

For dessert, we order tres leche again. Unfortunately, it is pretty dry, and since the sogginess is the main point of this dish, it’s a disappointment. Service is likewise a disappointment, as there were only 3 servers/bartenders for 30 tables, so it takes a long while for our check to come. Fortunately, the proprietor’s cute daughter, age 8, chips in and delivers the check to us.

Back to the lodge… another day done, but a very fitful night (damn coffee…)

Day 3 – Monteverde Cloud Forest, street food, the rough road out, and random restaurant in San Jose.

Why wake up early when you can just stay up all night? It all works out, as our tour guide ($15pp) is supposed to meet us at 7am. Another couple from Orlando joins us (and in fact, we offer them a ride, since the tour guide rides a motorbike, and they were going to take a taxi). We follow Adrian on the road to the Monteverde Cloud Forest reserve. Midway, we stop by the side of the road to look for the elusive guetzal, a native bird species described as “flamboyant.” No sightings though, so we continue on.

After parking and paying our entrance fee ($15pp, $6.50 with student ID), we walk towards the entrance. Even before getting there, we see howler monkeys in the treetops above the common area, treating us with their cacophony of hoots and hollers. Adrian has a high-powered scope that is terrifically crisp and we can see 2 adults and 1 adolescent.

The guide tour itself takes us along developed trails, which is easy to traverse, but would probably be pretty difficulty if it rained (and we’ve had great luck with the weather). Though easy, hiking boots are still recommended. Amazingly, there are almost no mosquitoes either here or at Arenal, so it’s very pleasant.

There are lots of flora to look at… trees, vines, ferns… all cooperating with one other, or just being parasites yet still part of the circle of life. We have a few exciting fauna sightings: a wandering dung beetle; a tarantula guarding its hole; a hummingbird sitting on its nest; a sloth hiding in the tree (actually, we only saw its back); a porcupine lounging on a branch (actually, we only saw its tail); some caterpillars and centipedes; a coatimundi sniffing around. The most exciting fauna experience is the Hummingbird Gallery just inside the vehicle entrance. They set up feeders and dozens of hummingbirds zip in and out all around you, so close that you feel the breeze off their wings.

After the fun-filled morning, we head back to the hotel to pack up and check out. Before heading out of town, we hit up Donde Henry for lunch, which is basically just shack set up along the main triangle of town. There’s a heated service station, a small prep area, and two tables + 4 stools. We’re talking smaller than my bedroom. But the food is fantastic… a plate full of rice & beans, stewed beef, and plantains (and that queso palmito if you’re so inclined… I thought it smelled a little fishy, if that was possible for cheese). All for $3… terrific value, even if I did have to share my shoulder room with a German lady.

After hitting the market one more time for supplies, we head out of town. I wanted to hit up Dulce Marzo, a bakery/café, but there is a 20-person long line, so we just continue on.

The roads were worse on the way out to San Jose than coming in the “back” way from Arenal. After about 1.5 hours, our tires unexpectedly hit brand new asphalt, and then we were truckin’. I did have to pull over at one point from fatigue (thanks to the caffeine-induced insomnia), so we pull a pit stop at a random Texaco station, where we partake in a “Choco Bigger!” ice cream bar… delicious! And only for $1. After being reenergized, we make the rest of the way to San Jose with no further issues.

After checking back into the Adventure Inn, we ask for suggestions of nearby local food. After declining their initial offer of, “We have a restaurant right here!” they suggest a place I had read about, the Doña Lela. Much to our surprise, it was a mere 5 minutes by car…. But we become suspicious of the fact that the only other people there are clearly tourists. Hunger wins out though, and after our long trip from Monteverde we are just ready to eat. In reviewing the menu, this place seems to specialized in grilled items. We decid to get a big meat feast of sorts… fried pork chunks, grilled chicken, stewed beef, corn on the cob, whole avocados, mashed black beans, plantains, rice, pico de gallo… it is BIG. When it came out, we are so excited and hungry that we dig in immediately, and it was delicious! The best is the pork, coming out just perfectly flavored and juicy, with a slight crunchy outer part. We enjoy ourselves so much that I forget to take a picture until it was too late. We finish with the best tres leche on this trip, because it’s just swimming in leche, which is how it’s supposed to be.

After making one final stop for water and ATM (to pay the airport departure tax), we call it a night. I notice weird stains on the bottom of Bob’s feet…. wtf? Well, have you ever read all the warnings about DEET (the bug repellant)? (Here’s the info from the EPA) Anyway, apparently when he washed the DEET off at Santa Elena, some ended up on his feet, which then reacted with the stained wooden floors in our rooms. So now, there are Bobprints all over his room, and he’s taking a piece of Costa Rica home with him. Excellent…. (and this is why I use the new stuff)

One more night until we leave behind this unexpectedly marvelous adventure…

Next: Chapter 3, Getting Home

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