Costa Rica

This is our second trip to Costa Rica, as we have been here on an adventure in 2001, when we drove up and down the country from city to Arenal Volcano down to the Osa Peninsula.

This time we flew in to Liberia on a direct flight from the US. up until now, Liberia was country and not a city. Anyhow, after an easy 5 hour flight we landed in Liberia where the temperature was just so comfortable. A very good choice in January.

After picking up a 4-wheel SUV we started heading towards Lake Arenal. Once we left highway 1 onto highway 142 to drive on the northern shore of Lake Arenal it became clear that it would take a little longer to drive to our destination in the dark. It was left and right and up and down, all at the same time.

After a long day, we arrived at Nayara Springs at night and we didn't see anything but dark yet. We needed to spend our first night to see what our surrounding looked like. And yet, it didn't keep us from starting to unwind right away, though. The resort is built on the steep slope of a hill in the middle of a lush rain forest, as we found out the next morning. The paths are very well maintained.

Our villa, like all the others, had a private plunge pool and unlike other plunge pools we've had in the past. this one was heated to 100° F (38° C) courtesy of the volcano. It was simply wonderful. I could have spent the rest of my life here in the water. 

Because it is Costa Rica, we were able to enjoy the freshest tropical fruit you can imagine, melon, passion fruit, mango and pineapple. What else does one need to feel more integrated in the rain forest. Breakfast at Mis Amores was fantastic and staff was extremely nice. They even served "Bircher Müesli" with finely chopped micro cubes of apples, which I've never had like that before. It was simply made with love and absolutely in the top two of all time. 

Also, we never used the spacious and luxurious indoor shower and even thought it was raining, the outdoor shower was way more inviting.

While walking through the large property a staff member pointed out one of their living residents, Tony, up in the canopy.

Those sloths are not easy to spot and even when you do the light conditions are less than ideal. Tropical plans obviously grow naturally.

As the name Nayara Springs suggests they are located with naturally fed springs which they make accessible with numerous pools that are beautifully placed in the rain forest.

While we were here, we could always find an empty pool just for ourselves and it was wonderful. 

For one of the nights, we booked a 7-course dinner at Amor Loco. The atmosphere was as great as the food which was carefully prepared and absolutely delicious. An entertainer added to this great experience with the songs that were just at the right sound level.

We are travelling by car and even though we only drove here to the resort, I noticed that the steering was sluggish and weird, indicating that the tire pressure was low. The front desk was kind enough to have their maintenance crew to check the tire pressure and add some air. Thank you so much. When we left the resort, the driving was back to normal. 

This trip to the rain forest is a clear reminder why it is called a rain forest. Our umbrellas, that were provided to by the resort and available everywhere, were rubber coated and we still got wet underneath. That's how strong the rain was at times and I loved every minute of it.

Now it's time for a change in scenery. Out next stop is the Guanacaste coast just south of Tamarindo, where it is not unusual to see crocs on the beach.

Even though the rain somewhat stopped, the situation was not back to normal yet. On the way back along Lake Arenal, we passed many smaller landslides going over the road to limit the windy road to one lane. After driving for over an hour we arrived in Nuevo Arenal where the traffic was redirected up the hill, only to be told that 4-wheel vehicles can continue. Even though our rental had 4-wheel drive, we didn't have the ground clearance. So, like everyone else, except some dirt bikers, we turned around on the gravel road to go back down to town. By this time, there was a cop explaining that the road towards West was closed due to landslides. He told us to get gas and eat something and go all the way back where we came from and then continue to La Fortuna, then highway 4 to Samen to Bijagua de Upala to Limonal then using 18 and 21 to 160, heading towards the coast to JW Marriott. Exhausted we arrived many hours late, but we made it. Apparently, a detour here in Costa Rica is not measured in minutes.

What a dramatic change, the sun, the beach and the waves. It's another type of paradise.

One day we went on a river searching for wild life, like crocodiles, some of which were over 10 feet long. They perfectly blended in with the rocks or mud.

No signs are needed when one pays attention. We wisely stayed in the boat, but I'm wondering what would happen if it capsized.

Our captain would find and point out interesting sights and our guide would tell us everything he knew about that particular animal, such as these bats that "sway" in a wave formation when they detect danger. Scientists believe they imitate a snake, which deters predators away.

Costa Rica is know for its bird population. This one is a Tiger Heron.

Since the climate is perfect for growing sugar cane, it is not a surprise that they produce rum. We visited a distillery El Vieto. We came home with a personalized bottle of rum.

We also visited the Hacienda El Viejo where we had lunch, which was surprisingly delicious.

One of the bests parts of being at the Guanacaste side of Costa Riva is that it is perfect for enjoying the sun setting.