Costa Rica

So we just embarked on a trip to Costa Rica over the holidays for three weeks.  We had a lot of fun. Check it out...

The day we left southern Utah....

....Same day in Costa Rica.

Home base while in Costa Rica. "The Casita".
Thanks to our friend Ron's parents, Chris and Floyd.

First Adventure in C.R., Cerro Chirripo, highest point in the
country. Spent one night in the hut at 11,000ft. about 26 miles,
and about a 7,000ft elevation change. Kinda grueling.

Pretty scenes at that elevation though.

At 10-11000ft. there were plants reminiscent of plants found
at 5 or 6000ft. in Utah. 

High mtn. Rio Chirripo.

So the next adventure was heading out to the Osa peninsula to hike and camp in the Corcovado Nat'l Park. Another long hike to get in there. Highlights include wildlife, beaches, and scenery.

We found the Nat'l parks in CR to be interesting, or, different in how they function. As budget travelers whom are independent, it is not cheap to visit the parks, nor is there much autonomy. No camping outside the facilities/huts, no cook-stoves, and they really push you to get a guide, which would cost an extra 50 bucks per person per day! Our goal was not to count the most mammals seen on our trip to the Corcovado, so we opted not to spend an extra 300+ dollars on a local to show us where all the show and tell mamiferas hang out. 

We did see a lot of cool stuff as our own guides though!

Picturesque beaches, and sprouting coconuts.

Looking up at the canopy. You'll probably see some monkeys if you look
close.

Ahhhh....

Classic.

Did I mention the scenery?

A lounging white-faced monkey.

Ant eater. Saw a few of these on the hike out of the park.

 Fairyland Mushies.

Turrialba hostel cat. Tara liked it enough to let it eat out of her breakfast
bowl. reminded us of our cat Riley.

She knows how to vacation.

The last week of adventures was all about the Rivers! Pack rafting Costa Rica! Yes, we brought two boats with us, one ours, the other borrowed from our great friend Rob, His is the Rasta Raft.

We started with the Sarapiqui river, north of San Jose, this is a pretty mellow river with a little bit of excitement. We floated this one on Christmas day, and realized the local thing to do on Christmas day, is to head to the river and play, cook out, and hang out. We floated past hundreds of families and congregations of Ticos. 

We then went to Turrialba, and from there, floated the Pejibaye and the Pacuare. Both excellent. 

The Pacuare deserves it's own story.

The put in for the Pejibaye at Taus. Beaut isn't it?

Tara in the rasta raft paddling the lower mellow riffles of the pejibaye

Yes! Tara's turn to be the porter and carry all the gear! To the Pacuare!

Finally saw one of those poisonous blue-jean frogs. Near the put-in
for the Pacuare.

The infamous leaf cutter ants. 

The put-in. Can you believe that Tara is carrying two rafts, paddles, pfds, lunch, water, and more all in that there pack!

Let the great Pacuare adventure begin!

That's me. I know, cheesy. 

Ridin' the Rodeo! We thought this was going to be the first wild class 4
rapid. We were wrong. Easy peasy.

...and they always end with a nice calm section after the rapid.
So nice of them to make the river this way.

Tara, navigating the big fan wave in the middle.

For not having done much white water at all, Tara really proved herself as a "bad-ass" when it comes to it.

So the Pacuare turned out to be a wild adventure. We thought it would take us four to five hours like it does the commercially guided trips. But it didn't. More like seven or eight. Because, I broke my paddle, lost a blade, which resulted in me falling out of my boat a couple more times, once losing a shoe AND my watch... BIG waves. 

We arrived to the take out bridge right as it was becoming pitch dark (we used every last blip of light to make it to the take-out.

We caught a taxi to the bus station just in time to catch the last bus to Turrialba, which at this point Tara realized she did not feel well and began puking in the bus terminal. So there we are, totally wet, woman is puking on the ground, and man is standing there with only one shoe on watching her.

Tara continued to puke into a bag while on the windy bus ride back to Turrialba.

In the end, we made it! What a time. 

That adventure alone ought to sustain us for some time...

And then of course I had to visit a coffee processing plant while in Costa Rica. Tara did not join on this, as she was recovering from the Pacuare adventure the night before, and whatever had it's way with her tummy.

dryer kilns.

The roaster and roaster man.