BdC and AOL in JAN
Jan 27th, 2011, 02:17 PM
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BdC and AOL in JAN
Having shared some days at Bosque del Cabo with Melissa5 (<i>the petrified poet</i
, I’m a little reluctant to write a trip report at the same time. I’m not a writer, and won’t be able to do it as much justice, or write with the same passion and prose, but here goes….
First a little background….we are a “middle-aged” couple from upstate NY who planned this trip last year, but had to cancel at the last minute when I hurt my back and couldn’t walk. We did end up losing a lot of money on the trip, not to mention the disappointment, so we weren’t going to let anything get in the way this year.
We had a US Air flight at 8AM on January 11th that had one stop in Charlotte. Now coming from the land of cold and snow, I didn’t want to risk a stop in Detroit or Chicago which were some of my other options, and specifically chose the flight with a stop in Charlotte, because who would suspect Charlotte, of all places, was going to have a blizzard in January??!! Well of course, the phone rings at 7pm on the 10th with a really nice recorded message from US Air regretting to inform us that our flight to Charlotte the next day was cancelled. We informed our dinner guests that dinner was now over… and I hopped on the computer looking for other flights, while my husband called US Air to see what they had in store for us. Good news, they said. There is a 5:30am flight to Philadelphia which will get us into Charlotte with enough time to make our original flight to SJO. My husband remained calm and inquired why they are still routing us to Charlotte when our first leg was cancelled due to the storm? They said we’d be fine. In the meantime, I found two seats on a JetBlue flight that was leaving in 11 hours and stopped in Orlando which would bypass the storm. Up until then, I didn’t even know that JetBlue flew to SJO. My husband asked US Air how much they would reimburse us if we only used the return flights and booked the JetBlue tickets, and they very nicely explained they wouldn’t give us anything since they have an alternative route for us and because we used a voucher from the trip we cancelled last year. After some arguing, they put my DH on hold for a long time while he kept telling me to book JetBlue, and I kept saying no. Finally he convinced me it was only money and I pushed the button and confirmed the seats. As it turned out, the flight from Philly to Charlotte AND the flight from Charlotte to SJO were both cancelled for the 11th and the 12th, so we would have spent the first two days of our vacation in beautiful Philadelphia. Now admittedly, I’ve never tried, but I’m fairly certain our search for spider monkeys in the trees of Philadelphia would have been fruitless.
OK , that was a lot of background. I promise to get to the stuff you all care about soon….
, I’m a little reluctant to write a trip report at the same time. I’m not a writer, and won’t be able to do it as much justice, or write with the same passion and prose, but here goes….First a little background….we are a “middle-aged” couple from upstate NY who planned this trip last year, but had to cancel at the last minute when I hurt my back and couldn’t walk. We did end up losing a lot of money on the trip, not to mention the disappointment, so we weren’t going to let anything get in the way this year.
We had a US Air flight at 8AM on January 11th that had one stop in Charlotte. Now coming from the land of cold and snow, I didn’t want to risk a stop in Detroit or Chicago which were some of my other options, and specifically chose the flight with a stop in Charlotte, because who would suspect Charlotte, of all places, was going to have a blizzard in January??!! Well of course, the phone rings at 7pm on the 10th with a really nice recorded message from US Air regretting to inform us that our flight to Charlotte the next day was cancelled. We informed our dinner guests that dinner was now over… and I hopped on the computer looking for other flights, while my husband called US Air to see what they had in store for us. Good news, they said. There is a 5:30am flight to Philadelphia which will get us into Charlotte with enough time to make our original flight to SJO. My husband remained calm and inquired why they are still routing us to Charlotte when our first leg was cancelled due to the storm? They said we’d be fine. In the meantime, I found two seats on a JetBlue flight that was leaving in 11 hours and stopped in Orlando which would bypass the storm. Up until then, I didn’t even know that JetBlue flew to SJO. My husband asked US Air how much they would reimburse us if we only used the return flights and booked the JetBlue tickets, and they very nicely explained they wouldn’t give us anything since they have an alternative route for us and because we used a voucher from the trip we cancelled last year. After some arguing, they put my DH on hold for a long time while he kept telling me to book JetBlue, and I kept saying no. Finally he convinced me it was only money and I pushed the button and confirmed the seats. As it turned out, the flight from Philly to Charlotte AND the flight from Charlotte to SJO were both cancelled for the 11th and the 12th, so we would have spent the first two days of our vacation in beautiful Philadelphia. Now admittedly, I’ve never tried, but I’m fairly certain our search for spider monkeys in the trees of Philadelphia would have been fruitless.
OK , that was a lot of background. I promise to get to the stuff you all care about soon….
Jan 27th, 2011, 02:31 PM
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Actually, the canopy of Philadelphia is infested with spider monkeys. However, a mutation unique to the northern subspecies has enabled them to camouflage themselves as pairs of discarded sneakers, in which form they spend their days sleeping draped over telephone and electrical wires. When a lunar eclipse falls on a blue moon, however, I would not advise you to venture outdoors with a banana.
Jan 27th, 2011, 05:26 PM
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Tilted - Very funny!
"Did Melissa look scared when you saw her?"
Well my hair was pretty frizzy and I had no makeup on, but she seemed to be able to contain her fright.
Sorry, VG, I couldn't resist... They had been there for a few days before we arrived, and she definitely seemed relaxed.
"Did Melissa look scared when you saw her?"
Well my hair was pretty frizzy and I had no makeup on, but she seemed to be able to contain her fright.
Sorry, VG, I couldn't resist... They had been there for a few days before we arrived, and she definitely seemed relaxed.
Jan 28th, 2011, 12:19 PM
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<b>Chapter 2</b>
Getting through immigration, etc. was no problem at all. We arranged for transportation to Arenal with Wilson Rojas and as we are waiting for his arrival we let out a collective sigh. We made it! Wilson shows up will a cooler full of drinks and snacks and various guides, and we soon had our first Imperial. I know he has a great reputation already, but I’d like to add that we really enjoyed his quiet enthusiasm and great pride in his country. He drove through his home town of Naranjo which was nice to see since at the time we were probably the only tourists in town. He took us to a Soda to have what he called the best coffee in Costa Rica – Naranjo’s own blend. There was a large picture window where he pointed out his house. It was fun seeing the place I had been corresponding with by email for months now. Back on the road, we stopped about an hour south of Arenal to have an early dinner prepared by friends of his at their home. It was absolutely delicious and just delightful to be with a typical Costa Rican family. I really wished I had brushed up on my Spanish so I could get beyond <i>¿Como se llama?</i>, and <i>¿cuantos años, tiene?</i> with the children. They showed us the various fruit trees on the property, gave us fresh coconuts to drink and after a few more nods and <i>Gracias</i>es, we were on our way. Wilson was more than willing to stop anywhere, but the exhaustion was creeping in and we were anxious to get to the lodge. The road to AOL was worse than normal because apparently they had been having a lot of rain, but Wilson took it nice and slow, and by 8:30pm we arrived, and were probably asleep by 9.
<u><b>Wednesday</b></u>
We had a Smithsonian room with a large picture window so we could see the volcano from bed, but we woke up to the sound of pouring rain, gray skies, and clouds. Somewhere out there, they claim there is a volcano. Okay it’s day one. I can wait. We were going to do the free morning hike, but that didn’t sound like much fun in the pouring rain, so we decided to wait. We walked around a bit, visited the bird feeders, visited the observation deck and already had seen quite a few birds. We attempted to go hiking a few times, but every time the rain slowed down, and we started out, the sky would just open up again. No problem, we have 3 more days here, and it is the dry season….
<u><b>Thursday</b></u>
(See Wednesday)
<u><b>Friday</b></u>
We had the Caño Negro tour booked with Sunset tours. As we sat and waited for them to arrive at 6:30am <b>in the pouring rain</b>, in our newly purchased rain ponchos, we hoped that the weather would be slightly different up by the border.
To be continued....
Getting through immigration, etc. was no problem at all. We arranged for transportation to Arenal with Wilson Rojas and as we are waiting for his arrival we let out a collective sigh. We made it! Wilson shows up will a cooler full of drinks and snacks and various guides, and we soon had our first Imperial. I know he has a great reputation already, but I’d like to add that we really enjoyed his quiet enthusiasm and great pride in his country. He drove through his home town of Naranjo which was nice to see since at the time we were probably the only tourists in town. He took us to a Soda to have what he called the best coffee in Costa Rica – Naranjo’s own blend. There was a large picture window where he pointed out his house. It was fun seeing the place I had been corresponding with by email for months now. Back on the road, we stopped about an hour south of Arenal to have an early dinner prepared by friends of his at their home. It was absolutely delicious and just delightful to be with a typical Costa Rican family. I really wished I had brushed up on my Spanish so I could get beyond <i>¿Como se llama?</i>, and <i>¿cuantos años, tiene?</i> with the children. They showed us the various fruit trees on the property, gave us fresh coconuts to drink and after a few more nods and <i>Gracias</i>es, we were on our way. Wilson was more than willing to stop anywhere, but the exhaustion was creeping in and we were anxious to get to the lodge. The road to AOL was worse than normal because apparently they had been having a lot of rain, but Wilson took it nice and slow, and by 8:30pm we arrived, and were probably asleep by 9.
<u><b>Wednesday</b></u>
We had a Smithsonian room with a large picture window so we could see the volcano from bed, but we woke up to the sound of pouring rain, gray skies, and clouds. Somewhere out there, they claim there is a volcano. Okay it’s day one. I can wait. We were going to do the free morning hike, but that didn’t sound like much fun in the pouring rain, so we decided to wait. We walked around a bit, visited the bird feeders, visited the observation deck and already had seen quite a few birds. We attempted to go hiking a few times, but every time the rain slowed down, and we started out, the sky would just open up again. No problem, we have 3 more days here, and it is the dry season….
<u><b>Thursday</b></u>
(See Wednesday)
<u><b>Friday</b></u>
We had the Caño Negro tour booked with Sunset tours. As we sat and waited for them to arrive at 6:30am <b>in the pouring rain</b>, in our newly purchased rain ponchos, we hoped that the weather would be slightly different up by the border.
To be continued....
Jan 28th, 2011, 10:57 PM
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Hello bd, great report! It's always fun to see through a new pair of eyes! No matter how many trip reports I read, I always enjoy seeing a new viewpoint on a place. How did you like staying in one of the garden cabinas? We enjoyed meeting the two of you! 8-)
Jan 28th, 2011, 11:21 PM
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bd: How did you decide to choose Wilson Rojas as your driver? I'm curious because choosing a driver wasn't an easy decision for me...because there are so many great drivers recommended for Costa Rica! Your dinner with a Costa Rican family sounds like a memorable experience. What did they serve? (I love food details.) What is Wilson Rojas' contact info? We were very happy with our driver as well.
Jan 29th, 2011, 07:19 AM
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RAC - I think you're right. It's also expensive season and very expensive season.
Melissa - We enjoyed the two of you as well! The garden cabina was okay. Next time I would choose the far one, because they put a big batch of bamboo in front of Almendra, for privacy I guess, but that's all you can see. It annoyed my husband who thought they should cut down all the bamboo because it's not a native plant.
The decision on a driver wasn't difficult. I emailed some of those that were recommended and went with the first one that was available. Wilson was very special and I would use him again in a heartbeat. His contact info: [email protected]. His wife, Elsy, handles all his correspondence since he's on the road so much, and she is a sweetheart as well.
Wilson called his friends from the road and they gave us the choice of chicken or fish. We chose chicken. They served a typical Costa Rican meal on the front porch: Rice, beans, salad, plantains, and fresh starfruit punch. The chicken was outstanding. It was shredded up in a light tomato sauce with mushrooms. I was really full, but didn't want to insult them ;-) so I managed to eat the rice pudding for dessert as well! The older boy and the father had gotten some fresh coconuts down from the tree cut the top off with a machete and we drank them with a straw. It really was a special experience. Their christmas tree was visible though the front door, which seemed so out of place, and so perfect at the same time.
Melissa - We enjoyed the two of you as well! The garden cabina was okay. Next time I would choose the far one, because they put a big batch of bamboo in front of Almendra, for privacy I guess, but that's all you can see. It annoyed my husband who thought they should cut down all the bamboo because it's not a native plant.
The decision on a driver wasn't difficult. I emailed some of those that were recommended and went with the first one that was available. Wilson was very special and I would use him again in a heartbeat. His contact info: [email protected]. His wife, Elsy, handles all his correspondence since he's on the road so much, and she is a sweetheart as well.
Wilson called his friends from the road and they gave us the choice of chicken or fish. We chose chicken. They served a typical Costa Rican meal on the front porch: Rice, beans, salad, plantains, and fresh starfruit punch. The chicken was outstanding. It was shredded up in a light tomato sauce with mushrooms. I was really full, but didn't want to insult them ;-) so I managed to eat the rice pudding for dessert as well! The older boy and the father had gotten some fresh coconuts down from the tree cut the top off with a machete and we drank them with a straw. It really was a special experience. Their christmas tree was visible though the front door, which seemed so out of place, and so perfect at the same time.
Jan 30th, 2011, 08:44 AM
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Thanks, fishee. I appreciate that, but I must confess my memory failed me. I knew we left on Saturday, so we must have gone to Caño Negro on Thursday. Wednesday must have only <i>seemed</i> like two long days. Let's try this again...
<u><b>Thursday</b></u>
We had the Caño Negro tour booked with Sunset tours. As we sat and waited for them to arrive at 6:30am in the pouring rain, in our newly purchased rain ponchos, we hoped that the weather would be slightly different up by the border. The guide said they had no idea what the weather would be like, but not to worry since the boat had plastic sides they could roll down in case of rain. woohoo. That didn't get my spirits up, but as the drive progressed the clouds began to clear and we actually saw it: SUN!! CLOUDS to the right... no don't look there.... look to the left... BLUE SKIES!! We stopped at some tourist trap: Iguana City or something like that. It was a restaurant/gift shop where the owner bred iguanas had let the loose in the surrounding trees, but I have to admit it was pretty amazing seeing hundreds of 4 foot iguanas all over the place. Close to our destination, we pulled over to view a few shore birds: Roseate Spoonbills, egrets, herons and some Caracaras. When we arrived at the boat, we joined another tour company's tour, instead of taking two boats out. No complaints though, and within minutes we saw Caimens, and Anhingas, bats, and later we added monkeys, snakes, basilisks, anteater, turtles, and two apparently rare sightings: the Great Pootoo and a rare kingfisher, both of which even excited our tour guide. I find it amazing that this 50 year old boat captain drives along the river without glasses, much less binoculars, and spots things in trees, that the rest of us, even knowing it's now there, can't find in the next 20 minutes. We did have a little rain on and off, but nothing bad. We then headed further North to a restaurant for lunch which was very good, and then headed home in relative silence. When we got back to La Fortuna it was (surprise, surprise) pouring, so it was really special to escape the rain and it was a really great outing. We then had an hour to kill before SunTours was going to take us to a Eco-termales. Now I'm going to make some enemies here, but hubby and I really hated La Fortuna, and were so glad we weren't staying in town. It reminded us of every cheesy tourist town in America that existed simply to sell crap to tourists. The hour we spent walking around was more than enough for us. Luckily we found a art gallery full of local artwork that was really nice. We then spent a glorious 3 hours in heaven, aka Eco-termales. The rain managed to hold off long enough to enjoy a few cocktails in the pools, and it capped off the perfect ending to a wonderful Pura Vida kind of day.
<u><b>Thursday</b></u>
We had the Caño Negro tour booked with Sunset tours. As we sat and waited for them to arrive at 6:30am in the pouring rain, in our newly purchased rain ponchos, we hoped that the weather would be slightly different up by the border. The guide said they had no idea what the weather would be like, but not to worry since the boat had plastic sides they could roll down in case of rain. woohoo. That didn't get my spirits up, but as the drive progressed the clouds began to clear and we actually saw it: SUN!! CLOUDS to the right... no don't look there.... look to the left... BLUE SKIES!! We stopped at some tourist trap: Iguana City or something like that. It was a restaurant/gift shop where the owner bred iguanas had let the loose in the surrounding trees, but I have to admit it was pretty amazing seeing hundreds of 4 foot iguanas all over the place. Close to our destination, we pulled over to view a few shore birds: Roseate Spoonbills, egrets, herons and some Caracaras. When we arrived at the boat, we joined another tour company's tour, instead of taking two boats out. No complaints though, and within minutes we saw Caimens, and Anhingas, bats, and later we added monkeys, snakes, basilisks, anteater, turtles, and two apparently rare sightings: the Great Pootoo and a rare kingfisher, both of which even excited our tour guide. I find it amazing that this 50 year old boat captain drives along the river without glasses, much less binoculars, and spots things in trees, that the rest of us, even knowing it's now there, can't find in the next 20 minutes. We did have a little rain on and off, but nothing bad. We then headed further North to a restaurant for lunch which was very good, and then headed home in relative silence. When we got back to La Fortuna it was (surprise, surprise) pouring, so it was really special to escape the rain and it was a really great outing. We then had an hour to kill before SunTours was going to take us to a Eco-termales. Now I'm going to make some enemies here, but hubby and I really hated La Fortuna, and were so glad we weren't staying in town. It reminded us of every cheesy tourist town in America that existed simply to sell crap to tourists. The hour we spent walking around was more than enough for us. Luckily we found a art gallery full of local artwork that was really nice. We then spent a glorious 3 hours in heaven, aka Eco-termales. The rain managed to hold off long enough to enjoy a few cocktails in the pools, and it capped off the perfect ending to a wonderful Pura Vida kind of day.
Jan 30th, 2011, 10:23 AM
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I'm loving your trip report. I hope you add another installment soon. Cano Negro sounds amazing. I was initially thinking it would be too long of a day with our kids, but I think it's gotta go back on the activity list. They would also love that Iguana City!
So have you even seen the volcano at this point? Also, I was curious why you did Ecotermales through Sunset. Is the price about the same as taking a taxi and reserving directly with Ecotermales? Did you have dinner there? How was the food at AOL?
So have you even seen the volcano at this point? Also, I was curious why you did Ecotermales through Sunset. Is the price about the same as taking a taxi and reserving directly with Ecotermales? Did you have dinner there? How was the food at AOL?
