Costa Rica 2000

Friday, August 4, 2000  - Corcovado, Costa Rica to San José, Costa Rica
 

Bananaquit on the left, bananaquit on a banana bloom near the tents.  The slow-moving fly with long legs is what bit me 20-30 times on the back of my thigh as I was laying in the hammock one day.

Male and female scarlet-rumped tanager; juvenile Black Hawk

I got up at the usual time - 5:30 am.  We had breakfast about 6:30 am, then just bummed around until 8:30.  At 8:30, we walked the mile back to Carate for our plane trip.  We saw a juvenile Black Hawk.
 

Our Corcovado tent site from the plane.  The thatched roof on the far left is a bath/shower house.  The large middle thatched roof is the kitchen, dining and office area, another bath/shower house, and on the far right, the hammock hut.  Our tents were right below the dining hut.

The plane ride back was just as good as the first time.  Half of Osa Peninsula is the Corcovado Wildlife Preserve and is entirely undisturbed rain forest jungle, slightly mountainous.  I could see the north end of Gulfo Dulce from the plane.  We flew almost 33 degrees N most of the way along the coast.  Once we turned inland, it wasn't long at all before you could see the Central Valley.  Definitely a valley surrounded by mountains.  It took us 1 hour to fly from Corcovado to San Jose.  It took us until noon to get to the hotel.  Most of the roads in San Jose were built when people used ox carts, so there is only one lane of traffic each way.  This makes traveling at rush hour, like noon, particularly slow.
 

Our hotel, La Condesa, in San Rafael de Heredia, Costa Rica was extremely large and fancy.  There was a pool with a Jacuzzi, men's and women's dry saunas, squash court and a gymnasium.  It was raining at our hotel when we decided to take a taxi to town for lunch.  There was nothing withing several miles to walk to.  After a week in the jungle, we took a taxi to Heredia to McDonald's (blush).  Asher practically starved to death at times in the jungle.  They only serve healthy food, and he couldn't handle it.  It was raining in Heredia.  They say it is common to be raining at the hotel, but not lower down the mountain.  Near McDonald's was a Burger King and a Papa Johns.  Pretty much the regular stuff at McDonalds, except a little more expensive.  And there were at least 10 I-macs (computers).  With a purchase of a combo meal, you get some free internet time.  We got 3 combos and 30 minutes of computer (internet) time.  Sent email home to Dennis.

After that, we walked around shopping.  McDonald's cost us approximately 5000 colones ($16).  I bought a flexible ring for 500 colones, 2 postcards for 200 colones, 2 gatoraides and cookies for $925 colones.  We ate supper at El Testy, a corner fast food place (not that great) for 1965 colones (the bathroom cost 30 colones).  The taxi arranged by the hotel to Heredia was $1500 colones.  At 5pm we took a taxi from Heredia back to the hotel - 2000 colones.  At the hotel, we swam for 30 minutes, then tried the saunas for 10 minutes.  Then went to our room to watch TV and write these notes.

The way buildings used to be painted was a dark trim around the bottom and lighter color above.  This was to hide the dirt when the roads were dirt and mud splashed on the buildings.  The typical Costa Rican house was just like this one - about the size of a 2-car garage with one car.  The fencing began as a beautification concept from Spain, but later was used more for security.  Since the temperatures in San Jose are in the 70's year-round, they don't have air conditioning or heat.  They also don't have many flying bugs or screens on their windows.  So the fences are to feel somewhat secure while you have your windows open.