Costa Rica Day 8
Costa Rica
DAY 8 - DECEMBER 11, 2002 - Pan American Highway, Punta Arenas, Monteverde, Hotel Fonda Vela
We had to have luggage out by 7:30 so we were up by 6:45 and eating breakfast by 7:45. We were supposed to leave by 8 but did not get away until 8:20.
We went back north along the coastal highway toward Punta Arenas. Even though we were far away from the beach, we still had glimpses of the water. We saw lots of people on bicycles going to work. The roads are narrow, having no lines, with a lot of potholes so they are difficult to drive. We saw factories for fertilizer, canning vegetables and palm oil again.
When we got on the Pan American Highway going north, the road is better but there is so much more traffic, with big trucks like Brasil - everything has to be transported by truck. We saw lots of schools and many are named after the country that sends them money.
We stopped at a Shell station north of Punta Arenas before going on the bumpy roads. We had no idea how bumpy this road was going to be but it was a little wider but worse than Mt. Herman here in Colorado. It had large boulders, washed out areas, and very dusty.
With all this, it still had a lot of traffic and we did this for 37 kilometers. Harry said that Sun Tours had to get new tires, shocks and suspension every six months. But this road is the primary road into Monteverde. AND there are a lot of people (4,000) living up here and several resorts to cater to the tourists.
The altitude is 4100+ feet and it was a pleasant change as there was a mild wind and much cooler. It is dryer also. We are at the Hotel Fonda Vela which is an eco-tourist lodge that is owned and managed by Quaker settlers. In 1951 Quakers from Alabama migrated to CR and this area to pursue a more peaceful life style.
The Hotel and our room is extremely nice and the wood furniture and floors are impressive. Monteverde and the surrounding area is part of the CR cloud forest. Harry he took us to have a pizza lunch with large salad.
We then checked in and after we got to our rooms, we met Harry to go to an ecological farm (Finca Ecological). It was an old coffee and banana plantation, located on the side of the mountain in the cloud forest. Now the coffee and banana is growing wild as there is more money in tourists than in agriculture. They just clear the paths.
We saw lots of birds, large mammals, a family of Coati (12), a type of guinea pig and a porcupine with a prehensile tail sleeping at the top of a tree. We returned home, went to the overlook balcony to take sunset pictures. We can see for over 60 KM as we are so high. All the way to the ocean and across this giant peninsula.
In our room we took a shower, edited the pictures and then went to dinner at 7:30. We came back to our rooms at 9:30 to write this log. “PURA VIDA” everyone says this as a greeting and response to how are you. We will do a sky trek tomorrow. Gennie IS A LITTLE NERVOUS.
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