That is what it was like in Panama for me and Mary Beth. Andrew was able to take all the stress out of our time in Panama by giving us the inside scoop on where to go and what to do. Having access to his car also gave us new opportunities to visit out of the way spots we wouldn’t have been able to get to if we were just busing around.
Having a free place to crash at the Lost & Found Eco-Hostel (a.k.a. the Lost Paradise) was also a treat. I’m not sure exactly how much time we spent at the Lost & Found, but we came and went several times over the months of April and May between trips to other parts of the country. It was great to spend a few days up in the mountains at the Lost & Found to escape the hassles of being a tourist in a foreign country. Days spent at Andrew’s hostel included hikes on the nearby trails (one led to a secluded swimming hole), wildlife viewing and endless games of foosball (I’m proud to say that despite his superior skills I managed to beat Andrew twice during my stay).
Unfortunately we had to move on eventually if we want to get back to Canada, so last week Mary Beth and I crossed the border into Costa Rica and made our way to the quiet surf town of Dominical on the Pacific coast. We’ve been here a few days now just soaking in the relaxed vibes, and we’ll be signing up for surfing lessons any day now.
Costa Rica is noticeably different than Panama in many ways. As a result of their higher level of development in the tourism industry Costa Rica is much more expensive (luckily we’re here in the low season and are able to negotiate for lower prices on accommodations) and you can’t swing a dead cat without hitting an ex-pat. Especially here in Dominical I’d say there are more gringos than locals, and the tiny village that really only has two roads has two or three real estate offices catering to the English-speaking customer.
Because of the higher prices we’ll most likely keep our time in Costa Rica to a minimum and just hit a few spots we really want to see. For me that includes checking out the surf at a few well-known spots along the Pacific, with a jaunt into the mountains to do the equally well-known zip-line tours through the rainforest canopy around Monteverde. Andrew also recommended a trip to Volcan Arenal to see an active volcano and we may hike up Cerro Chirripo, the highest peak in Costa Rica.
I had a few more photos I wanted to upload, but Blogger isn't cooperating right now. I'll try some other time, but at $4 an hour for Internet it isn't worth it right now.
No comments:
Post a Comment