January 24, 2009
For the past week we have been residing at Spanish By The River in Boquete, Panama. This place is paradise. After making a quick “supermercado” stop in David, we headed up the mountain towards Volcan Baru. In Alto Boquete, about 5 km before Bajo Boquete, we turned towards Spanish By The River. We have taken 2 hours of Spanish language classes each day this week. Estaban, our instructor, is a young man from Turrialba, Costa Rica. He definitely had his work cut out for him and excelled at the job. Reminding us about how to write and say past participles, imperfects, and pronouns, he has definitely helped my ability to speak with proper form. We are also staying in the nicest accommodations of the trip. We have a private room with private bathroom, wi-fi and computers, communal big screen tv, and communal kitchen for $25 total per night. Besides the inside amenities, there is a garden full of sugar canes, platinos, oranges, and lemons, as well as a dog, Elsa, and parrot, Pepe, which are nonstop entertainment. Pepe was found abandoned on the side of a road with a broken wing. Although he cannot fly any longer, he seems content with wandering through the fruit garden all day and doing back-flips in his cage at night.
As for the excursions this week, they have been great. We first visited Paradise Gardens, a wildlife sanctuary near Boquete. This facility had a variety of animals from monkeys to cockatoos to margays and baby sloths. Each animal had a story. Whether they had been caged by previous owners in 2’ by 4’ boxes or left there by unwanted owners, they definitely had a better life and were being prepared to return to the wild. Paradise Gardens owns a piece of land further away where they acclimate animals to their natural habitat.
We also had the opportunity to go rock climbing upon basalt formations. The horizontal and vertical slabs were definitely a challenge, but it was a very welcomed one. After a day of climbing, we decided to go to natural hot springs. We traveled to the caldera, walked near the river, and found the very warm springs. Thankfully not too developed (like the ones in Ouray), these were a real treat. A real treat, until I emerged from the water with a new stinging sensation on my leg. Throughout the night the two spots on my leg got a bit redder and a sticky matter seemed to be emerging from them. As best I can tell, after 2 days, is that I must have been sucked on by a leech. The shape of the sore is the shape of a sucker, but instead of one spot where is may have sucked, its whole body seems to have burned off the top layer of my skin. It burns like hell and is very red, and still producing an interesting sticky wet matter (like a burn). Is this normal? Docs? Leighton put some Neosporin on it and bandaged it, so hopefully the burning sensation will go away within the next few days. Today’s hike towards Bajo Mono and Sendero los Quetzales didn’t help the matter. Okay, enough about the gross stuff.
We hiked around the area today and realized that if we were ever to purchase land, this would be an ideal place. The whole region feels fairly safe. It is cool enough that you need a sweater in the evening. And, I have never seen so much beauty-waterfalls, lush vegetation, cliffs, and rushing rivers. You must only watch out for floods and landslides. This year they had a much larger flood than normal, which managed to wash out a major roadway. Hopefully we will be able to post pictures soon. If we can’t get them up on this site, check facebook. If I am not friends with you yet, feel free to add me. Well, Leighton is almost finished with making a wonderful dinner, so I better get going. I hope everyone is enjoying their winter!
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Bocas del Toro
Steph and I just had one great week in Bocas del Toro, Panama! My expectations were high for this place and it certainly didn't disappoint.
The Road to Bocas
We left Cahuita and - once we could get a break between all the semis - crossed an old, one-lane converted railroad bridge into Panama. This was a little-used border and we made it through in less than an hour - only paid about $10. The drive was beautiful, especially once we got into Panama. The road twists up and down verdant green mountains with waterfalls literally everywhere, and there were very few other vehicles cluttering up the road.
We arrived in the port town of Almirante, parked the truck, and set out on the thirty-minute water taxi ride to Bocas del Toro. The little, home-made fiberglass boat had six rows of seating, carried twenty-five souls, and was powered by a Yamaha 225 horse outboard. The ride was smooth and breezy.
Bocas Proper
Steph and I had decided to visit Bocas del Toro with the intention of attending Spanish school, and - while the Spanish school was all booked up - we found private classes with a young lady from our hostel. Steph did two classes and I did three, and I think that they went pretty well. It is certainly exciting to learn something new that you so deeply desire to know.
While in town we booked a day sailing on a trimaran (three-hulled boat). Although it was raining lightly as we walked to the boat in the morning, the rain stopped as we were boarding the boat and the wind picked up. We were able to sail the whole day - drinking beers, getting terribly sunburnt, and snorkeling the best coral I have ever seen. A bit about the coral.... All I could think as I swam just an arm's length above the vivid, living bits of various makes and models of coral was - it's like Mardi Gras!!! There was purple coral, red coral, yellow coral, long coral tubes, brain-looking coral, coral that looked like lettuce, starfish hanging on coral, schools of fish swimming in-on-around-under coral.... it was a coral party, and everybody was invited!
The captain - Chris - told us about his life as a traveler. Thirteen years ago he and his girlfriend - while in war-torn Africa - purchased a 40' catamaran in order to escape the dangers of driving through said situation...without ANY sailing experience. They learned to sail by traveling Africa and Europe, and eventually crossed the Atlantic and ended up here.
I would be leaving something out if I didn't mention the bike ride Steph and I did.... We rented bicycles and pedaled ourselves from one side of the island to the other on the islands only road - about 15 km. It was probably the hardest ride of my life! The road itself was not too bad, but our bikes SUCKED! I tried out every bike the rental guy had and picked the best one - a one-speeder with coaster brakes and cranks about to fall off. I had the "mechanic" tighten the cranks up which had the unintended consequence of leaving the brakes perpetually "on". Not wanting to make the situation even worse, I smiled and said, "Thanks!" I assumed the cranks would loosen up again and the brakes would unstick, but I was wrong. The entire ride was like riding the training bike from hell! As other bicyclists passed me on there 1980 Huffy's I looked at them with such envy - I wanted a HUFFY!!!! Needless to say, we took a taxi back from the other side of the island....
The Food Highlights
Sesame crusted, seared ahi tuna (sooo fresh and a massive amount to boot)
Spicy shrimp vindaloo (face sweating spicy)
Beef, pepper, and onion kababs (from the street meat-stick guy)
Pork wontons (purchased at the local, Asian-owned grocery)
The list could go on, but my memories grow a bit fuzzy. I will say that Bocas has had the best food of the whole trip!
The Road to Bocas
We left Cahuita and - once we could get a break between all the semis - crossed an old, one-lane converted railroad bridge into Panama. This was a little-used border and we made it through in less than an hour - only paid about $10. The drive was beautiful, especially once we got into Panama. The road twists up and down verdant green mountains with waterfalls literally everywhere, and there were very few other vehicles cluttering up the road.
We arrived in the port town of Almirante, parked the truck, and set out on the thirty-minute water taxi ride to Bocas del Toro. The little, home-made fiberglass boat had six rows of seating, carried twenty-five souls, and was powered by a Yamaha 225 horse outboard. The ride was smooth and breezy.
Bocas Proper
Steph and I had decided to visit Bocas del Toro with the intention of attending Spanish school, and - while the Spanish school was all booked up - we found private classes with a young lady from our hostel. Steph did two classes and I did three, and I think that they went pretty well. It is certainly exciting to learn something new that you so deeply desire to know.
While in town we booked a day sailing on a trimaran (three-hulled boat). Although it was raining lightly as we walked to the boat in the morning, the rain stopped as we were boarding the boat and the wind picked up. We were able to sail the whole day - drinking beers, getting terribly sunburnt, and snorkeling the best coral I have ever seen. A bit about the coral.... All I could think as I swam just an arm's length above the vivid, living bits of various makes and models of coral was - it's like Mardi Gras!!! There was purple coral, red coral, yellow coral, long coral tubes, brain-looking coral, coral that looked like lettuce, starfish hanging on coral, schools of fish swimming in-on-around-under coral.... it was a coral party, and everybody was invited!
The captain - Chris - told us about his life as a traveler. Thirteen years ago he and his girlfriend - while in war-torn Africa - purchased a 40' catamaran in order to escape the dangers of driving through said situation...without ANY sailing experience. They learned to sail by traveling Africa and Europe, and eventually crossed the Atlantic and ended up here.
I would be leaving something out if I didn't mention the bike ride Steph and I did.... We rented bicycles and pedaled ourselves from one side of the island to the other on the islands only road - about 15 km. It was probably the hardest ride of my life! The road itself was not too bad, but our bikes SUCKED! I tried out every bike the rental guy had and picked the best one - a one-speeder with coaster brakes and cranks about to fall off. I had the "mechanic" tighten the cranks up which had the unintended consequence of leaving the brakes perpetually "on". Not wanting to make the situation even worse, I smiled and said, "Thanks!" I assumed the cranks would loosen up again and the brakes would unstick, but I was wrong. The entire ride was like riding the training bike from hell! As other bicyclists passed me on there 1980 Huffy's I looked at them with such envy - I wanted a HUFFY!!!! Needless to say, we took a taxi back from the other side of the island....
The Food Highlights
Sesame crusted, seared ahi tuna (sooo fresh and a massive amount to boot)
Spicy shrimp vindaloo (face sweating spicy)
Beef, pepper, and onion kababs (from the street meat-stick guy)
Pork wontons (purchased at the local, Asian-owned grocery)
The list could go on, but my memories grow a bit fuzzy. I will say that Bocas has had the best food of the whole trip!
January 17, 2009
Throughout the past few days, we have explored Bocas del Toro on Isla Colon. This area of Panama is comprised of several islands near the Costa Rica border. Our first day was concentrated solely on leisure. Then, Leighton and I decided to take out a Catamaran into the bay for a sail/snorkel adventure. Our captain Chris, a Dutch gentleman who bought his first sail boat without a single ounce of sailing experience, navigated this ship towards the most beautiful coral reefs that I have ever seen. Most tourists take motor boats to common reefs that are used by all tour operators. Chris said that it was odd because Panamanians see him out there with his boat, but refuse to ever go check out the other reefs. Needless to say, we enjoyed staying away from the more crowded areas, and swam freely among the most exquisite coral and fish. The coral was so brilliant, comprised of every shape and color, from iridescent purple to pearl green. It was like something out of a Dr. Seuss book. Plenty of sea urchins, starfish, and barracudas were also present. Supposedly stingrays also roamed the waters, but we did not observe and of these creatures. I highly recommend taking this tour if you ever make it to Bocas del Toro—just be sure you take the Catamaran run by Marcel (the owner).
On our third day here, we decided to take a bike ride to the other side of the island, Bocas del Drago. The road consists of asphalt, sand, and mud. And the bicycle rental selection is very limited, therefore Leighton ended up on a bike that had the brake on constantly and I ended up on a bike with handlebars like thorns. Needless to say, we made it to the other side and were delighted to see hundreds of starfish in the calm waters of Bocas del Drago. Even without snorkel gear, the water is clear enough to see a couple meters and observe the wonders of “estrellas” (starfish).
Other than that, we have thoroughly been enjoying the tastes of Bocas del Toro. This town has the most unique and exquisite food selection of anywhere I have been. From mashed plantains that are then shaped into mini bowls and cooked and filled with crab stuffing, to baked apple with brie and polish sausage, to fresh ahi tuna with a bit of sour cream and cilantro on a fried wonton, this town has it all. We have also had the pleasure of attending a private Spanish class with Yorlenis, a young woman who worked at our Hostel (Hostel Heike). She has been teaching us for about two hours each day for the past few days. These classes are definitely a positive addition to our current status in Latin American countries. Tomorrow we are headed to Boquete, Panama to continue Spanish lessons at Spanish by the River, in a more mountainous setting.
One last note, if you ever stay at Hostel Heike watch out for the loud morons throughout the night. It’s crazy, people come in every hour of the night—2 am, 3 am, 4 am, 5 am, etc. turn the lights on, and begin talking loudly. It’s like they were never taught manners about what to do when other people are trying to sleep. Leighton and I were both very perturbed by being woken up numerous times and getting only about one hour of sleep. He thankfully let them know his opinion during the night. These guys staying in our room were so drunk and throwing up, bringing girls home (who does that to a hostel? Yeah, it’s soooo hot to bring chicks back to a room with people sleeping all over, not), and being generally disrespectful. Therefore, Leighton and I have decided that it’s not worth saving a few bucks for tonight and have moved into a hotel where we spent the entire morning laughing. I mean hysterically laughing at nothing, I think we must have just been so tired, that we began to lose our minds.
Alright, time to take a shower. We only have water in this room for one hour, so I better get to it. Oh yes, although it rains here every day the water seems to be not functioning in all establishments for a majority of the day. Adios for now.
On our third day here, we decided to take a bike ride to the other side of the island, Bocas del Drago. The road consists of asphalt, sand, and mud. And the bicycle rental selection is very limited, therefore Leighton ended up on a bike that had the brake on constantly and I ended up on a bike with handlebars like thorns. Needless to say, we made it to the other side and were delighted to see hundreds of starfish in the calm waters of Bocas del Drago. Even without snorkel gear, the water is clear enough to see a couple meters and observe the wonders of “estrellas” (starfish).
Other than that, we have thoroughly been enjoying the tastes of Bocas del Toro. This town has the most unique and exquisite food selection of anywhere I have been. From mashed plantains that are then shaped into mini bowls and cooked and filled with crab stuffing, to baked apple with brie and polish sausage, to fresh ahi tuna with a bit of sour cream and cilantro on a fried wonton, this town has it all. We have also had the pleasure of attending a private Spanish class with Yorlenis, a young woman who worked at our Hostel (Hostel Heike). She has been teaching us for about two hours each day for the past few days. These classes are definitely a positive addition to our current status in Latin American countries. Tomorrow we are headed to Boquete, Panama to continue Spanish lessons at Spanish by the River, in a more mountainous setting.
One last note, if you ever stay at Hostel Heike watch out for the loud morons throughout the night. It’s crazy, people come in every hour of the night—2 am, 3 am, 4 am, 5 am, etc. turn the lights on, and begin talking loudly. It’s like they were never taught manners about what to do when other people are trying to sleep. Leighton and I were both very perturbed by being woken up numerous times and getting only about one hour of sleep. He thankfully let them know his opinion during the night. These guys staying in our room were so drunk and throwing up, bringing girls home (who does that to a hostel? Yeah, it’s soooo hot to bring chicks back to a room with people sleeping all over, not), and being generally disrespectful. Therefore, Leighton and I have decided that it’s not worth saving a few bucks for tonight and have moved into a hotel where we spent the entire morning laughing. I mean hysterically laughing at nothing, I think we must have just been so tired, that we began to lose our minds.
Alright, time to take a shower. We only have water in this room for one hour, so I better get to it. Oh yes, although it rains here every day the water seems to be not functioning in all establishments for a majority of the day. Adios for now.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
The Truck
Great care was taken when selecting the vehicle to be used for this adventure. A high-clearance, four wheel drive truck was required to give us the capabilities to ensure that road quality would not have to be a huge consideration in route planning. Comfort was obviously a major consideration as well - given our five month trip will cover approximately 12,000 miles of less than perfect roadways. Reliability, cargo room, and serviceability also all played major roles in the selection.
It was not an entirely difficult decision to arm ourselves with a Toyota 4Runner for the trip. It has more than adequate power for passing. It posses the required stout build to endure the miles and miles of bumps, potholes, and washboard. Our 4Runner also comes with all of the bells-and-whistles to keep us occupants happy.... air conditioning, power windows, comfortable seats, adequate cup-holders, storage compartments, good outward visibility.......
All that being said, for a trip like this, it needed some fortification.
The most important upgrade has probably been the suspension. The stock 4Runner suspension is set up for a gentle highway ride quality, on smoothly paved roadways. The roads south of the border are ROUGH! There are speed bumps hidden EVERYWHERE! There are HUGE potholes! The stock suspension is NOT up to the job. Luckily our friends at ARB/Old Man Emu have a great suspension upgrade package. It replaces the stock shocks and springs front and rear, increasing bottoming resistance and ground clearance. The ride is SO MUCH more controlled and the truck feels very solid.
Tires have been listed by other adventurers as one of the most troublesome vehicle components in making this trip. Some folks go as far as recommending bringing multiple spares. I think we have a leg up on the competition with our Goodyear SilentArmor tires in a size 265/75R16 - Slightly larger than stock. They are tough as nails with their Kevlar sidewall protection, quiet as any radial, and have a 60,000 mile tread wear warranty. So far we have experienced one puncture by a self-tapping screw that has been plugged and has not leaked again.
The sound-system has been beefed-up in the truck for more accurate sound reproduction, and to accept an iPod. The auto-retracting radio antenna does not often come up on the 4Runner since the radio stations down here are comparable in quality to the ones in the States. At any rate – it is at little risk of being vandalized….
The truck is equipped with security features that would not typically be found in a stock vehicle. In the cargo area we have mounted a heavy-duty steel lock box that is bolted to the unibody and secured with a MasterLock. The 4Runner also has an electronic disarm switch that I installed and hid to eliminate the possibility of anyone unwanted starting the vehicle – even with the keys… The wheels are secured with locking lugs.
So far the 4Runner has been completely reliable, kept our belongings and us safe, and met every challenge we have handed it. Thank you Toyota!
It was not an entirely difficult decision to arm ourselves with a Toyota 4Runner for the trip. It has more than adequate power for passing. It posses the required stout build to endure the miles and miles of bumps, potholes, and washboard. Our 4Runner also comes with all of the bells-and-whistles to keep us occupants happy.... air conditioning, power windows, comfortable seats, adequate cup-holders, storage compartments, good outward visibility.......
All that being said, for a trip like this, it needed some fortification.
The most important upgrade has probably been the suspension. The stock 4Runner suspension is set up for a gentle highway ride quality, on smoothly paved roadways. The roads south of the border are ROUGH! There are speed bumps hidden EVERYWHERE! There are HUGE potholes! The stock suspension is NOT up to the job. Luckily our friends at ARB/Old Man Emu have a great suspension upgrade package. It replaces the stock shocks and springs front and rear, increasing bottoming resistance and ground clearance. The ride is SO MUCH more controlled and the truck feels very solid.
Tires have been listed by other adventurers as one of the most troublesome vehicle components in making this trip. Some folks go as far as recommending bringing multiple spares. I think we have a leg up on the competition with our Goodyear SilentArmor tires in a size 265/75R16 - Slightly larger than stock. They are tough as nails with their Kevlar sidewall protection, quiet as any radial, and have a 60,000 mile tread wear warranty. So far we have experienced one puncture by a self-tapping screw that has been plugged and has not leaked again.
The sound-system has been beefed-up in the truck for more accurate sound reproduction, and to accept an iPod. The auto-retracting radio antenna does not often come up on the 4Runner since the radio stations down here are comparable in quality to the ones in the States. At any rate – it is at little risk of being vandalized….
The truck is equipped with security features that would not typically be found in a stock vehicle. In the cargo area we have mounted a heavy-duty steel lock box that is bolted to the unibody and secured with a MasterLock. The 4Runner also has an electronic disarm switch that I installed and hid to eliminate the possibility of anyone unwanted starting the vehicle – even with the keys… The wheels are secured with locking lugs.
So far the 4Runner has been completely reliable, kept our belongings and us safe, and met every challenge we have handed it. Thank you Toyota!
The beginning of a new era...or at least a new blog.
January 11, 2009
Well it is nice to finally have a proper blog. Although I will give Dustin and Leighton credit for their efforts on the last website. I am not sure about when my last blog was posted, so I will just begin with Nicaragua.
We crossed “la frontera” and due to the late start we only made it to Leon. However, this was not a disappointment, as I had been told in a previous conversation that Cerro Negro is known for having entertaining sand boarding. A girl that we met in Lanquin, Guatemala had lived in Nicaragua for a long time and recommended this excursion. Therefore, we rented boards and sleds and hiked up to the summit of the sulphorous-smelling volcano. It proved to be exciting and I loved how our guide was jamming to Mana in the car (a CD that I bought Leighton last spring in preparation for this trip).
After Leon, we then headed to Laguna de Apoyo. We drove through Managua, where violent protests are a monthly occurrence. I mentioned to the others that we should not sleep there, although it is regarded as an interesting city. Just today, January 11, Leighton and I turned on the television to witness protests taking place in Managua. There was an unfair “democratic” election, which according to Nicaraguan residents was completely rigged to have Daniel Ortega as the winner. With the influence of socialism and a hand by Russia, Nicaragua is in a bit of a political turmoil state. Needless to say, we avoided all locations where demonstrations might occur. We arrived at Laguna de Apoyo and had the pleasure of spending a few days there (The other 3 continued on, without spending one day here). As New Years approached, we spent the days hiking, sailing, swimming, and smacking a piñata. For the first time on our trip, Leighton and I saw Howler Monkeys!!! I have a new fondness for monos. One might say it is a slight wildlife obsession. As we hiked up the trail, there was a sudden loud hollar, which sounded like rabid dogs. After having recently witnessed the ability of stray dogs to form a pack and threaten others, we were a bit timid of continuing on. However, after listening for a brief period of time, I realized that this was no pack of dogs—it was monkeys!
Side note: Leighton hit the piñata with such extreme force that half of it flew into the lagoon! (he would like everyone to know that he has an extreme hatred for all piñatas)
After departing Laguna de Apoyo, we headed south to San Juan del Sur. This is a tourist town on the Pacific beach near the border of Costa Rica. Although San Juan is not the most scenic of locations, the beaches nearby have beautiful coves, white sand, and caves. I highly recommend Playa Madera to those headed in this direction. I had the pleasure of splitting from the rest of the group, finding a $7 hostel, and meeting some genuine Canadians. I completed a canopy tour, received the worst massage of my life (the woman thought that it was proper to massage my intestines even though I insisted that she not), played some pool, and did a bit of NFL gambling.
After a few days in San Juan, I then headed to the Costa Rica border via autobus. Since splitting from the group, this allowed me the opportunity to experience the typical mode of travel in Central America. And I have to say, it was pretty nice to not be hassled at the border and only pay $2.00 rather than the exorbitant amounts that we had incurred upon our previous crossings. The chicken buses pack people on like sardines, but they get you where you need to go. All in all, I think that both personal car and bus have their pros and cons. However, I might personally be a bigger fan of the bus.
Anyways, I arrived in Monteverde, Costa Rica at about 6pm and headed straight for a backpackers hostel. The next morning I headed to Santa Elena and hiked in my first Cloud Forest of the trip. The lush vegetation was gorgeous and a small amount of wildlife was present. Leighton then met up with me that afternoon. It was so nice to have him back again. However entertaining and care-free it can be to travel on your own, it is also quite comforting to have a bit of companionship. We resided at Casa Tranquilo for a few nights, while spending our days exploring giant waterfalls and doing another canopy tour. The Extremo Canopy tour was definitely worth the $40 we each spent. With thousands of meters of ziplines, a tarzan swing, and a repel, this excursion was a blast. We had each completed a canopy tour at the beginning of the month, but we wanted to experience one together. We finally used a kitchen to cook up some gourmet meals and play Gin Rummy. (we have different rules on this game, such as if you have to hold the cards in your hand until the end or not, anyone?)
We then drove to Cahuita, Costa Rica, which is our current location. Here we have explored the land and waters of Parque Nacional Cahuita (the park extends across water boundaries). We had the opportunity to take a boat out to the coral reef and snorkel amongst some beautiful tropical fish. The coral itself proved to be muy linda. Today we hiked through the park and observed more White-faced and Howler Monkeys. They are very curious animals; you must not set your belongings down unless you expect them to be tampered with. Again, I was amazed to see monkeys and slowed down every time I saw a new one. Yet, I must mention that sometimes they are not fond of humans, and will show their sharp teeth while making a hissing sound—yes, we witnessed this one today. So, although I enjoy their presence, I will keep my distance.
Tomorrow we are headed to Bocas del Toro and plan on attending Spanish Language School for about a week or more. We could both use a refresher, and find this task necessary before continuing travel. Leighton is great at understanding and my speech is sufficient, but we need someone to teach us how to do both at once. Farewell for now. I hope everyone is having a great winter back in the US. Happy New Year and Inauguration Day!
Well it is nice to finally have a proper blog. Although I will give Dustin and Leighton credit for their efforts on the last website. I am not sure about when my last blog was posted, so I will just begin with Nicaragua.
We crossed “la frontera” and due to the late start we only made it to Leon. However, this was not a disappointment, as I had been told in a previous conversation that Cerro Negro is known for having entertaining sand boarding. A girl that we met in Lanquin, Guatemala had lived in Nicaragua for a long time and recommended this excursion. Therefore, we rented boards and sleds and hiked up to the summit of the sulphorous-smelling volcano. It proved to be exciting and I loved how our guide was jamming to Mana in the car (a CD that I bought Leighton last spring in preparation for this trip).
After Leon, we then headed to Laguna de Apoyo. We drove through Managua, where violent protests are a monthly occurrence. I mentioned to the others that we should not sleep there, although it is regarded as an interesting city. Just today, January 11, Leighton and I turned on the television to witness protests taking place in Managua. There was an unfair “democratic” election, which according to Nicaraguan residents was completely rigged to have Daniel Ortega as the winner. With the influence of socialism and a hand by Russia, Nicaragua is in a bit of a political turmoil state. Needless to say, we avoided all locations where demonstrations might occur. We arrived at Laguna de Apoyo and had the pleasure of spending a few days there (The other 3 continued on, without spending one day here). As New Years approached, we spent the days hiking, sailing, swimming, and smacking a piñata. For the first time on our trip, Leighton and I saw Howler Monkeys!!! I have a new fondness for monos. One might say it is a slight wildlife obsession. As we hiked up the trail, there was a sudden loud hollar, which sounded like rabid dogs. After having recently witnessed the ability of stray dogs to form a pack and threaten others, we were a bit timid of continuing on. However, after listening for a brief period of time, I realized that this was no pack of dogs—it was monkeys!
Side note: Leighton hit the piñata with such extreme force that half of it flew into the lagoon! (he would like everyone to know that he has an extreme hatred for all piñatas)
After departing Laguna de Apoyo, we headed south to San Juan del Sur. This is a tourist town on the Pacific beach near the border of Costa Rica. Although San Juan is not the most scenic of locations, the beaches nearby have beautiful coves, white sand, and caves. I highly recommend Playa Madera to those headed in this direction. I had the pleasure of splitting from the rest of the group, finding a $7 hostel, and meeting some genuine Canadians. I completed a canopy tour, received the worst massage of my life (the woman thought that it was proper to massage my intestines even though I insisted that she not), played some pool, and did a bit of NFL gambling.
After a few days in San Juan, I then headed to the Costa Rica border via autobus. Since splitting from the group, this allowed me the opportunity to experience the typical mode of travel in Central America. And I have to say, it was pretty nice to not be hassled at the border and only pay $2.00 rather than the exorbitant amounts that we had incurred upon our previous crossings. The chicken buses pack people on like sardines, but they get you where you need to go. All in all, I think that both personal car and bus have their pros and cons. However, I might personally be a bigger fan of the bus.
Anyways, I arrived in Monteverde, Costa Rica at about 6pm and headed straight for a backpackers hostel. The next morning I headed to Santa Elena and hiked in my first Cloud Forest of the trip. The lush vegetation was gorgeous and a small amount of wildlife was present. Leighton then met up with me that afternoon. It was so nice to have him back again. However entertaining and care-free it can be to travel on your own, it is also quite comforting to have a bit of companionship. We resided at Casa Tranquilo for a few nights, while spending our days exploring giant waterfalls and doing another canopy tour. The Extremo Canopy tour was definitely worth the $40 we each spent. With thousands of meters of ziplines, a tarzan swing, and a repel, this excursion was a blast. We had each completed a canopy tour at the beginning of the month, but we wanted to experience one together. We finally used a kitchen to cook up some gourmet meals and play Gin Rummy. (we have different rules on this game, such as if you have to hold the cards in your hand until the end or not, anyone?)
We then drove to Cahuita, Costa Rica, which is our current location. Here we have explored the land and waters of Parque Nacional Cahuita (the park extends across water boundaries). We had the opportunity to take a boat out to the coral reef and snorkel amongst some beautiful tropical fish. The coral itself proved to be muy linda. Today we hiked through the park and observed more White-faced and Howler Monkeys. They are very curious animals; you must not set your belongings down unless you expect them to be tampered with. Again, I was amazed to see monkeys and slowed down every time I saw a new one. Yet, I must mention that sometimes they are not fond of humans, and will show their sharp teeth while making a hissing sound—yes, we witnessed this one today. So, although I enjoy their presence, I will keep my distance.
Tomorrow we are headed to Bocas del Toro and plan on attending Spanish Language School for about a week or more. We could both use a refresher, and find this task necessary before continuing travel. Leighton is great at understanding and my speech is sufficient, but we need someone to teach us how to do both at once. Farewell for now. I hope everyone is having a great winter back in the US. Happy New Year and Inauguration Day!
Monday, January 12, 2009
Gourmet Mac & Cheese
Here is the recipe for a dinner I made recently. Really just one man´s vision for what Mac & Cheese should be....
1 Clove Garlic
1/4 Stick Butter
1 Yellow Onion
6 Strips Bacon
2 Tbs Capers
1 Cup Heavy Cream
7 Potato Chips, Original
1/2 Lb. Swirl Pasta
Cook bacon in a pan. Remove from pan, chop, drain off most of the grease. Sauté garlic and onion in remaining grease. Remove from pan. Slowly add cheese to cream whilst heating and stirring. Add onion, garlic, and bacon. Add capers. Add butter. Heat, stir, salt and pepper to taste. Pour sauce over drained, cooked pasta, and crush chips over the top to garnish.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Hola from Cahuita, Costa Rica!
So, Steph and I have decided for various reasons that we are not going to continue our travels into South America - at least not by car. That trip is a great one, but we feel to truly do any of the countries justice would take substantially longer than we have budgeted our time or money for. We are going to make the very best of wherever we happen to be with no true "end destination" in mind. We have spent the last week or so in tropical Costa Rica, and have been loving the Tica culture. Although it has been harder to work on our Spanish here since nearly everyone speaks English, Costa Rica has been a good change of pace. Gone are almost all of the roadside garbage fires that plagued Mexico and the majority of Central America until now. There is a booming adventure and nature tourism economy here that has provided us with plentiful entertainment. Although being a bit more expensive here, the zip line canopy tours are some of the best on the planet. Both Steph and I have done two now. Our longest span crossed on pulley was 3/4 of a kilometer! Pretty sweet. Yesterday we arrived on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean for the first time this trip. It certainly did feel a bit odd to have the ocean on our left side. This morning we enjoyed the best snorkeling of the trip. We saw many different types of fish and coral. It is really a treat to be able to sweat all day and swim in the 70+ degree ocean while I know so many of you are freezing your asses off. Oh well, not my fault. If you want to leave winter behind, Central America is the place to be!
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