Costa Rica 2022

 We took the main road back to the capital, quite heavy traffic and road works..returned our car to the excellent " Jumbo Cars " and booked into our fine colonial style hotel, the Granero, in the town centre. We walked around the centre and the rather scruffy central park. What with earthquakes and volcanos, not much of the colonial architecture has survived and there's not a lot to see. However we did a very good walking tour which involved visiting a  local fruit and veg market which was really informative and then a handicraft market which was rather dull. Getting around was easy with the efficient and cheap Ubers and we ate very well. On our last day we visited the excellent Nacional Museo of Costa Rico. It's in what was the main army fortress and barracks before they decided they would have no armed forces. Great displays, live music in the gardens. The museum also has a butterfly house in  a Kew Garden like greenhouse and which had a number of  the elusive Blue...

 Our last hairy drive, back the way we had come, some more nervous moments crossing the waterbeds and then the tarmac drive to Uvita and our hotel, the Villas Alturas, up the steepest road of the trip, would have been impossible without four wheel drive. After some forceful negotiations with hotel manager after we complained about our room we were upgraded and which had stunning views over the coast and more amazing sunsets.We both felt tired so we ate in and watched TV ! We also tried to plan a tour for the next day but nothing that we had wanted to do was available so after breakfast ( a wonderful one) we set off to explore. After a sushi lunch in laid back, pleasant Domincal we drove into the Uvita National Park,the reason why we had come here.After being entertained by some baby caimans, actually virtually in the car park ( no sign of the parents! ) we walked along the stunning beach to the "Whale Tail " isthmuses, a beach in the shape of a whale's fluke ( although di...

We had had mixed feelings as to visiting Manuel Antonio national park as it has a reputation for being too busy, However, it provided a convenient stop over for what was already a long driving day of five or six hours, much over rough roads or dirt tracks. We stopped on the way at the Tarcoles bridge where a selection of stalls has grown up for the benefit of  the weary car driver, walking along the bridge and admiring the selection of very large crocodiles in the water below. We eventually arrived at the Gaia hotel, built on a very steep estate indeed, again, with great views from the pool, bar and restaurant, fortunate because the food was excellent and we were meeting up with Robert and Liz on their return to Costa Rica!. The next day we were off for a kayak to her through the mangroves where we saw a lot including, at last, some kingfishers including an Amazonian one but too quick for the camera.  In the afternoon we walked the local hotel trail with a guide...

  To Nosara  Up and out from our Casita, into our favourite Orchid cafe bakery for wraps for the trip and then on the road. Still beautiful weather, unbelievable for the cloud forest. Amazing scenery as  we descended into the valley and flatter terrain. We drove through the fields and dusty villages and as we approached the Pacific coast the road deteriorated so that we were using full four-wheel-drive for the first time. The main issue was deep potholes and the need to avoid them coupled with the narrowness of the road and dodging the incoming traffic. The last mile before we arrived at the Lagata Lodge really was really  rough, almost African standard, but then we arrived  for our five days of definitely spending the kids inheritance!  The lodge is gorgeous with amazing views and our room probably the biggest we have ever had, anywhere. Obviously, a sea view  and the sound of the surf below at night after the daily amazing sunset from our balcony. Th...

On arrival in Santa Elena we booked into Los Pinos Casitas and our cabin just outside the town. Apparently cash obtained a discount! We had chosen the cabins because of their proximity to the National Park and we were able to work in a night walk on our first evening. A very different experience to Tortuguero; we were on paved paths, it was dry and there was no concern about snakes or the threat of venomous spiders. We saw tarantulas, luminous fungi, fireflies and glow worms but it was a little underwhelming after our experience in Tortoguero. The cabins are self catering and we had shopped for fruit ( amazing tropical selection ), cereal etc and our first dinner was take away pizza. We were pretty exhausted! N ot eaten on our veranda as it’s pretty nippy up here at night and all the cold weather gear we had was worn.   We had planned to do a bird tour here but it was unclear whether it would be on so we did the morning nature walk which was pretty good; lots to see  ranging f...

  After our BA flight was delayed for an hour and a half and a 10 1/2 hour flight took 11 1/2 hours we were fairly weary by the time we landed in San Jose and entered the scrum at the taxi rank. At Pura Vida, our little collection of casitas, ours named " rain forest", set in the former grounds of a finca, with the affable Bernie to serve up a beer and a light supper under the gaze of his two large Alsatians. Next morning we strolled round the gardens of the finca, the owners' passion, then took an Uber (very efficient here) to the weekly farmers market in Alajuela. Crowds of people with shopping trolleys with masses of fruit and veg for the week. Many fruits and vegetables new to us. Lunch was in the store holders “soda“, that is, a small café, of tamales and maize pancakes. The kitchen was manic but very good humoured.  We had our first experience of the more upmarket local cuisine in the evening. Excellent cerviche followed by a remarkably bony fish for Nic. Next morni...