On a trip that I feel has already been such an unbelievable experience, today's list of superlatives might seem rather redundant. The problem, it seems, is that around every bend in the (absurdly rocky, unpaved, and "peligroso") road in this country lies another breathtaking vista or intriguing adventure.
The day began at 5:00am; the crashing waves of the Pacific, along with the early morning sunrise, woke us in good time for the day that lay ahead. By 6:00 we were in the car, off to try to make the 9:30 zip line tour at Sky Adventures in the Monteverde Cloud Forest. Despite the road conditions (see the picture I posted of the warning on our map to get a sense of what we faced), we managed to rumble into the parking lot at 9:20, and by 10:00 we were flying through the clouds hundreds of feet above the dense, lush rain forest below. Check out the video I posted above of Mr. Evans descending into the fog!
There is no way to describe what it feels like to ride a zip line for a quarter of a mile at high speeds, hundreds of feet above the ground, in clouds so thick you cannot see ten feet in front of you, so I am not even going to try to find the right adjective! Needless to say, the experience was somewhere north of exhilarating.
After a quick lunch of some PB&Js that Mr. Evans had made at 5:30am before our departure, we took a guided walking tour of the rain forest, via the many hanging bridges they have suspended above and within the canopy. Our guide was outstanding, sharing his abundant knowledge of the flora and fauna of the area. Among the many facts he imparted, we learned that there are over 1200 species of butterflies here, along with over 600 species of delicate and prized orchids. It was an honor and a priviledge just to have the opportunity to walk through the dense, diverse forest ecosystem.
After finishing our hike, we elected to make our way to the Don Juan Coffee Plantation, a short drive back down those treacherous roads. The stop turned out to be a great choice! There we met Raymond, to whom we paid a small sum for a brief private tour of the grounds. He was incredibly knowledgeable and friendly, teaching us an abundance of facts about the cultivation, harvest, and processing of the beans. Please watch the videos for some great snapshots of our time there.
By the time Raymond finished it was 4:00, and since we had a three-hour drive (to travel all of 50 kilometers!) ahead of us, we headed back to the lodge. The views from the road made for a perfect ending to a day that I will never forget.
Cheers to Costa Rica, the land of "pura vida". What a place this is...beyond compare.
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