Costa Rica: An intimate discovery

Melanie Chambers
Published: June 18, 2008

Editor’s note: This is the second of two parts. The first part appeared June 5. Go to SatrExponent.com keyword: Costa Rica.

Our accommodations in Costa Rica ranged from 4-star resorts to very rural, charming lodges. I found the lodges, although rustic and sometimes in very remote areas, to be the most interesting and beautiful. They were, like the Centro Neotropico Sarapiquis Lodge we stayed in, situated to capture the particular essence of the area. In this case our lodge was on the Sarapiqui River, and near the La Selva Biological Station, which governs and protects much of the land in the region. This national preserve, which varies in altitude from 112 to 9,500 feet, is a primary reason that more than 300 species of migratory birds congregate here. The preserve provided us with a close look at this endangered tropical forest ecosystem. Close proximity to Rio Sarapiqui meant we had an opportunity to get “wet and wild!” Our white water rafting expedition took us through jungle and pastureland, where we witnessed myriad birds, some river otters, green iguanas, lizards (some called “Jesus Christ Lizards because they move so fast that they can walk across short expanses of water), and poison dart frogs.

After that exhilarating, roller coaster-like ride, we were ready to move on to a secluded lodge in very rural Chachagua, visiting a pineapple farm and native market on our way. It was in Chachaqua that we, when calling on a small farm, learned how the national electrical company aids small, subsistence farmers by providing them with bio-digesters. These devices convert animal excrement to methane gas. The gas is used for cooking and the now-sterilized, by-product is used for fertilizer on crops. While at this farm we took turns milking a cow, made tortillas and empanadas, and sampled Dona Flori’s homemade cheese. Cheese she makes daily and sells to the local pizza shop or barters for groceries at a local market.

This “Hawaiian gal” hates to admit it, but we had the best pineapple I have ever tasted in Costa Rica! In fact all the fruits and vegetables were fresh and delicious.
The highlight, for our group of 16, was our visit to the primary school in Chachaqua. We were warmly greeted by the children in their native costumes and taken to a room where the U.S. and Costa Rican flags were displayed. They sang their national anthem and joined us in singing “The Star Spangled Banner.” The children delighted us with their indigenous dances and we toured the school, and played games with them in a courtyard. They proudly introduced us to their native fruits and vegetables Each child held one and said the name in English. The ladies in our group donned skirts, while the men waved handkerchiefs as we joined the children in two dances (one was the hokey pokey, which seems to be known the world over). In conclusion, the children practiced their English by asking us questions and we tried to respond in Spanish (we had had some rudimentary Spanish lessons in the bus). It was truly a joyous event, one so pleasant and memorable for us all!

Our adventures continued as we traversed hanging bridges over rain forest canopies, were in awe when viewing an erupting volcano at night and rode horses to a volcanic, thermal area. Here we slathered our bodies in warm mineral rich mud then sank into a deliciously therapeutic thermal pool. The excitement continued when many in our group whizzed from tree to tree on an optional zip-line tour.

Our 13-day journey was rapidly coming to an end and we had yet to visit the beach. Our last two days were spent listing to the Pacific Ocean surf pound on a lovely long expanse of sand. This location, in south-central Costa Rica, gave us an opportunity to discover a river teeming with crocodiles, to experience flocks of macaws filling the sky at sunset and to see Manuel Antonio National Park (a small but lush oasis that includes four beaches, island bird sanctuaries, and a luxuriant rain forest). We also found time to enjoy the tranquility of our lovely beach resort and the explosion of color in a Costa Rican sunset.

It was with sadness that we bid farewell to our most knowledgeable guide and the congenial people of this beautiful land called Costa Rica.

Melanie Chambers, CTC, is a travel consultant for Battlefield Travel in downtown Culpeper. She can be reached at 825-1393 or .