{"id":5133,"date":"2016-06-11T13:55:40","date_gmt":"2016-06-11T13:55:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bucksurdu.com\/blog\/?p=5133"},"modified":"2016-06-11T13:55:40","modified_gmt":"2016-06-11T13:55:40","slug":"costa-rica-8-11-june-2016","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bucksurdu.com\/bucksblog\/2016\/06\/11\/costa-rica-8-11-june-2016\/","title":{"rendered":"Costa Rica, 8-11 June 2016"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Arriving<\/a>
Arriving in San Jose, Costa Rica<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Over the past 6 Summers we worked to get the kids to all 50 states in the US before Tommy went off to college. \u00a0We managed to complete that goal about a week before he reported into West Point for Beast Barracks. \u00a0We had thought about trying to go to England this Summer, but the cost of airfare just put England into the “too hard” box for this year. \u00a0To work around Sam’s Summer School and Tom’s military training, we decided to have two smaller vacations rather than one long one. \u00a0The first vacation of the year is a week in Costa Rica.<\/p>\n

\"Our<\/a>
Our first stop in Costa Rica for traditional Costa Rican food<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Normally Candy has spent months planning each of our family vacations, using TripAdvisor, Yelp, and other Internet sites as well as travel books from the library. \u00a0This year she did some basic research, but then we hired Orlando Vargas, a Costa Rica guide, to work out the details. \u00a0This was both liberating and stressful to Candy the Microplanner. \u00a0Orlando picked us up in the airport and began the four-hour drive over largely unimproved roads to La Fortuna. \u00a0Along the way we stopped at a small “Soda” for lunch.<\/p>\n

\"Typical<\/a>
Typical Costa Rican fare<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Most traditional Costa Rican meals include black beans and rice. \u00a0All of the food has been superb. \u00a0The drinks were fruit juices of different types. \u00a0Tom and I hand pineapple, Sam and Candy had something red. \u00a0Tom and I also tried the home-made hot chillies in large yellow-topped jar.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The entrance to our hotel. You can see the Arenal Volcano in the background.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"The<\/a>
The interior of your "supreme" room at Los Lagos<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We arrived at the Los Lagos resort just as the afternoon rain began to fall. \u00a0We checked in then went to the pool-side snack bar to get a light dinner to take to our rooms. \u00a0We weren’t very hungry after the huge lunch we ate.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The view out the front door of our room at Los Lagos<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Candy<\/a>
Candy posing in front of our room<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This first day was largely a travel day, but the second day was full of high adventure. \u00a0We began with a wonderful breakfast buffet at Los Lagos and then Orlando took us to Pure Trek, where we had scheduled an excursion in which we conducted four rappels down canyon walls and waterfalls.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The reception area for PureTrek canyoning<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Our<\/a>
Our guide, Orlando, and Tommy in the parking lot of PureTrek<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After signing a bunch of waivers, we boarded the PureTrek van to take us to the adventure area. \u00a0Most of the drive was along unimproved roads past houses and agricultural fields.<\/p>\n

\"After<\/a>
After a short van ride to the transfer point, we boarded 4x4 trucks to take us to the first rappelling cliff<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I haven’t been rappelling in many years, and I was really looking forward to it. \u00a0Sam and Tom had both rappelled with scouts. \u00a0Tom had just finished air assault school, during which he rappelled from a helicopter. \u00a0Candy had never rappelled. \u00a0So we were a mixed bag.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The 4x4 truck that took us to the rappelling area<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"A<\/a>
A quick safety class<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"I<\/a>
I got to be the first to rappel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I volunteered to go first for the day. \u00a0I wanted to check the safety of the apparatus before Candy and the kids came down. \u00a0We all lived. One of the things I liked about these PureTrek guys is that they were safe, but they let you bound down the cliff instead of just walking. \u00a0It was an awesome experience.<\/p>\n

\"I<\/a>
I really enjoyed being able to bound down the side of the cliff<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

From this shot, you get a sense of scale. \u00a0The cliff for the first rappel was 145 feet.<\/p>\n

\"This<\/a>
This is another shot to gives a sense of scale to the first rappel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"What<\/a>
What a blast!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Ensuring<\/a>
Ensuring that everyone gets wet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Everyone<\/a>
Everyone gets wet!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The guide at the bottom of the cliff, pulled the rope to stop our descent and then dragged us under the falling water to make sure that everyone gets wet.<\/p>\n

\"Sam's<\/a>
Sam's first rappel of the day<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"One<\/a>
One of the guides decided that Candy need to look like a bug<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Candy's<\/a>
Candy's first rappel ever<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Down<\/a>
Down she goes!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Tom:<\/a>
Tom: Rappelling is old hat now -- but fun nonetheless<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Sam<\/a>
Sam completing her first rappel of the day<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"The<\/a>
The next event was the monkey drop, in which you zip line to the middle of a crevasse and then rappel down to the ground below.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Now<\/a>
Now she's a pro!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Posing<\/a>
Posing for the camera<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Our<\/a>
Our group for the rappelling excursion<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Our next stop for the day was to see the La Fortuna falls. \u00a0Getting there meant going down hundreds of stairs to the base of the falls and then back up again.<\/p>\n

\"Posing<\/a>
Posing near the La Fortuna falls<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"At<\/a>
At the base of the falls<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"What<\/a>
What a swell group of dudes and dudettes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"After<\/a>
After the trek down the long set of stairs and back up from the falls, we stopped to have fresh coconut water from a roadside stand.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After leaving the La Fortuna falls area, Orlando took us to a local watering hole on the La Fortuna river. \u00a0Tom and Sam both had a chance to swing out and drop 30 feet into the pool.<\/p>\n

\"Tom<\/a>
Tom leaping from a large rock into the water below<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Sam<\/a>
Sam playing Tarzan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Tom<\/a>
Tom plays Tarzan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After all the adventure and hiking, we went back Los Lagos to relax a little before dinner.<\/p>\n

\"Candy<\/a>
Candy going down the slide into the pool fed by the hot springs from the Arenal volcano<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The resort had several pools, some “cold” and some fed by the volcanic hot springs. \u00a0They both had the fastest water slides I have ever experienced. \u00a0You could really shock yourself going from the cold pool to the hot pool and back.<\/p>\n

\"Candy<\/a>
Candy relaxing by the pool<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Just<\/a>
Just chillaxing in one of the hot pools<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Los Lagos also had a butterfly enclosure, some alligators, a frog enclosure, and an enclosure for leaf cutter ants. \u00a0We spent a few minutes walking through these areas before getting ready for dinner an at upscale steakhouse \/ soda.<\/p>\n

\"Walking<\/a>
Walking around the hotel's butterfly (mariposa) enclosure<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The next morning, after another hearty breakfast, we took a hike up a trail to an observation area for a better view of Arenal.<\/p>\n

\"Studly<\/a>
Studly dudes!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Looking<\/a>
Looking up at Arenal from the hotel reception area<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Finding<\/a>
Finding a puma print on the trail<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"The<\/a>
The lookout on Arenal at the end of the hike<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After this hike we began a three hour drive over unimproved roads to Monte Verde.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The "tourism van" in which Orlando has been shuttling us around<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Can<\/a>
Can we come out and play?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Upon arriving at Monte Verde we went to lunch at the Tree House restaurant. \u00a0A tree grows up through the middle of the restaurant. \u00a0It is a living tree and home to birds.<\/p>\n

\"Lunch<\/a>
Lunch at the Tree House restaurant<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Our<\/a>
Our cabin at Cabinas Capulin in Monte Verde<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After a terrific Italian dinner at a local restaurant in Monte Verde, we hit the sack early and got ready for the next day’s adventure. \u00a0Stay tuned!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Over the past 6 Summers we worked to get the kids to all 50 states in the US before Tommy went off to college. \u00a0We managed to complete that goal about a week before he reported into West Point for Beast Barracks. \u00a0We had thought about trying to go to England this Summer, but the … Continue reading Costa Rica, 8-11 June 2016<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bucksurdu.com\/bucksblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5133"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bucksurdu.com\/bucksblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bucksurdu.com\/bucksblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bucksurdu.com\/bucksblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bucksurdu.com\/bucksblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5133"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.bucksurdu.com\/bucksblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5133\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bucksurdu.com\/bucksblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5133"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bucksurdu.com\/bucksblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5133"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bucksurdu.com\/bucksblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5133"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}