Wonders of Costa Rica
A private group has designated its seven wonders of the world, and the choices are pretty impressive. But now it is time for the seven expat wonders of Costa Rica, picked by the staff of A.M. Costa Rica:
1. Consuming a hot plate of chicharrones and fried yucca complete with tortillas and pico de gallo on an empty stomach.
There is nothing more typical than an order of chicharrones and yucca served on a banana leaf with unlimited tortillas to make little rolled sandwiches. And for desert, there's always a tamal de cerdo washed down with an Imperial.
2. Wallowing in a hot pool near La Fortuna after dusk watching the Volcán Arenal blow its top. A piña colada is obligatory.
There are a handful of wonderful hot pool in the la Fortuna area. The best have wallow-up bars where bathers can maintain a constant supply of frosty drinks with little umbrellas in the same way that the mountain serves up a continuous supply of lava, hot rocks and spectacle.
3. Sneaking up at night on a mama turtle as she digs a pit and lays her eggs at Tortuguero.
Infrequently can humans witness an event hundreds of millions of years old. Tortuguero in northeast Costa Rica is famous for the green sea turtles, but the Pacific coasts have their turtle sites, too. Guides are a must as is respect for the sea creatures.
4. Gazing at the structure and art work inside and out of the Teatro Nacional and wondering where they found so many talented workers.
There are a handful of wonderful hot pool in the la Fortuna area. The best have wallow-up bars where bathers can maintain a constant supply of frosty drinks with little umbrellas in the same way that the mountain serves up a continuous supply of lava, hot rocks and spectacle.
3. Sneaking up at night on a mama turtle as she digs a pit and lays her eggs at Tortuguero.
Infrequently can humans witness an event hundreds of millions of years old. Tortuguero in northeast Costa Rica is famous for the green sea turtles, but the Pacific coasts have their turtle sites, too. Guides are a must as is respect for the sea creatures.
4. Gazing at the structure and art work inside and out of the Teatro Nacional and wondering where they found so many talented workers.
How did this architectural prize come to be in Costa Rica? It is the legacy of the 19th century coffee barons, and every visit results in a new discovery, not to mention the world-class events at $5 a head.
5. Looking in the distance to your left and then to your right at midmorning on a Nosara beach and not seeing any other person.
Those who like crowds had better avoid the beaches on the far Pacific coast. Tamarindo and Montezuma have more visitors now, but a solitary bather can still find locations where there is no one else. Suits optional.
6. Collecting temporarily the tiny, brightly colored poison dart frogs in your baseball cap in any number of damp, forested locations.
They are cute but pack a wallop. The red and black frogs seem so helpless and are generally docile, letting visitors bring them close for a good look. And it is nice to know that their neurotoxins do not infiltrate healthy skin.
7. Consorting with the dolphin and whales off the Osa Peninsula.
In the sea, they are more than equal to humans. Up close and personal they are self-confident without being arrogant. And they talk to each other. That's impressive.
Honorable mentions:
The howl of the congo monkey at 2 a.m. that wakes a sound sleeper and causes the skin to crawl. And that unearthly shuffle? It's just a giant iguana getting comfortable in the attic.
5. Looking in the distance to your left and then to your right at midmorning on a Nosara beach and not seeing any other person.
Those who like crowds had better avoid the beaches on the far Pacific coast. Tamarindo and Montezuma have more visitors now, but a solitary bather can still find locations where there is no one else. Suits optional.
6. Collecting temporarily the tiny, brightly colored poison dart frogs in your baseball cap in any number of damp, forested locations.
They are cute but pack a wallop. The red and black frogs seem so helpless and are generally docile, letting visitors bring them close for a good look. And it is nice to know that their neurotoxins do not infiltrate healthy skin.
7. Consorting with the dolphin and whales off the Osa Peninsula.
In the sea, they are more than equal to humans. Up close and personal they are self-confident without being arrogant. And they talk to each other. That's impressive.
Honorable mentions:
The howl of the congo monkey at 2 a.m. that wakes a sound sleeper and causes the skin to crawl. And that unearthly shuffle? It's just a giant iguana getting comfortable in the attic.
Labels: Costa Rica, Costa Rica Vacations
