Hola, and Buenos días! Our schedules have finally slowed down a bit here in Heredia. Last weekend we didn’t have an excursion or trip planned through Sol, so the girls and I planned our own trip, which was a lot more complicated than it sounds when you are just learning the language and you don’t know where to necessarily stay that is cheap and clean. We ended up going back to Manuel Antonio because we are at least somewhat comfortable with the area and kind of know some tricks on how to save money.
None of us has a car here, or would even want to attempt to drive, so figuring out how to get back to Manuel Antonio was a bit complicated. We not only had to find the best and most economical way to the beach, but we also had to decide on the best way to get to, in our case, the bus stop. Once we arrived in Quepos/Manuel Antonio, we had to decide how to get to our hostel and how to get from there to the beach.
We took the bus (which was sort of like a Greyhound) because it had the most options for departure, and a direct ticket to and from Quepos were only 4000 colones each (about $8 USD). But, we made the mistake of buying our departure ticket when we arrived in Quepos. Because of this, we couldn’t buy a ticket for the departure time we wanted, so we had to choose between leaving at 12 p.m. or 5 p.m. instead of 2:30. We didn’t want to arrive back in San Jose at 8, so we had to take the 12 bus, which didn’t leave us much time for the beach on Sunday, but now we know that we should try to buy our tickets ahead of time.
We were pretty lucky because Anna’s host dad had a van that was big enough to fit all of us and our weekend bags. He agreed to drive us to the bus station the morning that we left, so that saved us money on a taxi or trying to catch a bus in the morning. It was also nice because none of us really knew where the bus station was (we had been there to buy tickets, but we had gotten lost on our way there so it would have been almost impossible to find it again).
After arriving in Quepos, we found a taxi-van to bring us to the hostel where we were staying (I’ll talk more about that in a minute). We were lucky that we found a van because car taxis refuse to drive with more than 4 passengers because it’s a pretty big fine in Costa Rica to be caught with more passengers in your car than seatbelts. Then, for the rest of the trip, we took the public bus that ran from Quepos to the beach and made a stop near our hostel. It was only 240 colones per bus ride (about $.50 USD), so it didn’t cost us a lot of money and we ended up taking that bus back to the Quepos bus station on Sunday when we went home.
The five of us (Toya had other plans for the weekend, so she didn’t come along) had a tough time deciding between whether we wanted to stay at a hostel or a hotel. Since it was only one night, it really didn’t make much of a difference, but it was a hard decision. We knew of a hotel where it would have been $35 USD per person to stay for one night, but we found a hostel where we could rent a private cabin for the night for $20 USD per person. It was a draw either way because the cabin was a longer walk to the beach, so we would have to take a bus to get there every day, and the hotel was right across the street so we would be able to get there really quickly. We ultimately decided on the cabin because we would have a kitchenette and we would all be in one place instead of having two separate rooms at a hotel. The cabin was actually really nice, and we went to the grocery store to buy pasta and sauce and we made dinner instead of going out, which saved us some cash. We also bought materials for lunch the next day and some water, because you can’t drink the water at the beach, only in the Central Valley.
Even though we loved the cabin, I think we all wished that it had been closer to the beach. It was a neat experience, but I think that if we return, we will be staying at Coco Beach Hotel, which is just that much closer and that much more convenient. It’s too bad that Coco Beach doesn’t have a kitchenette because if we could stay there and be able to cook our own meals, the $15 difference would really equal out.
All in all, we spent a lovely weekend at an incredible beach for about $65 USD, which I think anyone from the States can agree, is a pretty sweet deal. Since it went pretty smoothly, I think now we have more confidence in planning trips to new places. Plus, Janiva can always help us with details like hotels and tips on saving money. She really is a pretty invaluable asset.
When I arrived home on Sunday night, I was greeted by a birthday party for my host mom. The entire family was over, along with her sister, sister’s husband, and their two children. It was a fun night and we had a really delicious dinner of what I more or less can describe as seasoned tenderloin tips, a vegetable called yucca which is kind of potato-y, and tortilla shells. We also had an incredibly delicious birthday cake that had three layers, chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. We also watched the Costa Rica/Honduras soccer game and sat around and talked. It was nice meeting some more members of the family.
Organic Coffee Farm
On Wednesday, we went to an organic coffee farm, where we learned about the difference between organically grown and chemically grown coffee and fruit. Being the coffee-fiend that I am, it was really interesting to learn about the process and the different growing methods. The farm we went to was a small coffee farm owned by a Costa Rican professor who specializes in organic growth. We were lucky enough to have the opportunity to actually go out into the coffee forest and pick coffee beans from the trees.
After harvesting some coffee beans, he brought us back to the main house and we all had some coffee, including Anna, who doesn’t usually like it. We learned about the traditional Costa Rican method for making coffee, which involves no electricity, which is why the coffee tastes less bitter, and why Anna actually didn’t mind it. Basically, there is a stand, either metal or wooden, that has a small cloth or netted bag at the top where you put the ground coffee. Then, you place a pitcher or cup underneath the bag and pour boiling water over the grounds. The coffee is filtered through the cloth and you get a pot of piping hot coffee. It was really interesting to learn about the traditional method, and it is cost effective if you want to spend less money on electricity (not that a coffee maker really requires that much electricity).
I know it’s taken me a while to get this posted and I’m sorry! I’ll include everything from Friday, Jan. 28 and on in my next post!
Showing posts with label Manuel Antonio. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Manuel Antonio. Show all posts
Jan 11, 2011
Crocodile Look-out Point, Manuel Antonio National Park
Hello all!
So my first few days in Costa Rica were, to say the least, crazy. I was lucky to have no trouble with my flights. But just a few tips, make sure that you bring a pen on the plane to fill out customs forms and that you know all the necessary information for the forms. They ask things like address where you will be staying and phone number where you can be reached. I didn't bring a pen so I had to ask someone sitting next to me if I could borrow hers. To avoid any difficulty, just bring a pen. Also, don't let the customs people scare you. They are there to make sure that people don't get into the country who shouldn't be there. They will probably be a little tough with you.
I was the first to arrive from my group, but eventually two of the other girls showed up and we rode in the Sol Abroad bus together to our respective host families. At first, I was really nervous around my host family, because they were being quiet and I was being quiet. But, then I realized, they are probably just as nervous as I am. Give your host family the benefit of the doubt, and don't let your nerves get the best of you. You are just as new to them as they are to you. I was lucky that my host mom's grandson was at the house when I arrived. He really helped with breaking the ice. Take the time to unpack and get acquainted with your new room. You'll be there for quite a while. But don't spend all of your time there. Make the effort to meet your host family and talk with them. My first night in Costa Rica, the entire family was at the house, my mama tica and papa tico, their son and daughter, and their daughter's husband and son. It was nice to be able to meet them all at once. And remember, if they are host families that your program uses, chances are they want to learn about you and your hometown, so don't be afraid to talk to them; they will also be more than happy to help you with your Spanish learning.
Then dinner came. And dinner was fine; they didn't serve me anything too extreme, and the food was really good. It was juice, chicken, rice, potatoes, and beans. But, I've never really liked beans, which is a problem in Costa Rica because they eat beans with almost every meal. But, I told myself that I wasn't going to complain, and I grabbed a forkful and ate it. And it tasted good. I'm not saying that I've changed my opinion of beans, but I know that I'll be able to eat them for the next three months and I won't die, or be miserable. It's important to eat all the foods that your host family eats so that you really know what it's like to live there day to day. Not to mention, in Costa Rica especially, food is a huge part of welcoming you to the family. They want to make sure that you have enough to eat, so chances are they are going to give you a lot and try to accommodate you as much as they can. Accept what they are giving you. They don't live in excess like we do in the U.S., so when they offer you food, take it as a sign of good will. But, don't be afraid to let them know if you have a real reason for not being able to eat something (allergies, religious beliefs, dietary restrains such as being a vegetarian, etc.). For the most part, suck it up and just enjoy the adventure of it all. You can't really experience the country if you close yourself off to things you don't know.
After dinner, my host brother (Johan), my host sister's husband (Jose) and my host sister's son (Anthony), and I watched a Batman movie. Anyone who knows me knows that I am right at home anywhere there is Batman.
The following day my host mom walked me to the university for a tour and orientation. How do I get to class, you ask? Why, I walk through a MALL of course! And it's a huge mall, at that. But it's actually really convenient because then if there are things that I need to pick up, I can just do it on my way home from class. Not to mention, the mall is lit up and there are security guards everywhere so going that way makes me feel really safe. It's also the easiest place to catch a taxi at night.
During the university tour we met up with the winter break students to get a briefing on our trip to Manuel Antonio National Park, which was amazing and beautiful and gorgeous and can't be described with words. The campus is gorgeous, also. I feel like gorgeous and beautiful are words that can describe most of Costa Rica. Everywhere in the Central Valley (which is where Heredia is located) has views of the mountains, and it’s hot and sunny, but there are constantly mountain breezes that make it so comfortable despite the sun. It is a big campus, but it doesn't feel enormous, and it feels secure, which is really nice.
On Saturday, we left for Manuel Antonio National Park really early in the morning. On the way there we stopped at a crocodile lookout point, which is basically a bridge over a river where crocodiles naturally live. It sort of felt like looking down into a zoo exhibit until you realized there was nothing keeping the crocs from coming up the slope and attacking. But they just lay calmly in the water and swam around. It was pretty cool, since you don't that close to animals like crocodiles (crocodillos en espanol) in the States.
We stayed at the cutest hotel in Manuel Antonio. Each room had three beds and a t.v. and bathroom, but no clock. We were lucky to have a fridge in our room where we could put snacks and water that we bought in the nearby inland town called Quepos. We only had a 5 minute walk to the beach, and the views from the hotel porch of the Pacific Ocean were amazing. Our group spent about an hour swimming at the public beach, and then we did the hike through the national park, which took about 2 hours. During the hike we stopped at a bunch of look-out points and just stared at the beautiful water. We also saw and incredible number of monkeys, and they got really close to us. Janiva told us that because of all the tourists they have more or less become desensitized to human presence. We also saw a sloth and some mapaches, which basically look like raccoons, but I don't know for sure if they are raccoons, or just a jungle animal that looks like a raccoon. That night we had dinner in Quepos (because everything is cheaper inland than on the beach) and celebrated Catie, Ellen, and Maemar's birthdays.
Before we went home on Sunday, we stopped for whitewater rafting, which was incredible. I've gone before in I think Kentucky and Tennessee, but this was way better. We were lucky; the only time anyone fell out of our boat was when our guide purposefully tipped it over. He did a really good job. We didn't really see any super exciting animals during our rafting, but we did see a horse just sort of wandering on its own and a farm full of cows. After rafting, we stopped at Jaco Beach and some people went bungee jumping. That was crazy to watch. I didn't go, but I took a video of Akhil jumping, and I will ask him if he minds if I post the video.
Then, on Monday, we went on a tour of Heredia Central (downtown Heredia) so that we know where to get certain things that we need. We also had the opportunity to try a bunch of different local fruits and go to a local cafe, which was a lot of fun. My first class was Monday, too, but I will write about that experience later this week after I have had all of my classes (I still have Yoga on Wednesday night and Marketing on Thursday morning.)
You can see pictures from Manuel Antonio and from the crocodile lookout point at the photographs page up above. There are also pictures from the Heredia City tour. I will talk to Akhil about the bungee video as soon as possible.
Hasta luego, see ya later.
So my first few days in Costa Rica were, to say the least, crazy. I was lucky to have no trouble with my flights. But just a few tips, make sure that you bring a pen on the plane to fill out customs forms and that you know all the necessary information for the forms. They ask things like address where you will be staying and phone number where you can be reached. I didn't bring a pen so I had to ask someone sitting next to me if I could borrow hers. To avoid any difficulty, just bring a pen. Also, don't let the customs people scare you. They are there to make sure that people don't get into the country who shouldn't be there. They will probably be a little tough with you.
I was the first to arrive from my group, but eventually two of the other girls showed up and we rode in the Sol Abroad bus together to our respective host families. At first, I was really nervous around my host family, because they were being quiet and I was being quiet. But, then I realized, they are probably just as nervous as I am. Give your host family the benefit of the doubt, and don't let your nerves get the best of you. You are just as new to them as they are to you. I was lucky that my host mom's grandson was at the house when I arrived. He really helped with breaking the ice. Take the time to unpack and get acquainted with your new room. You'll be there for quite a while. But don't spend all of your time there. Make the effort to meet your host family and talk with them. My first night in Costa Rica, the entire family was at the house, my mama tica and papa tico, their son and daughter, and their daughter's husband and son. It was nice to be able to meet them all at once. And remember, if they are host families that your program uses, chances are they want to learn about you and your hometown, so don't be afraid to talk to them; they will also be more than happy to help you with your Spanish learning.
Then dinner came. And dinner was fine; they didn't serve me anything too extreme, and the food was really good. It was juice, chicken, rice, potatoes, and beans. But, I've never really liked beans, which is a problem in Costa Rica because they eat beans with almost every meal. But, I told myself that I wasn't going to complain, and I grabbed a forkful and ate it. And it tasted good. I'm not saying that I've changed my opinion of beans, but I know that I'll be able to eat them for the next three months and I won't die, or be miserable. It's important to eat all the foods that your host family eats so that you really know what it's like to live there day to day. Not to mention, in Costa Rica especially, food is a huge part of welcoming you to the family. They want to make sure that you have enough to eat, so chances are they are going to give you a lot and try to accommodate you as much as they can. Accept what they are giving you. They don't live in excess like we do in the U.S., so when they offer you food, take it as a sign of good will. But, don't be afraid to let them know if you have a real reason for not being able to eat something (allergies, religious beliefs, dietary restrains such as being a vegetarian, etc.). For the most part, suck it up and just enjoy the adventure of it all. You can't really experience the country if you close yourself off to things you don't know.
After dinner, my host brother (Johan), my host sister's husband (Jose) and my host sister's son (Anthony), and I watched a Batman movie. Anyone who knows me knows that I am right at home anywhere there is Batman.
The following day my host mom walked me to the university for a tour and orientation. How do I get to class, you ask? Why, I walk through a MALL of course! And it's a huge mall, at that. But it's actually really convenient because then if there are things that I need to pick up, I can just do it on my way home from class. Not to mention, the mall is lit up and there are security guards everywhere so going that way makes me feel really safe. It's also the easiest place to catch a taxi at night.
During the university tour we met up with the winter break students to get a briefing on our trip to Manuel Antonio National Park, which was amazing and beautiful and gorgeous and can't be described with words. The campus is gorgeous, also. I feel like gorgeous and beautiful are words that can describe most of Costa Rica. Everywhere in the Central Valley (which is where Heredia is located) has views of the mountains, and it’s hot and sunny, but there are constantly mountain breezes that make it so comfortable despite the sun. It is a big campus, but it doesn't feel enormous, and it feels secure, which is really nice.
On Saturday, we left for Manuel Antonio National Park really early in the morning. On the way there we stopped at a crocodile lookout point, which is basically a bridge over a river where crocodiles naturally live. It sort of felt like looking down into a zoo exhibit until you realized there was nothing keeping the crocs from coming up the slope and attacking. But they just lay calmly in the water and swam around. It was pretty cool, since you don't that close to animals like crocodiles (crocodillos en espanol) in the States.
We stayed at the cutest hotel in Manuel Antonio. Each room had three beds and a t.v. and bathroom, but no clock. We were lucky to have a fridge in our room where we could put snacks and water that we bought in the nearby inland town called Quepos. We only had a 5 minute walk to the beach, and the views from the hotel porch of the Pacific Ocean were amazing. Our group spent about an hour swimming at the public beach, and then we did the hike through the national park, which took about 2 hours. During the hike we stopped at a bunch of look-out points and just stared at the beautiful water. We also saw and incredible number of monkeys, and they got really close to us. Janiva told us that because of all the tourists they have more or less become desensitized to human presence. We also saw a sloth and some mapaches, which basically look like raccoons, but I don't know for sure if they are raccoons, or just a jungle animal that looks like a raccoon. That night we had dinner in Quepos (because everything is cheaper inland than on the beach) and celebrated Catie, Ellen, and Maemar's birthdays.
Before we went home on Sunday, we stopped for whitewater rafting, which was incredible. I've gone before in I think Kentucky and Tennessee, but this was way better. We were lucky; the only time anyone fell out of our boat was when our guide purposefully tipped it over. He did a really good job. We didn't really see any super exciting animals during our rafting, but we did see a horse just sort of wandering on its own and a farm full of cows. After rafting, we stopped at Jaco Beach and some people went bungee jumping. That was crazy to watch. I didn't go, but I took a video of Akhil jumping, and I will ask him if he minds if I post the video.
Then, on Monday, we went on a tour of Heredia Central (downtown Heredia) so that we know where to get certain things that we need. We also had the opportunity to try a bunch of different local fruits and go to a local cafe, which was a lot of fun. My first class was Monday, too, but I will write about that experience later this week after I have had all of my classes (I still have Yoga on Wednesday night and Marketing on Thursday morning.)
You can see pictures from Manuel Antonio and from the crocodile lookout point at the photographs page up above. There are also pictures from the Heredia City tour. I will talk to Akhil about the bungee video as soon as possible.
Hasta luego, see ya later.
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