¡ Pura Vida !

I just returned from my first-ever trip to Central America (okay, I’m ignoring the several trips I’ve taken to Mexico). Costa Rica, to be precise.  A wonderful trip with a Road Scholar group, which made it “extra” compared to the “beach and bistro” vacations taken by many.

Road Scholar trips are vacation tours with an educational “wrapper.”  The trips include lectures and activities that are geared to enhancing one’s knowledge of an area, history, culture, people and more. All transportation, lodging, meals and tips are included.

There were lectures on Costa Rica’s history, biological corridors, chocolate, insects and bats, Quaker settlers, butterflies, coffee and more.  Many of these lectures were performed while touring.

Arenal Volcano

Arenal Volcano

Costa Rica’s major exports are pineapples and bananas, but their coffee is right up there with the world’s best!

coffee

Coffee Plantation

Did somebody say pineapples?  A visit to a pineapple plantation yielded lots of information, not to mention tasty bites and drinks.  Take-away:  Pineapples are picked ripe and cooled to 45° immediately, where they will stay fresh for up to 40 days.  Pineapples in your grocery are already fresh — no need to poke, punch, pull or tilt.

pineapples

Pineapples nearing picking freshness

Costa Rica is one of the densest bio-diverse areas on earth.  It’s a haven for researchers and scientists.

blue morpho butterfly

Blue Morpho Butterfly

I attended a fascinating lecture and demonstration on insects and bats.  A side trip to a hummingbird sanctuary was included.

Hummingbirds are everywhere!

I’m still reviewing photographs, so I may post a follow-up to this article.  But for now, Road Scholar has gone five-for-five in my satisfaction rating!

Yay, yay, Vacay!

I leave for Costa Rica in two days.  I’ve never been there before.  I decided on this trip a few months ago, and didn’t really get a sense for it until recently. Titled, “A Taste of Costa Rica,” this is a multi-destination adventure with a lot of photo opportunities.

Most of my travel destinations have been to U. S. national parks, or cities (for work, mostly) or for European points of interest (given that I spent much of my youth there).  For a change, I’m headed to Central America; I’ve only been to Mexico and the Caribbean to date.

This will be my fifth trip with Road Scholar.  I have thoroughly enjoyed the previous trips, always having some trepidation before the start, and then having a fabulous time! I now have faith that the trip will be utterly satisfying!  I heard a story a few years ago that demonstrates the passage to faith:

Having trouble with his car, a man asks his neighbor for advice. His neighbor recommends a mechanic. Uncertain, the man takes his car to the mechanic, hoping he will repair the vehicle.  The mechanic indeed, fixes it.

Later, he once again has car problems, and takes it to the same mechanic, hoping once again that the man can fix it.  He does.

The third time he has car trouble, he takes it to the same mechanic, this time with faith that he will fix it.

Due to work considerations, I need to report every time I travel outside the country.  Having to provide hotel names and addresses, I needed to look them up, and the results I found depict outstanding facilities.

Hotel Balmoral, San Jose

Selva Verde Lodge

Hotel Arenal Monoa

Hotel Montaña Monteverde

Wyndham San Jose Herradura Hotel and Convention Center

 

The first quarter of 2018 is past.  Time to take some time out and recharge the batteries.  And take some good photos, I hope!