Ahhh, back on the coast in Costa Rica!

Thursday, 7.19.12


[Note:  If you click on the first image, it will create a slideshow of the pics for this blog entry.  This gives you a more zoomed in view].

I'm pretty behind in my updates, so I'm going to try to sum it up so I can talk about current events and not stuff from the past.

We had a smooth, and short flight to San Jose, CR.  It took only 1.5 hours from Guate City.  A huge stoke for us is they didn't charge anything for the boards this time! We paid $125 to fly 3 boards from LAX to Guatemala City.  One of the coolest things upon arriving in Costa Rica is this.  We walk out from baggage claim and start to think about calling our rental car company when I see this guy holding a sign with "Stephen Chitraroff" on it.  I felt like I was in the movies or something.  This was a first for me!  It was the rental car  guy, so at this time I definitely have to recommend Mapache Car Rental...very helpful.

One of the many spectacular river crossings.

Bodhi feeling the Pura Vida!

Once we got the car rental squared away we headed North into the highlands.  We took the scenic route and we are so glad we did!  Granted, it is much slower but we saw a really cool part of the country in doing so.  Our destination was Lake Arenal near the Arenal Volcano.  We headed to Witch's Rock Volcano Brewing Company to stay for a couple of nights.  Leslie chose it because she knows how much a I like microbrews.

View of Lake Arenal from our room.

In the brewery restaurant.  Free breakfast!

Hotel Pool...so crowded!

Kahlo chilling on our porch.

Leslie at our room entrance.

This place was very cool...skatepark, pool table, swimming pool, brewery with great foods, organic garden, tennis courts with elevated views of the lake.  Another bonus is that there were Jui-Jitsu champions that were hosting a Jui-Jitsu camp there.  Bodhi, Kahlo and Micah got to learn some moves from some serious masters of the sport.  The boys were totally into it and they're all trying to do choke holds on me.  I knew I should've taken some lessons!

Kahlo getting schooled a bit.

Bodhi practicing his choke hold.

The Jui-Jitsu Crew.  Thank You!

The bummer part is the stomach flu hit me hard on the first day, so I was pretty much wiped out for about 48 hours.  Getting your health back after being ill is one of the best blessings in life.

Our first outing was the Monteverde Cloud Forest.  This place has one of the most biologically rich ecosystems with forest that are teaming with epiphytes...ferns, mosses, liverworts, lichens, air plants.  It is so green from the rain and fog that enshroud the park that when you actually see color (like a blossom) it totally pops from the backdrop.  We were fortunate to see some white-faced capuchin monkeys, tons of exotic butterflies and birds.  The forest was humming with cicadas which makes the rainforest sound like it is breathing.

Our guide showing us the rainforest
canopy at Monteverde.

Wild Ginger Blossom.

Avatar Tree

Bodhi doing a papa imitation.

Stick Bug.

Leslie showing off the massive solar collectors.

Bo playing Tarzan.

Epiphytes are huge sponges.

Color popping from the backdrop.

A primeval forest.

In a foggy cloud.

Leslie at the canopy bridge 30 meters above the forest floor.

Capuchin monkey launching into a tree.

close up of capuchin monkey.

Shot from the Hummingbird cafe. Proud of this one.

On our way out of Lake Arenal, we stopped at a secret waterfall, with rock jumps and water slides.  It was a short hike to an incredible scenic display of water features.

From the waterfall, we drove to the coast.  Our first stop was the popular surf town of Tamarindo.  We stayed at another Witch's Rock Hotel because it was right on the beach and closest to the surf spot.  As soon as we got in, Kahlo and I unpacked and assembled our boards and got in the water for a sunset session.  The mild, hollow surf was a welcome relief to the pounding beach break of Guatemala.

Tamarindo has wide, white-powdered beaches with both gentle and aggressive surf to satisfy both of our families needs.  There wasn't a strong current to deal with and the crowds were manageable.  Bodhi and Micah took the boards out for a session with Kahlo as the surf instructor.  Leslie had a great day long boarding with the locals and had some epic rides.

Today (Thursday), we drove a few kilometers south of Tamarindo to Playa Negra.  We are paying the premium price for surf side accommodations, but it definitely worth it.  Kahlo and I squeezed in a sunset session that was a blast.  Playa Negra has crystal clear water and head-high to overhead waves that slowly peel with huge ripable faces.  The off shores were howling today, so the wave shape was very high quality.  The Brazilians are definitely in full-force in CR right now.  They are aggressive surfers who make you work for your waves.  So, my watch is set for an early 5am dawn patrol to avoid the crowds.